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Dodgers Acquire Enrique Hernandez

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Enrique Hernandez is back with the Dodgers. Los Angeles announced they’ve acquired the utilityman (along with cash considerations) from the Red Sox for relievers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman. Boston is reportedly paying down $2.5MM of the approximate $3.6MM remaining on Hernandez’s contract.

Hernandez, 31, is struggling through one of the worst seasons of his career, batting just .222/.279/.320 in 323 plate appearances. The offseason injury of Trevor Story — which required elbow surgery — prompted the Sox to move Hernandez from center field to shortstop. The results weren’t pretty, with Hernandez returning to a position he’d barely played since 2018 and posting some of the lowest defensive grades of any player at any position (-6 Defensive Runs Saved, -13 Outs Above Average in just 484 innings).

The extent to which the defensive struggles also impacted Hernandez’s mindset at the plate can’t be known, but his production hasn’t dipped to this level since the 2016 season. He’s hitting .260 against left-handed pitching — albeit with a lowly .314 OBP and .338 slugging percentage — but has been a nonfactor against right-handed pitching (.209/.266/.314).

Struggles on both sides of the ball notwithstanding, Hernandez is a career .259/.346/.465 hitter against southpaws. The Dodgers will hope that a return to the team he called home for the majority of his career can bring about a turnaround at the plate and/or on the field. Los Angeles has hit well against lefties as a team, but that’s generally been in spite of poor production from a cast of outfielders that has looked lost against southpaws.

All of David Peralta, Trayce Thompson and Jason Heyward have struggled in that regard. James Outman is getting on base at a .366 pace against lefties but not hitting for power and striking out at a 34% clip. Chris Taylor has gotten on base at a lowly .268 rate but at least hits lefties for power.

There’s no guarantee that Hernandez will improve the team’s overall production against southpaws, but he’s a low-cost roll of the dice as a bench player who’s had success in just this type of limited role before — with this very team, no less. Given that the Dodgers have been cycling through journeyman like Yonny Hernandez and Jake Marisnick on the bench, there’s some sense to seeking lower-cost stability. Hernandez figures to be a boon in the clubhouse at the very least, and any big early hits following the swap will clearly be well-received by a fanbase with which he was popular during his last tenure. There’s minimal risk in displacing Hernandez, though the Dodger faithful will surely be hoping this trade is merely a footnote among a larger slate of deadline transactions rather than a focal point of the front office’s approach to upgrading the roster.

For the Red Sox, with Story nearing a return, they’ll subtract Hernandez from their glut of middle-infield and outfield options. Jarren Duran’s emergence in center field put a serious dent in Hernandez’s role with the team — particularly with Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo locked into the corners. Yu Chang is a more versatile infield defender, meanwhile, and the Sox apparently prefer to continue giving the more controllable Christian Arroyo opportunities over Hernandez — a pending free agent playing on a one-year, $10MM contract extension he signed last winter.

Per Roster Resource, the Dodgers had a $228MM payroll and $245MM luxury-tax bill prior to the trade. Tacking on roughly $1.1MM won’t put them anywhere near the third tier of luxury-tax penalization, which begins at $273MM and is the point at which teams see their top pick in the following year’s draft pushed back by 10 spots. As a third-time luxury tax offender in the midst of the first penalty bracket, the Dodgers would pay a 50% dollar-for-dollar tax on all overages. As such, Hernandez’s remaining $1.1MM actually amounts to about $1.65MM in terms of total expenditure.

In return for picking up the bulk of the tab, Boston lands a couple pitchers who add desired right-handed middle relief depth. Robertson, 25, is on the 40-man roster and has made nine big league appearances for Los Angeles this season. The rookie righty has allowed 10 runs (seven earned) over his first 10 1/3 frames. He’s fanned 13 against four walks, though, missing bats at a decent 11.4% clip. Robertson is a fastball-changeup pitcher who has averaged a little under 95 MPH on his heater in his brief MLB look.

