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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>MLB Trade Rumors</title> <atom:link href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 05:00:00 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2</generator> <item> <title>Trade Deadline Outlook: New York Mets</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-new-york-mets.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-new-york-mets.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 04:59:03 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2025 Trade Deadline Outlook]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Front Office Originals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Originals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[New York Mets]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858812</guid> <description><![CDATA[MLBTR's team-by-team look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Mets. Things have cooled after a hot start, thanks to a mounting number of injuries. But the club is still in playoff position and should be adding this month. Record: 53-41 (83.1% playoff probability, per FanGraphs) Other series entries: Rockies, Giants, Phillies, Pirates, Astros, Marlins, Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Nationals, Cubs, Rays, Dodgers, Braves,…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>MLBTR's team-by-team look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Mets. Things have cooled after a hot start, thanks to a mounting number of injuries. But the club is still in playoff position and should be adding this month.</p><p>Record: 53-41 (83.1% <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playoff probability</a>, per FanGraphs)</p><p><em>Other series entries: <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-colorado-rockies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rockies</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-san-francisco-giants.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Giants</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-philadelphia-phillies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phillies</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-pittsburgh-pirates.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pirates</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-houston-astros.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Astros</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-miami-marlins.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marlins</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-athletics.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athletics</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-baltimore-orioles.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orioles</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/trade-deadline-outlook-chicago-white-sox.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White Sox</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-washington-nationals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nationals</a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-chicago-cubs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cubs</a></em>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-tampa-bay-rays.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Rays</em></a>, <em><a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-los-angeles-dodgers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dodgers</a></em>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-atlanta-braves.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Braves</em></a>, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-new-york-yankees.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yankees</em></a>, <em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-los-angeles-angels.html">Angels</a></span></em></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Buy Mode</strong></span></p><p>Potential needs: Starting pitching; bullpen help, particularly from the left side; center fielder; infielder; catcher</p><p>Life comes at you fast in the baseball world. That's especially true in this era, where pitchers are pushing the human body to its limits. On June 12th, the Mets had a record of 45-24 and a 5.5-game lead over the Phillies in the National League East. They had a healthy rotation and a couple of guys on rehab assignments, almost ready to come off the injured list. At that moment, it seems like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/montafr02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Frankie Montas</a></strong> was going to get squeezed to the bullpen and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blackpa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Paul Blackburn</a></strong> to the trade block.</p><p>On that June 12th date, Joel Sherman of The New York Post <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/mets-trade-rumors-paul-blackburn.html">reported</a> that the Mets were getting trade interest on Blackburn due to their apparent rotation surplus. But moments after that report came out, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sengako01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kodai Senga</a></strong> collapsed on the field with an apparent injury. He would be placed on the IL with a hamstring strain shortly thereafter. Not long after that, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/megilty01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tylor Megill</a></strong> also hit the IL, in his case due to an elbow sprain. A little over a week later, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cannigr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Griffin Canning</a></strong> ruptured his Achilles' tendon and Blackburn hit the IL with a shoulder impingement.</p><p>That barrage of injuries has quickly turned a surplus into a deficit and hampered the club's results. They have gone 8-17 over the past few weeks and are now a game and a half behind the Phils in the East. They are still firmly in contention, holding a Wild Card spot, but now seem likelier to add starting pitching.</p><div class="front-office-originals"> <img class="landing-logo" src="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/wp-content/plugins/fv-traderumors-membership-landing/images/mlb/landing-logo.png" /> <h4>Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription</h4> <div class="benefit-badge"> <div class="landing-divider"></div> <div class="the-badge">BENEFITS</div> </div> <ul> <li>Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.</li> <li>Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.</li> <li>Remove ads and support our writers.</li> <li>Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker</li> </ul> <a href="/membership?ref=858812"></a></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>47</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Rays Release Eloy Jimenez</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/rays-release-eloy-jimenez.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/rays-release-eloy-jimenez.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 04:15:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Tampa Bay Rays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eloy Jimenez]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858928</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Rays released Eloy Jiménez from his minor league contract, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. Jiménez had been on the Triple-A injured list for the past 10 days. This was the second IL stint of the season for the former Silver Slugger award winner. Jiménez appeared in 40 games with Tampa Bay’s top…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Rays released <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jimenel02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Eloy Jiménez</a></strong> from his minor league contract, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/TBTimes_Rays/status/1943779760527577189">reports</a> Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. Jiménez had been on the Triple-A injured list for the past 10 days.</p><p>This was the second IL stint of the season for the former Silver Slugger award winner. Jiménez appeared in 40 games with Tampa Bay’s top affiliate. He hit .278/.335/.397 and only managed three home runs across 167 plate appearances. His 43.5% hard contact rate is a little above the MLB average but not close to the huge exit velocities he posted during his best seasons with the White Sox. Jiménez’s career has been a on a sharp decline since he hit .295 with 16 homers in 84 games for Chicago back in 2022.</p><p>After a league average offensive showing in ’23, Jiménez was batting .240/.297/.345 at last summer’s deadline. The Sox needed to eat some money to ship him to the Orioles. The change of scenery did not turn things around. Jiménez hit .232 with a .270 on-base percentage and one homer in 33 games with Baltimore. The O’s bought him out and he was limited to minor league offers over the winter. He’ll very likely need to settle for another minor league contract if he stays in affiliated ball. Speculatively, Jiménez could be a target for teams in a foreign league like NPB or the KBO as well.