Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Alex Cobb To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 2:38pm CDT

Hip issues have kept Alex Cobb on the injured list all season, and the veteran righty officially announced the end of his lost year by telling reporters (including the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen) that he’ll be undergoing resurfacing surgery on his right hip. This is the third hip-related surgery Cobb has undergone since the start of the 2019 season.

Cobb went into detail with the media about his injury-marred 2025 campaign, and all of the stops and starts faced during multiple rehab assignments. Cobb turns 38 in October, and he admitted that he was at least considering retirement in the wake of his injury woes. We should know more about Cobb’s decision in the coming weeks, as he’ll likely want to see how his body responds in the wake of the surgery, not to mention the natural discussions with his family about whether or not to step away from the sport.

If this is indeed it for Cobb, his 2025 campaign is an unfortunate coda on the end of an impressive 13-season run in the majors. His tenure with the Tigers will conclude without even a single pitch thrown, making Detroit’s $15MM free agent investment in Cobb into a total wash. There was some hope that Cobb could make it back as a relief pitcher before the season was over, but he was pulled off his rehab assignment at the end of August.

Cobb’s previous hip surgery during the 2023-24 offseason (when he was still a member of the Giants) ended up sidelining him for longer than expected, as Cobb then developed elbow soreness during his rehab process. Traded from San Francisco to Cleveland at the deadline, Cobb tossed a total of 22 innings for the Guardians, with three starts in the regular season and two more in the playoffs.

Despite the lack of workload, the Tigers felt confident enough in Cobb’s medicals and track record to give him a one-year, $15MM deal last winter. While Detroit is sailing towards the AL Central crown and hasn’t necessarily missed Cobb, it is easy with 50-50 hindsight to speculate on the many ways the Tigers could’ve otherwise used that $15MM to upgrade the roster, particularly since the club didn’t spend much in general last offseason.

Injuries have been an unwelcome subplot of Cobb’s career, with the recurring hip problems and a 2015 Tommy John surgery standing out as the major health setbacks. Though it all, Cobb has usually been an effective starter when he has been able to pitch, posting a 3.84 ERA over 1327 2/3 innings with five different big league clubs. His most effective season in terms of fWAR (3.7) came in 2022 during his age-34 season, and he received his first All-Star nod in 2023.

Marlins Select Christian Roa, Release Declan Cronin

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 2:04pm CDT

The Marlins announced a trio of roster moves, including the news that right-hander Christian Roa’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Jacksonville. To open up space on the 28-man and 40-man rosters, Miami placed right-hander Freddy Tarnok on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 3), and released right-hander Declan Cronin.

Roa will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in his first Marlins game. A second-round pick for the Reds in the 2020 draft, Roa struggled with control problems in 2023-24 and his 2024 season was cut short by injury. This didn’t stop the Marlins from claiming him off waivers last November, and the righty has rebounded with a better showing in a full-time relief role in 2025.

Over 57 1/3 innings in Jacksonville, Roa has a 2.83 ERA and a 26.1% strikeout rate. The 12% walk rate is still on the high side and Roa has benefited from a tiny .221 BABIP, but the bottom-line efforts have been enough to earn Roa his first taste of Major League action.

Tarnok is dealing with a left ankle sprain, and the timing of the injury means that he could be shut down for the rest of the season unless there’s some quick progress in his recovery. With a whopping 17 players now on the injured list, the Marlins as a whole are to some extent just trying to get to the finish line of the season, though Kyle Stowers, Ryan Weathers, and Janson Junk are all expected to be activated from the IL within the next week.

A minor league signing for the Marlins last winter, Tarnok had his minors contract selected to the active roster in mid-June, and he has made five appearances for Miami while being frequently optioned back and forth from Triple-A. Within the small sample size of 7 1/3 innings, Tarnok has a 2.45 ERA and a big 35.7% strikeout rate, with a 14.3% walk rate. This marks Tarnok’s first big league action since 2023, and he has a career 3.97 ERA across 22 2/3 innings with the Marlins, Athletics, and Braves.

Cronin’s release comes as the right-hander has been on Jacksonville’s IL for about the last three weeks, due to an undisclosed injury. Cronin already missed the first two months of the season due to a hip problem, and with a 4.87 ERA over 20 1/3 Triple-A innings, Cronin didn’t seem to be 100 percent.

After tossing 11 innings with the White Sox in his 2023 debut season, Cronin became a regular in Miami’s bullpen last year. Cronin’s 4.35 ERA wasn’t too impressive, but that statistic was inflated by a .365 BABIP, as the righty didn’t receive much good fortune from his 57.6% grounder rate. His 23.2% strikeout rate and 8.2% walk rate were also solid, and Cronin was a workhorse in tossing 70 1/3 innings over 56 appearances.

These numbers were strong enough that it is a little surprising to see Cronin released entirely, even despite his tough 2025 season. It could be that the Marlins have a handshake deal in place to bring Cronin back, and today’s move was made just to open up a 40-man roster spot.

