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Mets, Giants Swap J.D. Davis For Darin Ruf

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The Mets have acquired first baseman/left fielder Darin Ruf from the Giants for third baseman J.D. Davis according to SNY’s Andy Martino.  According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Giants also picked up southpaw Thomas Szapucki and A-ball pitchers Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour in the trade.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the trade suggests the Mets think Ruf can help them more this year than Davis, as both are bat-first right-handed hitters.  Ruf, who recently turned 36, continues to serve as a lefty-masher this year.  He’s got a 155 wRC+ in 337 plate appearances against southpaws since returning from KBO in 2020, which ranks fourth in all of MLB.  Ruf actually succeeded against righties as well in 2020-21, but has struggled against them this year.  He’s earning $3MM on the season, of which about $1MM remains.  He also has a $3.5MM club option for 2022 with a $250K buyout.  Ruf and fellow new acquisition Daniel Vogelbach make for an excellent platoon at designated hitter for the Mets.

Davis, 29, is under team control as an arbitration eligible player for both the 2023 and ’24 seasons.  Though not known for his glove, unlike Ruf, Davis is capable of playing third base.  Since coming over from the Astros in a January 2019 trade, Davis has posted a 125 wRC+ for the Mets in 1,100 plate appearances.  He hasn’t shown a significant platoon split in that period, and has flashed eye-popping Statcast metrics at times.  This year, however, Davis has posted just a 102 wRC+ for the Mets in 207 plate appearances and hasn’t been drawing many starts of late.  Davis became particularly expendable with the Mets’ signing of Eduardo Escobar back in November plus the acquisition of Vogelbach.  Davis played in 140 games for the Mets in 2019, but has played in only 195 games since 2020 due to injuries.

In Szapucki, the Giants get a lefty with a pair of big league appearances to his name.  Szapucki has mostly operated as a starter in the minors, posting a strong 21.6 K-BB% in 64 Triple-A innings this year.  Prior to last season, Baseball America rated him as a 45-grade prospect, saying he can “land three pitches for strikes,” and needed to recover his velocity after spending 2020 at the Mets’ alternate site.  Szapucki has indeed done so, working at 90.9 miles per hour in his lone 2021 MLB appearance but pitching at 95.1 in a brutal May 25th outing at San Francisco in which he surrendered nine earned runs while recording only four outs.  Apparently Giants brass liked what they saw in that outing, despite their hitters beating up on Szapucki with four home runs.

Zwack, a 24-year-old southpaw, moved to High-A in May and has excelled with a 22.8 K-BB%.  A 17th round pick in 2021 out of Xavier University, it remains to be seen if Zwack can sustain his success when facing opponents closer to his own age.  Seymour, a 23-year-old righty, moved into the Brooklyn Cyclones’ rotation around the same time as Zwack.  With a 25.0 K-BB% rate, he’s been successful as well aside from the longball.  Seymour was drafted by the Mets in the sixth round in 2021 out of Kansas State.

Eric Hosmer Rejects Trade To Nationals; Padres Still Have Deal For Juan Soto

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Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer has rejected a trade to the Nationals, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.  Both reporters have made clear that the Padres’ blockbuster deal to acquire Juan Soto from the Nats remains in place.

Hosmer’s eight-year contract with the Padres, signed in February 2018, includes limited no-trade protection of which the Nationals are a part.  It appears the Nationals and Padres agreed to versions of the Soto trade with and without Hosmer, word of the larger Soto trade leaked to the baseball media, and then the Padres took it to Hosmer to decide.  As is his contractual right, Hosmer chose not to move from the Padres, the team he chose as a free agent, to the last-place Nationals.

2022 marks Hosmer’s fifth year as a Padre, a tenure that has mostly disappointed outside of the shortened 2020 season.  Hosmer has a 104 wRC+ in 934 plate appearances since the beginning of the 2021 campaign, so he’s still modestly above-average with the bat.  He’s owed about $7MM for the remainder of this season, plus $39MM for 2023-25.  He can opt out after this season, but that’s an unlikely scenario.

More importantly, upon the completion of the 2022 season, Hosmer will become a 10-and-5 player with the right to reject a trade to any team, not just the ten currently on his list.  With first baseman Josh Bell apparently still headed to the Padres in the Soto deal and about four hours remaining until the no-trade deadline, Padres GM A.J. Preller is surely motivated to make the best deal he can for Hosmer, whether to one of the 19 teams not covered in his no-trade clause, or at least with a team to which Hosmer is willing to go.  The Padres are set to host the Rockies at 3:10pm central time today, the only game starting prior to the 5pm deadline.

