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Indians Showing Interest In Justin Smoak, Nicholas Castellanos

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10:19am: Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos is also a possible target for the Indians, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). It is not clear from the report whether the teams are engaged in talks.

9:38am: The Indians are “among [the] teams looking at” Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). Smoak, a switch-hitter, is earning $8MM this year before reaching free agency at season’s end.

It’s not surprising to see the Cleveland organization exploring possible offensive-oriented additions. The club has received a big contribution from Carlos Santana at first base, but hasn’t settled on a steady designated hitter.

Plugging in the 32-year-old Smoak would make for a nice lineup boost for the Indians. Smoak is slashing .215/.357/.427 this year with 18 long balls in 359 plate appearances. That’s shy of his output in the preceding two seasons, but still handily above-average production.

No doubt the Indians also see a bit of an opportunity to buy low on a player that may not draw much demand elsewhere, due in no small part to the lack of American League buyers and his defensive limitations. Smoak is drawing walks at a hefty rate (16.7%) and seems rather unfortunate to carry only a .220 batting average on balls in play. Statcast credits him with a big .388 xwOBA based upon the quality of contact he has made, which is much higher than his .342 wOBA.

Even as the Indians consider scenarios in which they’d part with starter Trevor Bauer, they’re hardly looking at a sell-off. The club weathered a tough start to the season and presently sits just two games back of the Twins.

Trey Mancini Drawing Interest

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Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini hasn’t been a hot name in the run-up to the trade deadline, but MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that he’s coming up in late talks. The Astros, Rangers, and Rays are all said to have interest.

Mancini, 27, will be eligible for arbitration for the first time in the offseason to come. He’s off to an excellent start at the plate, putting a subpar 2018 season in the rearview mirror. Through 434 plate appearances, Mancini is slashing .280/.341/.532. He grabbed the 50th spot on our ranking of the top trade candidates based upon his evident talent and contractual upside.

For the O’s, nothing is bolted to the floor. But the Baltimore club surely isn’t in a rush to trade its best player, particularly since he’s a marketable figure at an organizational low point. Lovely as Camden Yards is standing alone, stars are needed to bring fans in and send merchandise out of the ballpark gates.

The slate of clubs with interest is itself both interesting and telling. It’s clear that Mancini isn’t a classic trade deadline piece, so much as a very good player with a great contract situation who is drawing teams that are interested in him from a talent standpoint. Roster fit and the situation in the standings are to some extent secondary considerations.

For the Astros, adding Mancini would mean putting another big bat into a lineup mix that’s already strewn with them. The priority in Houston is surely pitching. One wonders whether the connection is based upon some scenarios involving multiple other moving pieces.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are all but buried out of contention. But the team is looking to remain competitive and ramp right back up next year. Coming away with Mancini would mean adding a righty slugger to partner up with star Joey Gallo. The Texas org obviously wouldn’t be valuing Mancini for his late-2019 contributions, but for the three years of control thereafter.

It’s also a bit of an opportunistic possibility for the Rays, who have more immediate incentive than the Rangers but less than the Astros. The Tampa Bay club is always searching for value and has been connected to multiple righty outfield bats, so it isn’t surprising to see that they’ve propped open a door on Mancini. With loads of young talent, especially in the infield, it’s possible the Rays could come up with some creative packages in search of a match with their division rivals.

Zack Wheeler Rumors: Astros Increasingly Seen As Favorite

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We just knighted Mets righty Zack Wheeler the top trade deadline candidate in baseball. The results haven’t been there in 2019, but he’s got a power arsenal and is earning less than $6MM on the season. With deadline pressure reaching a breaking point, there ought to be a ton of chatter on him over the next day and a half.

We’ll keep tabs on all the latest right here:

  • The Astros are “working hard” to land Wheeler, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). Despite the Houston organization’s stated intention to consider controllable starters, it seems the club has fixed its sights on Wheeler. Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets that one rival exec “fully expect[s]” the ’Stros to come away with the righty.
  • Other teams obviously will remain involved until a deal is struck. Last night, Martino cited the Braves, Brewers, Yankeees, Rays, and Athletics as teams with varying levels of ongoing involvement in the Wheeler market. (Twitter links.) That picture could certainly change rapidly, though it stands to reason that each of those clubs will at least want to have a good sense of the price tag as talks work towards a conclusion.
  • As they continue to hold discussions on fellow righty Noah Syndergaard, the Mets “still seem much more likely” to ship out Wheeler, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a reasonable scenario where Wheeler isn’t dealt unless the offers are so low that the Mets would rather hang onto him and make him a qualifying offer at season’s end. That’s not a terrible back-up plan, but it makes much more sense to take the bird in hand at the deadline given the evident levels of interest. (As for the concept of a Wheeler extension, that seems far too speculative to drive the team’s deadline strategy.)

