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Phillies Acquire Carlos Estevez

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The Phillies are acquiring right-hander Carlos Estevez from the Angels, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the Phillies are sending pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri to Anaheim in return for Estevez. Both teams have since announced the trade.

Estevez, 31, first joined the Angels on a two-year deal prior to the 2023 season on the heels of a breakout season with the Rockies where he posted a 3.47 ERA despite playing half his games at Coors Field. It’s a deal that’s gone quite well for Anaheim, as the righty was an All-Star in 2023 with a sterling 1.80 ERA in the first half last year. Estevez’s overall season numbers took a dive after he struggled badly to a 6.59 ERA with a 4.46 FIP in 27 1/3 innings of work after the All-Star break last year, but he’s rebounded in a big way in 2023 to become one of the most attractive rental relief arms on the market.

This year, Estevez has collected 20 saves as the Angels’ closer in 34 innings of work while posting a strong 2.38 ERA in that time. While his 25.8% strikeout rate actually comes in a tad below his 27.8% figure from last year, he’s taken a major step forward in terms of command this year. After walking 11% of batters faced last season and entering the 2024 campaign having offered free passes to 9.3% of opponents in his career, Estevez has cut his walk rate to a clip of just 4% this year.

In conjunction with just three home runs allowed this season, it’s left the right-hander with a strong 2.85 FIP, a 2.67 xERA, and a 3.35 SIERA that all indicate he’s been one of the league’s best late-inning relief arms.

In trading for Estevez, the Phillies have not only replaced right-hander Seranthony Dominguez in their bullpen after shipping him to Baltimore yesterday in order to acquire outfielder Austin Hays, but they’ve found a bonafide closer to pitch the ninth inning after the struggles of southpaw Jose Alvarado left him replaced by right-hander Jeff Hoffman in recent weeks. The addition of Estevez should allow Alvarado, Hoffman, and lefty Matt Strahm to pitch in leverage spots earlier in games, deepening a bullpen that has posted a middling 3.96 ERA (16th in the majors) this year as the club gears up for a playoff run.

In return for Estevez’s services, the Phillies are sending a pair of pitching prospects to the Angels. Both rank within the top ten of the Philly system as of Baseball America’s most recent update, with Klassen ranked fifth in the system while Aldeghri currently ranks seventh. Klassen in particular was highlighted by BA’s Josh Norris earlier this month as a notable riser in the club’s system following his promotion to High-A earlier this year. The club’s sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, the 22-year-old dominated Single-A pitching to the tune of a 0.71 ERA in nine starts prior to his promotion. While he’s struggled a bit more following his move to the next level with a 4.22 ERA in five starts, he’s still striking out an impressive 35.2% of batters faced even in High-A. A 10% walk rate raises some mild control concerns, but it’s easy to imagine the righty moving quickly through an Angels organization that tends to be aggressive in promoting youngsters.

As for Aldegheri, the lefty signed out of Italy with the Phillies back in 2019 but has raised his stock somewhat this year in 78 innings split between the High-A and Double-A levels. The 22-year-old sports a 3.23 ERA on the year with an excellent 34% strikeout rate against a 10% walk rate across fifteen starts. While BA suggests that the lefty lacks an obvious plus pitch, solid command and a five-pitch mix could nonetheless make him a viable starter in the big leagues. The pitching-heavy return for Estevez should be helpful for an Angels club that lacks much certainty in the rotation going forward, especially if veteran southpaw Tyler Anderson is also dealt before the deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Notable Draft Signings: 7/27/24

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A trio of draft prospects agreed to signing bonuses of more than $2MM today, each of which was first reported by MLB.com’s Jim Callis. (Links from X). Pre-draft rankings and scouting reports are provided by Keith Law of the Athletic, Baseball America, FanGraphs and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.

