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Phillies Acquire Tanner Banks

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The White Sox have traded left-handed reliever Tanner Banks to the Phillies. Philadelphia is sending 19-year-old infield prospect William Bergolla to Chicago in return.

Banks, 32, has been a solid middle reliever for the White Sox over the past three seasons, with a 3.89 ERA and 3.67 SIERA in 162 innings pitched. He has an unremarkable 4.13 ERA this year, but his 26.8% strikeout rate, 3.23 xERA, and 3.12 SIERA are the best marks of his career. Of further note, Banks has gone multiple innings in 16 of his 41 appearances this season. Matt Gelb of The Athletic notes he will be a multi-inning arm out of the Phillies’ bullpen and “could return to starting at some point.” The southpaw has also been a menace against same-handed opponents this season, with a 33.7% strikeout rate and a 1.90 FIP. Lefties have hit just .184 against him.

The Phillies had already made one big bullpen acquisition ahead of the deadline, trading for Angels closer Carlos Estevez over the weekend. However, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic noted on Monday that Philadelphia was still seeking bullpen help. After adding the righty Estevez, it stood to reason they would seek a southpaw, especially given José Alvarado’s recent struggles. The move to add Banks makes even more sense given the news that the Phillies have traded fellow left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the Orioles, which broke shortly after the report that the Phillies had acquired Banks. Soto has put up solid underlying numbers throughout his season and a half with Philadelphia (3.63 SIERA), but his 4.42 ERA over 95 2/3 innings pitched is less inspiring. Evidently, the Phillies decided they saw more that they liked in Banks. Not only does he have better splits against left-handed batters this season and a proven ability to pitch multiple innings, but as a pre-arb player, he is significantly less expensive than Soto and comes with significantly more team control.

Bergolla signed with the Phillies as an international free agent in January 2022. Entering the season, he was the team’s No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America and No. 13 according to FanGraphs. Keith Law of The Athletic was not as high on the young infielder, leaving him off of his list of the top 20 prospects in the Phillies’ system. Ultimately, different evaluators disagree about Bergolla’s throwing arm, speed, and power potential, but just about everyone seems to agree that his ability to put the ball in play is his most important skill. He had a 7.5% strikeout rate at Single-A last season, and he is currently running an 11.2% strikeout rate at High-A in 2024.

Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report that the Phillies were acquiring Banks from the White Sox. Scott Merkin of MLB.com first suggested that Bergolla could be headed back to the White Sox, and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com later confirmed the report.

Mariners Acquire JT Chargois

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The Mariners have landed right-hander JT Chargois in a deal with the Marlins, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (X link). In return, the Marlins will receive minor league right-hander Will Schomberg, as reported by Christina De Nicola of MLB.com (X link).

Chargois began the 2024 season on the injured list due to neck spasms and did not make his 2024 debut until mid-June. Since his return from the IL, the 33-year-old has put up excellent surface-level numbers, having allowed just three earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. However, he has struck out only 12 batters (16.9% K%) while walking seven (9.9% walk rate), and all three runs he has given up have come on home runs. What’s more, he is inducing groundballs at just a 34.6% rate, well below his 52.9% career average entering the season. As a result, Chargois’s underlying numbers are not nearly as impressive as his sparkling ERA; he has a 4.74 SIERA and 5.21 xERA, both of which would be the worst of his career. Even more worrisome, his fastball velocity has decreased significantly. His sinker, which averaged 96.3 mph last season, is down to 94.4 mph this year.

With all that said, Chargois has been an effective reliever in the recent past. Over 211 2/3 career innings with the Twins, Dodgers, Mariners, Rays, and Marlins, he has a 3.40 ERA and 3.84 SIERA. He was particularly effective from 2021-23, following his return from a brief stint in NPB. Across those three seasons, the righty went 9-1 with a 2.89 ERA and 3.99 SIERA over 118 1/3 innings. Perhaps a return to Seattle – an organization known for developing excellent pitching – will help Chargois get back on the right track. After all, it was the Mariners who took a chance on him in 2021 after his difficult 2019 season with the Dodgers (6.33 ERA in 21 1/3 IP) and poor performance in Japan (4.58 ERA in 35 1/3 IP). He pitched to a 3.00 ERA in 30 IP with Seattle over the first four months of the season before he was traded to Tampa Bay at the deadline.