Top 75 Trade Candidates At The Deadline

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This is the final update to our annual ranking of top trade candidates in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. You can check out the original list (and review the methodology) here and find the second list here. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt.

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun. Without further ado:

1. Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets (LR: 3): There’s a report saying the Mets might try to extend him, but … when are those talks going to take place? Wheeler bounced back from an injury scare with a sturdy outing in which he had all his velocity. He’s a potential impact rental piece. It’s time to move him.

2-4. Nicholas Castellanos (Tigers), Corey Dickerson (Pirates) & Yasiel Puig (Reds), OF (LR: 6, 20, NR): The corner outfield market has crystallized quite a bit in recent weeks. Each of these players is earning a fairly steep salary but has also been quite productive of late. If you need to add some thump to your outfield mix, these are your top rental options.

5-7. Noah Syndergaard (Mets), Mike Minor (Rangers) & Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), SP (LR: 30, 31, 32): These are the likeliest remaining non-rental starters to be moved this summer. Reports have wavered on all three in the run-up to to the deadline; perhaps their teams have as well. These are talented and productive starters with appealing contract situations, playing for teams that can still entertain hopes of 2020 contention. Better bring a good offer.

8-10. Shane Greene (Tigers), Edwin Diaz (Mets) & Felipe Vazquez (Pirates), RP (LR: 8, NR, NR): Greene isn’t in the same tier from a talent standpoint, but he’s also quite a bit more likely than the other two hurlers to be dealt. It makes sense for the Detroit organization to cash him in at a high point, especially since his arb salary will go through the roof next year. Diaz and Vazquez possess the type of talent that moves the needle even for contending teams that seemingly have everything on their rosters. Given their contract situations, they won’t be moved lightly, but it’s possible to imagine blockbusters in both cases.

11. Tanner Roark, SP, Reds (LR: NR): He’s not an exciting pitcher, but he’s as good or better than other sturdy, inning-filling types that have been moved in recent weeks. High odds of a deal unless the Reds shrug and decide to let it ride.

12-13. Matthew Boyd (Tigers) & Caleb Smith (Marlins), SP (LR: 9, 59): These hurlers come with more and cheaper control than the group listed above. They’ve both shown eye-opening improvements this year, but don’t have lengthy track records of MLB success.

14-15. Mychal Givens (Orioles), Raisel Iglesias (Reds), RP (LR: 17, NR): Gone are the days when big save tallies and/or low ERAs drive the deadline. Both of these pitchers have obvious talent and have shown it for lengthy stretches. Contenders have no doubt taken a close look in a bid to understand just why it is the results haven’t been there in 2019. The O’s have every reason to jump on a deal if they can get some appealing young talent. The Reds are reportedly willing to listen on Iglesias, which hasn’t always really been the case.

16-18. Todd Frazier, 3B, Mets; Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants; Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays (LR: 13, 14, 15): Welcome to the 2019 corner infield rental market.

19-25. Craig Stammen (Padres), Daniel Hudson (Blue Jays), Greg Holland (Diamondbacks), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), Chris Martin (Rangers), David Hernandez & Jared Hughes (Reds), RP (LR: 41, 44, 42, NR, NR, NR, NR): And here we have the slate of pure rental relief arms. Hernandez is perhaps the most fascinating of the bunch, with excellent K/BB numbers but a brutal 6.92 ERA and recent IL stint.

26. Alex Colome, RP, White Sox (LR: 45): We just aren’t very high on Colome as a trade chip. The late-inning experience is great, as is the 2.27 ERA over 39 2/3 innings. But Colome’s ho-hum peripherals are cause for quite a lot of skepticism and Statcast batted-ball measurements paint him as a massive regression candidate (.223 wOBA vs. .324 xwOBA). With a hefty salary — $7.325MM this year and a save-induced arb raise next year — it just doesn’t seem that Colome is going to command significant offers.

