Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Red Sox Sign John Brebbia To Minor League Contract

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2025 at 11:12am CDT

The Red Sox have signed right-hander John Brebbia to a minor league deal, according to NESN’s Tom Caron. Brebbia wasn’t on the open market for long, as it was just two days ago that he elected free agency rather than an accept an outright assignment to the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate.

The signing is a homecoming for Brebbia, who was born in Boston and grew up in Sharon, Massachusetts. Perhaps the return to familiar surroundings will help turn around what has been a difficult year for Brebbia, who has a 7.71 ERA over 23 1/3 combined innings with the Tigers and Braves.

After inking a one-year, $2.75MM free agent deal with Detroit, Brebbia was designated for assignment and subsequently released in June after struggling badly over 19 appearances in a Tigers uniform. The Braves inked him to a minors deal shortly thereafter and selected his contract to the majors at the end of August, but Brebbia had a 7.71 ERA in 4 2/3 innings and three games. Atlanta designated Brebbia for assignment earlier this week, and (unsurprisingly) he cleared waivers, resulting in Brebbia opting for free agency.

Since the Tigers are responsible for the bulk of Brebbia’s remaining salary, the Red Sox will owe him only the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary for any time the reliever might spend on Boston’s active roster. (Brebbia’s contract also includes a $4MM club option for 2026, yet that option is sure to be declined.) Because he is joining the organization after August 31, Brebbia isn’t eligible for postseason play.

For the cost of next to nothing, the Red Sox aren’t risking much in bringing Brebbia aboard as a depth arm for the remainder of September. A big spike in home run rate has led to a lot of struggles for Brebbia over the last two seasons, but he was a mostly effective bullpen arm earlier in his career with the Cardinals and Giants. There’s not a ton of time left in 2025 to see if Brebbia can get things turned around, but if nothing else, his time in the Sox organization could serve as an audition for another minor league deal this winter.

Rays Select Garrett Acton

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2025 at 10:46am CDT

The Rays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Garrett Acton. Righty Eric Orze was optioned to Triple-A Durham to create room on the 28-man roster, and outfielder Jonny DeLuca was moved to the 60-day injured list to create space for Acton on the 40-man roster.

Acton made his Major League debut in less than stellar fashion with the A’s in 2023, as the 27-year-old was rocked for a 12.71 ERA over six games and 5 2/3 innings of work. Acton allowed three home runs in that brief sample, and issued an equal number of walks and strikeouts (five apiece). Any attempts at a follow-up were then put on hold by a Tommy John surgery, which kept Acton from any game action at either the major or minor league levels in 2024.

Released by the A’s in June 2023, Acton landed with the Rays on a two-year minor league deal the following offseason, with the understanding that Acton would spend all of 2024 recuperating. He got back to the mound this year and has looked pretty sharp, posting a 3.64 ERA, 30.7% strikeout rate, and an 11.0% walk rate that is on the high side. The velocity isn’t all the way back, as Acton’s fastball is averaging 93.7 mph this year after clocking in at 95.3mph during his brief stint in the Show in 2023.

Acton’s homer rate is a respectable 8.6% this season in Durham, which is a career best for an extreme fly-ball pitcher. Acton’s attempts to keep the ball in the park will be immediately tested this weekend in Wrigley Field against a powerful Cubs lineup, and his promotion represents the Rays’ need for a fresh arm in the bullpen. Tampa Bay used five relievers (including Orze) in yesterday’s 6-4 loss to the Cubs, since starter Shane Baz was chased in the third inning.

DeLuca’s 2025 season has now officially been ended with the move from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. The outfielder was first sidelined by a left hamstring strain back on August 7, and seemed to be working his way back on a Triple-A rehab assignment before suffering a quad strain earlier this week.

This is unfortunately DeLuca’s second trip to the 60-day IL in 2025. An April shoulder strain that was initially expected to keep DeLuca out for 2-4 weeks ended up keeping him off the Rays’ roster for over 3.5 months. DeLuca’s lost year will end with just 20 big league games, though he did hit well (.333/.356/.456 in 59 plate appearances) when he was able to play.