Astros Notes: Meyers, Ort, Dezenzo

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 1:25pm CDT

After close to two months on the injured list, Jake Meyers might make his return to the Astros lineup as early as today. Meyers played six games during a minor league rehab assignment and then rejoined the big league team for a workout on Friday, though manager Joe Espada (speaking with the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara and other reporters) didn’t give any hint about when exactly Meyers might be activated from the 10-day IL.

Meyers’ excellent glove earned him at least part-time duty as Houston’s center fielder during his five MLB seasons, and he moved into more of an everyday role in 2024. Continuing that regular job this year, Meyers responded with his best sustained stretch of hitting, as he batted .308/.369/.405 with three homers and 14 steals (in 19 attempts) over his first 322 plate appearances of 2025. However, this impressive start was interrupted by a right calf strain that has kept Meyers on the IL since early July.

If Meyers is able to keep up that hot hitting along with his customary defense, he’ll suddenly be a tremendous all-around addition for an Astros club fighting to stay in first place in the AL West. Houston has remained in first place despite dealing with a ton of injuries, and even with Meyers on the verge of returning, the IL carousel continued yesterday when Kaleb Ort was placed on the 15-day injured list. (Colton Gordon was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and Gordon started yesterday’s game with the Rangers.)

Ort is dealing with right elbow inflammation, and according to Espada, Ort was feeling sore in the aftermath of his most recent outing — a rough two-thirds of an inning against the Yankees that saw Ort charged with four runs. There isn’t yet any word on the seriousness of Ort’s injury, yet given both the calendar and the caution teams usually deploy with elbow injuries, it is possible Ort’s season might be in jeopardy even if his scans come back clean.

Now in his fifth MLB season, Ort had a bit of a breakout in 2024, posting a 2.55 ERA over 24 2/3 innings in his first year in Houston. Things haven’t gone as smoothly this year, as Ort missed the first month due to an oblique strain, and has a 4.89 ERA and an inflated 13.9% walk rate over 46 relief innings. Ort did seem to be getting on track with a 1.80 ERA in the 15 innings pitched prior to Thursday’s meltdown against the Yankees.

If there’s still hope that Ort can make it back before the season is over, Zach Dezenzo’s outlook looks much more uncertain. The Astros announced yesterday that Dezenzo was pulled off his rehab assignment after suffering a right elbow sprain. As Espada told Kawahara and company, Dezenzo hurt his elbow making a throw on Tuesday during a game with Triple-A Sugar Land.

Dezenzo’s last game with the Astros came on May 31, as he suffered a capsule sprain his left hand that sent him to the 10-day and eventually the 60-day version of the injured list. The elbow issue surfaced just as Dezenzo seemed to be approaching a return to the majors, as the outfielder was playing in his fifth rehab game.

It’s a tough break for what may end up as a lost season for the 25-year-old. Dezenzo made his Major League debut in 2024, and he has a .244/.305/.369 slash line over 174 career PA at the big league level. This brief time in the Show saw Dezenzo utilized primarily at first base and in both corner outfield slots, with a few fill-in appearances as a third baseman last year.

Mets Sign Joe La Sorsa To Minors Contract

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 1:12pm CDT

1:12PM: The Mets have signed La Sorsa to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports. La Sorsa will provide some left-handed bullpen depth for a New York team that has had a revolving door of relievers going up and down from Triple-A all season.

11:59AM: Left-hander Joe La Sorsa has chosen to become a free agent instead of accepting an outright assignment to the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate, according to reporter Charlie Goldsmith. Cincinnati designated La Sorsa for assignment earlier this week, and after he cleared waivers, La Sorsa had the ability to decide his next step since he has been previously outrighted in his career.

Over his first two MLB seasons, La Sorsa posted a 4.47 ERA over 50 1/3 innings and 41 games with the Rays and Nationals in 2023-24. Cut loose by the Nats over the offseason, the southpaw caught on with Cincinnati on a minors contract, and that contract was selected to the active roster in early June.

The Reds made only sporadic use of La Sorsa and frequently only kept him in the majors for brief stints, and the up-and-down usage may have contributed to his ugly 10.80 ERA over five appearances and 6 2/3 innings. Within that small sample size, La Sorsa was tagged for four home runs.

Time is running out on La Sorsa’s chances of landing a big league job with another team before 2025 is over, yet signing elsewhere on another minors deal might at least give the lefty a head start on the offseason. La Sorsa has another minor league option year remaining, and clubs might be intrigued by La Sorsa’s career 2.88 ERA over 134 1/3 Triple-A innings. These excellent bottom-line results come with a modest 19.05% strikeout rate, and La Sorsa’s walk rate also drastically spiked upward when pitching with Triple-A Louisville this season.

AL Central Notes: Ragans, Sewald, Olson, Brennan

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 10:57am CDT

Cole Ragans is set to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, with a scheduled two-inning start planned with Triple-A Omaha. It has now been over three months since Ragans was sidelined by a rotator cuff strain, and if the southpaw is able to make it back to the Royals rotation before the season is over, it won’t be in a full-fledged starting role. “We know we don’t have the time to get him built up to five or six innings,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters (including Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star), indicating that Ragans would still be a starter, but perhaps in a piggyback capacity or as the lead pitcher of a bullpen game.

