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Dodgers, Twins To Swap Brock Stewart For James Outman

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The Dodgers and Twins are reportedly in agreement on a one-for-one swap of reliever Brock Stewart for center fielder James Outman. Both players are on the 40-man roster, so there won’t need to be any corresponding transactions.

Stewart hasn’t gotten as much attention as former teammates Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax at the back of Minnesota’s bullpen. He’s a strong late-game weapon in his own right. As with most Dodger pitching targets, he’s very effective on a rate basis but comes with significant durability questions. Stewart is healthy at the moment, and his presence should be a major boost to a floundering L.A. relief group.

The 6’3″ Stewart has fired 34 innings of 2.38 ERA ball on the year. He has struck out almost 30% of batters faced behind an excellent 14.7% swinging strike rate. He pairs that with a league average 7.9% walk rate and has done a good job avoiding hard contact. Stewart leads a five-pitch mix with a 96 MPH fastball and gets big swing-and-miss numbers on both his sweeper and changeup.

It’s a back-end profile. Stewart has picked up 14 holds and only blown one lead all season. Minnesota skipper Rocco Baldelli has used him behind only Duran and Jax on their leverage hierarchy over the past month. This is the second time in the past three years in which Stewart has been an underrated bullpen weapon. He posted a 0.95 ERA with a near-36% strikeout rate in 28 appearances two seasons back.

Health is the drawback. Stewart has appeared in parts of seven MLB seasons. He has never reached 40 innings. He’ll establish a new career-high workload in his first appearance after the trade. Stewart began his career with the Dodgers as a 2014 sixth-round pick. He logged parts of four seasons as a swingman before being lost on waivers to Toronto in 2019. He was out of MLB entirely over the next three seasons, largely because of 2021 Tommy John surgery.

Stewart reemerged with Minnesota in 2023. He was suddenly sitting around 97 MPH after working in the 91-94 range before the surgery. Stewart dominated for a couple months until experiencing renewed elbow discomfort that shut him down in late June. Last season, he was limited to 18 appearances by shoulder problems that necessitated arthroscopic surgery in August. He has been healthy this year aside from a brief season-opening IL stint related to a left hamstring strain.

The atypical career arc and lack of volume have tamped down Stewart’s earning power. He’s playing on an $870K salary that is barely above the league minimum. Stewart will go through arbitration twice more and won’t hit free agency until the end of his age-35 season. While the affordability meant that the Twins didn’t need to trade him, they also presumably felt this was the peak of his value. Stewart’s age and injury history meant there’d be real risk in holding onto him and hoping he’d remain this effective going into 2026.

It’s the first of what should be multiple bullpen acquisitions for Los Angeles. Dodger relievers rank 22nd in MLB with a 4.24 earned run average. They’re top 10 in strikeout rate but have not been as strong as expected. Tanner Scott has been wobbly and is now battling elbow inflammation. Kirby Yates has a 4.31 ERA despite excellent strikeout and walk numbers. Evan Phillips is done for the year. Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol could make late-season returns but have notable injury concerns.

While Stewart himself is far from a sure thing to stay healthy, he’s a nice get for a player whose hold on a roster spot seemed tenuous. The 28-year-old Outman hit 23 home runs and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting two seasons ago. That came with a concerning level of swing-and-miss, however, and he hasn’t come close to that kind of production over the past couple years. Outman fanned at a 35% clip while hitting .147 in 53 big league contests last season. He’s batting .103 with 18 strikeouts in 44 trips to the plate this year.

Outman has remained productive against minor league pitching. He’s hitting .289/.378/.592 with 20 homers and 14 stolen bases in 70 Triple-A games this season. His .286/.386/.585 batting line over parts of three season there is strong even in the context of the Pacific Coast League. Outman’s production still comes with significant strikeout caveats. He’s a plus runner and defensive center fielder who doesn’t need to hit a ton to be a fourth or fifth outfielder. He’ll nevertheless obviously need to produce more than the .137/.245/.269 slash that he has managed at the MLB level over the past two seasons.