27. Ken Giles (RP), Blue Jays (LR: 4): This is a disappointing situation for the Jays, who were all lined up to cash in on Giles after his exceptional showing throughout the first half of the season. Unfortunately, he’s now dealing with worrying elbow inflammation. Even if he ultimately comes through just fine, there’s sufficient uncertainty to make a deal much less likely than it had seemed. If they can’t secure a big return, the Jays will probably hold onto Giles in hopes that he’ll bounce back in the second half and turn into a winter trade piece (or remain the team’s closer for 2020).

28. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 12): There’s still no path to the Bronx, so it’s likely Frazier ends up on the move. Odds are he’ll go in a deal that brings back a pitcher, but beyond that it’s anyone’s guess on a landing spot.

29. Mike Leake, SP, Mariners (LR: 16): The veteran hurler is sporting a fine 2.59 ERA through 24 1/3 innings this month, making him a nice back-of-the-rotation target. We know the M’s are willing to deal and hold onto salary as necessary to facilitate a move. Leake would rank higher but for the fact that his no-trade rights (along with indications he won’t hesitate to use them) create a complication.

30. Roenis Elias, RP, Mariners (LR: 18): Despite a few stumbles, Elias has mostly delivered solid work in a surprising turn as the Seattle closer.

31. Jarrod Dyson, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: 37): The speedy lefty is a classic deadline rental piece. He’d make sense as a bench outfielder for a number of contenders.

32-33. Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks) & Trevor Bauer (Indians), SP (LR: 32, 34): There are still scenarios where these two excellent hurlers could be moved, but we haven’t heard a significant volume of rumors indicating there’s a major run-up to a deal. Greinke’s limited no-trade rights are a significant factor, while the contending Cleveland organization obviously has ample cause to keep Bauer unless very particular goals are met in a trade.

34-37. Joe Jimenez (Tigers), Joe Biagini (Blue Jays), Jose Leclerc (Rangers) & Amir Garrett (Reds), RP (LR: 58, NR, NR, NR): This is a grouping of controllable relievers with interesting arms, even if the results haven’t always been there. All have been mentioned at some point in the rumor mill, but it’ll take a compelling offer to force their respective teams’ hands.

38. Hunter Pence, OF, Rangers (LR: NR): The surprise All-Star would fill a niche as a right-handed bat and major clubhouse presence for a contender.

39-40. Hunter Renfroe & Franmil Reyes, OF, Padres (LR: 21, 22): It remains difficult to ascertain the intentions of the San Diego organization, but it seems they’re continuing to explore deals involving these controllable corner outfielders. Both have displayed huge power and middling on-base numbers this year.

41-42. Kole Calhoun (Angels) & David Peralta (Diamondbacks), OF (LR: 28, 29): As was the case when we last checked in, these two players remain plausible but hardly certain trade candidates. Teams looking for quality corner outfield bats may be willing to take on the salary and give up some prospect value if they see one of these veteran left-handed-hitters as the best roster fit.

43. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres (LR: 19): Perhaps we’re discounting the possibility of a trade too much here, but there just hasn’t been any particularly compelling chatter about the outstanding San Diego closer. As just suggested above, there are still quite a few fascinating possibilities for the Friars. Anything involving Yates would make for banner news on a thus-far-moribund trade market.

44. Andrew Chafin, RP, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): While he’s carrying a 4.21 ERA in 36 1/3 innings, that’s not of much concern. More importantly, Chafin is sitting at 11.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 on the year and has been tough on lefty hitters (.231/.294/.333). With one more season of control remaining, the Snakes have some value here.

45. Daniel Murphy, 1B, Rockies (LR: NR): Murphy is heating up at the plate at the right time if the Colorado club wishes to clear some salary. The Rox have underperformed expectations and seem in position to sell. Trouble is, the organization has little in the way of obvious trade chips unless it puts core pieces up for sale or eats a ton of money on bad contracts.

46. Domingo Santana, OF, Mariners (LR: NR): It seemed that some momentum was building towards a deal, but an elbow injury has reduced the likelihood.

47. Alex Wood, SP, Reds (LR: NR): While he’s only one start into his tenure in Cincinnati, that lone showing may have been enough to facilitate a trade. The Reds could hold on and hope for the best, with Wood perhaps even representing a qualifying offer candidate, but they’d have to strongly consider a trade if they can secure decent terms.

