HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 20: Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros hits a grand slam in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Daikin Park on July 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Maria Lysaker/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At 48-54 with 13 days until the trade deadline, the Houston Astros find themselves in a historically unusual position: they are farther away from .500 (6 games) than they are from the AL West division lead (3.5 games).
So far, nothing about this team says playoffs, yet their proximity to the playoffs and their owner’s unyielding desire to make the playoffs cannot be discounted.
In an appearance on AREA 45 on SportsRadio 610 yesterday, longtime MLB insider Bob Nightengale reiterated that desire is still coming from Houston. Jim Crane is highly competitive and wants to be in the postseason. GM Dana Brown has maintained his belief in the team and his stance that the team will be buyers at the deadline.
Despite that, it is hard to ignore the emerging market. There will not be a lot of sellers, there will be a lot of buyers, creating a seller’s market. Nightengale asserted in his interview last night that there will be a premium on top talent available because there won’t be a lot of it, and the top talent available will be in high demand.
With that in mind, there is far more value in being a seller than being a buyer this deadline. With the looming work stoppage that is widely expected, it is unclear when the offseason in MLB will actually begin, let alone when baseball will actually be played.
Top prospects are at an even greater premium this deadline as well, due to the expected lockout.
This brings us to 3 realistic paths forward for the Houston Astros at the deadline: full buy, change-up, and full sell.
The Full Buy:
Houston goes all in on the postseason, and spares no expense. No one is off limits from the minors, and they go for an impact starter, a leverage pen arm and lefthanded outfield bat that can be a legit consistent contributor to the lineup.
Houston reallocates it’s spending to different positions. This is likely the hardest to pull off because it requires the most moving parts.
It would involve trading players from the major league roster to acquire different players of different skill sets and positions:
Example: Trading Christian Walker in one deal (likely for a reliever), and acquiring Luis Arraez (to play 1B) in another.
Moving AJ Blubaugh (whose role may be filled by Kai-Wei Teng) as part of a deal to acquire an established starter (Joe Ryan, Clay Holmes) or outfielder (Jung Hoo Lee, Seiya Suzuki)
Moving Bryan Abreu (who has lost his role as a leverage reliever but whose numbers since June 1: 2.66 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 26K in 23.2 IP indicate improved play) in deal for OF (McCarthy, Moniak, Lars Nootbaar)
The Sell Off:
This would be taking advantage of the market inefficiency for buyers and lean into what should be a big seller’s market:
They would make nearly anyone not named Yordan Alvarez and Hunter Brown.
They would look to get huge returns on Jeremy Pena, Josh Hader
They would look to get best possible returns on: Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker (with the preference to move Walker over Paredes), Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, Bryan Abreu, Peter Lambert, Yainer Diaz
It’s a full out prospect grab with the intent of keeping some of those prospects to build with and then moving others to re-tool the team in the offseason by trading for imapct talent.
It would also take advantage of the money now off the books next season ($19M for Hader, $20M for Walker, approx $16M for Pena, approx $9.5M for Paredes, $5.75M for Abreu, approx $3M for Okert/Sousa combined = approx $73M) to re-tool in the offseason in free agency.
While it is currently unknown if there will be a salary cap for the next season, we know owners have dug in harder than ever to obtain this and seem willing to not play to get it. It is also unknown if teams will be required to get under the cap immediately or if there will be a grandfathering of contracts.
If teams had to get under immediately, there could be a number of “distressed assets” hitting the market as some teams would be forced to make decisions on which of their high priced talent they would need to move on from in a hurry. In that situation, just like in the market, cash is king.
As for which kind of path the Astros ultimately take, it may very well be a matter of how well they play the next 10 days. If they rattle off a 7 game win streak and get back to .500, could well be a buying path. If they fall back closer to 10 games under, it would make more sense to sell.
Which way do you think they will go? Let us know in the comments below.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 24: Members of the grounds crew cover the infield with a tarp during a rain delay in the sixth inning of a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 24, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, Chad Tracy announced that Ranger Suarez would come off the IL and make tonight’s start against the Orioles as the club goes for its franchise record tying 15th straight win. However, as of this afternoon, there’s been a change of plans.
Ranger Suarez is no longer pitching tonight, as interim manager Chad Tracy said last night. They are going with Eduardo Rivera.
That reasoning is obviously fishy. The club easily could’ve known they wanted to give Suarez an extra day after pushing him the last few when they announced his start last night. Instead, the real reason they’re pushing this start back is likely because of weather, which threatens to upend tonight’s game at Fenway Park. Here’s what the latest HRRR model is showing in a simulated radar from 5:00pm to just after midnight:
The general trend here will be thunderstorms all over the place early in the evening, and then then a gradual thinning in their coverage as they slowly fall apart the deeper we go into the night. It will almost certainly rain, and rain heavy, but it won’t rain all night long, so there’s a shot they get this game in late if they push it.
