Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Falvey: Twins Not Focused On Selling

By | at

The Twins have hit a rough patch lately but are still hoping to avoid going into the deadline as sellers. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey explained his thinking to members of the press this week, including Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune and Matthew Leach of MLB.com.

“[Selling is] not my focus right now by any means,” Falvey said. “I think when you think you have the team that you believe you have, and you hope you get healthier and get guys back here soon, that you feel like this group … is capable of putting together good baseball, it’s hard for you to think like that.” Falvey did leave the door open to a later pivot, however. “If we have to cross that bridge, we’ll cross that bridge later, but that is not at all our focus right now. It’s to figure out how to get this team right back to where it needs to be.”

The Twins have proven to be one of the least consistent teams in the majors this year. They were 13-18 at the end of April but bounced back with a 13-game win streak in May, eventually posting an 18-8 record that month. However, they’ve now slid back down with a deadful 6-16 showing in June so far.

They gives them a record of 37-42 overall. They’re not totally buried, currently sitting 4.5 games back of a Wild Card spot. However, they would need to leapfrog six clubs to get into postseason position. FanGraphs gives them a 20.4% of getting into the playoffs with Baseball Prospectus at 26.8%.

That puts them in a notable position with the deadline just over a month away. If their current slump continues, their outlook will obviously worsen. Whereas another 13-game win streak or anything close to that would push them in the opposite direction.

If the Twins are in a position to add, starting pitching would be a natural target as they recently lost both Pablo López and Zebby Matthews to shoulder strains. Rather than wait until the deadline, it seems the Twins were close to adding to their rotation recently, but the commonality of pitching injuries also hurt them indirectly.

“Pitching depth is not a phrase that’s real to me,” Falvey said. “Every time you think you have some, it gets thinned. Even when we had a couple injuries, there was a team that felt like they had some pitching depth and we had a brief trade conversation, ‘Hey, could we pick off some?’ And they were open to it. Within 72 hours, there were two different pitching injuries on that team that ultimately peeled them back from the market.”

This seems highly likely to be a reference to Paul Blackburn of the Mets. Shortly after López and Matthews hit the injured list, it was reported that the Mets were fielding trade interest in Blackburn, on account of their relative rotation surplus. But as that report came out, Kodai Senga got injured and then Tylor Megill followed him to the IL a few days later.

The Twins currently have a rotation mix consisting of Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, Simeon Woods Richardson and David Festa. Ideally, that group would have stepped up when López and Matthews landed on the shelf but that hasn’t been the case. Ober has been effective at times but has an unsightly 8.51 ERA in June. It’s a similar story for Paddack, who had a 6.11 ERA this month. Woods Richardson is at 5.06 for the year and Festa at 6.39.

Over the next month, the club’s record will obviously be an important factor to watch, but so will the starting group. It’s possible that Matthews is back with the club prior to the deadline while López could be making some progress towards a return. The guys currently on the roster could, of course, improve their results over the coming weeks.

If the club struggles in the next few weeks, then pivoting into sell mode will have to be a consideration. Players like Paddack, Willi Castro, Harrison Bader, Danny Coulombe and Ty France are impending free agents and would garner interest. They would also surely get calls on players with a bit more control such as Ryan Jeffers, Jhoan Durán, Trevor Larnach and others.

If the club is able to go into the deadline as buyers, a classic baseball trade is a possibility. “It feels like in light of 12 out of 15 American League teams [being in contention], you sometimes have to evaluate need-for-need stuff at the Major League level,” Falvey said. “They’re harder to pull off, admittedly. No one likes to trade from depth at their big league level. But if we find the right opportunity overlap, we have to be open-minded to that. I don’t think it’s a likely path because you don’t see it that often. But I think we have to at least have those conversations and be open-minded to it.”

The Twins have a number of intriguing players who are currently putting up good numbers in Triple-A, including Edouard Julien, Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. It’s also possible that Royce Lewis could be back from the IL before the deadline, with Luke Keaschall potentially making progress as well. Perhaps the Twins could consider trading players like Castro, Bader, France or others even if they are still in the race, if they felt they could add some pitching while still having a good amount of position player talent.

