Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox To Promote Jhostynxon Garcia, Place Wilyer Abreu On IL

By | at

Enter the Password. The Red Sox are promoting outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to the majors. Katie Morrison-O’Day of MassLive reported the news. Outfielder Wilyer Abreu is going on the injured list, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Abreu has been battling some calf tightness in recent days.

Garcia, 22, was an international signing out of Venezuela back in 2019. His professional debut was delayed by the minors being canceled in 2020. Since then, he has climbed the minor league ladder, posting gaudy offensive numbers. Though he sometimes has received more attention for his unique name, which led to his delightful “Password” nickname, he has been creeping up prospect lists.

Last year, he split his time between Single-A, High-A and Double-A. He got into 107 games overall, hitting 23 home runs and slashing .286/.356/.536 for a wRC+ of 149. The Sox added him to their 40-man roster in November, to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He has continued hitting this year. He has appeared in 99 games between Double-A and Triple-A with 20 homers, a .289/.363/.512 line and 133 wRC+.

Despite the strong production, the Sox haven’t really had a place for him. Their outfield picture has been cluttered all year, which also kept Roman Anthony down on the farm for a while. Anthony eventually got called up and joined a group that includes Jarren Duran and Abreu. Masataka Yoshida is often in the designated hitter spot but jogs out to the outfield on occasion. Ceddanne Rafaela had been the club’s regular center fielder but he has been spending a lot of time at second base to help the Sox clear the outfield logjam.

That crowding also seemed to push Garcia onto the trading block. His name reportedly came up in talks as the Sox tried to get Joe Ryan from the Twins ahead of the deadline, but nothing got done there. Ryan stayed in Minnesota and Garcia stayed with the Sox. The Sox also gave Garcia some first base reps to expand his versatility but he still only has eight innings of actual game time there. Abreu’s injury has finally opened a path for Garcia to get to the big leagues.

It’s unclear if Garcia is up for good or if it will be a short spell. Abreu’s injury has been lingering for the past few days. Since he wasn’t immediately placed on the IL, that suggests it’s fairly minor. Presumably, the Sox will backdate his IL placement by three days, meaning he could be back in a week. That could squeezed Garcia back down to the minors, though rosters also expand from 26 to 28 on September 1st, which could help him stay.

At this point in the calendar, he likely won’t be able to exhaust rookie eligibility. It’s too late for him to get 45 days of big league service time. He also probably won’t be able to get 130 at-bats. That means he’s likely going to still be a prospect going into 2026, which could be relevant for the prospect promotion incentive.

If Garcia is on two of the three prospect lists between Baseball America, ESPN and MLB Pipeline, then he could be PPI eligible. The Sox would need to call him up early enough in the 2026 season to earn a full year of service. If they did so, Garcia would earn them an extra draft pick by winning Rookie of the Year or by finishing top three in MVP voting during his pre-arbitration years. Garcia is already ranked the #78 prospect in the league by Baseball America and #77 at MLB Pipeline, though he didn’t crack the most recent ESPN update.

That will be a matter for the future. The logjam will still be present going into next season, unless the Sox make an offseason trade sending out someone like Duran or Yoshida. For now, the Sox are in a tight postseason race. They are 68-59, currently in possession of the second Wild Card spot in the American League. The top spot is held by the Yankees. The Sox are a game and a half back and the two sides kick off a four-game series in the Bronx tonight. Garcia will jump right into the middle of all of that and will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.

Photos courtesy of Rick Cinclair, Imagn Images

Braves Claim Cal Quantrill

By | at

The Braves have claimed right-hander Cal Quantrill off waivers from the Marlins, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. It was reported earlier this week that the Fish had put the righty on waivers in an attempt to dump his salary. It appears their division rival has helped them out in that regard. Atlanta has open 40-man space but would need to open an active roster spot for Quantrill once he reports to the team.

Quantrill, 30, is a veteran back-end starter. He doesn’t strike out a ton of guys but avoids walks and hasn’t been hurt very often. The Marlins gave him a one-year, $3.5MM deal coming into 2025. In return, he gave them 109 2/3 innings over 24 starts. His 5.50 earned run average and 17.4% strikeout rate aren’t amazing figures, but he had a good stretch in the middle, sandwiched around some rough outings.

At the end of April, Quantrill had made six starts and was sitting on an ERA of 8.10. He then settled in for three good months, making 15 starts over May, June and July with a 3.55 ERA, 21.3% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate. But he was then lit up for an 11.25 ERA in his three most recent appearances.

