Worldwide Sports News

A busy Sunday in the Dodgers minor leagues.

Player of the day

Ontario first baseman Easton Shelton continued to run roughshod through the California League, with another three-run home run on Sunday, to go along with two walks and a single.

Shelton leads the Cal League with 32 home runs, tied for second-most among all minor leaguers and 15 more home runs than any other player in the Cal League.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Three runs in the second inning was all the Comets needed to beat the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s), behind Christian Romero and four relievers. Noah Miller singled home the first run.

Romero struck out five in five scoreless innings in Oklahoma City’s home shutout win over Las Vegas. That snapped a string in which the right-hander allowed 13 runs in 13 1/3 innings over his last three starts.

Ronan Kopp got the final four outs, including two strikeouts, for the save.

Double-A Tulsa

Giving up eight runs in an inning is almost never good, but giving up two eight-run innings in a row is, well, hopeless. The Drillers scored the first six runs on Sunday but the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals) scored the next nineteen in a romp over Tulsa.

Josue De Paula hit his third home run in two days, and his 20th of the season. Combined with his 28 stolen bases this year, this is De Paula’s first 20-20 season.

High-A Great Lakes

Weather wreaked havoc over the weekend for the Loons, who completed one suspended game on Sunday and then had another game suspended against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) due to wet grounds.

The Loons were already down 7-0 after an inning and a half in the game that was resumed from Saturday, so that was kind of a lost cause. Great Lakes lost the game by seven, with each team adding five more runs on Sunday. Logan Wagner homered and doubled in the loss.

In the planned seven-inning nightcap, Fort Wayne led 6-2 after four innings when the game was suspended. It’s unclear if or when the game might be completed.

Class-A Ontario

Shelton and second baseman Javier Herrera led a Tower Buzzers offensive onslaught to beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).

Herrera hit a three-run home run of his own, walked twice, singled, and scored three times.

Transactions

Triple-A: Pitcher River Ryan was traded to the Tigers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Ryan will remain on the injured list, now with Toledo in the International League. Charlie Barnes is back for his third go-around with the Dodgers this season, signing a minor league deal, and he got two outs in relief for Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Double-A: Outfielder Zyhir Hope was traded to the Tigers, and is now with Erie in the Eastern League. Pitcher Roque Gutierrez was activated after five days on the temporary inactive list, and allowed seven runs while recording two outs.

High-A: Pitcher Brady Smith was traded to the Tigers, and remains in the Midwest League with West Michigan.

Class-A: Pitchers Spencer Green and Wuillians Herrera joined Ontario from the Arizona Complex League.

Sunday scores

• Oklahoma City 3, Las Vegas 0
• Northwest Arkansas 19, Tulsa 7
• Fort Wayne 12, Great Lakes 5 (resumption of suspended game)
• Fort Wayne 6, Great Lakes 2 (suspended, top 5th)
• Ontario 15, Fresno 6

The week ahead

• Oklahoma City at Salt Lakes (Angels)
• Tulsa at Corpus Christi (Astros)
• Great Lakes at Dayton (Reds)
• Ontario at Lake Elsinore (San Diego)

So sell off a starting pitcher one day, buy a starting pitcher the next.

The Jays have picked up 27-year-old José Soriano from the Angels.

José Soriano is a very good pitcher, and much younger than Kevin Gausman. He has a 3.29 ERA in 22 starts this year, with a 2.7 bWAR. Batters are hitting .217/.311/.321 against him. He’s a ground ball pitcher, but has 127 strikeouts in 123 innings. He’s also leading the league with 57 walks.

And he’s under team control through the 2028 season.

It gives the Jays another top of the rotation starter to go with Dylan Cease (and Trey Yesavage) for the next couple of years at least.

Going to the Angels are:

• Arjun Nimmala, who the Jays were talking up over the last couple of years. There was a Sportsnet profile showing him going to India. He was number 2 on our prospect list before the season and was doing well as a 20-year-old in New Hampshire, hitting .279/.355/.451, after having a poor second half of the 2025 season. It might suggest the Jays think a lot of Jo Jo Parker. Or, Nimmala is just who they needed to have in the deal to get Soriano.
• Eddie Micheletti Jr., an outfielder, who was hitting .251/.347/.454 at age 24 in New Hampshire.
• Angel Rivero, a 19-year-old pitcher, who has a 2.36 ERA in the Florida Coast League with 52 strikeouts and 23 walks in 42 innings.

Welcome to the Jays José. We hope you can win a lot of 2-1, 1-0 type games.

Jays, if you could wait a little later in the day to make these moves for us bloggers who are in western Canada, I would appreciate it. But thanks for the fun trade.

Editor's note: Follow along for live rumors, trades and news during MLB's trade deadline day on Monday, Aug. 3.

