The Opener News & Rumors

On top of all the rumors in the run-up to tomorrow’s trade deadline, here are three other things to keep an eye on today:

1. Acuna to undergo MRI:

Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. is already on the injured list  due to an issue with his right Achilles tendon, but David O’Brien of The Athletic writes that Acuna is flying back to Atlanta today in order to undergo an MRI on the ailing area to determine the severity of the issue. Acuna has had plenty of trouble with lower-half injuries in the past. He suffered ACL tears in both 2021 and 2024, and with Atlanta buried in the playoff race there’s little reason not to act with an abundance of caution. The 27-year-old has hit at an otherworldly pace since his return from the injured list back in May, posting a .309/.430/.582 slash line with 14 homers in just 54 games.

2. Cubs roster moves incoming:

Longtime Cubs left fielder Ian Happ exited yesterday’s loss to the Brewers after fouling a ball off of his shin, and while Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that x-rays on the affected area came back negative, it still seems as though Happ is ticketed for a trip to the injured list. Catcher/designated hitter Moises Ballesteros is set to be promoted to the majors, according to a report from Rogers. He’d likely take over DH duties while Seiya Suzuki covers for Happ in left field.

3. Trade deadline impact on probable starters:

White Sox right-hander Adrian Houser is set to make what will likely be his final start for the South Siders tonight, as the Phillies and right-hander Taijuan Walker (who has a 3.84 ERA in a swing role this year) look to take the series after winning last night’s game. Of course, with tomorrow’s deadline looming, there’s a chance Houser doesn’t actually make that start. Other feasible trade candidates slated to take the mound tonight include Rays righty Zack Littell, Marlins righty Cal Quantrill, A’s southpaw Jeffrey Springs and Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore. Each of those teams might feel a bit of extra urgency to push a deal across the line before their pitchers take the mound (although Gore, specifically, is a long shot to be moved).

Meanwhile, right-hander Chris Paddack is poised to make his first start for the Tigers today after being acquired from the Twins alongside Randy Dobnak earlier this week. Paddack’s first opponent as a Tiger will be Arizona left-hander Ryne Nelson, who has a 3.29 ERA in a swing role this season.

As this year’s trade deadline approaches, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Suarez undergoing testing:

The Diamondbacks (and a number of interested contenders) were holding their breath last night when third baseman Eugenio Suarez underwent an x-ray after getting struck in the hand by a pitch. Those initial tests came back negative, but Arizona figures to put Suarez through additional tests to ensure he’s completely healthy with the trade deadline just a few short days away. Suarez told reporters (including David Hogg of The Associated Press) after last night’s game that he’s scheduled to undergo additional testing today on his ailing hand, but that he plans to “come back as quickly as [he] can.” Concerns over Suarez’s health could scare away some suitors for the slugger’s services in the coming days, particularly given the fact that Suarez is viewed as the consensus top rental player available this summer and will surely come at a high price.

2. Robert eyeing a milestone:

This may finally be the summer where Luis Robert Jr. is traded away by the White Sox. The center fielder has found himself in the rumor mill constantly in recent years, but Chicago has always hesitated to trade him for fear that they were selling too low. He’s in the final guaranteed year of his contract now, however, and while the South Siders have recently begun suggesting they view holding onto Robert and picking up his club option as a viable alternative to a trade, it would be something of a shock if he isn’t traded in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Robert himself has caught fire at the plate for the White Sox in recent weeks. Since July 11, Robert is hitting .333/.422/.590 (179 wRC+) with three homers. Those three home runs leave him with 99 long balls for his career, meaning that if he can swat just one more homer before he’s traded he’ll be able to walk away from his White Sox career with 100 homers for the South Siders. He’d become just the 23rd player in White Sox history to hit 100 homers for the club.

