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Braves Release Alex Verdugo

By Steve Adams | July 5, 2025 at 1:51pm CDT

TODAY: The Braves released Verdugo after he cleared waivers, the Athletic’s David O’Brien writes.

JULY 2: The Braves have designated outfielder Alex Verdugo for assignment, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Verdugo’s spot on the roster will go to fellow outfielder Jurickson Profar, who will be reinstated from the restricted list after serving an 80-game PED ban.

Verdugo, 29, signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with Atlanta late in the offseason. He first filled a reserve role behind Jarred Kelenic but wound up thrust into a more prominent role when Kelenic’s prolonged struggles to hit big league pitching saw him optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Verdugo raced out to a hot start with the Braves, hitting .322/.385/.441 in his first 65 plate appearances, but his production has cratered since that time. Dating back to May 6, Verdugo has registered an anemic .203/.257/.225 batting line (37 wRC+) in 148 turns at the plate.

This year’s run with the Braves largely mirrors Verdugo’s 2024 with the Yankees. His early hot streak in New York lasted longer than his hot streak in Atlanta, but his struggles as a Yankee were also more protracted. Verdugo has now tallied 834 plate appearances across the past two seasons and generated a dismal .234/.292/.339 batting line. That’s a far cry from his 2019-23 form, when he batted .283/.338/.432 and served as a solid regular in the outfield corners for the Dodgers and Red Sox.

Even Verdugo’s once-excellent defensive grades have deteriorated in recent years. Defensive Runs Saved still gave him a slightly positive mark (+1) in 426 innings this season, but that’s nowhere near his 2019-24 levels, when he garnered a gaudy +31 mark in 6150 innings. Statcast’s Outs Above Average pegged Verdugo as a scratch defender in 2024 but has him at minus-5 in 2025. Verdugo’s sprint speed used to rank well above average but is now in the 21st percentile of big leaguers, which has obviously cut into his range in left field.

The Braves can trade or place Verdugo on outright waivers at any point in the next five days, although given his guaranteed salary and lack of production, the likeliest outcome will be a release. If and when he clears release waivers, any other club could sign Verdugo and owe him only the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the major league roster. That sum would be subtracted from what Atlanta owes him, but the Braves will remain on the hook for the vast majority of his 2025 salary.

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Atlanta Braves Newsstand Transactions Alex Verdugo Jurickson Profar

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Padres Outright Logan Gillaspie

By Steve Adams | July 5, 2025 at 7:04am CDT

TODAY: Gillaspie cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso earlier this week, the Padres announced.  Gillaspie made the start for El Paso in yesterday’s game.

JUNE 30: The Padres announced Monday that they’ve reinstated right-hander Logan Gillaspie from the 15-day injured list. Rather than add the out-of-options righty back to the active roster, San Diego has designated him for assignment.

Gillaspie, 28, has been out since late April due to an oblique injury. He appeared in three games for the Friars in 2025, tossing seven innings and holding opponents to just two runs. He did so with matching 12.9% strikeout and walk rates, however, and gave up quite a bit of loud contact along the way (92.1 mph average exit velocity, 45.5% hard-hit rate).

This is the fourth straight season in which Gillaspie has logged at least some big league time. He’s pitched a total of 44 2/3 MLB frames between the Orioles and Padres, logging a combined 4.63 earned run average with a 14.5% strikeout rate, 6% walk rate and 35.7% ground-ball rate. Gillaspie has averaged 95.1 mph on his four-seamer in his career (94.7 mph in 2025) and typically pairs the pitch with an 83-84 mph slider, an 87-88 mph changeup and an 82-83 mph curveball (in descending order of use). At least in his brief three-inning look this year, he’d also begun to mix in a cutter that sat 91.5 mph.

Gillaspie has worked exclusively as a reliever ever since reaching High-A. Originally signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent, he’s now pitched in in four Triple-A seasons as well, logging a 4.37 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate in 129 2/3 innings. The Padres can trade Gillaspie or place him on waivers at any point in the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so his DFA will be resolved within a week’s time. Since Gillaspie has never been outrighted and doesn’t have three years of big league service, he’ll stick with the organization as a depth arm in Triple-A if he passes through waivers unclaimed.

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San Diego Padres Transactions Logan Gillaspie

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Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

By Steve Adams and Anthony Franco | July 4, 2025 at 11:56pm CDT

We’ve hit July and are less than a month from the trade deadline, so it’s an appropriate time for MLBTR’s first pass at which players could be on the move. While we’ve probably already seen the year’s biggest trade with the Rafael Devers stunner, the number of teams on the postseason bubble will make the next few weeks particularly interesting. Trade volume tends not to ramp up until the second half of the month — both to allow fringe contenders more time to evaluate their playoff chances and because clubs primarily remain focused on the July 13-14 amateur draft.

As is the case for all our trade candidate lists, we’re trying to strike a balance between the player’s appeal and the likelihood that they’ll move. This isn’t purely a ranking of trade value or talent. There are players in the back half of the list who’d vault to the top if it were clear that they’d be moved. It’s an inherently subjective exercise.

This is a league-wide summary, but we’re also drilling down more specifically into each team with our new Deadline Outlook series for Front Office subscribers. We’ve already covered most of the clear buyers and sellers in that series and will continue checking off the bubble teams over the next couple weeks.

With that out of the way, onto the list! We’ll update and quite likely expand the rankings at least once or twice as the deadline draws near.

Stats are through play on July 2.

1. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins ($17MM in 2025; $17MM in 2026, $21MM club option/$2MM buyout for 2027)

As a former Cy Young winner signed affordably on a rebuilding team that traded a dozen players last July, Alcantara has stood as the most prominent and obvious trade candidate for much of the season. A few factors have gummed the situation up more than expected. First and foremost, Alcantara not only hasn’t looked like his former self for much of the season — he simply hasn’t been a very good pitcher. The velocity is still strong, but Alcantara carried an 8.47 ERA into the month of June. His strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates all went in the wrong direction, relative to past levels.

