You have been waiting for the Cubs to acquire a starting pitcher, and Sunday night, they have done so (Bluesky link):
Per Josh’s pre-deadline ranking of Cubs prospects, those are the No. 13 (Ty Southisene) and No. 19 (Brett Bateman) prospects in the Cubs organization. MLB Pipeline ranks them 13th and 21st, respectively.
This is, I believe, a fair deal for a 35-year-old pitcher who is a pending free agent, so this is a rental. The Cubs would be on the hook for slightly more than $7 million of Gausman’s $23 million deal for this year. (This might also account for some of the “cash considerations” in the Jameson Taillon deal with the Jays announced earlier today.)
Gausman has a 4.38 ERA and 1.288 WHIP in 23 starts this year and 127.1 innings. His K rate and walk rate are about the same as they’ve been the last couple of years, and with 50 games remaining, that means likely 10 starts in a Cubs uniform for him.
His last start was Saturday against the Cardinals and he allowed nine hits and one run in 5.2 innings. Interestingly enough, his first start for the Cubs could wind up being against his old team, as the Blue Jays will be playing a makeup game Thursday at Wrigley Field — and it’s possible his opponent could be Taillon.
The Cubs absolutely crushed Gausman June 19 at Wrigley, scoring seven runs in two innings, including a grand slam by Carson Kelly. Fortunately, he won’t be facing the Cubs hitters anymore.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 01: Kevin Gausman (34) of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch during the MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 01, 2026 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
At the moment, that’s all we know. Shi Davidi, among others, is reporting it.
No word on who is coming to the Jays. We’ll update as we learn more.
Jim Bowen tells us:
Cubs get: RHP Kevin Gausman 5-10 4.38 ERA Blue Jays get: OF Brett Bateman 8th round '23 .312/.431/.422 18 doubles 20 steals; INF Tate Southisene 1st Round '25 Age 19 .278/.408/.468 18 doubles 4 triples 12 HR 45 SB. Trade Grades: Cubs: B- Blue Jays: A-
Bateman is 24, a left-handed batter. Very fast and a good fielder. MLB Pipeline (who has him their #21 prospect) says:
Bateman is a study in extremes from the left side of the plate. He almost never chases pitches or swings and misses, especially in the zone, but he also rarely hits balls hard or in the air. Just 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, he builds his offensive game around shooting grounders into gaps in the defense and getting on base at the expense of any power. He slugged just .324 last year, with one homer and 16 extra-base hits in 107 games.
An intelligent player who understands his strengths and weaknesses, Bateman translates his plus-plus speed into beating out hits, stealing bases and covering wide swaths of ground in center field. A two-way player before elbow surgery following his freshman season with the Gophers, he has regained solid arm strength and recorded 14 assists in his first 136 pro starts in center. His biggest backers think he’s a lesser version of Orioles 2023 first-rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr., while more skeptical evaluators think his ceiling is Myles Straw.
Hmmm I’m hopeful his ceiling is a little better than Straw.
Southisene (#28 on MLB Pipeline’s list) is fast, not as fast as Bateman. He was a 4th round pick in 2024. They say:
More advanced than most prep products, Southisene has a disciplined approach and a penchant for using the opposite field. He has a good feel for the barrel, though his relatively flat right-handed swing and lack of strength may cap his power production at 10 homers per season and he has made next to no impact at the plate in his pro debut. He lapses into swinging for the fences at times and must recognize that his role is to make contact and get on base.
Southisene’s instincts allow him to make the most of his solid speed and twitchy athleticism on the bases and in the field. He has quick hands and feet and he makes up for merely average arm strength with a fast release. Though he was drafted as a shortstop, Chicago’s system is overflowing with shortstop prospects, so he has spent 2025 at second base.
Bateman, 24, has played 81 games at Triple-A Iowa, hitting .312/.431/.422 with 3 home runs, 20 steals (caught three times). He’s played all three outfield spots, but mostly center and is said to be a very good defensive outfielder.
Southisene, 19, has played in A, A+ and AA this year. playing short and second. He’s hitting .278/.408/.468 with 12 home runs across the levels.
Really sad to see Gausman go. The return seems ok at first glance, both good defensive players, good speed and get on base (in the minors).
Where there’s smoke, they say, there’s usually fire.
And on Saturday, as signs first publicly emerged that the Dodgers were making a move in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, the team’s behind-the-scenes talks with the Tigers were indeed reaching a fever pitch.
A day earlier, the organizations had begun discussing a trade for Skubal — the American League’s reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner and this year’s top deadline target — in earnest for the first time.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he heard during Saturday night’s game that the Tarik Skubal deal was close to the finish line before the move was announced later that evening. Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
By Saturday evening, the Dodgers’ front office had grown so confident in its chances of landing the left-handed ace that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman dropped a hint to manager Dave Roberts.
