SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 23: A general view of the Giants equipment rack before the start of the game between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants on May 23, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline has now passed, at least for you. I am writing this ahead of the deadline, and so far the San Francisco Giants have moved Tyler Mahle, Robbie Ray, and Luis Arraez. Those were three moves I mostly expected, so there’s not really anything shocking there.
But you! You have future information I don’t currently have, so I bet you’ve got some takes you’d like to share. Let us (and the Giants) hear it down in the comments.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this three-game road series against the Texas Rangers tonight at 5:05 p.m. PT.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 24: Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox and Interim Manager Chad Tracy #17 of the Boston Red Sox look on from the dugout before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 24, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Exhale, folks. The trade deadline has come and gone, and the rapid refreshing of Twitter, Bluesky, or wherever you get your news from can cease. The roster you look at now is more or less what you’ll see for the rest of the season, save for a well-timed DFAs for cost-cutting purposes, à la Nathaniel Lowe in 2025.
It was an eventful day for Craig Breslow, who successfully executed four trades before the clock struck 6 pm EST:
So, where do we stand now? Personally, I’m focused on the 2026 Red Sox. I haven’t watched a postseason game at Fenway Park since 2021. Selfishly, I’d like to do that again. Aside from Carlos Narvaez and maybe Connelly Early or Marcelo Mayer, none of those were going to help the 2026 Red Sox. Now, future Jake might (also selfishly) wish Eyanson or Witherspoon were on the team, but future Jake doesn’t exist right now, so screw that guy.
The 2026 Red Sox got better. That’s it. There is more major league-ready talent in the organization today than there was yesterday. Curtis Mead immediately getting injured put a damper on things, and Adley Rutschman isn’t ready to return from injury just yet, but the point remains. Erik Miller is a left-handed reliever who has pitched well against both sides of the plate, and should be able to handle higher leverage innings.
We’ll start with Rutschman; he’s the biggest name, after all. The Red Sox have hardly got anything from the catcher position. As a team, their 72 wRC+ from behind the plate ranks 26th in baseball. They have just four home runs from the position, and their strikeout rate is over 26%. Defensively, they’re in the middle of the pack with -3 catching runs per Baseball Savant. A more detailed look reveals they’ve been good at blocking balls in the dirt, but just okay at framing pitches and throwing out base stealers. They’re also 22nd in using ABS, though they’ve been much better of late after a rough start to the season.
Offensively, Rutschman is solid. He’s a switch hitter who takes great at-bats, striking out at a low rate while taking his walks. He started his career hot, posting wRC+ over 130 in each of his first two seasons. Since then, he hasn’t been quite the same hitter. Last season, injuries limited him to just 90 games, in which he hit .220 with 9 home runs. This season, the injuries have returned. He’s had three separate stints on the injured list with three different injuries. When healthy, he’s been solid. His xwOBA (a measure of contact quality) has been above average for most of the season. He went out with a concussion on June 19th, and his results upon return were less than stellar, but began trending in the right direction before he hurt his wrist.
Rutschman went on the IL with a concussion on July 19. xwOBA dipped, and strikeouts spiked when he returned, but both were trending in the right direction before his latest injury https://t.co/yXVJ0rgUqSpic.twitter.com/lXzhJaQkS4
The wrist is the big question. If he can return from injury and continue to provide offensively, the Red Sox lineup will look much stronger. Wrist injuries are tricky though, and it might be difficult for him to produce right away. Hopefully, it’s not an issue upon return and he provides offense from a spot in the lineup that wasn’t providing any.
Defensively, Rutschman shines. He’s a strong thrower who leads baseball in caught stealing percentage. He’s also near the top of the league in blocking, framing, and challenging pitches behind the plate. Catcher defense wasn’t a glaring liability, but Rutschman is among the best in the game. Again, say what you want about the return. Future Jake will get back to you on that one.
The other major addition is left-handed reliever Erik Miller. Miller is a unique arm that provides a combination of both strikeouts and groundballs, while also having a massive walk rate. Against lefties, he’s lights out. Lefties have a .269 wOBA with just five extra base hits and a strikeout rate close to 33%. It’s thanks to a sinker that has 18 inches of horizontal break from a fairly high arm angle that earns strikes and jams lefties, and a hard slider with a 25% swinging strike rate. Against righties, the strikeouts remain, but walks are an issue. His sinker isn’t the same bat-breaking offering, while his slider isn’t in the zone often, leading to walks. He also uses a four-seamer and a changeup against righties that don’t have many redeeming qualities. The changeup in particular is one I’d expect the Red Sox to eliminate from his arsenal. I don’t see an obvious path forward against righties, though I could see the Red Sox try to get him in the zone more with his slider. Either way, the strikeout rate alone is enough to be excited about with Miller.