He’s having an excellent year in Triple-A. Over 28 1/3 innings with the Dodgers’ top affiliate in Oklahoma City, the 6’6″ hurler owns a 2.54 ERA. Robertson has punched out an excellent 37.5% of batters faced at the top minor league level, where he’s also inducing grounders on half the batted balls he allows. The former seventh-round pick owns a 3.54 ERA with a 30% strikeout rate over parts of four minor league campaigns. He’ll start his Boston tenure on optional assignment to Triple-A Worcester but could be recalled to work out of the big league bullpen at any point.

Hagenman has never played in the majors. Like Robertson, he’s having a strong year in Triple-A. Through 55 innings spread over 25 appearances, the 26-year-old righty has a 2.78 ERA. He’s punching hitters out at a solid 27% clip while keeping his walks to a tidy 5% rate. The Penn State product went unselected in last year’s Rule 5 draft after posting a 6.08 ERA in Triple-A; he’d be eligible for the Rule 5 again next winter but has a good chance to earn a spot on the Sox’s 40-man roster before then after his much better second season at the top minor league level.

David Vassegh of SportsNet Los Angeles noted this afternoon the Sox and Dodgers were discussing Hernandez trades. Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic first reported the Dodgers were acquiring Hernandez. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported the Red Sox would receive two upper minors relief pitchers. Chris Cotillo of MassLive first suggested Robertson and Hagenman were potentially involved in the deal. Tom Caron of NESN confirmed Hagenman’s inclusion, while Jeff Passan of ESPN first confirmed the package was Robertson and Hagenman. Speier was first to report the cash considerations.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Red Sox, Frank German Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Red Sox are in agreement with reliever Frank German on a minor league contract, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive (Twitter link). He’d been released by the Reds two weeks ago.

German has bounced between a few organizations in 2023, now returning to the only one with which he’s appeared at the big league level. The right-hander pitched in five games for Boston last season. The Red Sox designated him for assignment during the offseason, spurring a trade to the White Sox. He landed with Cincinnati via waiver claim a couple months later before being cut loose.

The hard-throwing hurler has had a tough go in Triple-A this year. German carries an 8.55 ERA in 20 minor league frames on the season. He’s walked 15.1% of batters faced and surrendered six home runs. Cotillo notes that the Sox will send him to their complex in Florida before assigning him to a minor league affiliate.

Tough 2023 aside, there’s little harm for Boston in rolling the dice yet again. German’s fastball sat just under 98 MPH during his big league stint last year. He’s never had issues missing bats in the minors but has yet to consistently find the strike zone.

Red Sox Reinstate John Schreiber

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The Red Sox have activated right-hander John Schreiber from the 60-day injured list. An opening on the active roster was created by the Enrique Hernández trade. Boston’s 40-man roster is at capacity after the Sox outrighted reliever Norwith Gudiño this afternoon.

Schreiber has been out since May 16 due to a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder. The injury brought a halt to what had been an excellent start to his season. The low-slot righty has allowed only five runs (four earned) through 17 innings. He’s striking out 30% of opponents with a massive 59% ground-ball percentage.

A former waiver claim from Detroit, Schreiber had a breakout season with Boston in 2022. Through 65 innings, he worked to a 2.22 ERA with a 28.8% strikeout percentage and 56.3% grounder rate. He looked on his way to approximating that production before the shoulder issue. Schreiber figures to step back into a high-leverage role for Alex Cora, though he’s slated for his first major league start this evening against Atlanta. He’ll kick off a bullpen game for the 53-47 Red Sox.

Gudiño was called up over the weekend for the first time but didn’t make an MLB appearance. He’ll return to Triple-A Worcester, where he has a 5.54 ERA in 20 appearances on the season.

