Category: MLB

This is the one I didn’t want to write today. The Orioles have traded Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report on the done deal on Monday afternoon, hours before the trade deadline. There had been a variety of rumors in the hours previously, including from ESPN’s Buster Olney that there was a “take it or leave it” deal on the table from the Orioles around 1pm. The deal was completed about two hours after that.

The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka reported on the headliner of the trade, 21-year-old righty pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson. This was the #2 player in the Red Sox system at the time of the deal and #49 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospect ranking. Kostka further reported on the full trade, which includes two more of the top five Red Sox prospects: Pitcher Kyson Witherspoon and outfielder Enddy Azocar. A fourth player in the deal, catcher Carlos Narváez, is a three-year MLB player who was worth 2.8 bWAR a year ago and is worth -0.5 bWAR so far this year.

I honestly did not believe that this was going to happen. It is extremely weird to trade a former #1 pick who is a core part of your team that plans to succeed next year – assuming the Orioles are planning to succeed next year. Additionally, a big trade being pulled off for a guy who is currently on the injured list, even if his return is approaching, is just too weird. But apparently not too weird for Mike Elias and the Red Sox.

The whole point of the rebuilding era was to be able to form a core around the #1 overall pick that Elias took in that first draft. That was Rutschman. The Orioles absolutely stunk in 2019, 2020, and 2021, all while waiting for Rutschman to eventually arrive, along with other players. Now he has been traded away without the Orioles ever having even won a single playoff game in his tenure, not only traded but traded when he still has 2027 team control remaining as well.

This did not have to be inevitable, even after the Orioles signed Samuel Basallo to an eight-year contract extension last year. It did not have to be inevitable even after the Orioles struggled early this year. They are only 2.5 games out of the wild card and even considering the trades they do “have” to make – one, Taylor Ward, has already been made; another, Trevor Rogers, will presumably be made before the 6pm trade – they could still have tried to stick around and do what they could with their longshot odds, while looking for moves that will fill anticipated holes on next year’s roster.

Elias stated outright that the team would be looking to buy at the trade deadline, with his usual equivocation that “I’ll let you know if that changes.” He has certainly let us know in dramatic fashion by trading Rutschman. It is not the first time he has represented one thing publicly while going and doing another thing behind the scenes. It will probably not be the last.

A Rutschman trade means that Elias has failed as the Orioles general manager. His plan did not work. He should be clearing out his office the day the season ends. He shouldn’t get a chance to come up with a new plan. The fact that he feels safe in trading Rutschman – and that owner David Rubenstein didn’t step in in to prevent anyone from the core being subtracted from the 2027 team – suggests that he probably won’t be fired, that Rubenstein probably meant his “we couldn’t be more pleased” about the job Elias has done. He is making money and building asset value, things that happen whether or not the Orioles win.

For Orioles fans, an extra kick in the teeth about this whole thing is that the trade has been made with the Red Sox, a division rival whose success will come at the Orioles expense. This kind of psychological impact is not something any responsible general manager could consider. Still, it sucks. I don’t like those guys and I don’t want them to be good. I think Rutschman is still going to be good and will help them be good. Their fans as a collective do not deserve him. Orioles fans do not deserve this. As ever, deserve got nothin’ to do with it.

This is the kind of trade that makes me sit and think about what I really get out of caring about this baseball team and its fortunes. Right at this exact moment, I don’t have an answer. Maybe I don’t actually get anything, and maybe I never will.

Adley Rutschman is not the best player in baseball. That’s not a particularly insightful thing to point out. It’s really hard to be the best player in baseball, and the current holder of that title is not only the best player right now, but the best to ever play the game. Rutschman is also not in the conversation about the best players in baseball. But, again, no slight there — the game is hard, cue Jimmy Dugan.

But the fact that Rutschman is not in the conversation about the best players in the game is somewhatnotable because, not all that long ago, it looked like he one day absolutely would be. Rutschman flew threw the minors after being selected first overall in 2019. As a 24-year-old rookie in 2002, he received MVP votes despite the fact that he didn’t play in his first game until late May. He finished the year just 15th in games played as a catcher, but second in fWAR at the position with 5.6. The next year he would make the All-Star Game and win his first Silver Slugger, as he looked not only like a future superstar, but a current one, a precocious talent with a flawless all-around game who somehow needed no time at all to adjust to big league baseball.

Just three years later, though, Rutschman is considered to be one of the most disappointing players in baseball. Rutschman has put up an OPS+ of only 103 in the three years since he won that Silver Slugger, barely above league average. He’s hit just 36 homers and struggled with injuries, missing over half the 2025 season with oblique injuries and going on the IL three ties already in 2026.

But the funny thing about disappointment is that it’s a relative thing. Adley Rutschman is decidedly not a bad player. During this letdown stretch from 2024-2026, Rutschman has been the ninth-best catcher in baseball by fWAR. He still has excellent bat control, excelling at limiting strikeouts and working walks. And his outstanding glove has never wavered: by Baseball Savant’s Fielding Run Value, he’s been the third-best defensive catcher in the game this year. He’s a fine catcher, a big upgrade over the Red Sox’ in-house options, and he’s not a free agent until after the 2027 season. Adding a player of his caliber to your roster is never a bad thing.

Rutschman didn’t come free, of course. Not even close, in fact. In return for his services the Sox shipped off a hefty package of prospects Athony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and Endy Ezocar, along with big leaguer Carlos Narvaez who, after having a surprisingly great rookie season in 2025, has been struggling through it all year and is now redundant.