There are some areas of concern, however. The lack of an addition to the rotation is one. The group has been a strength of the team for most of the season, but the lack of experience presents a potential issue. Payton Tolle is already eight innings past his total from last season, while Jake Bennett is 15 over his career high for a season. Like it or not, young arms are managed carefully, and Tolle and Bennett will likely be no exception. On top of that, Patrick Sandoval is in his first season back from multiple injuries, and isn’t the type to pitch deep into games due to his low strike rates. That puts a lot of pressure on Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez to get into the sixth and seventh inning regularly to keep bullpen arms fresh. Since the start of July, the Red Sox have just 9 quality starts in 27 games. Without the all-star break, bullpen fatigue and protecting leads might have become problems. The addition of Erik Miller represents another high-leverage arm to help the pen, but Garrett Crochet is still a long way from returning, and Johan Oviedo, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford don’t seem particularly close. An innings-eater would have been a helpful addition to keep the team afloat through September and into the postseason.
Adding Eli White is also bit perplexing from a roster functionality perspective. As it stands, the Red Sox have six outfielders on the roster if you count Masataka Yoshida. Both White and Jahmai Jones are right-handed outfielders with no minor league options remaining. Both hit lefties better than righties, with Jones providing more thump and White adding defensive versatility in the outfield and speed. They’re not the same player, but they do feel a bit redundant off the bench. With only Andruw Monasterio having significant experience at shortstop, it’s a peculiar way to utilize the roster.
All in all, the team is better today than it was yesterday. They upgraded at catcher, brought in a leverage reliever to help against lefties, and acquired a speedster with a good glove. Sure, there’s something to be desired, but with the way the Red Sox have been playing and some players potentially returning from injury, the roster appears to be in a pretty good spot. There’s 16 games over the next 16 days, so that roster will be put to the test from top to bottom in short order.
After seeing the trades of Joey Bart and Eli White, both Ha-Seong Kim and Sean Murphy are back with the Braves. Jorge Mateo was also designated for assignment as the new trade acquisitions were made official.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 31: Starting pitcher Foster Griffin (22) of the Washington Nationals stares down a hitter during the Friday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals on July 31, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Take a day off and come back to a brand new baseball team!
By now, you probably know that the Guardians made three trades yesterday:
Foster Griffin from the Nationals for Will Dion, Josh Hartle, Nick Mitchell and Kendeglys Virguez
Nathaniel Lowe from the Reds for Alejandro Rivera
Jo Adell from the Angels for Jacob Cozart.
These trades added to the trade made this weekend: Craig Yoho and Blake Perkins from the Brewers for Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer.
Kyle Manzardo and David Fry were optioned to Columbus, Juan Brito was DFA’d and then traded to the Reds for cash. Shawn Armstrong went on the 60-Day IL. So long, Shawn.
The last remaining mystery is what they do with the pitching staff… sounds like it will be Slade Cecconi to Columbus or to the bullpen. Maybe they run a 6-man rotation again in September? I don’t see them leaving the pen thin by doing that now or having Cecconi piggyback or open with someone like Joey Cantillo.
It will be interesting to follow what they do with Manzardo now and how he responds. Does he get more rest to help his back issues? Does he shorten his swing and rediscover his missing plate discipline? Or does he go the way of Bo Naylor eventually and get traded to make way for Ralphy Velazquez and Cooper Ingle?
Chris Antonetti had an interesting response when asked about if they avoided players under control beyond 2026 because of the impending lockout:
"The emphasis was on trying to build the most competitive team we can for 2026 because there is uncertainty in 2027, and I'm not sure exactly what that will look like. But that wasn't a big factor in in our determination"#Guardians Chris Antonetti on if getting players at the… pic.twitter.com/U25vxvmNTe
Zack Meisel had a great wrap-up article as usual. Matt Seese and Michael Mahoney offered some great analysis of the four trades last night on the Disgusting Baseball Podcast.
AROUND MLB:
Many trades. Read about them here. The Twins and White Sox made moves to go for it, also.
No AL Central rivals played yesterday. The Yankees lost, though, so it really was a great day.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 17: Adley Rutschman #35 and Félix Bautista #74 of the Baltimore Orioles hug after the final out of the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 17, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On June 3, 2019, my family and I headed to Camden Yards. It wasn’t to see the Orioles play; they had the day off. As season ticket holders, we had been invited to a draft day party at the now-defunct Dempsey’s. The odds were in favor of first-year General Manager Mike Elias drafting Adley Rutschman, a catcher out of Oregon State University. But there was still a chance they could go with Bobby Witt, Jr.
It was a party atmosphere at Dempsey’s that day. The weather was beautiful, the beer was cold, The Bird was on hand to make funny faces at my almost two-year-old daughter. The Orioles weren’t supposed to lose 115 games in 2018, but they did. The number-one overall pick was the consolation prize for having to experience that travesty of a season. Elias was going to take that pick and use it to turn this franchise around. He was upfront about it. There would be losing. A lot of losing. But starting with that first pick, the future was bright.
As the draft began, the sound was turned on on the TVs throughout the bar. Elias made the first pick from inside the Warehouse, and when it was announced on TV the crowd at Dempsey’s went wild. With the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, the Orioles selected Adley Rutschman. Not long after the pick was made, Elias appeared at Dempsey’s to cheers and applause. He made a few remarks about Rutschman and the franchise’s future. After the rather quick demise of the Orioles in 2017 and 2018, things felt right again. We knew there were tough times ahead, but Mike Elias was going to lead us back to glory.