This is Outman’s final minor league option year. He can back up Byron Buxton in center or spend the remainder of the season at Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins would need to decide whether to carry him on the Opening Day roster next season or expose him to waivers.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the Dodgers were nearing a deal for Stewart. Alden González of ESPN reported Outman was going back, while Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star-Tribune confirmed it was one for one.

Images courtesy of Matt Krohn and Patrick Gorski, Imagn Images.

Latest On Marlins Pitchers, Outfielders

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2:38pm: MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports that the Yankees have pitched the Marlins on a potential package deal involving Alcantara and Bender.

10:25am: All eyes are on Sandy Alcantara today, with less than seven hours to go until the MLB trade deadline.  The former Cy Young winner sports an ugly post-Tommy John 6.36 ERA in 21 starts, but he has totaled 12 scoreless innings in his last two starts against the Padres and Cardinals.

Alcantara is controlled through 2027 by virtue of the contract extension he signed over three years ago.  The Astros and Red Sox were linked to him yesterday, while the Mets, Padres, and Cubs are among those previously connected.  This morning, Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds another potential suitor: the Yankees.

The Yankees have Luis Gil set to make his season debut Sunday against the Marlins following his spring lat strain, which may send Cam Schlittler back to Triple-A (if the latter isn’t included in a trade today).  Gil will join veterans Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Marcus Stroman, as well as Will Warren.  As Greg Joyce of the New York Post wrote yesterday, a rotation acquisition by the Yankees would force a choice between Warren and Stroman.

With a competitive balance tax payroll around $314MM after additions of Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, and Austin Slater, the Yankees face a 110% tax on every dollar they add this summer.  Alcantara is earning $17MM this year and next, with a club option for 2027.  Acquiring Alcantara would mean adding more than $6MM to the Yankees’ CBT ledger for this year, plus a tax of around $6.7MM.

Teams seeking starting pitching are also intrigued by hard-throwing Marlins righty Edward Cabrera.  Cabrera, 27, is having a better season than Alcantara and is under team control through 2028 at much lower (expected) salaries than Alcantara.  As such, it makes sense that the Yankees are interested in Cabrera, as Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports today with five hours left until the deadline.  The Marlins are eyeing powerful Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones, notes Morosi.  According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, “interest in both Alcantara and Cabrera is very high.”

Sammon also notes that a pair of Marlins righty relievers are drawing interest in Ronny Henriquez and Calvin Faucher.  Henriquez’s 32.4 K% ranks 20th among relievers this year, and he’s been mentioned as an under-the-radar trade candidate by MLBTR several times this month.  Given that Henriquez was a February waiver claim who had limited MLB experience with the Twins, he’s under team control through 2030.

As you might expect, Sammon reports that Faucher is more likely to be traded today.  Faucher, 30 in September, has a 3.73 ERA, 23.2 K%, and 10.7 BB% this year with a 44.2% groundball rate.  He’s less intriguing than Henriquez, but is under control through 2029.  Righty Anthony Bender has also been in rumors this month.

Finally, Sammon points out that Marlins outfielders Jesus Sanchez and Dane Myers are also drawing interest.  Sanchez, 28 in October, is under team control through 2027.  He’s a left-handed hitter who has a slightly above average 104 wRC+ since 2023, though against righties he’s at 119 during that time.  Myers, a December 2022 waiver claim from the Tigers, is under team control through ’29.  He’s a righty hitter who can serve as a lefty masher, given his 141 wRC+ against southpaws in 172 plate appearances dating back to 2023.

Sanchez has been playing right field for the Marlins, often sitting against lefties.  Myers has been taking most starts in center, occasionally sharing with Javier Sanoja.

Padres Leaning Towards Holding Robert Suarez

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The Padres just landed a superstar reliever in the biggest move of deadline season. Mason Miller’s presence theoretically gives the Padres more freedom to trade incumbent closer Robert Suarez in the next three hours. That doesn’t appear to be the team’s plan, though.

Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune and Dennis Lin of The Athletic each wrote this afternoon that the Friars were leaning towards holding Suarez. Both reports note that they’re still entertaining a trade of impending free agent starter Dylan Cease. Suarez is likely to hit free agency this winter as well. He’s expected to opt out of the remaining two years and $16MM on his contract. Cease is a pure rental who is making $13.75MM.