Eyanson is clearly the headliner. The number two prospect in the system according to Soxprospects.com, he struck out 10 hitters in his most recent start for AA Portland and has been one of the most exciting players in the Sox’ minor league system this year. Witherspoon came into the season even more highly rated than Eyanson, but has had an up-and-down campaign as the Sox work to adjust his mechanics. Ezocar is further away, essentially the definition of a single-A lotto ticket, though a good one. These are good prospects! They might even become good players someday. But Adley Rutschman already is a good player, even if he’s a disappointing one.

And, moreover, the thing about “disappointing” players is that it’s hard not to hang onto a little bit of hope. The player who was once viewed as potentially one of the very best in the game may still be buried underneath all that catcher’s equipment somewhere. As it is, Rutschman is having something of a bounceback season in between the injuries — and, yes, we much note that he is currently injured with left wrist inflammation. But if the old Rutschman comes out at some point over the next 14 months, the Sox may have landed themselves a gem.

MLB Trade Rumors: Jacob deGrom has informed the Texas Rangers that he wants to stay in Texas, according to Ken Rosenthal, who says that the club approached deGrom about waiving his full no-trade clause. Rosenthal says that the Rangers are also believed to have approached Corey Seager, who has an eight team no-trade clause, and Nathan Eovaldi, who has a full no-trade, though Rosenthal gives no indication as to their responses.

The Atlanta Braves were among the teams that had reportedly shown interest in deGrom, though how serious that interest is, and how far along talks may have gone, is unknown. It seemed unlikely heading into today that deGrom, Seager or Eovaldi would be moved, though with the Rangers in listening mode, it would make sense that they would inquire with those veterans as to whether, and for whom, they’d waive their no-trade rights.

So it would appear as of now deGrom isn’t going anywhere today. Of course, not all that long ago, Justin Verlander said he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause with the Detroit Tigers to go to the Houston Astros…then did so right before the deadline. So, as Lenny Kravitz says, it ain’t over until its over…

First of all, if you’re here reading this, thank you. This will be publishing at noon on deadline day, and I’m sure it will be sandwiched between articles on here with news and updates, or barring that, fevered refreshes of MLBTR. Appreciate you stopping. Second, take everything from here on out with a grain of salt. Both Mike Hazen and AJ Preller could up end anything I write at any moment, maybe even before it publishes! Isn’t the trade deadline fun?

Well, its definitely more fun for the Diamondbacks this season than it was last season. Last year saw them get swept in Detroit leading up to the deadline, this time they find themselves having won four of their last five series, tied for the second Wild Card, and six games over .500. All done with arguably more injuries. YCPB.

This series in particular will be important as they are facing off against the Padres. Those Padres are just a single game behind the Diamondbacks in the Wild Card standings, and a winning series here would give them a little breathing room. Losing the series, and they’d more than likely be out of a playoff spot after all the effort they’ve put in to get one.

Game 1 — 8/3, 6:40 PM: Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 0.6 bWAR, 4.00 ERA/107 ERA+, 1.29 WHIP) vs Michael King (6-7, 2.8 bWAR, 3.38 ERA/121 ERA+, 1.17 WHIP)

Welcome to the over 100 ERA+ club Pfaadt! That’s new since the last time I wrote one of these previews. It’s been the product of a string of very quality pitching since he’s returned to the starting rotation. In those six startsx, he has yet to give up more than two runs, yet to pitch fewer than five innings, and has most recently capped it off by a masterful 7 IP scoreless outing against Wild Card rival Pirates. The team believed that he was tipping pitches, and that is specifically what he was sent down to the minors top work on, and it’s impossible to deny the results. That extension he signed is looking much better than it was even two months ago.

King has been a good, steady pitcher for the Padres since they acquired him in 2024. He’s had an ERA+ of 129 over the 2.5 seasons, and this year has been much the same. He’s limited opponents to two runs or less in five of his last seven starts, but perhaps the best news for the Diamondbacks is that he gave up four to the Rockies, in San Diego on top of it, in his last start. If there is a carry over from that rough start to this one, it could be beneficial. There is precedent for it as well, as he had a three game stretch at the end of May/beginning of June where he gave up four or more runs in each game.

Game 2 — 8/4, 6:40 PM: Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3, 4.5 bWAR, 2.48 ERA/172 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP) vs TBD

The fairy tale season of Eduardo Rodriguez continues with an eight inning scoreless outing against the Pirates in his last start. At this point, it’s hard to find much to say new about Rodriguez, but unlike some other players (glares at Gallen) it’s for a positive reason. If the Diamondbacks are to finish the season strong, it will be on the back of his future performance. So here’s to continuing the run, E-Rod.

Game 3 — 8/5, 6:40: Mitch Bratt (0-1, 0.0 bWAR, 5.23 ERA/83 ERA+, 1.83 WHIP) vs TBD

Bratt has been in the league now for five starts, and it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. His last couple starts, he finally seems to have stretched out a bit, going five innings in back to back starts. The quality of those starts were wildly all over the place, however, as one was a five run, five walk stinker, and the other was just a single run, but also with four walks. His FIP, at 6.77, says it all, given that is even higher than his already high ERA.

Game 4 — 8/6, 6:4o: Kohl Drake (0-0, 0.0 bWAR, 4.85 ERA/90 ERA+, 1.46 WHIP) vs. Walker Buehler (6-5, 0.1 bWAR, 5.18 ERA/79 ERA+, 1.44 WHIP)

Drake has had a fairly unspectacular start to his MLB career. Two decent, if short outings, one not so great. Still early days, so it’s still far to soon to tell. Like Bratt, however, his FIP is another run over his already high ERA, so a concern to look out for in the coming games. Additionally, he has been a huge good luck charm for the offense, as he has yet to get fewer than six runs of support in any of his starts.