Yesterday, Mike Elias traded Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox, the Orioles’ division rival and a team they had been chasing in the Wild Card race until this weekend, apparently. The news broke while I was at work. I sat at my desk, stunned. I tried to work, but couldn’t concentrate. About a half hour after the trade was finalized, I left the office. I got into my car and just sat for a bit, answered a few text messages from people also feeling some way about the trade. Then I started to cry. Just a little bit.
It wasn’t about Adley. Or rather, it wasn’t just about Adley. There are multiple ways in which this trade demonstrates failure by the Orioles and, specifically, Mike Elias.
When the 2018 Orioles had their fire sale, run by previous GM Dan Duquette, it was sad but almost cathartic. That team was beyond awful, and it was impossible to imagine success from either the Major League team or its barren Minor League counterparts. But this 2026 team wasn’t that. Yes, they obviously have their troubles. They are not playing like a good baseball team.
But the bones are there. You can squint and see a good team. And in a particularly mediocre year for the American League, they were hanging in there. They probably wouldn’t have made the postseason, but it was close enough to try. Because this is a team that has the potential. So to go from the fringes of the playoff race to trading the face of your team is jarring, to say the least. It feels like, after what we were promised versus what has been delivered, they shouldn’t punt on yet another season even if it’s a long shot. Not to mention any setbacks for 2027.
Then there is the bigger picture. Starting with Adley Rutschman, Mike Elias was supposed to be building a dynasty. A team with the potential to reach the World Series every single year. It’s the reason we sat through 108 losses in 2019 and 110 losses in 2021. But in the end, what did Mike Elias build?
In 2022, the year Rutschman made his Major League debut, the Orioles finally finished above .500 at 83-79. As a fanbase, we accepted the trades of Trey Mancini and Jorge López because Elias had earned that trust. Everything came together in the incredible season that was 2023, and things started off well in 2024. But the team faltered after the All-Star break and stumbled into the playoffs, where they were once again swept away in the first round.
They finished 75-87 in 2025, a disappointment from start to finish. Elias made some big moves over the off-season, and I thought they’d be back to winning in 2026. So far, they haven’t been. The 2026 Orioles have been one of the most frustrating baseball teams I’ve ever watched. And they are a failure again. Mike Elias has to own that. He has to own that the team he built, starting with Adley Rutschman, is a failure. His plan is a failure. He has been running this team since November 2018, and the franchise has nothing to show for it. Instead of Adley Rutschman leading this team to the postseason, he has been sent away for more prospects who can help in the nebulous “future.”
And please note, none of this is a commentary on the trade return itself, which by many accounts is quite good. It’s about this team being set back another year (at least) without having achieved its goal once again. For that, Mike Elias should be fired. I don’t think he will be, unfortunately. Maybe I’ll be wrong.
Finally, it’s sad to see Adley go because he is a delightful player to have on our favorite team. And yes, he wasn’t going to spend his career here. But for him to go out like this is very painful. The player that helped bring us back from the abyss, on whom this franchise hung its hopes, is not going to the postseason with the Orioles in 2026. He is going to the postseason with the Red Sox, a team that has brought us so much pain over the years. Because of that it’s hard to even wish him well, this player who I loved so much.
Right now, all I want to do is forget about the Orioles for a while. Unfortunately, I have tickets to tonight’s game and telling my nine-year-old that I’m too cranky to go isn’t really an option. The starting pitcher for the Angels? Grayson Rodriguez.
Red Sox Give Rutschman a New Birth in New England – FanGraphs Over at FanGraphs, Michael Baumann (not that one) gives his analysis on the trade. The big takeaway line: [The Orioles are] well-positioned to reset for 2027…But 2027 wasn’t supposed to be Year 1 of Phase 2 of Baltimore’s contention window after two years out of the playoffs. It was supposed to be Year 5 of a perennial contender’s prime. And Rutschman’s career could not be a better microcosm for the fortunes of the team that drafted him.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies, including B.J. Surhoff (62). Surhoff spent eight seasons with the Orioles, divided into two stints: 1996-2000 and 2003-05. Surhoff was a fan favorite and his trade from the Orioles to the Braves during the 2000 season was another heart-wrencher.
Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Jon Knott (48) and Jahmai Jones (29). Jones played for the Orioles in 2021, before Rutschman joined the team. But they’ll be teammates now in Boston.
On this day in 1975, the Orioles defeated the Red Sox 12-8. Starter Paul Mitchell was knocked out after just 2.2 innings, but his offense picked him up. Ken Singleton went 3-for-5 with a double and a homer. Brooks Robinson hit his 5th home run and Bobby Grich hit his 10th. Don Baylor had a five-hit game.
In 1998, Mike Mussina took a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the Tigers before Frank Catalanatto broke it up with a double. Mussina settled for a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts.
In 2005, the Orioles fired manager Lee Mazzilli and replaced him with interim manager Sam Perlozzo.
In 2006, the Orioles traded Javy López to the Red Sox for a PTBNL, who ended up being Adam Stern. So the Orioles have a history of trading handsome catchers to the Red Sox.
In 2016, the Orioles signed 21-year-old Félix Bautista. Bautista had been released the year before by the Marlins after two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. I miss that guy and hope he returns soon.
