News Red Sox Team Notes

[Boston Red Sox]

Mariners Looking For Corner Infield Bats; Ownership Willing To Bump Payroll

The Mariners are currently 41-38 and in possession of the final American League Wild Card spot, putting them in position to add at the deadline. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports that the club is looking to add an impact bat at a corner infield spot, though he adds that they could also just get the best bat available and worry about the positioning later. An extra leverage arm for the bullpen is another reported target. Kramer also reports that “ownership will green light increased spending” at this year’s deadline.

The note about the payroll is quite relevant. Throughout the offseason, reporting indicated that the club had about $15MM of spending capacity for upgrading the roster. The M’s then spent a combined $11.25MM on signing Jorge Polanco and Donovan Solano. In early May, they claimed Leody Taveras off waivers from the Rangers, taking on the roughly $3.7MM he had left to be paid out on this year’s salary. The M’s later outrighted Taveras to Triple-A.

Given that the M’s had seemingly spent their budget, it would have been fair to wonder about their ability to make deadline additions. While it’s unclear exactly how much increased spending ownership is willing to approve, any extra pocket money should help the front office pursue external additions.

As for the specific targets, they are not surprising, as the M’s have question marks at both infield corners. Ben Williamson has received the lion’s share of playing time at third base this year and has been solid with the glove, but has hit just .255/.291/.311 for a 77 wRC+. At first base, Rowdy Tellez was the regular there before his subpar bat got him bumped off the roster. He was designated for assignment last week and put on release waivers today.

Solano is now getting most of the playing time at first. He’s not having a great season overall but has been heating up after a dreadful start. He was hitting .131/.156/.148 through May 17th but has a massive .420/.463/.640 line since then. That latter line is a small sample of just 54 plate appearances and inflated by an unsustainable .474 batting average on balls in play but there’s no harm in riding the hot hand in the short term. He also slashed .294/.353/.413 for a 112 wRC+ from 2019 to 2024, so he has a track record of strong offense.

Considering that he’s 37 years old and slumped early in the year, it’s understandable that the M’s may not want to be totally reliant on him. A lot of his damage has also come against lefties in recent years, so they could consider a platoon, though he has reverse splits in this year’s small sample of work.

As for specific targets, Kramer relays that the Mariners have considered a reunion with old friend Eugenio Suárez, currently of the Diamondbacks. Suárez played for Seattle in 2022 and 2023, hitting a bunch of home runs but also striking out a lot. The M’s made a concerted effort to reimagine their offense with fewer punchouts and traded him to Arizona ahead of the 2024 season.

With the Snakes, Suárez got out to a rough start but has been one of the best hitters in baseball for about the past year. He had a .216/.302/.366 line and 87 wRC+ in the first half of 2024 but then exploded for a .307/.341/.602 showing and 153 wRC+ in the second half. Here in 2025, he already has 25 home runs, a .251/.323/.569 line and a 141 wRC+. He’s also been striking out less in the process. He struck out more than 30% of the time as a Mariner but dropped that rate to 27.5% last year and is down to 25.7% so far this year.

His defense isn’t as strong as Williamson’s but he would obviously provide a huge boost to the lineup from the third base spot. Suárez is making a notable salary of $15MM this year, which would leave about $5MM left to be paid out as of the deadline. As mentioned, it’s unknown how much wiggle room the M’s will have to take on money.

It’s possible the Diamondbacks would be willing to eat some of the money but it’s also not entirely clear if they want to make Suárez available at all. Despite a rash of injuries, they are currently 41-39 and just three games out of a playoff spot in the National League. If they fall back in the next few weeks, the possibility of a Suárez trade should increase.

There’s also an argument for Arizona to trade Suárez even in a win-now move. They have lost several arms to injury and could flip him for help on the pitching staff, with Jordan Lawlar then taking over at third. However, there is risk in that path. Lawlar is a top prospect and keeps hitting in the minors but hasn’t yet taken advantage of his major league chances.

Kramer also mentions Arizona first baseman Josh Naylor, noting that he had been linked to the M’s prior to being traded from Cleveland to Arizona in the offseason. Naylor, like Suárez, is an impending free agent. He is making $10.9MM this year while slashing .307/.363/.479 for a 132 wRC+.

Kramer also mentions some other players as possible fits, including Jarren Duran of the Red Sox as well as Ryan O’Hearn, Cedric Mullins and Félix Bautista of the Orioles, though those appear to be more speculative suggestions. He also throws out Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Pirates and Jesús Sánchez of the Marlins as other possibilities.

Duran and Mullins are outfielders but, as mentioned, the Mariners might just grab the best bat they can and figure out the defense later. Luke Raley is currently spending most of his time in the outfield corners but could perhaps spend more time at first base if the M’s added an outfielder.

O’Hearn and Mullins are both impending free agents on a struggling Baltimore club, so they seem likely to be moved. O’Hearn is having a terrific year, with a .301/.384/.485 line and 149 wRC+. His $8MM salary is not nothing but it’s barely half of what Suárez is making. Mullins was hot to start the year but has gone cold lately. He had a .278/.412/.515 line and 168 wRC+ at the end of April but has since put up a line of .167/.201/.348 for a wRC+ of 50. He is making $8.725MM this year.

Duran is still controllable for three years after this one but the Sox have a crowded long-term outfield mix that also includes Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Masataka Yoshida and Jhostynxon Garcia. Perhaps the Sox would consider making Duran available as a way to preemptively clear out that logjam while simultaneously adding talent somewhere else. They are currently 40-42 and 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot.

As for the bullpen, all contenders generally look for upgrades at the deadline. Bautista should be highly attractive if the O’s are willing to make him available but it’s unclear if they would. Unlike Mullins and O’Hearn, he can be retained for two more seasons beyond this one. But given the general volatility of relievers, Baltimore might think about cashing him in during a down year for the club overall.

After missing the 2024 due to Tommy John surgery recovery, Bautista’s control has been a problem, with a 15% walk rate. But he’s still been effective overall, with a 2.60 earned run average and 33.6% strikeout rate. It’s possible he is reining in his command as the season goes along as he has dropped that walk rate to 9.4% in June.

Kiner-Falefa is a glove-first utility guy, hitting .273/.319/.346 this year for the Bucs, which translates to a wRC+ of 85. He is making $7.5MM this season but the Blue Jays are on the hook for part of that as part of the trade that sent him to Pittsburgh at last year’s deadline. Sánchez has generally been a league average hitter for the Marlins. He is in his sixth big league season and has a .240/.309/.425 line and 99 wRC+. He is making $4.5MM this year and can be controlled for two more seasons via arbitration.

There are many possibilities for Seattle, which should make for a very interesting deadline. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has a reputation as being one of the most trade-happy executives in the sport and the Mariners have one of the best farm systems. Reportedly, they wanted to deal prospects for big leaguers during the offseason but found few clubs willing to make that kind of pact since so many teams came into the year hoping to contend. As the season goes along and some clubs fall back in the standings, they might be more willing to take some of those prospects off the Mariners’ hands.

Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...d-bats-ownership-willing-to-bump-payroll.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Reinstate Chris Murphy, Place Luis Guerrero On 15-Day IL

The Red Sox announced that left-hander Chris Murphy has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list, as Murphy is ready to return to action after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. In corresponding moves, Boston placed right-hander Luis Guerrero on the 15-day IL due to a right elbow sprain, and righty Justin Slaten was shifted from the 15-day IL to the 60-day.

Murphy hasn’t pitched in a big league game since September 2023, and his total MLB resume consists of only 20 appearances and 47 2/3 innings during his 2023 rookie campaign. The southpaw’s 3.88 SIERA was over a run lower than his 4.91 ERA, as Murphy’s 23.1% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate were both solid, and he didn’t have great batted-ball luck in the form of a .321 BABIP.

With his recovery period now complete, Murphy will get another crack at the bigs and give the Sox another left-handed relief option. Aroldis Chapman has taken over closing duties, and the Sox have been using Justin Wilson and Brennan Bernardino in lefty depth roles. Murphy figures to get plenty of opportunity in providing innings and a fresh arm within a pen that has performed respectably well in covering for a rotation that largely struggled.

Friday’s 9-0 loss to the Blue Jays wasn’t a banner night for Boston’s pen, as Bernardino was charged with four runs over an inning of work, and Guerrero allowed two runs in just a third of an inning. Guerrero’s elbow strain developed in the aftermath of yesterday’s outing, and MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith writes that for now, the injury isn’t considered serious enough to merit an MRI for further examination.