Money is another noteworthy factor for a team without huge spending capacity like the Twins. Falvey addressed that situation but noted that it’s still very much up in the air, like everything else with the club. “If we get close to the deadline and have decisions to make, I’m always bringing those to the Pohlad family, to Joe [Pohlad, primary owner] and saying ’I think this is the right baseball decision for us or not.’ We’ve had plenty of opportunity to have those conversations and had opportunities to add when it’s the right fit. I feel confident I’ll be able to have those conversations again; where they land, and what they are, I can’t predict that yet.”

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Latest On Cubs’ Rotation Targets

By | at

The Cubs are on the hunt for rotation upgrades — a fact that’s both been widely reported and publicly confirmed by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. It’s easy enough to see why. Ace Justin Steele was lost for the season due to elbow surgery back in April. Shota Imanaga is returning to the rotation tomorrow, his first start since a hamstring injury sent him to the 15-day IL back on May 4. Javier Assad hasn’t pitched this year due to multiple oblique strains. Young right-hander Ben Brown was optioned to Triple-A yesterday amid ongoing struggles. Swingman Colin Rea, moved into the rotation during that injury deluge, has begun to struggle after initially excelling in a starting role.

Few teams have decided on a deadline direction yet, but Chicago has already been in contact with some clubs that know they’ll operate as sellers. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Cubs have inquired on Marlins right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that the Cubs also have some interest in Pirates righty Mitch Keller (as well as closer David Bednar). He adds that they’ve kept tabs on A’s righty Luis Severino before quickly downplaying the possibility that the Athletics would actually trade the veteran right-hander in the first season of his three-year, $67MM contract.

There are surely other names on the Cubs’ radar, but the early connections are notable. That’s particularly true on the heels of 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reporting earlier this week that the Cubs are being aggressive and are hoping to push something across the finish line well ahead of next month’s deadline — perhaps even within the next week to ten days (audio link). Levine suggested that Alcantara was not the likeliest target and that someone a bit more under the radar was more probable.

The Marlins duo stand as obvious trade candidates. Alcantara entered the season as perhaps the most plain-as-day trade candidate in the sport. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner is in his first full season back from a Tommy John procedure that cost him all of the 2024 campaign. He’s earning $17MM this year and next, and the Marlins hold a $21MM club option for the 2027 season.

Alcantara, 29, didn’t do his trade candidacy any favors early on. He pitched to an awful 8.47 ERA through the end of May, striking out only 16.9% of opponents against a 12.2% walk rate along the way. He’s since shown signs of life. Alcantara has pitched 23 innings over his past four starts and allowed a total of seven runs (2.74 ERA) on 18 hits and five walks with 19 strikeouts (20.4 K%, 5.4 BB%). His 46.4% grounder rate in that time is comfortably better than average but a ways from its 53.4% peak. His fastball velocity hasn’t been much of a question all year, averaging better than 97 mph — 97.6 mph over his past four starts. That’s down a slight bit from his 98 mph average pre-surgery, but not by an alarming measure.

If Alcantara can continue distancing himself from that bleak two-month start and continue resembling his 2022 self, the chances of a trade will only increase. Every club with even a glimmer of postseason contention would love to add the two-time All-Star with his ability to its staff, particularly when considering the relatively affordable nature of his salary under the terms of the contract extension he signed a few years back. The asking price on Alcantara figures to be steep, however, and the Marlins may wish to hold him a bit longer to allow him to continue posting improved results and further drum up interest. If that’s the case, the timing may not align with Chicago’s more urgent push for a starting pitcher.

Cabrera, 27, isn’t as well-known as his teammate but was a highly touted pitching prospect himself prior to his big league debut. He’s shown glimpses of that potential in the past, but the 2025 campaign thus far has the makings of a possible breakout. In 59 innings, Cabrera has pitched to a 3.81 ERA with a 24.8% strikeout rate, a 10.2% walk rate and a 42.9% ground-ball rate. He’s averaging a career-best 96.7 mph on his four-seamer, has ramped the usage of his sinker up to a career-high 23% and is throwing more sliders than he has in the past two seasons.

Cabrera entered the 2025 season with 2.147 years of major league service. That was enough for him to reach Super Two designation, meaning he’s already gone through the arbitration process once, coming away with a modest $1.95MM salary. He’ll be owed a raise in each of the next three offseasons before hitting free agency following the 2028 season. He’s nowhere near as established as Alcantara or Keller — Cabrera has never even pitched 100 innings in a big league season — but his power arsenal, low salary and that remaining club control hold obvious appeal.

