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Mozeliak Planning To Meet With Arenado Regarding No-Trade Preferences

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With the trade deadline 10 days away, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he plans to meet with Nolan Arenado in the coming week (relayed by John Denton of MLB.com). That’ll be an exploratory discussion to see if the 10-time Gold Glove winner has changed his mind at all regarding a potential trade. Arenado has full no-trade rights and famously invoked that clause to kill an offseason deal that would have sent him to Houston.

Arenado reportedly wanted more time to evaluate the Astros’ direction after they’d traded Kyle Tucker. Offseason reporting suggested he was only interested in approving a deal to five clubs: the Yankees, Padres, Dodgers, Red Sox and potentially Astros once he had a better feel for their competitive outlook. Aside from Houston, none of those teams seemed to show much interest. They moved on to signing Christian Walker when Arenado didn’t immediately accept a deal.

The Red Sox, Dodgers and Padres all have established third basemen. (Max Muncy is currently on the injured list for L.A., but he’s expected back in August and the Dodgers don’t intend to trade for third base help.) While Houston did just lose Isaac Paredes to a hamstring strain, they’re within a few million dollars of the luxury tax threshold and are highly unlikely to trade for Arenado. The Yankees absolutely need a third baseman, yet Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote earlier this month that New York’s front office is concerned about Arenado’s declining offensive output in his mid-30s. That aligns with reporting from various Yankees beat writers dating back to the offseason which downplayed the team’s interest.

If Arenado’s trade preferences are unchanged, it’s very difficult to see a deal coming together. That’d probably remain the case even if he were willing to broaden his list of destinations. His bat has declined in three consecutive seasons. Arenado took a .241/.299/.381 slash line into tonight’s game — his worst numbers in a full season since his 2013 rookie year. He is playing on a $32MM salary, $5MM of which is covered by the Rockies. He’ll make $27MM next year (again with $5MM paid by Colorado) and $15MM in 2027. In this season and next, $6MM is deferred. It’s still a significant sum for a player who looks like a league average hitter at this point, even if he remains a quality defender.

Mozeliak acknowledged that as things currently stand, he “would envision (Arenado) being a part of this in the future.” That reflects the challenges of aligning on a deal, though the front office head added that “if something were to pop up, I would definitely discuss it with him.” In any case, the Cardinals appear increasingly likely to deal some veteran pieces. They’re trying to find a taker for struggling starting pitcher Erick Fedde. Reporting last week indicated they were fielding interest on impending free agent relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz.

That was before they got swept by the Diamondbacks in their first series out of the All-Star Break. The NL Central looks to be a two-horse race between the Cubs and Brewers. The Cards have dropped four games behind the Padres for the final Wild Card spot with the Reds and Giants in between them. They’ve gone 4-10 this month (pending the result of tonight’s game in Colorado). After outperforming expectations for much of the season, they’re hitting a skid right as the time comes for the front office to pick a direction.

Mozeliak acknowledged the downward trend, especially the recent sweep, in sounding more amenable to selling. “Clearly the weekend was not what we wanted to see, and now we’ve got to understand what the future looks like,” he told reporters (link via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). “Where we are in the standings definitely affects our decision-making moving forward at the deadline. Playing those three games and losing all three is not helpful. (We) wanted to come out of the break having a positive start to it. We didn’t. As we reflect on what’s best for the organization, there is the longer view in terms of: Are there decisions that we can make that will better situate the franchise in 2026 and beyond?”

The team still has a bit of runway to pull back into the race. They should expect to win the series against the Rockies, and a sweep isn’t outlandish. They’ll then have a direct matchup with one of their top competitors, as they host the Padres for four games to close out the week. They’ll welcome the Marlins to Busch Stadium for the final three games before the deadline.

Guardians Listening To Offers On Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith

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The Guardians are listening to offers on their relievers, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. That includes a willingness to discuss their star back-end duo of Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith, Heyman adds, though he unsurprisingly notes that the asking price is high enough that a trade of either pitcher remains a long shot.

Teams are generally willing to field offers on almost every player. That’s particularly true for small-market clubs that are constantly trying to balance the short term and the future. It’s only sensible the Guards would hear other teams out on Clase and Smith. Teams are willing to pay a premium for relievers at the deadline. That’d be all the more true for late-game arms who are cheaply controllable for multiple seasons.

Clase is playing on a $4.5MM salary and will make $6MM next year. Cleveland has a pair of club options covering the 2027-28 seasons. Those respectively came with $10MM base salaries, though Clase has since escalated their value to $11.5MM annually by twice winning the American League Reliever of the Year award and by surpassing 200 appearances over the past three-plus seasons. He’d also receive a $1MM assignment bonus if he’s traded.