Guardians Notes: Brito, Bazzana, Thomas

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2025 at 10:26am CDT

Juan Brito’s injury-ravaged season has come to an early end, as the Guardians announced yesterday that the infield prospect would be undergoing surgery to fix his damaged left hamstring. The procedure has a recovery timeline of 8-12 weeks, so Brito should be ready for the start of Spring Training.

This marks the second major surgery of Brito’s 2025 campaign, as he missed close to two months recovering from thumb surgery. Returning to action with Triple-A Columbus near the end of June, he appeared in just eight more games with the Clippers before being sidelined again by a left hamstring strain. Brito had resumed baseball activities a few weeks ago, but seemingly with little progress, so the decision was made to fully address the injury with surgery.

Brito will conclude his season with just 31 games played — 24 in Triple-A ball, and seven on a rehab assignment with the Guardians’ rookie league affiliate. He still hit well (.256/.357/.463) over his 99 plate appearances in Columbus, yet that isn’t much consolation given that Brito posted similar numbers over a full Triple-A season in 2024, and looked set to make his big league debut this year.

There was even some chatter last spring about Brito potentially breaking camp with the Guardians and earning at least a platoon role at second base. Cleveland instead optioned him to Triple-A before Opening Day, and while Brito’s injuries perhaps made the team’s decision a moot point, the keystone has been a weak spot for the Guardians. The team’s second basemen (Daniel Schneemann, Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martinez, Gabriel Arias, and Will Wilson) have combined for 0.6 bWAR, ranking the Guards 23rd of 30 teams in second base bWAR.

Going into 2026, the hope is that Brito (who turns 24 later this month) will be healthy and ready to rebound after his lost year. Acquired from the Rockies in the Nolan Jones trade three years ago, Brito has posted good offensive numbers during his rise up the ranks of Cleveland’s farm system. Evaluators aren’t sure if his glove necessarily plays anywhere, but even a bat-first type of infielder might help a Guardians team still struggling for consistent offense.

Brito has already exhausted his number of minor league option years, so for now, he’ll be officially out of options heading into 2026. Since the league can grant a fourth option year to players whose careers have been stalled by injury, however, it seems quite likely that Brito will get that bonus option given how little he played in 2025.

Turning to the top name in the Guards’ minor league system, Travis Bazzana may be facing another oblique issue. Bazzana was removed from Thursday’s Triple-A game due to left oblique soreness, and there hasn’t yet been an update on his status. This injury comes on the heels of a right oblique strain in May that ended up costing Bazzana a little over two months of the Double-A season.

The first overall pick of the 2024 draft has started his pro career in impressive fashion, already advancing to Triple-A ball and hitting .225/.420/.438 over his first 120 PA with Columbus. As much as some Cleveland fans were hoping Bazzana might provide the big league team with a boost during the playoff push, there probably wasn’t much chance the Guardians were going to call Bazzana up even before Thursday’s injury scare. That said, Bazzana’s quick rise through the minors has certainly put him on the radar for 2026, and he might now be the second base prospect under consideration for an Opening Day assignment.

Speaking of injury-marred seasons, Lane Thomas has played in only 39 games for the Guardians due to three different IL stints. The first IL trip was due to a bone bruise in his right wrist, and the latter two have been as a result of Thomas’ ongoing battle with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The outfielder has been on the 10-day injured list since early July, and he played in three rehab games with Double-A Akron earlier in September before he was sidelined again with more foot soreness.

The next step might be surgery, as Thomas told The Athletic’s Zack Meisel and other reporters that he will speak with a foot specialist this coming week to decide on how to best treat the injury. Should Thomas go under the knife, he’d need a three-month recovery period. This timeline would leave him ready to go for the start of spring camp, yet a surgery would add another complication to what will already be a tricky ride through the free agent market for the 30-year-old.