Alcantara looked to be righting the ship when he rattled off four starts/23 innings with a 2.74 ERA and improved rate stats. He followed that encouraging stretch with a seven-run shellacking at the hands of the D-backs.  Now, on top of his inconsistency, Miami recently won eight straight games. The Fish are still seven under .500, but they’ve graduated from “surefire seller” to merely “likely seller.” Alcantara is simultaneously the most talented and enigmatic pitcher on this list.

2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates ($15MM in 2025; $16.5MM in 2026, $18MM in 2027, $20MM in 2028)

A steady, mid-rotation workhorse who’s signed to a reasonable contract, Keller’s name has come up in connection to the Cubs and will surely garner interest from virtually every pitching-hungry team on the market. He’s working with a diminished strikeout rate this season but has missed more bats over the past two months (20.3 K%) than he did early in the year (16.8 K% through May 2).

The Pirates don’t need to move Keller, but they’re deep in young pitching and thin on young, impact position players. Flipping Keller for an interesting bat(s) and then reallocating his salary to a mid-range free agent has some merits. If the Pirates do move him, they’ll probably be seeking MLB-ready help, as the current front office regime is in year six of an increasingly interminable rebuilding process.

3. David Bednar, RHP, Pirates ($5.9MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)

Bednar struggled in 2024, then pitched so poorly to begin the 2025 season that the Pirates optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. A few weeks later, he was back on the big league roster and back to peak form. Since his mid-April recall, Bednar has pitched 28 2/3 innings with a 1.88 ERA, a mammoth 36.6% strikeout rate and a 6.3% walk rate. He’s going to get a raise to the $8-10MM range in his final arbitration year, and the Pirates would probably prefer not to pay that, even for a hometown fan favorite. Ownership has reportedly intervened in past Bednar trade talks, but that doesn’t seem likely to be the case this time around — not in the wake of his roller-coaster calendar year and with just one additional (and expensive) season of club control remaining.

4. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/DH, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

O’Hearn has gotten better every year since being traded to Baltimore in 2023 and now stands as one of the best bats not just on this list but in the entire American League. He’s hitting .295/.383/.471 (44% better than average, per wRC+) with 11 homers, 10 doubles, an 11% walk rate and just a 16.3% strikeout rate. O’Hearn is far better against righties than lefties. A contender with a righty-hitting platoon option could benefit greatly from plugging O’Hearn into the heart of its order.

5. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Pirates ($5.25MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

In 2022, it was Tyler Anderson. In 2023, it was Rich Hill. In 2024, Martin Perez. This year’s veteran Pirates lefty du jour is the 34-year-old Heaney, who’s been an effective innings eater at the back of their rotation. Heaney’s velocity, strikeout rate and swinging-strike rate are all down relative to recent years, but he’s a veteran lefty who can solidify the fourth or fifth spot in a contender’s rotation before moving to the bullpen in the postseason. The Bucs have scaled back his slider usage and have Heaney throwing a sinker more frequently, so perhaps another club thinks that there’s more upside to miss bats if he reverts to his former usage rates. Heaney posted a 12% swinging-strike rate and fanned 23% of his opponents just last year in Texas.

6. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies ($12MM in 2025; $16MM annually in 2026-27)

The Rockies tend to resist selling their best players, particularly when they have multiple years of club control remaining. McMahon is no exception. They passed on truly making him available last year despite interest, then watched as McMahon torched his trade value over the remainder of the season and in the early portion of 2025.

McMahon got hot in early May, however, and while he’s slumped a bit over the past couple weeks, he looks a lot like the classic version of himself. Dating back to May 1, he’s slashing .258/.349/.478 with 10 homers, nine doubles and a triple. His strikeout rate in that span is almost 30%, but contact has long been an issue for the 30-year-old, so that’s nothing new. This looks like vintage McMahon — 20-homer pop with plus defense at the hot corner and plenty of strikeouts. We can never accurately predict what the Rockies will do, but if their current 37-win pace can’t convince them a change in approach is needed, perhaps nothing will. McMahon should be available this time around, and Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported yesterday that the Rox are more willing to listen than they have been previously.

7. Jeffrey Springs, LHP, Athletics ($10.5MM annually in 2025-26; $15MM club option/$750K buyout for 2027)

The A’s traded for Springs over the winter, hoping they were buying low on a lefty who looked to have a quiet breakout with the 2022-23 Rays before blowing out his elbow. Instead, he’s pitched like a fourth starter. Springs’ velocity is down a mile per hour, and his strikeout and walk rates have both trended the wrong way since returning from surgery. He’s sitting on a 4.30 ERA but has looked better of late. Even if he’s only a fourth starter, his contract isn’t bad, and there could be upside for better performance as he further distances himself from surgery.

8. Cedric Mullins, OF, Orioles ($8.725MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Mullins had a huge April but is hitting just .171/.215/.336 in 164 plate appearances since that time. His season-long batting line is down to right about league average. Mullins’ defensive ratings have dipped in recent years, but he’s one of the few center field options who could feasibly be on the trade market this summer. He entered the season as a pretty clear qualifying offer candidate, but if his current struggles continue, the O’s might not chance that — which only makes the notion of a trade more compelling.

9. Dennis Santana, RHP, Pirates ($1.4MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)

When the Pirates claimed Santana last June, few took notice. Jokes were made. Santana was a journeyman right-hander who’d ping-ponged around the league. The Pirates were looking to emerge from a lengthy rebuild and plucked a cheap power arm with an inconsistent track record off waivers.

Pittsburgh’s claim of Santana is a reminder that we never really know how even the most mundane transaction will pan out in this game. Since landing with the Pirates, Santana has pitched 80 2/3 innings with a 2.02 ERA, 25.5% strikeout rate, 5.6% walk rate and 41.3% ground-ball rate. He’s averaging 95.2 mph on his heater and proving near impossible to square up (86.1 mph average exit velocity, 4.3% barrel rate, 29.8% hard-hit rate). His lack of track record kept his arbitration price tag low. Santana now looks like a quality high-leverage arm whose salary amounts to relative peanuts. He has another season of club control remaining and probably won’t top $4MM. Nearly any bullpen-needy team would be happy to have him, and since he’s effectively found money with minimal control remaining, the Pirates should be more than willing to move him.

