On Wednesday morning, Flora and Posey were both on the grass in front of the home dugout as the Giants’ president of baseball operations and onetime top draft pick introduced one of the five other highest selections in franchise history.
Jackson Flora, the Giants’ top pick in the latest MLB draft, hopes for a quick rise through the organization after starring for UCSB. Getty Images
The 21-year-old from nearby Pleasanton was joined by his parents, grandfather and two siblings, including one who wore a jersey-style shirt with Posey’s name and No. 28 on the back.
“I was just telling them I’ve sat in just about every seat in this ballpark, but I’ve never been on the field before,” Flora said, shortly after introducing himself by name and shaking the hand of every individual media member. The first hand he shook was Posey’s.
“Crazy. I grew up watching him play. I’m a huge fan. It’s kind of still settling in a little bit, but it’s exciting. … Hopefully in a few years somebody’s sitting down here talking about me pitching in those games.”
Soon enough, the Giants hope that Flora will call the dugout home permanently. There’s not a whole lot on the horizon in terms of in-house pitching help, and manager Tony Vitello reiterated the organization’s belief that the college arm and first pitcher selected in this month’s draft (fourth overall) can move quickly.
The skipper was asked before the Giants wrapped up their series against the Brewers if he believed the UC Santa Barbara product could be a big-league contributor within a year or two.
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“I do,” Vitello said. “First thing’s first, he’s durable. He’s got a really good frame. The athleticism, I think, too, matches up with the guys that are on the field out here. And then the stuff is there.
“To take a guy at four, it means you don’t see a whole lot of changes that need to be made. So really it’s about him staying in a rhythm with his throwing program, coming in and seeing what he can do.”
Flora was selected fourth overall by the Giants after posting a 1.06 ERA for the Gauchos this spring. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
It remains to be seen what’s in store for Flora the remainder of this season. He already threw 102 innings for the Gauchos while posting a 1.06 ERA in 16 starts this spring, and there’s no reason for the Giants to rush him given the big-league team’s place in the standings.
His first assignment after agreeing to a reported $7.9 million bonus sent him to the team’s facilities in Arizona, where he joined up with the high school arms they took with their next two picks, Carson Bolemon (No. 29 overall) and Kaden Waechter (No. 55 overall).
“We’ve only been at it for a couple weeks. Nobody’s throwing too much in a game or off the mound or anything. Those are awesome dudes and fun to hang out with. I’m excited to get to work and learn from them, and hopefully they can learn from me.”
Awaiting him in Arizona was another pinch-me moment for the Bay Area native.
The person he’s been primarily working with has been none other than Vogelsong, who now serves as a roving pitching instructor based out of Arizona. Flora named him as well as Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum as his inspiration once he moved from shortstop to the mound.
“He’s somebody who I grew up watching all of his starts,” Flora said. “Just his mindset, how he goes about pitching, how competitive he is — it’s been awesome to learn from him.”
His first assignment after agreeing to a reported $7.9 million bonus sent him to the team’s facilities in Arizona, where he joined up with the high school arms they took with their next two picks, Carson Bolemon (No. 29 overall) and Kaden Waechter (No. 55 overall). IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There hasn’t been much time to get into specifics, but Flora said the focus so far in Arizona has been “getting bigger and stronger” as well as “polishing” his pitches. His fastball that can touch triple digits needs to get “more consistent,” and there’s still work to be done on the changeup that he added this year to an arsenal that also includes a sweeper, a cutter and a curveball.
“My fastball’s fun to throw,” he said. “And when it’s good, it’s really good.”
College hitters were no match for the heater, but it’ll now be put to the test against professional competition. Flora is eager to begin his journey, but he knows the pace at which it proceeds is out of his control. Posey was an advanced college hitter who only needed 172 minor league games under his belt, and now he’ll be the one who decides when Flora is ready.
“I try not to think about that stuff and put too much pressure on myself,” Flora said. “I kind of just like to focus on what’s in front of me and try to get better. I’m doing everything I can to make that decision easier for the people who have to make those decisions.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 27: Otto Lopez #6 of the Miami Marlins runs to first base against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning of the game at loanDepot park on July 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lopez is having a fine season, but the shortstop that really gets the mouth watering is Bobby Witt, Jr. Is he a total pipedream? “Acquiring Witt, Kansas City’s 26-year-old All-Star shortstop, would require a haul, and yes, I’d have to imagine the Royals asking price starts with Anthony and Arias. Starters Payton Tolle and Eyanson would probably also be part of the Royals’ asking price.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Otto Lopez may or may not be the answer in the middle of the diamond, but there is little question that the Red Sox need to beef up the offense. “There’s been a through-line among teams that have advanced in the playoffs and particularly among those that have won: the ability to mash… Since 2020, 24 teams have reached the League Championship Series … On average, those teams have ranked sixth among all teams in regular-season runs, with 13 of the 24 ranking in MLB’s top five in runs per game, and 19 finishing in the top 10.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
There is a slight chance that Curtis Mead will be around to help out that offense at some point this season. After returning to Boston, a specialist ruled out the need for surgery to repair his fractured wrist. “One source said that Mead was given a ‘tentative’ timeline of 6-8 weeks. The regular season ends eight weeks from Sunday, on September 27.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Having enough offense to take an early lead could be particularly valuable for this team because, thanks to the emergence of Tyron Guerrero, the Red Sox bullpen is suddenly shortening games for the opposition. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
When Guerrero was first promoted we heard a lot about his velocity. But what has made him really effective is his control, as he currently carries just a 3% walk rate. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Thursday may be a smaller slate, but there are still plenty of spots to attack.
I found a couple of pitchers I'm looking to fade, along with a red-hot bat in a prime spot to inflict some damage.