And one year ago today, the Orioles lost to the Phillies 13-3. Cade Povich allowed four runs in 5.2 innings, followed by Corbin Martin, who allowed six runs without recording an out. Someone named Elvin Rodriguez pitched the final inning and gave up two solo homers. It was his only game with the Orioles.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 18: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles runs to first base during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While the Yankees were largely quiet at this year’s deadline, making just two trades that they hope provide a jolt to a lineup that has been downright disastrous without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees’ division rivals turned the trade meter to high and spun a whopping 21 combined deals. Whether you think the Yankees’ promotion of George Lombard Jr. counts among all this is up to you. Anyway, with so much turmoil, you’ll be forgiven for not being quite sure what the rest of the division looks like, and so, let’s take a dive into what the rest of the AL East was up to.
Let’s start with the team currently occupying the top spot in the division, the Tampa Bay Rays. Heading into the deadline, Tampa Bay was in the market for a starting pitcher and another bat to add into the lineup, and with one of the league’s premier farm systems, they were in position to make a play for pretty much anybody they wanted. In the end, though, the Rays had a measured deadline, making three additions: starting pitcher Freddy Peralta from the Mets, platoon catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks from the Marlins, and reliever Tyler Wells from the Orioles.
All three moves represent high-risk, high-reward moves. One year after a top-five finish in the NL Cy Young, Peralta has been absolutely dreadful for the Mets, with a 4.99 ERA in 22 appearances. Just in his second season, the 27-year-old Hicks is a force against righties, slashing .307/.387/.489 this season against righties, while posting just a .200/.278/.238 line against lefties; his Statcast data, though, is not too high on his performance at the plate (he can avoid strikeouts, but doesn’t hit the ball hard). Only Wells, a reliever with strong peripherals, represents a relatively safe move. When you’re in first place with a solid floor, though, you can take risks like these to raise your ceiling.
Sitting right behind the Yankees in the standings is the Boston Red Sox, a team that started the season ice cold but has been hotter than hot over the last month. While, ultimately, they are neither as bad as they were to start the season or as good as they are now, their two stretches combined to put them right where everyone expected them — in the thick of the playoff race. As such, Boston had a very active deadline, headlined by arguably the highest profile addition made by an AL East team: Adley Rutschman, the now-former Orioles catcher who was targeted by the Yankees.
A week after sending Connelly Early to the Nationals for Curtis Mead, Boston sent its top-ranked right-handed pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson, outfield prospect Enddy Azocar, pitcher Kyson Witherspoon, and catcher Carlos Narvaez to the Orioles for the former No. 1 overall pick. The move represents a big risk with major upside for the Red Sox, because Rutschman has a career 115 OPS+ (identical to his cumulative performance this season), but he has just a .671 OPS since May 1st — and he’s currently on the IL with a wrist injury. Depending on which version of Rutschman they get, Boston will either see a major boost to a lineup that has been performing well, but has been very inconsistent this season, or will drop an anchor into the lineup.
Supplementing these moves, the Red Sox cut bait with 2021’s No. 4 overall pick Marcelo Meyer, sending him to the Giants for lefty reliever Erik Miller and minor league outfielder Carlos Gutierrez. They also acquired Eli White, a right-handed outfielder, from the Atlanta Braves; his overall numbers aren’t great (89 OPS+), but he has a swing that could play up in Fenway.
In fourth place, we have the Baltimore Orioles. Can you believe that the Yankees and O’s were battling for the division crown just two years ago? Aside from the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Baltimore’s stretch of tanking and retooling for six seasons has produced almost nothing. Earlier this week, they sent Dean Kremer to the Twins straight up for outfield prospect Jhomnardo Reyes. Yesterday, they sent outfielder Taylor Ward to the Mariners for a trio of right-handed pitchers in Alex Hoppe, Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling. They sent Wells to the Rays, receiving in return Michael Forret — one of the players sent to Tampa Bay in exchange for Shane Baz over the winter.
And, of course, the biggest haul came from Rutschman. It’s a loaded prospect package to be sure, but you’d forgive Baltimore fans for not being terribly interested in talks about the future when Mike Elias made a name off doing that with Rutschman and company just a few years ago.
In a pair of minor moves, the O’s brought in minor league outfielder Christian Franklin from the Nationals, sending pitcher Joe Glassey the other way, and reliever Codi Heuer from the Brewers and outfielder Rece Hinds for cash considerations. Oh, and they also extended Yennier Cano, so there’s that.
Sitting in last place in the division, the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays engaged in a mixture of buying and selling that was clearly geared towards improving the team for 2027. They sent Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs, Daulton Varsho to the Astros, Jeff Hoffman to the Twins, and Adam Macko to the Rangers. In came José Soriano (from the Angels), Josh Smith (from the Rangers), Spencer Arrighetti (from the Astros), and Team Canada alum Jameson Taillon (recently DFA’d by the Cubs). Through these trades, the farm added middle infield prospect Ty Southisene, outfield prospect Brett Bateman, left-handed pitcher Dasan Hill, right-handed pitcher John Klein, and infielder Dameury Pena, but subtracted top shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, minor league outfielder Eddie Micheletti and minor league righty Angel Rivero.
The end result? Toronto has basically pulled the plug on 2026, but is looking to get right back into the hunt next season.
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 30: Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants prepares to bat prior to the game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Thursday, July 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Braylon Payne #0 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Seattle Mariners at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup, and happy trade deadline!