Chargois will presumably slot into a middle relief role in the Mariners’ bullpen. Seattle ranks 12th in MLB with a 3.76 bullpen ERA and sixth with a 3.54 bullpen SIERA this season. Every reliever currently on the team’s active roster has a SIERA under 3.70, but the Mariners surely understand that there is no such thing as too much bullpen depth down the stretch. Chargois, who is earning $1.285MM this season, will be eligible for arbitration one more time in 2025.

Schomberg signed with the Mariners organization as an undrafted free agent in July of 2023. He has split the 2024 season between Single-A and High-A, pitching to a 2.83 ERA and 4.23 FIP in 19 starts (92 1/3 innings). Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs included Schomberg among the “other prospects of note” beyond his top 34 prospects in the Mariners system earlier this month. Longenhagen praised the righty’s “elite breaking ball spin,” noting the success he had “throwing a lot of cutters and curveballs” before his promotion to High-A.

Orioles Willing To Trade Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins

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The Orioles will be one of the most fascinating teams to watch ahead of the trade deadline. They currently boast a one-game lead over the Guardians for the best record in the American League and a 1.5-game lead over the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Thus, they fit the criteria for major buyers; the O’s are undeniably one of the best teams in baseball, but they still have things worth fighting for down the stretch. What’s more, prospect evaluators widely agree that Baltimore has one of the deepest and most talented farm systems in the game, in addition to a logjam of talented young players on the major league roster. They should be able to outbid just about anyone to land their ideal trade targets in the coming days.

Yet, precisely because of all that talent, the Orioles might also be sellers at the deadline. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Baltimore is willing to discuss trades for Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins, a pair of veterans who have been with this team since it was one of the worst in baseball. It’s rare to see a team with World Series aspirations trade proven, cost-controlled players at the deadline, but the Orioles can afford to part with Mountcastle and Mullins without compromising anything. Indeed, they might get even stronger by clearing up room on a crowded roster.

It wasn’t so long ago that Mullins was one of Baltimore’s best players. He earned down-ballot MVP votes during a career year in 2021 and followed that up with a solid all-around season in 2022. However, his offensive and defensive numbers both took a turn for the worse in 2023, and that trend has continued into 2024, his age-29 season. Mullins is batting .214 with a 79 wRC+. Despite his perfect fielding percentage, he has put up just 1 OAA (he had six last year and nine the year before). In addition, his arm strength has fallen below average, according to Statcast. Just about the only area where Mullins has provided above-average production is on the bases. He has 16 steals and ranks among the top 15 AL players in FanGraphs’ baserunning metric (BsR).

It might seem far too soon for the Orioles to give up on a 29-year-old center fielder with MVP votes in his past, but given the sheer amount of talented outfielders at Baltimore’s disposal, the team can hardly afford to keep giving so much playing time to a player who is providing so little. Anthony Santander, Colton Cowser, and Heston Kjerstad all deserve regular playing time, while Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are a couple of promising options at Triple-A. There aren’t a ton of center fielders in that mix, but Cowser has played phenomenal defense in left this season; he could slide over to center and open up his corner spot for a bigger bat.

Mountcastle, 27, is having a perfectly serviceable season, with 12 home runs and a 109 wRC+. Those aren’t bad numbers, by any means, but contending teams generally have higher expectations at first base, and Mountcastle’s 111 wRC+ over the past four seasons doesn’t exactly suggest that better days are ahead. Thus, if Mountcastle is preventing players like Kjerstad, and eventually Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo, from getting regular playing time, he might be doing more harm than good for the Orioles.

Still, considering his consistently above-average offensive performance in all five seasons of his big league career, Mountcastle would be a welcome addition to plenty of contending teams. With All-Star first basemen Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Yandy Díaz unlikely to be dealt, Mountcastle, under team control through 2026, could be an interesting (and cheaper) alternative for a team in need of a right-handed bat. Meanwhile, Mullins could be an intriguing buy-low candidate for a team that thinks it can help him rediscover his All-Star form. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2025 season.