Let's dive right into my three favorite MLB player props for July 30.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Rhett Lowder
Over 2.5 earned runs
-124
Jake Irvin
Over 2.5 earned runs
+106
Ryan O'Hearn
Over 1.5 total bases
+114
Rhett Lowder Over 2.5 earned runs (-124)
Sadly, yes, we’ll be fading your mother’s favorite country singer and Cincinnati Reds starter, Rhett Lowder, this evening.
The right-hander enters Thursday with the third-worst pitcher rating in Batters-Box's current season dataset. He also draws a difficult matchup against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup featuring three elite-rated hitters and two more with strong ratings. To make matters worse, Lowder has the worst matchup wOBA on the slate and the fifth-lowest projected strikeout rate.
His recent form has not helped either. Over his last three starts, Lowder carries a 9.64 ERA and 1.71 WHIP while allowing a 47% hard hit rate and 9.38% barrel rate.
The Pirates already rank third in first five-inning scoring, making this a great spot for them to jump on Lowder early.
Playable to -130.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CINR, SNP
Jake Irvin Over 2.5 earned runs (+106)
The worst-rated pitcher on today's Batters-Box slate is Washington Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin, and it is not hard to see why.
Irvin draws four elite-rated Atlanta Braves hitters and another with a strong rating. Over his last three starts, the Nats starter has recorded a 4.50 ERA while allowing a 46.43% hard hit rate and 10.7% barrel rate.
Atlanta's offense has been rolling lately, posting a 126 wRC+, .352 wOBA, and .802 OPS over its last 12 games. The Braves also boast the highest-rated offense on today’s Batters-Box slate, with an average hitter rating of 0.43 — just shy of elite.
I would do everything I can to avoid laying juice on this prop. Shop around and grab the best number available.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Ryan O'Hearn Over 1.5 total bases (+114)
One of the hottest bats in Pittsburgh over the last few weeks has been Ryan O'Hearn. Across his last 60 at-bats against right-handed pitching, O'Hearn owns a .288 batting average, .519 slugging percentage, and .884 OPS, while producing a 51.3% hard hit rate and 12.8% barrel rate.
Entering Thursday, O'Hearn covers nearly 100% of Rhett Lowder's pitch mix and carries an elite rating on Batters-Box's current season dataset.
Lowder has been getting torched by left-handed hitters this season. Across his last 60 at-bats against right-handed pitching, O’Hearn owns a .288 batting average, .519 slugging percentage, and .884 OPS, while posting a 51.3% hard-hit rate and 12.8% barrel rate.
If Lowder gets lit up tonight, expect O'Hearn to lead the charge. I would play this down to +105.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CINR, SNP
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 349-682, -15.7 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 22: Starting pitcher Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:40 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe:Royals Review
After getting shutout by notorious ex-Twin Randy Dobnak last night, the Twins will try to get things back on track facing someone ever harder than a journeyman pitcher with a Triple-A ERA over 5: an anonymous lefty with an ERA just below 5.
The Twins looked like one of the league’s best offenses from June 1 onward, but have scuttled coming out of the All-Star Break and still have hit 0 home runs since then. Not exactly a good way to right the ship. It won’t be getting any easier with Byron Buxton on the IL for the second time this month and with the team scheduled to facing the grueling trio of Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby this weekend in Seattle. The Twins could have used the Buxton injury to bring a jolt to the lineup with one of their top 20 prospects crushing it at AAA, but instead we got the return of Tristan Gray who has a .566 OPS in St. Paul since being optioned. Oh and recently DFA’d backup catcher Alex Jackson is starting at first base.
Tom Pohlad and Jeremy Zoll say they expect to buy at the trade deadline which means they want to win, but it’s hard to believe there’s a scenario where Tristan Gray puts this team in a better spot than Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, or even lower ranked players like Hendry Mendez, Gabriel Gonzalez, or Kyler Fedko. Gray had two big hits at the beginning of the year and has apparently carried that momentum to hold a roster spot hostage. He can’t really hit, makes Brooks Lee look like Gold Glover at short, and is a slow, bad baserunner.
It’s entirely possible Jenkins or Culpepper aren’t ready, but why not let them try? We know what Gray is and at 30 years old, he’s not getting any better. In the meantime, let’s at least try to scrape some runs across against a bad pitcher and sneak out of here at .500 and with another series win under their belts.
“Oh, my wife hates it,” the veteran pitcher said Wednesday night, when asked about the seemingly increasing likelihood that the Dodgers could trade him before next Monday’s deadline.
“I love it here. I think I’m thriving here,” he later added. “And I would love to be part of this team.”
Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer is aware that he could be used in any trade involving the Dodgers ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. Getty ImagesLauer has been great for the Dodgers since joining the team, going 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA in nine starts. MLB Photos via Getty Images
All too aware of his situation, however, Lauer knows he might not be over the next couple days.
When the Dodgers acquired the 31-year-old left-hander earlier this year, plucking him off the DFA scrap heap in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, they told him early on that his stint might only be temporary; that he was a stopgap for a rotation that had endured a couple key early injuries.
“I was aware of coming over here that it might be like a rental thing,” he said. “There’s some big guys that have injuries that there was just a need. So, see a need, fill a need kind of thing.”
And though Lauer has exceeded all expectations since then –– going 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA in nine Dodgers outings, all of which have also been Dodgers wins –– that need he was filling will soon be invalidated, with Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and (eventually) Shohei Ohtani all expected to rejoin the team’s rotation for the stretch run of the year.
That has meant, for a Dodgers team long inclined to selling excess players at the deadline in hopes of cashing on inflated midseason prices, Lauer has long looked like a potential trade candidate:
Superfluous on the Dodgers’ roster. But capable of perhaps netting them a prospect at the deadline.