10. Jake Bird, RHP, Rockies (pre-arbitration in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)

Bird has worked to change the shape and speed of his slider in recent years, and he’s now throwing it more than either his sinker or curveball. The result is 48 innings with a terrific 2.63 ERA (2.96 SIERA). Bird has whiffed 29.1% of his opponents against a 9.5% walk rate. He’s “only” averaging 94.3 mph on his sinker, so he’s not necessarily a power arm by today’s standards, but he’s been extremely effective. Bird won’t reach arbitration until this offseason and is under club control through 2028. This is precisely the type of player the Rockies have resisted trading at peak value in the past. Will they change direction this time around? They should, given both the state of the organization and the fact that relief pitchers are notoriously volatile.

11. Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals ($15MM in 2025; $15MM player option for 2026)

Lugo would have a case for the #1 spot on the list if he were a lock to be traded. He’s coming off a Cy Young runner-up finish and carries a 2.21 ERA through 15 starts this year. While he doesn’t have huge swing-and-miss stuff, he has proven capable of excelling as a starter and would fit well as the #2 or #3 pitcher in a postseason rotation. The Royals are hopeful of avoiding a sale, but they’ve dropped six games below .500 after a terrible June and are running out of time to get back on track.

The contract structure is the complicating factor. Lugo’s $15MM salary is a bargain for a pitcher of his caliber. He has a matching player option for 2026 that he’d almost certainly decline so long as he finishes this year healthy. That’s pure downside for an acquiring team, though. If Lugo gets injured in the final two months, they’re stuck paying that. He’d otherwise be able to walk next winter. Teams tend to be reluctant to acquire players whose deals have opt-out clauses, but there’ll be such a demand for starting pitching that someone should be willing to roll the dice and hope he stays healthy. They’ll want to price that downside into whatever they offer the Royals, which could make it tricky to find an agreeable prospect package.

12. Marcell Ozuna, DH, Braves ($16MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

It doesn’t seem as though the Braves will be all that keen on trading players controlled beyond the season, but Ozuna is a free agent who can’t be tendered a qualifying offer because he already received one earlier in his career. The 34-year-old slugger’s power output is down this year, but he’s still ripped 11 homers en route to a .242/.370/.389 batting line (116 wRC+). This year’s 16.7% walk rate is a career best, and Ozuna’s batted-ball metrics on Statcast remain excellent.

13. Michael Soroka, RHP, Nationals ($9MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Soroka signed a one-year, $9MM free agent contract to work out of Washington’s rotation. He missed a month early in the season with a biceps strain but has been healthy since the second week of May. A 4.70 ERA through 59 2/3 innings isn’t eye-opening, but he’s striking out more than 26% of opponents. Soroka posted big strikeout numbers in a relief role for the White Sox late last season, so he could be a target for teams seeking rotation or bullpen help.

14. Germán Márquez, RHP, Rockies ($10MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

After an ugly start to his season, Márquez is back on track. He’s held opponents to a 2.70 ERA over his past eight starts — a sample of 43 1/3 innings — although that includes six unearned runs at the hands of the Dodgers on June 24. He’s fanned 20.9% of his opponents and issued walks at a sharp 5.8% clip in that time. Márquez isn’t missing as many bats, generating as many grounders or throwing quite as hard as he did at his peak, but he’s an affordable 30-year-old righty with a nice track record who could potentially benefit from finally getting out of Coors Field. At his best, in 2018, Márquez posted a 3.77 ERA (3.10 SIERA) and fanned more than 28% of his opponents. He’s probably not going to get back to that level, but there’s some track record and a bit of upside here.

15. Aaron Civale, RHP, White Sox ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end; Brewers covering portion of the salary)

Civale was bounced from the Brewers’ rotation earlier this summer when they called up top prospect Jacob Misiorowski. Given that he’s a career-long starter and impending free agent, he requested a trade, and the Brewers/White Sox accommodated him. The South Siders are surely hoping to be able to flip Civale for more than they gave up (non-tender candidate Andrew Vaughn). He’s been a passable if unspectacular rotation option since returning from an early IL stint, logging a 3.86 ERA, 17.5% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate in seven starts (35 innings). A team just looking for a competent starter to keep them in the game every fifth day could flip a nominal prospect to the White Sox to get something done.

16. Adrian Houser, RHP, White Sox ($1.35MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Speaking of White Sox starters and nominal returns, Houser has done well to rebuild some value after a brutal season with the Mets. The longtime Brewers hurler signed a big league deal in late May after being granted his release by the Rangers. He’s responded with seven starts and 42 2/3 innings of 1.90 ERA ball. Houser’s 18.1% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 46.8% grounder rate don’t support that success, which is propped up by a sky-high 87% strand rate that he won’t sustain. That said, he’s averaging a career-best 95 mph on his four-seamer and getting good results on a curveball he’s throwing at a career-high clip, so there are some tangible changes to support an ERA in the low 4.00s.

17. Jesus Sanchez, OF, Marlins ($4.5MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2027)

At $4.5MM, Sanchez is the highest-paid position player on Miami’s roster (not counting the dead money owed to Avisail Garcia). He’s a former top prospect who has settled in as a league-average right fielder. Sanchez has double-digit home run power and serviceable but hardly elite on-base skills. It’s tough to sell him having a much higher ceiling as he nears his 28th birthday, but he’s a straightforward target for teams that need to raise the floor in the corner outfield. He’s still reasonably affordable and controllable for two years after this one, though his expected arbitration salary may climb to a point beyond what teams are willing to pay by 2027.

18. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals ($6MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The Nats didn’t trade Finnegan last summer, perhaps in part because of some struggles leading up to the trade deadline. He was non-tendered after an awful second half but re-signed on a one-year deal and has been solid in 2025. Finnegan’s velocity and strikeout rate are down, but he’s still sporting a 2.61 ERA and 18 saves on the season. The dip in strikeouts and a poor 8.7% swinging-strike rate are going to impact his trade value, but the Nats should be able to flip him for a decent return.

19. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Nationals ($10.3MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)

A steadily productive first baseman for the Rangers from 2021-24 when he batted a combined .274/.359/.432 (124 wRC+), Lowe has taken a significant step back following an offseason trade to the Nationals. He’s shown signs of life recently, swatting four homers and tallying six multi-hit games since June 17. If Lowe can maintain this hot streak for another four weeks, he’ll be able to largely attribute his sub-par production to an anomalous six-week stretch from early May to mid-June. There’s a nice track record here, and Lowe should be popular in a market that’s light on impact bats.