Knowing this uncertainty, the Sox probably think it’s a better idea to go with a bullpen game started by Rivera with Brayan Bello backing him up. It takes Suarez out of the messy weather, it gives the other starters more rest when Suarez does slot back in, and it also means that any potential starts and stoppages within the game won’t impact the Sox as much because they’re largely going with a bullpen game anyway.
We could be an incredibly whacky night at the ballpark given all the dynamics in play between the pitching, the weather, and the win streak. Stay tuned!
When the Red Sox placed Garrett Crochet on the injured list at the end of April, it was not supposed to be a long stay.
Yet with the calendar now closer to August than June, Crochet’s still nowhere near a return to the mound. And when asked Tuesday (prior to the game being postponed) if it’s possible that he might not pitch at all for the rest of the season, Crochet could not give a definitive answer.
“I mean, it’s tough to say. I mean, I’m not gonna make a claim like that,” Crochet said when asked if missing the rest of the season is a possibility.
Considering the diagnosis in April, Crochet lamented the current reality of his situation.
“It sucks,” he said. “Like, I understand why you asked the question. It sucks, though, because I remember when I went on the IL originally, I was like, maybe I’ll just miss one start. And then the way that the injury just kind of matured, especially with the setback following the first ramp, it just, it matured to a place where, like I said, it’s just completely different from the original diagnosis, which sucks. But the shoulder is complex like that.”
Crochet has recently ramped down his activity, with the lefty no longer throwing plyo balls as part of his recovery efforts. The 27-year-old said that he was “not making the progress that we were hoping to see” and had plateaued in the rehab, leading to the decision to remove throwing from his program.
Crochet was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award last season, his first in Boston, when he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 32 starts. He led the AL in innings pitched (205 1/3, which was only 13 2/3 fewer than the number of innings he pitched combined in the five previous seasons) and led the majors in strikeouts (255).
This year, Crochet posted a 7.36 ERA across four spring training starts before pitching a gem (six shutout innings, eight strikeouts, two walks, three hits) in an Opening Day victory in Cincinnati. Crochet then went 2-3 in his next five starts, posting a 7.88 ERA and 1.625 WHIP. That stretch included a stunning start in Minnesota, when Crochet allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in just 1 2/3 innings against the Twins. Crochet allowed five runs (all earned) in five innings his next time out, but he did pitch six scoreless innings in late April in Baltimore (which happened to have been Alex Cora’s final game as Boston’s manager).
After being placed on the IL, Crochet said he needed to build up strength in his shoulder. On Tuesday, he said the diagnosis remains the same.
Yet when it comes to when the training staff might feel comfortable with letting him throw again, Crochet couldn’t venture a guess.
“To be honest, I don’t really have an idea,” he said. “Just with the setbacks that I had in the past, we’ve been rightfully cautious. For me, I’m just kind of doing what I’m asked.”
And while Crochet was a fixture in the Red Sox’ dugout throughout the month of May and the early part of June, he’s been absent during this current run of success (14-game winning streak, wins in 19 of the last 21 games). Crochet said that his absence was initially due to some of his rehab work taking place during games, so that he could stay out of the way of the players who were actually active.
“And then it was like, man, we kind of got a good thing going here,” Crochet said. “And then I finished my work the other day in like the seventh inning and I was like, let me finish this inning in here and maybe I’ll go out. And then Wilyer [Abreu] hit the homer and I was like, ooh, I gotta stay inside.”
While superstition will always be present in baseball, Crochet admitted that he’s just doing what he can to help the streak while he remains on the IL.
“I think that there’s enough confidence amongst the group where they don’t really feel the need to press like that,” Crochet said. “But, you know, I’m gonna do my part.”
Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) is congratulated by shortstop Andrés Giménez (0) after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
So I thought I’d go through this little exercise just for my own sense of ‘what the hell is going on’.
Over the last 22 games, four weeks (with the All Star break in there), the Jays are 7-15. They’ve averaged 3.5 runs a game. Quite the stretch run. The batters are hitting .214/.272/.337….which makes me wonder how they scored 3.5 runs per game.
Hot
Ernie Clement: Played in 21 games, starting 20. Hitting .316/.353/.392 with 1 home run, 3 doubles, 4 RBI, 1 steal, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.
I mean, hot is overstating it, his OPS over the last month is .745 and his season number is .751. But I wanted someone on this side of the board. He is keeping to his one walk a week thing. I wish he would chase less, but this is the guy he is and it works for him. They aren’t going to be able to change him. I am worried that he won’t age well as a batter. Generally batters who age well control the strike zone. But we’ll see, he’s 30 now, and was an All-Star.