3. Alcantara’s final start in Miami?

Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara is scheduled to take the mound for the club today against the Cardinals. With the trade deadline set to pass before his next turn through the rotation, it’s possible the right-hander is about to make his final start for the club. It’s been a tough season for the 2022 NL Cy Young award winner as he’s worked his way back after missing all of last season rehabbing Tommy John surgery. Alcantara has a 6.66 ERA and 4.47 FIP through 20 starts so far this year, though his most recent start saw him throw seven scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks. That encouraging outing could be enough to get pitching-needy contenders to bite on Alcantara’s upside as a true front-of-the-rotation arm, the sort of player who is otherwise expected to be mostly unavailable this summer. Will his start today further increase his trade value, or raise more questions about his ability to contribute?

With the trade deadline a matter of days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Giants top prospect set to debut against top trade candidate:

Well-regarded Giants prospect Carson Whisenhunt is reportedly headed to the majors to take the ball in tonight’s start against the Pirates at 6:45pm local time in San Francisco. The 24-year-old Whisenhunt has posted a relatively pedestrian 4.42 ERA in 18 starts at Triple-A this year, but the inflated offensive environment found in the Pacific Coast League is at least partly to blame for that inflated figure. Whisenhunt is not yet on the 40-man roster, meaning the Giants will have to either trade away or designate someone for assignment before Whisenhunt’s start tonight unless the club transfers someone to the 60-day injured list.

Whisenhunt’s opponent will be well-regarded right-hander Mitch Keller, who sports a 3.53 ERA and is one of the league’s top trade candidates. The 29-year-old has been ultra-consistent this season, holding opponents to three or fewer runs in 18 of 21 starts. That includes a run of eight such starts in a row, during which he’s pitched to a pristine 2.59 ERA. Keller’s 18.7% strikeout rate this season is the second-lowest of his career, but his 5.8% walk rate is a career-best. He’s drawn interest from a variety of contenders and is affordably signed all the way through 2028. The Pirates aren’t necessarily dead-set on trading Keller, but tonight could still be his last start for the only team he’s known to this point in his career.

2. Lugo, Royals to finalize extension?

The Royals and right-hander Seth Lugo are reportedly finalizing an extension, but there has been no official announcement of the deal yet by Kansas City. Perhaps that’s set to come as soon as today. Assuming the extension is completed, it will remove the veteran right-hander from any trade conversations by re-asserting him as a key part of the Royals’ core. Lugo’s extension will be the latest move in an effort to surround Bobby Witt Jr. with a playoff-caliber supporting cast, joining other deals like those signed with Michael Wacha and Carlos Estevez this past winter. Lugo, the 2024 AL Cy Young runner-up, sports a 2.95 ERA in 19 starts this year.

3. Series Preview: Cubs @ Brewers

The Cubs and Brewers have been locked in a battle for the NL Central ever since Milwaukee’s surge toward the top of the standings that began last month. They’ll get the chance to face off for the first time since the Brewers’ win streak this week with a three-game set that begins at 6:40pm local time this evening. A pair of 2025 All-Stars will square off in Game 1, as veteran southpaw Matthew Boyd (2.20 ERA) takes on rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (2.45 ERA in six starts). Game 2 of the series will see Colin Rea (4.06 ERA) square off against Brewers righty Quinn Priester (3.28 ERA), while the series finale will pit Shota Imanaga (3.12 ERA in 14 starts) against Freddy Peralta (2.81 ERA). The winner of this series will come out on top of the NL Central, as the Cubs and Brewers are currently tied for the National League’s best record.

With the first major trade of July finally in place, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Who’s next to go on the Diamondbacks?

The Diamondbacks had been on the fence between buying or selling for weeks, but they’ve finally planted their stake in the ground by being the first team to sell off a rental player this summer when they shipped first baseman Josh Naylor to the Mariners last night in exchange for pitching prospects Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi. With Naylor out the door, the biggest question for fans in Arizona is who will follow him? Eugenio Suarez is looked at by many as the prize of this deadline when it comes to rentals amid a season where he’s already clubbed 36 homers, but Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen are intriguing rental starters as well. Arizona has even reportedly received some interest on outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and the final year-and-a-half of his three-year pact with the club from the 2023-24 offseason.