20. Zack Littell, RHP, Rays ($5.72MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The Rays are in the thick of the AL East race and are not going to be true “sellers.” They never close the door on creative trade scenarios, though, and they may feel they can part with Littell without dealing a huge hit to their playoff odds. He’s an elite strike-thrower who carries a 3.61 ERA over 17 starts. Most teams probably view him as a low-end #3 or solid fourth starter. The Rays have a strong rotation and still have a shot to welcome Shane McClanahan back in the final month or two. Littell probably walks in free agency next offseason. Cashing him in for a controllable asset on a pitching-starved market while adding elsewhere on the roster would fit the Rays’ usual operating procedure.

21. Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics ($15MM in 2025; $20MM in 2026, $22MM player option for 2027)

The A’s brought Severino to West Sacramento on a three-year deal, and it seems like all parties involved might prefer a mulligan. Severino has recently been outspoken about the unfavorable home conditions at Sutter Health Park, where he’s pitched to a 6.79 ERA compared to a 3.04 mark on the road. Trading Severino won’t be an easy feat. The A’s overpaid to get him in the first place, and Severino is now sitting on a 5.09 ERA with a 15.4% strikeout rate that ranks 68th among 70 qualified major league starting pitchers. On top of that, he has an opt-out following the 2026 season.

22. Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox ($15MM in 2025; $20MM club options/$2MM buyout for 2026-27)

The Sox have been hopeful that the oft-injured Robert will return to his brilliant 2023 form and build up some trade value, but he keeps trending in the opposite direction. He’s still just 27 years old, but dating back to Opening Day 2024, Robert is lugging a .209/.275/.354 batting line around with him. He landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain over the weekend. He’s still a plus baserunner with strong defensive tools, but what once looked like a pair of bargain $20MM options on his contract now look unlikely to be exercised. The Sox are willing to pay down some of this year’s $15MM salary to facilitate a trade, and that might be their only true means of extracting any sort of return.

23. Andrew Benintendi, OF, White Sox ($16.5MM annually in 2025-26; $14.5MM in 2027)

He’s slumping a bit recently, but Benintendi has quietly returned to his ways as a productive hitter since last June. Over his past 557 plate appearances, Benintendi is batting .247/.315/.468 with 27 home runs. He’s been a power-over-hit corner outfielder with deteriorating defensive value for more than a calendar year now. No one is taking the full freight of Benintendi’s remaining contract, but he’s a more productive hitter than Robert and the Sox are willing to eat money to trade them both. Would another team bite if the Sox ate the rest of this year’s salary and paid Benintendi down to $5-7MM per season in 2026-27?

24. Josh Naylor, 1B, D-backs ($10.9MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Naylor, who clubbed 31 homers for the 2024 Guardians, is striking out at a career-low 13% clip. He’s ripped 10 homers and already tied a career-high with 10 stolen bases. Naylor walks less than O’Hearn but has shown slightly more pop and makes even more contact. They’re comparable players, however, and Naylor’s .304/.359/.474 batting line (130 wRC+) would be a jolt to any team seeking help at first base or designated hitter. The D-backs aren’t selling just yet, but they’ve lost Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk for the season, while Corbin Carroll (broken wrist) and Gabriel Moreno (broken finger) are also on the shelf. Their performance over the next two weeks is crucial.

25. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, D-backs ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Suárez has continually made the Mariners rue parting ways with him following the 2023 season. Faced with a reduced payroll, Seattle shipped him to Arizona and has seen him shake off a poor start to the 2024 campaign to post a combined .255/.320/.502 slash with the Snakes. He’s already belted 26 home runs this season. Suárez would be one of the prizes of the rental market if the Diamondbacks sell and could both solidify third base and fill a vital heart-of-the-order need for contenders seeking third base help.

26. Zac Gallen, RHP, D-backs ($13.5MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The 2025 season wasn’t supposed to go like this for Gallen, an impending free agent who finished top-five in Cy Young balloting in both 2022 and ’23 before posting a 3.65 ERA in an injury-shortened 2024 campaign. His run of excellent results has been snapped, decisively, by a 5.45 ERA on the season. The quality start he tossed last time out was just his sixth in 18 tries. Gallen hasn’t lost much velocity, but his command has eroded both in terms of walk rate and precision within the zone, leading to a glut of home runs. The track record is so good (3.29 ERA in 815 innings from 2019-24) that Gallen could quickly rebuild some trade value with a few more good outings. Of course, the D-backs will hope those good outings come around and propel them back into contention.

27. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins ($1.95MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)

Cabrera is a former top pitching prospect whose MLB career has been inconsistent. He has shown big stuff and bat-missing ability but had been plagued by well below-average command for his first few seasons. He’s showing signs of putting it together at age 27, turning in a 3.41 ERA through 71 1/3 innings. Even that is weighed down by a pair of April clunkers. Cabrera has allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine of his past 10 starts and carries a 2.05 mark with a manageable 9% walk rate since the beginning of May. The Marlins cheaply control him for three seasons beyond this one, so they’re not facing the same financial pressure to cash him in as they are with Alcantara. This may come down to whether the front office genuinely believes he’s amidst a breakout or feels he’s pitching at an unsustainable level and would rather look to sell high.

28. Mike Tauchman, OF, White Sox ($1.95MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)

A low-cost pickup of Tauchman after he was non-tendered by the Cubs has proven wise for the South Siders. He has had two IL stints due to a strain in his right hamstring but has produced a .262/.350/.443 slash in 140 plate appearances when healthy. Tauchman has a .358 OBP in nearly 900 plate appearances dating back to 2023, and he’s been productive against lefties and righties alike.

29. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The hard-throwing Dominguez is sporting a career-high 32.4% strikeout rate but also a career-worst 14.4% walk rate. He’s also sporting a 3.15 ERA — his third sub-4.00 ERA in the past four seasons. Dominguez has a career 3.53 ERA with 39 saves and 69 holds.