Guerrero got his big league career off to a very nice start when he tossed 10 scoreless innings over nine relief appearances in 2024, and it wasn’t until his fourth outing of 2025 that the righty finally surrendered his first earned run. Things have been shakier since, as Guerrero has a 4.15 ERA over his 17 1/3 frames and has more walks (14) than strikeouts (10). A tiny .188 BABIP has helped Guerrero manage okay bottom-line results despite those rough peripherals, but the larger concern for the moment is his elbow health.

Shoulder inflammation has kept Slaten out of action since late May, and his IL stint will now stretch until at least the end of July. The move to the 60-day IL isn’t really a surprise since Slaten only started throwing this weekend, so he’ll need some time to properly ramp up before returning to the relief corps. Speaking of minuscule BABIPs, Slaten’s .188 mark is the chief reason behind his 3.47 ERA in 23 1/3 innings this season, but the hard-throwing right-hander has also done an excellent job of limiting hard contact.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-murphy-place-luis-guerrero-on-15-day-il.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Evaluating Rotation, First Base Markets

The Red Sox’s miserable week continued tonight, as they dropped the first game of their weekend set against the Blue Jays by a 9-0 score. The Sox have lost seven of 10 since trading Rafael Devers and are riding a six-game losing streak — tied with Kansas City for the longest active mark in MLB. They’ve fallen three games below .500 at 40-43.

Poorly as they’ve played of late, the Sox are only three games out of a playoff spot. They’re one of six teams within five games of the Mariners, who currently hold the final Wild Card position. The muddled American League leaves every team aside from the White Sox and A’s with at least some hope of getting hot and playing their way out of selling at the deadline. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow maintained immediately after the Devers trade that the front office still expected to operate as buyers. He took a similar approach this evening.

“I think we’ve talked a lot about looking to the future, (but) at some point, the future has to be now,” Breslow told Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “We went into 2025 expecting to compete for the division and expecting to make it to the playoffs. We haven’t played as well as we’re capable of, but that goal still exists, and we’re not so far away that we should be thinking about 2026 or 2027.”

Breslow added that the front office is focused on “(identifying) the needs that we have” over the next month. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported that Boston was in the market for both a first baseman and rotation help. Neither is surprising. Their first base plans have been up in the air since Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury. Kristian Campbell has begun playing there in Triple-A, but it’s an unfamiliar position and he hadn’t hit for two months before he was optioned. Journeyman Abraham Toro is holding the role for now. He’s hitting .278/.307/.459 with five homers across 140 trips to the plate while posting below-average defensive grades.

The rotation has been an issue outside of Garrett Crochet’s starts. Brayan Bello has managed a decent ERA despite a poor strikeout/walk profile, which continued tonight. Every other Sox starter has posted an earned run average of 4.21 or higher. Richard Fitts has an ERA pushing 5.00, while Lucas Giolito has yet to post a sub-4.00 mark in any month. Signing Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05MM free agent deal has proven a major misstep. Opponents have teed off on the longtime Dodger for a 6.29 ERA across 13 starts. Buehler has allowed five or more runs in four of his past five appearances.

Kyle Harrison has begun his organizational tenure on optional assignment in Triple-A. Kutter Crawford probably won’t be back this season. Hunter Dobbins recently went down with an elbow strain. Tanner Houck had an ERA north of 8.00 over nine starts before landing on the injured list with a flexor pronator strain. He began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester last week. Houck didn’t complete two innings in either of his first two minor league starts. He gave up a combined five runs on as many hits and four free passes (three walks and a hit batter) while recording just two strikeouts.

The Sox announced today that Houck’s next rehab appearance will come out of the bullpen following an opener. Breslow told WEEI’s Rob Bradford that the decision doesn’t signify a long-term role change, saying they’re simply hoping to “(change) the situation a little bit, (change) his mentality a little bit.” Regardless, it has hardly been an encouraging start to the righty’s rehab work and only increases the urgency to add to the rotation as long as they still feel they’re viable contenders.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/red-sox-evaluating-rotation-first-base-markets.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Masataka Yoshida To Begin Triple-A Rehab Assignment On Tuesday

Masataka Yoshida’s long road to recovery from shoulder surgery looks to be in its final stages, as the outfielder is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed the news to reporters (including the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham) today, after heavily hinting yesterday that Yoshida was nearing a minor league assignment.

The Sox coaching staff got a first-hand look on Yoshida on Friday when he worked out at Fenway Park, taking batting practice and taking part in outfield drills. As per Cora, Yoshida will indeed be playing in the outfield as well as serving as a DH in Worcester, likely with his shoulder health factoring into how often Yoshida will be used on the grass.

Yoshida’s shoulder bothered him throughout much of the 2024 season, resulting in just a single inning of outfield work with Boston last season as he was otherwise a bat-only player. An October surgery to repair Yoshida’s right labrum has now hopefully corrected the issue for good, even if the recovery process has taken much longer than expected. The initial thought was that Yoshida would be available for Opening Day, though since he was able to hit during Spring Training games but not throw, he was began the season on the 10-day injured list to allow more time to fully ramp up.

As it turned out, Yoshida has now missed over half of the Major League season. He received treatment for a minor back issue at the end of Spring Training, and some renewed soreness in his shoulder led to a cortisone shot and a brief shutdown period from throwing in May. The Red Sox shifted Yoshida to the 60-day IL near the end of May, though that didn’t change his activation status, as the 60-day window was still linked to the start of his initial placement on the 10-day.

It remains to be seen how long Yoshida’s rehab assignment will run. Yoshida told reporters Friday that he hopes to be activated before the All-Star break, while Cora just said “we’ll see how many at-bats he needs. He’s moving well; his swing feels great.”

Now in his third season of a five-year, $90MM deal, Yoshida has hit .285/.343/.433 with 25 home runs over 1001 plate appearances in a Red Sox uniform. Those numbers break down as a .810 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .669 OPS in 252 PA against southpaws, as the left-handed hitting Yoshida has largely been used in platoon situations. Between his subpar left field defense in 2023 and his almost non-existent time in the field in 2024, Yoshida was essentially limited to being a part-time DH.

It made for an uneasy situation from a roster construction standpoint, and certainly less than what was expected from his hefty contract (which was signed by now-ex Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom). Since Craig Breslow took over as the CBO following the 2023 campaign, there has been some trade speculation surrounding Yoshida in each of the last two offseasons, with the thinking being that that Red Sox would love to rid themselves of the outfielder’s contract.

As always, the perspective will change if Yoshida can start hitting, and even duplicating his solid-if-unspectacular numbers from 2023-24 would help the Boston offense. The Rafael Devers trade and Triston Casas’ season-ending knee surgery have opened things up for Yoshida in the lineup, even if it still looks like he’ll be spending most of his time at DH. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and star prospect Roman Anthony will all likely be prioritized ahead of Yoshida for outfield work, regardless of his shoulder health.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...gin-triple-a-rehab-assignment-on-tuesday.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Alex Bregman Open To Extension Talks With Red Sox

Alex Bregman has an upcoming opt-out in his contract but he is willing to talk with the Red Sox about sticking around longer. “I always tell the team — and Alex directs me to tell them — we’re always open to any conversation,” Bregman’s agent Scott Boras said to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “Any player who plays well somewhere, it’s something that’s important for the team and important for the player. It’s an additive.” Boras also mentioned that Bregman and his family have been happy with their time being in Boston so far.

It’s not especially surprising that Bregman and Boras would be open to a long-term offer. While Boras clients have a reputation for being averse to extensions, that’s normally for early-career players who don’t want to give up future earning power by delaying their path to free agency. In Bregman’s case, he already reached free agency after last season. He didn’t quite get the long-term deal he was looking for, so he pivoted to a short-term pact. He and the Sox signed a three-year deal with a $120MM guaranteed, though with notable deferrals that knocked the net present value closer to $90MM, with opt-out chances after each season.

The goal in signing a contract of that nature is to bank some high earnings on an annual basis while still maintaining the ability to get a larger guarantee down the line. The Bregman situation has a lot of parallels with that of Matt Chapman, another Boras client. Chapman also found the offers lacking in his first foray to free agency, settling for a three-year, $54MM deal with the Giants. His first season in San Francisco was going well enough that they didn’t want him to return to free agency, so they signed him to a six-year, $151MM deal in September of last year.