In a deft bit of trade deadline buying and selling, the Toronto Blue Jays are acquiring right-hander Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels for three prospects, less than a day after trading franchise stalwart Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs.

A baseball official with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the Blue Jays are acquiring Soriano. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by ESPN, has not yet been announced.

In snagging the coveted Soriano, who has two years of club control beyond this one, the Blue Jays ensure their championship window remains pried open for the next two seasons. He also provides them a boost should their hopes of contending – they enter play Monday, Aug. 3 4 ½ games out of a wild card spot – greatly appreciate in the season's final two months.

The cost was not insignificant: Top 100 shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Michelletti and right-hander Angel Rivero. It also signals the Angels are strongly pivoting to selling under new GM John Mozeliak.

Soriano, 27, has struck out 127 in 123 innings this season and has a 3.72 ERA in 72 career starts.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blue Jays acquire Angels ace Jose Soriano, filling rotation hole for two seasons

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The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to get back on track as they head to Wrigley Field for a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.

Despite coming off an ignominious sweep, Dave Roberts' squad is -117 on the moneyline. See why I'm buying the dip with my Dodgers vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for Monday, August 3.

Who will win Dodgers vs Cubs today: Dodgers moneyline (-121)

This line is artificially short for two main reasons: the Los Angeles Dodgers' poor form — they've dropped five of their last seven games — and the Chicago Cubs' dominance against left-handed pitching.

I'm not holding the weekend sweep against L.A. as it came at the hands of the Red Sox, who are on a historical winning streak. It's difficult for markets to adjust to such an overperforming opponent.

Chicago's league-best 119 wRC+ against southpaws is great on the surface, but Justin Wrobleski's reverse splits (.213/.252/.322 against right-handed hitters) should offset that concern against a lineup projected to feature at least seven righties.

I'd lay L.A. up to -125.

COVERS INTEL: Part of the Cubs' success against left-handed pitching comes from their ability to draw walks at a 10.7% rate. Wrobleski can mitigate that concern with his 4.7% walk rate and 113 Location+.

Dodgers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+109)

The winds might be minor (5-7 mph), but they're blowing in toward the third-base side. With two effective starting pitchers on the bump, I'm betting on a low-scoring game. 

Matthew Boyd has been on fire, allowing just two earned runs in his last 20 IP. The Cubs have played to the Under in four of his last five starts, and he'll have a potent bullpen behind him (2.41 ERA, 3.38 FIP since the All-Star break).

Wrobleski has exceeded expectations all season en route to a 2.88 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, which are fantastic numbers no matter how you look at them. By no accident, the Boys in Blue are 5-9 O/U in his last 14 starts.

I'd play this down to +100.

Dodgers vs Cubs weather

Dodgers vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -117 | Cubs +113
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+144) | Cubs +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)

Dodgers vs Cubs trend

The Dodgers are 5-2 in Justin Wrobleski's last seven starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Cubs.

How to watch Dodgers vs Cubs and game info

Dodgers vs Cubs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Teams looking to improve or sell of for the future, must complete trades by today’s deadline at 5 p.m. CT.

The Royals made a move early by trading outfielder Lane Thomas to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday for pitchers Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. Reliever John Schreiber could also draw interest, as contenders are always looking for bullpen help.

But the Royals reportedly seem less inclined to move players who they feel can help them win in 2027, like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. J.J. Picollo told reporters it would take a large return to get them to part with either of the two rotation fixtures.

“If you’re dealing from a position of depth, then that’s a different story,” said Picollo, referring to a rotation that will be without Cole Ragans (UCL repair), Ryan Bergert (UCL reconstruction) and potentially Stephen Kolek (right flexor strain) through a significant portion of next season.

“If we end up moving another starter, another bullpen piece, now we have a lot of work to do in the offseason,” Picollo said. “We don’t mind the work, but then there’s the reality of how much can you actually get done?”

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that teams have had interest in the veteran pitchers.

The Kansas City Royals have received a ton of interest in starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, but they rebuffed all offers, believing they need them to compete next year.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan writes the team is not looking to rebuild.

Unless Kansas City’s tack changes, it will hold onto Wacha and fellow starter Seth Lugo…The Royals will seek a John Schreiber landing spot. Anything else is a matter of their appetite to yield team control. Because if they do, Daniel Lynch IV would join the top tier of available left-handed relievers.

The Royals don’t want to rebuild. They believe in their core of Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, Carter Jensen and Vinnie Pasquantino. Complementing it with pitching is the goal, but it’s one this deadline will struggle to supply. Limited inventory and limited quality tend to equal limited return.

MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand also doesn’t expect the Royals to trade anything more than their rentals.