Cold
Brandon Valenzuela: Played in 10 games, starting 8. Hitting .129/.206/.226 with 1 home run, 2 RBI, 3 walks and 12 strikeouts.
Well, he was good earlier in the season. Brandon started one game at DH. He also played some first base. He caught 1 of 3 base stealers.
Vladimir Guerrero: Started 21 of 22 games. Hit .183/.264/.293 with 1 double, 2 home runs, 9 RBI, 9 walks and 21 strikeouts, with 2 stole bases.
DHed four times. Who would have thought he’d be a glove first first baseman. 21 strikeouts in 21 games isn’t what I expect from him. Bat speed is still great (92 percentile). But he’s not hitting the ‘sweet spot’ (17th). Expected batting average is still high (91st percentile). The fielding is still good, 4 outs above average but Savant says his arm strength isn’t what it used to be (17th percentile). And his chase rate, which was 89th percentile last year, is 40th this year. The commentators like to use the line chasing hits, and that’s likely fair. I often see people say what he should be doing, and I’m always thinking ‘If it was something that easy, you don’t think they’ve tried it.‘ I was hoping the All-Star break would help him out. Give him a few days to stop thinking about things. But that didn’t help. Right now, I’m hoping the off-season clears whatever is going on.
Andrés Giménez: Played in 20 games, starting 17. Hit .204/.246/.278 with 4 doubles, 5 RBI, 1 steal, 3 walks and 8 strikeouts.
Yeah, he’s not hitting. He is a plus 11 OAA, second in the AL to Bobby Witt. FanGraphs has him at a 1.4 WAR but we really need to score occasionally. Ok, more occasionally. The hope was that he would get back to what how he was hitting in 2022, but he’s gone the other way.
Kazuma Okamoto: Started in 21 games. Hit .215/.303/.418 with 1 double and 5 home runs, 16 RBI, 8 walks and 21 strikeouts.
He’s played third in all 21 games.Maybe a day off or a DH day, here and there, wouldn’t be a bad idea. He has 2 hits in the last 6 games and none since the All-Star break. His defense, minus the error the other day, has been fine. Fangraphs has him at a -1 outs above average.
Daulton Varsho: Played in 21 games, starting 20. Hit .189/.221/.284 with 1 double, 4 RBI, 3 steals, 3 walks and 15 strikeouts.
He’s costing himself a lot of money, he was set for a big payday in free agency but it isn’t going to happen now. FanGraphs has him at a plus 5 outs above average, not as good as he has been in the past. It seems like he has been better defensively of late.
George Springer: Started 13 games. Hitting .208/.263/.358 with 1 triple, 2 home runs, 4 RBI, 1 steal, 4 walks and 15 strikeouts.
He’s been better in his last three games.364 BA with a home run. Hopefully that will continue. He did play that one game in left field and didn’t look out of place. I wonder if anyone will want him at the deadline for his leadership or playoff experience.
Myles Straw: Played in 20 games, starting 7. Hit .147/.143/.265 with 1 double, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 1 strikeout.
A fast runner, whose OBA is lower than his BA. Someone ought to explain to him that getting on base is the way to use that speed. Oh well. His glove has been good, a +3 outs above average. He was a +9 last year, in less than double the innings of last year.
Alejandro Kirk: Played in 18 games, starting 15. Hit .204/.306/.296 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 8 walks and 6 strikeouts.
He’s actually done well in his last 8 games, hitting .286/.423/.381 so hopefully that’s a turn around point. And he’s thrown out 4 base stealers of the last 17 (24%) in this period.
Sean Keys: Played in 11 games, 10 starts. Hit .176/.200/.294 with 1 double, 1 home run, 5 RBI, 1 walk and 13 strikeouts.
He hasn’t exactly torn the cover off the ball since coming up. It is tough when you aren’t playing regularly, but that’s the role he’s in.
Yohendrick Pinango: Played in 8 games. Hit .176/.200/.294 with 1 home runs, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.
He’s back in Buffalo. He is hitting .263/.349/.474 this month in Buffalo.
Inbetween
Nathan Lukes: Played in 21 games, starting 19. Hit .264/.329/.389 with 3 home runs, 4 RBI, 6 walks and 10 strikeouts.
Not hot….not cold. He’s been good since the All-Star break. I liked him in the leadoff spot.
Also Played:
Davis Schneider: Played in 4 games, starting 2. Hit .000/.000/.000 with 1 RBI, with 4 strikeouts.
He has hit 317/.473/.659 in Buffalo in July, which suggests he might be back soon.
IL
Jesús Sánchez: Should start a rehab stint soon.
Anthony Santander: I doubt he’ll be back this year.
Addison Barger: If he comes back this year, it won’t be until September.