Suarez’s opt-out makes him a more complicated trade candidate. Other teams could have trepidation about the possibility of a late-season injury that causes him to bypass the out chance. That’s something they’d want to price into the prospect return they’re offering San Diego. It could explain why the Padres don’t appear to have found much traction on a return they consider compelling. Instead, they seem inclined to stick with a monster bullpen including Miller, Suarez, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon to shorten games for what they hope will be a deep playoff run.

The focus now appears to be on an outfielder. San Diego has reportedly addressed their catching need by landing Freddy Fermin from Kansas City for back-end starters Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. They still need to add a left fielder; Acee writes that acquiring a right-hand hitting outfielder would be ideal.

Royals Trade Freddy Fermin To Padres For Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek

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The Padres are acquiring catcher Freddy Fermin from the Royals, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Right-handers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek are headed to Kansas City in exchange for Fermin. The clubs have since announced the deal.

Fermin, 30, heads to San Diego after parts of four seasons with the Royals. After a three-game cup of coffee in 2022, Fermin debuted in a more substantial way the following year when he appeared in 70 games as a complement to Salvador Perez behind the plate. Fermin did quite well for himself in that rookie campaign, as he slashed .281/.321/.461 with a 108 wRC+ with strong grades for his defense behind the plate. It was enough to earn him a larger role with the club, and he began to take more starts behind the dish while Perez increasingly spent his time at DH or first base.

Fermin went on to appear in 111 games last year and put together a solid enough season. While his offense took a step back amid increased playing time, he still managed a wRC+ of 92 and earned strong marks for his blocking and throwing arm behind the plate. Things have taken a turn for the worse this year, however. Fermin has been lackluster at the dish with a .255/.309/.339 (78 wRC+) slash line, and his defensive metrics have taken a step back as well. He’s been worth just 0.4 fWAR in 67 games, but even that somewhat meager performance outpaces the Padres’ current catching tandem. Elias Diaz (67 wRC+) and Martin Maldonado (62 wRC+) have both been even less impressive than Fermin behind the plate this year, and Maldonado in particular has paired that weak offense with some of the worst catcher defense in the entire sport despite his reputation as an elite game caller.

Getting an upgrade on both at and behind the plate who comes with four years of team control was evidently worth paying a significant price for the Padres. In exchange for surrendering Fermin, the Royals have brought in two young starters who have already broken into the big leagues in Bergert and Kolek. Bergert is the prize of the duo, still in his rookie season with a 2.78 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work spread between seven starts and four relief outings. His peripherals are a bit less encouraging, as his 22.8% strikeout rate is somewhat outweighed by an elevated 12.1% walk rate, but he remains a controllable arm capable of pitching both out of the rotation or in relief as needed.

As for Kolek, the right-hander made his big league debut with the Padres as a reliever last year. He struggled to a 5.21 ERA in 46 2/3 innings of work but posted strong underlying metrics with a 55.9% ground ball rate, a 3.57 FIP, and a 3.41 SIERA. That was enough to convince the Padres to move him into a rotation role for this year, and so far he’s made 14 starts for San Diego with roughly league average results. In 79 2/3 innings of work, Kolek has pitched to a 4.18 ERA with a 4.23 FIP. While he’s struck out just 16.7% of his opponents against a 7.7% walk rate, his 50.6% ground ball rate is still impressive and has allowed him to miss barrels throughout his time in the majors.

With both Bergert and Kolek under team control for the next half-decade, that should give the Royals plenty of flexibility at the back of their rotation both for the short-term (with Kris Bubic, Cole Ragans, and Michael Lorenzen all on the injured list) as well as the long-term, as players like Bubic and Lorenzen reach free agency while Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha get older. While losing Fermin from the club’s catching situation will hurt in the short term, a combination of Perez and Luke Maile is still on the roster while top catching prospects Carter Jensen, Blake Mitchell, and Ramon Ramirez all remain in the minor leagues to help shore up the club’s catching situation in the coming seasons.

Phillies Designate Brett De Geus For Assignment

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The Phillies announced this afternoon that they’ve designated right-hander Brett de Geus for assignment. De Geus’s 40-man roster spot will go to the recently acquired Harrison Bader.