  • The Diamondbacks signed first-rounder Slade Caldwell to a $3,087,000 deal. The agreement comes in just over the $3,045,500 slot value of the 29th overall pick. Caldwell, a high school outfielder from Arkansas, was a consensus top-50 talent in the draft class with some evaluators (including Law and BA) having him among the 20 best players in the draft. Formerly committed to Ole Miss, Caldwell is universally regarded as a plus to double-plus runner who will have little trouble sticking in center field and also features a plus hit tool. With that being said, Caldwell’s small frame (listed at 5’9”, 182 lbs) raises questions about his power potential as some reports indicated that his body is already largely maxed out.
  • The Guardians signed two draftees to significant bonuses today. Supplemental first-rounder Braylon Doughty signed for the full slot value of the 36th overall pick ($2,569,200) while second-rounder Jacob Cozart signed for $2,050,000, which comes in a fair bit above the $1,938,900 slot value of the 48th overall pick. A right-handed hurler who was committed to Oklahoma State, Doughty was a consensus top-60 talent in this year’s draft with some services placing him as high as the top 30. Doughty receives universal praise for his breaking ball that he pairs it with a low-to-mid 90s fastball and is generally looked at as a possible future back-end starter. As for Cozart, the NC State product is generally considered to be a glove-first catcher who is expected to remain behind the plate long-term. With the bat, he offers solid raw power but there are questions regarding his hit tool, with Law noting that he has particular trouble with breaking pitches out of the zone.

Dodgers Recall Hunter Feduccia Ahead Of MLB Debut

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The Dodgers recalled catcher Hunter Feduccia to the big leagues earlier today, who takes the place of Freddie Freeman after the former MVP was placed on the family emergency list. Feduccia was already on the 40-man roster after being added ahead of the Rule 5 Draft back in November, though his first game action will be his MLB debut.

Feduccia, 27, was the Dodgers’ 12th-round pick in the 2017 draft. The catcher climbed through the club’s minor league system to eventually reach the Triple-A level back in 2022 and has remained there ever since. His already solid offensive numbers have steadily improved during his time at the level, and he’s slashing a strong .295/.420/.451 with a 124 wRC+ and a 16.8% walk rate against an 18.6% strikeout rate in 64 games at the level this year. Ranked 25th in the Dodgers farm system by Fangraphs entering this season, Feduccia pairs those solid offensive numbers with fairly strong work behind the plate. His framing and blocking skills are both strong, though his arm is somewhat lackluster for the position and leaves him to struggle with controlling the running game at times.

With Will Smith as the Dodgers everyday catcher and Austin Barnes acting as the primary backup to Smith, Feduccia seems unlikely to get much playing time while he’s in the majors outside of possible pinch-hit appearances. That being said, its possible that the Dodgers take this opportunity to see how Feduccia performs at the big league level with Barnes currently in the final guaranteed year of his contract. The Dodgers have a $3.5MM team option on the 34-year-old’s services for 2025, however, and he’s rebounded from a brutal 2023 season to post roughly league average (99 wRC+) offensive numbers this season.

As for Freeman, Noah Camras of Dodgers Nation relays that the first baseman’s wife, Chelsea, wrote in an instagram post earlier this week that their son, Maximus, was dealing with health issues. Freeman is now headed back home to L.A. from the club’s road trip to Houston, and manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) yesterday that Freeman’s son was still undergoing tests and that he was not anticipating Freeman being available during the remainder of their series against the Astros.

With a day off on Monday, Roberts added that the club “will see” if a return to action for Freeman is possible when the club returns to California for series against the Padres in San Diego and the A’s in Oakland next week. In the meantime, Cavan Biggio has been handling first base in Freeman’s absence. The 29-year-old was acquired by the Dodgers from the Blue Jays last month after he was designated for assignment by Toronto, and he’s struggled in a bench role with L.A. ever since. In 59 trips to the plate since joining the Dodgers, Biggio has hit a paltry .180/.281/.240 with a 30.5% strikeout rate while splitting time between first base, third base, and right field.

Several Teams Showing Interest In Luis Garcia

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Angels right-hander Luis Garcia is drawing widespread trade interest, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman names the Yankees, Red Sox, and Royals as among the interested teams.