That’s well below market value for a pitcher of Clase’s caliber. He’s a much better pitcher than Tanner Scott, who signed for four years and a little over $60MM in net present value as last winter’s top free agent reliever. Clase is controllable for his age 27-30 seasons. There’s a chance he’d get into nine figures if he were a free agent.

Clase was MLB’s best reliever in 2024. He surrendered just five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings and went 47-50 in save opportunities. He had an ugly postseason performance but that came in a total of eight innings. Clase is putting together another excellent regular season this year. He has fired 44 innings of 2.86 ERA ball while going 21-25 in save chances. His 23.4% strikeout rate is essentially league average, but he has never been a huge strikeout artist. Clase excels with plus command and movement on his 99 MPH cutter, which hitters very rarely square up.

[Related: Cleveland Guardians Deadline Outlook]

Smith, 26, had a breakout rookie season to emerge as Cleveland’s top setup man. He turned in a 1.91 ERA with a near-36% strikeout rate through 75 1/3 innings a year ago. Smith’s ERA has backed up to a less impressive (though still strong) 3.07 mark across 41 frames this season. He’s striking out 35% of opponents behind a gaudy 15.1% swinging strike rate. The 6’5″ righty has a 96 MPH heater and a plus splitter. Smith is still a season and a half from reaching arbitration and is under club control for four and a half seasons.

There’s virtually no chance the Guardians would trade both relievers. If they were to move Clase, it’d be largely driven by the belief that Smith would be an elite closer in his own right. It’s even tougher to see them pulling the trigger on a Smith deal when he’ll play for barely above the league minimum for the next year and a half. The Guardians have a few lower-profile relievers (e.g. Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski) who could also draw some attention. They’d certainly listen on veteran righty and impending free agent Paul Sewald, but he just landed on the injured list with a shoulder strain that could keep him out beyond the deadline.

An openness to discussing Clase and Smith doesn’t signify that Cleveland is a guaranteed seller. They’re 4.5 games back of the American League’s last Wild Card spot. They have one of the easiest second-half schedules of any team, including four series against clubs with losing records (A’s, Orioles, Royals and Rockies) up to the deadline. There’s a path to getting back in the race and hoping that an excellent back of the bullpen can return them to the ALCS and beyond.

Grayson Rodriguez Dealing With Renewed Elbow Soreness

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Grayson Rodriguez has sustained another setback. Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Danielle Allentuck of The Baltimore Banner) that the right-hander is dealing with more elbow soreness. Rodriguez, who had progressed to throwing bullpen sessions, is being scaled back until he heads for further evaluation next week.

Rodriguez and Zach Eflin were supposed to be the 1-2 pairing at the top of Baltimore’s rotation. Injuries have wrecked both pitchers’ seasons. Rodriguez has been kept off the mound entirely. He was diagnosed with elbow inflammation during Spring Training. When he tried to resume throwing in April, he suffered a lat strain that shut him down for weeks. That was his third such lat/shoulder strain in the past four seasons. Now, it’s the elbow that’s bothering him again.

Allentuck writes that Rodriguez had slightly adjusted his mechanics during his most recent throwing sessions. He raised his arm angle in an effort to take the pressure off the shoulder. It’s not known if that had any effect on his elbow. Regardless, it’s yet another setback for a talented pitcher whose arm continues to give him problems. The O’s will have more information in the coming days.

It’s approaching a full calendar year since Rodriguez’s last MLB appearance. He made his final start of last season on July 31. Lat discomfort cost him the final two months. It’s fair to wonder if he’ll be able to get any major league work this season. Even if this most recent issue turns out to be minor, it’s going to delay his rehab. There are two and a half months remaining and Rodriguez doesn’t seem close to beginning a minor league assignment. The Orioles aren’t likely to be playing meaningful games in September. The former first-round pick and top prospect is under club control for four seasons beyond this one.

Baltimore provided a more encouraging update on Kyle Bradish. The 28-year-old righty will throw a two-inning practice session tomorrow and will then begin a rehab stint (relayed by MLB.com’s Jake Rill). Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery 13 months ago. Pitchers ordinarily can spend up to 30 days on a rehab assignment. That can be extended by as much as 30 days for those coming back from Tommy John surgery. If all goes well, Bradish should be in line to return to the MLB club around the beginning of September. Even if the O’s season is all but over at that point, he’d be able to take a few turns through the rotation in preparation for a hopefully typical offseason.

