Category: Baseball

Monday evening, Royals fans rose to their feet in anticipation of Alex Lange recording the final out to seal a win over the Giants. Instead, Wily Adames deposited a sinker over the right field fence for a two-run home run to tie the game. The Royals rallied to win in the bottom of the inning, but it was the second time in a week Lange had been just one out away from victory only to cough up the lead (hey, he got the “win” Monday, reliever wins are awesome!)

In fairness to Lange, he wasn’t supposed to be the closer this year. The Kansas City native is returning from injury and was signed on a cheap deal hoping he could recapture the stuff that allowed him to rack up 26 saves for the Tigers in 2023. The closer was supposed to be Carlos Estévez, but it was clear after one awful game his arm and velocity down. He gave up six runs in his season debut, and was shut down and hasn’t been seen in a Royals uniform since. Lucas Erceg was supposed to be a solid setup man and potential closer-in-waiting, but he has hit a wall. He has given up 31 hits and 20 runs in his last 22 innings, with the second-worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in baseball over that time. The acquisition of 2024 All-Star reliever Matt Strahm was viewed as a shrewd move, but he has been extremely home run-prone, and his 7.24 ERA is second-worst among qualified relievers.

The Royals have gotten some solid performances by Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber, and some glimpses of solid pitching from Steven Cruz and Beck Way, but otherwise the bullpen has been quite terrible overall. Their 5.43 bullpen ERA is behind only the Athletics for worst in baseball, with the worst FIP (5.33), second-lowest strikeout rate (19 percent) and third-highest walk rate (11.5 percent). Only three teams in baseball have more blown saves than the 18 the Royals have, with Erceg tied for the league lead with six, and they have the fourth-highest inherited runners scored rate (36 percent).

In fact, this may be the worst bullpen in Royals history. So far, Royals relievers have an ERA of 5.43, fourth-worst in club history behind only the bullpens of the late 90s and early 2000s when offense was sky-high. 5.17

You could argue that perhaps this year’s bullpen is inflated a bit by Tyler Tolbert, the position player who has made five pitching appearances this year and has given up 13 runs. But even if you take him out, Royals relievers have a 5.17 ERA, still among the worst of the worst.

The problem isn’t that Picollo has ignored the bullpen. Quite the opposite. Few areas of the roster have received more attention. He has spent free-agent dollars, traded prospects, and repeatedly churned through veteran relievers in an effort to stabilize the back end of games. The issue is that, outside of a handful of successes, those investments have too often failed to produce lasting results.

In 2024 he spent $15 million to acquire Chris Stratton, Will Smith, and Nick Anderson, and they combined for a 5.45 ERA in 135.1 innings (he also acquired Schreiber, who had a solid 3.66 ERA that year). He pivoted mid-season to acquire Lucas Erceg – who as great! – and Hunter Harvey – who was injured! – to give the Royals a decent bullpen for the post-season.

Picollo invested in a two-year, $22 million deal for Estévez the next year, and he was an All-Star as the Royals finished with a 3.63 ERA from their relievers, seventh-best in baseball. Erceg was nails, Schreiber continued to be solid, and the Royals had promising performances from Lynch, Angel Zerpa, Steven Cruz, and Jonathan Bowlan.

But things fell apart this year. While injuries can hurt any club, the lack of organizational pitching depth has stuck out like a sore thumb. The Royals have cycled in 19 different relievers this year, and have been signing any veteran reliever that is available in an attempt to find a formula that works.

The repeated need to overhaul the bullpen raises a larger question. Why do organizations like Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay consistently build effective bullpens from inexpensive, internally developed arms, while the Royals keep returning to free agency and the trade market looking for answers? Bullpen performance is notoriously volatile from year to year, and even the best executives have free-agent signings or trade acquisitions that don’t pan out. But what separates the league’s best organizations is their ability to continually replenish their relief corps. When a reliever departs in free agency, gets hurt, or regresses, those clubs seem to have another hard-throwing right-hander or overlooked waiver claim ready to step into a high-leverage role.