Turning to the Pirates, Keller is a sensible enough trade candidate, even though the Bucs probably aren’t in a rush to trade him. He’s only in the second season of a five-year, $77MM contract. The former second-round pick and top prospect is earning $15MM this year, and that extension (which tacked four years and $71.6MM onto his previously agreed upon arbitration salary for 2024) calls for salaries of $16.5MM, $18MM and $20MM in the three subsequent seasons.

Keller has appeared in at least 31 games in each of the past three seasons and is on pace to do so again in 2025. He’s started 16 games and totaled 94 innings with a 4.02 ERA, an 18.5% strikeout rate, a 6.1% walk rate and a 45.5% ground-ball rate. That strikeout rate is down from 23.5% he posted in 2023-24, but Keller is getting more grounders and issuing fewer walks than in those seasons. His velocity is down about a half-mile per hour from last year, with his average four-seamer clocking in at 93.9 mph and his average sinker at 92.8 mph. Keller has made some alterations to his pitch selection, throwing his sinker less and his slider at a career-high 34.9% rate. He’s also ditched his cutter and is reincorporating a changuep that he effectively shelved for 2024.

The possibility of an intradivision trade with a player of this caliber is fascinating, if only because it rarely occurs. The Pirates are deep in pitching talent, however, with Paul Skenes anchoring the rotation and Bubba Chandler — perhaps MLB’s top pitching prospect — seemingly ready to go in Triple-A. Bailey Falter is a relative veteran at this point, and the Pirates have a deep stock of additional young arms including Mike Burrows, Braxton Ashcraft, Thomas Harrington and Hunter Barco. Jared Jones underwent Tommy John surgery this summer but looked promising as a rookie last year. Johan Oviedo was a solid fourth starter in 2023 before his own Tommy John procedure. Veteran Andrew Heaney is eating innings in the rotation right now but seems like a lock to be traded before the deadline if he’s healthy.

Whether that depth would be enough to persuade the Pirates to part with Keller is an open question. This is Ben Cherington’s sixth year as Pirates general manager, and the Bucs haven’t won more than 76 games in a season during his tenure. Trading Keller would be more akin to the large-scale rebuilding moves made earlier in his tenure, but if a trade partner were to give up immediate MLB talent, it wouldn’t necessarily indicate a step back. Dealing from a position of strength and then using the money that had been earmarked for Keller to bolster other areas of the staff could make good sense. Of course, given the Pirates’ history, it can’t be assumed that owner Bob Nutting would just pump Keller’s salary right back into the payroll by way of offseason free-agent signings or trade acquisitions.

From the Cubs’ stance, Keller or Alcantara would fit nicely into the payroll (and Cabrera even more so, of course). They’re veterans on the sort of mid-range contracts Cubs ownership seems to prefer with regard to pitchers.

The Cubs only have about $123MM in guarantees on the books next year, though that number will almost certainly rise to $138MM when the team picks up a three-year club option on Imanaga. Even still, that leaves plenty of room for Keller, Alcantara or just about any other rotation target. Assuming that Imanaga option is exercised, he and Dansby Swanson will be the only players signed beyond 2026. The Cubs obviously hope to extend Pete Crow-Armstrong and re-sign Kyle Tucker, but those goals arguably only increase the importance of finding some cost-effective ways to round out the starting staff.

Dombrowski: Phillies Focused On Bullpen Help

By | at

The Phillies enter deadline season as clear buyers, sitting atop the NL East with a 47-32 record — the third-best record of any club in the game. It’s a familiar refrain, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made clear this week in interviews with Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extrabase and Jayson Stark of The Athletic that his focus will be on adding to the bullpen.

“Our starting pitching’s so good,” Dombrowski told Alvarez Montes. “When [Bryce] Harper comes back, our lineup is in pretty good shape at that time. It’s probably bullpen is our biggest focus.”

