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Cardinals Rumors: Montgomery, Flaherty, Bullpen, Outfield

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The Cardinals are perhaps the most intriguing seller of this trade deadline. The preseason favorite for the NL Central expected to build upon a 93-win campaign in 2022, the team has failed to live up to expectations with a brutal 46-60 record that leaves them in last place in the division and ahead of only the Rockies and Nationals in the NL. With the club’s eyes turned toward the future, speculation has run rampant regarding many of the club’s interesting pieces, both those who are set to hit free agency after the season and those who are under team control longer-term.

Despite their status as the league’s premiere seller, the Cardinals have largely been quiet to this point with the trade deadline just over 48 hours away. While reports earlier in the week hinted at the possibility of a blockbuster involving third baseman Nolan Arenado, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak firmly shut those rumors down yesterday. While Arenado may not be on the move, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently discussed a bevy of other rumors regarding the club’s options ahead of the trade deadline.

Most clearly positioned to move over the next two days are the club’s duo of mid-rotation rental starters: left-hander Jordan Montgomery and right-hander Jack Flaherty. Goold notes that both players, along with closer Jordan Hicks, are generating interest throughout the league, though the returns on each of those players, if traded by themselves, would reportedly not fit the mold of the Cardinals’ preferred return: controllable, major-league ready starting pitching.

That’s hardly a surprise, given controllable starters are typically regarded as some of the most valuable commodities in the sport. Given this, Goold indicates that the club could get creative and pair rental players with younger, controllable pieces would yield their desired return. In particular, Goold name-checks outfielders Alec Burleson and Dylan Carlson alongside relievers Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley as longer-term pieces who could be moved. In terms of potential Cardinals targets, Goold references both Yankees prospect Clayton Beeter and Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, though Goold cautions that Gilbert would require a “high-ceiling return.”

Recent reporting had previously indicated trade interest in Burleson from multiple clubs, and Goold reaffirms the Yankees’ previously reported interest in Carlson. Goold adds that, in addition to Carlson, the Yankees have interest in Hicks, who has also drawn interest from the Rangers. Additionally, Goold notes that the market for Flaherty and Montgomery includes the Marlins, who have scouted Flaherty in person this trade season, while the Rays are noted to have interest in St. Louis’s available pitchers more generally.

While Miami is seemingly focused on Flaherty among the club’s duo of rental starters, Jon Morosi of MLBNetwork reported last night that talks surrounding Montgomery were “gaining momentum” and that a deal was becoming increasingly likely. While Morosi didn’t specify which team the Cardinals were discussing Montgomery with, he noted that both the Diamondbacks and Orioles have engaged in discussions with St. Louis in recent days.

Rays, Diamondbacks Showing Interest In Jordan Hicks

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The D-Backs and Rays are among the clubs with interest in Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). The Rangers were tied to the hard-throwing righty this afternoon. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote this afternoon that the Yankees also had some interest in Hicks.

Hicks has seemed a likely trade candidate for a while. He’s an impending free agent on a St. Louis club that is openly turning its attention to 2024. He’s having a good season, posting a 3.67 ERA through 41 2/3 innings and climbing back to a high-leverage role. Hicks offers a rare blend of strikeouts (31.2%) and grounders (58.3%). Even with below-average control, his power arsenal is obviously appealing to clubs.

A few days ago, it seemed as if Hicks might surprisingly come off the market. The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported that his camp was in talks with the Cardinals about a potential multi-year extension. However, Goold reported yesterday those conversations hadn’t gained much traction.

Feinsand suggests an extension hasn’t entirely been ruled out. However, Woo echoed Goold’s reporting this afternoon, writing that talks have stalled and a trade seems probable.

Virtually any team with postseason aspirations this season could be a viable suitor. Even clubs that don’t need back-end bullpen help could add a reliever to the middle innings. Arizona has a stronger need than Tampa Bay on paper. The D-Backs rank 23rd in bullpen ERA (4.57) and 19th in strikeout rate (23.2%). The Rays are seventh in ERA (3.74) and 26th in strikeout percentage (22.1%). The Rays’ overall bullpen numbers are dragged down a bit by how often they rely on relievers and bulk pitchers following openers. Only the A’s and Giants have used their bullpen for more innings, which will naturally weigh down their dominance on a rate basis.

Of course, there’s no indication the bidding for Hicks is down to Texas, New York, Arizona and Tampa Bay. The Cardinals’ front office is presumably in conversations with a number of clubs about their trade candidates. Hicks joins Chris Stratton as impending free agent relievers on the St. Louis roster. Starters Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty are also headed to the open market and likely to be dealt this summer. Their markets are mostly unreported, but each of Texas, Arizona and Tampa Bay is also known to be looking for rotation help. Shortstop Paul DeJong figures to move as well.