The Royals have spent considerable resources to patch up the bullpen the last few years, with mixed results at best. Every dollar spent on veteran relievers is a dollar that can’t be spent addressing the lineup or rotation, and every prospect traded for bullpen help is one that can’t be used to acquire talent elsewhere. For a team operating with financial limitations, repeatedly investing significant resources into one of baseball’s most volatile assets is a risky strategy.

Whether that reflects shortcomings in scouting, player development, pitching infrastructure, or simple misfortune is open to debate. But after four years of cycling through free-agent signings, trade acquisitions, and bullpen overhauls, it is fair to ask whether bullpen construction has become J.J. Picollo’s biggest weakness as a general manager.

Tanner Gordon is settling into a new role in his third season with the Rockies.

A year ago, the right-hander was exclusively used as a starting pitcher getting the nod 15 times while finishing with a 6-8 record and a 6.33 ERA in 75.1 innings. His six victories were tops among all Colorado pitchers in 2025.

But the 2026 campaign has seen Gordon transition into being used more in long-relief situations out of the bullpen.

His most recent such outing came July 19 against the Cincinnati Reds when Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer called on Gordon to enter the game in the third inning after an ineffective start from Ryan Feltner left the Rockies trailing 8-1.

Gordon responded by hurling 5.2 innings of three-hit ball while allowing just one run as Colorado rallied in the late innings in the finale of a three-game series at Coors Field.

“It was good,” Gordon said in evaluating his performance against the Reds.

“I mean, obviously, the goal is to win the ballgame. So my job, at that time, was just to come in and kind of stop the bleeding, hold them where they were, and let our offense do some work.”

Despite a three-home run, five-RBI game from catcher Hunter Goodman and a solo round-tripper from Willi Castro, Colorado fell 9-6 while giving the Reds a scare before they left the Mile High City.

After the game, Schaeffer acknowledged the long-relief job done by Gordon, his third straight relief outing of four or more innings this season.

“I mean, TG’s great,” the manager said. “It’s great length out of the pen to take the ball in the middle of the third and go all the way through the eighth, especially with the huge layover after the All-Star break.

“He just pounds the zone. TG is fearless. He goes right after you….He was huge, huge today.”

Through the team’s first 101 games this season, Gordon has an 0-2 record and 5.75 ERA in 13 appearances, including eight relief appearances all of which have spanned at least three innings.

Whether he’s used in long relief or a spot start, Gordon said he just “kind of does what [he’s] told.” But he does have a role preference.

“Obviously, I like the routine as a starter,” he said. “Everyone would like their routine as a starter. But anything I can do to try to help our team win is what I’m going to do.”

Gordon, who was activated on June 30 after being on the 15-day injured list for right hip impingement, has had to alter his mindset as a long reliever as opposed to being in a starting role.

“Sometimes when I’m in the game, maybe the guy before me had a rough outing,” he said. “So sometimes the circumstances when I come into the game aren’t that great. But again, my job is to pick my guy (the starting pitcher) up, do my job and kind of stop the bleeding.”

 After his solid season as a starter in 2025 when he was considered a rookie in terms of service time, Gordon has applied what he has learned to continue to grow as a Major Leaguer.

“Honestly, I think the mind is way more powerful than I thought it could be,” he said.

“I know it sounds pretty cliché but, obviously, everyone here is physically talented. But I think where you separate yourself is between the ears. I think I have grown a lot in that sense. I think going into a game with confidence, knowing that you belong here (is important). This is my third year here and thinking that ‘Oh, this is cool that I’m here. I’m having fun and I’m here.’

“But I have to know that I have a job to do,” Gordon continued. “So I think just having that confidence and knowing my ability and trusting my teammates. I think that’s been the biggest thing.”

With that confidence, whether he is called on in long relief or as a spot starter, Gordon will be ready to answer the call.

“I enjoy any role I’m in on the team,” he said. “Obviously, I prefer starting but, like I said, just any way I can help the team. 