The Orioles certainly don’t have to trade either Mountcastle or Mullins, and, perhaps they won’t unless GM Mike Elias receives an overwhelming offer. However, trading one or both of the veterans could allow the O’s to recoup some of the young talent they will part with in other deadline trades. While neither player will command a massive return, Baltimore might still prefer to swap them for prospects rather than continue to run them out in place of better options or, eventually, stash them on the bench.

Mets Sign Jackie Bradley Jr. To Minor League Deal

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The Mets have reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with veteran outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. Sean W. Alcide was the first to report the news, which was later confirmed by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Bradley, who had been playing for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, will report to Triple-A Syracuse.

Bradley has not played in affiliated ball since he was released by the Royals last June. He went 14-for-105 (.133) with a .397 OPS over 43 games that season. His always-excellent outfield defense (1.000 fielding percentage, 4 OAA) was not enough to make up for his lifeless bat, even on a Royals club that ranked among the worst offensive teams in the league. However, Bradley has shown signs of life for the Ducks, with whom he went 66-for-165 (.400) with 12 home runs and 28 extra-base hits in 40 games. As Will Sammon of The Athletic pointed out, he was in the middle of a 28-game hitting streak, the longest in Ducks history. Needless to say, Bradley wasn’t facing MLB-caliber pitching in the Atlantic League, but his strong performance was enough to entice New York.

The Mets already have a full-time center fielder, Harrison Bader, and a star corner outfielder capable of handling center, Brandon Nimmo. However, their outfield options are far less promising after those two names. Starling Marte has been on the injured list since June. While he was hitting relatively well over his first 66 games this year, his defense (-9 OAA, -9 DRS) has become a major liability. The four others who have played the outfield for the Mets this year, Tyrone Taylor, DJ Stewart, Jeff McNeil, and Ben Gamel, have combined for a .211/.291/.347 slash line. Only Stewart has a league-average batting line (100 wRC+), while only Taylor (1 OAA, 5 DRS) has positive defensive metrics. Considering that the only other outfielder on the team’s 40-man roster is 21-year-old Alex Ramírez at Double-A, it’s hardly surprising the Mets sought some additional outfield depth.

The Mets will be the fifth organization of Bradley’s career, after stints with the Red Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays, and Royals. He has a career .684 OPS and 82 wRC+ and has not been an above-average hitter since 2020; it is hard to imagine that will change in his age-34 campaign. However, if he is selected to the Mets roster at some point this season, the team can likely count on his elite glove and strong arm to provide defensive value in the outfield. As Bob Nightengale of USA Today points out, Bradley is 115 days away from reaching 10 years of MLB service. Not only is 10 years of service time a major milestone, but it is the point at which players fully qualify for the pension plan. He won’t reach that mark this season, but with a strong performance this year, Bradley could extend his MLB career into 2025.

Marlins Designate Yonny Chirinos For Assignment

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The Marlins have designated right-hander Yonny Chirinos for assignment, the team announced today. His spot on the roster will go to right-hander Kyle Tyler, who’s been recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville.

Chirinos, 30, is one of several former Rays who made their way to the Marlins organization over the offseaon — he signed a minor league deal — after Miami hired former Rays GM Peter Bendix as their new president of baseball operations. Initially brought in as a depth option, Chirinos found himself called to the big league roster after 12 solid starts in Triple-A (3.00 ERA, 17.2 K%, 8.4 BB%, 66 innings) at a time when the Marlins’ rotation had been decimated by injury.

Through his first four starts, Chirinos generated quality results. He pitched just 19 1/3 innings but held opponents to nine runs (4.19 ERA) on 26 hits and five walks with 20 punchouts. He’s been shelled for a dozen runs in 10 2/3 innings since that time, however, and now sports an unsightly 6.30 earned run average on the season.