Seth Lugo was just placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week due to a back strain, and Kris Bubic’s season was ended by a rotator cuff strain in late July. Despite these and other injuries, the Royals’ pitching staff has still been the biggest factor in keeping the team afloat in the wild card race, as Kansas City’s offense has remained inconsistent. If the Royals can stick around in the playoff hunt until late September, getting Ragans back in even a limited capacity might be a huge boost in helping K.C. return to the postseason.

Brewers Place Nick Mears On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | September 6, 2025 at 7:52am CDT

Prior to yesterday’s 5-2 win over the Pirates, the Brewers placed right-hander Nick Mears on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 2) due to back tightness. Right-hander Carlos Rodriguez was called up from Triple-A Nashville to take Mears’ spot in Milwaukee’s bullpen.

Mears had a 5.20 ERA over 107 1/3 career innings heading into the 2025 season, including a 7.30 ERA in 12 1/3 frames for Milwaukee after the Brewers acquired him from the Rockies prior to the 2024 trade deadline. In the latest example of the Brewers getting results from an unheralded pitcher, Mears has stepped up as a reliable member of the bullpen this year, posting a 3.42 ERA over 52 2/3 frames. His 21.3% strikeout rate is subpar, and Mears has allowed a lot of hard contact that has been mitigated by a .225 BABIP. On the plus side, his tiny 5.0% walk rate is excellent, and Mears has one of baseball’s best chase rates due in large part to his outstanding slider.

The numbers would look even better if Mears hadn’t allowed three runs in his last game, as the righty was hit hard over an inning of work in the Brewers’ 10-8 loss to the Phillies on September 1. It is fair to assume that Mears’ bad back played in a role in that rough outing, and the injury may have been lingering for a while, as Brew Crew manager Pat Murphy first mentioned that Mears was dealing with back problems in late July.

A club official told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy that Mears may be able to return after just a minimal 15-day absence, though back injuries tend to have an uncertain timeline. Even if Mears isn’t out for too long, he is now the fifth Brewers reliever to hit the IL in the last weeks. Closer Trevor Megill, DL Hall, Grant Anderson, and Shelby Miller are all also sidelined, and in Miller’s case, his season has been ended by a UCL sprain that will likely require Tommy John surgery.

Murphy provided some other injury updates Friday, telling McCalvy and company that Anderson is slated to begin a Triple-A rehab assignment today. Megill hasn’t pitched since August 24 due to a flexor strain, but he has started throwing bullpen sessions and the club has set September 16 as a tentative target date for the closer’s return.

The Brewers have baseball’s best record and a pretty comfortable 5.5-game lead in the NL Central, so they have some luxury in waiting out this spate of bullpen injuries. The chief priority is to have as many healthy pitchers as possible heading into the playoffs, so if Mears or anyone else needs an extra few days to recover, Milwaukee will be as risk-adverse as possible.

Kenta Maeda Plans To Pitch In Japan In 2026

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2025 at 11:08pm CDT

In an appearance on TV Tokyo’s “Sports Real Live” show (Japanese language link from Yahoo Japan), Kenta Maeda said that he is leaving North American baseball behind at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Maeda revealed that he initially made his decision after signing his two-year, $24MM deal with the Tigers that that would be his final contract with a Major League team, and he is hoping to continue his career in Japan with a Nippon Professional Baseball club in 2026.

Maeda (who turns 38 in April) began his pro career with eight seasons with the Hiroshima Carp before being posted for MLB clubs, and signing an incentive-heavy eight-year, $25MM deal with the Dodgers back in January 2016. Maeda’s stint in North America has seen him suit up in nine Major League seasons, with the 2022 campaign missed entirely since he was recovering from a Tommy John surgery.

After struggling badly in the first year of his Tigers contract, a move to the bullpen didn’t change Maeda’s fortunes this year, and Detroit released the right-hander in early May. He then joined the Cubs on a minor league contract before being released in early August, quickly landing with the Yankees on another minors deal. Over 76 1/3 Triple-A innings this season, Maeda hasn’t shown any of his old form, posting a 6.25 ERA for New York and Chicago’s top affiliates.

During the TV Tokyo interview, Maeda said his family has been living in Japan during his year in the minors, in order to have some stability while Maeda has now bounced around to multiple teams. His recent on-field results (or lack thereof) had no bearing on his decision, as Maeda stated that he would’ve returned to Japan after 2025 if he’d been a 20-game winner at the big league level.

Since it doesn’t look like the Yankees will be calling Maeda up in September, his MLB resume could be closed after 226 games (172 of them starts) with the Tigers, Twins, and Dodgers over parts of nine seasons. Maeda has a 4.20 ERA, 25.8% strikeout rate, and 7.8% walk rate over 986 2/3 career innings in the regular season, as well as a 3.24 ERA across 41 2/3 career postseason frames with Minnesota and Los Angeles.