Dombrowski offered similar sentiments in his chat with Stark and podcast co-host Doug Glanville, though he expanded a bit deeper. While the Phils clearly have a need for some relief help, The longtime baseball ops leader reminded that lefty José Alvarado will be back for the end of the regular season, which will be a boost to the team’s bullpen. Because Alvarado is serving an 80-game PED ban, he’s ineligible for this year’s postseason, but Dombrowski noted that his club will likely shift multiple members of its vaunted rotation into the ’pen for the postseason, just as one of his former teams — the 2018 Red Sox — did to great effect when plugging Nathan Eovaldi and David Price into the playoff bullpen.

That’s not to say the Phillies won’t go out and add a bullpen arm (or perhaps even two). Dombrowski is nothing if not aggressive and straightforward when his team has a need. He emphasized to Stark and Glanville that winning opportunities only come around so often and should not be taken for granted, even if it means “you may give up a little more than you would want to in other circumstances.”

[Related: Philadelphia Phillies Trade Deadline Outlook]

Dombrowski pointed back to his 2022 trade of righty Ben Brown to Chicago in exchange for David Robertson as one such example, noting that it was a painful decision that was made out of what he believed to be strong pitching depth in the system and a major league roster that was capable of making a deep postseason run. Brown, 22 at the time, was ranked as the Phillies’ No. 7 prospect at Baseball America and was ready for a bump from High-A to Double-A. Robertson was a pure rental but in the midst of a terrific rebound season for the Cubs. He went on to pitch well for the Phils down the stretch and into the postseason. Brown was in the majors less than two years after the trade. He’s struggled in 2025 (and was optioned yesterday) but pitched quite well for Chicago last year and is still viewed as a viable long-term member of the pitching staff.

Phillies relievers currently rank 25th in the majors with a 4.63 ERA. They’re slightly better when it comes to FIP (4.24, 22nd) and SIERA (3.78, 15th). The Philadelphia bullpen has a 22.2% strikeout rate that’s right in line with the 22.4% league-average for relievers, and their 8.8% walk rate is a bit shy of the 9.4% league-average mark. However, the group has been far too homer-prone overall, sitting with a 1.29 HR/9 mark that is tied for the second-worst mark in the majors.

The Phillies have gotten generally good work from Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering, Tanner Banks and (before he was suspended) Alvarado. Offseason signee Jordan Romano struggled considerably in the season’s first month but has posted a 2.95 ERA with a huge 35.6% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate over the past two months. Taijuan Walker, moved from the rotation to the bullpen, has shown flashes of excellence — he tossed three scoreless innings of one-hit ball and fanned seven Rays in a relief outing back in May, for instance — but has been inconsistent and stumbled as of late.

Stark did touch on other topics with Dombrowski, notably wondering whether the Phillies might be open to moving Harper back to the outfield if the opportunity to acquire a right-handed-hitting first baseman presented itself. The Phillies’ president declined to speak in absolutes but said he would strongly prefer not to do so, citing Harper’s defensive acumen at first base. In more general terms, Dombrowski downplayed the possibility of adding a bat in any capacity, pointing to previous trade deadlines where he’s promoted players from the farm rather than make an outside acquisition. Twenty-five-year-old Otto Kemp, who hit .313/.416/.594 in Triple-A before a recent promotion to the majors, is currently getting a look and was mentioned specifically by Dombrowski.

Dombrowski also spoke in broad terms about hoping to re-sign Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto after the season, as both are up for free agency this winter. Phillies fans, in particular, will want to check out both interviews, which clock in around six minutes (Alvarez Montes) and 30 minutes (Stark/Glanville) in length.

MLBTR Podcast: The Braves Say They Won’t Sell, Jeimer Candelario DFA’d, And Injured D-Backs

By | at

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…

  • Matthew Boyd has already surpassed his highest innings total since 2019. How far do the Cubs push him over the remainder of the season? (32:05)
  • The Padres and Royals have pitching they could trade but should they? (38:20)
  • The Reds don’t have long-term answers at first base, third base, left field, right field or designated hitter. Is there a path to bring in players from outside the organization? (45:40)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images

The Opener: Scherzer, Neto, Pitchers’ Duel

By | at

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Scherzer to be activated:

Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list today. Scherzer made just one start for Toronto before going on the shelf due to a nagging thumb issue. For a Blue Jays team in clear need of starting pitching reinforcements, Scherzer’s return should be reason for optimism, given his Hall of Fame caliber resume and career 3.16 ERA. Scherzer will need to be re-added to the 40-man roster once activated. The Jays opened a spot when Erik Swanson was released earlier this week but then acquired Robinson Pina yesterday. Scherzer is scheduled to take the mound in Cleveland against right-hander Gavin Williams (3.58 ERA) at 6:40pm local time.