Bregman would presumably be happy with a similar sequence of events playing out for him and he has mostly done his part so far. By all accounts, he has been a positive force in taking on a clubhouse leader role on a roster with plenty of young players. He has also hit .299 /.385/.553 for a 158 wRC+ this season, his best offensive showing in years. He’s been out of action for about a month due to a quad strain but should be back in the not-too-distant future. Manager Álex Cora recently said Bregman would likely stay on the IL through the All-Star break, per Healey.

Given his contributions on and off the field, the Sox are naturally happy with Bregman as well. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow recently discussed the matter with The Greg Hill Show on WEEI. Breslow declined to get into specifics on the contract negotiations but heaped praise on Bregman and expressed an openness to having future talks. “What I’m very comfortable saying is Alex has been everything we could have asked for both on the field,” Breslow said, “but also in the clubhouse from a leadership standpoint. Not just in the way he’s helped younger players and our staff but in the ways that he’s helped me and many of us in the front office. And so right now while we’re focused on doing everything we can to get him back on the field as quickly as possible, when the right time comes to have those conversations, very, very confident that we will.”

When Bregman first signed, it was fair to wonder if it was going to be a short-term arrangement. The Sox had Rafael Devers at third, signed for years to come. Bregman could have played second base for a year, opted out and signed elsewhere.

Much has changed since then, of course. The Sox moved Devers to a designated hitter role and put Bregman at his natural third base position. That appeared to sour the relationship between Devers and the club, which eventually led to him getting flipped to the Giants earlier this month.

That trade blew a big hole in the Boston lineup but it also freed up a lot of spending capacity, with Devers still owed about $250MM at the time of the swap. The Sox also took on Jordan Hicks and the roughly $30MM remaining in his deal but they nonetheless opened up a lot of money that was previously tied to Devers.

In the wake of that swap, the baseball world immediately began speculating if the Sox pivot to locking up Bregman with that money. That seems to be a distinct possibility, though the two sides will have to agree on a price point.

In the winter, Bregman apparently got long-term offers of $156MM from the Astros and around $170MM from the Tigers, though the latter would have come with some amount of deferred money. Bregman was reportedly looking for something around $200MM but couldn’t quite get there, which is why he accepted the short-term deal with the Sox.

Getting offers in that range again may be enough to get it done. If Bregman were offered something around $160MM on a new deal, he and Boras could argue that he hit the $200MM target, when factoring in this year’s $40MM salary. That doesn’t account for the deferrals lowering the net present value of that salary, but that’s generally the point of deferrals, to mask the true value of a contract.

Perhaps the two sides will start talking again as Bregman’s potential opt-out looms. If the Sox want Bregman locked up for the long term, they might want to get it done while he’s under contract, like the Giants did with Chapman. The Sox could always re-sign him in the offseason but then they would face competition from other clubs. In the meantime, Bregman will focus on getting healthy for a second half push.

Marcelo Mayer has largely been covering third base in Bregman’s absence but he has also started dabbling at second base, as Nate Eaton has played third, with Kristian Campbell having been recently optioned to the minors. Campbell has been playing some first base on the farm and could be a candidate to slide over there if Bregman is the long-term third baseman, though Triston Casas will be back from his injury next year. The DH spot is now open with the Devers trade though the Sox also have a crowded bunch of outfielders spilling into that spot.

Photo courtesy of Eric Canha, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/alex-bregman-open-to-extension-talks-with-red-sox.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Poll: AL Cy Young Race Check-In

While days off and postponements leave clubs around the league without a uniform number of games played, one of the games in this week’s slate will represent the halfway point in the season for every team across MLB. Earlier this week, we checked in on the MVP race in both the American League and the National League as players around the game gear up for the second half. Those races are dominated by position players, so today we’ll turn our attention more firmly towards the league’s pitchers. Who are the frontrunners for the Cy Young Award in both leagues? We’ll be taking a look at some of the top candidates this week, starting with the American League today:

Tarik Skubal

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner tops the list of contenders again this year. Somehow, Skubal has been even more dominant than he was last year. Through 16 starts and 102 innings, he has improved his ERA (2.29), FIP (2.11), strikeout rate (32.1%), walk rate (3.3%), SIERA (2.46), and xERA (2.61) relative to his full season numbers last year. He’s even pitching slightly deeper into games so far this year, averaging 6.37 innings per start as compared to last year’s 6.19.

For a hurler who won the pitching Triple Crown in the AL last year to improve upon that performance the very next year is remarkable, and Skubal figures to remain the favorite to win the award for a second consecutive season if he can maintain this level of production going forward. There’s plenty of competition in the AL, however, so even a minor slip up down the stretch could give the edge to another candidate.

Garrett Crochet

Crochet has been nearly as dominant as Skubal in many respects. After breaking out with the White Sox last year and getting traded to the Red Sox over the offseason, he’s turned in a 2.06 ERA and 2.53 FIP across 17 starts. Crochet leads the majors with 109 1/3 innings pitched, and while his 31.3% strikeout rate is just behind that of Skubal, he’s still struck out more batters (135) than any pitcher in baseball this year. While Crochet and Skubal appear to be more or less equals on paper, with Crochet having a lower ERA and an extra start under his belt while Skubal has stronger peripheral numbers, there are some other factors working against Boston’s ace.

Crochet is more or less untested in the second half after throwing just 40 2/3 innings after July 6 last year. After that date, the lefty never recorded an out in the fifth inning or later and topped out at just 77 pitches in an outing. Even with that less strenuous workload, his numbers suffered as he posted a 4.87 ERA down the stretch. Chicago’s decision to handle Crochet gently down the stretch last year was an understandable one given his injury history, but it creates some uncertainty about how he’ll handle the first true full-season starter’s workload of his career. Additionally, Crochet has a 7-4 record on a team that might wind up selling at the trade deadline this year. While the Cy Young is an individual award, some voters consider a pitcher’s record and their team’s success, which could benefit other candidates with more dominant records on clear playoff teams.

Max Fried

Signed to the largest deal for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history this past offseason, Fried has stepped up as the Yankees’ new ace while Gerrit Cole rehabs from Tommy John surgery. Fried has a sterling 1.92 ERA in 17 starts (108 innings), though he’s done so without the gaudy strikeout numbers of other top Cy Young contenders. His 24.5% strikeout rate is above-average but not otherworldly, but he makes up for that by walking just 4.9% of his opponents and generating grounders at a 53.1% rate.

Even with a career-high 6.5% barrel rate allowed this year, Fried remains one of the sport’s best hurlers when it comes to pitching to contact. His 2.74 FIP and 3.17 SIERA are both elite as well, and more traditional voters will love his 10-2 record, which is good for the most pitcher wins in baseball this year and the best winning percentage in the AL.

Hunter Brown

Brown is in the midst of an exciting breakout season with the Astros at just 26 years old. His 1.88 ERA is the lowest figure in all of baseball among qualified starters, and while he has just 91 innings of work under his belt so far, he’s still averaging more than six innings per start. Brown’s heroics have helped push the Astros back to the front of the pack in the AL West after a tough start to the year.

There are some reasons to doubt Brown’s ability to sustain quite this level of dominance. He’s benefited from a .244 BABIP and an 88.4% strand rate. That good fortune on batted balls and sequencing is very likely to regress toward the mean eventually, though his 2.84 FIP and 2.96 SIERA are still excellent thanks largely to a 31.6% strikeout rate, an 8.1% walk rate and a strong 46.8% ground-ball rate.

Kris Bubic

Bubic has picked up the slack for injured ace Cole Ragans in the Kansas City rotation and has put together an elite season that rivals any of his competition on this list. He’s posted an excellent 2.18 ERA, fanned 26% of his opponents and kept his walk rate down at a sharp 7.3%. Bubic has had some good fortune when it comes to home runs, however; only 4.8% of the fly-balls he’s allowed have cleared the fence, as compared to the 15.1% homer-to-fly-ball rate he carried into the season. It’s doubtful he can continue quite that level of home run suppression, but he has the makings of a front-line arm even if a few more of those flies start leaving the yard.

Bubic has tossed 91 innings in 15 starts, averaging just a hair over six frames per outing. It’s worth wondering how he’ll hold up as the season wears on. Bubic underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and pitched just 66 combined innings between the big leagues and minors. His 91 frames are already his most in a season since he pitched 142 2/3 innings in 2022.

Jacob deGrom

This is the healthiest deGrom has been in a half decade, but you wouldn’t notice virtually any layoff based on the results. The multi-time Cy Young winner has posted a 2.08 ERA and 3.02 FIP across 95 1/3 innings in his age-37 season. He’s set down 25.9% of his opponents on strikes and only walked 5.5% of the batters he’s faced. deGrom had some short starts early, but he’s averaging nearly 6 1/3 innings per outing with a 1.67 ERA dating back to April 18.