Though his final act in Detroit didn’t go well, Maeda was generally a very effective pitcher in the majors. He had a 3.87 ERA during 589 innings in L.A., with the Dodgers using Maeda both as a starter and as a reliever, though Maeda made it known that he preferred rotation work. A trade to the Twins prior to the 2020 season gave Maeda a full-fledged starting job, and he responded with a runner-up finish in AL Cy Young Award voting, posting a 2.70 ERA in 66 2/3 innings during the pandemic-shortened season. He wasn’t as effective during a 2021 campaign that was cut short by his Tommy John procedure, though Maeda returned in solid form (4.23 ERA in 104 1/3 IP) for Minnesota’s AL Central-winning team in 2023.

Cubs To Call Up Kevin Alcantara, Option Owen Caissie

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2025 at 9:56pm CDT

The Cubs will replace one outfield prospect for another on Monday, as ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports that Kevin Alcantara will be called up from Triple-A Iowa and Owen Caissie is being sent back to Triple-A. No further transaction is needed since Alcantara is already on the 40-man roster.

Alcantara made his Major League debut last September, appearing in three games for the Cubs right at the very end of the 2024 season and getting one hit in 10 plate appearances. This remains Alcantara’s only big league exposure, as he has spent the entirety of the 2025 campaign in Iowa. After hitting well in 35 Triple-A games in 2024, Alcantara has kept it going this year, with a .266/.349/.470 slash line and 17 home runs over 430 plate appearances this season.

A regular on top-100 prospect lists for a few years now, Alcantara was 71st on Baseball America’s preseason ranking and 90th on MLB Pipeline’s list. Despite his solid numbers this year, Alcantara actually dropped out of both outlets’ midseason top-100 updates, though both BA and Pipeline each still have the outfielder ranked fifth within the deep Chicago farm system. The biggest red flag is his 29.8% strikeout rate at Triple-A, as his power potential and hard contact ability is mitigated by the large amount of swing-and-miss in his game, and evaluators also note that Alcantara is only really productive against fastballs.

It seems likely that Alcantara would’ve received a longer look in the majors by now if he wasn’t on a team so deep in outfielders. Between Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki (as a part-time OF and regular DH) all staying healthy and productive, only four other players have received any time in the Wrigleyville outfield during the 2025 season. Utility players Willi Castro, Jon Berti, and Vidal Brujan each got a handful of games in the outfield, and Caissie made seven appearances on the grass during the 11 overall games of his first Major League call-up.

Caissie received 25 PA, and hit .208/.240/.375 while starting six of his 11 games. The lack of playing time wasn’t a surprise given the crowded nature of Chicago’s outfield, yet the rather quick demotion adds to the question about why exactly Caissie was even called up in the first place. Alcantara brings more defensive versatility since he can play center field, whereas Caissie is a corner outfielder.

Using top prospects as bench depth isn’t exactly ideal, though the Cubs are somewhat stuck (if that’s the correct term) between their twin desires of having their minor leaguers play every day, and also having the best active roster possible. As limited as these cameos have been, giving Alcantara or Caissie some experience in the big leagues could be beneficial in advance of their possible inclusion on a playoff roster, or if an injury did arise to one of the Cubs’ outfield regulars.

MLBTR Chat Transcript

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2025 at 9:13pm CDT

Mark P

Am I tempting fate by starting a live chat when teams could very easily still be making moves on the eve of the roster expansion? I sure am! What might be an interrupted edition of the Weekend Chat begins now!

Tigers

Odds Kevin McGonigle gets called up tomorrow?

Mark P

Basically zero. The Tigers’ GM already said it isn’t happening, and calling McGonigle up past Triple-A entirely doesn’t seem realistic.

bmcferren

Ketel Marte the top target to bat cleanup for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026?

Mark P

I find it unlikely that Marte will be dealt anywhere, let alone to a Pittsburgh team that will find his contract too pricey

Mike Trout

Poll: Do I get to 400 HR’s this season?

Mark P

He only has 20, so Trout surely won’t hit 380 home runs in just a month. Not even Judge or Jakob Marsee could do that.
Real answer: Trout has 398 career homers, so despite the major slump he’s currently in, he’ll surely go yard twice more before the year is out.

Padres and Preller

Padres look to be going with what they have. SS and starting pitching huge holes and no moves when better options available. Has ownership told AJ to go with what he had and no more $ available for roster improvement?

Mark P

There’s still some time for Preller to add a player (and interrupt my chat) before the 11pm CT deadline, and he could still make adds after today for players who just wouldn’t be playoff-eligible.
Kiner-Falefa really seemed like the kind of player that would be a good fit in San Diego, however. Would’ve been an easy fit into shortstop with Bogaerts out.

romorr

So the Orioles just signed Basallo, and now have a hot Trevor Rogers to consider. What does that contract look like at the end of the year?