May 16, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski in the dugout before the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The trade deadline is of course the hottest topic around the Phillies today. It’s a constant source of chatter since the needs the team has are seemingly obvious. That makes this question kind of easy:
Saying that the team needs all of these things is easy. Actually executing the deals is another thing altogether. Dave Dombrowski has the task ahead of him to make sure that the team is getting better by adding pieces to it, but will he be able to do so?
That’s the question.
The team’s lack of enviable talent in their minor league system means they probably don’t have the necessary ammunition to make all the trades they have to in order to plug the leaks in the team boat. He might be able to pull off one deal, maybe two. But adding all three pieces that are needed? Color me skeptical.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 09: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 09, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
After years of almost fanatically refusing to hand out multiple years to any starting pitcher, or any kind of contract extension to any of his existing players, Mike Elias is on something of a roll. Or at least as much as doing three extensions over the past year, and two to starting pitchers over the past four months, counts as a roll. The weekend’s news about Kyle Bradish being extended makes it clear that he is actually willing to invest over multiple years.
There is another Orioles starting pitcher with an interesting case to be made to be worth an extension. That’s Trevor Rogers. It’s not as likely to come together for a variety of reasons, one of which is that Rogers is so close to free agency that he probably feels like he might as well wait and test the waters, even if the Orioles come to him with a reasonable extension offer.
For this week’s survey, don’t worry too much about the details like that. This is just about what you think. Should the Orioles sign Rogers? Make your choice below:
If your answer is yes, what do you think is a reasonable contract to give to Rogers? If you say no, what gives you pause? It has been a mixed bag for Rogers this year. His last eight starts or so are carrying on the masterful performance he was doing over the two-thirds of the season he pitched a year ago. The overall 2026 ERA is not something that screams big money.
Results will be analyzed later in the week, though you’ll be able to check in between now and then if you look at the results on the Feed poll, which is how these things will be handled going forward.
The Los Angeles Angels fired scout Justin “Boomer” Prinstein, who calls himself “The Baseball Spy,” earlier this season.
According to The Athletic, Prinstein was fired after he was seen filming Colorado Rockies coaches with a cellphone in his hand while working in the stands.
Prinstein was out on a scouting assignment, just before the Angels were set to host the Rockies from June 1-3, when he was reportedly spotted filming their coaches during a game by a member of the Colorado organization.
Justin Prinstein was fired by the Angels X/@TheBaseballSpy
Despite filming by scouts being considered a legal practice, The Athletic reported that former Angels general manager Perry Minasian fired Prinstein right away and apologized to the Rockies front office, including their team president of baseball operations, Paul DePodesta, and general manager Josh Byrnes.
The Athletic went on and reported that Prinstein recorded on his own will, and the Angels will not face any punishment by Major League Baseball.
Prinstein was originally hired by the Angels in December, after previously working as an international scout with the Cincinnati Reds since 2023.
Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer (4) walks to the dugout after a visit to the mound in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Before working with the Reds, Prinstein’s LinkedIn page says he wrote articles as a freelancer and worked as a podcast host of the show “The Baseball Spy,” where he covered the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
“The Baseball Spy” had a lifespan of five years but only featured two episodes between 2019-2024.
The left-hander will throw a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Wednesday, throwing 60 pitches ahead of a big league return, the skipper added.
“And then hopefully be with us in Chicago for his next one,” Boone said, referring to the Yanks' three-game series against the White Sox beginning on Monday, July 27.
“Obviously not all the way built up at that point,” he continued. “But, hopefully, in a spot where we can build him [up] in his next outing.”
Boone pushed back on reports that the DH was “not close.”
“That’s not true,” the manager said of those reports.
“Someone in our front office came to me and [said], ‘Did you tell the media that G wasn’t close?’” Boone said later. “I’m like, no. I just said I don’t know when it is. So I think people just assumed that it was gonna be this long time, which I don’t anticipate it’s gonna be too long.”
“He’s actually doing pretty well. I think he’ll be back in a reasonable amount of time,” the manager said Tuesday.
Asked if Stanton would play rehab games or return without them, Boone said, “We’ll see.”
“It’s obviously been a long time, so we’ll have that conversation when we get closer to that,” he said about rehab plans. “But I think he’s closer than [media reports indicated]."
In 24 games this season, the 36-year-old had three home runs and 14 RBI with a .724 OPS.
The news on the Yankee slugger was more of the same, with Boone saying Judge will undergo imaging “again at some point,” but he didn’t know when that would be for sure.
“Kinda based on symptoms,” Boone said about the timetable for Judge to get his ribs re-imaged. “Over the last couple of weeks, feel like the symptoms have improved, which is good. And obviously, the last image showed healing.
“So, yeah, just paying attention to that and hopefully, as those symptoms subside, we start upping the things that he’s able to do and then hopefully we get more confirmation [with] the next imaging that it’s healing even more, and we keep on rolling.”