As with Bubic, there are workload questions. This is already the most innings deGrom has pitched in a season since 2019. He’s only 33 1/3 innings away from matching his combined total from 2022-24 (majors and minors included).

Other Options

The field of potential AL Cy Young candidates this year is a very deep one. Framber Valdez remains one of the sport’s top ground ball pitchers with a 59.5% grounder rate to go alongside his 2.88 ERA and 3.04 FIP in 16 starts. Joe Ryan has a 2.86 ERA, including a 2.38 mark over the past two months. Drew Rasmussen boasts a 2.45 ERA, but his 84 1/3 innings place him more than 30 frames behind the league leaders. They’re all pitching well enough that a big second half could get them in the conversation. Nathan Eovaldi has an absurd 1.56 ERA on the season, but he’s missed the past month with triceps inflammation. Relievers Andrés Muñoz (18 saves, 1.21 ERA), Aroldis Chapman (14 saves, 1.36 ERA) and Josh Hader (21 saves, 1.73 ERA) have all been brilliant, but it’s hard enough for relievers to get consideration in a normal season — let alone one where the top group of starters has performed this well.

Who do you think will ultimately come out on top in AL Cy Young voting? Will Skubal reign supreme once again, or could another challenger step up to claim the trophy? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/poll-al-cy-young-race-check-in.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Kutter Crawford To Undergo Wrist Surgery, Likely Done For The Year

Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford is going to have surgery on his right wrist. Manager Alex Cora told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe today and added that the righty is “most likely” done for the year. He’s already on the 60-day injured list and will stay there for the remainder of the season.

It’s the latest development in what has been a very frustrating season for Crawford. Back in mid-February, he was behind schedule to due soreness in the patellar tendon of his right knee. He began the season on the 15-day IL, with his ailment listed as patellar tendinopathy.

Earlier in June, it was reported that Crawford was dealing with wrist pain, with an unknown cause. Cora revealed today, per Healey, that the injury was a result of some off-field accident. He didn’t provide any specifics but said it wasn’t due to anything “irresponsible” on the part of Crawford.

Perhaps more light will be shed on this accident in time. Regardless, 2025 will probably be a lost season for Crawford, though Cora’s use of the phrase “most likely” seemingly leaves the door open for some work late in the year.

Crawford has been establishing himself as a viable piece of the Boston rotation in previous years. From 2022 to 2024, he gave Boston 390 1/3 innings with a 4.47 earned run average. His 23.9% strikeout rate and 7.2% walk rate in that time were both a bit better than average. Ideally, he would have continued to build on that performance in 2025 but that won’t be coming to pass.

He qualified for arbitration for the first time this past offseason as a Super Two player. He and the Sox avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $2.75MM salary for this year. An arbitration-eligible player who misses an entire season will often end up making the exact same salary in the following year, so that is perhaps what will play out here.

For the Sox, they have received nothing from Crawford this year and have also lost Tanner Houck and Hunter Dobbins to the IL during the campaign. Their rotation mix currently consists of Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, Walker Buehler and Richard Fitts. Houck is currently on a rehab assignment and could be back soon. Dobbins isn’t expected to be out long. The Sox also added some rotation depth by acquiring Kyle Harrison in the Rafael Devers trade. Patrick Sandoval could get back into the mix later in the year once he recovers from last year’s elbow surgery.

Crochet is the only one in that group currently putting up really strong numbers, so it’s possible the Sox will look to bolster the rotation at the deadline if they stay in the race. They are currently 40-41 and 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot.

Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...o-wrist-surgery-likely-done-for-the-year.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

MLBTR Podcast: Depleted Mets’ Pitching, The Pirates Are Open For Business, And More!

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

• Griffin Canning’s injury dealing another blow to the Mets’ rotation (1:45)
• Which playoff-caliber starters could be available at the deadline? (6:10)
• What does Canning’s free agency look like with this injury? (12:55)
• The Pirates reportedly having almost no one off the table at the deadline (15:10)

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

• Could the Orioles be sellers at the deadline and then make a late-season run for a Wild Card berth? (28:35)
• Should the Royals make Vinnie Pasquantino available at the deadline? (31:20)
• Should the Cubs get Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks? (35:30)
• Should the Mariners get Josh Naylor of the Diamondbacks or Alex Bregman of the Red Sox? (40:10)
• If the Reds are sellers, should they make TJ Friedl available? (44:20)
• The constant tough question of when a small-market team should sell a star player (47:05)

Check out our past episodes!

• The Braves Say They Won’t Sell, Jeimer Candelario DFA’d, And Injured D-Backs – listen here
• Reacting To The Devers Trade And Aaron Civale – listen here
• White Sox Ownership, Roman Anthony, And The Diamondbacks’ Rotation – listen here

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

Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...e-pirates-are-open-for-business-and-more.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Kevin Pillar Announces Retirement

Kevin Pillar is hanging up his Superman cape. On an appearance on Foul Territory, he announced that he is retiring from playing. He was with the Rangers earlier this year but was released about a month ago.

Pillar, now 36, was able to engineer an incredible zero-to-hero career. The Blue Jays drafted him in the 32nd round of the 2011 draft. But despite that humble beginning, he would not only make it to the big leagues but he would stick around for more than a decade.

His best asset was his defense, as he quickly earned a reputation for making highlight-reel catches, often diving horizontally in a way that earned him his Superman nickname. He got some limited big league time in 2013 and 2014 before fully cementing himself as a big leaguer in 2015.

That year, he got into 159 games for the Jays, producing a batting line of .278/.314/.399. His 94 wRC+ indicated he was 6% below league average at the plate, but that was more than adequate to pair with his other attributes. He stole 25 bases and received strong grades for his glovework, leading FanGraphs to credit him with 3.7 wins above replacement. That played a big role in getting the Jays to the postseason for the first time since 1993. Though the club was eventually felled by the Royals in the ALCS, the Jays got José Bautista’s legendary bat flip game along the way.

That would ultimately prove to be an apex for Pillar. He never again stole more than 15 bases nor topped a 90 wRC+ in a full season. But he still proved to be a useful player in generally the same shape, with his speed and defense making up for some subpar offense. From 2016 to 2018, he got into 442 games for the Jays, slashing .258/.296/.401 for an 86 wRC+ and producing 4.5 fWAR.

By the time the 2019 season had rolled around, Pillar was 30 years old and the Jays were rebuilding. Early that year, he was flipped to the Giants, which started the journeyman period of his career. Over the next few years, he would bounce to the Red Sox, Rockies, Mets, Dodgers, Braves, White Sox, Angels and Rangers. Though he had moved into his 30s, his performance was roughly the same as before, though with his glovework naturally slipping a bit. Over those 2019-25 seasons, he played 544 games and hit .246/.284/.415 for an 85 wRC+ and produced 2.4 fWAR.

Most recently, he had a stint with the Rangers but hit just .209/.209/.256 in 20 games before getting designated for assignment and released. He had flirted with retirement before but now seems to have decided that it’s time to hang up the spikes.

Any 32nd-round pick making it to the big leagues is exceedingly rare. In fact, the draft was shortened to 20 rounds a few years ago, so it likely won’t happen again. Pillar not only made it, but he got into 1,234 games over 13 seasons. He racked up 1,053 hits, including 114 home runs. He was credited with 10.8 WAR from FanGraphs and 16.1 from Baseball Reference. He earned about $25MM in his career, according to Baseball Reference. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Pillar on an impressive career and wish him the best with whatever comes next.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/kevin-pillar-announces-retirement.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Latest On Mariners’ Deadline Approach

The Mariners are reportedly seeking corner infield and bullpen help as the deadline approaches, and MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer reported recently that ownership has signaled it will approve a payroll increase to facilitate such transactions. Adam Jude of the Seattle Times hears similarly, writing that Mariners ownership will authorize increased spending for the front office to add to the roster while ticking through some potential options.

Both Ryan O’Hearn of the Orioles and Josh Naylor of the D-backs are viewed as likely trade candidates over the next month. Both would fit the Mariners nicely at first base, allowing Luke Raley to spend more time in the outfield, where he’s more comfortable than at first base. However, early asking prices from both Baltimore and Arizona are quite high, per Jude.