48-50. Whit Merrifield, INF/OF, Royals; Starling Marte, OF, Pirates; Trey Mancini, OF, Orioles (LR: 23, NR, 35): We haven’t seen anything close to dedicated trade chatter involving these high-quality players who possess appealing contract situations. But if a surprise position-player blockbuster goes down, these seem the likeliest candidates.

51-52. Jake McGee & Scott Oberg, RP, Rockies (LR: NR): Both of these relievers would have appeal to contenders, but can the Rox afford to part with their best-performing bullpen pieces if they hope to contend next year?

53-55. Freddy Galvis (Blue Jays), Asdrubal Cabrera & Logan Forsythe (Rangers), INF (LR: 26, NR, NR): A recent lower back injury could cause trade talks to hit the skids, but it’s still possible a team will decide that Galvis is the right piece to add. Meanwhile, the Rangers rental veterans are rather obvious bench piece candidates.

56-59. Danny Santana (Rangers), Tim Beckham (Mariners), Jonathan Villar & Hanser Alberto (Orioles), INF (LR: NR, 55, 56): If you’d rather chase a bit of upside and gain control with your reserve infield addition, these players are worth considering.

60. Adam Jones, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): The eminent veteran hasn’t been at his best, but still seems like a nice bench piece for the right team.

61-63. Martin Maldonado (Cubs), Alex Avila (Diamondbacks) & Chris Iannetta (Rockies), C (LR: 38, 40, NR): Maldonado was dealt since our last ranking, but rumor is he could be moved again.

64. Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals (LR: 49): There hasn’t been much chatter on the veteran, but he remains a candidate to step into a contending bullpen if the Royals are willing to hang onto a big chunk of the remaining salary. There’s some indication they’d rather not.

65-66. Wilson Ramos, C & Justin Wilson, RP, Mets (LR: 53-54): We haven’t seen much indication that either of these veterans will be moved, but both are plausible chips if the Mets decide to try to shave some 2020 payroll obligations.

67. Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers (LR: NR): There’s no indication that Lynn is a major target, but … why not? True, he’s controllable for two more seasons, while Minor only has one remaining. But some contenders may well see Lynn as the better pitcher and be willing to offer more to get him. The Rangers can’t rule anything out.

68-71. Madison Bumgarner (SP) & Will Smith, Sam Dyson & Tony Watson (RP), Giants (LR: 1, 2, 7, 10): We’re generally presuming that the Giants won’t bow out of a Wild Card race that they have now joined. Still, they’ll need to explore the possibilities regarding these short-term assets.

72. Drew Pomeranz, SP/RP, Giants (LR: NR): This is a more likely Giants’ trade piece, if only because the team could decide to clear a roster spot. Pomeranz would make sense for a club that can imagine him functioning in a LOOGY role while also providing some long-man/rotation depth. 

73. Melky Cabrera, OF/DH, Pirates (LR: NR): The veteran switch-hitter has cooled off but remains a bench-bat candidate.

74. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies (LR: NR): A somewhat surprising name to the market, Blackmon seems an unlikely trade chip. He’s still a very good hitter, but is lagging in other areas. The contract isn’t terrible but doesn’t seem like much of an asset given his age. It’s just difficult to see something coming together, but the potential remains.

75. Jacob deGrom (LR: 60): We can’t quite quit the idea that deGrom could be moved if an exceptional opportunity comes up. It’s highly unlikely, but you can’t completely rule out a blockbuster until the bell has rung and the deadline has passed.

Other Trade Candidates

Angels: Brian Goodwin, Trevor Cahill, Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey, Noe Ramirez, Justin Anderson

Astros: Tony Kemp (DFA limbo)

Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez, David Phelps, Tim Mayza

Brewers: Yasmani Grandal, Mike Moustakas

Cardinals: Harrison Bader, Tyler O’Neill, Lane Thomas, Kolten Wong, Carlos Martinez

Cubs: Ian Happ, Carl Edwards Jr.