It was less than two years ago that Thomas hit 28 homers as the everyday right fielder for the 2023 Nationals, but his production has dropped sharply since that career year. His bat particularly cooled off after he was dealt to the Guards at last year’s trade deadline, and his nightmare of a 2025 season has seen Thomas hit just .160/.246/.272 over 142 PA.

Teams will want to ensure Thomas is healthy before signing him to any sort of contract, so he’ll probably have to complete his rehab before his market gathers any kind of momentum. At best he’ll receive a one-year deal with a modest guaranteed salary, and it is certainly possible Thomas may have to settle for a minor league deal. Thomas told Meisel and company that he would welcome a return to Cleveland, and since the Guardians will be looking for outfield help anyway, the team might be open to bringing Thomas back on a low-cost deal.

Cardinals Release Garrett Hampson

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2025 at 8:53am CDT

The Cardinals released Garrett Hampson, according to the utilityman’s MLB.com profile page. Hampson was designated for assignment earlier this week, and while he had the option of declining an outright assignment in favor of free agency, it appears the Cards just streamlined by the process with a release as soon as Hampson cleared waivers.

It is possible Hampson could sign elsewhere before the 2025 season ends, should a team want some versatile depth in the minors or on a big league bench. However, Hampson has rarely brought much with his bat during his eight Major League seasons, and his offense has sunk to a career-worst .143/.250/.169 over 91 plate appearances in 2025.

The nomadic nature of Hampton’s season didn’t help him get into any kind of groove at the dish. Beginning the season on a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks, he was released for the first time this year in May after appearing in 18 MLB games for Arizona. A stint in Cincinnati didn’t go any better, as the Reds designated Hampson for assignment after about a month, but St. Louis then claimed Hampson off waivers near the end of June.

The release officially ends Hampson’s Cards tenure at 35 games, and he has gotten into 62 contests as a whole this year spread over his three different teams. This marks the least amount of action Hampson has received during a regulation-length MLB season since his 2018 rookie year, when he debuted with 24 games with the Rockies. His ability to play all over the diamond should keep getting Hampson looks on minor league contracts, even if it may be hard for him to escape the proverbial “last man on the roster” status.

Red Sox Place Brennan Bernardino On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2025 at 8:15am CDT

Prior to yesterday’s game, the Red Sox placed left-hander Brennan Bernardino on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 10) due to a left lat strain. Southpaw Chris Murphy was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and Murphy tossed a scoreless inning in Friday’s 4-1 Sox loss to the Yankees.

Bernardino hasn’t pitched since September 6, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) that the injury only arose this past Wednesday in the final game of Boston’s series with the Athletics. “Playing catch the last day in Sacramento, [he] felt something grab him below the shoulder, so he had an MRI yesterday,” Cora said.

The severity of the strain wasn’t specified, and it isn’t known if Bernardino will be able to make it back before the end of the regular season. Given the backdated placement, the earliest the lefty could be activated is September 25, which would make him available for Boston’s final four games of the schedule.

The larger question, of course, is whether Bernardino’s status could be in question for a first-round playoff roster, should the Red Sox clinch at least a wild card berth. While Bernardino hasn’t pitched many high-leverage innings this year, the Sox naturally want as many healthy arms as possible when deciding their optimal October roster.

Bernardino has a strong 3.14 ERA over 51 2/3 frames for the Sox in 2025, but a 4.50 SIERA indicates some red flags behind that excellent bottom-line result. Between his .252 BABIP and his ability to induce soft contact, Bernardino’s ability to keep the ball on the ground (49.7% grounder rate) has again been his biggest strength. However, Bernardino’s 19.2% strikeout rate is well below average, and his 11.6% walk rate is only in the sixth percentile of all pitchers. The left-hander has battled control problems in the past, yet his strikeout rate has been steadily declining over his three full Major League seasons.