O’Hearn has repeatedly elevated his game in recent seasons and now stands as one of the most productive hitters in the American League. He’s currently sitting on a .295/.383/.471 batting line with 11 homers, 10 doubles, an 11% walk rate and just a 16.3% strikeout rate through 282 plate appearances. He had a tough month in June, but since being traded from Kansas City to Baltimore in the 2022-23 offseason, O’Hearn has proven himself to be a credible middle-of-the-order bat. He hasn’t quite sustained last year’s enormous gains in contact rate, but he’s chasing off the plate at a career-low rate, walking more and showing a bit more power than he did in 2024.

Naylor offers a similar, albeit not identical skill set. Last year’s career-high 31 homers are far more than O’Hearn has ever produced, though some of that is a simple function of playing time. Naylor logged 633 plate appearances in 2024 (a career-high); O’Hearn has never topped last year’s 494 trips to the plate. Both have above-average power with far better contact skills than the prototypical first baseman/designated hitter. Naylor has fanned only 13% of the time he’s come to the plate in 2025. His 8% walk rate is a bit below average, but his overall .304/.359/.474 slash is terrific.

Looking strictly at 2025, O’Hearn has been a bit more impactful in the batter’s box, but the pair’s last three seasons are virtually identical. Naylor has slashed .279/.340/.472 in 1452 plate appearances, while O’Hearn has turned in a .280/.342/.455 line in 1144 plate appearances. They’ve both walked in 8% of their plate appearances. On a rate basis, Naylor has shown a slight bit more power (.193 ISO to .175), but the difference is minimal. The two are compensated similarly, but Naylor is paid a bit more: $10.9MM to O’Hearn’s $8MM. Both are free agents at season’s end.

In a more interesting but also far less plausible scenario, Jude further reports that the Mariners would have interest if the Red Sox were to make Alex Bregman available. That perhaps speaks to ownership’s willingness to add to the payroll, although presumably, the M’s would be looking for the Sox to at least help with some of Bregman’s heavily deferred $40MM annual salary.

The idea of a Bregman trade is interesting in theory but hard to envision in practice. Players with opt-out clauses and player options are rarely traded, and the massive scale of Bregman’s annual salary only further muddies his candidacy.

In broad terms, it’s difficult for two clubs to line up on prospect compensation for a player with multiple years remaining on his contract but the ability to opt back into free agency at season’s end. The acquiring team generally views that player as a rental — typically an expensive one, salary-wise. In a best-case scenario, that player will produce for two-plus months and then head back to free agency. In a worst-case scenario, he’ll suffer a major injury or see his performance tank, only to forgo the opt-out chance and stick the new club with an unwanted additional year (or years) of the contract in question. The acquiring team will understandably try to price that downside into the prospect return, making it difficult for the two parties to align.

On top of the difficulties surrounding Bregman’s salary and opt-out provision, he’s also been away from the field for more than a month. The Red Sox placed Bregman on the 10-day injured list with a strained quadriceps back on May 24. It was clear at the time that he was facing a lengthy absence. Bregman is inching closer to a return and could be back prior to the All-Star break, but an injury absence of nearly two months and a return only about two weeks prior to the trade deadline creates some risk (to say nothing of the potential for Bregman to struggle upon his return, which would only raise further questions).

Prior to his injury, Bregman was enjoying one of the finest starts of his entire career. He’s played 51 games and taken 226 plate appearances, turning in a stout .299/.385/.553 batting line with 11 homers and 17 doubles. His 9.7% walk rate is up three percentage points over last year’s career-low mark. Bregman was also striking out at a career-high 18.6% rate, but that’s still several points shy of league-average and the uptick in swing-and-miss was accompanied by major gains in batted-ball quality. The 31-year-old’s 92 mph average exit velocity is vastly higher than the 88.8 mph career mark he carried into the season. Ditto his 10.3% barrel rate (career 5.7% prior to ’25) and 48.1% hard-hit rate (career 37.7% prior to ’25).

Bregman is signed through 2027 on a three-year, $120MM contract. Deferrals bring the present-day annual value down closer to a reported $29MM. He can opt out of the contract both at the end of the current season and after the 2026 season but has spoken openly about his interest in signing a long-term extension that’d keep him in Boston more permanently. That’s not exactly a surprise for a player who entered last offseason seeking a long-term deal worth $200MM or more and wound up pivoting to an opt-out-laden, short-term deal with a lofty AAV once that long-term pact didn’t materialize, however.

Ultimately, while it’s fun to dream on the notion of a major trade involving someone of Bregman’s caliber, the specifics surrounding his contract and health — to say nothing of Boston’s uncertain buy/sell status four weeks out from the deadline — render it more a theoretical discussion than a genuine possibility at this stage.

The Mariners entered the 2025 season with a $146MM payroll — third-highest in franchise history. They’ve already added to that ledger with a surprising May claim of outfielder Leody Taveras, which didn’t pan out as hoped. That claim already showed a willingness from ownership to spend a bit more, however, and it bears mentioning that M’s ownership also green-lit payroll hikes for both the 2024 acquisition of Randy Arozarena and the 2022 acquisition of Luis Castillo (as well as his subsequent extension).

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ors-alex-bregman-ryan-ohearn-josh-naylor.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Notes: Anthony, Yoshida, Bregman

There has been a lot of extension speculation surrounding Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony but he tells Rob Bradford of WEEI that no real progress has been made on that front. “There hasn’t even been a single peep about it since I’ve been here,” Anthony said. He also said “both sides have handled that well in terms of just letting me go and play.”

The Sox came into the year with three top prospects in Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell. There were extension rumors surrounding all three in the winter and Campbell eventually did put pen to paper, signing an eight-year, $60MM deal in early April.

A deal for Anthony might be a bit trickier than one for Campbell, as he is two years younger and was more of a highly-touted prospect on his way up the ladder. Anthony is currently only 21 years old. If he stays up in the minor leagues for good, he’s slated for free agency after the 2031 season, which will be his age-27 campaign.

That gives him a tremendous amount of earning power down the line, if he is able to develop as hoped. He has only hit .219/.345/.356 so far, but in a tiny sample of 87 plate appearances. If the Sox have faith in his ability to hit his ceiling, they will be motivated to lock him down as soon as possible. Otherwise, his earning power will only increase as he gets more established and closer to arbitration and free agency.

Though from the perspective of Anthony and his representatives, they surely see a path to a healthy free agent market a few years down the line and would need strong motivation to give up on that. For now, based on Anthony’s comments, it seems he’s primarily focused on his gameplay. Perhaps there will be more of a focus on contract talks in the offseason.

Elsewhere in news surrounding the Red Sox, Masataka Yoshida started a rehab assignment yesterday as he looks to finally return from ongoing shoulder problems. Part of that rehab appears to be some first base drills, though manager Álex Cora downplayed the significance of that work.

Per Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Cora framed the work as mostly Yoshida preparing for an emergency. “I don’t anticipate him starting at first base,” said Cora, “but if something crazy happens, at least he can catch throws and knock down a ground ball.”

Yoshida has only played the outfield in his career, both in North America and in Japan. However, the Sox currently have a fairly crowded mix on the grass consisting of Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Rob Refsnyder. Meanwhile, the club has been trying all sorts of things at first base since the Triston Casas injury. Rafael Devers didn’t want to play there, which led to his trade to San Francisco. Utility players Abraham Toro and Romy González have been splitting the time at first lately.

That gives some logic to having Yoshida get some work there. It also aligns with his injury, as he has largely been able to hit this year, but throwing has been the problem. With Devers having been in the designated hitter spot for much of the year, the inability to throw essentially made Yoshida unrosterable. Now that Devers is gone and Yoshida is getting healthy, he’s not quite as blocked from playing time as before, but adding first base to his repertoire still makes sense.

Speaking of roster shuffling, third baseman Alex Bregman could be back from the injured list soon. Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Cora hopes Bregman can return in the club’s homestand prior to the All-Star break, which goes from this Monday to next Sunday. Mayer has largely been covering that spot recently, so he could get moved to second base when Bregman returns. Campbell has been optioned to the minors, leaving David Hamilton at the keystone most nights. Hamilton is hitting just .174/.215/.278 this year, so he should get bumped to the bench or the minors.

Bregman was having a great season before a quad strain sent him to the IL, having hit .299/.385/.553 for a wRC+ of 158. That made him very likely to trigger his opt-out at the end of this season and return to free agency. If he can pick up where he left off, he would provide a big boost to the Boston lineup and also get back on track for triggering that opt out.

His contract situation has led to recent speculation in two different directions. With his looming potential return to free agency, there has been a bit of smoke on the trade front, while it also seems possible that the Sox could use some of the money saved in the Devers trade to lock up Bregman for the long term. They are currently 44-45 and 2.5 games back of a playoff spot.

Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/red-sox-notes-anthony-yoshida-bregman.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Bobby Jenks Passes Away

Two-time All-Star and 2005 World Series champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, per an announcement from the White Sox. Chicago also released a tribute video alongside the announcement. Jenks passed after a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was just 44 years old.

Jenks was a fifth-round pick by the Angels in the 2000 draft but was designated for assignment by the Halos before he even made it to the big leagues. He was claimed off the waiver wire by the White Sox and joined the big league bullpen in July of 2005. He scuffled a bit early on, with four runs allowed across his first five appearances in the big leagues, but settled in not long after that and notched his first career save on August 25 when he closed out a ten-inning game against the Twins.

He continued in a late-inning role for those White Sox down the stretch, and finished the regular season with a 2.75 ERA, six saves, and a 29.8% strikeout rate. Jenks’s dominance carried over into the postseason with a 2.25 ERA, four saves, and eight strikeouts in eight playoff innings. The right-hander was on the mound to finish off the club’s four-game sweep of the Astros in the Fall Classic, closing out a 1-0 victory by inducing a groundout from Orlando Palmeiro to emerge from his rookie season as a World Series champion.

He followed up that performance in his first season by pitching his way into an All-Star berth in both 2006 and 2007. He fully settled into the White Sox closer role by that point, with 81 saves across those two campaigns. That dominant 2007 season in particular saw him retire 41 consecutive batters, which was good for an MLB record at the time. By the end of the 2008 campaign, Jenks had a career 3.21 ERA with a 3.27 FIP with 146 saves collected over his time with the Sox. His numbers took a nosedive in 2009, however, as he surrendered a 4.44 ERA in 52 2/3 innings of work. Underlying analytics suggest that Jenks had pitched better than that ERA would suggest given his 2.59 FIP and 26.4% strikeout rate that year, but that wasn’t enough to stop the White Sox from deciding to part ways with him after the season.

Jenks went on to sign with the Red Sox on a two-year, $12MM contract not long after that, but the deal proved to be ill-fated. He struggled with injuries throughout the 2011 season, and posted a 6.32 ERA across the 19 appearances he was healthy enough to get on the mound for. The injuries worsened, and an MRI eventually revealed bone spurs on his spine. He underwent surgery on his back in December of 2011, but complications from that surgery arose after his surgeon left a serrated edge in his back. The effects of that mistake left Jenks bedridden and he ultimately was released by the Red Sox in June of 2012 and retired from baseball at just 31 years old.

Jenks retired from baseball with a career 3.53 ERA, 351 strikeouts, and 173 saves despite having his career cut short after just seven seasons. He returned to baseball as a coach in 2021, serving as pitching coach for the independent Pioneer League’s Grand Junction Rockies that year. He was promoted to manager for 2022 and later served as a coach in the Appalachian League and a manager in the Frontier League, though a cancer diagnosis he announced in February of 2025 forced him to bring his coaching career to a close.

In the wake of today’s news, former teammate A.J. Pierzynski remembered Jenks in a post on social media, while longtime MLB.com White Sox beat writer Scott Merkin shared a conversation he had with Jenks back in February, shortly after his diagnosis. We at MLB Trade Rumors join them and the rest of the baseball world in extending our condolences to Jenks’s family, friends, loved ones, and all of those whose lives he touched during his time in the game.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/bobby-jenks-passes-away.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Nationals Sign Luis Garcia

July 8th: The Nationals have now officially announced the signing of Garcia. Right-hander Eduardo Salazar has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester as the corresponding active roster move. Righty Trevor Williams has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot. Williams was just placed on the 15-day IL a few days ago due to an elbow sprain. It appears the Nats don’t expect him to return before September. Washington also recalled catcher Drew Millas and placed catcher Keibert Ruiz on the seven-day concussion-related IL.

July 6th: The Nationals have signed right-hander Luis Garcia to a Major League contract, the Washington Post’s Andrew Golden reports. The deal will become official when the 38-year-old Garcia passes a physical.

It didn’t take long for Garcia to find a new landing spot, as the Dodgers only just released the veteran reliever on Friday. Garcia signed a minor league deal with Los Angeles last winter and broke camp with the team, but his struggled during his time on the big league roster. Garcia posted a 5.27 ERA and 12.7% walk rate over 27 1/3 innings, and spent about a month on the injured list recovering from an adductor strain.

There have been plenty of ups and downs for Garcia over his 13 MLB seasons, which isn’t surprising for a grounder specialist who relies a lot of batted-ball luck. His most sustained stretch of success came fairly recently, as Garcia posted a 3.62 ERA, 23.4% strikeout rate, and 7.4% walk rate across 154 relief innings for the Cardinals and Padres from 2021-23. Those results led to a one-year, $4.25MM free agent deal with the Angels during the 2023-24 offseason, and Garcia continued to pitch decently well before his production dipped after a deadline trade to the Red Sox.

Washington has one of the league’s worst bullpens, so there’s not much risk for the Nats in taking a flier to see if Garcia can bounce back from his rough showing in L.A. If he really pitches well between now and the July 31 trade deadline, the Nationals could even look to quickly flip Garcia elsewhere for a low-level minor leaguer.

Once Garcia gets into a game with his new club, he will have pitched with eight different teams at the big league level over the course of his long career. This is actually the second Dodgers-to-Nationals trip Garcia has taken — after beginning his career as an international prospect in Los Angeles’ farm system, the Dodgers dealt Garcia to the Nats way back in August 2009. Garcia didn’t see any big league action during his year-plus in the Washington organization, and didn’t end up making his MLB debut until he was a 26-year-old pitching with the Phillies in 2013. (By coincidence, Garcia pitched against the Nats in his first Major League game.)

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/nationals-sign-luis-garcia.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Select Isaiah Campbell

The Red Sox announced they have selected the contract of righty reliever Isaiah Campbell. Fellow righty Richard Fitts has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding active roster move. Liam Hendriks has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot.

Campbell returns to the big leagues for his second stint with the Sox. Boston acquired him from Seattle in a one-for-one swap for infielder Luis Urías going into the ’24 season. Campbell was coming off a 2.83 ERA across 28 2/3 innings as a rookie. He looked like a nice pickup for Urías, who was on the verge of being non-tendered, but injuries wrecked his year. Campbell only managed 6 2/3 big league innings and was tattooed for 13 runs. He never seemed to be at full strength, pitching through shoulder and elbow injuries.

The Sox non-tendered Campbell in November. They immediately brought him back on a minor league contract, seizing the opportunity to take him off the 40-man roster without running him through waivers. He has been with Worcester all season, working to a 3.89 ERA in 39 1/3 frames. His 19.1% strikeout rate is well below-average, but he’s throwing strikes and getting a decent number of ground balls. His average fastball velocity is in the 94-95 MPH range after sitting a little above 93 while he battled injuries a year ago. Campbell still has an option remaining, so the Sox can send him back to Worcester without placing him on waivers.

Hendriks has been sidelined for over a month by inflammation in his right hip. He doesn’t have a clear timetable for a return. The 60 days reverts to his original IL placement on May 28. Hendriks is eligible for reinstatement in the final week of July but may not be ready by then, as he has yet to begin a rehab assignment. Between this hip issue and an extended recovery from 2023 Tommy John surgery, Hendriks has been limited to 14 appearances in a Boston uniform. He has surrendered 11 runs (10 earned) across 13 2/3 innings.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...bell-transfer-liam-hendriks-to-60-day-il.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Reinstate Masataka Yoshida, Transfer Nick Burdi To 60-Day IL

The Red Sox announced today that they have reinstated outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida from the 60-day injured list. To open an active roster spot, infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Right-hander Nick Burdi was transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot.

Yoshida will be making his season debut in today’s game, serving as the designated hitter and batting sixth. He underwent shoulder surgery in October of last year and has been on the injured list until today. He was healthy enough to hit a long time ago but struggled to get his shoulder to a place where he could throw at full strength. That made him unable to play the field and essentially unrosterable. The Sox signed Alex Bregman in the winter and put him at third base, bumping Rafael Devers into the designated hitter spot on an everyday basis.

Much has changed since then. The DH move upset Devers and he was further rankled when Triston Casas got injured and the Sox asked him to learn first base. The relationship soured enough that the Sox flipped him to the Giants in a stunning deal.

That opened the DH spot, and Yoshida is now capable of playing the field, but the Sox still have quite a glut in the outfield. Today, Yoshida is in the DH spot with Roman Anthony in left, Jarren Duran in center and Wilyer Abreu in right. That leaves Ceddanne Rafaela on the bench, in addition to Rob Refsnyder. Yoshida has done some first base drills but isn’t considered much more than an emergency option there.