Dodgers, Red Sox Discussing Enrique Hernandez Deal

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The Dodgers and Red Sox are discussing a potential trade that would send veteran utilityman Enrique Hernandez back to Los Angeles, where he spent the 2015-20 seasons, David Vassegh of SportsNet Los Angeles reports. The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reported over the weekend that L.A. had interest in a reunion with Hernandez, provided he was amenable to shifting into a more limited role than the everyday one he’s held down in Boston. Further fueling intrigue, Red Sox manager Alex Cora tells the Sox beat that the team is working on a roster move that’s holding up the reveal of today’s lineup (Twitter link via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe).

It’s been a dismal season for the 31-year-old Hernandez, who lost his handle on the everyday shortstop job in Boston thanks to glaring defensive ratings and a similarly alarming .222/.279/.320 batting line in 323 plate appearances. He’s earning $10MM this season after signing an extension with the Sox last summer.

For all of this year’s struggles, Hernandez carries a long track record of quality production against southpaws. He’s hitting an empty .260 against them this year (.260/.314/.338) but is a lifetime .259/.346/.465 batter when holding the platoon advantage. He’s also a plus defender in center field and a solid glove at second base; Hernandez simply seemed miscast as a regular shortstop but was thrust into that role when Trevor Story required offseason elbow surgery.

The Dodgers are hitting .227/.322/.450 as a team against left-handed pitching, resulting in a 1o9 wRC+ that ranks tenth in the Majors. However, their outfield has been pedestrian, at best, against southpaws. David Peralta and Jason Heyward — the latter of whom has just 15 plate appearances against southpaws this season — have continued their long-running platoon struggles. Trayce Thompson’s right-handed bat hasn’t held up against left-handed pitching (.143/.321/.286) and he’s been on the shelf since June. Recently signed righty hitter Jake Marisnick just hit the IL after only a handful of plate appearances. Chris Taylor is hitting for power against lefties but reaching base at just a .268 clip. James Outman has been the opposite, reaching at a .366 clip but hitting for virtually no power (.366 slugging, .085 ISO) and striking out at a 34% clip.

Hernandez would add a potentially valuable right-handed hitting bat who could fill a familiar role, splitting time around the outfield, at second base and perhaps at designated hitter.

As for the Red Sox, Hernandez could be squeezed out by his struggles at shortstop, his downturn in production at the plate and a glut of outfield and middle-infield options. Story is likely to return from the injured list before long and is currently on a rehab assignment. Yu Chang is a steadier defender at shortstop than Hernandez and figures to move around the infield once Story returns. Boston has also begun giving Justin Turner some time (27 innings) at second base. The Sox ostensibly remain committed to Christian Arroyo despite a generally middling track record. In the outfield, Mastaka Yoshida, Jarren Duran and Alex Verdugo are the starters, leaving Hernandez without a regular role.

Braves Reportedly Interested In Adam Duvall

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After two previous stints with the Braves, Adam Duvall looks to be on the club’s radar again, as MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam writes that “the Braves are said to have some interest in yet another reunion with” the veteran outfielder.  Duvall would be a rental pickup, as his one-year, $7MM deal with the Red Sox is up at the end of the season.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Sox will even part ways with Duvall, as Boston is itself in a playoff chase.  The right-handed hitting Duvall has some obvious utility for the Red Sox given that he can at least passably play any of the three outfield positions, and Boston’s starting three outfielders (Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran, and Alex Verdugo) are all left-handed bats.  Theoretically, Enrique Hernandez could move from the infield back into an outfield role if Duvall was moved, though Hernandez has been struggling through a rough year at the plate and could be a trade candidate himself at the deadline.

That wouldn’t stop the Braves from at least asking about Duvall, and some potential exists for Atlanta and Boston to line up on a deal that would address mutual needs on the big league roster.  Both clubs are looking for pitching, but as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman notes, the Braves might have something of a bullpen surplus once all of their relievers start to return from the injured list.  Speculatively, one of those Atlanta relievers might be of interest to the Red Sox, even if Boston needs rotation help more directly than another bullpen arm.