30. Gregory Soto, LHP, Orioles ($5.35MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Another of Baltimore’s impending free agents, Soto is a former All-Star closer who is both tantalizing and frustrating. He has rare velocity from the left side, averaging around 97 MPH on both his sinker and four-seam fastball. The command comes and goes, but he has punched out nearly 28% of opposing hitters and has pitched well since a rough April. He carries a 3.72 ERA with a near-31% strikeout rate in 19 1/3 innings since the start of May.

31. Charlie Morton, SP, Orioles ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The 41-year-old Morton had a horrendous start to his Baltimore tenure, giving up 29 runs across 26 2/3 innings through the end of April. That ensures he’s going to have a poor overall stat line and obscures that he has pitched quite well for the last six weeks. Morton found his footing amidst a brief stint in the bullpen in May. He drew back into the rotation on May 26 and has posted a 2.90 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate over his last six starts. He’s still sitting in the 94-95 MPH range on his fastball and has a near-11% swinging strike rate. The season-long 5.63 ERA is still ugly, but a strong July would lend more credence to the idea that he’s back to his mid-rotation form after a fluke month.

32. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Orioles ($9MM in 2025; $9MM club option/$1MM buyout for 2026)

Kittredge missed two months due to a knee injury but has fired 18 solid innings since his debut. His 4.50 ERA is pedestrian, but he’s fanned 23.8% of his opponents against a 7.5% walk rate. As is often the case for relievers with small samples of work, a significant portion of the damage against Kittredge came in one appearance wherein he served up four runs to the Rays. Kittredge has a 2.66 ERA in exactly 200 innings since 2020, and he’s controllable into 2026 via a reasonably priced club option.

33. Ramon Laureano, OF, Orioles ($4MM in 2025; $6.5MM club option for 2026)

Laureano has been the inverse of Mullins in 2025; after an awful first month, he’s been absolutely on fire, slashing .313/.393/.550 over his past 150 plate appearances. It’s his most productive stretch since returning from an 80-game PED ban in 2021. Laureano has far better career numbers versus lefties, but he’s been crushing right-handed pitching as well in 2025.

34. Adolis Garcia, OF, Rangers ($9.25MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)

Garcia’s production has declined sharply since his 2023 postseason heroics. He hit .224/.284/.400 a year ago and is down to a .232/.276/.393 slash with 10 homers this season. He’d need a big second half to convince the Rangers to tender him an eight-figure contract for his final season of arbitration. If they expect to move on during the offseason regardless, Texas could shop Garcia as a change-of-scenery candidate. That’d be true even if they don’t commit to selling, as a trade would open more spending room beneath the luxury tax threshold as they try to inject some life into a mediocre offense.

35. Anthony Bender, RHP, Marlins ($1.42MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2027)

Bender’s strikeout rate has cratered from 25.9% in 2024 to just over 18% this season. His fastball, which averaged 98 mph back in 2022, is down to “just” 95.9 mph in 2025. Those red flags notwithstanding, Bender touts a 2.19 ERA in 37 frames for the Fish. He has a career 3.12 mark in 170 1/3 innings, and he’s controlled an additional two years beyond the current season.

36. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays ($3.82MM in 2025; $8MM club option/$1MM buyout for 2026)

Fairbanks is having another solid season as Tampa Bay’s top high-leverage arm. He owns a 2.45 ERA with 15 saves in 17 opportunities across 34 appearances. He’s getting grounders at a 50% clip but has seen his once excellent strikeout rate fall to a career-low 21.2%. That’s not much of a concern while he’s playing on a bargain salary that checks in below $4MM. Fairbanks’ deal contains a more expensive club option for next year. He has already boosted its value to $8MM and is trending towards pushing it into eight figures based on his appearance and games finished totals. That’d be a heavy price for the Rays to pay a reliever. An offseason trade may be more likely with the team fighting for a playoff spot, but Tampa Bay probably wouldn’t close the door on a deadline deal for the right price.

37. Jarren Duran, OF, Red Sox ($3.85MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)

Duran is a season removed from a top-10 MVP finish when he hit .285/.342/.492 while appearing in 160 games. His numbers are down this year, as he carries a league-average .253/.312/.409 slash in nearly 400 plate appearances. Duran almost never misses a game and has 20-homer upside. He’s an excellent baserunner who has shown the ability to play a plus left field — though the defensive metrics differ on his performance this season. The optics of trading him within six weeks of dealing Devers would be terrible. Still, the Red Sox recently added top prospect Roman Anthony to a heavily left-handed outfield. They could get a haul for Duran at three and a half seasons of control.

38. Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox (pre-arb in 2025, arb-eligible through 2029)

The same logic about Boston’s outfield applies to Abreu. He hasn’t shown quite the ceiling that Duran did in 2024 but he’s having the better ’25 season of the two. Abreu is already at a career-high 17 homers with a .261/.329/.506 line in 76 games. Most of that has come in a platoon capacity, as he hasn’t had much of a chance to improve upon his lifetime .198/.274/.302 slash against left-handed pitching. Abreu is still a year from arbitration and controllable for four seasons beyond this one. The Sox would demand a significant return even if he’s more of a strong-side platoon bat than a true All-Star caliber everyday player.

39. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pirates ($12MM in 2025; $14MM in 2026, $15MM per year from 2027-30 with $2MM buyout on 2031 club option)

Reynolds is only two seasons into a franchise-record seven-year, $100MM contract extension. He’s having a down year, hitting .237/.301/.393 with 10 homers in what would easily be the worst 162-game season of his career. Reynolds’ batted ball metrics are still impressive, though, and there’d certainly be teams willing to bet on the track record. If another team is willing to absorb most or all of the contract, would the Pirates be willing to sell low to clear the money? They’re reportedly only making Paul Skenes and franchise legend Andrew McCutchen truly untouchable, but this would be another blow to a lineup that already can’t score.

40. Oneil Cruz, OF, Pirates (pre-arb in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)

Pittsburgh’s toolsy center fielder was also notably excluded from the reported list of Pirates’ untouchables. That doesn’t make a trade likely, but there’ll certainly be teams that try to pull him from Pittsburgh. Cruz’s defensive miscues and big strikeout totals are frustrating, but he brings as much raw power as anyone this side of Aaron Judge. He’s on pace to surpass 40 stolen bases and could approach or exceed 30 homers in a relative down season. He’s playing for barely more than the league minimum and controllable for three seasons after this one.