Dodgers Outright Nick Nastrini

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The Dodgers sent Nick Nastrini outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to the MLB.com transaction log. Los Angeles claimed him off waivers from the Marlins last week. Since the Dodgers never announced that Nastrini was designated for assignment, this creates an opening on their 40-man roster.

A UCLA product, Nastrini was L.A.’s fourth-round pick in 2021. The Dodgers dealt him to the White Sox for Lance Lynn at the ’23 trade deadline. Chicago promoted the 6’3″ righty last season. Nastrini made nine big league appearances (eight of them starts) but struggled to a 7.07 ERA across 35 2/3 innings. He recorded 28 strikeouts while issuing 36 walks.

Nastrini has had well below-average control throughout his pro career. The White Sox largely moved him to the bullpen in Triple-A this year. That didn’t improve his results. Chicago lost Nastrini on waivers to the Marlins a couple weeks back. He made one appearance in the Miami system, walking four batters in two innings. Nastrini has yet to make an appearance since the Dodgers re-claimed him. He spent a week at their Arizona complex and is now headed to OKC.

After getting him through waivers, the Dodgers can take another shot at trying to get Nastrini on track. His walk rates point to a likely bullpen future. Nastrini’s velocity has also been down this season. His fastball has sat in the 91-92 MPH range after averaging nearly 94 in his big league work last year.

Astros Agree To Deal With First-Rounder Xavier Neyens

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The Astros reached agreement with first-round pick Xavier Neyens last night, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2. The Washington high schooler receives a $4.1225MM bonus that matches the slot value for the 21st selection. Neyens had been committed to Oregon State.

Neyens ranked between 17th and 26th on pre-draft rankings from Baseball America, Keith Law of The Athletic, MLB Pipeline and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. He’s a 6’4″ infielder who projects as a third baseman. Evaluators credit Neyens with some of the best raw power in the class. He’s a patient hitter but faces questions about his elevated swing-and-miss rates. McDaniel wrote that Neyens has some similarities to Joey Gallo at the same age.

The Astros were confident in his ability to develop enough as a pure hitter to build their draft around him. Houston had one of the smaller bonus pools of any team, checking in at roughly $7.18MM. They can go up to 5% beyond that without facing additional penalties. Houston paid the luxury tax last year and signed Christian Walker, who had rejected a qualifying offer. They forfeited their second and fifth draft choices as a result. They gave up their second-round pick and the compensatory selection they’d received for Alex Bregman’s departure.

Neyens is one of two prep hitters whom the Astros selected within the top 10 rounds. They used their seventh-round pick on Jase Mitchell, a high school catcher from Delaware.

Rays Agree To Deal With First-Round Pick Daniel Pierce

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The Rays reached a deal with first-round pick Daniel Pierce, reports Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. He receives a $4.3131MM signing bonus that is exactly $1MM below the slot value of the 14th overall selection.

Pierce is a slick-fielding prep infielder from Georgia. Pre-draft scouting reports from Baseball America, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, Keith Law of The Athletic and MLB Pipeline all pegged the University of Georgia commit as a mid-first round talent. That’s right where Pierce was selected, although his bonus is closer to the slot value of the 20th selection.

Scouts consider Pierce to be a no-doubt shortstop with a chance to be an excellent defender. BA credited him with plus marks for his speed, arm strength and glove. Law puts an even louder plus-plus grade on both Pierce’s speed and arm strength. There’s more debate about how much he’ll produce offensively. Pierce had an improved senior season and has a solid batting eye, but scouting reports project him with fringe-average grades for both his hitting ability and power.

Cutting a slight underslot deal should allow the Rays to go above the slot values for a few later high school draftees. Tampa Bay went to the prep ranks with both of their second-round selections (Cooper Flemming and Dean Moss) and their third-round pick, Taitn Gray.

Yankees To Designate Rico Garcia For Assignment

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10:17pm: Winans will indeed be recalled in the corresponding move, Sherman reports.

10:03pm: The Yankees are designating reliever Rico Garcia for assignment, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. They’ll promote a fresh arm to take his spot in the bullpen tomorrow. The 40-man roster count drops to 39.

Garcia’s stint on the roster lasted a few days and one game. The Yanks had claimed him off waivers from the Mets during the All-Star Break. The 31-year-old righty tossed 2 2/3 innings during tonight’s bullpen game in Atlanta. He allowed three runs on as many hits and a pair of walks. Garcia surrendered a three-run homer to Ozzie Albies that quickly broke the game open in what would eventually be a 7-3 loss.