Mark P

Rogers is eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, making him a very interesting extension candidate for Baltimore. Don’t forget — Rogers pitched poorly and battled injuries from 2022-24, making his impressive numbers this year all the more spectacular.
This could make Rogers more open to signing a long-term deal and locking in some money now while his value is at its highest. He might have an eye towards a very lucrative free agent deal next offseason, but the possibility of a lockout could make Rogers prefer getting some security now rather than deal with the added obstacle of labor unrest when he’s a free agent.
Now that the O’s have finally gotten the ball rolling on contract extensions, it opens up a whole new line of intriguing possibilities for future expenditures.

Read more

Giants late run?

Feels like they have run in them. Only 5 back. Your thoughts?

Mark P

Interestingly, the Giants only play four more teams for the rest of the season…..two series each against the Dodgers, D’Backs, Rockies, and Cardinals.
Those extra games against Colorado in particular are a good chance to make up ground, but realistically, the Giants are probably too far out

Drew

Will the Nats come to regret not trading Gore before the deadline?

Mark P

Gore could be traded this winter for just as much if not more than he would’ve gotten at the deadline, unless this shoulder problem ends up being something serious (and apparently the MRI was clean). So I don’t think there was any particular rush for the Nats to make a move last month.

tigertownBob

With a little better season this year should the Tigers try to move Tork this offseason?

Mark P

That might a creative sell-high move for Detroit. As much as Torkelson has hit well for the bulk of the year, it ultimately depends on whether or not the front office sees him as someone who can still reach a higher level, or if this might be a peak.
Don’t forget that if you trade Tork, then that’s a lot of hitting you need to replace in a lineup that is also losing Torres to free agency.

Natitude

With news of Susana being pulled from a start today due to the dreaded triceps soreness, (see Travis Sykora) is it fair to say that the Nationals front office should punt on 2026 and focus on being competitive in 2027 and beyond? Zero pitching depth for this poverty franchise right now and no immediate help on the way.

Mark P

Regardless of what happens with Susana, it already seemed like the Nats would be treading water next year. A new PBO/GM will likely take a year to evaluate things and see what the organization has before deciding how to approach a return to contention.

Reds fan

Stewart being called a bit too late to provide the offensive spark the reds desperately needed over a week ago. Held down for some dumb financial/playing time reason?

Mark P

The PPI factor was surely on the Reds’ minds to some extent, but don’t forget that Stewart didn’t even make his Triple-A debut until after the All-Star break. It’s understandable how a team would want to give a good prospect some real run at Triple-A before giving him the extra challenge of the big leagues

Delman

Buehler will be joining the Phillies rotation after 1 AAA start. Expectations?

Mark P

Not much. His ultimate role will be as a bullpen arm, if that

Al Kaline Battery

Watching the Royal play the Tigers this weekend, they have a pretty good team . What do they need to get to the next level?.The outfield still seems like the week point.

Mark P

Yaz has been hitting like his grandfather since the trade, so that’s at least one outfield hole that has been filled. But long-term, the outfield should certainly still be the Royals’ priority this winter.

Bobby Cox

Philly going to miss wheeler in post season

Mark P

Absolutely. I don’t want to say losing Wheeler ends the Phillies’ chances since their team is still so good, but I can’t think of many examples of a club losing their best pitcher a month before the playoffs and still winning it all.

Eric

Do you think Bill Schmidt and Warren Schaffer are back next year as GM and as manager? Definitely not the right people for the job in Colorado.

Mark P

Because it’s the Rockies, my default view is to assume both will return. Until ownership actually makes a seismic change like bringing someone in from outside the organization, I’ll believe that the Rox will stick with the status quo.

Rangers

What is best case for Corey Seager? Comes back with 1 week left in season?

Mark P

It’s tricky since an appendectomy is the kind of thing that doesn’t come with a set timeline. Seager is probably likely to try and push it to come back sooner than later if the Rangers remain in contention.

Corbin Carroll Fan Club

Should AZ actually be excited about Blaze Alexander & Ryne Nelson?

Mark P

Nelson in particular looks like a rotation guy going forward, so yes. Alexander looks like a good multi-position bench guy, even if presumably Arizona’s infield will still be crowded in the club’s ideal scenario of Lawlar becoming an everyday 3B

JeffyM

Are you surprised the Rangers didn’t put their bullpen arms on waivers? Or is there a chance guys were put on waivers and could be claimed before 11 that we don’t know about yet?

Mark P

It’s possible we don’t know of some moves that might yet happen, but Texas is on a roll right now. They might’ve been more aggressive in trying to cut salary if a wild card spot wasn’t still such a distinct possibility.

White Sox Fan

Well, looks like we’re still gonna hold the record for most modern day loses

Mark P

Noted White Sox fan Pope Leo can’t work miracles this quickly

Touch ‘Em All

Do you think the Jays can hold on to the division, and do you trust their bullpen in the playoffs?