Trea Turner To Undergo MRI Due To Hamstring Strain

By Mark Polishuk | September 7, 2025 at 10:59pm CDT

4:17pm: Turner is slated to undergo an MRI tomorrow, according to a report from Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Turner told reporters (including Lauber) that he hopes his current ailment proves to be milder than the hamstring strain he suffered last year that sidelined him for six weeks, but an exact timeline won’t be known until his test results come back.

2:58pm: Phillies shortstop Trea Turner made an early departure during the seventh inning of today’s game with the Marlins due to what the Phils announced as a right hamstring strain. A throwing error from Miami shortstop Otto Lopez allowed Turner to reach base, but Turner immediately left the field and headed into the Phils’ dugout, and was replaced by pinch-runner Edmundo Sosa.

Manager Rob Thomson will provide more of an update in his postgame meeting with reporters, but it surely looks like Turner is heading for the injured list. The only question now is the severity of the strain, and whether or not Turner’s availability for the playoffs is now in question. Philadelphia entered today’s action with a healthy seven-game lead in the NL East, and with the second-best record of the division leaders, the Phillies would receive a first-round bye if the postseason began today. Securing the bye gains even greater importance for the Phils if Turner needs a few more days to recover.

Losing Turner would be another huge blow to a Phillies roster that will already be without ace Zack Wheeler for the playoff run. Turner has been not just Philadelphia’s best all-around player but one of the top players in all of baseball in 2025 — his 6.5 fWAR ranks fourth in the league, topped only by Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Bobby Witt Jr.

Turner launched his 15th home run of the season today, and the shortstop is now hitting .305/.356/.458 over 637 plate appearances. On top of his 125 wRC+ and 36 stolen bases (in 43 attempts), perhaps the biggest story of Turner’s season is his enormously improved glovework. After posting subpar defensive metrics across the board in 2023-24, Turner has quieted whispers about a possible move to the outfield by delivering +16 Outs Above Average and +2 Defensive Runs Saved from the shortstop position.

Durability has also been a big part of Turner’s production, as he has missed just three of Philadelphia’s games all season. Sosa is the only other player who has gotten any time at shortstop this year, and while the utilityman is a decent replacement, naturally he brings a lot less than Turner in terms of overall productivity. Bryson Stott could also handle some shortstop in a pinch, and Otto Kemp could be called up from the minors to then provide more infield depth if Sosa is taking on more of an everyday role. Star shortstop prospect Aidan Miller is having a big season at Double-A, but it doesn’t seem too likely that the Phils would have Miller bypass Triple-A and toss him into the pressurized environment of a pennant race.

The pickings are slim in terms of external help, as any player acquired off a big league roster isn’t eligible for postseason play. The Phillies can only trade for minor leaguers who haven’t yet appeared either in the Show or on a 40-man roster in 2025, or they can pick up players via the waiver wire. If a team wants to shed some money off the books by designating a shortstop for assignment, the Phils might be more inclined to make a claim if Turner will miss significant time.

AL East Notes: Abreu, Kremer, Sugano, Goldschmidt

By Mark Polishuk | September 7, 2025 at 2:19pm CDT

Wilyer Abreu was (retroactively) placed on the 10-day injured list on August 18 due to a right calf strain, and some eyebrows were raised last Sunday when both Abreu and Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t have any sort of timeline in place for the outfielder’s return, other than Abreu stressing that he wanted to “be ready for the playoffs.” Some literal steps in the right direction were taken this weekend when Cora told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and other reporters that Abreu took part in running activities on both Friday and Saturday.

Cora described the drills as “the start of the progression,” and noted that Abreu “wasn’t at full speed.” The skipper didn’t have any more details about when Abreu could be tapped for a minor league rehab assignment or an activation from the IL. While naturally the Red Sox won’t rush Abreu for fear of re-aggravating his injury, there is some increased urgency to bolster the outfield now that Roman Anthony’s regular season has possibly been ended by an oblique strain. What was once an overcrowded outfield picture in Boston has been thinned out by the loss of two regulars, leaving the Sox with a Rob Refsnyder/Nate Eaton timeshare in right field since Anthony’s IL placement.