“It can be a little bit more nerve-wracking in the bullpen. The phone rings there, and I never know who’s going to go in. But, throughout the year, you kind of figure it out. You know the vibe of the game.”

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

Season Record: 50-49

Week Record: 1-2

Series Record: 16–15, 1 split

GAME 97: 1-15 Loss @ Atlanta Braves

GAME 98: 7-6 Win @ Atlanta Braves

GAME 99: 5-8 Loss @ Atlanta Braves

The Rangers came back from the All-Star break and lost two games against the Atlanta Braves. So we’re going to talk about the lone win because it was a good one.

After two innings the Rangers were down 4-1 and after just losing 15-1 the night previous, it felt like this game could very well go the same way.

Going into their 6th inning, they were now down 5-3, slowly making up ground but shaky ground.

However, Ezequiel Duran hit a leadoff double to start the inning. Promising.

Next up? Evan Carter hits a two run homer to right field and the game is tied 5-5.

Texas goes on to score two more runs, with two outs.

Rangers lone All-Star, Jacob Latz closed out the game with a four out save.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

We're in for a pitching battle between Justin Wrobleski and Zack Wheeler at Citizens Bank Park this evening, with the books installing the Los Angeles Dodgers as +110 underdogs against the Philadelphia Phillies.

My Dodgers vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, July 21, see Los Angeles pulling off the upset on the road.

Don't miss first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET on TBS.

Who will win Dodgers vs Phillies today: Dodgers moneyline (+110)

The Philadelphia Phillies put up a 10-spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers last night. I always look to fade the team that scored double-digit runs, as it is incredibly difficult to replicate that level of success at the plate in back-to-back games.

Zack Wheeler won't be easy to get past, but Justin Wrobleski has been stellar. The Dodgers' hurler ranks in the 97th percentile in Pitching Run Value, and his 5% walk rate will ensure there won't be many freebies to get guys on base.

Also, when will you be able to get the Dodgers at this price to win next?

Play this to +100.

 COVERS INTEL:Despite the Phillies' explosive Monday evening, they still own a 73 wRC+, 3.6% barrel rate, and .122 ISO over their last six games.

Dodgers vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+109)

Despite last night being filled with a ton of runs, I think this one stays Under due to how well both pitchers have been performing over their last five games.

Wrobleski owns a 2.17 ERA, 2.99 xERA, and 0.90 WHIP, while Wheeler has posted a 2.37 ERA, 1.90 xERA, and 0.99 WHIP during that same stretch.

The offenses have not been that hot since coming back from the break either. Both teams have a wRC+ under 75, a wOBA under .280, and an ISO under .130 over their last six games.

I see a pitching duel brewing this evening in Philadelphia, and would play this to +105.

Play this to +100.

Dodgers vs Phillies weather

Possible chance of postponement with an 85% chance of rain and 11 mph winds blowing out.

Dodgers vs Phillies odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers +113 | Phillies -117
• Run line: Dodgers +1.5 (-170) | Phillies -1.5 (+178)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-122) | Under 8.5 (+117)

Dodgers vs Phillies trend

The Phillies have hit the Under in 30 of their last 50 games (+10.35 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Phillies.

How to watch Dodgers vs Phillies and game info

Dodgers vs Phillies latest injuries

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

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The New York Yankees are home favorites against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but my projection makes this much closer than the market suggests.

Will Warren gives the Pirates enough of a scoring path, even with Bubba Chandler battling command concerns, to justify backing the underdog price. 

Here are my Pirates vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for July 21.

Editor's note: This game has been postponed to Wednesday, July 22 at 7:05 p.m. ET, as part of a split doubleheader that begins at 1:05 p.m. ET.

Who will win Pirates vs Yankees today: Pirates moneyline (+134)

I’m backing the Pittsburgh Pirates because this price is too long for a game my projection makes close to a coin-flip. I’d play it to +110.

Bubba Chandler's command is uncomfortable, but his Top-30 percentile barrel rate allowed should matter against a homer-dependent New York Yankees lineup. The gap is not wide enough to justify this moneyline.