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>18</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Fantasy Baseball: Closers, Call-Ups, and a Player to Watch</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/fantasy-baseball-closers-call-ups-and-a-player-to-watch.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/fantasy-baseball-closers-call-ups-and-a-player-to-watch.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nicklaus Gaut]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 02:49:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Front Office Fantasy]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858825</guid> <description><![CDATA[Hello, friends. Somehow, someway, the All-Star break is already upon us. As always, this time of year tends to feature waiver wires, which have mostly been picked clean. Full-time hitters, decent starting pitchers, and Saves (most of all) are in short supply and usually consist of about 60% blind hope. Unfortunate, as this coincides with…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hello, friends.</p><p>Somehow, someway, the All-Star break is already upon us. As always, this time of year tends to feature waiver wires, which have mostly been picked clean. Full-time hitters, decent starting pitchers, and Saves (most of all) are in short supply and usually consist of about 60% blind hope. Unfortunate, as this coincides with the time that teams in contention might be severely lacking in a category, or two, and need to make a move to keep their championship dreams alive.</p><p>The questions in our weekly chats here at MLB Trade Rumors reflect these realities. Where can I find Saves? Which (good) prospects will be called up soon, AND be good enough to contribute in fantasy? Is there anyone under the radar who might rise up?</p><div class="front-office-originals"> <img class="landing-logo" src="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/wp-content/plugins/fv-traderumors-membership-landing/images/mlb/landing-logo.png" /> <h4>Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription</h4> <div class="benefit-badge"> <div class="landing-divider"></div> <div class="the-badge">BENEFITS</div> </div> <ul> <li>Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.</li> <li>Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.</li> <li>Remove ads and support our writers.</li> <li>Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker</li> </ul> <a href="/membership?ref=858825"></a></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Geoff Hartlieb Elects Free Agency</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/geoff-hartlieb-elects-free-agency.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/geoff-hartlieb-elects-free-agency.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 01:42:01 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[New York Yankees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Geoff Hartlieb]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858925</guid> <description><![CDATA[Reliever Geoff Hartlieb has gone unclaimed on outright waivers and elected free agency, the Yankees announced. New York designated him for assignment on Wednesday when they promoted pitching prospect Cam Schlittler. Hartlieb has gone through this cycle twice in as many weeks. The Yanks selected his contract in late June and outrighted him a few days later.…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Reliever <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hartlge01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Geoff Hartlieb</a></strong> has gone unclaimed on outright waivers and elected free agency, the Yankees announced. New York designated him for assignment on Wednesday when they promoted pitching prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schlica01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cam Schlittler</a></strong>.</p><p>Hartlieb has gone through this cycle twice in as many weeks. The Yanks selected his contract in late June and outrighted him a few days later. Hartlieb elected free agency, re-signed on a major league deal, then was DFA again after three days. He has gotten into two games and been hit hard in each. The journeyman righty has allowed six runs on five hits and four walks while retiring just four of 13 batters faced.</p><p>While MLB hitters have teed off on Hartlieb this year, he has had a nice run with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He carries a 3.34 ERA with a 26% strikeout rate against a 6.9% walk percentage. Hartlieb has a 4.17 ERA over parts of six seasons at the top minor league level. He has given up nearly eight earned runs per nine across 80 2/3 career major league frames. Most of that time came in a Pittsburgh uniform. Hartlieb has played for five clubs overall.</p><p>The Yankees could try to bring Hartlieb back on a minor league contract. He’s out of options, so they needed to run him through waivers to take him off the MLB roster. The lack of options limits his flexibility, but his production in Scranton should get him attention as a depth option.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Angels Option Jack Kochanowicz</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/angels-option-jack-kochanowicz.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/angels-option-jack-kochanowicz.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:48:56 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles Angels]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Carson Fulmer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jack Kochanowicz]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858921</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Angels announced they’ve optioned right-hander Jack Kochanowicz to Triple-A Salt Lake. Jake Eder is up to provide an extra bullpen arm for this weekend’s series against the Diamondbacks. This is the first change that the Angels have made to their rotation all season. The quintet of Yusei Kikuchi, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks and Kochanowicz has combined…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Angels announced they’ve optioned right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kochaja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jack Kochanowicz</a></strong> to Triple-A Salt Lake. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/ederja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jake Eder</a></strong> is up to provide an extra bullpen arm for this weekend’s series against the Diamondbacks.</p><p>This is the first change that the Angels have made to their rotation all season. The quintet of <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kikucyu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Yusei Kikuchi</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/soriajo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">José Soriano</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/anderty01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler Anderson</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hendrky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kyle Hendricks</a></strong> and Kochanowicz has combined to start all 93 games. That reflects both remarkable health and a lack of upper minors alternatives. Kikuchi is the only member of the starting five with a sub-4.00 ERA or an above-average strikeout rate. Soriano has allowed an even four earned runs per nine with huge ground-ball numbers. Anderson and Hendricks are soft-tossing fifth starter types.</p><p>Kochanowicz has been one of the least effective starters in MLB. He carries a 6.03 ERA with a well below-average 15.6% strikeout rate and an elevated 11% walk percentage. The 6’7″ righty is one of six pitchers with at least 15 starts while allowing over six earned runs per nine. Only <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vasqura02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Randy Vásquez</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/feddeer01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Erick Fedde</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/senzaan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Antonio Senzatela</a></strong> have a worse strikeout/walk rate differential.</p><p>The 24-year-old Kochanowicz hasn’t tossed a quality start since the middle of May. He had his worst outing of the season against Texas last night. He surrendered eight runs on as many hits and three walks without escaping the third inning. He’ll spend at least the next 15 days in Triple-A unless he’s recalled in the corresponding move for an injured list placement.</p><p>Anderson, Kikuchi and Soriano are lined up for this weekend’s series. They’ll be able to reset their rotation coming out of the All-Star Break. They won’t need to tab a new fifth starter until July 22. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/danaca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Caden Dana</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/medervi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Victor Mederos</a></strong> are on the 40-man roster and working out of the rotation at Salt Lake. Neither is having a great season. Mederos has a better ERA with superior control, while Dana has shown slightly better swing-and-miss ability. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/silsech01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chase Silseth</a></strong> is also on the 40-man but has been on the minor league injured list since May and recently started a rehab assignment at the complex. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aldegsa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sam Aldegheri</a></strong> was just optioned back to Double-A this week.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/SamBlum3/status/1943808001221316686">Sam Blum of The Athletic</a> suggests the Angels might stretch <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fulmeca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Carson Fulmer</a></strong> out as a starter. He worked 5 1/3 innings of long relief behind Kochanowicz last night. Fulmer had a 3.98 earned run average in 54 1/3 Triple-A frames — mostly as a reliever — before being called up this week. He owns a 5.38 ERA across 115 career big league outings. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/detmere01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Reid Detmers</a></strong> has worked out of the bullpen all season, mostly one inning at a time. The Halos haven’t ruled out moving him back to the rotation at some point, but he’s their best setup option in a thin relief group. He’d also need to build back to a traditional starting workload over multiple appearances.</p><p>As explored in this afternoon’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-los-angeles-angels.html">Trade Deadline Outlook</a>, the Angels could pursue a starter. Despite a thin roster, they’re within four games of a Wild Card spot in a cluttered American League. They’ve resisted selling at prior deadlines, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they’re at least soft buyers while they’re within range of the playoff picture.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>13</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Sergio Alcántara Elects Free Agency</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/giants-outright-sergio-alcantara.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/giants-outright-sergio-alcantara.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 23:07:41 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[San Francisco Giants]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sergio Alcantara]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858746</guid> <description><![CDATA[July 11: Alcántara elected free agency, according to the MLB.com transaction log. July 10: The Giants have sent infielder Sergio Alcántara outright to Triple-A Sacramento, according to his MLB.com transactions tracker. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment a few days ago. He has the right to elect free agency but it’s…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>July 11:</strong> Alcántara elected free agency, according to the MLB.com transaction log.</p><p><strong>July 10: </strong>The Giants have sent infielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcanse01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sergio Alcántara</a></strong> outright to Triple-A Sacramento, according to his MLB.com <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/sergio-alcantara-642727">transactions tracker</a>. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment a few days ago. He has the right to elect free agency but it’s not clear if he will exercise that right or not.</p><p>Alcántara is celebrating his 29th birthday today. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he was selected to the big league roster last week as the Giants infield was a bit snakebit. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=chapmma01,chapma004mat&search=Matt+Chapman&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Chapman</a></strong> was on the injured list with a right hand injury, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kossch01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Christian Koss</a></strong> was out due to a hamstring strain and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fitzgty01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler Fitzgerald</a></strong> was battling some minor back soreness.</p><p>From the get-go, it seemed like it was mostly an emergency call. Alcántara didn’t force his way up, as he was only hitting .206/.319/.252 in the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League. Two days after he was called up, Chapman was ready to come off the IL, so Alcántara was bumped right back off the roster. Since he’s out of options, he had to be removed from the 40-man. In that window, he got into one game, going 0-4 with two strikeouts.</p><p>That was his first major league action in a few years. He appeared in the big leagues in the 2020-22 seasons for the Tigers, Cubs, Diamondbacks and Padres. He now has a .207/.278/.340 career batting line, when factoring in this year’s game.</p><p>He is considered a solid defender, having spent his career bouncing between shortstop, third base and second base. He could stick with the Giants as a glove-first depth infielder or head to the open market to see what other opportunities are available to him.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Dennis Lee, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>9</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Blue Jays Select Tommy Nance</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/blue-jays-select-tommy-nance.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/blue-jays-select-tommy-nance.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 22:25:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ryan Burr]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tommy Nance]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858897</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Tommy Nance. In a corresponding move, fellow righty Ryan Burr was placed directly onto the 60-day injured list with a right rotator cuff strain, which opened both an active roster and a 40-man roster spot for Nance. Nance, 34, had a decent run…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nanceto01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tommy Nance</a></strong>. In a corresponding move, fellow righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burrry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ryan Burr</a></strong> was placed directly onto the 60-day injured list with a right rotator cuff strain, which opened both an active roster and a 40-man roster spot for Nance.</p><p>Nance, 34, had a decent run late last year with the Jays. The club had planned to compete in 2024 but fell out of the race and ended up as a deadline seller. Nance was added to the roster in August, as the club was playing out the string on a lost season. He posted a 4.09 earned run average in 22 innings. His 20.4% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate were both a bit shy of average but he had a strong 52.4% ground ball rate.</p><p>The Jays kept him on their 40-man through the winter but he didn’t break camp with the club. Since he is out of options, he was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo. Since then, he has tossed 31 1/3 innings for the Bisons with a 4.60 ERA, though it seems like there’s a lot of bad luck in that figure. His 31.3% strikeout rate, 5.2% walk rate and 58% ground ball rate are all well above average. He’s seemingly been held back by a .363 batting average on balls in play and 55% strand rate, which are both to the unfortunate side. His 2.63 FIP suggests his ERA might be too high by almost two full runs.</p><p>The Jays will slot Nance into the bullpen to see if his numbers can regress towards the mean at the big league level. As mentioned, he is out of options and can’t be easily sent back down to Buffalo. If he holds onto a roster spot through the end of the year, he can be retained beyond this season. The Jays are leading the American League East and will presumably pursue relievers ahead of the deadline.</p><p>As for Burr, it’s an ominous development. He started the year on the IL due to shoulder inflammation. He worked his way back to health and was only reinstated off the IL five days ago. He appeared in two big league games but departed the second outing, which was on Wednesday, with an apparent injury. With the Jays immediately placing him on the 60-day IL today, it suggests they don’t expect him back until September even in a best-case scenario.</p><p>Like Nance, he got some run with the Jays last year. He tossed 32 2/3 innings with a 4.13 ERA, 33.6% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate. Perhaps a .329 BABIP hurt him, as his 3.07 FIP and 2.65 SIERA suggested he deserved better. Unfortunately, he hasn’t had a chance to build off that performance in 2025. He has already spent most the 2025 season on the IL and that will continue for a few more months at least.