Rangers Shut Down Josh Sborz For Rest Of 2025 Season

By Mark Polishuk | September 7, 2025 at 12:29pm CDT

Josh Sborz’s 2025 season will end without any big league action, as Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry and other reporters that Sborz has been shut down from throwing. Sborz underwent right shoulder debridement surgery last November and didn’t return to game action until he tossed two-thirds of an inning with Triple-A Round Rock on July 12.

The right-hander’s rehab assignment had multiple stops and starts, and Sborz finished with a 5.25 ERA over 12 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Beyond the inflated ERA and the walk rate that was much higher than usual, Bochy made note of Sborz’s velocity drop — the reliever was averaging only 91.7 mph on his fastball, which is well beneath his 95.1 mph average from 2024. Sborz isn’t dealing with any new physical issues, but there wasn’t enough time left on the calendar to get him fully ramped up, so the Rangers will instead put Sborz on the shelf until the start of Spring Training.

It is undoubtedly a frustrating outcome for Sborz, who has now seen essentially two full years of his career spoiled by his bothersome right shoulder. He was limited to 16 1/3 innings with Texas in 2024 due to four different IL stints related to rotator cuff strains and shoulder fatigue, and the hope was that his surgery would correct the issue once and for all. The initial projection was that Sborz would miss the first 2-3 months of the 2025 season, yet a slower-than-expected throwing progression set his clock back and resulted in an entirely lost year.

With elbow problems also limiting Sborz to 22 1/3 innings in 2022, the right-hander’s tenure in Arlington consists of a 4.86 ERA, 28.7% strikeout rate, and 10.0% walk rate over 143 appearances. Sborz’s 3.46 SIERA over that same stretch is probably a better reflection of his overall performance, even if Sborz has had a tendency to hurt himself by allowing home runs. Despite the inconsistent results, Sborz will be fondly remembered in Texas for his 2023 postseason, as he posted an 0.75 ERA over 12 playoff innings to help the Rangers capture the World Series.

The two injury-plagued seasons have coincided with Sborz’s first two years of arbitration eligibility. He avoided the arb process by agreeing to a $1.1MM salary for 2025, and he’ll get only a minimal raise above the number for 2026. The dollars are small enough that Texas will probably still tender Sborz a contract if the team thinks he’ll be fully ready for next year, though a non-tender and then a re-signing on a non-guaranteed deal is a possibility.

Angels Select Sammy Peralta, Designate Chad Stevens

By Mark Polishuk | September 7, 2025 at 12:22pm CDT

The Angels announced that left-hander Sammy Peralta’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Salt Lake. In corresponding moves for the 28-man and 40-man rosters, righty Chase Silseth was optioned to Triple-A, and infielder Chad Stevens was designated for assignment.

After beginning his season in the Mexican League and posting a 2.53 ERA over 21 1/3 innings with El Aguila de Veracruz, Peralta inked a minors deal with the Angels in May. His 4.33 ERA over 70 2/3 innings with Salt Lake is pretty good for the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, plus Peralta has a solid 24.1% strikeout rate and an excellent 4.8% walk rate.

The southpaw’s control has generally been a plus over his minor league career, but he has only an 11.1% walk rate over his 35 career MLB innings, along with a 4.37 ERA and 17.9K% with the White Sox during the 2023-24 seasons. Those two years in Chicago saw Peralta shuffled up and down from Triple-A and on and off the roster in a flurry of transactions, which even included a couple of months in the Mariners organization before he was claimed back by the Sox.

Peralta will now get his first taste of big league action in 2025, adding a fresh arm to a Los Angeles pitching staff that has been pulverized by the Athletics over the last two days. The Angels have been outscored 27-8 in the first two games of their series with the A’s, and Silseth allowed a run in 1 2/3 of relief work in Saturday’s 17-4 rout.