I have faded Will Warren plenty this season. He is not a bad pitcher, but the market keeps overvaluing him.

His xERA sits near 5.00, and his below-average barrel profile meets a Pirates lineup with the eighth-highest barrel rate in baseball.

COVERS INTEL: Bubba Chandler’s strikeout rate has dropped from 25% last season to 20.2% this year, making his elevated walk rate much harder to survive.

Pirates vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+101)

Pirates vs Yankees weather

There's a good chance this game gets postponed due to rain in the NYC area. If there is a game tonight, the teams will be dealing with 79F temps and humid conditions, with winds blowing right-to-left.

Pirates vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Pirates +140 | Yankees -150
• Run line: Pirates +1.5 | Yankees -1.5
• Over/Under: Over 9 | Under 9

Pirates vs Yankees trend

Over is 5-0 in the Pirates' last five games as a road underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Yankees.

How to watch Pirates vs Yankees and game info

Pirates vs Yankees latest injuries

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

Eighteen years ago, the New York Yankees were a broken team. The clubhouse was divided into factions, ace Mike Mussina had just retired, a young generation of arms had floundered, and for the first time in more than a decade, the team spent October on the couch. It was, for fans who had grown up during the dynasty years, the franchise’s lowest point that they could remember.

Enter Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia. Despite knowing the southpaw’s preference for the West Coast, the Bronx Bombers put on a full-court press to bring him aboard, ultimately inking him to a seven-year, $161-million contract. The rest, as they say, is history.

Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia
Born: July 21, 1980 (Vallejo, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 2009-2019

Like many Hall of Famers, CC Sabathia was a dominant multi-sport athlete in his youth, helping lead his high school basketball team to a deep run for the California state championship, soliciting offers as a pass rusher and tight end from UCLA and the University of Hawaii, and earning second team all-American honors for his performance on the mound and at the plate. During his senior year, he signed a letter of intent to play baseball and football for Hawaii, but never made it to campus.

Selected with the 20th overall pick of the 1998 draft, Sabathia entered the Cleveland organization at just 17 years old, making him one of the youngest players in professional baseball. He never let that hold him back, however: he stormed through three levels of the minors in his age-18 season, and despite never tossing a single inning above Double-A, cracked the Opening Day roster in 2001. CC rewarded the Cleveland’s faith in him by finishing seventh in the AL in strikeouts (171), fourth in K/9 (8.53), and first in H/9 (7.44). More importantly, he established himself a reputation for coming up big in big spots, with manager Charlie Manuel saying at the time, “It seems like every time we need a big win, C.C. [sic] is standing on the mound and he gives it to us” — a reputation reinforced by his Game 3 victory in the ALDS. Unfortunately for him, he only finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year vote, behind future Yankees teammate Ichiro Suzuki, something Sabathia still jokes about today.

Sabathia spent the next five and a half seasons in Cleveland, winning the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and establishing himself as one of the game’s premier pitchers. Unfortunately for him, he was one of the team’s few bright spots in the period, and after failing to put together a winning team around him yet again, Cleveland ultimately traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers at the 2008 deadline for Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson, and a player-to-be-named-later that would eventually become Michael Brantley.

While CC would only spend half a season in Milwaukee, he had such an impact that he earned a place in the Brewers’ Wall of Honor. In 17 starts — including three straight on short rest in September — he gave them 130.2 innings (more than seven innings per start), allowing just 24 runs. His seven complete games and three shutouts led the National League (and since his two Cleveland shutouts led the AL, he became the first pitcher in history to accomplish the feat) and earned him down-ballot votes for Cy Young. He was a major reason that the organization notched its first postseason berth since 1982, and even though he walked that winter, his time in Milwaukee has never been forgotten.

That winter, Brian Cashman and the Yankees pushed hard to bring Sabathia to the Bronx, leaving the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas to visit the lefty at his home in California. That show of commitment, plus a record-breaking contract, convinced Sabathia to abandon the West Coast and take his talents to 161st Street in the Bronx.