With Hosmer’s contract generally considered to be underwater, the Padres would likely have to include a good prospect (of which they’ve surrendered many in the last few days) to find a taker.  Even with a Hosmer trade, getting under the $230MM competitive balance tax is likely impossible for the Padres given the additions of Soto, Bell, and Josh Hader.  Last year, only the Dodgers and Padres paid the competitive balance tax, then set at $210MM.  That marked the first time the Padres paid the tax since it was instituted.

Ian Happ Rumors: Deadline Day

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The last time we checked in on Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, it was when ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed last Friday that the team is “likely to trade him.”  Happ, 28 in August, has a 122 wRC+ on the season.  He’s got about $2.4MM remaining on his contract this year, and will be eligible for arbitration for 2023.  If the Cubs want to trade the 2015 first-rounder prior to the offseason, they’ve got fewer than nine hours to get it done.  Here’s the latest:

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The MLBTR team works hard every single day to bring you all the hot stove news and rumors, as we have for over 16 years.  If you’re enjoying our trade deadline coverage, we’d appreciate your support in the form of a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription, which costs $2.99 per month or $29.89 per year.

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Write For MLB Trade Rumors

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UPDATE: We are also seeking a writer who is available to work every Saturday from 7am-3pm central time.  Ultimately, we’re likely to make two hires.  If you’re interested in either the Saturday or the Sunday shift, please apply.  We have not yet looked at all the applications that we’ve received so far, but those who are advancing to the second round should hear back next week.

We’re looking to add to the MLBTR writing team, in a part-time position that pays hourly.  The criteria:

  • Availability to work every Sunday from 7am-3pm central time.  This would be your regular weekly shift.  The ability to occasionally fill in on Saturdays as well would be helpful.
  • Exceptional knowledge of all 30 baseball teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of hot stove concepts like arbitration, the competitive balance tax, and new aspects of the latest collective bargaining agreement.
  • A high school degree is required, and further education is preferred. Please include your highest completed level of education in your application.
  • Writing experience is necessary, and online writing experience is preferred.
  • Attention to detail and ability to follow the MLBTR style and tone.
  • Ability to craft intelligent, well-written posts analyzing and contextualizing MLB hot stove news quickly and concisely.
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  • If you’re interested, email mlbtrhelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs.  Please attach your resume to the email.  We often receive several hundred applications, so unfortunately we will not be able to reply to each one.

At the end of your application, please fill in the blank:  After the ____ season ends, assuming he does not sign a contract extension or go to the minors, Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal will become a free agent.  Rather than give an explanation, simply write, “Skubal question: [Year]” at the end.

Support MLBTR With A Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

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The MLBTR team works hard every single day to bring you all the hot stove news and rumors, as we have for over 16 years.  We’d appreciate your support in the form of a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription, which costs $2.99 per month or $29.89 per year.

This is not a request for charity!  Our subscribers love the service, which includes ad-free browsing and weekly exclusives including my mailbag, a subscriber-only chat with Anthony Franco, and articles from Anthony, Steve Adams, and Brad Johnson.  Check out all the benefits here and consider giving it a try!

Sign Up For The Free MLBTR Newsletter

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10 Potential Trade Deadline Rental Bats Off To Strong Starts

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As always, this year’s trade deadline will prominently feature many players who will be eligible for free agency after the season.  Here’s a look at 10 rental hitters off to strong starts who could be available in trade.  All of the teams included in this post currently feature playoff odds below 35%.