The Royals are surefire sellers this week, but don’t look for Kansas City to trade away any of its controllable players.

According to sources, the Royals are open to moving their expiring contracts, most notably reliever John Schreiber and outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte, but players with control beyond 2026 – namely pitchers Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV and Alex Lange – will likely remain in Kansas City after the Trade Deadline has passed.

“They’re trying to contend in 2027 and they think those guys are part of that equation,” a rival executive said. “It doesn’t seem like they’re going to move any of them. Maybe one of the relievers, but that would be it.”

Here are the trades that have taken place so far:

• The Nationals traded Curtis Mead to the Red Sox for Connelly Early.
• The Angels traded Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth to the Rangers for Angel Arredondo.
• The Mets traded A.J. Minter to the Twins for Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani.
• The Orioles traded Dean Kremer to the Twins for Jhomnardo Reyes.
• The Guardians traded Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer to the Brewers for Blake Perkins and Craig Yoho.
• The Mariners traded Luis Castillo to the White Sox for Seranthony Dominguez, Nolan Jones, and Boston Smith.
• The Yankees traded Camilo Doval to the Pirates for Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz.
• The Tigers traded Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers for Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith.
• The Mets traded Freddy Peralta to the Rays for Aidan Smith, Emilien Pitre and Gary Gill Hill.
• The Blue Jays traded Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene.
• The Nationals traded Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees for Yovanny Cruz, Jack Cebert, Ben Grable, and Jake Bird.
• The Giants traded Tyler Mahle to the Braves for Anthony Molina.
• The Angels traded Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays for Arjun Nimmala, Eddie Micheletti, and Angel Rivero.
• The Mets traded Huascar Brazobán to the White Sox for Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin.
• The Giants traded Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian to the Phillies for Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair
• The Mets traded Brooks Raley to the Phillies for Luke Gabrysh and John Spikerman

We will keep this updated throughout the day!

The New York Yankees needed a jolt of energy offensively, and they got one by acquiring Luis García Jr. from the Nationals. It’s a deal with several layers because the uncertainty surrounding how they’ll handle García is directly tied to just how much of this breakout campaign he can carry over.

Originally a middle infielder, and not a particularly good one defensively, Garcia permanently moved to a first-base role in 2026 as the Nationals underwent some structural changes in their organization. As luck would have it, his production with the bat has ticked up in such a way to justify the move, currently leading the National League in slugging percentage at .560, already having blown past his career high in homers with 23.

Initially, García’s usage could be as straightforward as a platoon with Paul Goldschmidt at first-base/designated hitter. Yes, even in the middle of this highly productive campaign, Garcia has been subpar versus left-handed pitchers, at least poor enough that it makes sense for the Yankees not to give him a full-time role, particularly with how well the aging Goldschmidt still hits against southpaws.

With a fully healthy team, things get more interesting, as ideally that DH opening won’t be there. Should Giancarlo Stanton return this season, the Yankees would have to scramble to fit all of these hitters into a lineup, and barring punting defense, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third, and squeezing García in at second, a healthy team means one of Ben Rice, García, and Stanton sitting. But even though Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to take BP on Monday, the Yankees are clearly past the point of planning to have him healthy—it’s one of those “if we get him, that’s good; if not, we should be prepared” situations— and García’s acquistion reflects that mentality.

García got to this level as a legitimate power threat seemingly thanks in part to the work the coaching staff in Washington did with him. García was encouraged by the Nationals’ new coaches to work on improving his bat speed, and it paid off.

García has displayed an improvement of nearly a mile and a half per hour on his bat speed, going from a 72.4 mark he had in 2025—which was a career high—to a 74.0 this season.

From an approach standpoint, not a lot has changed with García. He swings a lot, and this newfound power hasn’t necessarily led to or stemmed from improved plate discipline. The former National still strikes out and walks at similar clips, with a 16.3 percent K% and 4.1 percent BB% in 2026 that are almost exactly in line with his career norms. García puts the ball in play a lot and always has, it’s just that now, he’s bringing power when he connects.

As is the case with basically any power hitter from the left side that moves to Yankee Stadium, it’s tempting to think about the potential fit with the short porch. García should certainly fit fine, though even in this breakout campaign, García isn’t your traditional massively pull-happy power hitter from the left side. Other lefties on the Yankees, such as Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr., have higher rates of pulled air balls than Garcia’s respectable and above-average 18.5%. That said, the move to Yankee Stadium can’t hurt.

It should be noted that this power surge has been massively concentrated in the past two months, as before the start of June, Garcia only had five long balls on the year. Then he racked up 11 in a single month in June, carrying that level on until this trade that sends him to the Bronx. García should bring real thump, but maybe not league-leading slug, as he’s done with the Nationals this year. That he might not be able to hit with quite this much power is probably reflected in the fact that the Yankees were able to acquire García without giving up any blue-chip talent.