After a slow start to the 2009 season, Sabathia settled down to become the ace he was brought in to be. Most importantly, he put together one of the most dominant stretches of his career that October. The lead man of the Yankees’ three-man rotation (alongside A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte), Sabathia allowed just two runs in 6.2 innings in Game 1 of the ALDS, went eight innings in Games 1 and 4 of the ALCS to earn MVP honors, and shut down the Phillies lineup in Games 1 and 4 (even if Cliff Lee outdueled him in the first) as the Yankees won their 27th championship in franchise history.

While that ring did not spark another dynasty, that was no fault of Sabathia’s. Over the next few years, he was one of the most dependable arms in the sport, to such an extent that the Yankees negotiated a two-year extension with him in order to void his opt-out after the 2011 season — an extension announced, rather humorously, by Sabathia himself on Twitter.

Unfortunately, after the Yankees were crushed by the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 ALCS, the window of contention slammed shut. While Sabathia wasn’t the main reason the 2013 and 2014 teams were not good — that blame predominantly belongs to the collection of has-beens and never-weres filling out the lineup — he certainly did not help. After crash dieting in the winter of 2012-2013 after a cousin died from heart disease, Sabathia saw his fastball velocity drop to 91 mph, and in 2014, he underwent season-ending knee surgery to repair damage that was so bad it required multiple follow up surgeries.

When Sabathia returned to the mound the following year, it looked like more of the same, as he allowed opposing hitters to slash .297/.342/.484 in his first 24 starts. One knee brace later, though, and he suddenly became the CC of old: across his final five starts of the year, his ERA dropped to 2.17, and hitters slashed just .224/.320/.327. So long as the Yankees made it past the Astros in the Wild Card (alas, they did not), the combination of a hot Sabathia, a young Luis Severino, and an ace in Masahiro Tanaka gave the team the best postseason rotation they had in years.

Unfortunately, Sabathia had a more important battle to fight. On October 5, 2015, CC Sabathia issued the following statement through the Yankees:

I am looking forward to being out on the field with my team next season playing the game that brings me so much happiness.

“Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my disease.

I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player.

I want to thank the New York Yankees organization for their encouragement and understanding. Their support gives me great strength and has allowed me to move forward with this decision with a clear mind.

As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don’t want to run and hide. But for now please respect family’s need for privacy as we work through this challenge together.

Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you. I want my kids — and others who may have become fans of mine over the years — to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help. I want to hold my head up high, have a full heart and be the type of person again that I can be proud of. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Since this day, Sabathia has spoken time and time again about his battle with alcoholism, emphasizing that admitting to himself that he had a drinking problem and needed help was a scarier proposition than pitching in the World Series, undergoing surgery, or anything else he had done in his life. He had battled with alcohol addiction for years, initially recognizing that it was a problem in 2012, but not truly understanding the need for help to get sober until he spent the weekend in Baltimore binge drinking in his hotel during the final series of the 2015 season.

Fresh out of rehab, Sabathia reinvented himself as a command pitcher who sought to generate soft contact rather than overpower pitchers with velocity. From 2016 to 2019, he was a reliable “five and fly” guy, who served as both a mentor to the young pitchers on the Yankees staff and as an enforcer (just ask the Tampa Bay Rays!). During that time, he was honored by Cleveland with a special invitation to the 2019 All-Star Game — the inspiration, I believe, for the commissioner’s Special Selections — and etched himself into baseball history by becoming the third southpaw to record 3000 strikeouts.

Every professional athlete talks about wanting to leave it all out on the field. For Sabathia, that was quite literally the case. Working out of the bullpen in Game 4 of the ALCS, Sabathia suffered a subluxation of the left shoulder. Unable to continue pitching and with tears in his eyes, CC walked off the mound one final time. As Aaron Judge would say after the game, “He got everything out of that arm.” At long last, his body — balking for years — had finally given out on him.