Stevens made his Major League debut earlier this season, hitting .154 in 14 plate appearances during a five-game cup of coffee with Los Angeles in July. An 11th-round pick for the Astros in the 2021 draft, Stevens’ first full Triple-A season has been a triumph, with a .291/.372/.494 slash line over 478 PA with Salt Lake this year.

Given that production, it’s a little surprising that the Angels chose Stevens as the odd man out of the 40-man roster mix. As noted, the PCL environment is quite favorable for hitters, so Stevens’ big numbers translated to a solid but unspectacular 111 wRC+. Stevens has primarily played shortstop in the minors but has a lot of experience at second and third base, plus a smattering of time as a first baseman and corner outfielder. A team in need of versatility could potentially put a claim in for Stevens, who has multiple minor league option years remaining.

Rangers Select Carl Edwards Jr., Designate Caleb Boushley

By Mark Polishuk | September 7, 2025 at 11:12am CDT

The Rangers have selected the contract of right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. from Triple-A Round Rock, according to multiple beat writers. To create space on both the 28-man and 40-man rosters, Texas designed right-hander Caleb Boushley for assignment.

Edwards’ 2025 season has consisted of two big league games with the Angels, a brief stint in the Mexican League, and 15 games (and 50 2/3 total innings) at the Triple-A level with the Angels’ and Rangers’ top affiliates. His time in Mexico ended when the Rangers inked Edwards to a minor league contract in July, and today’s selection is something of a full circle moment in the veteran’s career. Texas drafted Edwards in the 48th round of the 2011 draft, but he has never appeared in a big league game in a Rangers uniform, as the team dealt him to the Cubs in advance of the 2013 trade deadline.

After making his MLB debut with Chicago in 2015, Edwards became a staple of the Cubs’ bullpen during the 2016-18 seasons, but success has been much more sporadic for Edwards in the intervening years. Since Opening Day 2019, Edwards has pitched for seven different teams at the Major League level, with a 4.28 ERA over 124 innings in that nomadic stretch. The righty’s contributions to the last two seasons consisted of just a single game with the Padres in 2024, and then his two games with the Angels earlier this year.

Edwards’ 5.31 ERA over 39 innings at Round Rock doesn’t jump off the page, but his 26% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate, and 53.6% grounder rate are more palatable. The grounder-heavy arsenal has contributed to that inflated ERA, as Edwards has an unlucky .362 BABIP with the Rangers’ Triple-A club. Though Edwards is best known as a reliever, he has been trying to reinvent himself as a starter during his time in the Mexican League and in the minors, and he has started seven of his eight games in Round Rock.

The Rangers used six different pitchers in yesterday’s 11-0 loss to the Astros, so Edwards is very likely being brought up as an innings-eating long relief option rather than as a candidate for the rotation. If Edwards does happen to make a spot start, it would make the first start of his 11-year Major League career.

Boushley was one of the pitchers who took the mound in yesterday’s rout and was hit the hardest, allowing five runs to the Astros in an inning of relief work. If this DFA marks the end of Boushley’s time with the Rangers, he’ll have bookended his stint with five-run appearances, as he was also touched up for five ER over 3 2/3 innings in his Texas debut on April 12.

Over 43 2/3 innings this season, Boushley has an ugly 6.02 ERA but a much more respectable 3.81 SIERA. Some bad batted-ball luck (.358 BABIP) is to blame, not to mention a 58.7% strand rate. Boushley’s 7.3% walk rate and 21.2% strikeout rate have been decent, so a rival team exploring the waiver wire might have interest in the righty’s services. Boushley has two minor league option years remaining, so a waiver claim now could be more designed towards adding some relief depth for 2026 than the remainder of the 2025 campaign.

Boushley had pitched just 6 1/3 big league innings prior to 2025, and he has a 4.60 ERA across 503 1/3 innings (starting 97 of 105 games) at the Triple-A level. He has a prior outright on his resume, so if he clears waivers, Boushley has the right to reject an outright assignment to Round Rock and instead choose free agency.

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