Players to Watch on Fringe Contenders/Playoff Hopefuls

Angels: Tyler Anderson, LHP; Kenley Jansen, RHP; Yoan Moncada, IF; Luis Rengifo, IF

Athletics: Luis Urias, 2B

Braves: Raisel Iglesias, RHP; Sean Murphy, C

Cardinals: Erick Fedde, RHP; Ryan Helsley, RHP; Steven Matz, LHP; Miles Mikolas, RHP

Diamondbacks: Jalen Beeks, LHP; Merrill Kelly, RHP;  Shelby Miller, RHP

Guardians: Austin Hedges, C; Jakob Junis, RHP; Carlos Santana, 1B; Paul Sewald, RHP; Lane Thomas, OF

Marlins: Calvin Faucher, RHP; Nick Fortes, C; Ronny Henriquez, RHP; Cal Quantrill, RHP

Nationals: Amed Rosario, IF

Orioles: Gary Sanchez, C

Pirates: Bailey Falter, LHP Caleb Ferguson, LHP; Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B; Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS

Rangers: Shawn Armstrong, RHP; Patrick Corbin, LHP; Jonah Heim, C; Kyle Higashioka, C; Luke Jackson, RHP; Chris Martin, RHP; Hoby Milner, LHP

Rays: Christopher Morel, LF;  Taylor Walls, SS

Reds: Austin Hays, OF; Gavin Lux, INF/OF; Nick Martinez, RHP; Emilio Pagan, RHP; Taylor Rogers, LHP; Brady Singer, RHP; Brent Suter, LHP

Red Sox: Walker Buehler, RHP; Aroldis Chapman, LHP; Lucas Giolito, RHP

Rockies: Thairo Estrada, 2B; Ryan Feltner, RHP

Royals: Carlos Estevez, RHP; Jonathan India, INF/OF; Michael Lorenzen, RHP; John Schreiber, RHP

Twins: Harrison Bader, OF; Willi Castro, INF/OF; Danny Coulombe, LHP; Ty France, 1B; Chris Paddack, RHP

Currently on the injured list: Miguel Andujar, 3B/OF (Athletics); Zach Eflin, RHP (Orioles); Ryan Mountcastle, 1B (Orioles);  Tyler Mahle, RHP (Rangers); Jon Gray (Rangers); Chas McCormick, OF (Astros)

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MLBTR Originals Newsstand Top Trade Deadline Candidates

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Padres Seeking Upgrades At Catcher

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 11:47pm CDT

The Padres are hoping to upgrade their offensive production behind the plate as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes. It’ll likely be a thin market for available catchers, which complicates their search.

San Diego has leaned exclusively on Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado behind the plate this year and received virtually no production on the offensive side of things. That veteran duo has combined for a feeble .205/.268/.328 batting line in 296 plate appearances. The resulting 70 wRC+, which indicates they’ve been 30% worse than average at the plate, ranks 27th in the majors.

Unfortunately for the Friars, few of the clear sellers around the game have catching help for sale. The White Sox (Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero), Marlins (Agustin Ramirez) and Rockies (Hunter Goodman) all have young catchers enjoying good seasons — and all are controllable at least five years beyond the current campaign. Pittsburgh’s Joey Bart makes some sense on paper, but he hasn’t been able to replicate last year’s breakout. The A’s would make another good speculative fit, but Rosenthal reports that they have no intention of trading Shea Langeliers. He adds that even even with Drake Baldwin ascending in Atlanta, a Sean Murphy trade over the next four weeks isn’t likely.

There are some bubble teams who could eventually have catching depth to spare, but it’s not yet clear whether any of those teams will sell. The Reds only control Tyler Stephenson through the 2026 campaign, and fellow catcher Jose Trevino’s recent three-year extension (plus a club option) gives them a bit more stability long-term. Similarly, the Twins and Rangers only have Ryan Jeffers and Jonah Heim under club control through 2026, although the latter is having a particularly down season at the plate. If the Orioles wind up selling, old friend Gary Sanchez would be a logical trade chip, as an impending free agent whose bat is heating up in recent weeks.

On top of the likely lack of supply, the Padres will presumably have financial limitations. San Diego was known to be low on spending power late in the offseason, hence the creative structure of Nick Pivetta’s four-year deal and the bargain-bin additions at catcher (Diaz, Maldonado), in left field (Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, Gavin Sheets) and for the pitching staff (Kyle Hart). The Padres are well into luxury tax territory — an estimated $263MM worth of obligations, per RosterResource, puts them in the second tier of penalty — so any additions would come with an additional 30% tax on top of their remaining annual salary.

The Padres also have needs in the outfield corners — neither Joe nor Heyward is still with the club — and could use some additional rotation help with Michael King on the shelf and Yu Darvish yet to make his season debut. Juggling all those needs, with potentially limited financial flexibility and a farm system that has been thinned by years of aggressive win-now trades, could prove a tall order.

The fact that San Diego is both reported to covet catching help and using Diaz and Maldonado exclusively also speaks to the manner in which former top prospect Luis Campusano has fallen out of favor in the organization. The 26-year-old is hitting .315/.432/.613 in 224 Triple-A plate appearances but hasn’t gotten much of a look in the majors this year. He’s struggled on both sides of the ball in the past, hitting .241/.295/.374 in 589 major league plate appearances while posting sub-par defensive grades. Campusano feels like a change-of-scenery candidate who could be on the move between now and the end of the month.

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Atlanta Braves Oakland Athletics San Diego Padres Elias Diaz Luis Campusano Martin Maldonado Sean Murphy Shea Langeliers

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Royals Sign Michael Fulmer To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 4:10pm CDT

The Royals announced Thursday that they’ve signed righty Michael Fulmer to a minor league contract. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Omaha. Fulmer, a client of BBI Sports Group, recently passed through waivers and elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Cubs.

Fulmer, 32, is a former American League Rookie of the Year whose career has been slowed by injuries. He was an integral part of the Tigers’ rotation for three years before elbow and knee surgeries pushed him to the bullpen. He found second life as a reliever with the Tigers, Twins and Cubs from 2021-23 before a torn UCL required Tommy John surgery and wiped out his entire 2024 campaign. He spent all of last year and the beginning of the current season in the Red Sox organization after inking a two-year minor league contract, but the Royals are now his third organization before the All-Star break.