Since his retirement, Sabathia has not left the baseball world. He continued the podcast R2C2 with the YES Network’s Ryan Ruocco through 2023, joined the Commissioner’s Office in 2022, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame last July. Later this year, the Yankees faithful will get to see him immortalized in Monument Park, as his No. 52 will be officially retired. And as of last week, he is once again part of the Milwaukee Brewers family, as his son was selected by them in this year’s MLB Draft.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

When the Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora back on April 25, the franchise looked to be on its way to being a seller at the MLB trade deadline.

Instead, in the blink of an eye, the Red Sox have turned around their season under interim manager Chad Tracy and look to be in a position to be buyers by the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Aug. 3.

That turnaround has been catalyzed by a historic and out-of-the-blue 14-game win streak.

MLB trade deadline predictions: Will these 12 players on the bubble stay or go?

Caleb Durbin hit a go-ahead home run over the Green Monster in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on July 20 to give the Red Sox their second-longest win streak in franchise history.

The Red Sox are 22-5 in their last 27 games — which equals their best 27-game stretch achieved in 2018, the season that they won the World Series — and enter their Tuesday, July 22 game against the Orioles three games above .500 and six games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East standings.

So, with the Red Sox scorching hot, how far are Durbin, Wilson Contreras and Co. away from setting a new record for the longest win streak in franchise history? And how far away are they from tying (and breaking) the MLB record?

Here's what to know:

What the Guardians need, as we all know, is another left-handed hitter who lacks slugging. So, let’s talk about Luis Arraez.

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. Today, we look at San Francisco Giants’ All-Star Luis Arraez.

First, Arraez the player. He has a career 118 wRC+ and has a 125 wRC+ this season. Under Ron Washington’s tutelage, he has become a good defensive second baseman by OAA at +10, while remaining at -2 DRS. He has a career 93 wRC+ vs LHP and 126 wRC+ vs RHP. He puts the ball in play all the time as his 4.3% strikeout rate is an anachronism in today’s game as is his career .318 batting average. He is on a rental contract with the flailing Giants Who seem destined to trade him by August 3rd.

So how would Luis Arraez fit here? The Guardians are not likely to move Travis Bazzana off second base for Arraez, so he would likely come here to play first and DH. Arraez has a career 128 wRC+ in high leverage situations, and a 135 wRC+ with Men on Base, and a 125 wRC+ with Runners in Scoring Position. He has been an average first baseman by DRS at +2 and a poor one by OAA at -13, both career numbers. With Arraez only under control through the end of this season, the concept behind this trade would be to move away for at least the rest of this season from Kyle Manzardo and substitute a high batting average hitter who has performed well in the circumstances in which Manzardo has failed.

I do think there is potential that Cleveland may be salivating over the possibility of stacking a lineup with players like Arraez, Bazzana, Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Steven Kwan at the top of the order. All are effective at putting up lengthy at-bats. All make a lot of contact. The slugging issues on the team will remain, but they can hope to gain some slugging as their young players continue to gain comfort and Jose’s hand continues to strengthen after surgery.

Arraez is definitely not my top choice for a trade acquisition and I doubt he is Cleveland’s number one option. I suspect someone will pay more than the Guardians are willing to pay to get Arraez as a second baseman for the stretch run. But, I can imagine a scenario where the Guardians make a play for this throwback player. Again, I would not touch Angel Genao, Ralphy Velazquez, Braylon Doughty, Juneiker Caceres out of the prospects in the minor leagues. Perhaps San Francisco would be interested in fixing Manzardo, who would still be quite the overpay for two-three months of Arraez. But, I suspect some combination of Guardians prospects could make this work if Cleveland and San Francisco, who have connected a lot recently, are mutually interested.

A resulting lineup could be;

1. Kwan CF
2. Jose 3B
3. Arraez 1B
4. DeLauter RF
5. Hoskins DH
6. Bazzana 2B
7. Rocchio SS
8. Bailey C
9. Martinez LF

That is definitely an uncomfortable lineup for pitchers to face, even if still lacking thump. Let me know what you think in the comments below about a potential trade for Luis Arraez!