“Right before the first pitch, I heard that it was pretty much done,” Roberts recounted on Sunday, as the rest of the baseball world was still digesting the Dodgers’ latest blockbuster acquisition. “There were obviously things that had to go on with medicals, so it wasn’t actually even finalized. I just heard that it was pretty much close.”
“Being on our side, you didn’t really know how long the process was gonna go, whether it was gonna go into Sunday, into Monday,” Friedman said. “But, obviously, we were of the mind to be aggressive and try to get a deal done.”
Though the team had insisted publicly and privately that it didn’t need Skubal, and that it wouldn’t make an all-in push to get the pending free agent at inflated deadline prices, rival teams always saw the Dodgers as his most likely landing spot.
Friedman and Roberts effectively confirmed that on Sunday, saying the club had decided early on to target the 29-year-old superstar, whom they felt was the one true “needle-mover” on this year’s deadline market.
“Skubal or nothing” was the way Roberts put it.
“Our mindset,” Friedman added, “was we’re going to be really aggressive for one player.”
That didn’t mean the Dodgers were certain they would get Skubal.
Skubal pitched his last game for the Tigers on Wednesday and is expected to start Tuesday against the host Cubs. MLB Photos via Getty Images
As recently as the start of this week, it was unclear if the Tigers would even move their star pitcher as they began clawing their way back in the playoff picture. On Thursday, one team source estimated only a 25% likelihood of a deal.
But after Detroit blew a 7-0 lead in what became Skubal’s Tigers finale on Wednesday, a trade finally started to feel like an inevitability.
And over the next 72 hours, the Dodgers didn’t just hang around “the backboard,” as Friedman has quipped about so many of their other star additions over the last half-decade.
This time, armed with a war chest of prospects and few other roster holes to fill, they wanted to try to box everybody else out.
“With where our core is this moment in time,” Friedman said, “erring on the side of aggressive made the most sense right now.”
The first signs of apparent movement came just as the Dodgers began their Saturday night game against the Red Sox, when their Double-A affiliate in Tulsa scratched the highly touted Hope (who is the team’s No. 4 prospect and widely ranked as a top-50 talent around the sport) as well as fellow outfielder prospect Kendall George from their lineup.
But internally, a Hope-centric package had already taken shape.
(An aside: George was also believed to be the subject of trade discussions the Dodgers were having with clubs, but a source noted he was also dealing with a knee issue, having only come back from a freak injury earlier this season).
By the third inning at Dodger Stadium, buzz about the deal picked up further steam.
At that point, the Dodgers were seeking medical records and doing “due diligence,” according to two sources. The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman also reported that the team’s package was believed to be topping those of fellow Skubal contenders, including the Brewers and Yankees.
“Stay tuned,” one person with knowledge of the team’s plans said.
The Dodgers had maintained interest in other players throughout the process, according to sources.
One contingency was Mets starter (and former Yankees closer) Clay Holmes, who could have been a swingman for a Dodgers team that could use reinforcements in the bullpen. The team was reviewing reports for other pitching targets, too.
Still, Skubal remained their primary focus, with Friedman indicating the Dodgers never seriously engaged with any other teams about potential alternatives. And at some point during Saturday’s game, a final deal was struck including two young pitching pieces from the Dodgers’ well-regarded farm system.
That none of the Dodgers’ active big-league arms were included came as a surprise.
There had long been an assumption that the Tigers would want someone from their current rotation, with Emmet Sheehan coming to be seen as the likeliest candidate.
That’s why, when Sheehan was conspicuously absent from the Dodgers’ dugout during the middle innings of their eventual Saturday night loss, industry speculation piqued. It’s not unusual for starters to return to the clubhouse on days they aren’t pitching. But on this occasion, it fueled growing rumors he was headed out the door.
Instead, as Sheehan said from his locker after the game, no one had informed him of any pending trade situation.
Rather, the Tigers ultimately agreed to Ryan (the uber-talented but often-injured 27-year-old right-hander who has been sidelined by a hamstring problem in Triple-A) and Smith (a raw-but-promising 21-year-old flamethrower who has yet to climb above Single-A).
That rounded out what rival evaluators described as a modest — albeit, for what is still a rental player, understandable — package that the Tigers hope includes plenty of long-term upside.
“We gave up a lot of talent,” Friedman insisted. “Those guys are really good.”
But for what the Dodgers hope is the final piece of their three-peat puzzle, they were more than happy to oblige for another marquee transaction.
“Whenever there’s a star-level player that is available that can really shift championship odds,” Friedman said, “those are the moments that we’ll be more aggressive.”
The way Miguel Rojas put it on Sunday, the Dodgers’ ascension to dynasty status has been built, in part, on sacrifice.