Diamondbacks: Wilmer Flores, Zack Godley, Archie Bradley, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Escobar

Giants: Kevin Pillar, Stephen Vogt, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Melancon, Joe Panik, Trevor Gott

Indians: Brad Hand

Mariners: Dee Gordon, Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin, Anthony Bass, Tommy Milone, Wade LeBlanc

Marlins: Trevor Richards, Neil Walker, Starlin Castro, Curtis Granderson, Martin Prado, Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen

Mets: Dominic Smith, Adeiny Hechavarria, Seth Lugo, Michael Conforto

Nationals: Michael A. Taylor

Orioles: Asher Wojciechowski, Dylan Bundy

Padres: Wil Myers, Manuel Margot, Robbie Erlin

Phillies: Maikel Franco, Nick Williams

Pirates: Chris Archer, Keone Kela

Rangers: Elvis Andrus, Delino DeShields, Shin-Soo Choo, Jesse Chavez

Rays: Joey Wendle, Mike Brosseau, Ji-Man Choi

Reds: Scooter Gennett, Derek Dietrich, Jose Iglesias, Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen

Rockies: Yonder Alonso, Drew Butera, Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw

Royals: Billy Hamilton, Danny Duffy, Lucas Duda (DFA limbo), Jorge Soler, Brad Keller, Scott Barlow, Jakob Junis, Alex Gordon

Tigers: Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Niko Goodrum, JaCoby Jones, Gordon Beckham, Jordan Zimmermann, Blaine Hardy, Bobby Wilson (DFA limbo), Buck Farmer

White Sox: Kelvin Herrera, Yolmer Sanchez, Welington Castillo, Ivan Nova, Evan Marshall, James McCann, Aaron Bummer, Jose Abreu

Edinson Volquez Hopes To Return In 2019, Retire Thereafter

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Veteran hurler Edinson Volquez says he’d like to make it back to the MLB mound one last time this season, as MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan was among those to report. Regardless, the 36-year-old says he’ll hang up his spikes at season’s end.

Volquez has been rehabbing an elbow strain for most of the season. That came on the heels of a lengthy absence owing to Tommy John surgery, which cost him the second half of 2017 and all of 2018.

Having come this far, Volquez says, he’d like to get back on the bump. “I don’t want to go out like this,” he says. “If there is a chance, I can do it for two months or two weeks, why not.”

Volquez still has to progress to facing live hitters and embark upon a rehab assignment. While the stakes will be low, given his decision not to continue pitching beyond the present season, he’ll need to show he’s capable of holding up to game action.

Odds are, the Rangers will hang onto Volquez and give him a shot to get back to the majors. He agreed to continue working back in part due to the team’s desire to have him around its young players, and the Texas club may well need some serviceable arms down the stretch. That said, Volquez would make for a somewhat interesting, no-risk depth stash for a contender given his 60-day injured list status.

No matter how things shake out at the end of 2019, Volquez will ride off into the sunset as a proud participant in 14 seasons of MLB action, with over fifteen-hundred innings. There have been ups and downs, and Volquez never fully realized his early potential, but he has turned in some quality campaigns. From an ERA & innings standpoint, he was at his best in 2008 with the Reds (3.21 ERA, 196 IP), 2012 with the Padres (4.14, 182 2/3), 2014 with the Pirates (3.04, 192 2/3), and 2015 with the Royals (3.55, 200 1/3). Through 271 starts and 17 relief appearances at the game’s highest level, Volquez owns a 4.43 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.

In addition to the aforementioned organizations, Volquez pitched for the Dodgers and Marlins. He’ll begin and end his career with the Texas organization … unless he really finds something at the very tail end of 2019. “Maybe if some team offers $10MM, I might change my mind,” says Volquez. “But I just want to come back this year and prove it to myself. I want to go out the front door. I don’t want to go out the back door.”

Pitching Chatter: Vazquez, Diaz, Ray, Colome, Greene

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As the Dodgers continue to try to pry closer Felipe Vazquez loose from the Pirates, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter link) that the sides are at a bit of an impasse. It seems the Bucs would (quite understandably) like to receive soaring L.A. prospect Gavin Lux, a versatile infielder who has completely obliterated Triple-A pitching (.474/.553/.918 in 114 plate appearances with eight home runs and a 17:17 K/BB ratio) since a mid-season promotion. The clubs may well be engaged in a bit of a staring contest as the deadline draws near.