The Dodgers have a history of similar deals, having turned James Paxton into one lottery-ticket talent in 2024 (Moises Bolivar, a 19-year-old infielder who had an .839 OPS in the Arizona Complex League this year), and Dustin May into two higher-ranked prospects after being squeezed out of the rotation last summer (James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard, both of whom have had impressive seasons in triple-A Oklahoma City).
Still, the fact that Lauer has become the latest such candidate is a testament to the turnaround he has made since coming to Los Angeles, where his ERA has been less than half what it was in a swingman role for the Blue Jays earlier this season.
“He’s been great,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday night, after Lauer pitched six shutout innings with only one hit allowed in a 4-2 win over the Mariners. “He was always good against us, with just the makeup, the preparedness. And what he’s done for us as far as giving us length – it seems like every time he pitches, we win.”
Lauer threw 6.0 innings of one-hit ball in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over the Mariners. Getty ImagesLauer isn’t the only one who wants to stay in Los Angeles, as his wife is also a fan of So Cal. Getty Images
Lauer gave credit back to the Dodgers on Wednesday night, saying everything (and everyone) in the organization is “geared towards winning the day and winning the pitch.”
He also noted the renewed confidence he has found in his slider and his changeup of late, which helped him rediscover his career-reviving form from 2025 (when he had a 3.18 ERA with the Blue Jays after returning to MLB from a stint in South Korea).
“The changeup for me has always kind of been like the holy grail of what I need to round out my repertoire and get something going armside,” Lauer said. “So being able to just be confident using that now and mixing that in a lot more has been huge to keep guys off balance.”
Lauer’s departure from the Dodgers is not yet a fait acompli.
It will still be at least several weeks, after all, until the team’s rotation is back at full strength. And even then, Lauer could provide value as a swingman in the bullpen, especially if the Dodgers look to curb the late-season workloads of some of their bigger starting arms.
For now, Lauer said he has not heard anything recently from the front office about his chances of getting traded.
“I don’t think that that’s really something that a player would necessarily even want [to know],” he noted. “You don’t want to play GM too much in your head because then you start getting away from what your job is and how you prepare. Thinking you’re halfway out of the game, you’re halfway out of the clubhouse, that’s just never good for anybody.”
In a perfect world for the Dodgers, however, Lauer would likely not be part of their preferred playoff pitching staff.
While he has unlocked a renewed level of consistency with the team, he still lacks the kind of overpowering stuff usually required in October, averaging a nearly league-worst 91 mph with his fastball and barely five strikeouts-per-nine-innings.
Somewhere else, he might be more valued. For a number of pitching-hungry playoff contenders, he could be a more attainable alternative to rounding out a rotation.
Right now, Lauer isn’t trying to think about that.
“Those decisions are made way above my pay grade,” he said.
Alas, he also understands the reality of his situation, too; acknowledging that, even after one of his best starts with the Dodgers on Wednesday night, he knows that it could very well also be his last.
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 28: Austin Wynns #38 of the Texas Rangers celebrates a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MINNEAPOLIS — The Kansas City Royals put first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list with a sore right wrist.
Pasquantino is hitting .232 with six home runs and 33 RBIs in 79 games this year. He missed a month earlier this season with a broken hamate bone in the same wrist, which he aggravated during the Royals’ 3-2 loss to Minnesota.
“Just a little bit of wrist soreness,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s not the kind of thing that you can have go away without some rest. So just trying to make a decision that he needed to get some rest and see if we can get him to calm down.”
In 11 games since he returned from the IL on July 11, the 28-year-old hit .282 with one double and no home runs.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Zach Neto #9 of the Los Angeles Angels hits a triple in the top of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 24, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The MLB Trade Deadline is less than a week away and with the team mired in a 40-game funk of mediocrity (a 20-20 record during that stretch), one of their star players openly challenging his boss to make improvements and that star player’s manager rebuffing those challenges, rumors persist the Phillies are interested in an upgrade for their infield.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that Angels shortstop Zach Neto is high on their list of targets.
What will the Phillies do ahead of the trade deadline?@JeffPassan shares potential routes that could make an impact in Philadelphia 👀 pic.twitter.com/7Pw93zy5Cw
In his report, Passan mentioned an acquisition of Neto, who is just 25, would require moving Bryson Stott to third base and either Neto or Trea Turner to second. Passan also notes the Phils would not be the only big market teams in on the young shortstop, along with the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox as potential suitors.
There are a number of reasons why Neto would be appealing.
Since becoming a starter in 2024, the righty swinger has hit .248/.320/.452 with a wRC+ of 114, meaning he has been 14% better than league average at his position at the plate. His .772 OPS over that stretch would be 10th-highest among qualified shortstops over that span and is the exact same number as Turner. Turner’s wRC+ of 112 is slightly behind Neto’s. Essentially, they’ve produced nearly identical offensive production over the last three seasons. However, Turner’s fWAR of 11.2 is much higher than Neto’s 8.7, which is tied for 14th.
Neto is a right-handed hitter, a commodity in short supply across this year’s Trade Deadline. In 105 games and 471 PAs this season, Neto is batting only .234, but his .325 on-base percentage is decent thanks to a dramatic increase in his walk rate, from 6.0% in 2025 to 10.2%. He has been good, but not spectacular, against left-handed pitching, with a .255 batting average and an .832 OPS against southpaws this year. For his career his OPS against them is .868.
Neto’s also a solid base stealer, with 14 bags swiped this year and seasons in which he’s stolen 30 and 26 bags the two previous years. And he’s tallied 2.0 fWAR in 2026 thanks, in part, to solid defensive metrics.
In terms of Defensive Runs Saved, his +2 mark ranks 7th among 18 qualified shortstops. That position has been a black hole defensively all year, with Turner’s -13 DRS dead last. He’s also started the 4th-most double plays at shortstop (28). Turner’s 15 is second-lowest.