Garcia, 37, is a veteran of 12 MLB seasons and has been a steady middle relief arm for many yearss. After pitching to roughly league average results (99 ERA+) in six years with the Phillies to start his career, Garcia has bounced around the league to pitch for the Angels, Rangers, Cardinals, and Padres over the past half decade. With a better ERA+ than average in each of the last five 162-game seasons, Garcia sports a 3.94 ERA (107 ERA+) and a 4.00 FIP since the start of the 2019 campaign, though he’s only collected nine saves in that time as clubs have generally utilized him in the middle innings.

The veteran righty has put together a solid season this year in his second stint with the Angels, posting a 3.80 ERA with evens stronger peripherals (3.68 FIP, 3.44 SIERA). Garcia’s 22.3% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate this year, while perfectly solid, don’t exactly jump off the page, but in conjunction with his excellent 50.8% groundball rate this year they make for a quality relief arm who would improve the majority of the bullpens around the league. With so many teams in contention and a number of them facing bullpen struggles this year, it’s hardly a surprise that teams would be interested in Garcia’s services. For their part, the Angels removed any doubt regarding their willingness to deal rental players earlier today by shipping closer Carlos Estevez to Philadelphia.

As for Garcia’s potential suitors, each is known to be on the hunt for bullpen help this summer. Reporting earlier today indicated that the Yankees hope to add two relievers to their bullpen before the deadline, and while Garcia is unlikely to be the sort of shutdown closer New York is seemingly hoping to add in front of struggling righty Clay Holmes, Garcia could be an excellent secondary addition to work lower-leverage spots alongside arms such as Michael Tonkin and Tim Hill. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are also in the market for a reliever or two (as noted by MassLive’s Sean McAdam) following injuries to leverage righties Justin Slaten and Chris Martin. While Garcia’s 112 ERA+ isn’t quite on the level of Slaten’s 129 or Martin’s 128, he could certainly join the late-inning mix alongside Brennan Bernadino, Zack Kelly, and closer Kenley Jansen for a few weeks until Slaten and Martin can return to action for Boston.

The Royals may be the best fit for Garcia’s services of the three, however. MLB.com’s Anne Rogers reports that Kansas City was in on Estevez prior to him landing in Philadelphia, but were ultimately unwilling to part with their top tier of prospects in order to acquire a rental piece like Estevez. While Garcia is also a rental piece, his price tag shouldn’t approach that of Estevez, a former All-Star with a 180 ERA+ and 20 saves this year. A lower price tag doesn’t mean Garcia couldn’t still be impactful for the Royals, however, as the club’s 4.18 bullpen ERA ranks in the bottom ten in the majors this year. That leaves them likely to benefit considerably from the addition of a player of Garcia’s caliber, even after they swung a deal with the Nationals to acquire Hunter Harvey earlier this month.

Outright Assignments: Hiura, Short

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Catching up on some outright assignments from around the league today…

  • The Angels announced this afternoon that they’ve assigned infielder Keston Hiura outright to Triple-A. Hiura was designated for assignment earlier this week to make room for the return of infielder Luis Rengifo from the injured list. The ninth overall pick of the 2017 draft and a former consensus top-20 prospect in the sport, Hiura impressed with a big rookie season in 2019 where he slashed an impressive .303/.368/.570 in 84 games with the Brewers while playing second base, though he went on to struggle badly on both sides of the ball over the next two seasons with a combined slash line of just .192/.279/.362 in 120 games. Hiura move primarily to first base headed into the 2022 season and had a decent season where he posted a 115 wRC+, but a massive 41.7% strikeout rate led Milwaukee to part ways with the youngster. Hiura spent all of the 2023 season in the minors but resurfaced in Anaheim this year for ten games, going 4-for-27 with ten strikeouts and no extra base hits as a fill-in second baseman for the Halos.
  • The Braves announced today that they’ve assigned infield Zack Short outright to Triple-A. A 17th-round pick by the Cubs in the 2017 draft, Short was swapped to the Tigers in a trade that sent Cameron Maybin to Chicago during the shortened 2020 season and debuted for Detroit the following year. After struggling badly in brief cameos at the big league level in 2021 and ’22, Short got a lengthy run in the majors last year and slashed a lackluster .204/.292/.339 in 110 games in a bench role for the Tigers. He’s played for three teams in 2024 since getting designated for assignment by Detroit back in November. He was claimed by the Mets and kept on their 40-man roster throughout the offseason but appeared in just ten games before being dealt to the Red Sox, who themselves employed Short for just two games before trading him to Atlanta. During his time with the Braves, Short demonstrated solid on-base ability but hit just .148 with minimal power, giving him an overall slash line of .148/.313/.204 in 69 trips to the plate. Short figures to remain with Atlanta as non-roster depth option going forward, though he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency at years’ end if not added back to the 40-man roster by then.