The 27-year-old de Geus is no stranger to the DFA. The Phillies are the fourth team to designate him for assignment in 2025 alone. Since he was selected 1,000th overall in the 2017 draft, he has played in the Dodgers, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Royals, Mariners, Marlins, Blue Jays, and Phillies organizations. A Rule 5 draft pick, he made his big league debut in 2021, pitching 50 innings of relief for Texas and Arizona with a 7.56 ERA and 4.60 SIERA. The D-backs released him in 2022, and after brief stints with a couple of teams in the Atlantic League, he returned to affiliated ball in 2023, signing a minor league pact with Kansas City. The following year, he finally made his way back to the majors, pitching to a 7.15 ERA and 4.19 SIERA in 11 1/3 innings for the Mariners, Marlins, and Blue Jays.

Toronto was the first team to DFA de Geus in 2025, later trading him to Pittsburgh for cash considerations in January. Little over a month later, the Pirates DFA’d him as well, and the Marlins scooped him up off waivers for his second stint with the club. He opened the season with their Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, but after just one appearance for the Jumbo Shrimp, he was DFA’d once again and claimed by the Phillies. They, too, sent de Geus to Triple-A but eventually recalled the righty for his 2025 debut in late May. He gave up one run in two innings of work before he was optioned back to Lehigh Valley the following day.

Over parts of three MLB seasons, de Geus has a career 7.39 ERA and 4.67 SIERA in 63 1/3 innings of low-leverage relief work. On the bright side, his 4.11 ERA and 4.45 FIP at Triple-A this year are both his best numbers in any minor league season since his 2019 campaign at the low levels with the Dodgers. While he has had trouble holding on to a big league job throughout his career, there is clearly a reason so many teams have been interested in giving him a shot over the past few years. With his four-pitch arsenal (including a fastball that tops out at 98 mph), consistently high groundball rates, and two option years remaining, a new team could certainly be willing to give de Geus a shot in 2025.

Tigers Acquire Codi Heuer From Rangers

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The Rangers announced they’ve traded reliever Codi Heuer to Detroit for cash. This opens a 40-man roster spot for Texas, who will likely acquire some kind of relief help in the coming hours. Detroit designated lefty Dietrich Enns for assignment and optioned Heuer to Triple-A Toledo.

Heuer signed an offseason minor league deal with Texas. The Rangers called him up on June 1 but optioned him back to Triple-A a couple days later. He made one appearance, working an inning and a third while giving up a home run. That was the 6’5″ righty’s first major league action in four years. Heuer has had a nice season in the upper minors, working to a 3.43 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate over 35 appearances.

Texas probably viewed the 29-year-old Heuer as a DFA candidate if they’re able to make a more notable bullpen move today. Rather than wait until finalizing an acquisition, they preemptively cleared a spot while picking up a bit of cash. Detroit jumps the waiver order to get a pitcher with options who is having a good Triple-A season. Heuer sits around 96 MPH with his fastball and has a mid-80s slider. He has a history of elbow injuries, including 2022 Tommy John surgery and a ’23 fracture that required another operation.

Enns was called up last month. The 34-year-old southpaw has logged 17 2/3 innings with a 5.60 ERA across seven outings. He has posted excellent numbers with Toledo, turning in a 2.89 ERA with a 26.7% strikeout rate over 14 starts. He’ll likely end up on waivers in the next few days.

Phillies Acquire Harrison Bader

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The Phillies announced the acquisition of outfielder Harrison Bader from the Twins. Minnesota receives two prospects: outfielder Hendry Mendez and right-hander Geremy Villoria. Philadelphia designated reliever Brett de Geus for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.

Bader, 31, has been a solid big leaguer for years. He is one of the best outfield defenders in the league, with career tallies of 63 Defensive Runs Saved and 76 Outs Above Average. That DRS total is fifth-best among outfielders since the start of 2017, while the OAA total tops the leaderboard.

His offense has been up-and-down but he’s currently on pace to have his best season at the plate. In 307 plate appearances, he already has 12 home runs. Only once in his career has he hit more than that, which was the 16 he hit in 2021. His 26.4% strikeout rate is a bit high but his 8.8% walk rate is his best mark in years.