2. Could O’Hearn be on the way out of Baltimore?

Naylor isn’t the only slugging, lefty-swinging first baseman on the market. That description also applies to Ryan O’Hearn of the Orioles, a fellow rental bat in the midst of an even stronger season than Naylor. The 31-year-old O’Hearn is having a career year in 2025, with a .281/.375/.452 slash line and 12 home runs in 89 games despite having topped out at 15 across an entire season previously. A team in need of offensive firepower like the Reds, Rangers, Padres, or Brewers could make plenty of sense for O’Hearn, although the Reds and Rangers appear to be on the buy-sell bubble at this point. San Diego is also apparently considering a buy-and-sell strategy for the deadline. Like Naylor, O’Hearn’s limited defensive versatility could make him a tough fit for teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, and Mets who are more surefire buyers but generally have talent locked in at first base, at designated hitter and in the outfield corners.

3. Who will the Cardinals trade?

The Cardinals didn’t work out a trade yesterday, but they’ve still made waves in recent days. After president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged that he was meeting with Nolan Arenado to discuss the third baseman’s no-trade clause earlier this week, St. Louis designated potential trade chip Erick Fedde for assignment in a move that signals they don’t intend to keep the righty regardless of if they find a suitor for his services or not. Most recently, longtime closer Ryan Helsley publicly acknowledged that he feels he has about a “90 percent chance” to be pitching elsewhere on August 1. Helsley is likely St. Louis’s top trade chip, especially given the struggles Fedde has faced this year. Most veterans on the roster like Arenado, Miles Mikolas, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras have no-trade clauses they’ve not indicated an interest in waiving to this point, so a sell-off in St. Louis could be focused on players like Helsley, veteran righty Phil Maton, and lefty Steven Matz.

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

1. Trout goes for a milestone:

Mike Trout was the greatest player of the 2010s, a three-time MVP and would be a surefire Hall of Famer even if he retired today. His accomplishments in the game speak for themselves, but he’ll enter tonight’s game against the Mariners in Anaheim with a chance to reach another major milestone. Trout knocked in the 999th run of his career in last night’s lost to the Mets when he clubbed a solo home run, and now he sits on the precipice of being the latest addition to the 1000 RBI club. The outfielder is currently in the midst of his healthiest season in years and has done well for himself overall, with 18 home runs in 76 games and a 15.2% walk rate to go with his .237/.359/.467 slash (125 wRC+). Trout will look to knock in another runner when tonight’s game starts at 6:38pm local time, with rookie Logan Evans (3.81 ERA in ten starts) on the mound for Seattle.

2. Morton’s final start in Baltimore?

The trade deadline is a matter of days away at this point, and prospective trade candidates around the game are gearing up for what could be their final starts in their current uniform. Today, that’s true of veteran right-hander Charlie Morton. Morton landed with the Orioles on a one-year deal this past winter and has emerged as a frequently talked about trade candidate despite his lackluster 5.58 ERA on the season. He’s looked like a much better pitcher since returning to the rotation after a stint in the bullpen back in May, with a 3.78 ERA and 3.45 FIP across his last nine starts. His most recent outing against the Rays was a clunker, however, as he surrendered seven runs in just 5 1/3 innings. A strong start this afternoon against the Guardians in Cleveland would surely go a long way to reassuring potential suitors that Morton could provide rotation stability down the stretch.

3. Series Preview: Blue Jays @ Tigers

A series between two division leaders in the AL kicks off this evening when the Blue Jays head to Detroit for a four-game set against the Tigers. Both clubs have fairly solid leads in their division, with the Tigers a whopping eight games up on the next best team in the Central while the Jays lead the Yankees by four games in the East.  The series could still have implications in terms of positioning between the two teams, as both eye a potential bye through the Wild Card round this October.

Detroit enters the series just half a game back of both the Blue Jays and Astros as the three clubs jockey for the AL’s top two records. They’ll send right-hander Reese Olson (2.71 ERA in 12 starts) to the mound opposite Jays lefty Eric Lauer (2.80 ERA in 15 appearances/nine starts) for tonight’s game. Toronto veteran Jose Berrios (3.87 ERA) will take on Detroit youngster Keider Montero (4.28 ERA in 12 appearances/eight starts) tomorrow, with veteran Kevin Gausman (4.01 ERA) set to go opposite reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal (2.19 ERA) on Saturday. The series wraps up on Sunday with Max Scherzer (5.14 ERA in six starts) on the mound opposite Jack Flaherty (4.77 ERA).