By the time you’re reading this, Major League Baseball’s annual trade deadline will have passed. Milwaukee is never a team expected to make a splash or swing a blockbuster trade for a star. Rather, Matt Arnold and the Brewers’ front office prefer to add and subtract pieces around the margins. This year, they stayed true to form, and as a result, several of the prospects I’ve spent the season writing about are now headed to new organizations.
With the deadline reshaping the farm system, I’m giving the roundup one more week in this format before returning to the usual affiliate-by-affiliate breakdown because here are plenty of organizational changes to unpack.
Here’s how the deadline affected the organizational depth chart:
Out: RHP Craig Yoho, OF Blake Perkins, OF Alexander Frias, OF Josiah Ragsdale, LHP Mark Manfredi, SS Juan Martinez
In: C Bo Naylor, RHP Dustin May, RHP Antonio Senzatela, LHP JoJo Romero
Although none of the prospects Milwaukee traded away qualified as “untouchable,” several had become familiar names in my weekly roundups.
Eighteen-year-old Alexander Frias is probably going to be the prospect I’ll miss writing about the most. After hitting .441 in Rookie ball, he earned a promotion to Single-A and kept producing. His numbers took a downturn after the promotion, but to be fair, it’s hard to go anywhere but down from .441, and he still racked up eight extra-base hits in his first 92 at-bats.
He’s an athletic international signing with a 60-grade arm and enormous upside, making him exactly the type of player evaluators dream on. An MLB.com feature released last week described him as “Milwaukee’s next great international prospect” after Jackson Chourio, Jesús Made, and Luis Peña. If the Brewers end up regretting letting one of these players go, it’ll probably be Frias.
Then again, they also might not regret letting him go, because Frias is still extremely young, raw, and in the lower levels of the minor leagues. He’d only been in Single-A for a little over a month when Milwaukee traded him. If the Brewers saw something in his swing, approach, or overall profile that made them think he’d eventually stall out, the smart move would have been to trade him while the rest of baseball was still high on him.
The other thing is that the Brewers have an embarrassment of riches in the outfield. Frias would probably have to come close to reaching his ceiling to carve out a long-term starting role. Milwaukee already has two spots locked up for the foreseeable future thanks to the extensions given to Chourio and Luis Lara. Even after Frias’ rise this season, MLB Pipeline still ranks Lara, Josh Adamczewski, Jett Williams, and Braylon Payne ahead of him among the organization’s outfield prospects.
And that’s before you get to the rest of the system.
Peña, the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect, might end up playing the outfield because there isn’t enough room in the infield. Brailyn Antunez and Kenny Fenelon are working their way up through the lower levels, while Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick are both still young, productive major leaguers who deserve regular playing time. There are only so many innings to go around.
The same thought process applies to Ragsdale, a seventh-round pick in 2025 who broke out with strong offensive numbers between High-A and Double-A. He’s also more than a year older than Lara, and the Brewers simply aren’t higher on him than they are on Peña, Adamczewski, Payne, or Lara. Ragsdale has a much higher floor than Frias but probably a lower ceiling. He should turn into a valuable player, just not one Milwaukee is likely to need.
None of the other prospects the Brewers traded away were as highly regarded as Frias or Ragsdale, but they’re talented enough to merit a mention.
Craig Yoho looked like a stud during Spring Training last year and has bounced on and off the Brewers’ top prospect lists ever since. He has one of the nastiest changeups in the minors, and there’s a chance it eventually become one of the best in the majors. But he never developed a plus secondary pitch behind it, struggled with his command at times, and it eventually felt like Milwaukee’s coaching staff lost confidence in him. He wasn’t going to play a major role this season anyway, and now he’ll get a chance to continue developing with Cleveland’s highly regarded pitching infrastructure.
Twenty-six-year-old left-hander Mark Manfredi has posted an ERA under 4.00 every year of his professional career and owns a 3.09 ERA in 18 Triple-A appearances this season. Left-handed pitching depth is always valuable, and the Brewers have spent the last few years trying to build more of it throughout the organization. But Manfredi is also the kind of player who’s slightly less valuable to a team with Milwaukee’s pitching development track record. The Brewers have shown they can consistently identify and develop arms like him.
Juan Martinez, like Frias, is still a lottery ticket. He broke out in the Arizona Complex League with a 1.074 OPS after signing as an international free agent, showing the athleticism, defensive ability, and offensive upside that convinced the Brewers to invest in him. But if the outfield is crowded, the infield is even more so. Beyond Cooper Pratt, who already signed a long-term extension, Milwaukee also has Made, Peña, Jett Williams, and Andrew Fischer — all Top 100 prospects who project to spend significant time on the infield. Martinez, who immediately becomes Colorado’s No. 26 prospect, was ultimately expendable, and he’ll probably have a better opportunity to reach the major leagues with the Rockies than he would have had in Milwaukee.
Finally, there’s Blake Perkins, who I won’t spend much time on because he hasn’t been a prospect for years. That said, he’s been a valuable contributor over the last couple of seasons, providing elite defense, speed, and quality at-bats despite never being viewed as an everyday player. Thanks for everything, Blake.