For now, manager Álex Cora will seemingly take turns benching guys from that mix, with Rafaela getting the first taste of that. Perhaps that can work for the short term but it’s an inelegant mix for the long term. Due to this cluster, there have been plenty of trade rumors surrounding players like Yoshida, Duran and Abreu, as observers speculate about the possibility of the Sox flipping one of them for some pitching.

Duran and Abreu are both strong players in their 20s, with Duran having three years of club control after this one and Abreu four. Yoshida, almost 32 years old, is seemingly less a key piece of the club’s future but his trade value wouldn’t be terribly high at the moment. He is making $18MM annually through the 2027 season. In his major league career, he’s been a poor fielder while his offense has been decent but not astounding. He currently sports a .285/.343/.433 batting line and 113 wRC+. As mentioned, he’s been on the IL all year until today.

Put it all together and it’s a tricky calculus for the Sox. Moving Yoshida is likely preferable for the long term but he would bring back less in a trade than some of their other players. With just a few weeks until the trade deadline, perhaps they will field some interesting calls from other clubs.

As for Burdi, he landed on the 15-day IL in early June due to a right foot contusion. He started a minor league rehab assignment a few weeks ago but only made two appearances. That was due to a hip issue, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Injuries have been a persistent problem for Burdi. He has appeared in six different major league seasons, debuting back in 2018, but he has just 30 1/3 big league innings under his belt.

Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...yoshida-transfer-nick-burdi-to-60-day-il.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

It looks as if Alex Bregman will return to the Red Sox tomorrow. While the team has yet to announce the move, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the Sox are optioning second baseman David Hamilton to Triple-A Worcester. That’d open the necessary active roster spot to reinstate Bregman from the 10-day injured list.

Boston’s star third baseman has been out since May 24 due to a significant quad strain. The Sox promoted Marcelo Mayer when Bregman went on the shelf. The 22-year-old has been the primary third baseman. He has a modest .272 on-base percentage through his first 37 big league contests. Optioning Hamilton suggests the Sox intend to give Mayer more runway, likely moving him to second base in the process.

Bregman had been on a tear before the injury. He’s hitting .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs across 226 plate appearances. It was shaping up to be his best season since his MVP runner-up campaign in 2019. Bregman has a career-high average exit velocity and hard contact rate. He rejoins the Sox as they’re riding a season-best seven-game win streak. They’re in an important four-game series against a direct competitor in the Rays. Boston erased a two-run deficit to claim the first game of that set tonight.

This run has pushed the Sox to 50-45 and into possession of the American League’s last Wild Card spot. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has maintained the front office sees the team as buyers despite the Rafael Devers trade. Unsurprisingly, a team official told Sean McAdam of MassLive yesterday that the club isn’t interested in trading Bregman regardless of his contract status.

Bregman is playing on a three-year deal that allows him to opt out after either of the first two seasons. He’s very likely to retest free agency next winter unless the sides hammer out an extension in the intervening few months. Bregman and agent Scott Boras have each said they’re open to the conversation, but the team unsurprisingly has more pressing priorities with the amateur draft and trade deadline approaching. WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported tonight that the sides have yet to open extension talks.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/red-sox-likely-to-activate-alex-bregman-tomorrow.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear

Hunter Dobbins’ 2025 season is over, as the Red Sox placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list due to a right ACL tear. Right-hander Richard Fitts was called up from Triple-A to take Dobbins’ spot on the active roster.

Dobbins was only just activated from the 15-day IL yesterday, as the rookie right-hander had been out of action since June 20 due to what ended up being a minor elbow strain. His return start was cut short in the second inning, when he hurt his right leg while covering first base on a Chandler Simpson grounder. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reported earlier today that Dobbins was believed to have “a significant knee injury…potentially with ACL damage,” and unfortunately the worst-case scenario has proven to be true.

This is the second time Dobbins has torn his right ACL, as he told the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey and other reporters that he sustained the same injury while playing high school football. Between that previous ACL tear and a Tommy John surgery during his college days at Texas Tech, Dobbins has a lot unwelcome experience in managing long-term injuries, and he’ll now face another extended absence. His recovery process will keep him sidelined for at least the start of the 2026 season, though a more definite timeline may be difficult to establish for now given Dobbins’ past knee issues.

An eighth-round pick for the Red Sox in the 2021 draft, Dobbins steadily climbed the ranks of Boston’s farm system and made his MLB debut this past April, as injuries thinned out the Red Sox rotation and opened the door for the 25-year-old. The Sox moved him up and down between Boston and Triple-A Worcester a few times in April before recalling him in early May for an extended stint in the bigs, as Dobbins had done plenty to impress the organization.

Dobbins has a 4.13 ERA and 17.6% strikeout rate over his first 61 innings and 13 games — 11 of them starts — in the majors. While he isn’t missing many bats, Dobbins is doing a good job of keeping the ball on the ground (48.4% grounder rate) and keeping opponents from free passes (6.6% walk rate). Dobbins has relied mostly on his 95.5mph fastball as his primary pitch, but his heater has helped set up batters for slider and curveball, which have significantly higher whiff rates.

Essentially the only minor silver lining for Dobbins is that he’ll continue to accumulate big league service time while on Boston’s injured list. The Sox will shift him to the 60-day IL as soon as 40-man roster space is required.

Injuries have impacted Boston’s starting depth this year, as Kutter Crawford was also recently lost for the season due to wrist surgery. Tanner Houck has missed two months due to a flexor pronator strain but is on a Triple-A rehab assignment right now and is expected back soon. Fitts has pitched pretty well over parts of two big league seasons and is the best bet to fill in for Dobbins right now. Kyle Harrison is likely the top rotation depth option at Triple-A, as the former Giants top prospect has yet to make his Red Sox debut since being acquired in the Rafael Devers trade.

The All-Star break will give the Sox some extra time to figure out their rotation picture, yet the more obvious answer might be to add a new pitcher prior to the trade deadline. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said even prior to yesterday’s game that the Sox were going to explore the market for both starting and relief pitching options in advance of the deadline, and that need has only grown greater in the wake of Dobbins’ injury. Boston’s ongoing eight-game winning streak has revived the club’s playoff chances, and put the Sox more firmly into buying territory as the deadline approaches.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ter-dobbins-on-15-day-il-due-to-acl-tear.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

Poll: Which Teams Should Make The Biggest Push For Jarren Duran?

The Red Sox have fought their way back into playoff contention after their shocking trade of franchise face Rafael Devers last month. Boston has rattled off a seven-game win streak to put themselves at a 50-45 record entering play today and in a statistical tie with the Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. That hasn’t stopped some of their top players from finding their names in the rumor mill, however. While it would be shocking for a team in playoff position that has plenty of uncertainty on the infield as it is to trade away someone like Alex Bregman, the Red Sox do have an overflowing outfield mix that could at least theoretically be put to use this summer and bring back some much-needed pitching help.

Masataka Yoshida returned to the Red Sox yesterday after missing the first half of the season while rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder, and with his return comes an embarrassment of riches in the Red Sox outfield. Roman Anthony entered the season as the sport’s consensus top prospect and, after a slow start, has taken off in recent weeks with a .308/.413/.462 slash line since the Devers trade. Fellow youngster Ceddanne Rafaela has also caught fire of late, with an absurd .303/.341/.630 slash line since the start of June that he’s paired with some of the best outfield defense in the entire American League. And that’s before even getting into Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran, both of whom established themselves as impact players with big campaigns in 2024.

It’s Duran who’s gotten the most attention as a trade candidate of that group, and he’s certainly attractive. He’s just one year removed from a top-ten finish in AL MVP voting, and while his 2025 season (105 wRC+) has left something to be desired, it’s easy for teams to dream on that upside given his three-and-a-half years of team control remaining. There aren’t many teams in baseball who wouldn’t stand to benefit from adding someone of Duran’s caliber to their lineup, but which clubs should be most interested in his services? A look at some potential fits:

San Diego Padres

The most discussed potential suitor for Duran early on, San Diego has targeted the outfielder in the past and that interest appears to be ongoing. The Padres are operating under a tight budget, so a player like Duran who remains in the early years of arbitration is an attractive addition. They’ve also got a gaping hole in the lineup after their left field platoon of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe to open the season did not work out. Gavin Sheets is currently holding down the fort at the position, and while his 118 wRC+ this year has been impressive he’s also a poor defender best suited to DH work. Adding Duran, then, could upgrade the club both offensively and defensively.