Latest On Yankees’ Deadline Plans

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The Yankees swung a major trade earlier today when they acquired second baseman and center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Marlins in exchange for a three-prospect package. The addition of Chisholm helps to address an offense that has struggled to produce when anyone other than Juan Soto or Aaron Judge is at the plate, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote in the aftermath of the Chisholm trade this evening that the club plans to continue being aggressive on the trade market as they look to return to the postseason after missing for the first time since 2016 last year.

According to Sherman, the Yankees’ ideal deadline involves acquiring at least two hitters and two relievers. The addition of Chisholm locks up one of those hitting additions, although there’s still plenty of room for improvement around New York’s lineup. Ben Rice has held his own at first base in place of the injured Anthony Rizzo, and Anthony Volpe appears certain to continue getting everyday reps at shortstop, but third base appears to be a clear hole for the club. SNY’s Andy Martino reported earlier today that the Yankees were planning to address the hot corner before the trade deadline. While it’s theoretically possible to imagine Chisholm, a former shortstop with enough arm to handle center field, sliding over to third base for the Yankees, he’s never played the position before as a professional and the club may prefer to keep him in more familiar spots on the diamond for the time being.

If the Yankees do pursue an addition at third base, Sherman suggests that Isaac Paredes of the Rays, Luis Rengifo of the Angels, and Matt Chapman of the Giants could be among the options the club entertains. Chapman’s 111 wRC+ is the lowest of those three options but any of them would be a major upgrade over the paltry 75 wRC+ the club has gotten from its third baseman this year, a figure that ranks third worst in baseball this year. A deal for a third baseman, according to Sherman, could free up the Yankees to move another bat such as second baseman Gleyber Torres or center fielder Trent Grisham in a deal for bullpen help, though it also stands to reason that Chisholm could bounce between the keystone and the outfield depending on matchups, allowing the club to sit struggling lefties like Verdugo and Grisham against southpaws while giving players like Torres and LeMahieu more days off against right-handed starters.

As for the bullpen, the Yankees are known to have interest in Marlins southpaw Tanner Scott, and today’s deal between the sides for Chisholm does not figure to stop the clubs from getting together on another deal before the deadline should they be able to reach in agreement regarding the lefty. That being said, there are plenty of other late-inning relief options that figure to be available this summer. Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan and Rays closer Pete Fairbanks are both among the arms with closing experience rumored to be available. NJ.com’s Randy Miller reported earlier today that the Rays and Yankees were in the midst of “serious talks” regarding a Fairbanks deal, though MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch subsequently reported that nothing is close between the sides regarding Fairbanks.

Failing a reliable late-inning option, there figure to be plenty of other potentially interesting options available such White Sox flamethrower Michael Kopech, Cubs veteran Hector Neris, and Blue Jays righty Trevor Richards. Each of that trio have struggled to varying degrees this year but could be a fairly interesting addition for the Yankees bullpen, particularly if acquired as a secondary addition behind a more impactful arm like Fairbanks, Scott, or Finnegan.

Another possibility for bolstering the club’s relief corps Sherman suggests would be looking at the market for rental starting pitching. As reported by Sherman, the Yankees have inquired after Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty, who sports an excellent 2.95 ERA and 3.10 FIP in 106 2/3 innings of work for Detroit this year, Sherman suggests that such a move could allow the Yankees to move right-hander Luis Gil to the bullpen as a high leverage arm. Such a move would both fortify the relief corps while also helping to limit Gil’s innings. The righty has already thrown 107 1/3 frames this year after throwing just 138 1/3 total innings between 2021 and 2023 due to a variety of injuries.