2. Zach Neto to undergo MRI:

The Angels are facing a potential injury scare today after shortstop Zach Neto was removed from yesterday’s game. Neto told reporters (including Jack Janes of The Sporting Tribune) last night that he’s dealing with some “soreness” in his shoulder after sliding into second base on an attempted steal and that he will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue. The 24-year-old added that he isn’t concerned about his shoulder and is just being cautious after undergoing shoulder surgery back in November. Scott Kingery took over the position after Neto departed the game and could be in line for reps at shortstop if Neto misses time. In 262 plate appearances this season, Neto is batting .278/.321/.494 (125 wRC+) with a dozen homers and 13 stolen bases.

3. Pitchers’ duel in the NL Central:

A battle of exciting young pitching talents is scheduled to take place tonight in Milwaukee, as top Brewers prospect Jacob Misiorowski will take the mound for his third career start after posting a 1.64 ERA with a 28.9% strikeout rate (and a less-appealing 13.2% walk rate) across 11 innings in his first two appearances. Misiorowski’s opponent will be Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, a finalist for the 2024 NL Cy Young Award, and an early frontrunner for the Cy Young this season. Skenes has pitched to a phenomenal 1.85 ERA in 16 starts across 102 innings of work this year, striking out 27.2% of his opponents against a 6.9% walk rate. He’s allowed only five home runs (0.44 HR/9). The two young flamethrowers will face off at 1:10pm local time this afternoon.

Trade Deadline Outlook: Houston Astros

By | at

MLBTR’s team-by-team look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Astros. They're yet again in pole position in the AL West. Payroll might be an obstacle this summer, but they're in a familiar position as a deadline buyer.

Record: 45-33 (89.6% playoff probability, per FanGraphs)

Buy Mode

Potential needs: Left-handed bat, rotation depth, second base

Dana Brown gave us an easy starting point for the Astros' deadline outlook. Houston's general manager said over the weekend that the front office is already scouring the market for a left-handed hitter. That would have been easy enough to infer from a look at the roster. The Astros have the most right-handed lineup in recent history. They've given more than 2500 plate appearances to righty hitters this season (not including switch-hitters against lefty pitching). The second-place Angels are more than 400 PAs behind Houston, and no other team has even reached 1900. They're on pace to surpass the 2022 Blue Jays for the most plate appearances for right-handed batters in a season this century.

The flip side, of course, is that they've given a staggeringly low 175 plate appearances to pure left-handed hitters. Victor Caratini is their only switch-hitter of note. Yordan Alvarez should be back at some point, but he's coming up on two months since he fractured his right hand. Opponents have unsurprisingly thrown more right-handed pitchers at Houston than at any other. It hasn't stopped them from having success so far, but they'll obviously prefer to have more balance as they look ahead to potential playoff series.

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS
  • Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
  • Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
  • Remove ads and support our writers.
  • Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker

Mets To Select Jonathan Pintaro

By | at

The Mets will select right-hander Jonathan Pintaro onto the MLB roster, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. They’ll need to make corresponding active and 40-man roster moves.

Pintaro, 27, has been pitching at Double-A Binghamton this season. He has started all 11 appearances but hasn’t worked a traditional rotation workload, usually going around four innings. He has posted good rate stats, striking out a third of opponents against an 8.8% walk percentage. The Mets had just promoted him to Triple-A on Tuesday but evidently decided they needed him on the big league staff instead. Sammon notes that he’s expected to pitch out of the bullpen, presumably as a low-leverage long reliever.

A product of Division II Shorter University in Georgia, Pintaro went undrafted in 2022. Once he gets into a game, he’ll become the second player in school history (after 1980s reliever Bob Long) to appear in the big leagues. Pintaro began his professional career in the Pioneer League before catching on with the Mets via minor league contract last June.

He combined for a 2.68 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning across 74 frames between three levels to begin his affiliated ball career. Baseball America ranked Pintaro as the #25 prospect in the New York system over the offseason. BA called him a potential depth starter and/or swingman who succeeds by varying hitters’ timing with a five-pitch mix.