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

1. Eflin to return:

The Orioles are gearing up for what’s sure to be a sell-side deadline, and as they do so one potential trade candidate is set to return from the injured list today: veteran right-hander Zach Eflin. Eflin has been sidelined for nearly a month due to back soreness, but interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner) that Eflin will be activated today to take the ball in tonight’s game against the Guardians and right-hander Slade Cecconi (3.84 ERA in 11 starts). Eflin’s had a rough year so far, with a 5.95 ERA in 12 starts, but a strong pair of starts prior to the deadline could lead prospective buyers to focus more on his fairly long history as a capable mid-rotation arm than his more recent struggles.

2. Casparius to undergo MRI:

Just one day after the Dodgers lost closer Tanner Scott to the injured list with an uncertain return timeline, L.A. may be losing another key arm. Right-hander Ben Casparius surrendered three runs without recording an out last night before exiting the game, and afterwards told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that he was suffering from calf cramping but also felt his foot “give out” from under him during his appearance. He’s scheduled to undergo an MRI today. Should he require a trip to the shelf, it would only exacerbate the Dodgers’ need for bullpen pitching this summer. Casparius has struggled badly in 24 innings of work since moving into a multi-inning role last month with an 8.63 ERA, but prior to that was one of the club’s most effective arms in one-to-two inning bursts.

3. Melton to debut:

The Tigers are poised to select the contract of right-hander Troy Melton today, as was previously reported. The 24-year-old has a 2.99 ERA across 75 1/3 innings at the Double- and Triple-A levels. Once Melton is rostered later today, he’ll be tasked with making his big league debut against the Pirates and left-hander Bailey Falter (4.00 ERA in 20 starts). Facing Pittsburgh in his first MLB game should make Melton’s debut a relatively soft landing given their lackluster offense this season, though the Tigers will have to make moves on both the active and 40-man rosters to bring the well-regarded young righty into the fold.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for today:

1. Scott to undergo MRI:

In last night’s win over the Twins, Tanner Scott exited the game after he felt what manager Dave Roberts described as a “sting” in his forearm. Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that Scott was set to undergo an MRI exam today, but that he views a trip to the injured list due to the issue as “more than likely.” Scott, who celebrates his 31st birthday today, has a 4.14 ERA and 19 saves in his first season as a member of the Dodgers. He signed a $72MM deal in free agency with the club over the winter. It’s been a fairly disappointing first year in Los Angeles, but if Scott winds up missing significant time due to this forearm issue, that will only serve to exacerbate the club’s need for bullpen help in the final days before the trade deadline on July 31. The Dodgers have already been looking into some of the top names on the bullpen market this summer.

2. Brewers’ streak continues:

The Brewers’ incredible surge to the top of the NL Central division is complete, as they put up a 6-0 victory over the Mariners on a night where the previously division-leading Cubs surrendered 12 runs in a clunker against the Royals. That 11th consecutive victory (in conjunction with Chicago’s loss) not only put the Brew Crew in sole possession of first place for the first time all season — it gave them the best record in all of baseball. They’ll look to continue this dominant stretch of play in Seattle tonight, when rookie Jacob Misiorowski (2.81 ERA in five starts) takes the mound opposite Mariners ace Logan Gilbert (3.39 ERA in 12 starts) at 6:40pm local time.

3. MLBTR chat today:

MLB’s trade deadline is just days away! Plenty of deals should be expected once the dam on trades finally breaks, with a number of contenders surely interested in patching holes in their roster ahead of the stretch run. If you’re looking for an idea of what your favorite team will be up to over the next few days, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

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

1. Brewers go for 11 in a row:

The Cubs have been leading the pace in the NL Central this year thanks largely to the breakout of Pete Crow-Armstrong and their offseason acquisition of Kyle Tucker. The Brewers have been on an incredible tear in recent weeks, however, and now sit in a first-place tie with Chicago. After going 16-9 in June, Milwaukee has gone 12-3 in July — including wins in each of their last ten games. They completed a sweep of the NL West-leading Dodgers last night that pulled them even with the Cubs at 59-40 on the season.