Buehler has come a long way since he was the next big thing and was placing in the Cy Young Award top tens, and not in a good way. He hasn’t had a season over 100 ERA+ since 2022, and really, he’s only had one over 80 in that time frame too. This season has been more of the same, not going far into games and giving up multiple runs. On July 6th, he faced off against the Diamondbacks to detrimental effect, giving up seven runs in five innings, only striking out four, but limited the walks to one.

Conclusion

It’s hard to write about a conclusion when I’m not even 100% sure who is going to be on the team when this series is played. For all I know, Casey Mize pitches instead of Bratt or Drake. Really going crazy, there’s nothing to say that Hazen doesn’t pull a build-and-sell move like he loves so much and Rodriguez is shipped out for a haul. Who knows. But I do think that the awakened Diamondbacks offense is a plus for them in this series, and they’re starting out on the right foot with Pfaadt in game one, so I think they stand a chance. Stay tuned for more, though…

It’s a brand new day, and yet another left-hander stands in the way of the Dodgers’ offense, landing in Chicago to face the contending Cubs in what could easily be a playoff preview. On the subject of left-handed pitchers, both teams better be prepared for them, with five of the projected six starters in this matchup being southpaws, starting things off with Justin Wrobleski versus Matthew Boyd.

After enduring a mini-Home Run Derby in his last start, allowing a season-high four long balls to the Mariners, Wrobleski’s goal is to get back on track as quickly as possible. What allowed Wrobleski to remain competitive in that game against Seattle and even in many of his worst outings this season has been the command not to give anybody a free pass. It’ll be strength versus strength with Wrobleski’s NL-leading 1.7 BB/9 going against the offense that walks the most in baseball, the Cubs with a 10.9 percent BB%.

Having faced plenty of difficulties versus the southpaws in the Red Sox rotation, the Dodgers don’t get a much easier task against Boyd. The veteran southpaw has allowed just two earned runs in his last three starts, covering 20 innings, including seven scoreless in his last appearance.

While not nearly as emotional as a return to Houston once he was traded to the Cubs, Kyle Tucker will play in Wrigley Field for the first time since signing with the Dodgers. Although the numbers are nowhere near as bad as they have been at Dodger Stadium, it’s not like Tucker much enjoyed hitting in Wrigley either, with just a .757 OPS in the Cubs’ home park, well below his career average. Weirdly, though, the numbers have been far better against southpaws for Tucker this season (.771 OPS vs. LHP and .675 vs. RHP).

Monday’s game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Cubs
• Ballpark: Wrigley Field, Chicago
• Start time: 5:05 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The Cubs front office has put a premium on controllable starting pitching. And now they’ve got their guy:

SOURCE: The Cubs are acquiring Reid Detmers from the Los Angeles Angels. They get their controllable starter.

— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) August 3, 2026

Reid Detmers is 27 and has two years of team control after this year. He’ll make the Cubs rotation a bit more left-handed, adding to Matthew Boyd and Shōta Imanaga. This is one move I really wanted the Cubs to make, and now they have.

We do not yet have the return to the Angels in this deal — I have seen some reports online but nothing from any of the Cubs beat writers or from a national writer so I’ll wait for that when it comes.

Depending on the return this would seem to be a good deal for the Cubs, especially with two more years of team control after 2026. I wrote a lot about Detmers last week and you can read more about him here.

Have at it; this post will be updated when we know the return.

If there was any doubt as to which direction the Baltimore Orioles were leaning as they sat in the precarious middle ground of playoff contention, we may have an answer.

The Orioles are trading outfielder Taylor Ward to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a trio of minor-league right-handers, the teams announced.

The move could signal the start of more deals for the Orioles (54-58), who began the day on Monday 2½ games out of the final American League wild-card spot.

The 55-58 Mariners, meanwhile, are just a half-game ahead of the Orioles, but have much stronger postseason aspirations. Adding Ward will help address their most glaring need.

Taylor Ward trade details

• Mariners get: OF Taylor Ward
• Orioles get: RHPs Alex Hoppe, Brock Moore, Harrison Kreiling

Orioles trade grade: C

A bit of a disappointment in his initial season with Baltimore, Ward's career as an Oriole lasted a mere 111 games.

For GM Mike Elias, Ward's expiring contract made him a logical trade candidate if the team wasn't going to make a push for the playoffs. As such, the return isn't overwhelming.

Hoppe is a 27-year-old right-hander who made his MLB debut with Seattle earlier this season. He's posted a 5.79 ERA in 28 mostly low-leverage innings.

Neither of the minor league pitchers the Orioles received crack the Mariners' top 30, according to MLB Pipeline. But they're hoping quantity will make up for any perceived lack of quality.

Moore, 26, was drafted in the seventh round in 2024. Promoted from High-A earlier this season, he has a 5.56 ERA in 22⅔ innings at Class AA.

Kreiling, 24, has a 1.69 ERA over 10⅔ combined innings this season in Rookie League and Low-A ball.

Mariners trade grade: B+

With a starting rotation solid enough to make veteran right-hander Luis Castillo expendable, the M's got a much-needed infusion of offense.

After hitting a career-high 36 home runs for the Los Angeles Angels in 2025, Ward signed a one-year contract over the winter to give the Orioles a jolt of right-handed power.