Even if he regresses from where he’s been this year, García’s addition provides the Yankees with a solid left-handed bat to include in this rotation of starters at 1B/DH without having to sacrifice much. If he continues to hit close to or at his 2026 levels, then the Yankees just added a premium slugger to the heart of their order. It’s close to a no-brainer move, even if the defensive fit isn’t exactly seamless. García’s glove doesn’t have to fit perfectly if his bat plays as it has this season.

The closer we get to today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the more restless the Friar Faithful become. The rumors have been swirling around the San Diego Padres since last month.

Initially, the club was a potential seller because they were in a dreadful slump. Now, the Padres find themselves in a fight for the final Wild Card berth. They would love to secure starting pitching depth before the deadline.

The activity in the starting-pitching trade market has been heavy, with Tarik Skubal dealt to Los Angeles, Luis Castillo sent to the Chicago White Sox, Freddy Peralta acquired by Tampa, and Kevin Gausman moved to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.

Let’s dissect the latest Friars’ trade rumors from the ridiculous to the realistic: 

Trading Mason Miller to the New York Mets for Juan Soto

No question, the New York Mets are in sell mode, having traded several pieces off the roster this past weekend. The club’s payroll ($363 million) is too high for a team mired in last place. 

But a silly rumor was discussed on SiriusXM yesterday. It was a straight-up swap, with the Mets sending Juan Soto to the Padres for Mason Miller. Wishful thinking for the team that resides in Flushing.

The Friars would not be opposed to acquiring another bat, especially given Soto’s previous relationship with the franchise. Unfortunately, this would be a bad move for San Diego.

He holds the largest contract in Major League Baseball history, eclipsing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million deal before the 2025 season. 

Yes, his lefty bat would balance the Padres’ batting order, but Soto is a big-ticket item that has already lost its luster in New York. From San Diego’s perspective, the Mets would need to add several of their young starting pitchers to the mix before team President of Baseball Operations and General Manager AJ Preller would consider such a trade offer. 

But let’s not kid ourselves, Preller has no interest in trading Miller. 

The Friars adding a bad starting pitcher’s contract

As we hinted earlier, the Padres have shifted into buyers mode ahead of the trade deadline. The team’s improved play has increased speculation that Preller is hopeful of adding a starting pitcher to fuel the postseason push.

It is no secret that the San Francisco Giants want to hit the reset button, as their front office has made Robbie Ray available. Any potential deal is contingent upon the trade partner absorbing the remainder of his 2026 contract. Ray is owed approximately $ 7.3 million for the final two months of the season. 

The Friars might be willing to make such a move if the Giants lessen their financial demands to complete a trade. If not, Preller will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching. 

Until the franchise’s sale is finalized, the front office cannot add significant salary to the payroll. Preller will be restricted in the type of starter he can acquire. He must convince San Francisco to eat a portion of Ray’s remaining salary for a package of prospects from a depleted farm system. The Friars cannot match other teams’ talented farm systems, but they hope their offer draws interest to continue negotiating.

If the Giants accept the offer, you jump at the opportunity to acquire Ray for the stretch run. 

Recaps

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks manage just 2 hits in rain-delayed loss to Guardians – The Guardians scored five runs off Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (8-9), who allowed eight hits. Kelly walked four with five strikeouts in five innings of work, and ran into major trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning. He gave up two runs with no outs on a walk, a single and a double, then another run after a walk and a single. Five straight Guardians reached base against Kelly before he struck out Brayan Rocchio and induced a double-play groundout to end the inning. “We hit this road trip knowing it was going to be a very tough challenge for us, but we checked that box because we’re a very good baseball team,” Lovullo said. “We’re coming home after a very rugged 11-day road trip and anxious to see what we put together inside the NL West.”

[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks-Guardians finale resumes after 1.5-hour rain delay, benches clearing before – Guardians starter Gavin Wiliams had thrown five perfect innings, and Diamondbacks outfielder Tim Tawa attempted a bunt to break it up, with Cleveland ahead 5-0 in the top of the fifth. Tawa’s bunt went foul before he then hit a single to actually break up Williams’ bid for perfection. Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey took exception to Tawa’s bunt attempt to break up the perfect game. On the next play, Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas grounded into a fielder’s choice. Tawa was out at second, but shortstop Brayan Rocchio committed a throwing error that advanced Vargas to second. Rocchio then chirped at Tawa on his way off the basepath.