The idea of preserving Gil’s health by moving him to the bullpen might be an attractive one for New York, although it’s worth noting that it would require a starter of Flaherty’s caliber for the loss of Gil from the rotation mix not to be a downgrade overall. Gil’s first big league action since 2022 has gone exceptionally well as he’s posted a 3.10 ERA with a 3.52 FIP across 20 starts for the Yankees this year while filling out the club’s rotation in the place of injured starters—first Gerrit Cole, then Clarke Schmidt.

Mike Clevinger To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

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The White Sox announced this afternoon that veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger will miss the remainder of the 2024 season following disc replacement surgery in his neck, which he’s scheduled to undergo on August 1. The 33-year-old has been on the injured list due to elbow inflammation since late May but started a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level last month.

Clevinger, 33, will ultimately make just four starts in the majors this year after signing with the White Sox on a $3MM deal shortly after Opening Day. He struggled in the limited time he was healthy enough to take the mound with a 6.75 ERA and 6.21 FIP in 16 innings of work. It’s a disappointing showing for both player and team in Clevinger’s second consecutive year with the White Sox, particularly after he delivered a solid season in 2023 when he posted a 3.77 ERA and 4.28 FIP in 131 1/3 innings of work while ending the season on a strong note with a 2.45 ERA over his final 11 starts.

That strong stretch to end the 2023 campaign was reminiscent of the veteran’s best days, when he pitched for Cleveland. After a difficult rookie season in 2016, Clevinger broke out in 2017 to become one of the better starters in the game and over the next three seasons posted a fantastic 2.96 ERA with a 3.32 FIP in 447 2/3 innings of work. Among pitchers with at least 400 innings of work across those three seasons, Clevinger’s ERA ranked sixth in the majors behind a quintet of multi-time Cy Young award winners: Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Corey Kluber.

Unfortunately, things came off the rails for Clevinger shortly after he was traded to the Padres during the shortened 2020 season. He underwent Tommy John surgery late in the year and missed the entire 2021 campaign while rehabbing. He’s struggled to stay on the mound ever since, having pitched just just 303 1/3 innings of work total since the start of the 2023 season. While his overall numbers during that time paint a picture of a roughly average back-end arm, he’s frequent injury woes and step back from his peak in the late 2010’s have left him unable to contribute anything even close to his former dominant form.

While Clevinger’s injury woes and lackluster results when he did take the mound this year left him a somewhat unlikely trade candidate in the days leading up to Tuesday’s deadline, his impending surgery not only eliminates whatever remote possibility of a trade still existed but also leaves the White Sox without a veteran arm who otherwise may have been able to fill out the rotation following the possible departure of arms like Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet, both of whom have found themselves in the rumor mill quite frequently this summer.

A timeline for Clevinger’s return to the mound isn’t yet clear, though it’s worth noting that veteran outfielder Jesse Winker underwent a similar procedure in October 2022 and was back in action in time for Spring Training last year. If Clevinger follows a similar timeline, he’ll enter free agency this winter coming off a lost season in 2024 but likely to be ready to go in time for when pitchers and catchers report next February.

The Opener: Trade Market, Probable Starters, Rays, Marlins

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On the heels of this summer’s first blockbuster coming together overnight, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. The trade market is heating up:

After weeks of minimal movement on the trade market, the dam appeared to finally break last night when the Diamondbacks and Marlins got together on a deal that sent southpaw A.J. Puk to Arizona. That trade was promptly followed by a late night swap between the Mariners and Rays that shipped All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena to Seattle. Both players’ overall numbers have been average this year, due to tough starts to the season, though both have heated up significantly recently. Puk has been utterly dominant since moving back to the bullpen this year, with a 2.08 ERA and a 2.42 FIP in 30 1/3 frames that should bolster Arizona’s late-inning mix alongside closer Paul Sewald. Meanwhile, Arozarena has hit .284/.397/.507 (161 wRC+) since the calendar flipped to June — a huge line that’s sure to provide a boost to Seattle’s beleaguered lineup.