In 59 games before the injury, the reigning AL MVP had 17 home runs and 38 RBI with a .248/.375/.533 slash line, good for a .908 OPS (151 OPS+, 149 wRC+).
“The idea is that he throws side today, another side, I believe, Friday or Saturday, and then a live [BP] probably next week,” Boone said. “So he’s doing well; he’s responded well to the treatments.”
Rodon originally landed on the IL with left elbow inflammation in early July, but the manager was encouraged about his progress.
In nine outings this year, the southpaw has posted a 3.30 ERA and 1.252 WHIP with 52 strikeouts in 46.1 innings.
Schmidt, who Boone said could return as a starter or into the Yanks' bullpen depending upon need, will throw a second live BP that should take place on Wednesday.
"Twenty pitches where he'll use all his pitches; last time he didn't spin it," the managers said of his 15-pitch effort on Saturday. "He looks good. He's kinda going through his live progressions, spring training, and hopefully be an option for us."
As far as Schmidt's role and being built up as a starter, the manager said, "We're at the building stage now, so we'll see as we go."
Of course, the timeline for Schmidt, who underwent Tommy John surgery last summer, is still up in the air.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 12: Former Tampa Bay Rays player Evan Longoria stands with his family during his #3 retirement at Tropicana Field prior to a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners on July 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rays fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week’s reacts poll follows up on a question posed by Marc Topkin in the Tampa Bay Times:
Jul 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) looks on during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The trade deadline is looming in just under two weeks. We’ve already seen some trades start to materialize, including yesterday’s trading of Seth Halvorsen to the Dodgers. But the biggest question on a lot of people’s minds is that of Hunter Goodman.
Will he be traded for what’s sure to be a large haul, or will he be retained by the Rockies to build around?
George Lombard Jr. of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders runs the bases during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
The four major affiliates had their own version of an all-star break this week, so in lieu of a regular recap about the last few games, we’re going to take stock of the system, the names you should know ahead of the trade deadline, and the storylines as the season moves into the home stretch.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Record: 13-6 (50-43), 2 GB in the International League East after a 2-0 week against the Worcester Red Sox (Red Sox)
Run differential: +38 (+41)
Coming up: Home vs. Syracuse Mets (Mets)
Scranton won both games it played this weekend, with Saturday’s game rained out. They’re in a decent spot as we enter the fourth week of the second half in terms of the playoff race, but the harsh International League format will require them to be nearly perfect.
In terms of prospect billing, it starts with George Lombard Jr., who’s acclimating nicely to Triple-A pitching and hasn’t missed a beat since returning from a finger sprain. He’s the gem of this farm system and quickly become a consensus top-20 prospect in baseball. He’s MLB-ready when it comes to hitting left-handed pitching and his incredible defense, but the Yankees might need to see more consistent contact and hitting against righties to make the call to add him for the playoff push.
After Lombard on the hitting side, Spencer Jones is a big name, but his value is likely diminished after his first big league returns weren’t that positive. Add to the fact that he’s nearing his 25th birthday, and you wonder what teams think of his chances of figuring it out. There are some older guys out there too who are raking in Tyler Hardman and Garrett Martin (when healthy) who could be trade chips in smaller deals. If they do stay, they’d be intriguing Rule 5 decisions in the offseason.
The rotation only has one true trade candidate in Elmer Rodríguez, who is likely the best pitching prospect in the organization. Out of the team’s core group of prospects, he seems likeliest to be dealt, but he remains the next man up in a rotation depth chart that’s holding on by a thread due to injuries and recent performance. That factor might keep him in the organization.
Brendan Beck and Kyle Carr are the other two prospects starting in Triple-A, but neither has ever had their prospect stock approach their minor league performance due to stuff concerns. Beck has struggled in his big league cameos, while Carr is adjusting after solving Double-A last year. Minor league depth is important, and they’re both in that category.
The bullpen has some guys. Yovanny Cruz is a guy that the Yankees are high on, and many believe could contribute in the major league bullpen. They might’ve found something in recently selected Bradley Hanner, who’s had a terrific year. Eric Reyzelman’s Triple-A stats aren’t there yet, but he’s been ferocious this season with near triple-digit heat.
Record: 8-13 (45-45), 4 GB in the Eastern League Northeast after a 1-2 week against the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox)
Run differential: -13 (+23)
Coming up: Away @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Somerset’s struggles continued this weekend by losing two out of three to Portland, as their offense has just not been able to get back to the level they were at earlier in the season. It’s a place that’s currently full of guys on the prospect periphery with stocks that wax and wane with every hot and cold streak.