From 2018-22, Chirinos was an intriguing but frequently injured member of the Rays’ pitching staff. He logged 241 1/3 innings in that time, recording a 3.54 ERA (4.07 FIP, 4.13 SIERA) with a 20.9% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate. Forearm, finger, triceps and elbow injuries all combined to tamp down Chirinos’ innings, however, with the elbow issue in particular proving detrimental. Chirinos missed the entire 2021 season and a portion of the 2022 campaign due to Tommy John surgery.

While Chirinos’ 2018-22 track record is fairly intriguing, he’s also now pitched 115 innings in two full post-surgery seasons and looked like a different pitcher. Dating back to Opening Day 2023, he’s logged a 5.63 ERA with strikeout and walk rates of 15.3% and 7.8% — a far cry from his pre-surgery rates. He’s also seen his average fastball dip from a 94.3 mph peak, per Statcast, to 93 mph over the past two seasons.

The Marlins will have a week to trade Chirinos, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him. He has more than five years of big league service, so he can reject an outright assignment even if he clears waivers.

Reid Detmers Generating Trade Interest

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Reid Detmers certainly hasn’t had the 2024 season he was hoping for. The southpaw has been pitching for the Salt Lake Bees since June, when the Angels optioned him to Triple-A. Nevertheless, he is reportedly drawing trade interest from numerous teams, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, who lists Detmers as one of many players the Angels have made available ahead of the deadline.

Since his debut in 2021, Demters has made 70 MLB starts with a 4.68 ERA, 4.17 SIERA, and 5.4 Wins Above Replacement (per FanGraphs). The lefty seemingly cemented his role in the Angels rotation by the end of the 2022 season, when he pitched a no-hitter and an immaculate inning, finishing his rookie campaign with a 3.77 ERA and 4.12 SIERA in 25 starts. He led the team in starts and innings pitched the following season, and while his ERA rose to 4.48, his 4.14 SIERA remained significantly better than the league average.

Detmers got off to a strong start in 2024, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his first four outings. Unfortunately, his season quickly came off the rails after that. Over his next eight starts, he gave up 41 runs (40 earned) in 40 1/3 innings of work. His strikeout rate dropped from 34.9% over his first four starts to 20.9% across his next eight; while he had not allowed a single home run in those first four contests, he gave up 10 in his subsequent outings. Detmers wasn’t allowing any more hard contact than usual, but his average launch angle rose by nearly five degrees, and, consequently, his barrel rate more than doubled. His 4.62 SIERA over that stretch wasn’t awful (seven qualified pitchers currently have a SIERA of 4.62 or higher), but clearly, something wasn’t quite right with the 25-year-old hurler.

It was a little surprising to see a team with such little pitching depth demote a proven major leaguer after eight poor starts. Then again, the last time the Angels optioned him to Triple-A amidst a rough stretch, June 2022, he forced his way back soon after and thrived over the final three months of season (3.04 ERA, 3.70 SIERA in 13 starts). Perhaps L.A. was hoping another quick stopover at Triple-A would help Detmers figure things out. At the time, Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) that he didn’t expect the move to be “permanent.” Unfortunately, Detmers has struggled tremendously for Salt Lake, pitching to a 7.11 ERA and 6.04 FIP in seven starts (38 IP). Most concerningly, he has given 11 home runs to his minor league opponents. His stats look better if you ignore his two worst outings, but even then, his 4.94 ERA and 4.11 FIP at Triple-A are worrisome numbers for a pitcher who is supposed to be an above-average major leaguer.

All that being said, there are, evidently, multiple teams interested in taking on Detmers as a reclamation project.  However, considering that he is still just 25 years old and under team control through at least the 2027 season, the Angels would likely only be willing to sell so low on Detmers if either (a) they have largely given up on him, or (b) they are receiving offers too good to ignore.

In additional Angels news, Passan suggests the team is also willing to part with Carlos Estevez, Tyler Anderson, Taylor Ward, Kevin Pillar, Luis Garcia, and Hunter Strickland. The only somewhat surprising names on that list are Ward and Anderson, whom the team was previously thought to be unlikely to trade. That said, Passan also mentions that potential suitors have “soured” on Ward amid his recent slump; he is batting .159 with a 25 wRC+ over his last 17 games. Anderson, meanwhile, has continued to pitch well since making his second All-Star team. He held the Mariners to one run and three hits while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings in his first start back from the break. His underlying numbers remain concerning, however; his 4.94 SIERA ranks last among all qualified pitchers.