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Tyler Callihan Likely Done For The Year</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/tyler-callihan-likely-done-for-the-year.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/tyler-callihan-likely-done-for-the-year.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 22:02:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Reds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tyler Callihan]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858855</guid> <description><![CDATA[Infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan is likely done for the year. According to the Reds’ injury tracker at MLB.com, he recently had a follow-up surgery on his left wrist and is not expected to return this season. Callihan, 25, suffered a gruesome injury in just his fourth big league game. Playing left field on May 5th, he…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Infielder/outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/callity01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler Callihan</a></strong> is likely done for the year. According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-injuries-and-roster-moves">Reds’ injury tracker at MLB.com</a>, he recently had a follow-up surgery on his left wrist and is not expected to return this season.</p><p>Callihan, 25, suffered a gruesome injury in just his fourth big league game. Playing left field on May 5th, he chased a <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=olsonma02,olson-006mat&search=Matt+Olson&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Olson</a></strong> fly ball towards the foul line, slid and crashed into the wall. He appeared to catch the ball but then immediately dropped it, with his left/glove arm in obvious pain. Olson rounded the bases for an inside-the-park home run as Callihan was on the ground in discomfort.</p><p>The next day, Callihan was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left forearm fracture. The Reds announced that he had already undergone surgery, which would necessitate a shutdown period of six to eight weeks. He was transferred to the 60-day IL a few days later when the Reds acquired <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/joeco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Connor Joe</a></strong> from the Padres.</p><p>After that shutdown period, it seems that Callihan was reevaluated and it was determined that another surgery was required. It’s unclear if he will be able to have a healthy offseason or be ready for next season. He will stay on the 60-day IL for the rest of the year. As a small consolation for this frustrating experience, he has been collecting big league pay and service time while on the IL and will continue to do so for the remainder of the season.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Pirates Select Yohan Ramírez, Designate Matt Gorski For Assignment</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/pirates-select-yohan-ramirez-designate-matt-gorski-for-assignment.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/pirates-select-yohan-ramirez-designate-matt-gorski-for-assignment.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:25:26 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Pittsburgh Pirates]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jared Triolo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Matt Gorski]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Yohan Ramirez]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858887</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Pirates announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Yohan Ramírez. Infielder Jared Triolo was optioned to to Triple-A Indianapolis as the corresponding active roster move. First baseman/outfielder Matt Gorski was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot. Ramírez, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in the offseason.…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Pirates announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramiryo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Yohan Ramírez</a></strong>. Infielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/triolja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jared Triolo</a></strong> was optioned to to Triple-A Indianapolis as the corresponding active roster move. First baseman/outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gorskma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Gorski</a></strong> was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot.</p><p>Ramírez, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in the offseason. He recently opted out of that deal but was quickly re-signed. He’s having a strong season, with a 3.19 earned run average over 31 Triple-A innings. His 29.3% strikeout rate and 52.7% ground ball rate are both strong marks, while his 8.6% walk rate is around par.</p><p>His previous big league work has been passable. Over the previous five seasons, he threw a combined 169 innings for various clubs with a 4.58 ERA, 22.8% strikeout rate, 11.3% walk rate and 44.6% ground ball rate.</p><p>With his strong results in the minors this year, the Bucs have called him up to see if he can carry it forward at the major league level. He is out of options but could be retained beyond this season via arbitration if he can hang onto his roster spot until season’s end. The Pirates are going to be sellers at the deadline and could move relievers such as <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bednada01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">David Bednar</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santade01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dennis Santana</a></strong> or <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/ferguca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Caleb Ferguson</a></strong> in the coming weeks, opening opportunities for others. It’s also possible Ramírez himself garners some trade interest if he looks good in the coming weeks.</p><p>Gorski, 27, has shown some pop and some speed in his career but also with a penchant for strikeouts. Last year, he hit 23 home runs at the Triple-A level and stole 15 bases but also got punched out at a 28.6% pace.</p><p>Despite that yellow flag, the Bucs gave him a major league tryout, selecting his contract in late April. In 42 big league plate appearances, he struck out 16 times, a 38.1% rate. His batting line was .195/.214/.390. He was optioned to the minors in the middle of May. Shortly after getting optioned, he landed on the minor league injured list and hasn’t played in a game since May 23rd. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers so he will either be traded or released within the next week.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>27</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Astros Promote Brice Matthews</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-to-promote-brice-matthews.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-to-promote-brice-matthews.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:00:33 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Houston Astros]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Newsstand]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Top Prospect Promotions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brice Matthews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jake Meyers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Zach Dezenzo]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858751</guid> <description><![CDATA[July 11: Per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Meyers has been placed on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain. It’s unclear how much time he’s expected to miss but that opens an active roster spot for Matthews. Infielder/outfielder Zach Dezenzo has been transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot. Dezenzo…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>July 11</strong>: Per <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/Chandler_Rome/status/1943761545902633219">Chandler Rome of The Athletic</a>, Meyers has been placed on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain. It’s unclear how much time he’s expected to miss but that opens an active roster spot for Matthews. Infielder/outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dezenza01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Zach Dezenzo</a></strong> has been transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot. Dezenzo landed on the 10-day IL on June 1st due to left hand inflammation. His 60-day count is retroactive to that initial IL placement, so he can be reinstated at the end of July.</p><p><strong>July 10</strong>: The Astros are promoting infield prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=matthe000bri&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brice Matthews</a></strong>, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/brianmctaggart/status/1943441152675581974">Brian McTaggart of MLB.com</a>. The club is off today but he’ll join them tomorrow. The Astros will need to select him to the 40-man roster and open an active roster spot.