The Fish are playing out the string on another non-competitive season and have some other pitchers they could call upon to take Quantrill’s spot, so they put him on waivers to get out of paying the rest of his contract. Kevin Barral of Fish on First reports that Ryan Gusto, acquired in the Jesús Sánchez trade, will be recalled to start Friday’s game against the Blue Jays.

While the Marlins’ end of this transaction makes sense, it’s surprising to see Atlanta put in the claim. That club definitely needs innings with their injury-battered rotation but they are also winding down a lost season. They are 58-69, 9.5 games out of a playoff spot, two games behind the Marlins. Quantrill is still owed a little more than $700K, with $500K of performance bonuses also in the deal.

It’s unknown how Quantrill can trigger the bonuses but the $700K is notable on its own. It’s not really a ton of money relative to MLB payrolls but it’s odd that Atlanta is incurring that extra cost for a lost season. Quantrill is an impending free agent, so there’s no long-term benefit, unless the club wants to get a close-up look at him and offer him a deal for next year.

But as mentioned, in the short term, they could definitely use solid rotation innings. They have each of Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes on the injured list. Sale is the only one in that group who seems to have a shot at returning this season.

That leaves the club with a rotation consisting of Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz and Erick Fedde. Both Wentz and Fedde were recently scooped up after being cast off by other teams and now Quantrill joins them in that category. Wentz and Fedde are out of options, so one of them could end up in a long relief role or designated for assignment when Quantrill joins the club. It’s also possible Elder gets optioned down to Triple-A. Sale got up to four innings on his most recent rehab start and will be back in the mix soon as well.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images

Orioles Claim Josh Walker

By | at

The Orioles have claimed left-hander Josh Walker off waivers from the Phillies, according to announcements from both clubs. The O’s have optioned the southpaw to Triple-A Norfolk. They already had a 40-man vacancy from outrighting outfielder Jordyn Adams a few days ago, so no corresponding move was required. The Phils designated Walker for assignment earlier this week.

Walker, 30, has a limited amount of big league experience. He has thrown a combined 27 1/3 innings over the three most recent seasons. In that time, he has a 6.59 earned run average, which is obviously not strong. His 10.9% walk rate is also a bit high. However, his 24.2% strikeout rate is a good figure. His ERA has seemingly been inflated by a .380 batting average on balls in play and 59.4% strand rate. His 3.99 FIP and 2.70 SIERA paint a more optimistic portrait.

Ultimately, it’s a small sample of work and the O’s are probably putting more stock in his minor league numbers. From 2022 to the present, Walker has thrown 125 innings on the farm with a 3.96 ERA. His 12% walk rate is a bit high but his 30.6% strikeout rate is very intriguing.

For the O’s, they are playing out the string on a lost season, so they are making moves focused on the future. They sold at the deadline and have grabbed a number of players off waivers since then. Walker is in his final option season. That means he can be kept in the minors for the rest of this year but will be out of options going into 2026. He has less than a year of service time, so he is still a ways away from arbitration and even further away from free agency. If he can carve out a role in Baltimore’s bullpen, they can cheaply retain him well into the future. It also wouldn’t a surprise if they try to pass him through waivers at some point in order to keep him as non-roster depth.

Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

Giants Select Joel Peguero

By | at

The Giants announced a series of roster moves today, recalling outfielder Luis Matos and selecting right-hander Joel Peguero. In corresponding active roster moves, they have optioned outfielder Grant McCray and right-hander Kai-Wei Teng. Left-hander Erik Miller has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot.

Peguero, 28, makes it to the majors for the first time. It was a long journey. He originally signed with the Rays as an international amateur way back in 2016. Even then he was a bit on the old side, as most international amateurs sign when first eligible at 16 and have verbal deals well before that. That was Peguero’s age-19 season.

In the following decade, he spent many years with the Rays but eventually moved around to the Rockies, Nationals and Tigers without getting a major league call. He signed a minor league deal with the Giants coming into 2025.

He has thrown 42 1/3 Triple-A innings this year with a 5.10 earned run average. That’s obviously not a great number but it’s come in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and Peguero has a .353 batting average on balls in play and 68.3% strand rate this year, both unfortunate numbers. He is averaging close to 100 miles per hour on his two fastballs while also throwing a cutter, slider and changeup around 90 mph. That arsenal has helped him strike out 24.1% of batters faced, though also with a 12% walk rate.