  • Josh Bell, Nationals: 178 wRC+.  Off to a blistering start, Bell has sliced his strikeout rate to less than 10% in the early going.  There’s a strong chance the Nats send him to a contender this summer.  The Twins would make for a nice fit.
  • Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: 157 wRC+.  There’s little question Bogaerts will opt out of his contract after the season, but the 10-19 Red Sox at least have a fighting shot at the playoffs this year (FanGraphs gives a 21.8% chance).  If the team fades further, it’ll make sense to put Bogaerts on the market.  However, Bogaerts has full no-trade protection, so he controls his fate.  The Angels and Cardinals could make for good matches.
  • Brandon Drury, Reds: 157 wRC+.  Drury showed some pop last year for the Mets as well, and he has a .274/.324/.524 line with 10 home runs in 182 plate appearances since 2021.  And Drury does have the Statcast hard-hit data to back up his success this year.  He joined the Reds on a minor league deal in March, and the 29-year-old figures to be spun into some kind of modest trade deadline return.
  • Willson Contreras, Cubs: 148 wRC+.  Contreras figures to be highly sought after at the trade deadline, especially with the average catcher putting up an 81 wRC+.  Unless the Cubs change their mind about extending their soon-to-be-30-year-old longtime backstop, he’s quite likely to be dealt.  The Guardians or Mets could make sense.
  • J.D. Martinez, Red Sox: 148 wRC+.  Of the three Red Sox regulars who are actually hitting this year, two of them are headed toward free agency after the season.  And Rafael Devers isn’t far behind.  Martinez is earning a hefty $19.375MM this year and can block trades to three teams.
  • Ben Gamel, Pirates: 142 wRC+.  Gamel is one of a handful of bright spots on the Pirates, but he’s also earning only $1.8MM this year and is slated for free agency.
  • Andrew Benintendi, Royals: 133 wRC+.  There’s a chance the Royals extend Benintendi, but as of now he’s on track for free agency.  He hasn’t shown much pop this year, but he’s sixth in the AL with a .330 batting average.
  • Jean Segura, Phillies: 128 wRC+.  Like the Red Sox, the Phillies are another potential trade deadline seller that isn’t out of contention yet.  Segura, who is earning $14.25MM this year and has a $17MM option for ’23, does have full no-trade protection.
  • Jesus Aguilar, Marlins: 122 wRC+.  The Marlins’ first baseman hasn’t hit for much power this year, but with the deadened baseballs, standards have changed.  There’s a good chance he’s traded.
  • Tommy Pham, Reds: 118 wRC+.   The Reds have limited trade bait on the position player side, but Drury and Pham figure to be sent packing.

Though this post is focused on trade targets who have hit well through the season’s first month, the rental market will certainly feature others with track records of success, such as Nelson Cruz, Mitch Haniger, and Adam Frazier.

Dodgers Designate Robbie Erlin For Assignment

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The Dodgers designated lefty Robbie Erlin for assignment, according to an announcement from the team.  The move accompanies the club’s selection of Ryan Pepiot’s contract.

Erlin, 31, spent 2021 with the Nippon Ham Fighters of NPB.  He inked a minor league deal with the Dodgers in February, and returned to a 40-man roster when his contract was selected Saturday, allowing him to serve as the 27th man in a doubleheader against the Cubs.  In his first big league action in nearly 20 months, Erlin posted a scoreless mop-up inning Sunday and then gave up a pair of runs to put a game in Pittsburgh further out of reach on Monday.

Considered one of the 35 best prospects in the game when the Rangers sent him to San Diego in the Mike Adams deal at the 2011 trade deadline, Erlin underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2016.  The Padres bounced him from their 40-man in October 2019, and then he moved to the Pirates and Braves before heading overseas.

In that classic MLB circle of life, Erlin has surrendered his Dodgers 40-man roster spot to Pepiot, who ranked 90th on Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list.  Pepiot, a 24-year-old righty, is a 55-grade prospect with what BA describes as a “devastating” changeup but “below average control.”  Pepiot hasn’t yet solved the control issue in his 68 Triple-A innings, but the Dodgers needed a starter for this afternoon’s game in Pittsburgh.

Tigers To Designate Drew Hutchison For Assignment

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The Tigers will designate righty Drew Hutchison for assignment prior to tonight’s game against the A’s, the team announced yesterday.  The move will create a spot on the active 26-man roster for rookie Joey Wentz, whose call-up was covered here yesterday.  Wentz will make his MLB debut tonight, and then the Tigers will decide whether he or fellow rookie Alex Faedo will get a start next week.

The Hutchison DFA will drop the Tigers’ 40-man roster down to 39.  Hutchison, 31, is no stranger to being bounced off a 40-man roster.  The Blue Jays’ 2015 Opening Day starter, Hutchison was outrighted by the Pirates in 2017, the Pirates and Rangers in 2018, and his current team, the Tigers, last year.  So far, Hutchison has added another 15 2/3 innings to his resume in 2022, working as a low-leverage reliever for Detroit.

The Tigers’ rotation is the more pressing concern, with an ERA that ranks 22nd in baseball and has averaged 4.71 innings per start.  Tarik Skubal has been a revelation, and free agent signings Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Pineda have done acceptable work.  Matt Manning is working his way back from a shoulder injury, while Casey Mize is set for his first rehab start tomorrow after an elbow sprain.  Though Wentz, Faedo, and Beau Brieske are not considered top prospects, the rookies will continue to deserve as the Tigers’ primary depth options once everyone is healthy.

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