</p><p>Matthews, 23, was the club’s first-round pick two summers ago. The Astros selected him with the 28th overall pick of the 2023 draft and signed him with a bonus of just under $2.5MM. The Nebraska product drew praise from scouts for his well-rounded toolset and patient approach. More pessimistic evaluators expressed concern about his elevated swing-and-miss rates while questioning whether he had the arm strength to stick on the left side of the infield.</p><p>The righty-hitting infielder has lived up to that profile this year. He’s in his first full season at Triple-A after making a 12-game cameo there last year. Matthews carries a .283/.400/.476 slash line through 325 plate appearances. He has connected on 10 home runs and stolen 25 bases in 31 attempts. He has walked at a massive 15.4% clip while striking out more than 30% of the time. His average exit velocity and hard contact rate are both above the MLB averages. Matthews has shown an above-average power/speed combination, a willingness to work deep counts, and below-average contact skills.</p><p>Drafted as a shortstop, Matthews has played more second base this year. That’s also not surprising given the questions about his arm strength. Matthews wouldn’t have a long-term path to playing time at shortstop on a team with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/penaje02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jeremy Peña</a></strong> regardless. Peña is currently on the shelf with a broken rib, pushing <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dubonma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mauricio Dubón</a></strong> more frequently to the left side of the infield. That has drawn <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/altuvjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jose Altuve</a></strong> back in at second base, moving <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trammta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Taylor Trammell</a></strong> into the starting left field role.</p><p>The Astros are facing another potential injured list stint, as center fielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=meyerja02,meyers003jak&search=Jake+Meyers&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jake Meyers</a></strong> is being evaluated for a right calf problem. Matthews has two professional innings of outfield experience. It’s unlikely the Astros would throw him into outfield work. (They did push rookie <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithca07.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-10_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cam Smith</a></strong> from third base to right field, though he at least had a couple weeks to work out there during Spring Training.) Playing Matthews at second base could move Altuve back to left field and push Trammell to center if Meyers is out of action.</p><p>Matthews will remain under club control for at least six full seasons after this one. He won’t be eligible for arbitration for at least three years. There’s a decent chance he’ll be optioned back to the minors at some point, especially if Peña makes a quick return that moves Dubón back to the keystone. Houston fans will get their first look at one of the organization’s better hitting prospects, who will step into a club that has built a 6.5 game cushion in the AL West despite myriad injuries.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>22</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Rays Place Brandon Lowe On Injured List</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/rays-place-brandon-lowe-on-injured-list-2.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/rays-place-brandon-lowe-on-injured-list-2.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:55:50 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Tampa Bay Rays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brandon Lowe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Curtis Mead]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858878</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Rays announced today that infielder Brandon Lowe has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to left oblique tightness, retroactive to July 8th. Fellow infielder Curtis Mead was recalled as the corresponding move. It’s possible that the move with Lowe is precautionary. The side issue has kept him out of the club’s past…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Rays announced today that infielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lowebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brandon Lowe</a></strong> has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to left oblique tightness, retroactive to July 8th. Fellow infielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/meadcu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Curtis Mead</a></strong> was recalled as the corresponding move.</p><p>It’s possible that the move with Lowe is precautionary. The side issue has kept him out of the club’s past four games, which is why they were able to backdate this by the three-day maximum. With the All-Star break coming up, Lowe might only miss three more contests and could perhaps be back with the Rays by next weekend.</p><p>Nonetheless, it will be a situation to monitor for the rest of the month. Lowe is a strong performer but doesn’t have a great track record in terms of health. This is his eighth major league season but he has only once played in 110 games or more. He has avoided the IL so far this year, getting into 84 contests, but is now battling a tricky oblique issue.</p><p>He has been one of the better players for the Rays this year, with 19 home runs, a .272/.324/.487 slash line and 125 wRC+. He was selected to the All-Star team but will no longer be able to participate thanks to this injury.</p><p>The Rays are 50-44 and currently in possession of a Wild Card spot in the American League. In past years, they have often done a mix of buying and selling at the deadline. Even when in contention, they will sometimes trade a veteran player who is on the more expensive side and/or nearing free agency, while acquiring younger and cheaper players. MLBTR recently did <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-tampa-bay-rays.html">a deep dive</a> on the club’s potential deadline approach, examining the various paths the Rays could take.</p><p>Lowe is making $10.5MM this year, making him one of the more expensive players on the roster. His contract has an affordable $11.5M club option for next year with a $500K buyout. With the way the Rays operate, it’s possible they could look to move Lowe for younger players while simultaneously adding others for the stretch run.</p><p>That makes the Lowe injury all the more notable. On the one hand, it hurts the Rays in the short term, as they are going to be without one of their better players while in a tight playoff race. It’s also possible that the injury impacts whatever trade talks they will have in the coming weeks.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kimha01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ha-Seong Kim</a></strong> recently came off the IL and has taken over as the regular shortstop. That leaves <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wallsta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Taylor Walls</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabaljo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">José Caballero</a></strong> free to cover second for Lowe. Mead’s recall today gives them some extra depth in that department.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Mets Designate Rico Garcia For Assignment</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/mets-to-designate-rico-garcia-for-assignment.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/mets-to-designate-rico-garcia-for-assignment.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:40:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[New York Mets]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Austin Warren]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jared Young]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jesse Winker]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Hagenman]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kodai Senga]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rico Garcia]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858819</guid> <description><![CDATA[2:40pm: The Mets have now officially announced these moves and a few others. They also optioned right-hander Justin Hagenman and placed outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker on the 10-day IL due to back inflammation. Right-hander Austin Warren and infielder Jared Young were recalled to take those two spots. 