The big bat continues to be Jace Avina, a pull-side power outfielder with hit tool concerns. The former Brewers draft pick is another Rule 5 eligible guy, and he could see Triple-A soon, but his inability to make consistent contact dampens his profile. After him, there aren’t many prospects on any radars, but Coby Morales’ evolution into finding the power in his bat makes him someone to keep an eye on.
The rotation has name-brand value, but it’s a room full of guys with falling stocks. Chase Hampton is finally healthy, but is struggling mightily in his first year back from multiple elbow injuries; Ben Hess has spent much of the season building up from an undisclosed early-season ailment, Jack Cebert has endured growing pains, and Cade Smith has struggled to adjust to the level. Xavier Rivas has been a stud in recent weeks with some tremendous stuff and is a pitcher whose stock is rising.
Hayden Merda has been very good and will need to be considered in the Rule 5 discussions in the offseason, but the bullpen discussion centers around Ben Grable, a 2025 11th-round pick out of Indiana who is flying up the minor leagues. He has a truly alien fastball, and he was picked as a Futures Game replacement because of it. It would not be surprising if he found a way to debut this September.
Record: 13-11 (44-45), 2 GB in the South Atlantic League North Second Half after a 2-1 week against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)
Run differential: +30 (+39)
Coming up: Away @ Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)
The Renegades are trying to get back on track after some shoddy play of late, recently winning two of three against Brooklyn. Their prospect outlook is full of interesting guys with fallen stocks who are on the road to redemption, while some other recent draftees make first impressions.
The injury to Kaeden Kent, a contact-first son of a Hall of Famer, has hurt the lineup, but it’s been nicely supplemented by the solid hitting of 2025 fifth-rounder Core Jackson, who’s due for a promotion to Somerset soon. The emergence of Wilson Rodriguez of late has been encouraging, but has been overshadowed by the complete revival of former top prospect Roderick Arias, who looked dead in the water as a prospect as recently as early June before a startling turnaround that suddenly makes the 21-year-old a candidate to see Somerset soon.
— Yankees Prospect Watch (@NYY_Prospects) July 20, 2026
Some names in the rotation pique interest. Luis Serna is someone whose stock fell apart due to injuries over the last two years, but has looked healthy and effective this year. Henry Lalane falls in that bucket too, suddenly looking like the hotshot prospect he was in the D.R. a few years ago. Allen Facundo has some big fans for his strikeout ability, but his command woes likely have him ticketed to the bullpen. 2024 draftee Bryce Cunningham is the highest-ranked guy here, but has not looked the same after missing the end of 2025 with injury.
Record: 18-6 (53-37), 5.5 GA in the Florida State League West after a 3-0 week against the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Run differential: +42 (+65)
Coming up: Home vs. Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Tampa has been an absolute juggernaut. They’re destroying teams across the Florida State League, making an example out of Bradenton over the weekend with three big wins. They’re doing it with guys who, entering this season, weren’t on many radars, but they’re all pushing for promotions with the new crop of guys from the 2026 class likely to debut in August.
The heart and soul of the offense is Jackson Lovich, a 2025 16th-rounder who has utterly torched Single-A pitching with some light-tower power. Why hasn’t he been promoted with several months of sample? He has major, Spencer Jones-esque contact issues. I’d bet on a promotion soon to test him, but it’s something to watch.
The other hitters, Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, Hans Montero, Willy Montero, and JoJo Jackson (who’s now out for the season), come from all walks of life and are contributing. There are a few FCL call-ups making names for themselves, with the most notable being Luis Escudero. He missed three weeks with injury, but when he’s been healthy, he’s got some Ruthian numbers in a small sample.
The pitching staff has lost Facundo and Lalane as the season has progressed, but still has a few interesting guys. Thatcher Hurd missed his first professional season but has returned with some great stuff, and Tyler Boudreau is turning heads as an undrafted free agent, putting up great numbers, but the rest is thinned out. Recent injuries to Brennan Stuprich and Mac Heuer have really thinned out the back.
Record: 29-26, 7.5 GB in the FCL North after a 2-1 week.
Run differential: +14
There are only three games left in the FCL Yankees’ season. By the end of the day on Thursday, they’ll be all done. Wilberson De Pena has broken the FCL home run, RBIs, and total bases records in his terrific season, while Dexters Peralta is tapping into the game power that eluded him early in his career but still has major whiff concerns.
Why do the Yankees hold some of these prospects down longer than you’d expect? FCL to Tampa used to be a lot bigger of a jump, but the contraction of the minor leagues has congested the system and led to a lot of players stalling out in Single-A across baseball. I’m sure some of these guys, especially De Pena, will get a chance in Tampa down the stretch, but with how the minors are structured now, don’t be surprised if a lot of them are done for the year to make room for the 2026 draftees.
One note I want to make here is that 2025 first-round pick Dax Kilby has finally returned from a second hamstring ailment. He missed the first two months with a hamstring issue, re-injured it in late May in his first rehab game, and missed another two months before returning on Friday. We’ll see how much he pushes it in the next few weeks.