However, he morphed into something completely different in orange and black. The nine-year veteran stopped hitting home runs and became an on-base machine, ranking sixth in the American League with a career-best .383 mark. Yet his .346 slugging percentage is a significant decline from the .475 he generated a year ago in Anaheim.

With the majors' third-worst offense (4.02 runs per game), the Mariners will welcome any kind of an offensive upgrade. This version of Ward could easily slide into the leadoff spot in their batting order, especially with usual leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford on the injured list.

Their exceptional pitching depth made it much less painful for them to give up three arms in order to land Ward.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Ward trade grades: Did Mariners get what they needed?

The Baltimore Orioles are trading catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox, per multiple reports.

Rustchman, 28, is currently on the injured list, but is expected to be ready to return in the near future. The first overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Oregon State, Rutschman was second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 and 12th in the MVP voting, then followed up with a 9th place finish in the MVP voting in 2023. His bat regressed in 2024 and 2025, and he has had injury issues this year, as well as last year, though his .251/.331/.433 slash line this year represents an improvement over 2024 and 2025.

Rutschman is under contract for $7.25 million this year, and will be eligible for free agency after the 2027 season.

No word yet on who the Orioles are getting back from Boston. We will update when we know more.

UPDATE — The Orioles are reportedly getting the following players from Boston:

Anthony Eyanson (#2 on the BA Red Sox list)

Enddy Azocar (#5)

Kyson Witherspoon (#3)

Harold Rivas (#21)

Carlos Narvaez

Eyanson, #33 on the Baseball America top 100 list, was a third round pick of the Red Sox out of LSU in 2025 who got a well-above-slot $1.75 million bonus. He’s blown up this year, with added velocity helping him to a 1.32 ERA in 68 innings between high-A and AA.

Witherspoon, #97 on the BA top 100 list, was taken #15 overall out of OU in 2025. We wrote him up pre-draft here. A righthanded pitcher, Witherspoon has put up a 4.78 ERA in 75 innings at high-A with 78 Ks against 34 walks.

Azocar, a 19 year old center fielder, has slashed .286/.341/.540 between low-A and high-A this season after spending most of 2025 in low-A.

Rivas, 18, was signed by the BoSox out of Venezuela for $950,000 last year. He’s a speedy centerfielder who plays quality defense.

Narvaez is a catcher who has spent the past two seasons in the majors for the Red Sox. After putting up a 2.8 bWAR season with a 726 OPS last year, he has put up a -0.5 bWAR and a 535 OPS this season.

A.J. Preller went into deadline day with the worst farm system in baseball and still came out with a left-handed starter. The Padres GM dealt two minor leaguers to rent Robbie Ray for the rest of the season.

The Padres acquired Ray for shortstop Joniel Hernandez and right-hander Miguel Mendez, two prospects from the back half of a top 15 that most evaluators rank last in the league. Preller has been dealing from a pipeline he drained years ago, and he keeps finding somebody willing to take his calls.

San Diego needed this. Behind Michael King, their rotation is week: Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Griffin Canning, JP Sears and Randy Vasquez. The line Preller is walking is narrow. The Padres went into Monday night's games at 58-54, third in a division the Dodgers are running away with. The wild card is their only route and it's crowded. The Padres sit a game out of the last spot, behind Atlanta and Philadelphia, with Miami a half-game back of them and Pittsburgh and St. Louis close enough to matter. Six teams are chasing three spots.

Robbie Ray trade details

• Padresreceive: Robbie Ray
• Giantsreceive: Joniel Hernandez and right-hander Miguel Mendez

Padres trade grade: B

San Diego needed a starter more than anyone left buying and had the least to trade with. Its farm system is widely considered the worst in baseball after years of aggressive dealing under a budget crunch, and the rotation behind Michael King was Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Griffin Canning, JP Sears and Randy Vasquez. Ray walks in as the No.2 and would immediate lead the staff in ERA. If Joe Musgrave and Nick Pivetta get back in mid-August, a weakness turns into a strength.

Giants trade grade B

This is about what they could expect for a 34-year old two months from free agency. Mendez is a 23-year-old right-hander already on the 40-man who posted a 1.78 ERA in the lower minors last year before getting hit around in six Double-A starts. Neither he nor Hernandez are headliners.

When is the 2026 MLB trade deadline?

The MLB trade deadline for the 2026 season is set for Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET.

MLB schedule today

Here is the full Major League Baseball schedule for Aug. 3 and how to watch all the games. Or see our sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.

Watch MLB games all season long with Fubo

• Nationals at Phillies, 6:40 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Cardinals at Yankees, 7:05 p.m., Cardinals.TV
• Pirates at Brewers, 7:40 p.m., Brewers.TV
• Giants at Rangers, 8:05 p.m., ESPN
• Dodgers at Cubs, 8:05 p.m., Marquee Sports Network
• Blue Jays at Astros, 8:10 p.m., Space City Home Network
• Rays at Rockies, 8:40 p.m., Rockies.TV
• Padres at Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m., DBACKS.TV

Watch MLB games all season long with Fubo (free trial)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who won Padres-Giants Robbie Ray trade? Grades for each team

In a stunning deal that marks the end of a failed rebuild in Baltimore, the Orioles are trading catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox Monday, Aug. 3, a rare intra-division deal for a three-time All-Star, according to a baseball official with direct knowledge of the deal.

The person confirmed the deal to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because it has not yet been announced.