[AP] A bunt, a perfect game bid and a tarp: How Diamondbacks-Guardians tensions boiled over – While some might think Tim Tawa trying to bunt during the sixth inning of Sunday’s game while Cleveland’s Gavin Williams had a perfect game bid going violated the unwritten codes of the sport, Lovullo said it was a perfectly acceptable decision. “Not even close for me,” Lovullo said after Cleveland’s 5-0 win over Arizona. “I’ve had this discussion with (Cleveland manager) Stephen Vogt before when he was in our dugout as a player. I play it clean and you can do basically anything in between the white lines for six innings. And then after that, you got to be careful. It’s either black or white for me. I don’t like gray stuff. Timmy asked if he could bunt. We all checked off on it, said absolutely. And they clearly took exception to that.”

Team News

[SI] Where the Diamondbacks Stand One Day Before the Trade Deadline – The Diamondbacks have firmly cemented their position at this Deadline. They may not be among the clubs swinging for the fences with high-profile moves, but they’ve shown GM Mike Hazen enough to push him in a buyer’s direction. Though no moves have come down as of this writing, the Diamondbacks are likely to be buyers, adding to their roster this Deadline as opposed to standing pat or auctioning off their trade assets in a smilar fashion to 2025. Arizona is, however, a bit limited financially. They only sit about $6-7 million under the threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax, and are not expected to surpass that number.So if Hazen does choose to add, it will be lower-cost players — perhaps in the arbitration or pre-arb phases of their careers.

[Dbacks.com] Buying? Selling? How each team will navigate Trade Deadline day – The Diamondbacks are going to buy, but it likely will not be splashy moves. GM Mike Hazen has to watch the budget as the team is getting closer to the first luxury tax threshold. So look for the D-backs to get some help at first base and possibly an arm that can help while they wait for injured pitchers to return.

[Fansided] What the Arizona Diamondbacks’ risky, but necessary, trade deadline strategy looks like – There is a strong sense that the Diamondbacks will not make any blockbuster moves. Complicating matters is that the Diamondbacks are approximately just $10 million under the first luxury tax threshold. There has been speculation that the Diamondbacks might try to free up money by trading three-time All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, who is in the second season of a six-year, $105-million contract. Marte has been the source of clubhouse friction in the past and recently scrubbed his social media accounts of all things Diamondbacks-related. However, a team source termed the chances of a Marte trade as being “unlikely.”

[Burn City Sports] D-Backs fans have plenty to say after Tarik Skubal’s trade to NL rival Dodgers – Supporters aren’t necessarily upset that Arizona’s rival continues to stockpile top talent and compete at the highest level. Instead, their frustration comes from how it’s being done and what it could mean for the future. The move serves as another reminder of the challenge that comes with competing in the NL West. The Dodgers adding another frontline player raises the expectations for the rest of the division and puts more pressure on teams like the D-Backs to continue building a roster capable of competing with baseball’s biggest spenders. The Skubal trade represents more than just another Dodgers addition. It highlights the growing gap between some of baseball’s biggest spenders and the teams trying to find ways to compete, making every offseason decision and roster move even more important for Arizona’s future.

And, elsewhere…

[ESPN] MLB trade deadline 2026: Latest intel from Olney, Passan – Passan: Prices are finally going to come down — because they have to. All week long, executives looking to add have bleated about the premium being asked for players. Controllable players, rental players — it does not matter. There are more teams trying to get better than ones punting the season, and they know that because of the finite inventory, they can shoot high. At some point, however, the posturing and information-gathering needs to end and deals need to win the day. That point is now.

[MLB.com] Cubs trade for Blue Jays’ right-hander Gausman – The Cubs traded for Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman on Sunday night, with Toronto getting two Minor Leaguers, shortstop Ty Southisene (Blue Jays’ No. 17 prospect) and outfielder Brett Bateman (No. 20). The 2026 numbers don’t jump off the page in the same way as his previous seasons, with a 4.51 ERA over 115 2/3 innings, but the 35-year-old has looked stronger of late and can still pitch in the middle of a strong postseason rotation, especially after what he showed through the Blue Jays’ 2025 World Series run. Over those 30 2/3 innings, Gausman posted a 2.93 ERA, starting Game 1 in both the ALDS and ALCS, then making two starts in the World Series against the Dodgers.

[CBS Sports] Luis García Jr. trade grades: Yankees do whatever it takes to help offense; Nationals go quantity over quality – Ideally, the Yankees would have added a right-handed hitter to a lineup that already leans very left-handed, but beggars can’t be choosers. They need offense any way they can get it right now. García’s power breakout is tied to bat speed training and improvement under Washington’s new front office, something they’ve applied to several players with success. Furthermore, García is a left-handed hitter who pulls the ball in the air, something that will play very well at Yankee Stadium. His 18.5% pulled fly ball rate is a career high by three percentage points and comfortably above the 16.8% league average. If those bat speed and power gains are sticky, which the Yankees clearly believe they are, García will love hitting in the Bronx.