Those short-term assets — paired with Dylan Carlson, who has gotten increasingly squeezed out of the outfield picture — have seemed St. Louis’ most likely trade pieces. Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman have drawn interest from other clubs, but Woo unsurprisingly writes the Cardinals aren’t interested in trading them. That’s also true of power-hitting second baseman Nolan Gorman, who has five seasons of club control beyond this one.

Yankees Activate Aaron Judge

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The Yankees announced Friday that they’ve reinstated reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge from the 10-day injured list. Infielder Oswald Peraza was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

A toe injury has kept Judge out of the lineup since June 3, and details surrounding his potential return have been somewhat vague. Manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week that it’s possible Judge could return for the Yankees’ weekend series against the division-leading Orioles, and it appears he’ll be active for all three of those critical games.

Judge, 31, has once again been outstanding in 2023, hitting .291/.404/.674 with 19 home runs in just 213 plate appearances. He’s been sorely missed in a Yankees lineup that is devoid of other notable offensive threats; since Judge landed on the injured list, the Yankees have batted just .220/.296/.374 as a team. Their 163 runs scored in that time rank 29th in the Majors, leading only the Royals. They went 19-23 with Judge on the injured list.

At least initially, Judge will split his time between right field and designated hitter, tweets Greg Joyce of the New York Post. The Yankees will understandably ease him back into the outfield alongside Harrison Bader and whichever of Jake Bauers, Billy McKinney or Greg Allen is in left field on a given day. Willie Calhoun was designated for assignment earlier this morning. Stanton has already been playing a fair bit of right field but could see an uptick in outfield reps, given Judge’s occasional rest days at designated hitter.

The Yankees currently sit two and a half games out of a Wild Card spot, and much has been made about their status leading up to Tuesday’s trade deadline. Judge’s return will push them closer to full strength as the front office makes its final decisions on how to proceed with the roster. The Post’s Jon Heyman reported this week that the Yankees would target an outfielder and reliever if they didn’t slip too far in the standings, but they’ll face a tough task against Baltimore this weekend.

Yankees Designate Willie Calhoun For Assignment

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The Yankees announced Friday that they’ve reinstated outfielder Willie Calhoun from the injured list and designated him for assignment. Calhoun had been on a rehab assignment in Double-A but is out of minor league options, meaning once he wrapped up that rehab he’d either need to be placed back on the big league roster or designated. The Yankees opted for the DFA route and will now have until Tuesday to trade him. He’ll otherwise be placed on outright or release waivers.

With reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge expected back from the injured list tonight, the Yankees’ outfield is on the verge of becoming more crowded. New York could’ve parted with any of Billy McKinney, Jake Bauers or Greg Allen as a means of getting Calhoun back onto the roster, but the former two have outhit Calhoun this year while the latter provides a far better glove and a backup option in center field.

Calhoun, 28, once ranked as one of the sport’s top minor league talents but has never delivered the type of offense that was expected of him as a bat-first prospect. He signed a minor league deal with the Yanks in the offseason and has since turned in a .239/.309/.403 batting line (96 wRC+) in 149 trips to the plate. Calhoun has walked at an above-average 9.4% rate against a considerably lower-than-average 13.4% strikeout rate, showing a keen eye at the plate and strong bat-to-ball skills. Calhoun also sports a 90.7 mph average exit velocity and 42.6% hard-hit rate — both strong numbers in their own right.

Be that as it may, Bauers and McKinney have both shown more power in their also-limited time with the Yankees. Judge and center fielder Harrison Bader are, of course, locked into the regular lineup now that the former is set to return from the injured list. Giancarlo Stanton is set as the primary designated hitter. None of McKinney, Bauers, Allen or Calhoun can be optioned, so the Yankees effectively had to decide between the four — and Calhoun proved the odd man out.

There’s a chance Calhoun will be moved between now and the trade deadline, but it could be the end of his time with the Yankees regardless. Even if he’s ultimately passed through waivers unclaimed, he’d have the option to refuse an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: The Angels Are All In, Lucas Giolito and Picking a Lane

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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 see the Marlins being sellers or buyers? (23:25)
  • Who are the Phillies targeting and who would they give up prior to the deadline? (26:35)
  • Who do the Tigers end up trading? And what can we expect in return? (28:50)

Check out our past episodes!

Yankees Still Undecided On Deadline Approach

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The Yankees are stuck in a tricky spot and still haven’t decided how to approach next week’s trade deadline, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He says that the club’s decision makers are staying “in trade limbo” until the next few days play out, but will target an outfielder and a reliever if they don’t fall too far back. Even if they do have a disappointing week, it doesn’t seem as though selling is on the table, with Yanks simply sticking to modest moves in that instance.