Mark P

No and no. I think Boston’s got more going for them right now, including at least one reliever in Chapman who is on the roll of his career. The Jays’ bullpen is almost en masse in a slump right now, either due to overwork or the league just getting a book on some of these guys.
It’s the nature of relief pitching that the Jays pen could suddenly snap back to form, but I have my doubts

Beat Em Bucs!!!

What can you see the Pirates doing this offseason? They need bats and have a surplus of good young pitching. I would like to see them add two bats to their lineup.

Mark P

As much as “you can never have too much pitching” applies, dealing a young arm for a young up-and-coming bat makes a ton of sense for the Pirates. I agree that they need multiple hitters to help get things turned around, and if ownership isn’t going to spend in free agency, then the front office has to be more aggressive on the trade front.

Jrmomo1000

Do you think marmol will be the cardinal manager next year

Mark P

2026 is the last guaranteed season of Marmol’s contract, so the Cards would be eating just one year of money in the event of a managerial change. Allowing Bloom to pick his own manager would make sense with Bloom fully taking over the front office, and Bloom might welcome this flexibility since he basically inherited Alex Cora in Boston.

Still Miller Park

Does this Brewers team have what it takes to win it all?

Mark P

Absolutely. The Brewers are a scary opponent for anyone in October.

Dodgers fan

The bullpen is scaring me what do you think

Mark P

It’s certainly a concern, but the Dodgers seem to go into October every year with a patchwork pitching staff but have still made it work with two titles in five years.

Mill Badlock

Can we now consider Henry Davis a complete 1/1 bust? I see no hope for improvement at the plate.

Mark P

For the “what should the Pirates do this winter” question earlier, the answer maybe should’ve been an overhaul of their hitting development strategies.
Davis has a 57 wRC+ over 610 career PA, or a little more than the equivalent of one full MLB season. While it’s early to write him off entirely, there haven’t been many or any flashes that Davis is close to breaking out, so that’s a very troubling lack of progress for a player that (as a 1-1 pick) had to be a key building block in a rebuild.

Peter Bendix

What happen to the Mets this weekend? Are the Marlins that good or the Mets are so bad?

Mark P

The Mets’ pitching is so inconsistent that they’re always prone to a rough series, or a rough week, or several weeks. The Mets’ biggest plus right now is that so many other NL teams are kind of treading water, so New York is still in a wild card spot

Nick Flack

do you think the cardinals should move on from arenado?

Mark P

They should’ve moved on last winter, and I suspect the front office is still shaking their head of the chain of events that led Arenado to reject that deal to Houston.
Going forward, it’s hard to see much of a trade market for Arenado at all given his salary and how his offense has completely fallen off the table this season.

Jackson

Will the Phillies fix their outfield come the offseason and 2026? Bader is an improvement, but he’s a rental. It’s just getting old watching the same lackluster platoons play out year after year

Mark P

Crawford’s on the horizon, and it would help the Phillies a ton if he’s able to be a productive rookie from the jump. Kepler obviously isn’t returning and Bader is a BA, and I wonder if the Phils might try to explore any kind of “unwelcome contract swap” for Castellanos
The trouble is that the Phils have a lot of money invested elsewhere in the roster, so there’s less to spend on a big splashy outfield move. Now that being said, I won’t rule the Phillies out on Kyle Tucker or someone since that’s just how this team rolls, but to some extent Dombrowski’s hands are a little tied in terms of obvious ways to help the outfield

Bregman

What are you thinking? 1) He opts out, becomes a free agent and signs elsewhere? 2) He opts in & plays another year under his current deal? 3) He signs an extension?.

Mark P

My guess is that he signs an extension to remain in Boston, either before free agency opens or just after the market opens.
There’s no way he opts in, and there seems to be enough mutual admiration between him and the Sox that I suspect both sides want to make a deal happen

Bobby Cox

Braves will pick up Albies option? I mean numbers are padded by last month but he has 0 range arm but 2nd market is weak.

Mark P

Albies’ club option for 2026 is worth $7MM, but with a $4MM buyout. So the difference of just $3MM will almost certainly make Atlanta exercise the option, even if there’s a chance Albies is then traded elsewhere

I don’t know’s on 3rd

Why don’t the Phillies have to pick up all of Buehlers contract?

Mark P

When a team releases a player, they are responsible for the rest of any salary owed. A new team is responsible for just the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary, subtracted from the remaining overall salary left on the contract (in Buehler’s case, $3.4MM or so).

Dave D

I understand why they reduced the roster size in September, but 28 seems small Any discussion of may be expanding to maybe 30 at least ?

Mark P

I’m sure the MLBPA wouldn’t mind having more jobs available for a month. But, I think having having 30 roster spots still gets into the “competitive advantage or disadvantage during pennant races” territory the league and union looked to eliminate when cutting September rosters down from 40.

Brewers Fan

At what point does the evaluation of a particular player trait change? Asking re Bruce Turang, whose 40 power grade is looking ridiculous at the moment

Mark P

I dunno who this Bruce Turang guy is, but Brice Turang has been on an absolute scorcher for the last month. Don’t be surprised if/when Turang wins NL Player of the Month for August.

different brewer fan

yeah and can we adjust his fielding grade?