Rutschman, 28, was the first overall pick in 2019, chosen over prep shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. as the Orioles’ reward for a 115-loss season that prompted the hiring of now club president Mike Elias. Through two more 100-loss seasons, Elias continued collecting elite draftees and building what appeared to be a sustainable and potentially imposing youth movement.

While the Orioles won 101 games and the AL East in 2023 and 90 games and a wild card spot the next season, they were 0-5 in postseason games over that two-year span and have badly regressed the past two seasons, entering the trade deadline 54-58 and 2 ½games out of a wild card berth. Elias said Friday the club would remain "open-minded" about dealing their players, including Rutschman.

Rutschman's trade, which was first reported by ESPN, may signal a greater teardown for the Orioles, who have stockpiled players such as fellow No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday and outfielder Colton Cowser that have piqued opposing teams' interests as the deadline lurches toward the final gun at 6 p.m. ET Monday.

The Red Sox managed to avoid dealing their No. 1 prospect, shortstop Franklin Arias, but the return for Rutschman, first reported by the Baltimore Sun, was significant: Right-handed pitchers Kyson Witherspoon and Anthony Eyanson, outfielder Enddy Azocar and major league catcher Carlos Narvaez.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have been baseball’s hottest team for a month, winning 23 of their past 26 games to gain a firm grasp on the AL’s No. 2 wild card spot. It’s a stunning rise after the Red Sox started 10-17 and fired manager Alex Cora.

Now, they will upgrade one of the most offensively inept positions on their roster, although Rutschman is currently on the injured list with left wrist inflammation. Elias said Friday that Rutschman should be ready to embark on a rehab assignment this week.

Rutschman, a switch-hitter, will enhance the offensive production provided mostly by Narvaez and Connor Wong; Red Sox catchers have combined to bat .219 with just four home runs, fewest in the major leagues.

Talk about an upgrade: Rutschman has a career .756 OPS, 115 adjusted, and hit a career-best 20 home runs in 2023. He has been dogged by injuries since midseason 2024, but has shown much better this season, earning an All-Star nod after a strong first half. He’s also a net positive behind the plate, enabling the Red Sox to hew to their run prevention mantra while providing a sentient offensive presence in the lineup.

Rutschman is eligible for free agency after 2027, and the Orioles also are committed long-term to first-year player Samuel Basallo, who signed a club-friendly eight-year, $67 million extension last year. But Basallo is also on the injured list and has struggled to stay healthy, and he and Rutschman manned both the catcher and DH spots for most of the season.

The move marks a swift change for Red Sox club president Craig Breslow, who is typically cautious with prospects and pound-foolish with big contracts. Witherspoon was chosen 15th overall in the 2025 draft out of Oklahoma while Eyanson was taken in the third round; both are very hard-throwing right-handers and Eyanson has reached Class AA, where he has a 1.69 ERA in 11 appearances. They are the Nos. 2-3 ranked prospects in the Red Sox system, according to Baseball America. Eyanson is ranked 33rd among all prospects by Baseball America.

Azocar, meanwhile, is a fast-rising 19-year-old outfielder who has hit 18 home runs at two Class A levels this season. He was signed by the Red Sox for $40,000 out of Venezuela in 2024.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Sox land All-Star Adley Rutschman from Orioles in AL East trade stunner

If I had a nickel for every time the Royals traded an injured left-handed starting pitcher that some people felt was better in the bullpen on an expiring deal to the Dodgers, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.

Trade news: #Royals are acquiring RHP Carlos Duran from the Dodgers for LHP Kris Bubic, source tells https://t.co/Ivs9s9EIaV.

— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) August 3, 2026

It’s sad to see Kris Bubic go. I still wonder if the Royals might try to bring him back on a one-year deal to a rapidly depleting pitching staff next year. There were strong rumors that the Royals had a deal worked out to send Bubic to the Angels for Taylor Ward this past offseason when Baltimore convinced them to take Grayson Rodriguez instead. Obviously, his value has diminished with a second straight season derailed by injury. Especially because no one seems to quite understand the nature of the injury. But he’s no longer the Royals’ problem.

Carlos Duran is a big right-handed reliever that the Dodgers added as a minor league free agent last year. He has struck out 12 batters per 9 innings but also walked nearly 6 per 9 in AAA for them this season. He still has a 3.38 ERA, though. He just turned 25 last week, and while he did make his major league debut last season, he only pitched 1/3 of an inning for the Athletics. You have to wonder if he could serve more as help in the Royals’ bullpen this year than a prospect for next season.

Today the #Dodgers reportedly acquired LHP Kris Bubic ($2.6M surplus trade value) from the #Royals in exchange for RHP Carlos Duran ($0.1M).

The deal is accepted by our model as a minor underpay by Los Angeles.

— Baseball Trade Values (@BaseballValues) August 3, 2026

Kris’s true value seems like it’s probably far less than their model indicates since he’s currently on the 60-day IL and no one seems to know when he might return. If the Royals can turn Duran into a serviceable reliever, this would seem like a huge win for them.

With less than 24 hours to go before the trade deadline the Cubs made a move for a starting pitcher. It wasn’t a blockbuster deal for Tarik Skubal, who will take his electric left arm to Los Angeles to join a Dodgers team that is already flush with talent. It wasn’t a move for Freddy Peralta, who will take his body of work that has stymied the Cubs to the tune of a .169/.281/.305 career slashline against the Northsiders over 109.1 career innings against his former division rival to the American League East and the Tampa Bay Rays. Instead the Cubs made a savvy deal for veteran starter Kevin Gausman.