Houston Astros

There might be no team that’s a better on-paper fit for Duran than the Astros. With Yordan Alvarez on the injured list for most of the season and Kyle Tucker having been dealt to Chicago, Houston has no left-handed regulars in its lineup. That lack of lefty bats has made them a pedestrian offense (103 wRC+) against right-handed pitching this year, and while Cam Smith has settled in well as the club’s new right fielder a combination of Taylor Trammell, Cooper Hummel, and Jose Altuve in left isn’t great. Duran would be a perfect addition for the club, though a farm system typically viewed as one of the weakest in the majors could make acquiring a talent of his caliber difficult.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals have been looking to find help for Bobby Witt Jr. in their lineup, and while they thought they found just that this winter when they traded for Jonathan India, the addition hasn’t worked out as hoped so far. No team gets less production from their outfield mix than Kansas City, and while Jac Caglianone should contribute at some point, the rest of the group is in need of a serious makeover. Duran would be a strong addition who could fill the leadoff role India was brought in to address, but the team’s 46-48 record could make buying this summer a tough sell unless they can rattle off a big win streak. While other contenders are likely more motivated to make a deal now, the Royals could be an especially interesting suitor if Duran remains in Boston headed into the winter.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are clinging to a small lead over the Mets in the NL East at the moment, and they’re doing that without much production from their outfield. Brandon Marsh has turned things around after a disastrous start to the year and is now roughly league average overall, and Nick Castellanos remains his usual self. The addition of Max Kepler simply hasn’t worked out, however, and Johan Rojas hasn’t looked good as anything more than a defense-first bench option either. Replacing Kepler with Duran would not only help the Phillies in the short-term, but it would also allow the team to add a controllable, cost-effective bat to the lineup at a time where multiple significant pieces (Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Ranger Suarez) will either need to be re-signed or replaced.

Other Options

While the four teams mentioned above are arguably the teams that could benefit most from adding Duran, there are certainly other clubs that should have at least some interest in his services. Michael Conforto’s OPS is below .600, and with him ticketed for free agency after the season the Dodgers would certainly stand to improve from adding Duran and could make room for him long-term. The Mariners could be a tricky fit given that both Duran and Randy Arozarena are best suited to left field, but they could certainly use an extra outfield bat. The Pirates are clear sellers this season but need reliable bats to surround Paul Skenes and the rest of their young rotation, and even Bob Nutting can afford an arbitration-level player like Duran. The Twins will need a replacement for Harrison Bader’s production going forward, and perhaps Duran could serve as a bridge to Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez for Minnesota.

If the Red Sox decide to move Duran, which club would benefit most from bringing him in? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...d-make-the-biggest-push-for-jarren-duran.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

White Sox Acquire Blake Sabol

The White Sox have acquired catcher Blake Sabol from the Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations, according to an announcement from the Worcester WooSox. Sabol was outrighted off Boston’s 40-man roster earlier this month, so no corresponding transaction was necessary for Chicago to acquire him.

Sabol, 27, has now been traded for the second time in seven months. Acquired by the Red Sox from the Giants back in January, the former Rule 5 pick appeared in just eight games for Boston this year. He hit a paltry .125/.167/.188 in that limited time and didn’t perform much better at Triple-A Worcester, where he batted .167 with a .281 on-base percentage and slugged .299. That weak performance was enough to convince the Red Sox to risk losing Sabol on waivers when they designated him for assignment earlier this month, but he cleared waivers successfully and was outrighted to Triple-A.

Now that he no longer requires a dedicated 40-man roster spot, it seems the White Sox had interest in him as a depth option. The combination of Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, and Korey Lee leave Chicago fairly well set up in terms of catching options on the 40-man roster, but the addition of a non-roster veteran like Sabol could be helpful given the youth of that trio. If two of those three young catchers need more seasoning in the minors at some point, Sabol could step in to help fill the gap at the big league level. The same could be said for the possibility of injury; one look at the Orioles this year shows you can never have too much catching depth.

It’s also worth noting that Sabol has had at least some level of offensive success in the majors before. While 2025 has been disastrous for him so far, Sabol did enter the year with a .243/.313/.392 slash line at the big league level across 121 games with the Giants. That’s a roughly league average showing, and it’s not impossible to imagine that his numbers could improve if he stopped spitting time between catching and the outfield and focused on one position full-time, particularly given the fact that Sabol remains in his prime.

Sabol is theoretically controllable until after the 2030 season, though it must be noted that he’ll be eligible to elect free agency following the 2025 season unless the White Sox add him back to their 40-man roster. Even so, that potential for longer-term team control gives the acquisition of Sabol more upside than the typical depth addition. As for the Red Sox, the emergence of Omar Narvaez has more or less solved their issues behind the plate, as he and Connor Wong have managed to form a formidable tandem. Seby Zavala is likely the next man up on the catching depth chart for Boston, and that figured to be the case even before Sabol’s departure.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/white-sox-acquire-blake-sabol.html

 

[Boston Red Sox]

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Alcantara, Cabrera, Fried, Gil, Garcia, Rodriguez

A ten-game winning streak has launched the Red Sox back into the playoff race, and all but confirmed that the club will be looking to buy before the trade deadline. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has stated that the Sox are looking at pitching options, and MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam opines that the Red Sox would likely prefer controllable pitchers in particular, so this new hurler could help support the club’s talent core for more than just the remainder of 2025. However, as of two days ago, McAdam noted that Boston hadn’t yet spoken with the Marlins about two controllable potential trade candidates — Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera.

While there’s still plenty of time before the July 31 deadline for the Sox to inquire about either pitcher, the lack of interest to date might indicate that Breslow simply might have other pitchers on his target list. Alcantara’s past Cy Young Award-winning form makes him perhaps the summer’s likeliest trade candidate, yet the right-hander has struggled badly in his return from Tommy John surgery. Cabrera is arbitration-controlled through 2028 so the rebuilding Marlins might not see a reason to move him just yet, and certainly not for anything less than a massive trade return. Health is also a concern with Cabrera, as he left Friday’s start early due to elbow discomfort but might be able to avoid the injured list after a precautionary MRI came back clean.

More from around the AL East….

• Yankees ace Max Fried left Saturday’s start after three innings due to a blister on the index finger of his throwing hand, and he told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and other reporters today that it was too soon to tell whether or not Fried would be healed and ready to make his first start after the All-Star break. Fried is no stranger to blister problems, and the unpredictable nature of the injury means that it could be at least a few days before the southpaw or the club has any clarity on the situation. Despite some shaky results in his last three starts, Fried still finished the first half with tremendous numbers, including a 2.43 ERA over 122 innings in his debut season in New York.
• Speaking of Yankees pitchers, Luis Gil has been sidelined all season by a lat strain, but the reigning AL Rookie of the Year began a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset. Gil threw 36 strikes during the 50-pitch outing, recording six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work while allowing a run on two hits and a walk. This sharp performance is a good sign for Gil as he gets back to full readiness, and his long layoff means that his rehab stint will probably stretch into August. An in-form Gil would be a massive boon for the Yankees’ rotation for the remainder of the season, and the team’s trust in Gil’s health could inform how much of a push New York makes for pitching help at the deadline.
• Yimi Garcia may not need a rehab assignment for his sprained ankle, and he could rejoin the Blue Jays’ bullpen when first eligible to be activated from the 15-day injured list. (Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling was among the members of the Toronto beat to report the news.) Garcia has pitched just once in the majors since May 22, as he was first sidelined by a shoulder impingement and then quickly picked up his ankle sprain that necessitated a return to the 15-day IL on July 5. The reliever threw a bullpen session on Friday and is slated to throw another soon, and his recovery from those sessions should determine the Jays’ next step.
• Rays right-hander Manuel Rodriguez will probably visit with doctors on Monday after experiencing elbow soreness during his most recent rehab outing, manager Kevin Cash told the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin and other reporters. A forearm strain sent Rodriguez to the 15-day IL just over a month ago, and Friday was supposed to be his final rehab outing, except the reliever’s elbow started acting up and his velocity dropped noticeably. Rodriguez has been an underrated bullpen weapon over his two-plus seasons in Tampa, delivering a 2.12 ERA over 68 relief innings since the start of the 2024 season. This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has dealt with a major arm problem, as an elbow strain cost him the majority of the 2022 campaign when Rodriguez was still a member of the Cubs organization.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ntara-cabrera-fried-gil-garcia-rodriguez.html