10:21am: The Mets will designate right-hander Rico Garcia…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>2:40pm</strong>: The Mets have now officially announced these moves and a few others. They also optioned right-hander <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hagenju01.shtml">Justin Hagenman</a></strong> and placed outfielder/designated hitter <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/winkeje01.shtml">Jesse Winker</a></strong> on the 10-day IL due to back inflammation. Right-hander <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/warreau01.shtml">Austin Warren</a></strong> and infielder <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngja02.shtml">Jared Young</a></strong> were recalled to take those two spots.</p><p><strong>10:21am</strong>: The Mets will designate right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garciri01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Rico Garcia</a></strong> for assignment today in order to open a spot on the roster for the return of ace <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sengako01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kodai Senga</a></strong>, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/AnthonyDiComo/status/1943690619290829113">reports</a> Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Garcia is out of minor league options and couldn’t be sent back to Triple-A without being exposed to waivers.</p><p>Garcia signed a minor league deal with the Mets over the winter. The 31-year-old righty was selected to the major league roster eight days ago and has since pitched in two games, tossing 4 2/3 shutout frames with just one hit and no walks allowed. He’s punched out three hitters and shown career-best velocity on his four-seamer, averaging 96.1 mph and topping out at 98 mph. He’s using that four-seamer less than in prior seasons, in large part due to a newly incorporated slider/cutter he’s added to his typical four-seam/curveball/changeup repertoire.</p><p>That short run was Garcia’s first big league work since 2023, when he pitched 11 2/3 innings between the A’s and Nats but was tagged for a dozen runs. He’s spent the rest of the 2025 season in Triple-A Syracuse, pitching to a 4.45 ERA with a strong 27.4% strikeout rate but also an alarming 14.8% walk rate in 30 1/3 innings. Garcia has had plenty of success in Triple-A, regularly showing better-than-average ability to miss bats but also below-average command. He has a 6.47 ERA in 40 1/3 MLB frames split between the Rockies, Mets, A’s, Nats, Giants and Orioles.</p><p>The Mets have regularly cycled through journeymen relievers with the final couple spots in their bullpen. Garcia has pitched better than the others in his brief look but will still meet the same fate. He’ll be placed on waivers or traded within the next five days. He’s been outrighted in the past, so if he clears waivers he’ll be able to reject an outright assignment to the minors in favor of free agency.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>21</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Latest On Braves’ Deadline Approach</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/braves-trade-rumors-rentals-raisel-iglesias-marcell-ozuna-pierce-johnson.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/braves-trade-rumors-rentals-raisel-iglesias-marcell-ozuna-pierce-johnson.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:36:56 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Atlanta Braves]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aaron Bummer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chris Sale]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Marcell Ozuna]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ozzie Albies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pierce Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rafael Montero]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Raisel Iglesias]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sean Murphy]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858851</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Braves have been in a downward spiral for much of the season. They’ve shown signs of life at various points, but those brief flashes were quickly stamped out by repeated injuries to star players. Atlanta lost Reynaldo Lopez to arthroscopic shoulder surgery in mid-April and was without both Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr.…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Braves have been in a downward spiral for much of the season. They’ve shown signs of life at various points, but those brief flashes were quickly stamped out by repeated injuries to star players. Atlanta lost <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezre01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Reynaldo Lopez</a></strong> to arthroscopic shoulder surgery in mid-April and was without both <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stridsp01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Spencer Strider</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/acunaro01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ronald Acuña Jr.</a></strong> to begin the season. That All-Star duo has since returned, but over the past month the Braves have lost <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/salech01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chris Sale</a></strong> (fractured ribs), <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schwesp01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Spencer Schwellenbach</a></strong> (fractured elbow) and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithaj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">AJ Smith-Shawver</a></strong> (Tommy John surgery). Setup man <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jimenjo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joe Jimenez</a></strong> underwent knee surgery in the offseason and is likely to miss the entire year as well.</p><p>On top of that brutal slate of pitching injuries, the Braves have seen several key players take major steps back in performance. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/albieoz01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ozzie Albies</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harrimi04.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Michael Harris II</a></strong> have been two of baseball’s least-productive hitters. Closer <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/iglesra01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Raisel Iglesias</a></strong>, fresh off a career-best year in 2024, is having a career-<em>worst</em> season in 2025 — although he’s recently rattled off 10 2/3 shutout innings with a 15-to-1 K/BB ratio, so perhaps he’s coming around. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rileyau01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Austin Riley</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ozunama01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Marcell Ozuna</a></strong> are both hitting better than the league-average hitter but worse than their career norms. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/profaju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jurickson Profar</a></strong> missed 80 games due to a PED suspension.</p><p>The result is a 40-52 team that sits 13.5 games out of the division lead and 10 games back in the Wild Card hunt. FanGraphs gives Atlanta a 3.7% chance of making the postseason, which feels charitable for a club that presently has three healthy starters (Strider, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/holmegr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Grant Holmes</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/elderbr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bryce Elder</a></strong>). The Braves rushed prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fuentdi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Didier Fuentes</a></strong> to the majors just three days after his 20th birthday and despite having just 26 1/3 innings above A-ball under his belt. Predictably, it has not gone well (13.85 ERA in four starts).</p><p>The stage is set for Atlanta to operate in an unfamiliar manner this deadline, playing the role of a seller. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos emphatically denounced the notion of even considering a trade of Sale last month, just prior to the left-hander’s injury. Anthopoulos <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/anthopoulos-on-trading-chris-sale-will-not-happen.html">called any speculation regarding a Sale trade “completely ridiculous”</a> in an appearance on 680 The Fan in Atlanta.</p><p>“I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them,” he said at the time. “Once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done. [A trade of Sale] Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps.”</p><p>Even with the tumult that’s followed those statements — which predated not only Sale’s injury but also the Schwellenbach injury — the thinking doesn’t appear to have changed. <a target="_blank" href="https://fansided.com/mlb/sources-braves-signal-commitment-to-core-amid-mounting-trade-deadline-pressure-01jztvzw0dng">Robert Murray of FanSided reports</a> that the Braves have not discussed Sale in any trade talks and, furthermore, do not intend to listen on any player who’s controlled beyond the 2025 season.