With trades finally starting to trickle in, plenty of activity should be expected this weekend. Yesterday was a busy day on the rumor mill even aside from the trades, as breakout relief star Mason Miller now appears to be officially off the market after suffering a broken finger, while multiple teams have begun to show interest in Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon after the club’s front office officially declared themselves sellers earlier this week.

2. Will these probable starters actually take the mound?

This weekend features a number of probable starters who could be making their final appearances for their current teams—at least, if they aren’t scratched from those starts as a trade looms over the horizon. Saturday’s slate of games figures to see Rays righty Zack Littell (4.46 ERA), Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (2.34 ERA), White Sox righty Erick Fedde (2.98 ERA), and Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (2.91 ERA) take the mound, while White Sox ace Garrett Crochet (3.07 ERA) is slated to take the bump on Sunday.

Each of these hurlers has found their name in the rumor mill fairly frequently this summer and appears within MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 Trade Candidates for the 2024 deadline, so it would hardly be a surprise if at least one of them were to be scratched from their weekend start to avoid an injury scuttling a trade their front office was closing in on putting together. In the event these hurlers do take the mound this weekend, the starts will provide their fanbases a chance to say what could be goodbye to a major piece of their club’s rotation this year.

3. What’s next for the Rays and Marlins?

While teams such as the White Sox, A’s, Angels, Cubs, and Nationals all figure to sell to some degree or other over the coming days, last night’s sellers have been perhaps the two most active sell-side clubs on the trade market this year. In addition to last night’s trade of Puk, the Marlins jumped the market all the way back in May to ship All-Star infielder Luis Arraez to San Diego in the season’s very first blockbuster, while the Rays already shipped out right-handers Aaron Civale and Phil Maton earlier this month. With all eyes on Florida in the days leading up to the deadline, both clubs have plenty more pieces to move.

Miami southpaw Tanner Scott, the club’s closer and a free agent after the 2024 campaign, has long appeared to be a virtual lock to be moved given his 1.21 ERA and the Marlins’ clear willingness to part ways with short-term pieces. A pair of longer-term pieces have gotten more recent buzz in the rumor mill lately, as both 2022 All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. and outfielder Bryan De La Cruz have come up in trade talks. The Pirates appear to be in on both players, as reports have indicated they’ve had “exploratory” talks regarding Chisholm and are also scouting De La Cruz. The Rays, by contrast, are less certain to auction off their assets, but right-hander Zach Eflin and third baseman Isaac Paredes have both reportedly drawn interest in recent days, with the Astros seemingly in on both players. Littell has also been a rumored trade candidate, and Tampa Bay could move at least one reliever from the ’pen.

The Opener: Trade Market, Kershaw, A’s

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With the trade deadline just five days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Is the trade market heating up?

The slow build up to the trade deadline has continued into the early part of this week, but it’s possible things are finally starting to heat up. According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun Times, White Sox GM Chris Getz believes the trade market has “come alive” in recent days with “more meaningful” conversations. Getz added that while he expects most deals to get done closer to the deadline, he “wouldn’t be surprised” if some trades started to occur as soon as today. Getz, of course, has plenty of say in what happens this summer as the baseball operations leader of one of the league’s few true sellers. The White Sox have stars Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. to dangle, but those are hardly their only trade chips. Names like Erick Fedde, Tommy Pham, Michael Kopech, Paul DeJong, John Brebbia, Chris Flexen, and Mike Clevinger will all be in play in the coming days.

2. Kershaw to make season debut:

One day after Giants lefty Robbie Ray dominated at Dodger Stadium across five innings of work, striking out eight and allowing just one run, the Dodgers will welcome a Cy Young winning southpaw of their own back from the IL for his season debut. Longtime franchise face Clayton Kershaw has been sidelined all year after undergoing shoulder surgery during the offseason, but he’s set to be activated to face San Francisco ace Logan Webb (3.59 ERA). The Dodgers will need to make corresponding moves on both the 40-man and active rosters to bring Kershaw back into the fold prior to this afternoon’s game.

One of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history, Kershaw sports a combined 2.40 ERA and 2.77 FIP in 403 appearances over the last 15 years. During that time, the lefty has made ten All-Star appearances, won three Cy Young awards, and been elected the NL MVP in 2014 while never posting an ERA higher than 3.55. He’ll look to bring that ace production to a Dodgers rotation in need of pitching depth following injuries to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler.