Finally, infielder Luis Rengifo will be reinstated from the injured list today, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Passan did not include Rengifo on his list of available Angels due to his injury status. Now that he is healthy, one would think the Angels will also be taking calls on the 27-year-old, especially if they are willing to trade other players under team control beyond this season like Anderson and Ward.

Orioles, Dodgers Have Discussed Tarik Skubal With Tigers

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The Orioles and Dodgers are “engaged in talks” with the Tigers regarding a trade for All-Star left-hander Tarik Skubal, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. This comes after a previous report from Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, which suggested that Baltimore and L.A. were interested in Skubal but did not confirm the Tigers were entertaining offers for the Cy Young contender.

Both the Orioles and Dodgers have already made it crystal clear they are seeking to add starting pitching ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. Before the All-Star break, Orioles GM Mike Elias expressed interest in adding a starter with multiple years of club control. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have reportedly already made an offer to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet, and Alden Gonzalez of ESPN suggests that adding “a front-of-the-rotation starter” remains their top priority. Crochet is still their number one target, per Gonzalez, though Skubal would be far more than just a consolation prize.

Baltimore and L.A. have been two of the top teams in the league this season, but both clubs have been hit hard by injuries to their starting rotations. The Orioles have lost Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, and John Means for the season. Thus, their rotation has its fair share of question marks after Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez. Meanwhile, the Dodgers currently have names like Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, and Dustin May on the IL. Glasnow and Kershaw are set to return this week, but given their injury histories, L.A. could use another top-of-the-rotation arm for the playoffs. Skubal certainly fits the description.

While it is noteworthy that the Tigers are engaged in discussions about trading Skubal, president of baseball operations Scott Harris might just be doing his due diligence. In other words, the fact that these teams are talking does not mean Harris is seriously considering any offers. Indeed, several sources seem to think it is still highly doubtful Detroit will trade Skubal this season. According to Nightengale, Detroit will only move Skubal if the front office is “overwhelmed” by an offer. Gonzalez reports that sources familiar with the Tigers’ thinking believe a trade is unlikely. Verducci’s source offered similar information, though added that “everything has a price.” Evidently, the Dodgers and Orioles are trying to find the price that will convince Scott Harris to trade away his best player.

The Yankees might also be trying to find that price, as Nightengale reports they would be willing to part with top prospect Spencer Jones to land a young ace like Skubal or Crochet. Previously, Jones was thought to be all but untouchable, but the Yankees might be getting more desperate for upgrades. They have gone 10-20 over their last 30 games, falling out of first place in the AL East. Their starting rotation has a league-worst 6.02 ERA in that time.

Jones, a towering, power-hitting outfielder, is widely considered a top-100 prospect in the game. It’s easy to understand why the Yankees would be hesitant to trade him, but it’s equally clear why the Tigers would command a prospect of that caliber in a package for a 27-year-old ace with two and a half years of club control remaining.

Skubal claimed the final spot on MLBTR’s ranking of the top 50 trade candidates for the deadline. His low ranking has nothing to do with his talent but rather reflects how unlikely he is to be dealt. Still, there is a good reason he was included on the list at all. Several contenders are sure to make a push to acquire Skubal, and if he is dealt, it could be the biggest blockbuster of the summer.

Dodgers To Sign Nick Anderson To Minor League Deal

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The Dodgers are signing right-handed pitcher Nick Anderson to a minor league deal. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the two sides were in agreement on a contract, while Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic confirmed that it would be a minor league pact. Bob Nightengale of USA Today later added that the deal has opt-outs on August 15 and 28. Anderson was designated for assignment by the Royals before the All-Star break and cleared release waivers on Saturday.

Anderson pitched well for the Braves over the first half of the 2023 season, posting a 3.06 ERA and 3.47 SIERA in 35 games, while collecting four wins, one save, and 15 holds. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury ended his year in mid-July. Despite his promising first half, the Braves dealt Anderson to the Royals following the season in exchange for cash considerations.