Blue Jays To Acquire Robinson Pina From Marlins

By | at

The Blue Jays and Marlins are finalizing a trade that’ll send right-hander Robinson Piña from Miami to Toronto for minor league pitcher Colby Martin, reports Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The Marlins had designated Piña for assignment over the weekend. Toronto has an opening on the 40-man roster for now but will reinstate Max Scherzer from the 60-day injured list tomorrow, so they’ll need to open one roster spot.

It has been a quick turnaround for Piña, who was just selected onto Miami’s 40-man roster last Thursday. He made his big league debut a day later, tossing one inning of relief in a 6-2 win over the Braves. He gave up a home run to Austin Riley while retiring Alex Verdugo, Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna. Miami designated him for assignment the next day and brought up lefty Josh Simpson as a fresh arm.

Piña, 26, was in his first season in the Miami organization. He’d previously spent time in the Angels and Phillies systems before joining the Fish on an offseason minor league contract. Piña has worked out of the rotation at Triple-A Jacksonville, turning in a 3.47 ERA across 57 innings. He has recorded a league average 22.2% strikeout rate against a solid 6.2% walk percentage. He averages around 93 MPH with both his four-seam and sinker and also features a slider and splitter. He has a full slate of options remaining and can bounce between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo.

Martin is a 24-year-old reliever who was just promoted to High-A last week. He only has one appearance at that level. The 5’11” righty posted a 1.61 ERA while striking out a third of opponents against generally younger competition in Low-A. Toronto’s 16th-round pick last summer out of Southeastern University, Martin is a recent pitching convert after spending his first two collegiate seasons as an infielder. He has very little control right now (16% walk rate), as one would expect for a new pitcher. The Marlins are evidently intrigued enough by the stuff to take a flier.

Genesis Cabrera Elects Free Agency

By | at

Génesis Cabrera elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Cubs over the weekend, per the MLB.com transaction tracker. The lefty reliever went unclaimed on waivers and has more than enough service time to return to the market.

Cabrera will seek his third team of the season. He made six appearances for the Mets earlier in the year, working 7 2/3 innings of three-run ball. New York waived him in late May. Cabrera cleared waivers and signed a major league contract with the Cubs. He struggled over nine appearances with Chicago, giving up nine runs through 9 1/3 frames. He struck out eight, issued three walks, and surrendered four home runs.

The 28-year-old Cabrera now carries a 6.35 ERA over 17 innings on the year. He posted a 3.59 mark over 69 appearances for the Blue Jays just last season. That came with an underwhelming strikeout and walk profile, though, leading the Jays to cut him loose at the beginning of the offseason. Cabrera still has plus velocity, averaging north of 96 MPH on his fastball from the left side. He’s an interesting depth target but seems likely to be limited to minor league offers after struggling in Chicago.

Twins, Jose Urena Agree To Minor League Deal

By | at

The Twins are in agreement with José Ureña on a minor league contract, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The veteran swingman has been assigned to Triple-A St. Paul.

Ureña is now on his fourth team of the season. He logged brief stints with the Mets, Blue Jays and Dodgers but was eventually outrighted off all three rosters. He elected free agency in each case — the most recent of those coming after the Dodgers waived him two weeks ago. He has allowed 11 runs across 18 1/3 combined innings. He recorded 10 strikeouts against five walks.

The 33-year-old Ureña held a spot on the Texas pitching staff throughout the ’24 season. He posted a 3.80 ERA while getting ground-balls at a 50% clip in 109 innings for the Rangers. He has never had a good strikeout and walk profile, but he averages around 96 MPH on his sinker and got grounders on half the batted balls he allowed last year. He’ll presumably work as a starter in St. Paul but could serve as rotation or long relief depth for the MLB club.

Minnesota’s pitching staff has collapsed this month. Their 6.81 team ERA in June is nearly a run and a half higher than the next-worst team. That doesn’t include tonight’s game in which Chris Paddack has given up four earned runs through his first three innings. Minnesota’s entire rotation has struggled since they lost Pablo López and Zebby Matthews to injury. The bullpen hasn’t been any better. Out-of-options long reliever Joey Wentz, a recent waiver claim from Pittsburgh, has given up 10 runs in 5 1/3 frames since landing with Minnesota.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top