He would also be an inexpensive addition contractually. He’s under team control for four additional years after this year, becoming a free agent after the 2030 season. He’s making $4.15 million in ‘26 and, while he will see raises in arbitration each of the next three off-seasons, he’d be far more affordable than a free agent signed over the winter.
There are areas of concern, however.
Why are the Angels giving up on a player with this much team control and a salary this low? One would think this is a player even a struggling team like Los Angeles would build around. What’s going on there?
In addition to seeing his walk rate improve, he’s also seen his strikeout rate take a jump as well. It was 23.3% in ‘24, 26.9% last year and 31.4% this season. He’s swinging at a career-high 36.5% of pitches outside the zone (30.0% in 2025). His Baseball Savant page has more “blue” on it than one would like.
Here’s what it looked like a season ago.
The addition of Neto would almost certainly result in either Alec Bohm being dealt or moving Bohm to first base and shifting Harper to right field full-time, a switch that would improve the Phillies’ outfield production, even with Harper slumping in July.
Neto isn’t the only Angel Dombrowski could target. As one of MLB’s clear sellers at the deadline, outfielder Jo Adell is almost certainly available. He has failed to follow up last year’s 37-homer season with a similarly productive power performance, slugging just 16 HRs with a .695 OPS and .291 OBP, although his .941 OPS against left-handers would be a dominant feature in a platoon role.
There is the yearly trade deadline speculation of Mike Trout being willing to waive his no-trade clause, but there has never been any indication the Phils are as interested as the fanbase in bringing the 34-year-old outfielder home. Trout’s had a solid season, with an .852 OPS in 90 games, but lugs around another four years at $37 million a season and a constant worry of injury with him.
Starters Reid Detmers (4.03 ERA in 22 starts) and Jose Soriano (3.29 ERA) are starting pitchers who could interest Dombrowski, as could left-handed relievers Brent Suter (4.26 ERA) and Sammy Natera (2.08 ERA in 21.2 innings), could be added in any potential Neto deal, too.
Acquiring Neto would almost certainly require them giving up their top prospect, pitcher Gage Wood. So Dombrowski needs to ask himself one main question.
Is he the guy to go all-in on at the Trade Deadline?
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 27: Kyle Stowers #28 of the Miami Marlins at bat against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning of the game at loanDepot park on July 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another article – another Marlins’ trade target. This time slugger Kyle Stowers.
You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France, Tyler Soderstrom and Heriberto Hernandez. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.
Stowers broke out in 2025 and has a 131 wRC+ with a .503 slugging percentage over the past two years, 29.5/9.9 K/BB%. He does not hit left-handers well. Ok, well, we don’t have anyone hits right-handers particularly well right now. Stowers grades out as a below average left-fielder and an average right-fielder. He has a career 106 wRC+ as a DH so seems to be figuring out how to make those rhythms work. He is 28 years old and under arbitration control through 2029, making him a piece the Marlins should consider moving.
I think Stowers is one of the few true sluggers who could be available because he looks like a platoon bat with a 71 wRC+ against LHP over the past two years and because he is having a bit of a down year from last year’s breakout. Stowers has been increasing his pulled-fly-ball rate over the past two years and should be able to maximize the production in that ability in Progressive Field with the short right field corner. This would be a gamble on finding a true slugger who can actually punish the 75% of right-handed pitchers the team sees, and, for that, I’d be willing to part with one of the Genao/Velazquez/Doughty/Chourio/Ingle bunch to get him as well as an additional valuable prospect.
The resulting lineup could be:
Kwan CF
Jose 3B
DeLauter DH
Stowers RF
Bazzana 2B
Martinez LF
Manzardo 1B
Bailey C
Rocchio SS
What are your thoughts about targeting Stowers as a potentially available slugger? Let us know in the comments below.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: Conor Essenburg #34 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
12. Herick Hernandez – LHP
How he got to the Braves: 2024 4th round pick (#129 overall)
The Braves took Herick Hernandez in the fourth round two years ago and the lefty out of Miami is already in Triple-A. He’s split the year between three levels, though the one start in Augusta was a rehab start after missing a little time early on in the year. In his 11 starts in Double-A he has posted a 2.80 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts to 31 walks in 45 innings. In his first two starts with Gwinnett he has allowed eight runs in 8.2 innings, striking out seven but also walking seven.
Hernandez was dominating for Columbus and had posted a 12.8 K/9 rate thanks to a nasty curve and a fastball which has good life on it. He has the four-pitch mix needed to start, but his problem has always been his well below average command. When he is on he has proven to be unhittable in the minors, but he is also a guy walking 6.1 BB/9 this year and 5.8 for his career.
Hernandez is already about to turn 23 in the first half of August, so if he can’t get the command ironed out by the end of next year he would likely be looking at a reliever role in the big leagues. Hernandez has real potential as a middle reliever or lefty setup man, but the Braves would obviously prefer if he was able to reach his middle of the rotation upside as a starter first. Now that he is in Triple-A, his big league ETA is any time as he could potentially get a call to help out of the pen should the need for a lefty arise.
How he got to the Braves: 2025 5th round pick (#157 overall)
Last year the Braves spent on Illinois prep two-way star Conor Essenburg in hopes that he had a promising power bat to develop. The early returns have been promising as he has hit .250/.397/.452 with 10 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 46 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 237 plate appearances for Augusta. The strikeout totals have been high, but the 19-year-old, who won’t turn 20 until mid-September, still has plenty of time to work on cutting down on them. He has split the year between right and center field – though his likely future would come in right, where he has a big arm to profile as a prototypical right fielder.