The 34-year-old right-hander was unable to replicate his first-half success in 2024, pitching to a 4.04 ERA and 4.39 SIERA in 37 outings with Kansas City. Although his fastball velocity is slightly up from last season, Anderson has struggled in almost every respect: His strikeout rate is down, his walk rate is up, and he has given up twice as many home runs as last year in close to the same number of innings. Considering his poor numbers this season and extensive injury history over the past few years, it wasn’t too surprising that Anderson was DFA’d after the Royals traded for fellow right-handed reliever Hunter Harvey. That said, Kansas City might have been hoping another team would claim Anderson off of waivers and take his 2024 salary off its books.

Instead, the Dodgers waited and signed Anderson to a minor league deal, which means they will only need to pay him a prorated portion of the league minimum salary. Although Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow are set to return from the IL this coming week, the Dodgers can still use all the pitching help they can get. The injury bug has hit their rotation much more than their bullpen, but L.A. is currently missing relievers like Brusdar Graterol, Ryan Brasier, and Michael Grove. More to the point, the Dodgers simply need to ensure they have enough healthy arms – starters or relievers – to get them through the remainder of the season.

That being said, the Dodgers are surely hoping Anderson can be more than just a warm body. This organization has a great reputation for developing arms and helping veteran pitchers reinvent themselves. Perhaps L.A. can help Anderson rediscover what has made him such an effective reliever at previous points in his career. In addition to his strong 2023 campaign with the Braves, he was dominant from 2019-20 with the Marlins and Rays, pitching to a 2.77 ERA and 2.14 SIERA in 87 games.

The Opener: Weekend Matchups, Prospect Debuts, HOF Induction

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As the second half of the regular season gets underway, here are three things to watch around baseball this weekend:

1. Weekend matchups:

The two clubs battling at the top of the AL West will face off this weekend, as the Mariners host the Astros for a three-game set. It will be the final matchup between the division rivals until mid-September. Probable starting pitchers for the Mariners are Luis Castillo, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo (per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times), while the Astros are lined up to counter with Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, and Ronel Blanco (per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). The series begins tonight at 9:10 PM CT.

Since the last time these two teams faced off, the Astros have gained 4.5 games on the Mariners, putting them just one game back in the AL West. With a series win this weekend, Houston would reclaim first place in the division for the first time since 2023. Meanwhile, if Seattle wins at least two of the three games, the Mariners will clinch the season series against the Astros. Winning the season series against a divisional rival became especially important in 2022 when the new CBA replaced tiebreaker games with mathematical tiebreaking procedures. Just last year, the Astros beat the Rangers for the AL West crown because Houston took the season series 9-4.

Over in the National League, the top two Wild Card teams are getting ready for a weekend matchup. If the regular season ended at the All-Star break, the Braves and Cardinals would be gearing up to play in a three-game Wild Card Series at Truist Park. Now, of course, there is still plenty of regular season left to play, which means their face-off this weekend in Atlanta is only a postseason preview.

Spencer Schwellenbach, Charlie Morton, and Max Fried are lined up to pitch for the Braves (per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), while Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Miles Mikolas are in line to start for the Cardinals (per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). The Braves will hope to increase their lead in the Wild Card race with a series victory, while the Cardinals could find themselves just 0.5 games back of the top Wild Card spot if they manage to sweep the three-game set. The first game begins tonight at 6:20 PM CT.

2. Top prospect promotions:

As Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported yesterday, the Athletics are planning to promote 22-year-old prospect Jacob Wilson, likely as soon as this evening’s contest against the Angels. The A’s selected him with the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft. Presumably, he will take over from Max Schuemann as the everyday shortstop in Oakland. The A’s have open spots on the 40-man and the active roster, so they do not need to make a corresponding move before announcing Wilson’s promotion.

Although a knee injury limited his playing time earlier this season, Wilson has been nothing but electric throughout his brief career in the minor leagues. Quickly rising through Oakland’s system, he has hit .401/.445/.613 (180 wRC+) across four levels. In 19 games at Triple-A this year, he has a .398 batting average with eight doubles, four home runs, and only three strikeouts. Baseball America recently ranked Wilson as the No. 19 overall prospect in the game, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 50. The Athletic’s Keith Law did not include Wilson on his preseason top 100 prospects list but ranked the young infielder No. 2 in the Athletics system.