</p><p><strong>[Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trade-deadline-outlook-atlanta-braves.html">Atlanta Braves Trade Deadline Outlook</a>]</strong></p><p>If that’s indeed the case, the Braves will be in for a quiet deadline. Atlanta only has three true free agents at season’s end: Iglesias, Ozuna and right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/montera01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Rafael Montero</a></strong>. Any of the three could hold appeal on the market.</p><p>Iglesias, as noted, has had an uneven season but turned a corner of late. He’s sitting on a 4.67 ERA overall, but that’s a function of the 35-year-old’s 6.75 ERA through early June. Even as Iglesias struggled to those ugly results, however, he posted strong strikeout and walk rates. He was dogged by a .348 average on balls in play and a sky-high 21.9% homer-to-flyball rate along the way, but metrics like SIERA (3.34) still pegged him as a quality reliever and hinted at positive regression. Iglesias hasn’t markedly changed up his pitch selection, but he’s now missing far more bats in the zone and has recorded a colossal 20.7% swinging-strike rate over the course of his current hot streak.</p><p>That’s probably enough to drum up legitimate trade interest, especially when considering his track record. The right-hander has a 2.96 ERA and 233 saves in a career that spans more than a decade. From 2020-24, he posted an ERA of 2.74 or better each season, combining for a 2.44 mark with a 31.6% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate. This year’s $16MM salary is steep, but there will “only” be $5.333MM of that sum left come deadline day. (As of this writing, it’s $6.795MM.)</p><p>As for the 34-year-old Ozuna, he’s having a solid season at the plate but isn’t hitting anywhere near his 2023-24 levels. This year’s .236/.363/.385 slash is 14% better than league-average in the estimation of wRC+, a far cry from the 48% gap between Ozuna and the average MLB hitter in ’23-’24. Ozuna’s bat speed has dipped by 1.5 mph since 2023, per Statcast, dropping him from the 86th percentile of big league hitters to the 73rd. This year’s 42% ground-ball rate is his highest mark since 2019, while his 13.3% homer-to-flyball rate is his lowest since 2021.</p><p>Ozuna is also just swinging far, far less than in recent seasons. He offered at nearly 48% of the pitches he saw in 2023-24 but has swung at just 39.4% of the pitches he’s seen so far in 2025. That’s led to a major jump in walk rate, with the slugger sitting on a career-high 16.4% mark, but that selectivity has resulted in a dip in power output — both on a rate basis and in terms of totality.</p><p>While Iglesias has been rebuilding trade value as the summer wears on, Ozuna has been doing the opposite. He’s mired in one of the worst slumps of his career, hitting just .161/.254/.250 over his past 143 plate appearances dating back to early June. He’s still walked at a 10.5% clip along the way and has a roughly average strikeout rate (22.4%), but he’s hitting even more grounders in that stretch and has seen his quality of contact decline. Ozuna is making the same $16MM as Iglesias this season.</p><p>The only other pure rental on Atlanta’s roster is the 34-year-old Montero. The Braves surprisingly bailed the Astros out of nearly $3MM of Montero’s ill-fated three-year, $34.5MM contract when they acquired him early this season. He’s pitched decently, logging a 3.86 ERA in 28 innings but walking 12.8% of the batters he’s faced since being traded. He’s had better command recently, issuing just four walks to his past 74 hitters faced, however. With Houston on the hook for the majority of this year’s $11.5MM salary, Montero could hold appeal to teams looking for affordable bullpen help but unwilling to sacrifice top-end prospects to acquire it.</p><p>Other clubs will surely try to test the Braves’ resolve when it comes to dealing players controlled beyond the current season. Catcher <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=murphse01,murphy010sea,murphy011sea,murphy013sea&search=Sean+Murphy&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sean Murphy</a></strong> has been oft-speculated as a possible trade candidate thanks to the emergence of rookie catcher <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baldwdr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Drake Baldwin</a></strong>, though Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently reported that any such trade is likelier to occur in the offseason. Murphy is signed through 2028 and will be paid $15MM in each of the next three seasons.</p><p>Atlanta also has a pair of quality relievers with limited club control remaining in lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bummeaa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Aaron Bummer</a></strong> (signed for next year at $9.5MM) and righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnspi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Pierce Johnson</a></strong> ($7MM club option for 2026). Both are having very strong seasons and will draw interest. Relievers are notoriously volatile, which could tempt Atlanta if another club presents a compelling offer. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6487595/2025/07/11/braves-athletics-takeaways-spencer-strider/?source=emp_shared_article">David O’Brien of The Athletic wrote this morning</a> that the Braves could listen on Johnson, who has a 2.76 ERA, a 27.9% strikeout rate, a 7% walk rate and a 39% grounder rate in 32 2/3 innings. He’s picked up six holds and a save on the season.</p><p>There are perhaps larger-scale decisions coming down the pipe with regard to Albies — a former All-Star and Silver Slugger winner who’s batting just .221/.292/.320 in 391 plate appearances. His incredibly affordable club options for the 2026-27 seasons — $7MM apiece — make him a compelling rebound/change-of-scenery candidate.</p><p>It’d be tough for the Braves to decline his 2026 option, as it comes with a hearty $4MM buyout, rendering Albies a net $3MM decision. Even if the Braves hope to move on, it’s easy to imagine another club being interested in buying low at that price on what would be Albies’ age-29 and age-30 seasons. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/poll-what-should-the-braves-do-with-ozzie-albies.html">MLBTR readers were recently split nearly evenly</a> in a poll on Albies’ future, with 54% saying the Braves should hold and hope for a rebound while 46% indicated that they should trade him, either now or in the offseason.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>31</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Poll: Who Should The Nationals Pick First Overall?</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/poll-who-should-the-nationals-pick-first-overall.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/poll-who-should-the-nationals-pick-first-overall.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nick Deeds]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:00:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Originals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Polls]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Washington Nationals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ethan Holliday]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kade Anderson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Seth Hernandez]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858808</guid> <description><![CDATA[The 2025 draft is just a few days away, and the Nationals hit the jackpot over the winter when they won the draft lottery and were selected to pick first overall despite entering the lottery with just a 10.2% chance of nabbing the top pick. Since then, a disappointing season has led to the dismissal…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The 2025 draft is just a few days away, and the Nationals hit the jackpot over the winter when they won the draft lottery and were selected to pick first overall despite entering the lottery with just a 10.2% chance of nabbing the top pick. Since then, a disappointing season has led to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/nationals-fire-pbo-mike-rizzo-manager-dave-martinez.html">dismissal</a> of longtime GM Mike Rizzo, meaning that interim GM Mike DeBartolo will be piloting the organization when it makes this weekend’s crucial pick. With hundreds of players set to be drafted to begin their pro careers in the coming days, who should the Nats stake their future on? A look at some of the top options:</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ethan Holliday</span></strong></p><p>Holliday is an 18-year-old shortstop out of Stillwater HS in Oklahoma. Holliday has long garnered plenty of attention thanks to his family; he’s the son of seven-time All-Star <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollima01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Holliday</a></strong> and the brother of 2022 first overall pick <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollija01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jackson Holliday</a></strong>. Will the younger Holliday brother follow in the footsteps of his sibling and be selected first overall? There’s certainly a strong argument for it. Holliday is considered the top prospect in the draft by both <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/">MLB Pipeline</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2025-top-mlb-draft-prospects/">Baseball America</a>.