On the whole, he has a .258/.339/.439 line this year. His 117 wRC+, a career high, indicates he has been 17% better than league average at the plate this year. Thanks to ten stolen bases and some quality glovework, he’s already been worth 2.0 wins above replacement on the year, in the eyes of FanGraphs.

The Twins have pivoted to sell mode recently. They are 51-57 and 5.5 games out of a playoff spot. This the second deal they have lined up with the Phillies, as they already sent Jhoan Durán to Philadelphia. They also traded Chris Paddack to the Tigers and Brock Stewart to the Dodgers.

Bader has long been seen as likely to go, since he’s an impending free agent. He signed a one-year, $6.25MM deal with the Twins in the offseason. That guarantee came in the form of a $750K signing bonus, a $4MM salary, and a $1.5MM buyout on a mutual option. Mutual options are essentially never picked up by both sides, which is why Bader has been viewed as a rental. His buyout can also increase via plate appearance incentives. He would add $200K at 400, 425 and 450 plate appearances, then $450K at 475 and 500. As mentioned, he’s currently at 307 plate appearances.

His deal also has a $500K assignment bonus if he’s traded. Per Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Twins aren’t including any money in this deal, so it seems the Phils will take on the remaining salary and the buyout on the option. There’s about $1.3MM of salary left. The buyout, as mentioned, is $1.5MM but can increase.

Money aside, Bader is a great fit for the Phillies. They have been looking for outfield help and right-handed bat. Bader ticks both boxes. Nick Castellanos is cemented in right, but he’s a league-average bat with horrible defensive metrics. Johan Rojas is the opposite, as he’s a great defender who doesn’t hit. Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler are a bit less extreme. They’re both good defenders in a corner but a bit stretched in center. They both can hit but are left-handed hitters who do more damage with the platoon advantage. Kepler is also now battling a triceps injury, per Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bader has largely been playing left field for the Twins out of deference to Byron Buxton. He should be able to pivot back to center for the Phils. That should allow for Rojas, Kepler and Marsh to all be used more selectively. Bader has pretty even platoon splits this year but his career splits are more extreme, with a .248/.315/.461 line versus lefties and a .242/.307/.374 slash against righties. Kepler recently expressed some dissatisfaction with being platooned but he hasn’t helped his cause with a .196/.250/.314 line against southpaws this year.

Mendez, 21, was originally a Brewers prospect. He came to the Phils in a November 2023 trade which sent infielder Oliver Dunn to the Brewers. Dunn was a minor league Rule 5 pick out of the Yankees’ system, making a fairly unusual trade tree for this move.

Since Mendez has come over the Phils, he’s been great at the plate. He spent last year at High-A and has been at Double-A this year. He has stepped to the plate 722 times in those two seasons with a 12.7% walk rate, 13.3% strikeout rate, .287/.380/.412 batting line and 131 wRC+. Baseball America lists him as the #17 prospect in the system. Their report notes that he hits the ball incredibly hard but too often into the ground. He’s not considered a strong outfield defender, so his development as a hitter will be key.

He is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter. Perhaps the Phils weren’t going to add him to their 40-man roster or were on the fence about it. The Twins will need to add him this fall if they don’t want him to be exposed.

Villoria, 16, was an international signing of the Phils out of Venezuela. He just signed with the Phils this year out of for a $425K bonus and has 14 professional innings under his belt in the Dominican Summer League. His youth and inexperience naturally make him a long-term play. Baseball America notes that he can already get up to the mid-90s with his fastball and he also has a high-spin slider as well as a changeup.

For the Phils, they’re adding a bit of money to their books but they’re usually not afraid to do that and they’ve clearly got a foot on the gas pedal here. Their core players are mostly in their mid-30s, so they made a bold strike by giving up notable prospects in the Durán deal. Here, they’ve given up a few prospects but not top guys.

They are a third-time payor of the competitive balance tax and over the top tier, meaning they will face a 110% tax rate on Bader’s remaining salary and the buyout. Between the salary and buyout, he’s owed at least $2.8MM, so the Phils will also have to pay over $3MM in taxes on that.