The Giants have fallen to 6.5 games back of a playoff spot, so they are surely leaning towards decisions that prioritize the future over this year. They sold at the deadline and can now use the remainder of the season to get looks at some other players. They can throw Peguero out there in front of big league hitters and see how they handle his fiery stuff. If he can get outs, perhaps he can earn a role on next year’s club.

Sending Teng down to the minors opens a job in the rotation. Manager Bob Melvin tells reporters, including Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle, that Carson Whisenhunt will be coming up to start tomorrow’s game. However, Landen Roupp is also going on the injured list. It was reported yesterday that Roupp has a left knee sprain and is going on the IL.

Justin Verlander is starting today’s game, with Logan Webb and Robbie Ray scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Giants are off on Monday, so it’s theoretically possible that they go back to Verlander on Tuesday. They will need another starter at some point, however, as Tuesday’s game will be the first of nine in a row. Carson Seymour and Tristan Beck are currently working long relief roles and one of them could make a spot start, though the club also has a number of pitchers on optional assignment who could be recalled.

As for Miller, he landed on the 15-day IL in early July due to a mild sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. He started a rehab assignment this month but the club informed reporters this week that a recent MRI showed more inflammation and that he’ll be shut down for another two weeks. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those who relayed that update.

Miller’s 60-day count is retroactive to his initial IL placement, so he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in early September. However, based on the most recent information, it seems like he’ll just be finishing his shutdown period at that time. Even if he’s declared healthy at that point, he would likely need a bit of time to ramp up and go on another rehab assignment.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Astros Outright Jordan Weems

By | at

The Astros have assigned right-hander Jordan Weems outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, according to the transactions tracker on Weems’s MLB.com profile page. Weems was designated for assignment earlier this week to make room for Tayler Scott on the club’s active roster.

The 32-year-old righty has pitched in parts of six MLB seasons at this point in his career. A third-round pick by the Red Sox back in 2011, Weems actually began his pro career as a catcher before converting to the mound in 2016. He reached Triple-A as a pitcher in 2019 with the Red Sox but struggled badly in eight appearances before electing minor league free agency and joining the A’s organization. He made his big league debut during the shortened 2020 campaign with Oakland and pitched quite well in nine appearances with a 3.21 ERA and a 31.0% strikeout rate in 14 innings of work.

That strong performance during the 60-game campaign was cause for optimism about Weems’s future, but he’s mostly been relegated to an up-and-down role in the years since then. He posted a 6.55 ERA across the next two seasons with Oakland, Arizona, and Washington but settled in with D.C. and stuck around there for the 2023 campaign. That turned out to be a career year for Weems, as he posted a 3.62 ERA in 51 middle relief appearances for the Nationals with a solid 25.9% strikeout rate. He was held back by a lackluster 12.1% walk rate, however, and underlying metrics like FIP (4.90) were far less impressed with his performance.

Weems stuck around with the Nats for the 2024 campaign, but it didn’t go nearly as well as the year prior. The right-hander was torched to the tune of a 6.70 ERA in 41 appearances. His strikeout rate plummeted to just 17.9% while his 12.2% walk rate actually ticked up slightly from the year prior. That brutal season left Weems to sign with Atlanta on a minor league deal this past offseason, but he posted a 5.09 ERA in 17 2/3 innings of work for the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett before being released back in May. He’s been in the Astros organization ever since and has made two brief cameos on the major league roster where he’s surrendered seven runs on nine hits and three walks without recording a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings of work.

Brutal as those brief cups of coffee in the majors have been, Weems has actually looked quite good while pitching for Sugar Land. He’s posted a 3.06 ERA in 17 2/3 innings of work with a solid 24.3% strikeout rate and a more manageable 9.5% walk rate. While work at Triple-A only goes so far for a 32-year-old journeyman, the fact that he’s done all of this while pitching in the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League does lend further legitimacy to his strong performance. Now that Weems has been outrighted to Triple-A, he’ll likely continue serving as a depth option for the Astros who can be called upon when there’s a gap in the roster, as was the case in each of his two call-ups to Houston this year.

The Opener: Waivers, Red Sox, Yankees, Kim

By | at

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

1. Players on Waivers:

The trade deadline has come and gone, and the most significant way for clubs to improve their roster or add depth has come off the table. There are still some ways to acquire players after the trade deadline, however, and one in particular appears to be in full swing at this point: the waiver wire. Players must be part of an organization prior to September 1 in order to be eligible to play in the postseason, and in recent years that’s led non-contending clubs to place a number of their players on waivers during the final weeks of August in order to make them available to contenders in exchange for salary relief.