Since the Red Sox operated in both a buying and selling capacity at last year’s trade deadline, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom could explore a similar strategy this year, even though the Sox are in a better position to contend than the 2022 group.  The Braves are obviously aiming to win now, and given the past creativity of president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, any number of trade scenarios could exist between Atlanta and Boston.

Duvall is hitting .257/.320/.515 with seven home runs over 153 plate appearances this season, though a lot of that production came within an absurdly hot start.  Duvall had a 1.544 OPS and four homers in his first 37 PA, before a wrist fracture sidelined him for two months.  Upon his return, Duvall’s bat has been much quieter, with only a .194/.259/.350 slash line over his last 116 PA.  He has started to hit a little better in the last couple of weeks, and a trade (particularly to a familiar location like Atlanta) might further spark Duvall’s offense.

If a trade did happen, it would mark the fourth time in Duvall’s career that he has been traded at the deadline, with two of those prior swaps sending him to the Braves.  The Giants dealt Duvall to the Reds in July 2015, Cincinnati moved Duvall to the Braves in July 2018, and Atlanta picked him up yet again in a deal with the Marlins in July 2021.  The latter move is the most notable, as Duvall hit well for a Braves team that went on to capture the World Series.

Duvall would provide depth throughout Atlanta’s outfield, and would most likely pair with Eddie Rosario in a platoon in left field.  Both Rosario and Duvall are having some uncharacteristic reverse-splits seasons, so while it might end up being an unusual bizarro platoon, left field is Duvall’s easiest path to playing time since Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II are entrenched in right and center field.  The left-handed hitting Harris might also be a platoon possibility, but Harris has been so hot at the plate over the last six weeks that the Braves likely want to keep him in the lineup as often as possible.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Red Sox, Hernandez, Jansen, Torres, Cortes

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The Orioles’ 5-3 victory over the Rays today extended Baltimore’s lead over Tampa Bay to two games, and continued a dream month for the upstart O’s.  Between Baltimore’s 13-6 record and the Rays’ 4-14 record in July, the Orioles have completely wiped out their 6.5-game deficit from the start of the month, and now look like genuine World Series contenders.  Even with this big surge, it remains to be seen how the O’s might approach the trade deadline, as ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that according to executives on other teams, the Orioles have thus far looked like “measured buyers” who are “willing to deal from position player surplus to upgrade pitching, but not perceived to be fishing for big, pricey deals, at this point.”

Should such a stance continue through August 1, Baltimore fans might not be pleased, as the fanbase was already annoyed enough last summer when the O’s dealt Trey Mancini and Jorge Lopez at the deadline rather than make a push for a playoff spot.  (Of course, landing Yennier Cano from the Twins has made the Lopez trade a lot more popular in hindsight.)  Obviously selling isn’t on the radar for GM Mike Elias this year, but that also doesn’t necessarily mean a blockbuster move is in store.  Since the Orioles’ core of young talent is so promising, Elias might not see 2023 as the time for an all-in type of trade, especially considering that the O’s might not yet have decided which of their many star prospects they see as building blocks, and which might be trade chips.  Of course, history has shown that lower-level deadline trades can often lead to postseason success just as easily as a headline-grabbing transaction, so Elias can pursue plenty of avenues as he looks to put the final pieces to an exciting young team.