The club currently has a record of 53-48, which places them last in the deadly AL East but still just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot. The playoff odds at FanGraphs give them a 31.7% chance of getting into the postseason, while Baseball Prospectus is slightly more optimistic at 42.6%. They are one of several clubs in an awkward spot where they’re not completely buried but not in such a strong position that aggressive buying is the obvious move.

A major wild card here is the health of Aaron Judge, who has been on the injured list since June 4 due to a right great toe sprain. The Yankees were 35-25 after his last appearance but have since gone 18-23 to land at their current record. Aaron Boone said yesterday that it’s possible Judge could return without a rehab assignment, with an activation for this weekend’s series against the Orioles not totally off the table, with Chris Kirschner of The Athletic among those to relay the news (Twitter links). It was reported today by Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the club is planning to activate Judge on Friday, though Boone quickly pushed back on that. He said that he “wouldn’t rule it out,” per Kirschner, but that they’re taking it one day at a time.

Having Judge back in the lineup would obviously be a tremendous help to the club’s chances. Before going on the injured list, he was having a season a bit below his MVP campaign from last year, but only slightly. His .291/.404/.674 batting line so far this year amounts to a wRC+ of 187, a bit of a drop from his 207 wRC+ last year but still one of the best lines in the majors.

Even if Judge returns to the Yankees shortly, they would likely still be open to outfield upgrades. Judge might need to see some time in the designated hitter slot as he returns from injury, and there are plenty of other question marks around the rest of the club’s outfielders. Harrison Bader has dealt with many injuries in his career and recently missed some time with a rib contusion. Jake Bauers and Greg Allen each just returned from their own IL stints. Giancarlo Stanton has played the field a bit this year but is still primarily a DH. Billy McKinney has been healthy and productive lately but in a small sample after many years of struggles.

With that uncertainty, the club has already been reported to be in the market for outfield help, connected to Dylan Carlson of the Cardinals and Randal Grichuk of the Rockies. Heyman lists some speculative fits for their pursuit, including those two, as well as Cody Bellinger and Tyler O’Neill. There’s nothing to suggest the Yanks have actively pursued those latter two names and it’s not even clear either of them are available. Like the Yankees, the Cubs are reportedly still deciding on their deadline approach, which could take Bellinger off the table, while the Cardinals are apparently leaning towards holding onto O’Neill.

The bullpen is actually a strength for the Yankees, as their relievers have a collective 3.23 ERA that leads the majors, well ahead of the second-place Guardians who are at 3.52. But just about every contender can add another arm to their relief mix at this time of year, bumping other pitchers down one spot in the pecking order. Some of the relievers thought to be available include Scott Barlow, David Robertson, Joe Kelly and many more.

Heyman also adds that the club, like almost all the rest, have checked in on two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. But like the Cubs and Yankees, the Angels find themselves in the mushy middle ground, currently just 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Though they are listening to offers, it still doesn’t appear likely that Ohtani will be traded.

The Yankees’ decision makers are undoubtedly engaging in multiple conversations with rival clubs, as the August 1 deadline is now less than a week away. Their level of aggression is seemingly still to be decided, with the health of Judge and the on-field results likely to weigh heavily in their calculus. They’re scheduled to play the Mets tonight before an off-day on Thursday, then head to Baltimore for the weekend before hosting the Rays for a series that starts on Monday.

Michael Feliz To Sign With NPB’s Chunichi Dragons

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The Yankees announced that right-hander Michael Feliz has been released so he can pursue a new opportunity in Nippon Professional Baseball.  Feliz will head from New York to Nagoya, as he has agreed to sign with the Chunichi Dragons.

It will be the second international league of the 2023 season for Feliz, as he previously pitched with Yucatan of the Mexican League before catching on with the Yankees on a minor league contract in May.  Feliz looked pretty sharp over 13 games and 13 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, posting a 3.38 ERA, 27.8% strikeout rate, and 9.8% walk rate, but it seems like that a call-up to the majors wasn’t forthcoming, so Feliz had permission to seek out new employment in NPB.

Feliz has appeared in parts of every MLB season from 2015-22, and is best known for his time as a workhorse reliever with the Astros and Pirates.  The righty averaged 54 innings per season with Houston and Pittsburgh from 2016-19, with a 4.85 ERA over those four seasons and a World Series ring for his role with the Astros’ 2017 championship squad.

Since those halcyon days, Feliz has been hampered by several injuries, and subsequently bounced around to several different teams.  Feliz has pitched for four different teams at the big league level since the start of the 2020 season, but accumulated only 25 total innings and appearances in those three seasons.  Feliz also pitched in the minors for the Twins and Yankees without suiting up for either team in the majors.  His last MLB game was just over a year ago, as his 3 1/3 innings of work for the Red Sox on July 8, 2022 was his only appearance of the 2022 season.