Currently, Rockies southpaw Austin Gomber and Marlins righty Cal Quantrill are both known to be on waivers. Perhaps a contender in need of starting depth will take on the remainder of one of those salaries in order to bring either Gomber or Quantrill into their organization, though it’s also possible they go through waivers unclaimed and simply remain with their current clubs. Over the coming days, it’s likely that teams will put a number of other veterans on expiring contracts through the waiver process. In an original piece for Front Office subscribers yesterday, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed 17 players across seven different organizations who could be placed on waivers before the end of the month.

2. Series Preview: Red Sox @ Yankees

One of baseball’s oldest rivalries is gearing up for a four-game set this weekend as the Red Sox head to the Bronx. The Yankees have been on a roll lately with five consecutive wins, while Boston’s scuffled lately with three straight losses and and a 3-7 record in their last ten games. The Red Sox have plenty of motivation to try and turn things around while they’re at Yankee Stadium, however, as the two clubs are rivals not only in the AL East (where both teams trail the Blue Jays by a significant margin) but also in terms of Wild Card positioning. While the Yankees are currently in the top Wild Card spot, the Red Sox are in a more precarious situation with just a half-game lead over the Mariners for the second of three Wild Card spots and just a three-game buffer between themselves and the Royals.

Game 1 of the set will begin tonight with Lucas Giolito (3.63 ERA in 19 starts) on the mound for Boston opposite reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil (5.14 ERA in three starts). Game 2 of the series pits Yankees ace Max Fried (3.26 ERA) against Boston youngster Brayan Bello (3.23 ERA), while Game 3 will see Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet (2.43 ERA) square off against Yankees rookie Will Warren (4.25 ERA). Boston has not announced their starter for Sunday’s series finale, but that pitcher will face veteran lefty Carlos Rodon (3.25 ERA).

3. Kim day-to-day:

As noted by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rays shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was scratched from yesterday’s game due to low back tightness. Kim made a name for himself with the Padres thanks to Gold Glove caliber defense all over the infield that he combined with average to slightly above average offense and impressive stolen base totals. That led the infielder to sign a two-year, $29MM deal with the Rays this past offseason that affords him the opportunity to opt out following the 2025 campaign, but he’s made it into just 23 games due to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery and back issues.

It’s unclear if Kim will require a stint on the injured list due to this latest ailment, but with no additional infielders on the 40-man roster besides those already on the active roster the club will likely need to select someone from the minors if Kim does head to the injured list. Topkin suggests that utility infielder Coco Montes is perhaps the most likely replacement for Kim in that case, though top prospect Carson Williams would be a far more exciting possibility.

Fantasy Baseball Subscriber Chat With Nicklaus Gaut

By | at

Nicklaus Gaut will be talking fantasy baseball with Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers today at 11 am Central time. Get your question in early or participate in the live event at the link below!

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

Kyle Tucker Was Diagnosed With Hairline Hand Fracture In June

By | at

Cubs star Kyle Tucker suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand back in June, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Tucker jammed his right hand diving into second base on a stolen base attempt in a game against the Reds on June 1. Manager Craig Counsell subsequently confirmed the June fracture but says Tucker is now healthy (via Rogers).

Initial x-rays came back negative. However, Rogers writes that follow-up testing revealed a small fracture at the top of his hand between his ring finger and pinky. The Cubs did not announce the diagnosis at the time, and Tucker has not spent any time on the injured list. The four-time All-Star preferred to play through the injury.

In retrospect, it’s fair to question whether that was prudent. Tucker had been one of the best hitters in MLB for the season’s first two months. He owned a .284/.395/.524 slash with 12 homers across 269 plate appearances through June 1. Since then, he’s batting .236/.352/.368 in almost the exact same amount of playing time. Tucker has connected on six longballs over the past two and a half months.

While the injury certainly seems to be having an impact, it’s worth noting that Tucker actually continued to play well in the immediate aftermath. He hit .311 with five homers in June. It wasn’t until July that things went completely off the rails. He’s batting .189/.325/.235 with one homer in his past 38 games.

Tucker’s plate discipline remains strong — he has actually walked more often than he has struck out during that stretch — but his power has completely evaporated. His rate of hard contact (batted balls with an exit velocity of at least 95 MPH) was between 44-50% in each of the first two months. It remained solid at 42.9% in June but has plummeted below 30% in each of the past two months.