Send Help (2026)

• Rating: C-
• Dir: Sam Raimi
• Star: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Edyll Ismail, Xavier Samuel

There are some good moments here. Linda’s first attempt at boar hunting, while leaning heavily on obvious CGI, is still nicely blood-drenched and brutal. The reveal, too, has nice energy, when we discover just how deep Linda’s deception goes, in the service of maintaining her wilderness superiority. However, there were a lot of scenes which didn’t feel like they added much to proceedings. I’m not sure the message here is quite what some people think either.

Read more

It all comes down to today at 4:00 MDT.

General managers will put down their phones, those final transactions will process, and we see where everyone has landed.

And we will know more about the Paul DePodesta-Josh Byrnes front office.

In the meantime, drop any rumors you see here. It should be an interesting day.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

On Saturday, the Royals traded outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Bailey Falter to the Atlanta Braves for two minor league pitchers – Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. Now that we’ve had some time to digest the deal, how did the Royals make out?

Thomas signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal with Kansas City before the year hoping he would bounce back after being hurt much of the last two seasons. While he didn’t produce the power he did in 2023, when he hit 28 home runs, he became a steady bat. He got off to a slow start, but came around in the summer, hitting nine home runs in 52 games since June 1. Overall, Thomas hit .232/.326/.393 with 10 home runs in 97 games, but excelled against lefties, hitting .263/.370/.430.

The value of “rentals”, players whose contract is up at the end of the season, is always a bit limited. But the market for right-handed outfielders is a seller’s market. The number of right-handed hitters is at its lowest point in at least five decades. The quality of right-handed hitters has declined as well, leaving a market where demand outstrips supply. The Rangers, Phillies, and Yankees are just some of the teams reportedly interested in adding a right-handed bat.

Lucas Braun was drafted in the 6th round of the 2023 draft by the Braves after his senior year at Cal State-Northridge. He has put up very good numbers at each level, leading him to be ranked the #8 prospect in the Braves system before the season by MLB Pipeline. Braun is a finesse righty with a deep arsenal of six pitches who relies on deception more than velocity to get hitters out, not unlike Seth Lugo. MLB Pipeline writes he is a “kitchen sink” starter, who will throw the book at hitters.

His fastball sits at around 92 mph and tops out at 96, but he’ll throw both a four-seamer with armside run and a two-seamer with sink that he added at the end of 2024. He throws his low-80s slider a lot, and misses bats with it, while also folding in an upper-70s curve and mid-80s changeup. He started to incorporate an upper-80s cutter in 2025 to give a harder fastball-esque look for left-handed hitters, and it was at the top of his usage chart at Triple-A in 2026 at the time of the trade.

Baseball America ranked him #7 in the system, because of his plus command. He now ranks #11 in the Royals’ system.

Nothing Braun throws is plus. Instead, he relies on his advanced control and command—the best in the system—and an ability to mix and match. Braun’s fastball command has always been a strength, and his career 6.7% walk rate points to above-average control.

Brendan Gawlowski at FanGraphs ranked him #22 in the system, praising his funky delivery and athleticism, but raising questions about his stuff.

All of those factors are going to be important to maintain because Braun’s stuff is just okay. He works with both fastballs and sits in the low 90s with unremarkable shape. He has the full package of secondaries, and while the variety gives him a lot of ways to attack, he doesn’t have an out pitch. The ceiling is as a sum-of-his-parts no. 5, while the median projection is a length guy who can flex in and out of the rotation as needed.

Braun began this season at Double-A, where he posted a 3.20 ERA with strong strikeout and walk numbers in 50.2 innings. They moved him up to Triple-A, where he posted a 3.92 ERA in 43.2 innings, but with a very low strikeout rate of 16 percent. Dave Andrews of FanGraphs writes, that Braun has an “intriguingly compact delivery that gives him an extremely low release point.”

He adds, “Will Braun’s funk be enough to keep fooling major leaguers? The best projections say yes, and see him as a future no. 4 starter.”

Carter Holton pitched at Vanderbilt, where he had a 29 percent strikeout rate but a high ERA, and he was ranked #67 going into the draft by Baseball America. They wrote that while the lefty “might not have a single overwhelming pitch, he has a solid track record as a starter in the best conference in the country, a deep pitch mix and solid-average control of a deep arsenal.” The Braves took him in the second round, but after one pro start he needed Tommy John surgery, and he missed the entire 2025 season.