More from around the AL East…

  • During an appearance on The Front Office on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom reiterated that the club was looking for starting pitching at the deadline, as well as a left-handed hitting middle infielder.  Enrique Hernandez, Yu Chang, Christian Arroyo, and even part-time second baseman Justin Turner all swing from the right side, as do the injured Trevor Story and Pablo Reyes.  Story’s return from the injured list should give the Red Sox more clarity on their muddled infield picture, yet there’s also a chance Boston could both buy and sell at the deadline, as the club did last year.  To this end, pending free agent Hernandez could be expendable, and The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya writes that the Dodgers would have interest in a possible reunion if Hernandez was open to more of a part-time role.  Whereas Boston has too many right-handed bats, the Dodgers have a surplus of left-handed hitters in the outfield, so Hernandez could add both lineup balance and positional versatility as a player capable of working in multiple positions — essentially his old role when he previously played in L.A. in 2015-20.
  • X-rays were negative on Danny Jansen’s left forearm after the Blue Jays catcher was hit by a Bryan Woo pitch in today’s game.  Jansen was hit in the fifth inning and remained in the game until the seventh, and the Jays announced Jansen’s injury as a forearm contusion.  It seems like Jansen will be day-to-day for now, though the Blue Jays could be shorthanded behind the plate until he is ready, since the Jays’ next offday isn’t until Thursday.  Alejandro Kirk figures to be the starting catcher in the interim, with Tyler Heineman a call-up possibility from Triple-A, or Daulton Varsho perhaps an emergency catcher if Jansen only misses a game or two.
  • In a pair of Yankees injury updates, Gleyber Torres also left today’s game due to left hip tightness.  The issue isn’t serious enough at this time to require any tests, and manager Aaron Boone told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and other reporters that Torres was already feeling better postgame.  Since New York doesn’t play on Monday, Torres might well not miss any game action after a day of rest.
  • Nestor Cortes will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A today, the Yankees announced.  Cortes hasn’t pitched since May 30 due to a strained rotator cuff, and the long layoff suggests that he’ll need multiple rehab outings before returning from the 60-day IL.  Cortes struggled to a 5.16 ERA over his first 11 starts of the season, but if he returns in his 2021-22 form, he’ll provide a major boost to New York’s rotation in August.

Red Sox Select Norwith Gudino

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The Red Sox selected right-hander Norwith Gudino to the club’s roster earlier tonight, per a club announcement. Gudino is serving as the club’s 27th man during tonight’s game against the Mets after the clubs completed yesterday’s suspended game earlier today. Gudino will take the 40-man roster spot that had been previously vacated by right-hander Jake Faria, who was designated for assignment earlier this week.

Gudino, 27, would make his major league debut by getting into tonight’s game. Gudino’s professional career began with the Giants back in 2015, though he wouldn’t get his first taste of full-season baseball until 2018. That year, he posted a 4.41 ERA in 79 2/3 innings across three levels while mostly pitching out of the rotation. Gudino moved to relief in 2019, and dominated to a 0.53 ERA in 33 2/3 innings of work.

The right-hander did not pitch in 2020 due to the cancelled minor league season, but received his first taste of upper-minors action in the 2021 as he pitched to a solid 3.90 ERA in 60 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A. Unfortunately for Gudino, he’s struggled significantly the past two seasons. He posted a brutal 8.87 ERA in 47 2/3 innings at Triple-A for the Giants last year before electing free agency this past offseason and signing on with the Red Sox on a minor league deal.

His results at Triple-A with the Red Sox have improved relative to those he posted with the Giants last year, though his 5.54 ERA in 52 innings while swinging between the bullpen and the rotation still leave something to be desired. That being said, his peripheral numbers have taken a significant turn for the worse in 2023. After posting strikeout rates around 30% in the upper minors throughout his career, that figure has plummeted to just 12.2% in 2023, a figure nearly matched by his 11% walk rate.

Despite these flaws, Gudino will get a chance in the majors with Boston, where he could be called upon to provide length in a bullpen where other multi-inning options such as Nick Pivetta and Josh Winckowski are relief on for late-inning roles.

Red Sox Agree To Terms With Their Top Two Draft Picks

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The Red Sox agreed to deals with their top two draft choices Friday afternoon, reports Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline (Twitter links). 14th overall pick Kyle Teel received an even $4MM signing bonus against a $4.66MM slot value, while second-rounder Nazzan Zanetello landed a well above-slot $3MM figure.

Teel, 21, was viewed as the top catcher in this year’s college class. He was the second backstop off the board after Kansas City took high schooler Blake Mitchell eighth overall. Teel ranked in the back half of the top 10 on pre-draft rankings at The Athletic, ESPN, Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. That made it a bit surprising he fell to Boston at 14 and the underslot signing figure most closely aligns with the slot value for the 18th selection.