That kind of play from a hitter of Tucker’s caliber has naturally led to speculation about his health. Pat Murphy, manager of the Milwaukee team that is playing the Cubs this week, opined that the outfielder was playing through an injury. “I think Tucker’s hurt. I don’t have any information, but Tucker’s not the same,” Murphy said on 670 The Score.

Tucker himself has maintained that he’s physically ok. However, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer conceded to Rogers “that when you look at his numbers, it’s had an impact on him, for sure. That’s the nature sometimes of these small injuries. They can do that.” Counsell has kept Tucker out of the lineup for the past three games — two days, including a doubleheader on Tuesday. Chicago won all three games over the MLB-best Brewers with Owen Caissie playing right field. Counsell hasn’t committed to Tucker’s status for tomorrow’s series finale.

The Cubs remain six games back of Milwaukee in the NL Central. They’re comfortably in Wild Card position, which gives them the flexibility to mix in more off days for Tucker if necessary. They’ll need to find a way to get him back to being productive if they hope to make a deep playoff run. The injury and slump obviously come at an inopportune time for Tucker personally, as he’s a couple months from free agency. He’s the clear #1 player in the class and generally expected to command $400MM+ as he enters his age-29 season.

Tigers Hoping For Alex Cobb To Return In Relief

By | at

The Tigers plan to use Alex Cobb in a multi-inning relief role if he’s able to make it back from the injured list, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (link via Chris McCosky of The Detroit News). Cobb signed a one-year deal to work as a starter but has missed the entire season due to left hip issues.

“We shrunk down the expectations internally on how long he can go in a game,” Hinch told McCosky and others. “We’re trying to see how the two- and three-inning stints go and how he bounces back from that.”

It has long since passed the point for the Tigers to get the return they expected on a $15MM free agent investment. At this point, they’d welcome any contributions from the 37-year-old. Cobb has been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo for the past week. He has worked between two and three innings in each of his first two appearances. He’s expected to make his next appearance this weekend.

Rehab assignments for pitchers can last up to 30 days. Using Cobb in a relief role could get him back before the end of that window. Speculatively speaking, the Tigers could view September 1 as a target for his reinstatement. That’s when active rosters expand from 26 to 28 and teams are permitted to carry a 14th pitcher.

That’d at least give Cobb a few weeks to audition for a spot on the playoff roster. Detroit’s bullpen remains arguably its biggest weakness. They’ve gotten excellent work out of deadline pickup Kyle Finnegan, while righty Will Vest has been very good all season. Tyler Holton is established as their best option from the left side.

The middle relief group remains very much in flux. Cobb and deadline acquisition Paul Sewald could each return late in the regular season. One of Jack Flaherty or Chris Paddack could move to the bullpen once the postseason begins and teams shrink their rotations in short series. The club also hasn’t closed the door on Reese Olson pitching in October, but that’s a long shot after he sustained a significant shoulder strain at the end of July.

Cobb missed almost all of last season because of issues in his right hip. He began the year with the Giants and was on the injured list through the trade deadline. The Guardians acquired him while he was rehabbing. He made three regular season starts and pitched twice in the postseason with Cleveland. A lower back injury knocked him out of the playoffs during the AL Championship Series.

MLB Mailbag: Konnor Griffin, Extension Candidates, Realignment, Ketel Marte, Detmers

By | at

This week's mailbag gets into extension possibilities, realignment problems, whether a Ketel Marte trade makes sense, Reid Detmers' future, and much more.

Greg asks:

With a good spring is there a possibility of the Pirates signing Konnor Griffin long-term and starting him on Day 1?

In Baseball America's August update, shortstop Konnor Griffin was ranked as the top prospect in all of baseball.  BA wrote, "Griffin has taken off like a meteor this season and his penchant for impact hasn’t slowed down even despite a promotion to High-A. The 19-year-old has made significant strides in allaying concerns about his hit tool and approach, and the rest of his overall game has evaluators buzzing as they envision how his plus power, speed and at least above-average defense at two different positions could come together."

Griffin has mostly played shortstop this year, with the occasional start in center field.  He posted a 156 wRC+ in A ball and got even better in High-A with a 169 mark.  Though he doesn't turn 20 until next April, Griffin got another promotion to Double-A this past weekend.

Given that Griffin has played one game in Double-A and the Altoona Curve only have 23 more on the schedule, putting him on the Pirates' Opening Day roster next year at age 19 would be aggressive, perhaps to the point of being detrimental.  Even Jackson Chourio played 122 games at Double-A and had a brief taste of Triple-A.  But let's explore the likelihood of an extension.

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

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top