Fulmer started 75 games with the Tigers from 2016-18 and posted a combined 3.81 ERA. His 2021-23 work as a closer and setup man resulted in another 190 1/3 innings of 3.55 ERA ball. He fanned 24.6% of his opponents in that time against a 9.4% walk rate, and Fulmer added in 19 saves and 45 holds along the way.

Though his return from Tommy John surgery hasn’t yet netted him a lengthy look in the majors, he did get into three games between Boston and Chicago this season. In that time, he pitched a combined 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts.

The bulk of Fulmer’s 2025 season, however, has been spent in Triple-A. He’s tossed 36 innings between the top affiliates for the Red Sox and Cubs, recording a sharp 3.00 ERA with a huge 33.8% strikeout rate against a shaky 11.5% walk rate. He’s sitting 92.7 mph with his four-seamer in Triple-A, which is down about 1.5 mph from his pre-surgery form.

Kansas City has had a quality bullpen in 2025, ranking sixth in the majors with a collective 3.55 ERA. They’ve been more of a middle-of-the-pack group over the past month, however, pitching to a 16th-ranked 3.94 ERA in that time. They’ve still gotten mostly solid work from their top relievers, but they’ve cycled through several names in the final couple bullpen spots and received poor performance over the past month. Trevor Richards, Sam Long and Taylor Clarke all have ERAs north of 6.50 in that span (albeit in a total of just 19 innings between the three of them). Fulmer will add a veteran arm to the depth chart in Omaha and could get a look as the summer wears on.

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Kansas City Royals Transactions Michael Fulmer

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Guardians Designate Kolby Allard For Assignment

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 3:35pm CDT

The Guardians designated left-hander Kolby Allard for assignment Thursday, per a team announcement. Between Allard’s DFA and right-hander Luis Ortiz’s placement on paid administrative leave while he is the subject of a gambling investigation by the league, Cleveland needed to fill a pair of roster spots. They’ve recalled lefties Joey Cantillo and Doug Nikhazy from Triple-A to round out the staff. Cantillo will start tonight’s game in place of Ortiz.

Allard, 27, was a first-round pick by the Braves back in 2015. He ranked among Atlanta’s most promising young pitchers for several years but never established himself in the rotation there, in no small part due to a series of back injuries that limited his time on the field and impacted his production when he was able to take the mound.

Atlanta traded Allard to Texas in exchange for Chris Martin back in 2019, and he spent parts of four seasons struggling as an up-and-down member of the Rangers’ staff. He returned to the Braves in 2023 and spent 2024 with the Phillies, getting hit hard in both stops. By the time Cleveland signed Allard to a minor league deal this past offseason, he had a career 5.99 ERA in 272 innings.

On the surface, things have gone well for Allard in Cleveland. He’s pitched 35 1/3 innings, mostly in long relief, and posted a terrific 2.55 earned run average. That number doesn’t tell the whole story, however; Allard’s 10.5% strikeout rate is the lowest among the 318 pitchers who’ve tossed at least 30 innings in 2025. Entering the season, he’d seen nearly 16% of the fly-balls he’s allowed in his career land over the fence as home runs. He’s at just 3.6% in that regard this year, which seems bound to regress — as does his 81% strand rate (66% entering the season). Allard’s 3.60 FIP is more than a full run north of his actual ERA, and metrics like xFIP (5.19) and SIERA (5.07), which normalize that fluky home run rate, are even more bearish.

The Guardians will either trade Allard or place him on waivers within the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so he’ll know the outcome of his DFA within a week’s time. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, Allard will be able to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency — as is his right as a player who’s previously been outrighted in his career. Any team that takes a flier on Allard would be able to control him through the 2026 season via arbitration.

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Cleveland Guardians Transactions Doug Nikhazy Joey Cantillo Kolby Allard Luis Ortiz

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Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 3:27pm CDT

As the Yankees search for infield upgrades to address their need for either a second baseman or third baseman — Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play either spot — they’ve reached out to the Rockies regarding the potential availability of Ryan McMahon, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. While the Rockies have been unwilling to entertain offers for McMahon in the past, Heyman suggests that they’re willing to listen this time around as they barrel toward a potentially historic loss total in 2025. He adds that New York has yet to contact the D-backs about Eugenio Suarez, though that has more to do with Arizona being within arm’s reach of a Wild Card spot (three games back) than a lack of interest.

McMahon would bring a major upgrade to a Yankees infield that has felt one player short all season. Chisholm has split his time almost evenly between second base (251 innings) and third base (214 innings), performing well with the bat at both spots. He’s hitting .240/.339/.490 on the season and has swatted 14 homers to go along with 10 steals. His 28.2% strikeout rate is up nearly four percentage points over his 2024 levels, but Chisholm’s 11.5% walk rate is far and away a career-high mark.

Chisholm told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner earlier this week that he knows he’s a better defender at second base and that he’d prefer to be playing there if all else were equal, but he’s happy to do “whatever it takes to help the team win.” A trade for McMahon (or another third baseman) could kill two birds with one stone: solidify the hot corner and get Chisholm back to the position at which he’s most comfortable and best-suited to play.

Earlier this year, it looked as though the Rockies may have missed the boat on trading McMahon. He drew considerable interest in the weeks and months leading into last summer’s trade deadline, but McMahon is reportedly a favorite of Rox owner Dick Monfort, who wasn’t keen on shipping out an All-Star infielder who’s signed affordably through 2027. McMahon wound up falling into a deep slump over the season’s final two months and started the 2025 campaign with the least-productive month of his big league tenure. He entered the month of May hitting just .147/.273/.235 with a sky-high 35.5% strikeout rate.

McMahon homered on May 1, however, and it’s been business as usual for him since. He’s largely back into All-Star form, hitting at a .253/.343/.468 clip with 10 homers, nine doubles and a triple in his past 216 turns at the plate. It should be noted that he’s currently in a bit of a cold spell, with just two hits and 11 strikeouts in his past 23 plate appearances, but nothing so drastic or prolonged as his swoon from August through April (.179/.272/.275, 320 plate appearances). He’s still hitting only .216/.318/.387 on the season because of that disastrous first month, but the trend lines in May and most of June were quite favorable.