More news and rumors from the pitching market …

  • The Rays may have faded in the AL East, but they’re not planning to go quietly. Olney tweets that the club is “doing work” on Mets reliever Edwin Diaz, making for an intriguing (if vague) connection. Beyond the obvious appeal of a high-charged young hurler who has shown a past ability to dominate like few others, there are a few other reasons to like this match. Diaz’s run of poor results will limit his arbitration earning power, boosting his appeal to the payroll-conscious Rays. And as Mike Petriello of MLB.com explains, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Diaz is every bit as good as ever before.
  • Rival organizations “fully expect” the Diamondbacks to deal southpaw Robbie Ray, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Arizona GM Mike Hazen continued to acknowledge his club’s tricky middle ground while avoiding a firm commitment to a particular course of action, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The top baseball ops man did acknowledge that there’s a possibility the team could pull off enough sell-side moves that it wouldn’t make sense to reload in the offseason. At the moment, the Brewers, Astros, and Yankees are among the teams with active talks or interest in Ray, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).
  • With a real shot at a much-anticipated return to the top of the heap in the NL Central, the Cardinals could yet swing a big deal. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the St. Louis ballclub is interested in a controllable starter. Beyond that, the Cards’ precise plans remain a bit difficult to ascertain. The club is interested in lefty relief pitching, though that’s a trade deadline staple for many contenders. We haven’t seen the team connected prominently to any high-end hurlers, but a bold move seems tempting.
  • We’ve seen the Yankees connected to a wide variety of hurlers in recent weeks, with the club focused primarily on starters but also entertaining relief upgrades. They’ve recently chatted with the Tigers about old friend Shane Greene, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Twitter link). Most contenders are no doubt at least checking in on Greene, who’s among the likeliest players in baseball to be traded in the coming days.
  • Similarly, the Phillies have cast an exceedingly broad net. Their relief situation remains problematic; now, there are indications that David Robertson’s rehab may drag into September, as Nightengale was among those to tweet. Another name to add to the list of Phils possibilities: Alex Colome of the White Sox. Morosi tweets that there’s “continued interest” on the part of the Philadelphia organization.

Braves Reportedly Considering Outfield Acquisition

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The Braves are contacting rivals in search of outfield help, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). The Atlanta organization is evidently looking to address the newfound uncertainty surrounding the status of right fielder Nick Markakis.

It didn’t seem as if the Braves would be involved in this segment of the market, but a fractured wrist now threatens to put Markakis out of action until late in the season. Even if they’d prefer to wait and see how he heals up, the club is no doubt concerned with bypassing an opportunity to fill the gap at the deadline.

There is certainly an internal route to filling the job, depending upon what one thinks of Adam Duvall. He had spent the entire season on optional assignment until recently, earning a $2,875,000 salary to serve as depth and for his potential future value. Obviously the club believes in his talent to some degree to have handled him in this manner, though it also hadn’t seen fit to call him up until forced by the Markakis injury.

Duvall makes for a natural platoon partner with Ender Inciarte, who was seemingly displaced by Austin Riley as a regular but now seems to be a key figure. (This is a key reason I argued the team ought not rush into trading him.) Matt Joyce also remains an option from the left side, giving the club some options to work with. But with Riley struggling at the plate and Johan Camargo needed to fill in at short in place of the injured Dansby Swanson, we’re seeing the first stresses on what has been a sturdy position-player mix all year long in Atlanta.

Under the circumstances, it’s sensible to consider outside alternatives — particularly if someone can be had for an appealing enough price. The Braves are surely still focused on adding pitching, but there’s an argument to be made that they ought now put nearly as much emphasis on installing a bat. While the need arose due to an unfortunate injury, it does create an opportunity to add a slugger to an already potent lineup.

Cardinals Option Harrison Bader, Promote Lane Thomas

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The Cardinals have optioned outfielder Harrison Bader, per the MLB.com transactions page (h/t Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Twitter links). Lane Thomas will come up to take over for the struggling 25-year-old, per the Dispatch’s Rick Hummel.

This is a disappointing moment for Bader, who turned in a strong 2018 effort but has fallen off quite a bit this year. Through 260 trips to the plate this season, he’s slashing a meager .195/.309/.339 with six home runs. Bader has actually made more hard contact than he did last year and is identified by Statcast numbers as a positive regression candidate. On the other hand, those figures also suggest his 2018 output was due in some part to good fortune on batted balls.

There’s still long-term value here if the Cards — or another team — believe that Bader can figure things out at the plate. He has boosted his walk rate to 11.2%, helping to offset a lofty 28.1% strikeout rate, but there’s work to be done. Importantly, defensive metrics still love Bader’s glovework. He’s curiously grading poorly on the bases despite maintaining excellent speed, though perhaps that’s just a blip.