Meanwhile, down in Southern California, the Dodgers are reportedly planning to promote top pitching prospect River Ryan, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Manager Dave Roberts has not yet announced how he plans to line up his rotation to begin the second half, so it’s possible Ryan could make his first big league start this weekend against the Red Sox.

Baseball America ranks Ryan as the No. 10 prospect (No. 3 pitching prospect) in the organization, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 4 (No. 2 among pitchers). The Athletic’s Keith Law was particularly high on Ryan entering the season, considering him the best pitching prospect in the organization and one of the top four pitching prospects in the sport. Shoulder issues delayed the beginning of Ryan’s season, but the 26-year-old has looked sharp in five Triple-A outings, pitching to a 2.76 ERA and 3.67 FIP with a 28.8% strikeout rate and a 60.0% groundball rate. L.A. has an open spot for Ryan on the 40-man and active rosters. Although he has limited experience at Triple-A and likely needs a bit more seasoning in the minors, the Dodgers will hope he can provide their beleaguered rotation with some temporary relief.

3. Hall of Fame induction ceremony:

Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend, with the ceremony set for Sunday at 12:30 PM CT. The festivities will be broadcast on MLB Network. Beltre, Mauer, and Helton were elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for their playing careers, while Leyland was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for his work as a manager. An additional 50 Hall of Famers will be present to celebrate their induction. More details about the event can be found on the Hall of Fame website.

Diamondbacks Select Yilber Diaz

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July 8: Arizona officially selected Diaz’s contract on Monday afternoon. The D-Backs optioned lefty reliever Joe Jacques to Triple-A in a corresponding active roster move. They already had a vacancy on the 40-man roster after releasing Tucker Barnhart, so that is now at capacity.

July 5: The Diamondbacks are “likely” to promote pitching prospect Yilber Diaz for his MLB debut next week, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The right-hander would get the ball to start Monday night’s series opener against the Braves. Diaz is not on the 40-man roster, but the Diamondbacks currently have an open spot on the 40-man, so they would not need to make a corresponding move to select his contract.

Diaz made his professional debut for the D-backs organization in 2021. After pitching to a 4.17 ERA and 3.66 FIP in 14 starts at Double-A between 2023 and ’24, he earned a promotion to Triple-A this June. In four starts with the Reno Aces, he has a 3.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 22 innings of work. On the season, he has an impressive 33.2% strikeout rate in 15 outings between Double and Triple-A. The 23-year-old is averaging just over five innings per start.

Diaz is currently ranked as the #16 prospect in the Diamondbacks system, according to MLB Pipeline. Baseball America and Keith Law of the Athletic both had him at #15 on their preseason lists. Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice of FanGraphs were a little higher on Diaz, ranking him #6 and expressing more faith in both of his breaking balls (a slider and curve) to be potential plus pitches. Ultimately, however, all four sources agreed that the righty’s future is most likely in the bullpen. He throws a mid-90s fastball that can touch the high-90s; if his velocity were to tick up out of the ’pen, he could be a flame-throwing relief weapon.

Yet, for now, Diaz remains a starting pitcher, and he will take on the biggest test of his starting career on Monday. The Braves offense has struggled for much of the season, especially against right-handed pitching. Regardless, they’re going to be a far tougher opponent than a Triple-A club, and Diaz has hardly even faced much Triple-A opposition.

Although the rookie might benefit from a bit more seasoning in the minors, the Diamondbacks are a little desperate for starting pitching after Jordan Montgomery landed on the injured list last week. Rookie Cristian Mena made his MLB debut in Montgomery’s place on Wednesday, but the results were poor. He lasted only three innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits, three walks, and two home runs. Mena struck out just two of the 15 batters he faced, and he has already been optioned back to Triple-A. The only other healthy starting pitcher on Arizona’s 40-man roster who isn’t already in the rotation is Tommy Henry, who has a 7.04 ERA in 38 1/3 MLB innings this season.

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