For the Twins, they add a couple of extra prospects from a player who was set to depart in free agency anyway. It’s possible that saving money is a goal for them this week. They could have included money here to ask for a greater prospect return but didn’t do so. They also included Randy Dobnak’s contract in the Paddack deal, seemingly to save a few million bucks. They could still move Willi Castro, Danny Coulombe, Ty France and Christian Vázquez before the day is done, as they are all impending free agents. If they’re willing to move another controllable player like they did in the Duran deal, Griffin Jax could be on the move as well.

Teams like the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers were also connected to Bader in recent weeks. Those teams could pivot to guys like Steven Kwan, Luis Robert Jr., Cedric Mullins and/or Ramón Laureano, who are thought to be available today.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the Phillies were closing in on a Bader deal for an outfield and pitching prospect. Matt Gelb of The Athletic had the return.

Photo courtesy of Matt Blewett, Jordan Johnson, Imagn Images

Nationals Receiving Interest In Multiple Hitters

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The Nationals are receiving calls on a number of hitters, according to a report from TalkNats. The Red Sox have been in contact with the club about first basemen Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe, while the report adds that Washington has also received calls from clubs inquiring after the availability of second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and outfielder Alex Call. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies have shown interest in Call’s services, though it’s unclear if that interest continues even after Philadelphia landed outfielder Harrison Bader in a deal with the Twins.

That Boston would inquire after the Nationals’ pair of first basemen is hardly a surprise. The Red Sox have had a hole at first base ever since Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury at the beginning of May, and since then the club has relied primarily on Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro to handle the position. The duo has done reasonably well with that opportunity, and Gonzalez in particular has flourished in a part-time role with a 1.041 OPS against left-handed pitching. Improvements can be made, however, and bringing either Bell or Lowe into the fold would constitute a substantial upgrade.

Bell would presumably be the cheaper of the two to acquire. The 32-year-old is on a one-year deal that guarantees him $6MM total this season. While Bell was once a solidly above average bat at first base, with a .262/.351/.459 (116 wRC+) slash line over his first seven seasons in the majors and a handful of even more impactful seasons than that, in more recent years he’s settled in as just about an average hitter in the big leagues. Since the start of the 2023 season, Bell has hit .243/.322/.406 (102 wRC+). This year, his wRC+ sits at 101 with an 18.1% strikeout rate, an 11.1% walk rate, but just 13 homers in 96 games. Notably, Bell’s numbers feature substantial splits. He’s posted a 120 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this year, compared to a wRC+ of just 30 against lefties. That could make him the ideal platoon Partner for Gonzalez given his excellent numbers against southpaws.

Lowe, meanwhile, has had a down year in D.C. but comes with an additional season of team control as he’s eligible for arbitration this winter. After slashing a strong .274/.359/.432 (124 wRC+) and earning both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards across four seasons in Houston, Lowe was traded to the Nationals this past offseason and has struggled to adjust to his new team. In 108 games for the club this year, he’s posted a lackluster .226/.294/.386 slash line with a wRC+ of 94. Like Bell, he also sports pronounced platoon splits; while he’s posted a decent 108 wRC+ against right-handed hitters, that mark drops to just 49 against fellow lefties. With Casas expected back in 2026, Lowe may not necessarily be as attractive an option for the Red Sox as Bell would be, though he could also become a trade chip for Boston in the offseason if he bounces back down the stretch if acquired.

Call, 30, was acquired from Cleveland back in 2022. He’s been a steady contributor in a part-time role for the Nationals since then with a .243/.342/.373 slash line (103 wRC+) in D.C. overall. That figure is dragged down by an abysmal 2022 season where he was used as a regular, however, and as a bench player this year Call has excelled with a .274/.371/.386 (121 wRC+) slash line in 237 trips to the plate. While Call lacks much power, he strikes out just 15.2% of the time while walking at an above-average 11.0% clip. He primarily profiles as a corner outfielder but has experience at all three outfield spots as well as DH. He could be a valuable addition for a team looking for a right-handed outfield bat, such as the Padres. Gelb suggests the Phillies have some interest in call, and he could be a fit even after their acquisition of Bader earlier today. After all, Johan Rojas has underwhelmed this year and both Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh are best suited to a platoon role where they can sit against lefties.