DSL Yankees: Record: 22-12, 1.5 GA in DSL East after a 3-2 week Run differential: +110
DSL Bombers: Record: 15-20, 7.5 GB in DSL Southeast after a 2-2 week Run differential: -14
The DSL Yankees remain the best team at the level with the most outstanding offense. The DSL Bombers remain at the bottom. Isaias Castillo is the first DSL player to hit 10 home runs, but wasn’t selected as one of the team’s three all-stars at the DSL All-Star Game on Sunday.
The interesting part of the two DSL teams is that players can go back and forth between them. Emerging catcher Poly Ojeda is one who has moved from the Bombers to the Yankees, seemingly making it clear that the Yankees are the team with all the offensive talent.
George Lombard Jr. is very close to making his major league debut. All the elements are there. There’s a need with a struggling infield. He’s starting to hit the absolute cover off the ball, particularly against left-handed pitching. There’s enough runway if they think he can be a viable option come playoff time.
In my mind, we’ve reached a pivotal two weeks. How the Yankees address the infield at the deadline will decide if they view Lombard as ready to seize a starting role on a playoff team. If they aggressively get one or two guys, he’ll likely stay and work on his craft. If they don’t? He might be up in very early August.
In the brief week, he hit two home runs on rehab in the FCL before homering in his first at-bat back in Scranton. He had two hits on Sunday, including a double. It’s a matter of time for the Yankees’ top prospect; it just depends on what Brian Cashman and company do in the coming weeks.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 25: Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits the ball deep during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on April 25th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Alex Anthopoulos has been very busy talking to the media ahead of the Trade Deadline on August 3. That makes a lot of sense considering it’s getting closer and closer with each passing day and the Braves have some pretty clear spots that need to be addressed ahead of the deadline.
We’ll talk more about it, ourselves, as we get closer to the deadline but I just had to discuss one of the weirdest things that I’ve heard AA talk about since becoming a general manager. DJourn posted it over on The Feed yesterday but I had to give my two cents on it because it was just absolutely wild to think about.
Back in 2021 when AA pulled off a series of under-the-radar moves that all ended up being crucial when it came to helping the Braves load up for what turned out to be an improbable and incredible run to a World Series title, apparently there was one big move that the Braves were close to pulling off but didn’t get over the finish line.
According to Alex Anthopoulos, current Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber nearly became a member of the Atlanta Braves. AA dropped the bomb on the Chuck and Chernoff Show over on 680 The Fan and Chernoff’s face matched mine when I heard him discuss it at around the 17:50 mark of the video.
Over at FanGraphs, they have a category of articles called “We Tried” where it’s simply a way to keep track of all the times when General Managers or other baseball personalities have revealed to the public that they nearly acquired some big name free agent or trade acquisition. I’m not going to say that this is the biggest “We Tried” in Braves history (Atlanta was linked to both Barry Bonds in the ‘90s and late-career Ken Griffey Jr.) but it’s still insane to think about a scenario where a guy who has a four-homer game to his name against the Braves potentially could’ve been swatting balls into the Chop House for fun as a member of the home team.
Of course, Schwarber could’ve ended up being a rental for the Braves just like he was a rental for the Red Sox and maybe his destination all along was going to be Philadelphia. Also, the Braves did end up winning the World Series in 2021 so this didn’t exactly turn out to be a situation where the Braves were lamenting Schwarber as potentially being “the missing piece” to the puzzle. It is just fun to think about it, though.
It’s also another sign that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that we aren’t privy to — even a lot of the “insiders” are ultimately just chasing shadows at times. Anything can happen in the world of baseball trade rumors — even if it takes us five years to eventually learn the truth. We’ll see what happens at this year’s deadline.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Sox fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Every once in a while, we’ve got to get a little uncomfortable in our surveys. And in this week’s case, we are imagining a world where one of the current rookies on the roster needs to be included in a trade for (presumably) veteran help at the trade deadline.
It would be too long a list to extend this beyond rookies (including, say, Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery), so your choices are restricted to 2026 rookies making enough of an impact to have trade value.
You can make a case for each player being expendable, if you contort yourselves enough. Sam Antonacci’s primary position is middle infield, where the White Sox system is stocked deep. Braden Montgomery could be an answer to our endless right-field woes, but in the case of both he and now-left fielder Antonacci, some of the middle infield bats (hello, Caleb Bonemer) may need to trade in their mitts for bigger outfielder gloves, sewing up any holes created by a trade. Munetaka Murakami is an older rookie, and one who is a free agent in 2028, ready to command a potential nine-figure deal. Tristan Peters is found money, and “blocking” Braden in CF. And Noah Schultz is a fast-rising power left, but who who has been nicked by control and injury issues.