Milwaukee technically remains in second place after dropping three of five games played in the season series between the two clubs so far, but with more than 60 games left to play for both teams (including eight against each other), we’re in for a close battle down the stretch. In the short-term, the Brewers will look to keep their win streak rolling against the Mariners and star righty George Kirby. An early-season injury and a rough return from the IL have left Kirby with a pedestrian 4.50 ERA in ten starts, but he’s looked more like himself since the start of June with a 3.18 ERA and 3.07 FIP in 45 1/3 innings. The Brewers will counter with right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who has made just two starts following a long road to recovery from his own injury woes but has pitched to a sterling 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 frames.

2. Series Preview: Yankees @ Blue Jays

The Yankees have fallen out of first place in the AL East, and they’re set to get the opportunity to fight their way back to the top this week with a three-game set in Toronto. The Blue Jays have a three-game lead over New York, meaning a sweep for the Yanks would pull them into a tie for the division lead. That effort starts tonight with southpaw Carlos Rodon (3.08 ERA) on the mound versus veteran righty Kevin Gausman (4.19 ERA). Rookie Cam Schlittler will make the second start of his career tomorrow opposite Max Scherzer, who’s just a week from his 41st birthday. The series will conclude with Yankees ace Max Fried (2.43 ERA) on the mound against veteran righty Chris Bassitt (3.89 ERA).

3. Trade activity on the horizon:

The month of July has been relatively quiet in terms of the trade market so far, but that figures to change in the coming days with just ten days left until the trade deadline. While plenty of teams are still weighing whether to buy or sell, signals about the impending decisions are becoming more clear. Milwaukee’s recent hot streak was enough for GM Matt Arnold to more or less take trading Freddy Peralta off the table, for example, while on the other end of the spectrum recent struggles in Cleveland have led the Guardians to at least listen on high-end relievers Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith. Orioles GM Mike Elias effectively confirmed yesterday that he’s in active discussions regarding his club’s impending free agents. With the deadline creeping closer every day, the dam could break and unleash a flurry of deals any day now.

Here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball this weekend…

1. Fringe contenders gear up for their final deadline push:

We’re 13 days out from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, and there are ten non-playoff clubs within three games of .500 and within six games of a Wild Card berth. The next two weeks of play will be critical, and if any one of those bubble clubs gets out to a tough start coming out of the break, it could tip them toward selling even sooner. A sweep for any of the Rays, Rangers, Twins, Angels, Royals, Guardians, Giants, Cardinals, Reds or D-backs could be backbreaking for their season. Every team in baseball has a three-game series beginning tonight.

Tampa Bay opens the second half hosting a disappointing Orioles club. The Rangers host the MLB-best Tigers. The Twins head to Coors Field to take on the Rockies. The Angels draw a tough task with a road series in Philly. Kansas City is on the road against the Marlins. The Guardians host the A’s. The Giants are set to head to Toronto. The Reds will take on the Mets in Queens. Most interestingly, the Cardinals and D-backs will square off against one another in Arizona — a series matchup that carries potentially major deadline ramifications.

2. Mets to honor David Wright, retire his number:

The Mets will pay tribute to a franchise icon Saturday when they retire David Wright‘s No. 5 and induct him into the Mets Hall of Fame. The 42-year-old Wright’s career was cut far shorter than baseball fans — not just Mets fans — would have hoped. Neck, shoulder and spinal injuries derailed the latter stages of Wright’s career and put an end to his playing days when he still had two years remaining on his contract. From 2016-18 — his final active years — Wright only managed to play 77 games.

Prior to that, Wright was a perennial All-Star who won multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. The former No. 38 overall pick was the face of the Mets franchise for upwards of a decade. He made his MLB debut in his age-21 season and hit the ground running with a .293/.332/.525 batting line in 283 plate appearances. Wright received MVP votes in each of the next four seasons, and though he never won Most Valuable Player honors, he enjoyed four top-ten finishes. From 2004-14, Wright ranked among the very best all-around players in MLB. He batted a combined .298/.377/.494 with 230 home runs and 191 steals along the way. Wright’s 50.4 fWAR in that stretch ranked fifth among all major leaguers (pitchers and hitters alike), trailing only Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Chase Utley and Adrian Beltre.