Essenburg is still filling in his 6’2’, 200-pound frame and learning how to get his power to translate more frequently but his advanced approach and a feel for making hard contact are big plusses for a kid who has only been a full time hitter for the last year. Essenburg will have the upside to be a legitimate solid big league starting outfielder who has value for both his bat and glove. He is probably not going to be ready for the big leagues until sometime in 2029, but he is looking like a strong pick early on.
Three homers today. Three consecutive games with at least one homer. 🚀🚀🚀
How he got to the Braves: 2026 2nd round pick (#48 overall)
Kaiden McCarthy was the first of the overslot prep arms the Braves invested in during the 2026 MLB draft, and he comes in with an electric fastball that is the cornerstone of a balanced arsenal. McCarthy is a young arm even for a prep player and doesn’t turn 18 until next week, and blends present day talent with a moldable future. Coming from cold-weather Vermont McCarthy’s exposure to scouts was lesser than his peers, but he impressed enough that most projected him as a day one pick if he was signable, and that is what happened. McCarthy has shown a feel for spin as a prep player and flashed a changeup, though the latter pitch is not well developed yet as is common with high power prep arms. McCarthy mostly gains attention for a fastball that can touch 99 mph, which he can throw with both a four seam and sinker variant.
McCarthy is going to be a project and comes with all of the drawbacks that hard-throwing prep pitchers have, though he has a clean delivery and a the athleticism to project to average command at the next level. The Braves will have the opportunity to mold the rest of his arsenal to their liking, and with him already showing the potential to spin two average or better breaking balls there is plenty to work with. McCarthy will require patience, but the Braves have had success developing young pitchers with his athleticism/experience profile in recent years. His lower mileage as a cold weather arm could be a benefit to his health, though as we have seen that is hardly a predictable metric and hard-throwing prep arms always come with concern of future arm trouble. McCarthy is a bit undersized at an even six-foot-tall, and though that serves his four seam fastball well up in the zone it raises the requisite concerns about durability. McCarthy and the rest of his pitching cohort are going to likely make significant moves next season once we get looks at them in Single-A, though for right now he is a player that comes into the system with our confidence to stamp him with the first of the top 10 prospects.
Kaiden McCarthy RHP | (VT) – FB 97-99 blew hitters away – CB 84-86 with late bite up to -9 IVB – Flashed High 80s CT and CH – Biggest pitcher winner of the day pic.twitter.com/lwi3I7AG2O
How he got to the Braves: 2026 3rd round pick (#84 overall)
Drafted using the savings from going under-slot on the first two picks Jensen Hirschkorn enters a farm system with some of the highest performing teenage pitching in baseball. The Braves needed upwards of $3.9M to sign Jensen out of his commitment to LSU and a very quick glance of some video easily shows why the Braves are gambling on the big, talented arm. Coming into the draft, Jensen was considered the #15 rated player in the entire draft according to Baseball America, and a clear five-star prospect.
Standing at a mammoth 6’7”, Jensen is already a presence on the mound despite the ability to add on a solid amount of weight onto the frame. Jensen, at 18, already projects at having three plus pitches thanks to some very advanced command for his age. His ability to command his fastball, that currently sits 95-96 that many believe will increase with more conditioning, at the top of the zone consistently puts him ahead of most of his class. Jensen also has a very good ability of generating spin which has helped him with his slider that also grades as plus. Lastly, while his changeup is behind both the fastball and slider, it shows enough depth that it is also projected to be a plus pitch. Even as someone that’s watching video – it’s already difficult to pick up the ball out of his hand because of his natural arm action making him that much more difficult to hit which can be seen by his 0.71 ERA as a high school senior.
With his plus slider, it will be interesting to see if the Braves employ their normal pitcher strategy and have him toy with a sweeper. If not, they may focus on the fastball, and potentially add a cutter, or two-seam, as the Braves have done to pretty much every single pitcher in the organization. Jensen has some of the highest upside in the organization, including position players, and with his plus command on all three pitches he will likely move faster than you expect from a prep pitcher. Along with Cam Caminiti, and Briggs McKenzie, the Braves will roll out a three headed monster a top their prospect list for quite some time.
UNHITTABLE.
Jensen Hirschkorn (@Jensenhirsch1) is thru three innings. 8 strikeouts. One meek foul-out. First inning was one pitch away from immaculate. Guys just cannot pick his stuff up out of the hand.
How he got to the Braves: 2025 International Free Agent
The Braves top international free agent last year, Diego Tornes hit .279/.395/.402 with five doubles, five triples, 24 steals, 23 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 147 plate appearances in the DSL last season. He moved up to the FCL this year where he has hit .196/.274/.304 with four doubles, four triples, eight steals, eight walks, and 27 strikeouts in 124 plate appearances – though his FCL season ended a little early due to injury.
Despite his stats Tornes has looked like a potential five tool player with serious power potential, even though he hasn’t hit a professional home run to date. His FCL numbers this year weren’t ideal, but his underlying numbers looked better than his stat line indicates. Tornes is potentially fast, powerful, and has big time bat speed along with having a real chance to stick in center defensively.
Tornes is likely to move to Augusta next season for just his age-18 season. The upside for the young Cuban is enormous, maybe higher than any hitter in the system, it is just that he is years away from being ready. I would say his ETA looks like 2030, with a chance to move that up if things really start to click sooner for him.
Diego Tornes has a 102.5 MPH EV flyout. It was very close to his his first professional HR.