As for Garcia, the 25-year-old posted a 110 wRC+ last year as the club’s everyday second baseman but has taken a slight step backwards this year. In 370 plate appearances across 96 games, Garcia has posted a .261/.300/.405 (95 wRC+) slash line with a 14.9% strikeout rate but lackluster defense. Garcia would be an intriguing addition given that he’s under team control through the end of the 2027 season. Garcia hasn’t directly been tied to any clubs, but one speculative fit could be the Astros, who are known to be looking for another bat and preferably would like to add a left-handed hitter. The Giants and Royals are among the other teams for whom adding Garcia could make some sense.

Cardinals Unlikely To Move Burleson, Donovan, Nootbaar

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1:02pm: Though the Cardinals have indeed gotten several calls on Burleson, Nootbaar and Donovan, they’re expected to hold onto all three players, reports Katie Woo of The Athletic. Maton will almost certainly be traded, but that could be the final piece of business for St. Louis today.

8:32am: The Cardinals have already shipped out Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz, and there’s plenty of work for their front office to do between now and this afternoon’s deadline. They’ve talked Phil Maton with the Blue Jays (among other clubs), and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that they’re also fielding offers on outfielder Lars Nootbaar, first baseman/outfielder Alec Burleson and utilityman Brendan Donovan (who’s reportedly been on the radar of the Dodgers and Yankees already — albeit before the Yankees acquired Ryan McMahon).

Two of the clubs showing interest in Burleson, Nootbaar and Donovan are the Phillies and Astros, per the report. Philadelphia is known to be looking to realign its outfield, while the Astros have been looking for left-handed bats — ideally one they could plug in at second base. Donovan fits that bill, though there’s certainly room for a left-handed bat like Burleson or Nootbaar to join the team’s outfield mix. Houston currently has journeyman former top prospect Taylor Trammell and struggling young prospect Jacob Melton taking on notable outfield roles.

All three of Burleson, Nootbaaar and Donovan are controlled for multiple years beyond the current season. Burleson has the most remaining club control, with three full seasons still to go. Both Nootbaar and Donovan are controlled two additional years, through 2027. Nootbaar, notably, has been on the injured list since July 12 due to a ribcage injury, but he began a minor league rehab assignment yesterday and went 1-for-4 with the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate.

Burleson, 26, is in the midst of a career-best performance at the plate. The former second-round pick is slashing a .287/.341/.469 (127 wRC+) with 14 home runs, 19 doubles and just a 13% strikeout rate. That level of contact is nothing new, as he posted a matching 13% strikeout rate in 2023 and a 12.8% rate last season.

This year’s 7.6% walk rate is a career-best in a full season, however, even if it’s still a slight bit below average. Burleson’s power output is also at a career-high level. He entered 2025 with a career .402 slugging and .146 ISO (slugging minus batting average); he’s bumped that ISO considerably, up to .182. He’s also sporting career-high marks in average exit velocity (91.4 mph) and hard-hit rate (42.7%).

While Burleson’s bat has steadily improved as he’s gotten more experience in the majors, his glovework remains lacking. He’s split his time between the outfield corners and first base this season but drawn middling defensive marks. He’s been generally solid at first base in 443 career innings but has below-average grades in both outfield corners. Burleson’s arm strength is better than average, per Statcast, but he hasn’t been terribly accurate with his throws and has well below-average range — as one would expect for a player whose sprint speed sits in just the tenth percentile of big leaguers. The Phils and Astros would probably both use Burleson in the outfield, given the presence of Bryce Harper and Christian Walker at first base in Philadelphia and Houston, respectively.

Nootbaar is a cleaner fit for either team from a defensive standpoint but is more expensive — $2.95MM salary to Burleson’s pre-arbitration $778K — and comes with less club control. He also has some uncertainty surrounding him due to his injury. He’s batting .227/.332/.381 (104 wRC+) with a characteristically high walk rate (12.8%) but more strikeouts and less pop than usual.