Wright also represented the United States in both the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics, where he became renowned for his heroics and earned the nickname “Captain America.” Wright ripped a two-run, walk-off single that scored Brian Roberts and Jimmy Rollins to push the U.S. to the semifinal round in ’09, and he broke open a first-round matchup against Italy with a grand slam as part of a massive 2013 performance in the tournament.

The Mets will host a “block party” at Citi Field that’s open to all and begins three hours before Saturday’s 4:10pm ET start time. Wright will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. He’ll become the tenth Met to have his number retired.

3. Milestones on the horizon for Trout:

Turning to another franchise icon, Angels star Mike Trout is on the cusp of reaching some historic round figures in his career. The three-time American League MVP and 11-time All-Star is sitting on 995 runs batted in and 395 home runs. There’s a decent chance that he’ll become just the 308th player in MLB history to reach 1000 RBIs this weekend in Philadelphia. It’s far less likely — though for a player with Trout’s power, not impossible — that he’ll reach 400 homers this weekend. But, Trout’s 400th round-tripper probably isn’t too far off. He’s slugged 17 long balls in just 299 plate appearances this season while batting .238/.365/.471 (127 wRC+). When Trout does cross that 400 threshold, he’ll be just the 59th player to ever get there. Along the way, he’ll pass Joe Carter (396), Dale Murphy (398), Al Kaline (399) and Andres Galarraga (399).

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

1. Are the Royals buyers?

The first post-draft trade of the year took place yesterday and, while it shouldn’t shock anyone that the Pirates sold off veteran infield rental Adam Frazier, it’s at least a mild surprise that the buying club was the Royals. Kansas City has a pedestrian 47-50 record to this point in the year and remains 4.5 games out of the AL Wild Card picture. While they aren’t buried in the postseason picture, FanGraphs gives them just an 11.7% chance of making the postseason. That left many assuming that they were more likely to sell off short-term pieces like Seth Lugo than add rental players this summer, though it’s at least possible Frazier is something of a special case. The Royals are familiar with the 33-year-old after he was part of the club last year, and given the fact that he’s hitting just .255/.318/.336 this season he wasn’t exactly expensive in trade.

Still, the deal makes the Royals a team to keep an eye on coming out of the break, as a win streak could push them further away from selling. The Royals open the second half with three games in Miami, followed by three in Chicago against the Cubs. They’ll then host the Guardians and Braves in their final two series prior to the July 31 deadline.

2. Bubble teams nearing decision time:

While the Royals may have tipped their hand about their deadline plans to some extent, they’re far from the only team on the bubble between buying and selling. Fresh rumors about the Diamondbacks‘ deadline strategy surfaced yesterday, and it wouldn’t be a shock if teams like the Braves, Twins, Rangers, and Reds joined them in sending some additional signals about their trade deadline strategies coming out of the All-Star break. Depending on how many teams decide to sell this summer, perhaps there’s even room for an opportunistic club more clearly on the buy-side of things like the Red Sox or Rays to part ways with a piece like Jarren Duran or Taj Bradley (both of whom have been in the rumor mill) in the right deal.

3. Transactions kicking up ahead of return to play:

Yesterday saw a handful of transactions around the league as teams start to begin preparations for the second half. The Rangers placed Jake Burger on the injured list to maximize their ability to backdate the IL stint, and it’s possible that any players around the league nursing potential injuries who played on Sunday could similarly be placed on the shelf today if their club believes a minimum stint is on the table. Aside from that, there was some movement surrounding the waiver wire as Elvin Rodriguez was plucked off waivers by the Orioles while Rob Brantly was DFA’d by the Marlins. Multiple players triggered opt-out provisions in their minor league contracts as well. Additional minor transactions like those could begin to take place today as teams prepare for their impending return to the field tomorrow, to say nothing of the possibility of another trade or two breaking today.