FanGraphs ranked him #19 in the Braves farm system, while he went unranked by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America. Gawlowski wrote that Holton’s delivery is “not especially loose, and the effort level often pushes him off balance toward third base” and that it “has a few relief markers in it.” Holton returned this year and has posted a 5.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 33.2 innings at Low-A at the age of 23. Andrews writes that Holton is a bit undersized, with a fastball that sits 92-94 mph with “a herky-jerky delivery and an over-the-top release point” and a slider as his signature pitch.

The Royals also threw in Bailey Falter, who has negative trade value due to his poor performance and $3.6 million contract for 2026. Including him in the trade saves the Royals some money, but also theoretically reduced their trade return since they received salary relief instead of talent.

You also have to wonder if the Royals boxed themselves into a corner by requiring the return include MLB-ready pitching. The pitching rotation is running on fumes right now, with ten pitchers currently on the Injured List, including All-Stars Kris Bubic, Cole Ragans, and Carlos Estévez. J.J. Picollo seems fixated on the idea that the team can be competitive in 2027, so adding MLB-ready players that can contribute soon is imperative. Many other teams this far back in the standings would focus on getting the best talent in return, regardless of how far away the player is from big league action.

Still, this seems like a pretty good return for two months of Thomas. Braun doesn’t have loud stuff, but Lugo could be a good example for him to follow. The bloom has come off the rose for Brian Sweeney this year, but Braun could be an interesting project for him. He turns 25 by the end of the month, so he should be ready to contribute at the big league level soon. Holton is putting up underwhelming numbers at a low level, but oftentimes pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery don’t really look fully healthy until a full year after their recovery. Holton’s advanced age will mean he needs to start producing very quickly if he’s going to be a factor, and it seems like it will likely come out of the bullpen.

In a vacuum, these aren’t the kind of moves that get you back to contention, but they are the necessary trades that are required to build depth. But rebuilding a contender isn’t about hitting one grand slam at the deadline, it’s about accumulating enough useful talent that a few players exceed expectations. Braun has a realistic path to helping the Royals’ rotation as soon as next season, while Holton remains a longer-term lottery ticket. That’s a worthwhile return for two months of Lane Thomas, even if it isn’t the blockbuster fans were hoping for.

Good morning, foLLks, and happy Monday!

The Mariners are off before the Tigers come to town for a three-game set, so they have an extra day to bask in Colt Emerson’s walkoff knock to seal a series win. More importantly, though, is that today marks the official trade deadline day for Major League Baseball! It was a busy weekend around baseball, but pencils will need to be down at 3:00pm Pacific time. While some cross-discussion is bound to happen on such a hectic day, we have an open trade deadline thread dedicated for discussing rumors and moves, whether Mariners-specific or across baseball.

In Mariners news:

• In case you missed it, Zach Mason wished Luis Castillo happy trails following Saturday’s blockbuster trade that sent him to the South Side.
• Bye, Buddy! Hope you find your dad!

• The M’s once again brought up lefty Josh Simpson yesterday, but with Seranthony Domínguez expected to join the club tomorrow, it’s likely he’ll be Tacoma-bound in the next 24-36 hours.

Around the league:

• The rental starting pitching market is ablaze! Kicking things off, we have Kevin Gausman moving from the Blue Jays to the Cubs for outfielder Brett Bateman and middle infielder Ty Southisene.
• Toronto also acquired recently DFA’d Jameson Taillon from the North Siders for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
• The Mets selling continues, with Freddy Peralta heading to Tampa Bay. The Rays sent over outfielder Aidan Smith – the second deadline swap he’s been a part of after the M’s moved him in the package for Randy Arozarena – middle infielder Émilien Pitre, and righty Gary Gill Hill.
• Righty Tyler Mahle was swapped from the Giants to Atlanta for fellow righty Anthony Molina.
• It wasn’t all arms moved yesterday: the Nationals traded first baseman Luis García Jr. to the Yankees for a quartet of right-handed pitchers, including veteran Jake Bird.
• Even with the win, yesterday’s Mariners’ bullpen meltdown was pretty tough to watch. If any Royals fan was peeking, though, it was familiar territory.

• Following Tarik Skubal’s move to the Dodgers, Angels lefty Brent Suter – a Harvard grad who is on the executive committee for the MLBPA – is bracing himself for yet another wrinkle in negotiations.
• In support of the inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League season, our sister site Purple Row will be posting discussion threads as the league kicks off play. Opening Day was Saturday, with the Los Angeles Queens beating the New York Heights 10-8, while the other two teams began play yesterday as the San Francisco Firebells trounced the Boston Hunters 11-3.

A.J. Minter was the first of the Mets’ rental relievers to get dealt, heading to Minnesota for two infield prospects. Neither are fantastic on-field pieces, but both have some level of name ID.