Gausman has certainly been an ace for both the San Francisco Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays dating back to the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He fortifies a battered Cubs pitching staff and should bring a veteran presence along with Postseason experience to Chicago. You can see highlights from his 2025 Postseason where the Blue Jays fell just short of dethroning the Dodgers in the World Series:

The team context

Don’t get me wrong, Skubal and Peralta are great, but the cost to acquire them was steep. The Cubs may have been in on one of those starters if they had a deeper farm system or just needed a single ace in the rotation. But as we’ve discussed many times this season, pitching injuries have been a real Achilles’ heel for this Cubs team who have managed to ride the top offense in the league to a 63-49 record. They’re still 6.5 games back of the division-leading Brewers, but that record is good for a four-game lead for the top Wild Card spot. You can see the top ten teams by fWAR and some of their key offensive stats below:

Team	TG	PA	HR	R	RBI	SB	BB%	K%	ISO	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA	xwOBA	wRC+	WAR
CHC	111	4385	135	569	533	77	10.90%	21.73%	.165	.294	.248	.339	.413	.331	.321	110	23.9
LAD	111	4262	143	568	534	44	10.02%	20.60%	.171	.303	.262	.341	.433	.337	.343	113	21.1
WSN	112	4335	164	605	576	123	9.11%	21.20%	.191	.289	.252	.328	.444	.336	.332	111	19.1
NYY	111	4153	156	510	485	108	9.80%	24.39%	.180	.276	.233	.311	.412	.316	.322	103	16.4
PIT	112	4398	139	576	551	100	9.25%	23.87%	.159	.318	.259	.336	.418	.332	.320	107	16.0
HOU	112	4248	154	521	495	37	8.83%	21.68%	.172	.281	.244	.319	.416	.321	.318	106	15.6
MIL	110	4273	101	555	526	111	10.65%	20.90%	.146	.306	.254	.337	.400	.325	.322	105	15.6
TBR	110	4122	110	483	459	104	8.76%	19.29%	.143	.299	.257	.329	.400	.320	.306	104	15.1
CHW	110	4168	143	522	500	63	8.88%	23.75%	.168	.285	.238	.316	.406	.317	.320	102	14.7
TEX	111	4155	128	462	446	56	8.54%	22.67%	.157	.293	.245	.318	.403	.317	.310	104	14.5

For as good as their hitting has been this season, the Cubs pitching has needed help. By fWAR their starting pitchers rank 25th in MLB between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres. It doesn’t get better when you look at the bullpen, where the Cubs rank 26th in MLB by fWAR, in between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics with a cumulative fWAR of -0.5.

But for all of their pitching woes, the Cubs are not the Nationals, Padres, Giants or Athletics. They are a team that is currently on track to play meaningful baseball in September and maybe even October with a 92.2 percent chance to make the playoffs according to FanGraphs:

To move their pitching up to the league median, or better the Cubs didn’t need one arm. Reporting says they are looking to add three additional pitchers between now and 5 p.m. CT today. Sunday night we found out the first of those pitchers is Gausman.

The arsenal

Gausman has a three pitch mix that he throws in similar ratios to both righties and lefties. He has a 94 MPH fourseam fastball he throws approximately half of the time. He pairs that with a split finger he throws about 38 percent of the time and mixes in a slider the remaining 10 percent of the time. It’s a pitch mix that has remained remarkably stable since 2022:

His fastball is still excellent, but the secondary pitches have fallen off a bit this season. It’s possible the Cubs have a fix for that. However, it’s equally possible they are just looking to upgrade the innings they just lost by designating Jameson Taillon for assignment. Either would be a suitable upgrade for the Cubs rotation, however if they have a fix for his secondary pitches Gausman may be able to return to closer to his prior ace status. Ironically, Taillon was claimed by the Blue Jays and the Cubs will receive a player to be named later for him.

The stats

Gausman has been one of the best starters in baseball since 2020 whether you measure that in innings pitched or results. Below you can see a list of the top 29 pitchers in baseball by fWAR, where Gausman ranks second behind Zach Wheeler. Fun fact, Cubs trade target, George Kirby of the Mariners just missed the cut at #24 here. For reference the first pitcher with any Cubs experience during this time on this leaderboard is Justin Steele who ranks #66:

Name	Team	W	L	SV	G	GS	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9	BABIP	LOB%	GB%	HR/FB	ERA	xERA	FIP	xFIP	WAR
Zack Wheeler	PHI	79	39	0	175	175	1084.0	10.13	2.02	0.86	.277	77.33%	45.10%	11.05%	2.86	2.90	2.97	3.11	31.6
Kevin Gausman	– – –	70	60	0	193	191	1112.2	9.92	2.35	0.95	.301	73.32%	39.58%	9.97%	3.48	3.83	3.16	3.47	26.9
Logan Webb	SFG	74	57	0	191	188	1141.2	8.28	2.10	0.61	.310	71.74%	56.90%	10.33%	3.37	3.80	3.02	3.18	26.1
Dylan Cease	– – –	68	56	0	194	194	1061.2	11.22	3.78	0.96	.292	73.70%	37.84%	10.42%	3.59	3.51	3.41	3.67	24.6
Max Fried	– – –	77	33	0	157	157	929.1	8.53	2.33	0.62	.280	75.47%	53.42%	9.00%	2.85	3.18	3.05	3.37	22.7
Corbin Burnes	– – –	55	33	0	148	145	881.0	10.31	2.54	0.85	.268	76.44%	47.16%	11.34%	2.86	3.02	3.07	3.18	22.5
Tarik Skubal	DET	61	42	0	153	150	863.1	10.48	1.94	1.04	.279	76.44%	42.99%	12.22%	3.04	3.26	3.08	3.09	22.2
Framber Valdez	– – –	79	51	0	176	175	1093.1	8.64	3.00	0.72	.287	73.78%	60.48%	13.59%	3.36	3.79	3.45	3.34	21.7
Sonny Gray	– – –	68	44	0	173	173	955.2	9.69	2.58	0.94	.296	73.58%	45.71%	11.90%	3.56	3.67	3.33	3.37	21.4
Aaron Nola	PHI	59	63	0	180	180	1058.1	9.92	2.15	1.36	.298	70.68%	42.87%	15.00%	4.27	3.55	3.73	3.37	21.1
Luis Castillo	– – –	59	66	0	185	182	1060.2	9.25	2.76	1.09	.291	74.01%	44.49%	12.00%	3.64	3.81	3.72	3.75	18.8
Sandy Alcantara	MIA	56	56	0	155	155	992.1	7.80	2.37	0.93	.275	70.97%	50.14%	11.38%	3.61	3.76	3.67	3.78	18.5
Gerrit Cole	NYY	64	33	0	138	138	832.2	10.73	2.18	1.22	.273	79.36%	40.12%	12.94%	3.15	3.34	3.35	3.29	18.5
Ranger Suarez	– – –	50	38	4	165	135	798.1	8.53	2.82	0.74	.303	75.47%	50.53%	9.82%	3.33	3.54	3.36	3.61	18.4
Nathan Eovaldi	– – –	66	39	0	158	158	912.0	9.00	1.99	1.14	.289	75.83%	47.76%	13.66%	3.54	3.76	3.61	3.45	17.8
Jacob deGrom	– – –	37	23	0	98	98	551.2	11.93	1.76	1.09	.257	79.16%	38.71%	12.55%	2.76	2.76	2.69	2.66	17.7
Cristopher Sánchez	PHI	44	25	1	127	108	680.1	8.96	2.13	0.75	.307	75.59%	57.57%	12.34%	3.11	3.41	3.04	3.00	17.6
Logan Gilbert	SEA	55	42	0	168	168	968.0	9.51	1.94	1.19	.270	74.15%	39.32%	11.99%	3.56	3.58	3.51	3.53	17.5
Chris Sale	– – –	48	21	0	101	100	571.1	11.26	2.19	0.77	.309	78.92%	42.47%	9.50%	2.77	3.07	2.72	3.03	17.0
Carlos Rodón	– – –	68	43	0	147	145	799.1	10.61	3.10	1.09	.269	75.36%	36.52%	10.72%	3.48	3.40	3.54	3.74	17.0

If you were to sort that full table by innings pitched, Gausman is also second there (behind Logan Webb’s 1141.2). High quality innings, and a lot of them, sounds like exactly what this iteration of the Cubs needed at the trade deadline.

But it is worth noting that the Cubs aren’t getting 2021 Gausman in this deal. Gausman turned 35 in January and Father Time is undefeated. The Cubs are hoping a trade to a contender and some tweaks on Gausman’s secondaries, gets him closer to his ace-like status for seven more regular season starts and as far as the Cubs can go in October. Cubs fans have seen the idyllic version of this movie before when the Cubs traded for 34-year old Cole Hamels during a down year, only to see him return to form at the corner of Clark and Addison.

And there are reasons to believe Gausman might be better in blue pinstripes than he was in Blue Jays baby blue. For starters, Gausman’s 4.38 ERA is almost a run worse than his 3.51 FIP. As a reminder, FIP stands for fielding independent pitching, and tries to look at what a pitcher can control rather than the impact a good or bad defense may have on his outcomes. But Gausman isn’t moving to a neutral defense, he’s moving to the best defense in baseball by many metrics. Of the 19 pitchers who have thrown at least 10 innings for the Cubs this season, 16 have ERAs that are lower than their FIP — including newcomer David Peterson. That’s notable, because Peterson did not have a lower ERA with the Mets, and close readers of this blog will recall I highlighted that metric for him as well (yes, that includes the July 3 start against the Cardinals we’d all rather forget).

Another reason for cautious optimism that the Cubs may be getting a better version of Gausman can be seen in his BABIP, which is an uncharacteristically high .313 for the 2026 season. That could indicate a decline for a 35-year old pitcher, but it could also indicate some bad luck. The type of bad luck that turns into better results when you swap Andrés Giménez for Dansby Swanson at shortstop, Ernie Clement for Nico Hoerner at second and Jesús Sánchez for Ian Happ in left field and, of course, Daulton Varsho for Pete Crow-Armstrong in center.

At the risk of introducing some non-statistical analysis in a “by the numbers” column, it also seems like Gausman is just a great guy who should fit right into a Cubs clubhouse that is by all accounts close, business-like about their approach to the game and genuinely likeable. There was genuine sadness among Toronto fans and writers that the time had come to part ways with a great guy:

The return

The Cubs gave up two prospects for Gausman, both contact-oriented infielders in Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene. I’ll confess, even as the person who peers into minor league stats in the NL Central regularly for BaseballHQ, neither were on my radar as being particularly close to the big league roster. So I did the exact same thing y’all probably did and sought out the reaction of a trusted prospects expert. Below is what Keith Law wrote up for The Athletic:

This feels like a very light return for two months of Gausman, even the 2026 version who’s down from his peak performance. Brett Bateman bounced back after he was beset by a broken hamate bone in 2025 and bottomed out at a .307 slugging percentage. This season, he’s hitting .312/.431/.422 with better contact quality too. He could be the strong side of a center field platoon, or a quality fourth outfielder who can handle all three spots against right-handed pitching. He’s an above-average runner with probably 40 power, enough that he should hit in the .270-280 range with some walks thanks to his strong contact skills. Ty Southisene, brother of Atlanta prospect Tate Southisene, has zero power — literally, no pro homers in over 700 plate appearances — and probably has to move to second. He’s very small, so there’s no projection here for him to get stronger.