Perkins hadn’t been expendable for years. Even when he didn’t seem to fit into Milwaukee’s immediate plans, he’d bide his time in Triple-A before earning another trip to the majors and winning a random game every summer. Now, he finally is.
That’s really the theme of this deadline.
Milwaukee didn’t sacrifice the top of its farm system, and — other than arguably Tarik Skubal — there wasn’t anyone available worth doing so for. Instead, Matt Arnold dealt from organizational depth to bolster both the rotation and bullpen ahead of October. Brewers teams of years past would’ve needed an outfielder like Blake Perkins, a prospect like Alexander Frias, or a reliever like Craig Yoho more than this team does. That’s a good thing.
Standout performances:
Jeferson Quero: 7-for-19, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K Brandon Lockridge: 4-for-11, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Darrien Miller: 4-for-11, 3 2B, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K Luis Matos: 5-for-16, 2 2B, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K Eduardo Garcia: 5-for-20, 1 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 9 K Coleman Crow: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K Brett Wichrowski: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Gerson Garabito: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K Colton Gordon: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Carlos Rodriguez: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Josh Adamczewski: 10-for-22, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K Jesús Made: 12-for-28, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K Andrew Fischer: 9-for-25, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 9 K Blake Burke: 9-for-28, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K Matthew Wood: 4-for-13, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K Jaron DeBerry: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K Braylon Owens: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K Jesús Broca: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K Yorman Galindez: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Manuel Rodriguez: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Tayden Hall: 5-for-12, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 10 BB, 1 K Eric Bitonti: 9-for-22, 5 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K Luis Castillo: 9-for-24, 2 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K Braylon Payne: 8-for-25, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Daniel Dickinson: 6-for-20, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K J.D. Thompson: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Kyle Harrison: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Josh Knoth: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Ethan Dorchies: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K Wande Torres: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Brailyn Antunez: 8-for-18, 1 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Brady Ebel: 7-for-18, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K Frederi Montero: 4-for-14, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K Alexander Frias: 5-for-18, 2 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Pedro Ibarguen: 3-for-11, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K Tyler Renz: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K Diustin Mayorquin: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Andrew Healy: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hayden Robinson: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Miqueas Mercedes: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Baseball fans got a glimpse of Tarik Skubal wearing Dodger blue.
It happened when the two-time Cy Young Award winner was in his new team’s dugout on Sunday, Aug. 2. Now the baseball world can see Skubal wearing Dodger blue where he’s at his best: On the pitcher's mound.
He'll head to the mound with a 7-5 record and 2.79 ERA, and he's been better than that over the past five weeks. In his past six outings, Skubal has given up only eight earned runs in 37 innings for an ERA of 1.95. But his last outing with Detroit captured his life as a Tiger.
He looked ecstatic when he greeted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in the team’s dugout Sunday night.
His scheduled start against the Cubs will be the chance for Dodgers fans to see Skubal on the mound in Dodger blue. And a chance for the baseball world outside of Los Angeles to grind their teeth in resentment.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 02: Mitch Keller #23 and Endy Rodríguez #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates meet in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 02, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to be without one of their top starting pitchers for the rest of the season. The team announced that Mitch Keller has a teres major muscle injury in his right shoulder and that he will be out.
Keller won’t be eligible to be activated back on the active roster till October 2 and the regular season ends on September 27.
Keller won’t be allowed to throw for six to eight weeks, preventing a possible return. The teres major is one of the major muscles controlling the shoulder joint, extending from the shoulder blade to the top of the arm.
The injury could have something to do with the offseason that Keller is having. He has 5.29 ERA in 22 starts and a 6-8 record.
The 30-year-old’s last outing was one his worst starts of his career, only lasting two innings and allowing seven earned runs in the 10-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The start was frustrating for Keller because it also came after he put together two starts where he allowed two earned runs over 10 1/3 innings to seemingly start to get his season back on track.
Even though Keller has been inconsistent this season, it is still a big loss for a Pirates starting rotation that has been pretty healthy. Jared Jones started the season on the 60-day IL but has been playing well since coming back.
The Pirates recalled Brandon Eisert from Triple-A Indianapolis to join the roster as a replacement for Keller. The Bucs went all in on relief pitchers during the trade deadline and didn’t go after a starting pitcher.
We could see Carmen Mlodzinski be put back into the rotation after leaving to go to the bullpen in late May. The right-hander is 6-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 25 appearances/nine starts this season.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Offday, though not in terms of impact. George Lombard Jr. was promoted to the Yankees, with Anthony Volpe, Jasson Domínguez, and Angel Chivilli heading down to Triple-A. Jake Bird (dealt to Washington) and Kervin Castro (promoted) will also need replacements in the bullpen. Max Schuemann is one, as he was a big-league roster casualty with Luis García Jr. in tow.
Double-A Somerset Patriots: Offday; they’ll need to replace trade chips Ben Grable and Jack Cebert, who both went to the Nationals in the García trade.
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Offday; they’ll need to replace trade chips Henry Lalane and Kaeden Kent, who both went to the Giants in the Heliot Ramos trade.
Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Offday
Florida Complex League Yankees: Season over
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 12-0 vs. DSL Rockies
CF Isaias Castillo 1-4, K, SB PH-LF Emmanuel Orozco 0-0, BB SS Stiven Marinez 0-4, BB, SB 2B Juan Torres 3-3, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SB, fielding error — 18-year-old has crushed rookie ball with a 1.059 OPS this year LF-CF Luis Cruz 2-4, 2 RBI, BB C Juan Martinez 1-5, 2 RBI 1B Cesar Lopez 1-4, HR, RBI, BB, 2 K DH Poly Ojeda 2-5, RBI, K RF Stalen Ramirez 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI, K 3B Adrian Feliz 0-3, 2 K
Hector Moreno 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 8 K Fredy Penuelas 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K (win) Cesar Vivanco 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K — an impressive 16 K’s for the Yanks staff
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 14-3 at DSL Colorado
CF Ruben Castillo 1-4, HR, RBI 2B Dariel Santana 1-4, 2 K C Alessandro Rodriguez 2-3 PH-C Jesus Guerrero 0-1, K 3B Carlos Bello 0-3, BB, K, GIDP, fielding error RF David Carrera 1-3, K RF Eliezer Adames 0-1, K DH Kenneth Melendez 0-4, 2 K SS Germayhoni Beltre 1-4, 2B, SB, fielding error LF Sebastian Pint 0-3, K 1B Alfred Ciriaco 2-3, HR, RBI
Sebastian Castillo 3 IP, 6 H, 6 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (loss) Randy Angomas 3.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 2 HBP — Randy had a good go of it his last time out, but this is now the seventh time in ten appearances he’s allowed five-plus runs Breidy Adames 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR
It's starting to feel like revenge season in Boston, where a club that went 10-17 with the fired Alex Cora is now a seemingly unbeatable 50-34 with interim-but-probably-permanent manager Chad Tracy.
Lost in the hubbub of Tarik Skubal's arrival in L.A. was the Red Sox schooling the Dodgers over three games, running their unstoppable streak to 23 wins in 26 games, moving within five games of first place.
They now have a virtual lock on the No. 2 wild card and also Adley Rutschman in the fold, ready to upgrade their putrid production at catcher while Cedanne Rafaela continues his MVP run. All that's left is home cooking: The Red Sox are 25-29 at Fenway Park and welcome the Central-leading White Sox and free-falling Athletics to the Fens this week.
It wouldn't be surprising if they had a winning home record by week's end.
Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Michael Conforto, Tyrone Taylor...is this Queens Midwest?
7. Boston Red Sox (+3)
Imagine telling a Red Sox fan two years ago that Kyle Teel and Marcelo Mayer were gone, Roman Anthony slipping out of favor and Kristian Campbell buried in the minors.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 03: Luis García Jr. #26 of the New York Yankees looks on before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium on August 3, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The dust has settled on the MLB Trade Deadline. After weeks of anticipation, the Yankees came away with a thinner haul than most probably expected, picking up a pair of hitters in Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos but not doing much else, content to maintain the status quo with their pitching staff, and with their catching situation. The latter decision stuck out like a sore thumb, as their direct division rivals, the Red Sox and Rays, made major backstop additions yesterday, Boston landing Adley Rutschman in a blockbuster, and the Rays picking up Liam Hicks from the Marlins.
It’s not the deadline most fans were hoping for, and though the Yankees are better today than they were a few days ago (heck, even a few hours ago, as they swapped out Anthony Volpe for top prospects George Lombard Jr. and demoted Jasson Domínguez to make room for Ramos), it remains to be seen if they’ve done enough to either win the division or the American League. So, now that the stage has been set, let’s ask: where do the Yankees rank among AL contenders? Can you make a case that the Yankees are favorites to win the American League?
I can already hear a loud chorus of fans ready to answer an incredulous “No!”. The case against seems fairly obvious: the Yankees have been unable to hit their way out of a paper bag the last eight weeks, their offensive production at catcher has been a nightmare, and multiple players on the infield dirt have not played to expectations. The Yankees have struggled of late, still are waiting to get some key players back from the injured list, and are behind in the standings 3.5 games back of the first-place Rays.
But I think there’s an equally plausible case for the Bombers. No, they didn’t add pitching at the deadline, content to go with what they have. In this case, though, playing to the status quo is in the Yankees’ favor (last night’s Cam Schlittler dud and Angel Chivilli meltdown notwithstanding). They entered the deadline with the best ERA in baseball by distance this season, and that’s with arguably four of their five most talented starting pitchers all missing significant chunks of the season due to injury. The conventional wisdom heading into the deadline was that the Yankees were pitching the lights out, but needed to add bats, and that’s what happened.
And after doing that, their roster projects as well as any in the (American) League. In fact, by FanGraphs projections, the roster is tops in the AL the rest of the way, and not only that, FanGraphs’ playoff odds have the Yankees with the best pennant odds in the Junior Circuit. That is thanks in no small part to the wide-open nature of the AL. FanGraphs gives the three AL division leaders a combined chance of winning the league of roughly one-in-three, compared to roughly three-in-four odds for the NL division leaders.