Mark P

DRS still has him at +9, but even that’s down from +22 last year. I’m not sure I’ve watched the Brewers enough to make an eye test evaluation, but put it his way, if you’re a Milwaukee supporter…..you’re pretty happily taking this better-hitting version of Turang, right?

Brian

Do the M’s call up Harry Ford in September? With Raleigh not going anywhere, what do you think of his future in Seattle?

Mark P

I’m on record as predicting Ford to have been a deadline trade piece, so I was a touch surprised to see him stay put. Then again, teams were loath to move big prospects in general midseason, so maybe we’ll need to wait until the winter to see Ford dealt, since I still feel he’s now an expendable piece.

Bobby Cox

Where does Nick Allen rate this season fielding had to be top 5. Can’t hit at all, I would rather Raffy Belliard at plate.

Mark P

Allen’s defensive metrics are elite. He should be at the very least a Gold Glove finalist, and probably a winner.
Having a fantastic defensive shortstop who can’t hit isn’t really an issue if the rest of your lineup can pick up the slack. Allen’s lack of offense has been magnified the fact that so many other Braves hitters struggled for much of the year, but if the front office improves elsewhere, I can see AA standing pat with Allen as the starter.

Santana

Is picking up Carlos Santana a difference maker for the Cubs? Could he help them get to the series?

Mark P

It’s more of a talent floor raise over Turner

Andy

It seems like alot more players are getting released than in years past. Is this because teams are trying to save some prorated salary?

Mark P

Don’t forget that the rules were changed a few years ago concerning August trades. So since teams can no longer move most players after the deadline, you’re seeing more releases or waiver situations as teams try to clear roster space (and save money)

Halos

Do you think the Angels will bring back Ron Washington next year, make Ray Montgomery the manager or will they go look elsewhere for a manager?

Mark P

Wash’s health is the biggest factor, so hopefully is given full clearance from his doctors. The Angels probably exercise his option year and bring Washington back for at least one more year.

Billington

Chandler Simpson leads league in SB and also caught SB??

Mark P

Caballero leads in steals, but Simpson is the leader in CS. This isn’t that surprising to see Simpson so high in both categories given that he’s such a baserunning specialist with elite speed.

rusty

With Wheeler’s move to IL is Painter’s call up coming soon?

Mark P

Painter hasn’t pitched great at Triple-A, so it seems like the Buehler signing was in part the Phillies way of adding a rotation option and lessening the pressure on Painter to even be part of the MLB picture this year
I’d be surprised if Painter wasn’t called up at all for at least a cup of coffee in the majors, but I don’t see him getting any major role on the roster (or in a playoff roster)

Realignment

what do you think is more likely, 8 divisions of 4 teams, or 4 divisions of 8?

Mark P

It depends on how the geography works out with two expansion cities, plus any lingering possibility that the Rays or A’s might be playing elsewhere than Tampa/St. Pete or in Vegas.
I’d probably prefer four divisions of eight just to add more cache to being a division championship. Yet the league may prefer more divisions and fewer wild card teams, even if some of the wild card clubs’ records will inevitably top some division winners more often than not

Hungry

What’s for supper?

Mark P

I haven’t eaten since lunch, since that flurry of transactions earlier kept me busy on the site. Post-chat, I might have to hit the fridge for a snack.

Mike DeBartolo

Why on Earth would I want to trade Mackenzie Gore?

Mark P

You might not want to, but the next Nationals PBO might be open to the idea.
If you don’t think Gore (a Scott Boras client) is a long-term candidate to stay in Washington and 2026 is another rebuild year anyway, than there’s some merit to the idea of selling high on Gore in a trade this offseason.

Al Kaline Battery

I know you guys did a poll this week on regional realignment if the league expands. What are your personal feelings on the subject?

Mark P

There is so much tradition within the AL/NL that I want to see that preserved, rather than the weirdness of a “West League” and “East League.” You can rework the geography within the current league alignments and incorporate expansion teams into the mix, but I want to see the AL and NL groupings generally remain intact.
Then again, as a Jays fan, my main priority in any alignment would be to see the Blue Jays get out of any division with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays. So if this means the Jays in the NL, bring it on! 🙂

Lou Brown

Mark, I always ask of you think Trout really has 6 years left in him/will play out his contract…And you never wanna comment..I get that you don’t wanna jinx the man, but come on! Whadaya think??

Mark P

I doubt Trout would walk away from a year or two of guaranteed money and retire early, but only he knows the state of his body, or how much longer he wants to keep playing. Since this is shaping up as one of his healthiest seasons in some time, if anything, you’d think Trout might have more confidence in his ability to stay on the field

O Brother Where Cart Now

Is Carter Jensen is, or is Carter Jensen ain’t, a long term glove option behind the plate versus another 1B/DH bat?