3. A’s activate veteran ahead of deadline:

The Athletics are one of the league’s few obvious sellers. While most of the attention has been focused on the club’s controllable trade chips like closer Mason Miller and outfielder Brent Rooker, the club figures to market an assortment of rental players to clubs looking for cheaper upgrades ahead of the deadline as well. One such rental is veteran righty Ross Stripling. A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters last night that Stripling will be activated from 15-day injured list today to take the ball against the Angels (via MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos).

Stripling, 34, has struggled to a 5.82 ERA in 11 starts with the A’s this year but sports a solid 3.99 FIP this season. He’s been plagued by a .359 average on balls in play and 56.4% strand rate that both seem likely to improve over a larger sample. Even with his struggles, Stripling could draw interest in a pitching-hungry market if he looks healthy and effective in his return from an elbow strain that has sidelined him since May.

The Opener: Ray, NL Wild Card, Yelich, MLBTR Podcast

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With the trade deadline now just six days away, here are four things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Ray to make Giants debut:

Veteran left-hander Robbie Ray hasn’t pitched in more than 18 months after exiting the first start of his 2023 season with a flexor strain that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. At the time, he was a member of the Mariners, but over the winter Seattle swapped Ray to San Francisco in exchange for outfielder Mitch Haniger and righty Anthony DeSclafani. He’s continued his rehab with his new club since then, and all that work getting back to the mound will finally pay off today when Ray makes his first start in a Giants uniform against the Dodgers in L.A. in a game scheduled for 8:10pm local time.

Ray will be facing right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is coming off the IL himself but sports a strong 3.47 ERA in 18 starts this year. The Giants will be hoping that Ray, the AL Cy Young award winner in 2021, will provide a boost and halt a potential three-game losing streak. San Francisco has dropped two straight and fallen near the back of a tight NL Wild Card chase. They now sit five games out, and five teams separate them from the Mets, who currently hold the final Wild Card spot. The Giants’ play over the next few days will be crucial with regard to their deadline approach. San Francisco will also need to make a 40-man roster move to activate Ray.

2. NL Wild Card scene and its impact on the trade deadline:

As just alluded to, the NL Wild Card hunt is at a critical juncture. The Cardinals and Mets hold the second and third spots at the moment, but each of the Padres, D-backs, Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Giants and Nationals are within 5.5 games. The Cubs and Nats both still plan to operate primarily as sellers, but the direction isn’t as clear for everyone else in the mix. A series of three to four straight losses for any of these clubs would have massive deadline ramifications. For some clubs, a decision may come even sooner. The Reds are already open to moving some of their veteran relievers even as they look to hang around in the race, but a loss today could drop them 5.5 games out of the postseason picture. Every game carries heightened significance right now, creating a mini-playoff effect and leading to ample scoreboard watching.

3. Yelich exits with injury:

Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is in the midst of a resurgent season at the plate, sporting a career-best 18.4% strikeout rate and an excellent .315/.406/.504 slash line (156 wRC+) in 73 games this year. That’s been a huge part of Milwaukee’s success, but now it seems the club may need to go without its best hitter for some time after he exited yesterday’s win over the Cubs due to back tightness. According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, manager Pat Murphy told reporters after the game that Yelich “could be” due for a trip to the injured list. Frustrating as the loss of Yelich would surely be, a silver lining for the Brewers would be the fact that the club is relatively flush in quality outfield options with Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, and Sal Frelick all seeing regular playing time at the moment and Blake Perkins currently in a bench role.

4. Check out today’s episode of the MLBTR Podcast!

This week’s installment of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is a particularly fun one, as host Darragh McDonald is joined by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco for a two-hour megapod during which they discuss the coming trade deadline. Discussed within are not only some of the league’s most obvious buyers (Yankees, Orioles) and sellers (Marlins, White Sox), but also some of the teams facing some tough decisions this summer like the Rays and Blue Jays. The episode is currently live on both Spotify and Apple Music, and will be posted here on the site later this morning!

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