There are a couple hinge points in those projections that forecast the Yankees as tops in the AL. One, of course, is the status of Aaron Judge, who is projected to produce a .986 OPS in 78 plate appearances. Is that OPS figure, and that plate appearance amount, optimistic? Pessimistic? It’s possible Judge returns in September and hits at a high level (Brian Cashman has indicated that’s what the team expects), but it feels just as plausible that Judge doesn’t play again this year. Also highly influential is one’s estimation of the Yankees’ catching situation; FanGraphs rather charitably pegs the team’s catcher’s room as tenth best rest-of-season, partially because Austin Wells and Co. have always rated well defensively, and because Wells in particular has underperformed his offensive peripherals in 2026.
It can be hard to feel optimistic through long periods of iffy play and avalanches of injuries, but the Yankee roster at anything resembling full health should be favored against any AL team. What do you think? Is that an overly optimistic view? Or do you believe the projections that still see this as the top squad in the AL?
On the site today, we’ll have loads more reaction to the Trade Deadline, with analysis of both of the Yankees’ major moves. We’ll also have a recap of a light Monday of action from Andrew, and a profile of Roger Clemens, who turns 64 today. Later, Michael analyzes the week that was down on the farm, while Josh and John our AL West and Central monthly rundowns.
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 01: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on a bad streak of games since coming back from the All-Star break, and could be slipping out of the playoff race.
FanDuel Sportsbook has released their current odds for teams to make the postseason, and currently project Pittsburgh being on the outside looking in come October. The Pirates have the 17th best odds to make the playoffs with +520 odds. Unfortunately for Pirates’ fans the team is more likely to miss the playoffs with -870 odds to miss the postseason.
After the Pirates recent collapse against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds there are definitely some questions that need to be answered if the team is going to make a serious push towards October. The team now sits at 57-57 on the season, while placing third in the National League Central. They’re 4-6 in their last ten and are now 3.5 games back from the last Wild Card spot in the NL. Since returning from the All-Star break the team is 7-10 and have been allowing their opponents to score a lot of runs against them in recent contests.
Welcome to the Pirates bullpen Camilo Doval. 10 spot. Blowout city. This is bad. Really bad. pic.twitter.com/ATM6NlZtuF
Although it looks like the team is looking to buy and add to this squad, the odds are stacked against them as August gets underway. They have not been able to beat the teams that on paper they should like the cellar dwelling Reds, and they haven’t looked very competitive against the better teams in the league like the Cubs or the Dbacks.
The stacked NL Central isn’t going to make their path to the playoffs any easier either as it’s been difficult all season to find any breathing room within the division. The Pirates embark on a four game series against the Milwaukee Brewers next, a team that is currently tied for the best record in baseball with the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The second place Chicago Cubs also seem to be surging while the Pirates are sliding, going 6-4 in their last ten, and of course have a recent series victory over Pittsburgh. The Cubs currently have a four game advantage in the Wild Card race, holding firmly onto the first place spot.
The Pirates are certainly not out of the race yet, but this is the wrong time of the season to be looking as flat as they are right now. The lineup has lacked run production, the pitching staff has been erratic in both the rotation and the bullpen, and management has made some bone-headed decisions as of late. This squad needs to regroup if they hope to prove the odds makers wrong and secure a spot in the postseason.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 28: George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NY Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees’ top prospect, George Lombard Jr., has rapidly climbed his way up prospect rankings as he’s jumped through each level of the minors. This year he’s really turned on the burners, crushing Double-A before getting a midseason promotion to Triple-A and whittling down his adjustment time to a mere month or so before finding his groove. An injury slowed down his ETA and raised some doubts about whether he could contribute to the 2026 team’s playoff push, but doubt no more: Lombard is getting the call to The Show. The 21-year-old shortstop is expected to officially debut tomorrow after the team demoted Anthony Volpe (alongside Jasson Domínguez and Angel Chivilli). The team held off on trading their blue chip infielder, and for a change they’re going to immediately plug him into the big league lineup alongside new additions Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos to revamp what has been a lifeless offense.
AP | Larry Fleisher: Speaking of the deadline, the Yankees ended up not doing nearly as much as they were expected to on the final day. They came to an agreement with the Giants to land Ramos, but couldn’t get traction on anything else as they failed to land an upgrade at catcher or in the bullpen. Brian Cashman said that he tried for several flashier moves though, checking in with the Tigers on Tarik Skubal and Baltimore with Adley Rutschman. The former didn’t go far as the Tigers apparently were set on the deal they got from the Dodgers while the Yankees were the ones unwilling to continue negotiating with Baltimore as the price was set too high for them.
NY Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: While all of the trades were being completed, one other significant topic on reporters’ minds was the status of Aaron Judge and his injured ribs. Cashman gave an update of sorts when addressing the media following the deadline, saying that there was a “pretty high likelihood” that Judge will return this season. The team couldn’t rule out the possibility of Judge sitting on the shelf for the rest of 2026 but expressed optimism that he was still on pace to return, adding that they’ll have a clearer picture once Judge goes through re-imaging on his ribs. Not exactly reassuring, but also not surprising considering how vague his timeline has been since getting placed on the IL in the first place.
Central Jersey | Mike Ashmore: Mickey Mantle’s legacy with the Yankees needs no introduction, and even after 30 years since his passing his family remains a beloved part of the organization. Mantle’s two living sons, David and Danny, were in Somerset on Saturday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and got to meet with a crowd of folks wearing their father’s retired No. 7 on their backs.