Mark P

The scouting reports seem to think his glovework is pretty good, so there’s no immediate to reason to think that Jensen can’t stick as a catcher.
Whether he’s the heir apparent to Salvy remains to be seen, in no small part because Blake Mitchell might ultimately have that role. It gives the Royals some interesting options for the future once Perez decides to hang it up.

What to do with Marcus Semien

I know Marcus Semien is a fan favorite for his hustle, defense and durability. However he is clearly in decline and not worth his contract which was definitely a Scotty B special. Do you think the Rangers could get him to agree to a restructuring or pay cut and assuming that’s a no, is it worth eating a chunk of his salary to get a couple of mid to lower level prospects and move on?

Mark P

A restructure is clearly a no. Semien is owed $72MM from 2026-28, and other teams are just as aware of Semien’s offensive dropoff, so the Rangers would have to eat a big chunk of that contract in the event of a trade.
Barring some kind of bad contract swap, all the Rangers can really do with Semien is hope that he rediscovers his old form at the plate. This seems like an odd suggestion for a player who is still a very good defender, but perhaps some DH days to help keep him fresher might help? It could be that Semien’s durability is a bit of a hindrance at this point, and a few more breaks might help him re-adjust.

Reds country

will Sal Stewart be available for the postseason if the reds get their act together and make it?

Mark P

Yep. The August 31 rule only applies to players coming into the organization. Teams can and have called up prospects well after September 1 who have gone to play big roles in the playoffs.
Time to call it a wrap on tonight’s chat. Thanks for all of your questions, and the Weekend Chat will re-open in, oh, let’s say six or seven days’ time.
If you’re interested in more baseball Q&A, one of the many benefits of our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is the exclusive weekly live chats. The more limited field means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a question answered, as opposed to battling for space with hundreds of other questions in today’s chat. For more on our memberships, check out this link:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/membership?ref=chat-8-31-25

Royals To Promote Carter Jensen

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2025 at 6:10pm CDT

With rosters expanding to 28 players tomorrow, the Royals have already announced the moves they “anticipate” making, as per the club’s wording. First baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone will be activated from the 10-day injured list, righty Luinder Avila will be called up from Triple-A, and catching prospect Carter Jensen’s contract will be selected from Triple-A. Kansas City will need to subtract someone from the current 26-man roster to make space for the entire trio, but the Royals already have 40-man roster space available to accommodate Jensen.

Freddy Fermin was traded to the Padres at the deadline, and the Royals have since been using veteran Luke Maile as the backup catcher behind Salvador Perez. Because Perez will get his share of DH days to keep his bat in the lineup, Jensen should get a decent amount of playing time behind the plate in his first taste of MLB action. The expanded September roster allows the Royals some flexibility in keeping three catchers around, and Maile’s playing time is probably going to diminish since Jensen is a bigger future priority.

Jensen hit well enough (.292/.360/.420 in 308 PA) in Double-A ball to earn his first promotion to Triple-A earlier this summer, and he has taken it up a notch since arriving in Omaha. Jensen has hit .288/.404/.647 in 184 Triple-A plate appearances, with already 14 home runs to show for his brief time at the top rung of the minor league ladder. This kind of performance is hard to overlook, and it has earned the Kansas City native a late-season look with his hometown team.

A third-round pick for the Royals in the 2021 draft, Jensen is ranked 69th on MLB Pipeline’s list of baseball’s best prospects, and he sits 88th on Baseball America’s top-100 ranking. Evaluators like Jansen’s ability to get on base, and his 2025 numbers suggest he has started to tap into his raw power. Jensen has a good eye at the plate, but it is worth noting that his strikeout rate has shot upwards during his brief time at Triple-A. As a catcher, Jensen has a plus throwing arm and his framing ability has been improving, and both Pipeline and BA feel he can be a solid defender.

The Royals will surely exercise their $13.5MM club option on Perez for 2026, but that will also be Perez’s age-36 season, so the longtime face of the franchise will have to slow down at some point. Beyond Jensen, Blake Mitchell is another top-100 prospect who just advanced to high-A ball this season, and Ramon Ramirez is another young backstop in the system playing at the A-ball level.

Unsurprisingly, rival teams checked in on these young catchers prior to the trade deadline, but K.C. instead pivoted by moving Fermin. Jensen is the first of this trio to make it to the Show, so he’ll get the first crack at trying to establish himself as a big leaguer. He’ll retain rookie eligibility heading into 2026, and thus due to Prospect Promotion Incentive eligibility, the Royals could earn an extra draft pick if Jensen stays on the active roster for the entire 2026 campaign.

A former top prospect in his own right, Caglianone will return after a left hamstring strain cost him about five weeks on the injured list. Caglianone hit only .147/.205/.280 in his first 161 PA in the majors, so this IL stint can perhaps act as a refresh for the outfielder’s rookie year. It remains to be seen how many at-bats Caglianone will receive for a Royals team that is fighting for a playoff berth, since deadline acquisition Mike Yastrzemski has stepped into Caglianone’s right field spot and been on a tear since arriving in Kansas City.

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