The 174 FT on gameday should update but the ball was hit 330-340 FT and was a couple feet from the warning track. pic.twitter.com/Hj9DzZ8jdg
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) May 16, 2026
7. Owen Murphy – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2022 1st round pick (#20)
With all of the pitching prospects the Braves paid to bring into the fold in 2026, Owen Murphy is a great example of the blueprint Atlanta has followed in spreading money between a handful of pitchers. As the headliner of an impressive 2022 class Murphy came in with high expectations and has done nothing but beat them at every step of his journey. In his first full season he struck out nearly 30% of batters faced between two levels, then went two High-A in 2024 and posted one of the best seven-start stretches in recent memory. Murphy started 2024 with a 1.54 ERA/2.22 FIP and 38.7% strikeout rate across 41 innings, but went down with a UCL tear and missed the rest of that season and most of 2025. He returned to High-A in 2025 less sharp and with a noticeable decline in stuff, but another offseason of rest has Murphy stronger than ever in 2026. He got off to a shaky start due to some uncharacteristic command issues at Double-A, but received a promotion to Triple-A nonetheless and really found his stride in mid-May. In his final nine Triple-A starts Murphy had a 2.86 ERA/3.11 FIP with a 30.1% strikeout rate, and earned his first big league call up on July 6th. Murphy has been solid in inconsistent action, pressed to Atlanta more out of need than readiness, and armed with knowledge of his shortcomings has returned to Triple-A to further develop his arsenal.
Murphy’s arsenal hinges on a plus fastball, which is not a phrase typically associated with a player who averages 92.4 mph on his fastball in Triple-A this season. Murphy saw some velocity regression after being drafted though largely it has rebounded since Tommy John surgery, but his other fastball traits are impressive enough to escape his below average velocity. Murphy’s fastball has plus carry and he does such a terrific job of commanding the pitch at the top of the strike zone that he still produces a good whiff rate and plus results on the pitch. The Braves have done a lot of work to lock down exactly how his secondaries will look at the major league level, and right now he is nearly 80% fastball-slider with curveballs and changeups mixed in to combat left-handed batters. He throws his slider hard and spins it well, and it has produced good results at Triple-A and projects to be an average pitch. His changeup is the pitch he hasn’t fully developed into a major league quality weapon yet, and stands as the next barrier to him cracking a major league rotation as a full-time starter. He has the command of his arsenal and the two pitches primed to work through major league lineups multiple times, but he needs a real third weapon to reach his potential and right now his changeup is not that pitch. Murphy projects as a reliable back end starter and has a high chance to reach that projection at this stage in his development, though he may not have the ceiling of other starters in this range. Murphy’s plus command makes everything look better and gives him less variability than others his age with his lack of experience, and finding a consistent feel for how to attack lineups deep into games is an area Murphy has improved on. Murphy has managed to maintain his success missing bats at the upper levels, and like many with velocity limitations he can run into home run trouble but keeps his fastball away from the middle of the zone enough that it hasn’t been a killer to an otherwise sparkling profile statistically. Any regression in his command could be problematic, but given his age, simple mechanics, and plus athleticism there is no reason to think he won’t do anything but continue to improve in coming seasons. It’s a narrow profile but one that Murphy and the Braves are honing to perfection.
OWEN MURPHY GEM. TEAM USA UP. WHO HAS IT BETTER THAN US??
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 09: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 9, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This year’s trade deadline approaches, with four days to go until the point where teams are mostly locked in to what they’ve got already for the rest of the season. The Orioles are 2.5 games out of a wild card spot with 53 games still to play. Their playoff odds, as reckoned by sites like Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, are in the range of 20-25%. They are too close to give up and too far out of real contention to deplete the farm just to push to make something happen this year.
Unless there’s a sweep in either direction in this weekend’s series against the Phillies, the question of whether the Orioles should buy or sell is probably not going to get a decisive answer. They’ll be plugging along in the periphery, still below .500 and still sort of contending. What’s Mike Elias supposed to do about that? There’s not an easy answer.
Nationally in The Athletic and locally in The Baltimore Banner, the latest is that the Orioles could possibly end up doing a little bit of selling and a little bit of buying at the same time. Ken Rosenthal describes the team as a “classic example of a team working both buy and sell angles, unsure what to make of their club.” Anybody who’s been following this team all year can relate to that feeling. I am also unsure what to make of this club.
In The Banner, Andy Kostka breaks it down like this (emphasis mine):
The Orioles are holding out as long as possible to determine their deadline approach, although they are making plans for buying, selling, and a mix of both, according to multiple sources throughout the industry, and are expected to be active ahead of the deadline. The likeliest path forward, sources said, is for Baltimore to buy and sell.
Each of these reports highlights a trio of players who are in their final season before free agency as the ones who the Orioles are gauging their value. That’s starting pitcher Trevor Rogers, reliever Andrew Kittredge, and outfielder Taylor Ward. These players could be traded while the Orioles seek to upgrade in other deals with players who would ideally help both this year and beyond.
Rosenthal’s report also lists the Orioles as “pricing” Adley Rutschman, though Kostka mostly shoots that down, saying that while “teams have called to check on the availability” of both Rutschman and Jackson Holliday, “the Orioles aren’t actively shopping” either player. Kostka believes that the right-handed relievers in the bullpen are a group where the Orioles might deal away even if they also buy, listing not just Kittredge but also Yennier Cano, Rico Garcia, and Tyler Wells.
Orioles fans might be packing Garcia’s bags for him after he’s given up home runs in three of his last four appearances. Other teams probably have some modest interest in Garcia for the same reason that manager Craig Albernaz keeps putting him in the pressure situations: They know he can be better than his recent worst. Cano or Wells would be real subtractions, not just from the current bullpen but also next year’s. However, betting that a good reliever will stay good is not always a good bet to make.
Whether Rogers or Ward are dealt might depend on whether other teams are willing to pony up with an offer that’s just too good for Mike Elias to refuse. If teams are going to value Rogers based on his 4.27 season-long ERA, the Orioles are probably better off hanging on. If they’re willing to value him like a guy who has a 2.21 ERA since June 1 after having a 1.81 ERA last season, maybe that’s too good to pass up, even if it weakens the rotation.