Billy Amick is the bigger name across baseball more broadly. A 23-year-old R/R corner infielder, Amick was selected in the 2nd round in 2024 after a junior year at Tennessee in which he batted .306/.387/.639 with 23 HR in 255 AB and what a national title. Now, there’s usually a good reason when big-name, big-college performers are available in the 2nd, and in Amick’s case it was serious questions about his hit tool. Fittingly, he’s struck out more than 25% of the time at every minor league stop (save an 18 game sample in his draft year), and has struck out 28.5% of the time this season at Double-A with a 105 wRC+. This is ultimately a right-hand hitting first baseman with good raw power and not much else. If that sounds like Mark Vientos to you….well I won’t dissuade you of that notion.

Bruin Agbayani is probably the more famous name to Mets fans specifically because yes, he is Benny’s son (and yes, you are old). Bruin was picked in the 6th round in 2025 and has fewer than 100 PAs in his career – a shoulder injury has kept him out for the majority of this season. There’s some feel for contact and a decent approach here. There’s also little to no present power (an issue likely to be further exacerbated by a serious shoulder injury) and he’s more a 2B than an SS. That said, you’d probably rather roll the dice on a guy who has runway to surprise you and improve (like Agbayani) rather than an older guy who seems more locked into a less appealing profile (like Amick).

Overall this is a pretty underwhelming return. A.J. Minter isn’t exactly a great pitcher at this point given where his stuff and peripheral metrics are at (and I definitely overestimated a potential return when guessing at a hypothetical deal). This return doesn’t offer anything of significant value, however. Maybe you get an up-and-down bench guy, but you’d have hoped to at least snag an interesting trait arm or a better lottery ticket than Agbayani. Perhaps this assessment looks a little different after the rest of the trade market plays out.

We’ll have full grades for every deadline deal the Mets make once all the moves for the deadline have been made. Check back in for those next week.

The Toronto Blue Jays traded starting pitcher Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs last night for minor leaguers Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene. This morning, it is being announced that the Jays are acquiring starting pitcher Jose Soriano from the Anaheim Angels for minor leaguers Arjun Nimmala, Eddie Mitcheletti and Angel Rivero.

So we have got some of the rare buy-and-sell action from the Jays. At 4.5 games back of Wild Card 3 and 13.5 games back in the American League East, it makes sense that the Jays would deal Gausman, a 35 year old in the final year of a 5 year, $110 million deal. Gausman’s 4.38 ERA in 2026 is the first 4+ ERA he’s had in his time with the Jays, though his FIP of 3.51 and xERA of 3.95 are in line with what he put up last year, when he had a 3.59 ERA, 3.73 xERA and 3.41 FIP. Gausman was a stalwart in the Jays’ playoff run in 2025, allowing ten runs in five starts and a relief appearance covering 30.2 innings in the 2025 postseason, and gives the Cubs a veteran arm to help them down the stretch and that can bolster their playoff rotation.

The return for Gausman is not as impressive as I would have expected. Southisene is #10 on the Baseball America Cubs top 30 list, and Bateman isn’t on their top 30. Southisene is a 21 year old middle infielder who was a fourth round pick in 2024 and is slashing .306/.425/.372 between low-A and high-A this season. Bateman was an 8th round pick in 2023 out of the University of Minnesota, and has slashed .312/.430/.421 at AAA this season while playing primarily center field.

Having parted with a starting pitcher who was slated to be a free agent at the end of the season, the Jays are apparently replacing him with a starting pitcher who is under team control through 2028. Soriano, 27, is a righthander who had a dominating start to the season, allowing just one run in his first six starts. For the season he has a 3.29 ERA and 3.79 FIP in 123 innings over 22 starts. He’s making just $2.9 million this season, and is likely looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 million for 2027.

Soriano was reportedly generating a lot of interest, and the Angels were thought likely to deal him, though the expectation was that it would be a contender acquiring Soriano. Instead, the Jays were the top bidder, and while they are unlikely to be in the playoff mix this year, they do have someone they can pencil into their rotation for the following two years.

Nimmala, the Jays’ first round pick in 2023, is the prize of the deal, a 20 year old shortstop who has advanced to AA this year, and who is a consensus top 100 prospect who BA has as the top prospect in the Jays system. Micheletti was the Jays’ 8th round pick in 2024 out of Virginia Tech, and is a 24 year old outfielder slashing .251/.347/.454 in AA this year. Rivero is a 19 year old righthanded pitcher who put up a 2.36 ERA in 42 innings in the Gulf Coast League this summer. Neither of them are in the BA top 30 for the Jays.

On the lookout for bullpen help, the Phillies are going to make a move for a lefty to help out the group.

Raley is a solid addition if it is done, giving them another left handed option that can supplant the options they have there currently.

More to come.

UPDATE: Here is the return for Raley.