Takeaways

Overall, this feels like the first of a series of moves to improve the Cubs pitching staff before 5PM tonight. Gausman adds innings with more of a track record than the Cubs other options, including a decent amount of Postseason experience and excellent clubhouse vibes. If the Cubs get the same version of Gausman the Blue Jays saw in 2026 they’ll have improved on 2026 Taillon considerably, if they have some tweaks that can return him to something like his 2025 form, this is a straight-up steal of a trade.

Welcome to Chicago, Kevin Gausman. Here’s hoping a couple of other guys are on the way to join you as the reinforcements at Wrigley Field as the Cubs kick off the post-trade deadline run with a series against none other than those juggernaut Dodgers at Wrigley Field tonight.

The Blue Jays have traded swingman Adam Macko to the Texas Rangers for utility infielder Josh Smith and prospect Josh Stephan, per Ben Nicholson-Smith:

Macko, the first Slovak MLB player since the retirement of Elmer Valo in 1961, appeared in /2 games this season for the Jays, posting a 4.91 ERA and 23 strikeouts against 10 walks in 22.0 innings. He profiles as a swing man or potential fifth starter if he’s able to stay healthy and refine his command.

Smith, who turns 29 on Friday, was functionally an everyday player during the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Rangers, splitting time all over the infield. He’s fallen out of the lineup this season due to some struggles at the plate, but when he’s on can provide slightly above average hitting based on a solid OBP that makes up for limited power along with below average but passable defence anywhere on the dirt or in left field.

Stephan, 24, is a right handed starter in AAA. He has plus command of pretty mediocre stuff, relying heavily on spotting his lone above average pitch, a slider, around the zone. He’s gotten hit a bit at Round Rock, posting a 5.41 ERA, but his 97:31 K:BB ratio shows some promise and he’ll probably join the up and down mix at the back of the Jays’ 40-man roster in a similar role to what Macko had this season.

Happy trails to Macko, and welcome to the Josh S.s

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The Los Angeles Dodgers' acquisition of star pitcher Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers over the weekend didn't just leave rival fans frustrated and analysts debating the trade's implications for collective bargaining.

It also sparked a surge of World Series futures betting at BetMGM.

Key Takeaways

• The Dodgers’ odds to win the World Series shortened from +170 to +150 at BetMGM.
  
  
• The operator doesn’t have the favorite under liability watch right now.
  
  
• Los Angeles is a huge favorite to win its division.

“The Dodgers were already the favorites and the most-bet team to win the World Series before the addition of reigning back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal,” BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini said. “Since the trade on Saturday, 54% of money wagered has been on Los Angeles to win a third consecutive World Series.”  

It's no surprise bettors are backing a team that owns one of MLB's best records at 69-43. Skubal was considered the best player available on the trade market this year, and even though he’s set to become a free agent at the end of the season, he could’ve helped sway expectations for a number of contenders. 

The Dodgers' rotation also includes 2026 All-Stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Justin Wrobleski, as well as two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell.

Their odds of making history and winning the World Series again have shortened from +170 before the trade to +150 after acquiring Skubal, who will make his Dodgers debut Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. 

Other operators reported similar odds shifts.

Dodgers Futures Odds Movement @DKSports

World Series: +190➡️+150
National League: +105➡️-110 https://t.co/YFug7c1oIvpic.twitter.com/6Wr49dHhAC

— DK Insights (@DKInsights_) August 2, 2026

LA DODGERS UPDATED LINE MOVEMENTS 🚨

▪️World Series: +175 ➡️ +150
▪️NL Pennant: -115
▪️Win Total: 103.5 (O -115)
▪️2026 & 2027 Titles: +650 ➡️ +600 pic.twitter.com/PXwavMg90m

— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) August 2, 2026

No big liability ... yet

L.A. has seen the most tickets (12.4%) and handle (23.4%) to win it all at BetMGM. No other team has seen at least 10% in either category. However, the Dodgers, who opened the market as a +350 favorite, aren’t a major liability for the operator at this time.

“That could change,” Cipollini said. 

BetMGM's biggest World Series liability remains the Colorado Rockies, though the sportsbook has little concern about the NL-worst club.

MLB odds could still shift following Monday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline. 

Massive favorites

In the NL pennant market, the Dodgers went from +100 to -120 at BetMGM over the weekend. They’re getting 13.2% of the bets and 26.3% of the money in that futures market.

.@Dodgers odds to win the National League at @BetMGM

+100: Before trading for Tarik Skubal

-120: After 📈

Dodgers were already the favorites and the most bet team to win the NL before the trade and they just got better! pic.twitter.com/4k5CyvSwdw

— John Ewing (@johnewing) August 3, 2026

Los Angeles’ odds to win the NL West, however, didn’t budge. The Dodgers are a whopping -10,000 to claim the division, which they currently lead by 10 games over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks. The second-biggest favorite to win a division is the Atlanta Braves at -1,100 in the NL East. 

Bettors haven’t been able to get a price under -1,000 on the Dodgers to win the division since late March, so only 12% of the tickets and 11% of the handle are on L.A.

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.