Ward is in a similar situation there. If somebody who’s a more serious contender, pushing to shore up a roster for October rather than just to maybe squeak into the postseason, sees Ward .383 on-base percentage as a right-handed batter and thinks that’s just the thing to cure what ails them, there’s a real case to make to make that deal. The sheer number of contenders could make this a seller’s market.
Depending on how the Orioles shuffled their roster in the aftermath of that deal, they might even end up with an improved outfield defense without Ward regularly getting playing time out there. “Trade Ward and bring up Enrique Bradfield” might not work, but it’s not the craziest idea out there.
It’s tougher to believe the same about losing Rogers from the Orioles rotation, unless you’re really, really a fan of pitching prospect Nestor German, who’s been pitching pretty well for Triple-A Norfolk. Or if you’re really, really a believer that Chris Bassitt is going to come back from his back surgery looking like the 2025 version of Bassitt that Elias probably hoped he was signing. I am not a believer. I do not want to hear anything like “it’s like we got someone at the deadline” come out of Elias’s mouth about Bassitt or about Félix Bautista as he works back from rotator cuff surgery.
Elias has pressed the plunger and exploded a fringe contender before. That was in 2022, when he ruffled the feathers of the fanbase (and perhaps also the team) by trading Trey Mancini and Jorge López at that year’s deadline. Doing the public-facing damage control for those decisions was when he uttered his now-infamous statement that “It’s liftoff from here.” The implication of that was that he’d be adding aggressively to improve the team, an implied promise that he has not lived up to overall. The Orioles did go 101-61 in the next season, though. They did lift off. Getting into a steady orbit has proven tougher.
The central question remains: What are the Orioles supposed to do in this situation? Elias’s cold analytical assessments often don’t produce outcomes that line up with what the hearts of Orioles fans want to happen. Sometimes, subsequent events have vindicated the Elias approach. Others have repudiated it. How he looks at this situation is going to come down to what the Orioles do over the next three days. No pressure, guys.
The Seattle Mariners (53-56) and Los Angeles Dodgers (68-40) wrap up their three-game series tonight at Dodger Stadium with the series tied at one game apiece.
The Dodgers evened the series last night with a 4-2 victory behind a dominant effort from left-hander Eric Lauer. The southpaw delivered one of his best starts of the season, allowing just one hit over six scoreless innings while striking out four and walking one. The Mariners managed only a third-inning single by Cole Young against him, and Lauer retired the leadoff hitter in every inning he worked.
Fun Fact: The Dodgers have won all eight of Lauer's starts since acquiring him from Toronto in mid-May.
The Dodgers opened the scoring courtesy of an Andy Pages solo homer in the first inning. Los Angeles continued to pressure Mariners’ starter Emerson Hancock, scoring again in the third when Freddie Freeman reached on an infield hit that brought home Shohei Ohtani. Pages added another RBI in the fourth, and Ohtani capped the Dodgers' scoring with a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning. Seattle mounted a late rally. Weston Wilson scored on a Cole Young RBI single in the eighth, and Josh Naylor doubled home Dominic Canzone in the ninth. The tying run reached base against returning closer Edwin Díaz, but Díaz closed the door for his fifth save after missing 85 games due to arm surgery. Pages finished 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, while Ohtani went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Veteran Bryce Miller (4-5, 2.75 ERA) takes the ball today for Seattle. That sparkling ERA was a bit shinier before Miller’s last start. Last Friday on the road against the Rangers, the right-hander gave up five runs on six hits over just 5.1 innings in a 5-4 loss. The Dodgers counter with Roki Sasaki (4-5, 4.71 ERA). The right-hander has been lights out his last two starts allowing one earned run while striking out 14 over 12.2 innings. The Dodgers have won each of his last four starts.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Dodgers
Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Mariners.TV, Sportsnet Los Angeles
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Dodgers
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (-157), Los Angeles Dodgers (-157)
Spread: Mariners +1.5 (-162), Dodgers -1.5 (+134)
Total: 8.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Mariners vs. Dodgers for July 30
Mariners: Bryce Miller Season Totals: 68.2 IP, 4-5, 2.75 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 71K, 11 BB
Freddie Freeman is enjoying an 8-game hitting streak (16-33)
Shohei Ohtani is 8-20 over his last 4 games
Max Muncy is 15-68 (.221) in July
Bryce Miller has allowed 11 earned runs in 16 innings over his last 3 starts
Julio Rodriguez has hit safely in 8 of his last 10 games (9-37)
Josh Naylor is 6-17 over his last 5 games
Naylor has not homered since June 12 (37 games)
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Dodgers
The Mariners are 42-67 on the Run Line this season
The Dodgers are 48-60 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 54 times in Seattle’s 109 games this season (54-49-6)
The OVER has cashed 50 times in LA’s 108 games this season (50-57-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Dodgers
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Mariners and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Dodgers on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 8.5
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Kevin Alvarez #17 of the Houston Astros on the American League Team looks on in the seventh inning during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (53-50) won 7-5 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Whitcomb 3 run home run. McPherson got the start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 4 runs over 3.1 innings. Sugar Land took the lead in the 4th inning on a Sacco solo home run and Ferreras RBI single. After the Bees tied it in the 6th, Sugar Land took the lead again in the 7th scoring 2 runs on a Meyers 2 run double. The pen closed it out with scoreless innings down the stretch as Sugar Land won 7-5.
Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (WIN)
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (SAVE)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (45-53) lost 13-12 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on Sisneros and Whitaker RBI singles. Hertzler got the start and went 3 innings allowing 1 run. Santos allowed a run in the 4th inning but the Hooks got 2 runs in the 5th on an Austin 2 run home run. The pen struggled in the 6th allowing 9 runs as Frisco opened up a big lead. The Hooks rallied in the 9th scoring 8 runs on 8 hits but the comeback fell short with a man on second as the Hooks fell 13-12.
Cole Hertzler, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Alex Santos, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Jack Dashwood, LHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Ramsey David, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (33-63) lost 13-1 (BOX SCORE)
Santos started for Asheville but struggled allowing 4 runs retiring just 2 batters. He was relieved by Ogando who allowed 2 runs over 2 innings. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Thomas solo home run. The pen continued to struggled with Steinbaugh allowing 6 runs as the Drive extended their lead. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 13-1.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (49-47) won 5-4 (BOX SCORE)
Forcucci started for the Woodpeckers but struggled allowing 4 runs, 2 earned, over 1.2 innings. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on an Alvarez RBI single. In the 4th, Sierra connected on a 2 run home run to cut into the lead. In the bottom of the 6th, Alvarez hit a solo home run to tie the game. Verdugo pitched in relief and pitched well tossing 6 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 9th, the Woodpeckers won on a walk-off walk to Diaz.
Note: Alvarez is hitting .330 over his last 27 games.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rangers shortstop Corey Seager took a big step toward returning to the lineup and helping Texas in the American League West.
Seager hit a home run and made a strong play in the field in the first game of a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco. The 32-year-old went 0 for 3 before being lifted in the sixth inning in his second game with Frisco as recovers from lower back inflammation that has kept him out since July 1.
The Rangers hold a one-game lead over the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West.
Seager finished 1-for-2 with a walk and Texas manager Skip Schumaker was encouraged by the reports he received.
“The report was he came out of the game healthy and ready to go play again (Wednesday),’’ Schumaker said. “That part was good. He had a really good play in the hole. Nothing running, really good at the plate, hit the ball. Kind of everything checks. That’s exactly what we wanted to see.’’
No decision has been made as to when Seager might be ready to return to the Texas lineup, although Friday in Houston might be the earliest target date if all goes well Wednesday night.
“He’ll get back-to-back (games) and likely a day off (Thursday) then we’ll see where he’s at,’’ Schumaker said.
Seager has been limited to 51 games this season. He was placed on the seven-day IL on June 15 with a concussion and missed 12 games before dealing with back inflammation on May 15 that kept him out for 19 games. Seager’s latest stint on the IL has kept him out for 22 games, including Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Schumaker said the decision on when to return will ultimately be up to Seager.
“The player dictates a lot,’’ Schumaker said. “He wanted a couple games, I think, because he missed so much time. The recommendation is what we give and then the player decides how much he needs. Position players (need) maybe one of those simulated games, and then go to a rehab assignment, and it’s one or two games, then kind of you’re ready to roll. We’ve kind of had that discussion. He felt he needed a couple days, back-to-back games. We’ll see where he’s at.’’
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 24: Hogan Harris #36 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning A’s fans!
The trade deadline is nearly upon us and with the Athletics where they are in the standings it’s time for them to begin getting rid of anything not nailed down. That means it’s time to start saying our likely goodbyes to guys like Jeff McNeil and Jeffrey Springs, two veterans on expiring contracts. Neither of whom are going to be on the next A’s playoff team and it’s time for the A’s to make room for younger players who could be on the next playoff squad.
After those two veterans though there’s not much in the way of rental players for the Athletics to offer on the trade market. New starting catcher Jonah Heim could be of interest to catchy-needy teams and there’s a larger than usual number of contenders seeking help behind the plate this year. Considering he’s also a free agent at season’s end it makes sense to trade him, but then that saddles the club with Brian Serven as the starter for the final two months of the year. Heim’s glove alone could be worth more to the Athletics’ young pitchers over the final two months than a small-time prospect in the lower minors.
It’d be a major shock to see any other position players traded by the A’s this deadline season but there could be more action in regards to what little pitching we do have. Lefty Jose Suarez has been a solid option for Mark Kotsay over the past couple months after starting the year in Atlanta. He’s got a tough 4.63 ERA on the year but a much more respectable 3.79 mark in 29 games with the A’s. More importantly, the 28-year-old is controlled for one more year after this season wraps up. That should boost the prospect cost to acquire his services.
The other two bullpen arms other teams might be considering are Hogan Harris and Luis Medina, who are both now into the arbitration years and getting raises this offseason. Medina, once considered a building block for the starting rotation, has settled into a bullpen role this year and adapted well to the new spot on the team. His 3.70 ERA is the second-best mark in the A’s bullpen and he’s also under contract for three more years. That extra team control gives the A’s options in regards to the right-hander. If a team wants his services they’ll need to pay a decent package for the three-plus years they’ll have him.
The left-handed Harris has been often mentioned by other fans and pundits as a dark-horse trade candidate and it’s easy to see why. Like Medina, outside of a tough June the 29-year-old has been one of the few consistent arms for Kotsay out of the ‘pen. His 61 appearances are the fourth-most in the American League and his nine saves leads the team. He’s a lefty but he’s actually been more effective against right-handed hitters this year. And, again like Medina, he’s got lots of club control after this year so teams will need to pay up.
The squad will be finding out soon enough how far the A’s go this deadline season, but all indications are we shouldn’t expect any massive swaps. First pitch is at 6:40 again tonight. Until then, have a great day everyone.
Lawrence Butler just shared on @AthleticsCast24 that he called a players-only meeting prior to yesterday's game against Boston, and that he and several teammates spoke.
The A's went on to beat the Red Sox by a 4-3 score and snapped a four-game losing streak.#Athletics
Rhett Lowder
Jake Irvin
Ryan O'Hearn