</p><p>A slugger who stands at a projectable 6’4”, Holliday receives rave reviews for both his batting eye and ability to generate easy power to all fields but does suffer from some swing-and-miss concerns at the plate. While he’s listed as a shortstop, few expect him to remain there long-term given his size and room to grow physically. More optimistic scouts see him as a player who could remain a plus defender at shortstop, while others see a future in the outfield or at first base. Holliday is generally viewed as the consensus top offensive talent in the draft, but his timeline to the majors might not be the best fit for a Nationals team that already has a big-league ready core of <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodja03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">James Wood</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abramcj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CJ Abrams</a></strong>, and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gorema01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">MacKenzie Gore</a></strong> earning service time in the majors.</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Seth Hernandez</span></strong></p><p>A 19-year-old right-hander from Corona HS in California, Hernandez is in many ways a pitching mirror of Holliday. The hurler lacks Holliday’s familial connections to the majors, but has drawn rave reviews from scouts for years and is viewed as a player with all the tools to be a prototypical ace. Hernandez has a four-pitch mix led by a mid-90s fastball that can touch triple-digits and a changeup that’s already universally viewed as a plus offering, alongside a curveball and slider that are both viewed as potentially above average pitches. Aside from Hernandez’s strong stuff, he also sports impressive control for his age and is viewed as having a strong makeup. Ranked as the #2 prospect in the draft by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2025-top-mlb-draft-prospects/">Baseball America</a> and #3 by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/">MLB Pipeline</a>, Hernandez’s ace upside is more than enough to justify the Nationals considering him for the top pick even though he could have a long road to the majors as a prep pitcher.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=anders001kad&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kade Anderson</a></strong></span></p><p>The consensus top college player available in this draft, Anderson is a 21-year-old left-hander pitching for LSU. Anderson’s fastball typically sits in the low-to-mid 90s and maxes out at 97 mph, but the main draw of his arsenal is his trio of secondary offerings. Both his curveball and slider are viewed as above-average pitches, and while his changeup garners more mixed reviews, some scouts view it as the most impressive secondary in his arsenal and all agree it at least has the potential to be an average offering that helps keep right-handed hitters honest. Anderson also features above-average control and is viewed as a high-floor arm likely to be a starter in the big leagues long-term.</p><p>The fact that he’s already had Tommy John surgery is a potential red flag, although some teams may not be especially bothered by that in a sport where elbow surgery is increasingly becoming the expectation for pitchers. The #2 prospect in the draft according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/">MLB Pipeline</a> and #4 according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2025-top-mlb-draft-prospects/">Baseball America</a>, Anderson is viewed as having the same ace-level upside as Hernandez but could be much quicker to the majors. That could be attractive to the Nationals, especially if they end up opting to go under-slot with their first pick to take bigger swings later in the draft.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Other Options</span></p><p>While the aforementioned trio of prospects figure to get the most attention this weekend, they aren’t the only players the Nationals could feasibly consider selecting first overall. <strong>Eli Willits</strong> is a prep shortstop who would be the youngest first-overall pick in history if selected, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2025-top-mlb-draft-prospects/">Baseball America</a> views him as the #3 talent in the entire draft and his well-rounded profile could make him an attractive under-slot option for the Nats. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=arnold004jam&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jamie Arnold</a></strong> is a lefty hurler at Florida State who offers a more impressive fastball than Anderson, though he has just three pitches and hasn’t needed to use his changeup much as an amateur. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=arquet000aiv&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Aiva Arquette</a></strong> is a shortstop at Oregon State and is viewed as the consensus top college bat in the draft, but is seen as having far less upside than someone like Holliday or even Willits despite confidence in his ability to stick at shortstop.</p><p>Who do MLBTR readers think the Nationals should take with the top pick in this year’s draft? Have your say in the poll below:</p><a name="pd_a_15737221"></a><div class="PDS_Poll" id="PDI_container15737221" data-settings="{"url":"\/\/static.polldaddy.com\/p\/15737221.js"}" style="display:inline-block;"></div><div id="PD_superContainer"></div><noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/15737221">Take Our Poll</a></noscript><script type='text/javascript'>(function(d,c,j){if(!d.getElementById(j)){var pd=d.createElement(c),s;pd.id=j;pd.src='https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/wp-content/plugins/polldaddy/js/polldaddy-shortcode.js?ver=2';s=d.getElementsByTagName(c)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(pd,s);} else if(typeof jQuery !=='undefined')jQuery(d.body).trigger('pd-script-load');}(document,'script','pd-polldaddy-loader'));</script>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>59</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Zach Pop Elects Free Agency</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/zach-pop-elects-free-agency-2.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/zach-pop-elects-free-agency-2.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:46:57 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[New York Mets]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Zach Pop]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=858852</guid> <description><![CDATA[Right-hander Zach Pop has elected free agency after being sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after the Mets designated him for assignment earlier this week. Pop, 28, has upper-90s velocity but is more of a ground ball guy than a strikeout machine. He now…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/popza01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2025-07-11_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Zach Pop</a></strong> has elected free agency after being sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse, according to his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/zach-pop-647315">transactions tracker</a> at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after the Mets designated him for assignment earlier this week.</p><p>Pop, 28, has upper-90s velocity but is more of a ground ball guy than a strikeout machine. He now has 162 1/3 innings under his belt with a 4.88 earned run average. His 17.8% strikeout rate is a bit below average but he has limited walks to a 7.8% clip while getting balls in play pounded into the ground at a 55% clip.</p><p>He has been having a nomadic season thanks to his contract status. The Blue Jays tendered him a contract in the offseason, avoiding arbitration by agreeing to a $900K salary. But he experienced some elbow soreness during spring training. The Jays wanted to open some 40-man spots for their Opening Day roster and bumped Pop off. Since he was injured, he couldn’t be outrighted and had to be released.</p><p>That left the Jays on the hook for that $900K and allowed other clubs to sign Pop for cheap. He could be rostered and paid the major league minimum salary, with that amount subtracted from what the Jays pay. The Mariners and Mets have given him brief looks this year, with Pop making four appearances for Seattle and one for New York. But since he’s out of options, he has quickly been dispatched by both of those clubs. He’ll now head to the open market to see what his next opportunity is.</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> 