On top of his resurgent bat, McMahon has maintained his status as a premium defensive player. Both Defensive Runs Saved (3) and Statcast’s Outs Above Average (3) grade him as a positive in 2025. He’s not on quite the same pace as he was in 4434 innings from 2021-24 (50 DRS, 38 OAA), but McMahon is an unequivocal plus defender at the hot corner who also has ample experience and strong defensive grades at second base.

McMahon’s contract is surely appealing to the Yankees as well. He’s not necessarily a raucous bargain, but the former No. 42 overall draft pick is being paid $12MM this season and is owed $16MM in both 2026 and 2027. The Yankees would pay a 110% tax on his contract’s annual value, given their status as a third-time offender in the top tier of luxury penalization, but McMahon’s six-year, $70MM extension is still well shy of the market rate for a plus defensive third baseman with 25-homer pop.

Heyman also suggests that Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is at least “on the Yankees’ radar” as a change of scenery candidate, though he’d be a pure project. Hayes is an elite defender whose offensive output has cratered after recurring back troubles have popped up in recent years. He’s playing out an eight-year, $70MM contract signed with Pittsburgh prior to those back troubles surfacing. The Pirates owe him a $7MM salary this season and are on the hook for an additional $36MM over the contract’s final four guaranteed seasons (2026-29).

Hayes is hitting well over the past three weeks (.324/.342/.405 in 76 plate appearances), but it’d be a pretty big leap of faith to expect that to continue, considering the 28-year-old’s composite .239/.289/.297 slash in 714 plate appearances dating back to Opening Day 2024. Still, given the strength of his glove, his above-average speed and solid contact skills, Hayes at least makes sense for infield-needy clubs to track as a long-shot trade candidate.

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Colorado Rockies New York Yankees Newsstand Pittsburgh Pirates Eugenio Suarez Ke'Bryan Hayes Ryan McMahon

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Nabil Crismatt Opts Out Of Phillies Deal

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 2:37pm CDT

Right-hander Nabil Crismatt triggered an opt-out in his minor league deal with the Phillies and has been granted his release, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He’s now a free agent who can sign with any club.

Crismatt, 30, has pitched in parts of five major league seasons between the Padres, Cardinals, D-backs and Dodgers. He’s worked almost exclusively as a reliever, logging a 3.71 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate, a 7.2% walk rate and a 50.3% ground-ball rate in 177 big league innings.

It’s a nice track record out of the ’pen, but the Phillies opted to stretch Crismatt out and deploy him out of the rotation in Triple-A. He’s spent about half his time in parts of seven Triple-A seasons in that role. Crismatt has pitched well in 15 starts with the Phillies’ top affiliate in Lehigh Valley, recording a 3.81 ERA in 80 1/3 innings. His 16.3% strikeout rate and 88.1 mph average fastball are well below average, but he’s only allowed a 5.1% walk rate.

Crismatt doesn’t have a dominant major league track record, but he’s pitched well in low-leverage settings and regularly avoided hard contact. He’s been particularly sharp of late in Triple-A, pitching to a 3.12 ERA and walking only two batters over his past 26 innings. Teams in search of depth in the rotation or some length in the bullpen could take a low-cost look at the well-traveled righty.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Nabil Crismatt

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Guardians’ Luis Ortiz Placed On Leave Due To “Ongoing League Investigation”

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 11:00am CDT

11:00am: Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that the investigation pertains to gambling.

9:35am: Guardians right-hander Luis Ortiz has been placed on non-disciplinary paid  leave through the All-Star break due to an “ongoing league investigation,” according to announcements from both the team and the league. The leave was jointly agreed upon by the league and the Players Association. The Guardians’ statement noted that they are not permitted to comment further at this time. Neither the league nor the team provided specific details on the nature of the investigation.

Ortiz, 26, is in his first season with Cleveland after coming over from the Pirates in exchange for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. He stepped right into the Guardians’ rotation and has started 16 games, tossing 88 2/3 innings with a 4.36 ERA, a 25.1% strikeout rate and an 11% walk rate.

Ortiz had been slated to start tonight’s game for Cleveland, but left-hander Joey Cantillo will make that start instead. He’ll join a rotation also including Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen and Slade Cecconi. The Guardians lost righty Ben Lively to Tommy John surgery earlier this season, while longtime ace Shane Bieber’s return from last year’s Tommy John procedure was slowed by a minor setback. Bieber recently resumed throwing.

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Cleveland Guardians Joey Cantillo Luis Ortiz

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Giants, Matt Gage Agree To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | July 3, 2025 at 10:12am CDT

The Giants and lefty Matt Gage have agreed to a minor league contract, per his transaction log at MLB.com. The Paragon Sports client has been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento for the time being. Gage was designated for assignment by the Tigers last week and elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment.

The 32-year-old Gage tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings for the Tigers this season, bringing his career totals to 25 1/3 frames of 1.42 ERA ball. That’s come in small looks across parts of three seasons with Toronto, Houston and Detroit. Gage doesn’t throw especially hard, sitting 91.9 mph with his four-seamer this season, but he’s still fanned a solid 22.5% of his big league opponents against a more elevated 10.8% walk rate.

Despite those strong big league results, Gage has never gotten an extended look. He’s spent the bulk of his career in Triple-A, where he carries a 4.64 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate in 316 1/3 innings. He was excellent with the Tigers’ top affiliate this season, however, pitching 32 1/3 innings with a 1.67 ERA, a 22.8% strikeout rate and a vastly improved 3.3% walk rate.

San Francisco currently has two lefties in the bullpen: Erik Miller and Joey Lucchesi. The former has a tidy 1.50 ERA on the season but has more combined walks (20) and hit batters (3) than he does strikeouts (22), which makes his ability to sustain that production questionable, at best. Lucchesi was only recently summoned to the majors and has allowed three runs in six innings so far. Gage will provide another depth option beyond that pair as the Giants jostle with the Mets, Brewers, Padres, Cardinals, Reds and D-backs in a tightly contested NL Wild Card race. At present, San Francisco sits a half-game back from the final Wild Card position.

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