After throwing 53 pitches, Garcia would have been unavailable for the next few days. He’s out of options, so the Yankees couldn’t send him to the minors. As the eighth man in the bullpen, he gets bumped off so they can make a move tomorrow. Bringing up Allan Winans as a long reliever makes the most sense.

Winans and Michael Arias, who is pitching in High-A, are the only healthy pitchers on the 40-man roster who can be recalled unless someone else is going on the injured list. Clayton Beeter and Jayvien Sandridge have each been optioned within the past 15 days; Brent Headrick is on the Triple-A injured list.

Garcia had worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings over two appearances with the Mets earlier this month. He’d missed plenty of bats in Triple-A before being called up. Garcia struck out 27.4% of batters faced across 30 1/3 minor league frames, but he also walked nearly 15% of opponents. He’ll likely be placed back on waivers in the next few days.

Blue Jays Agree To Terms With First-Rounder JoJo Parker

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The Blue Jays have reached agreement with eighth overall pick JoJo Parker on a $6.2MM bonus, reports Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. That’s a few hundred thousand dollars below the $6.81MM slot value.

Parker is a 6’2″ infielder who was drafted out of a Mississippi high school. A left-handed hitter, Parker ranked between seventh and tenth on pre-draft rankings from each of MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law. Evaluators uniformly praise him as one of the best hitters in the class. McDaniel, who was highest on Parker among the aforementioned prospect rankers, suggests he could be a plus-plus hitter with average power in his prime.

While he played shortstop in high school, Parker is expected to move off the position by the time he reaches the majors. Scouting reports suggest he could fit at third base, though there’s a chance he’ll need to move to a corner outfield spot. That’d put more pressure on Parker’s bat, but it’s possible he could hit enough to profile as a regular anywhere on the diamond.

Parker had been committed to Mississippi State. He’ll bypass that commitment, but his twin brother Jacob will join the Bulldogs. Jacob Parker was viewed as a solid prospect in his own right, though he was seen as more of a fourth-round talent. He didn’t find a signing bonus to his liking. The Diamondbacks eventually drafted him in the 19th round, but teams only select highly-regarded high school prospects that late in case an agreement with one of their earlier picks falls through (leaving them with unexpected bonus money).

Brewers Place Sal Frelick On Injured List

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The Brewers will open the second half without their starting right fielder. Milwaukee placed Sal Frelick on the 10-day injured list, backdated to July 15, due to a left hamstring strain. Blake Perkins was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to take his spot.

Frelick suffered the injury in Milwaukee’s final game before the All-Star Break. He first showed some discomfort on a stolen base and came out of the game after making a sliding catch in the following half-inning. Isaac Collins finished the game in right field and gets the start tonight against Dodgers righty Emmet Sheehan. The switch-hitting Collins has a solid .259/.363/.389 line with five homers in 228 plate appearances. He’d mostly been playing left field, where Jake Bauers and potentially Perkins could get more playing time.

This interrupts an excellent season for the 25-year-old Frelick. He has seven home runs and is hitting .294/.354/.404 across 385 trips to the plate. Frelick has stolen 17 bases in 21 attempts and is playing his usual plus defense in right field. The Brewers haven’t provided a timetable on his return, though it’s perhaps encouraging that they waited a few days to monitor his progress before making the injured list decision.

Milwaukee concluded the first half on a seven-game win streak. They’re a season-high 16 games above .500 and have pulled within a game and a half of the Cubs in the NL Central. The Brewers hold the first Wild Card spot in the National League and are 4.5 games clear of the Giants, the top non-playoff team in the NL.

Reds Sign First-Round Pick Steele Hall

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The Reds announced that they’ve signed first-round pick Steele Hall. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports that the 17-year-old infielder receives a $5.75MM bonus. That’s below the approximate $6.51MM slot value for the ninth pick.

Baseball America and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel each had Hall as a mid-first round talent on their pre-draft rankings. Keith Law of The Athletic was quite a bit lower, placing him 36th. The 5’11 Hall” is a right-handed hitter with elite speed. He’s expected to stick at shortstop and is viewed as a hit-over-power player. Both BA and McDaniel write that Hall has an aggressive offensive approach, while Law expressed concern about his ability to handle breaking stuff.

While Hall may be a somewhat divisive prospect, his youth and athleticism made it clear that he’d be picked high enough to sign away from a commitment to Tennessee. His signing bonus is close to the slot value of the 12th pick, so the deal provides the Reds a bit of cost savings for the later rounds. Cincinnati took two other high school players within the top 10 rounds: second-rounder Aaron Watson and fifth-round pick Eli Pitts. It’s likely that one or both players will get an overslot bonus with some of the money saved by cutting a deal with Hall.

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