You’ll notice that the Reacts polls are now being run over there on the right rail of the site, making real-time results more accessible to you.
It’s a challenging choice ahead of you, but which rising Sox star do you shed to take a step forward and strike for a division title this season?
The AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (57-42) continue their four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (46-54) tonight at Rogers Centre. Tampa Bay enters the game having won six of the seven games between the clubs this season. They lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Yankees while Toronto is falling further and further behind in both the East (11.5 games behind Tampa) as well as the Wild Card (5.5 games back).
Tampa Bay snapped their five-game losing streak with a series-opening 7-1 victory last night. The Rays snapped a five-game losing streak Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr., and Nick Fortes each launched solo home runs, while Junior Caminero continued his breakout season by collecting three hits, including two doubles, and driving in a run. Yandy Díaz added two hits and scored twice, and Jonathan Aranda chipped in an RBI single. On the mound, veteran Nick Martinez delivered six innings of one-run baseball to improve to 9-2. He allowed just six singles and extended his unbeaten streak to seven starts. Tampa Bay's bullpen took care of the final three innings without allowing a run. Dylan Cease, coming off his All-Star appearance, surrendered five runs (three earned) across six innings and suffered his first loss since late June. The Blue Jays have now lost five of their last six games and have scored just two total runs over their last three games.
Drew Rasmussen takes the mound for the Rays tonight. He has been one of Tampa Bay's most reliable starters this season, posting a sparkling 0.95 WHIP while striking out 98 batters in 99.1 innings. However, he takes the ball tonight looking to rebound from a rough outing before the All-Star break. In his most recent start on July 9 against the Yankees, Rasmussen was tagged for six earned runs on seven hits over just 2.1 innings. Prior to that, he allowed five runs in five innings against Houston. The encouraging sign for Tampa Bay is that Rasmussen has enjoyed success against Toronto this season. He has already defeated the Blue Jays twice in 2026, allowing three earned runs in each outing while pitching six innings both times.
Kevin Gausman will start tonight for the Jays. The veteran continues to rack up strikeouts for Toronto, entering tonight with 116 punchouts in 112.1 innings, but his season has been uneven. He owns a 4.33 ERA and has struggled to consistently turn quality starts into wins. His most recent start came July 12 against San Diego. Gausman was just OK, allowing three runs on four hits over six innings while striking out eight. Unfortunately for Toronto, the Blue Jays lost 5-4. The veteran right-hander has already faced Tampa Bay twice this season. The Rays beat him in both starts, scoring six earned runs in 4.2 innings on May 11 and two earned runs in six innings on May 5.
The game likely comes down to whether Toronto can solve Rasmussen after struggling offensively for most of the past week.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Rays vs. Blue Jays
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, Sportsnet
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: Rays vs. Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Tampa Bay Rays (-112), Toronto Blue Jays (-107)
Spread: Rays -1.5 (+149), Blue Jays +1.5 (-181)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Rays vs. Blue Jays for July 21
Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman Season Totals: 112.1 IP, 4-8, 4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 116K, 32 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Rays vs. Blue Jays
Victor Mesa Jr. is 9-for-32 (.281) over his last 10 games with 5 HRs
Junior Caminero has hit safely in 5 straight games (8-23)
Yandy Diaz is 3-21 since the All-Star Break
Cedric Mullins is 2-11since the Break
Kyle Okamoto is without a hit over his last 4 games (0-14)
Ernie Clement is 5-15 since the All-Star Break
Vlad Guerrero Jr. is 3-15 since the Break
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Rays vs. Blue Jays
The Rays are 58-41 on the Run Line this season
The Blue Jays are 45-55 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 45 times in Tampa’s 99 games this season (45-49-5)
The OVER has cashed 51 times in the Blue Jays’ 100 games this season (51-45-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Rays vs. Blue Jays
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Blue Jays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Rays on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5.
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Fried made a rehab start for the Yankees' Triple-A team on Friday, July 17, giving up two runs and five hits in three innings on 52 pitches. The left-hander is scheduled to throw about 60 pitches in his second rehab outing on Wednesday, July 22, Boone said.
The 32-year-old landed on the injured list on May 16 with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow.
Boone said Fried will make his big-league return during the team's series in Chicago, which begins on Monday, July 27.
Fried is in the second season of an eight-year, $218 million free agent contract he signed with the Yankees prior to the 2025 season after eight years with the Atlanta Braves. Fried went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 32 starts in his first year with the Yankees, earning his third All-Star nod and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
New York trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 1 ½ games in the AL East standings entering Tuesday and the Yankees remain without slugger Aaron Judge and starter Carlos Rodon due to injury.
Judge, the three-time MVP, has been out since early June and the team still doesn't have a recovery timeline.