The 27-year-old Nootbaar (28 in September) has long tantalized the Cardinals and other clubs alike. He’s regularly displayed many traits that give him the feel of a player on the cusp of breaking out. Nootbaar walks at an extremely high level (13.6% since 2022), strikes out less than the average player (20.2% strikeout rate since ’22) and routinely posts excellent batted-ball metrics. He’s averaged 91 mph off the bat and posted a 10% barrel rate and 45.5% hard-hit rate in that same timeframe. Nootbaar has been a bit grounder-heavy in the past but has been elevating the ball at career-high levels in 2025.

Defensively, he’s drawn strong grades in the corners and held his own with average marks as a center fielder. Nootbaar isn’t a burner but has average sprint speed and good arm strength. He could help with Philadelphia’s need in center field and could hold down center in Houston while Jake Meyers mends before moving to a corner.

Donovan, presumably, has drawn the widest interest of all. He’s a strong defender at second base and third base who can hold his own in either outfield corner and provide backup options at first base or shortstop. Like Burleson, he’s fanned in just 13% of his plate appearances across the past three seasons. Donovan doesn’t have huge power but has nine homers on the year and could reach or exceed his prior career-high (14) in the final couple months of play.

As with Nootbaar, this is Donovan’s first year of arbitration eligibility. He’s earning an eminently reasonable $2.85MM and would be owed raises in each of the next two offseasons. Given the fact that Donovan can play just about any position on the diamond and provide high-end contact skills with solid all-around offensive output, virtually any contender could fit him onto the roster. Even if he doesn’t have one specific position he mans on an everyday basis, Donovan could still slot into a postseason club’s lineup daily and rotate through multiple positions, helping keep the entire lineup fresh.

The Cardinals generally haven’t been viewed as likely to trade their long-term players, though Nightengale suggests that they’re open for business as of this morning. Whether that means they’re simply listening out of due diligence or there’s actual motivation to move a Burleson, Donovan or Nootbaar remains to be seen. But with the limited inventory of position players on the market and a slew of contenders looking to improve, the Cardinals could take advantage of market scarcity to secure a strong return on a controllable player that they may not have been looking to move even a few weeks ago.

Yankees, Pirates Discussing David Bednar Trade

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The Yankees and Pirates are in talks on a trade that would send closer David Bednar from Pittsburgh to the Bronx, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. New York is seen by others pursuing Bednar as a front-runner to acquire him, though a deal is not yet in place. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds that the Bucs are still discussing Bednar with several clubs, but the Yankees consider him their top option.

Bednar, 30, is one of the top controllable relievers on the market. The hard-throwing 6’1″ righty is making $5.9MM this season and is under club control for one more year. He’s owed about $1.87MM of that sum for the balance of the season, though the Yankees would pay a 110% luxury tax on him, making the total financial outlay closer to $3.9MM.

A former All-Star, Bednar struggled through a brutal 2024 season and had a rough start to his 2025 campaign. The Bucs optioned him to Triple-A in late March, and Bednar has been an absolute behemoth since returning. In 37 frames, he’s posted a dazzling 1.70 ERA with a 34.5% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. It’s some of the best work of Bednar’s career — even better than what had been a 2021-23 peak that saw him post a combined 2.25 ERA, 31.2% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate.

Bednar surely holds extra appeal for the Yankees, given that additional season of club control. Top relievers like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are both set to reach free agency at season’s end. Bednar would be able to pitch in any high-leverage role necessary in 2025 and could step into the ninth inning for the 2026 season, depending on whether Williams and/or Weaver are retained.

The Pirates have looked into trading Bednar in the past, though he’s a Pittsburgh native and favorite of owner Bob Nutting, who has reportedly intervened in some of his front office’s past discussions surrounding a Bednar trade. With the Pirates in the midst of another disappointing season and already having dismissed manager Derek Shelton, it’s seen as more likely that ownership will step to the side and let the front office earnestly explore the possibility.

The Rangers, Tigers, Phillies and Dodgers have all reportedly shown interest in Bednar this month as well, although the Phillies are likely done adding to the ’pen after acquiring Jhoan Duran, and the Tigers have already acquired a trio of veteran relievers (Kyle Finnegan, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald).

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