Notably, by optioning Bader today, the Cards will keep him shy of reaching a full year of MLB service. He’s sitting at 1.161 years at present, meaning he’s eleven days shy of passing a new threshold.

Thomas had previously popped up in trade rumors. Instead, he’ll be installed — at least temporarily — as a piece of the MLB outfield mix for a club that has ever intention of making a run at the NL Central title. Thomas is capable of lining up at all three outfield spots, making him a flexible piece for the Cards.

The 23-year-old Thomas debuted earlier this season but only received a brief run in a reserve role. He has spent the bulk of the season at Triple-A, where he’s again turning in solid results at the plate. Through 304 plate appearances, the right-handed hitter carries a .268/.352/.460 slash with ten long balls.

Nationals Designate Justin Miller

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The Nationals announced today that they have designated righty Justin Miller for assignment. He had been on the 60-day injured list.

Miller, 32, was working back from shoulder issues. Though he was ready to be activated, the club obviously decided that he wasn’t going to be a significant part of the relief mix going forward. The unit has struggled badly as a whole, but is likely going to receive reinforcements in the next two days.

It’s still possible that Miller will end up clearing waivers and landing at Triple-A with the Nats, though he’d have the right to elect free agency instead. He had a strong comeback showing last year in D.C., but never got things going this season.

To open the current campaign, Miller threw 15 2/3 innings of 4.02 ERA ball with 11 strikeouts and four walks. He did rack up 18 strikeouts without a single free pass in his 12 2/3 total rehab frames, but evidently the Nats did not expect that to carry over into the majors.

Phillies Acquire Jason Vargas

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4:46pm: The move is official. The Phillies designated righty Yacksel Rios to open a 40-man spot.

3:51pm: The Phillies have reportedly struck a deal to acquire veteran lefty Jason Vargas from the Mets. Catcher Austin Bossart is going to the New York organization in the swap. The Mets will cover the larger portion of the remaining contractual obligation to Vargas, ultimately saving $2MM.

This long-anticipated trade of Vargas clears a rotation spot for just-acquired righty Marcus Stroman. Though Vargas is far senior to Stroman in age and MLB service, they’re in similar contract situations. The former is earning $8MM this year with a $8MM club option. The latter is taking down a $7.4MM salary in 2019 and stands to earn a nice raise on that amount in the offseason, when he’ll go through the arbitration process for the final time. Viewed in the aggregate, the Mets will still end up taking on added salary (and giving up prospect capital), though they did get $1.5MM in salary relief as part of the Stroman swap. The New York org will remain on the hook for what’s left of Vargas’s remaining 2019 salary along with a $250K assignment bonus. The Phillies will be responsible for a $2MM buyout on the option.

It’s not surprising to see Vargas on the move. It’s mostly a salary-saving transaction, designed to help partially offset the new obligations to Stroman. The 26-year-old Bossart won’t really make up for the prospects sent to the Blue Jays. He’s in the midst of a rough campaign, his second at the Double-A level. In his 236 trips to the plate, he’s slashing just .195/.303/.335 with seven home runs.

The more interesting question for the Mets is whether any of the club’s other starters will end up following Vargas out the door. While there has never been any indication that the club is considering offers on Jacob deGrom, it is said to be interesting in moving Zack Wheeler and/or Noah Syndergaard. The latter two starters are indeed still on the block, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets.

There are questions, too, from the Phillies’ perspective. It seems fair to assume that Vargas will step into the rotation, though it’s not clear where the opening will come from. And it remains to be seen whether the club will also pursue other pitching upgrades.

Vargas, 36, won’t exactly be a marquee addition for the Phils, but he ought to help hold firm up the staff down the stretch. The soft-tossing southpaw has somehow managed to keep opposing hitters off balance despite averaging less than 85 mph with his fastball. He has bounced back from a terrible start to the season and steadily delivered solid work. He carries a 4.01 ERA through 94 1/3 frames, with 7.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Andy Martino of SNY.tv first reported that a deal involving Vargas was close (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reported that the Phillies were the acquiring team (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) and Jon Heyman of MLB Network (in a tweet) reported on the return. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweeted that the Mets would be covering some of the remaining cost, with Sherman tweeting the financial details.

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