A left-handed hitter, Teel put up a .407/.475/.655 line during his final season at the University of Virginia. He hit 25 doubles and 13 home runs with a modest 12.1% strikeout rate over 297 trips to the plate. He earned the ACC Player of the Year award as a result. Evaluators credit him with a well-rounded skillset headlined by excellent athleticism for a catcher and plus arm strength.

Zanetello, a Missouri high school infielder, was selected 50th overall. That selection has a slot value of $1.7MM, which the Sox handily exceeded to sign him away from the University of Arkansas. A right-handed hitting infielder, Zanetello ranked as high as 33rd on Keith Law’s pre-draft list at The Athletic but was outside the Top 100 at Baseball America. Evaluators praise his bat speed and athleticism but raised questions about the amount of swing-and-miss in his game.

AL East Notes: Story, Mullins, Green

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Red Sox infielder Trevor Story is beginning a rehab assignment today, with Ian Browne of MLB.com relaying the details. Story will play five innings at shortstop in Friday’s game before serving as the designated hitter on Saturday and returning to the shortstop position on Sunday.

The shortstop position in Boston has been in flux since it was reported in January that Story had undergone internal brace surgery on his right elbow. They’ve rotated various players through the position in his absence, including Enrique Hernández, Yu Chang, Pablo Reyes and others. The Red Sox have a collective .216/.272/.322 batting line from the position, which translates to a wRC+ of 59, placing them 27th out of the 30 clubs in the league.

Story is a career .268/.336/.513 hitter and would certainly be a boost if he could come back at that level, though it’s no guarantee that he will. He hit .251/.329/.471 in his final year in Colorado and then .238/.303/.434 last year. After missing all of this season so far, it remains to be seen what form he will be in when he gets back. The Sox are currently three games out of a playoff spot and even a diminished version of Story should be an upgrade over the production they’ve had from the shortstop position thus far.

Some more notes from the toughest division in the league…

  • The Orioles placed outfielder Cedric Mullins on the injured list earlier this week due to a groin strain, his second trip to the IL this year for that injury. Just the day prior, he had said he was hoping to avoid the IL, which made it fair to expect this stint would be minimal. That may not be the case, however, with Mullins providing more details to the media yesterday. He said that new symptoms emerged once his soreness went away, per Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner, with no timeline for his return right now. He said he’s hopeful of returning for the back end of the season, per Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball. That murkier timeline is surely an unpleasant development for the O’s, as Mullins continue to be an impact player when healthy. He’s hit .259/.347/.454 this year for a wRC+ of 123 and stolen 14 bases. His progress in the weeks to come will hopefully provide some more clarity but it doesn’t seem like an immediate return is likely.
  • Blue Jays reliever Chad Green is set to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The Jays signed Green in the offseason to a convoluted deal, knowing that he wouldn’t be an option in the first half after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. He’s now rehabbing at an interesting time of the season, with the trade deadline just over the horizon. The righty has 272 appearances under his belt with a 3.17 ERA,  32.5% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate. All contending clubs are looking for relief help at this time of year but Green’s impending return gives the Jays a chance to have that bullpen boost come from within. They are currently 54-43 and tied with the Astros for the second Wild Card spot. Green’s return will also give the club a couple of months to evaluate his status before deciding on the layered option structure of his contract. They first have to decide on triggering a three-year, $27MM option with $1MM in bonuses. If they decline, Green can exercise a 2024 player option with a $6.25MM salary and $2MM in bonuses. If he declines that, the Jays can trigger a two-year, $21MM option with $1MM in bonuses.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: All Eyes on the Angels, Cardinals Trade Options and Buyers or Sellers

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • Do you feel that the Yankees should be sellers? (17:25)
  • If the Rangers were to acquire Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger from the Cubs, would that make them the favorite in American League? (21:30)
  • What are the Blue Jays going to target at the deadline? (24:00)

Check out our past episodes!

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