The move to Japan represents yet another change of scenery for Feliz, who turned 30 last month.  There’s still plenty of time for a career revival and a potential future return to the majors, and his solid numbers in Triple-A and in the Mexican League hint that he might some success in NPB.

Yankees Notes: Cortes, Torres

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  • 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.

Yankees Notes: Outfield, Judge, Loaisiga

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The Yankees shuffled their outfield mix today, optioning Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero to the Triple-A while activating Greg Allen and Jake Bauers from the 10-day injured list. Bauers has been out since the beginning of the month with a rotator cuff contusion, while Allen has been on the shelf since early June with a strained right hip flexor.

The club is surely hoping the duo can help revitalize a beleaguered Yankees offense that has delivered a wRC+ of just 84 that ranks bottom four in the majors since star slugger Aaron Judge went on the injured list back in June. In 49 games this season, Bauers has slashed .224/.312/.470 with a solid wRC+ of 114 despite a strikeout rate nearing 30% thanks to a fantastic .246 ISO. Allen, meanwhile got into just 10 games with the Yankees before his trip to the IL. While he posted an excellent wRC+ of 138 during that limited time, a 41.2% strikeout rate and measly .162 xwOBA indicate that production is unsustainable. Nonetheless, Allen can nonetheless provide the Yankees with a switch-hitting outfielder with speed and quality defense off the bench.

The return of Bauers in particular could help provide the club’s lineup with a boost prior to the August 1 trade deadline, which is just over a week away. That being said, it goes without saying that the Yankees are going to need their $360MM man back to have any hope of turning around a season that’s seen them sink to fourth pace in the AL East despite a decent 52-47 record. To that end, the fans received good news today as Judge took live batting practice this morning from right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga, as relayed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Judge had previously been reported as “close” to a return, but today’s exercise represents an additional step forward as he works his way back from the torn toe ligament that has kept him out of the lineup for nearly two months.

Loaisiga, himself, has been out for nearly three months since undergoing elbow surgery to remove a bone spur back in May. That he’s progressed to the point of facing live hitting represents a step forward in the rehab process for him, as well. The next step for Loaisiga appears to be a rehab assignment, which The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner relays could begin next weekend, per manager Aaron Boone. Despite the Yankees sporting an MLB-best bullpen ERA of 3.21 this season, a healthy and effective return from Loasigia, who sports a 3.04 ERA and 3.31 FIP in 145 innings of work since the beginning of the 2020 campaign, could provide a major boost to the Yankees down the stretch.

Jose Trevino To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

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The Yankees announced that they have placed catcher Jose Trevino on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 18, due to a right wrist tear. Fellow catcher Ben Rortvedt has been recalled in a corresponding move. Trevino tells Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter links) that he’s done for the season and will require surgery. He’s apparently had the issue since Spring Training and has been trying to fight through it. He expects to be ready for next year’s Spring Training, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Hoch also relays that the specific nature of the injury is a torn triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) ligament.

Trevino, 30, is having a poor season offensively, with the wrist issue perhaps explaining why. He hit .248/.283/.388 last year but has dipped to a line of .210/.257/.312 here in 2023, that latter line amounting to a wRC+ of 58. In terms of his glovework, he’s not on pace to match last year’s elite 21 Defensive Runs Saved, but he still has 6 DRS this year, putting him in the top 10 among all catchers in the league. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus give him strong marks for his framing, while Statcast considers him an above-average strong blocker.

Trevino may not be a star player but he’s a solid defensive option and was decent at the plate last year. Frustrating injury absences have been a key storyline for the Yanks this year. The most prominent example is Aaron Judge but they’ve also seen Harrison Bader, Carlos Rodón, Frankie Montas, Nestor Cortes, Josh Donaldson and many others miss time. That’s part of the reason why the club is having a disappointing summer, having slipped to 50-47 and four games back of a playoff spot.

The club may now have to make some difficult decisions about how aggressively to approach the deadline, which is on August 1. FanGraphs currently pegs their playoff odds at 28.3%, certainly not a hopeless situation but definitely a challenging one. Catching upgrades are generally tricky during a season, as a new backstop would have to learn the entire pitching staff on the fly. But if the Yanks want to add for a postseason push, it might be something to look into. They might have some competition within the division, as the Rays lost Francisco Mejía to a knee sprain earlier today.

For now, the Yanks will proceed with Rortvedt and Kyle Higashioka, the only two other backstops on the 40-man roster. Rortvedt has dealt with his own injury issues in recent years, getting into just 48 minor league games last year and then 38 contests so far this year between the majors and minors.

In terms of non-roster depth, the club has promoted Austin Wells to Triple-A, per Conor Foley of the Scranton Times-Tribune. Wells was the Yankees’ first-round draft pick from 2020 and was recently ranked their #3 prospect by Baseball America. He had been hitting .237/.327/.443 in Double-A prior to the promotion.

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