There have been memorable examples, like when Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani played through debilitating injuries in the 2024 postseason, or the team’s bullpen was run into the ground to overcome starting pitching absences that October, or when Rojas himself pushed through a side problem to hit the game-tying home run in Game 7 of last year’s Fall Classic.
Dodgers players were ecstatic that the franchise was able to make a deal for Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
There have been smaller reminders daily, as well, with the team’s intangible traits tying together its record-setting payroll in recent years.
Thus, when players learned that the club had acquired two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal on Saturday night, it was a sign to Rojas of the front office’s commitment to upholding that standard.
“I really appreciate the front office and ownership that we have because they really committed the same way that we commit every single day to put our body on the line,” Rojas said. “It’s not just the players doing anything that they can to put themselves out there and play every single day, regardless of what it’s gonna look like in the future. The front office is doing the same thing, and not being comfortable with just winning one or two championships.”
“We are always confident,” he added, “the guys in the front office are going to do whatever it takes to put us in the best position to win.”
Such was the sentiment echoing around the Dodgers’ clubhouse on Sunday, as the team awaited Skubal’s arrival in Los Angeles before its series finale against the Red Sox.
As has become custom for a franchise full of All-Star players and future Hall of Famers, members of the roster were swarmed by reporters for reactions to Saturday’s trade.
Mookie Betts noted how familiar such moves have become in recent years, going back to his procurement before the start of the 2020 season.
“We want to win,” he said. “That was the whole point of when I signed here in 2020. This is what they said they were going to do, and they’ve stuck to their word.”
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman said the organization “tries to win every single year.” Getty Images
Freeman, another in what has become a long line of marquee additions, marveled at the way the organization has made big splashes feel almost expected.
“Pretty amazing,” he said. “Our front office again went out there and got the best player on the trade market. It’s fun to be a part of an organization that tries to win every single year.”
One of the team’s most recent big-name signings, closer Edwin Díaz, smiled as he experienced the scene for his first time in Dodger blue.
“The Dodgers always do something to get better,” he said. “So as a player, I think I was expecting that.”
Kiké Hernández, among the longest-tenured fixtures in the room, simply flashed a double thumbs-up at the mention of Skubal’s name.
Freeman said he was driving with his kids out of the ballpark’s parking lot when his wife, Chelsea, called him.
“She was the one that broke the news to me,” he said with a laugh.
Betts was also on his way home when his phone began to light up.
“I didn’t even know,” he said. “But it was cool.”
Admittedly, most of the Dodgers’ current stars hadn’t been preoccupied by Skubal rumors. By now, they’ve grown used to letting their front office — which had downplayed their pursuit of the left-handed ace in recent weeks — operate in secrecy before pulling off repeated stunners.
“When you look at our team now, you could probably just say our trade deadline is getting [currently injured pitchers] Blake Snell and Tyler [Glasnow] back, and hopefully [currently injured catcher] Will [Smith] back,” Freeman said. “But for them to still go get the best guy on the trade market … it gives us a great chance to win another championship. That’s all we’re trying to do here. And they see that.”
Indeed, beyond everything Skubal will provide on the mound, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said his aggressiveness was also spurred by the clubhouse culture the Dodgers have created.
“When you walk in this clubhouse before the game, every guy is doing something to help us win a game that night. And that level of commitment I think is rare, and I think is unusual,” Friedman said. “For us, it’s about supporting that, backing that up as much as we can.”
After yet another major acquisition, the move had its intended initial effect.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 26: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the fourth inning during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The trade deadline is upon us. Who is your pie in the sky preferred choice for Hazen to acquire?
James Attwood: I’m not sure there is one. I think the best “reasonable” target (which may well be far beyond Arizona’s reach) is Reid Detmers. He’s a quality starter who slots easily into the top half of Arizona’s rotation and stays there even if the good version of Corbin Burnes ever rejoins the rotation in the future. The big thing about a Detmers deal is it also addresses the lack of starting pitching moving forward, as Soroka and Gallen (at the minimum) are both gone come November. He’s also still under control beyond the likely lost 2027 season.
Makakilo: Freddy Peralta.
Ben: I think someone like Hunter Greene would be a really interesting acquisition because of the amount of team control he still has remaining and the profile he strikes. The team definitely needs help in the rotation after Rodriguez and his most improbable run at Cy Young contention. But Greene would help for this season as well as future ones where the rotation is even more questionable. Of course, the asking price from the Reds will be substantially higher than other starting pitchers so Hazen would have to feel pretty comfortable with Greene’s injury history and ability to keep him healthy.
ISH95: Well the pie in the sky acquisition is gone now. Thanks Dodgers. But I wasn’t really thrilled about the idea of picking Skubal up anyway. That being said, I don’t think there are many other crazy acquisitions, at least in the rental market. Players with longer term contracts would fit the bill now, but I’m less aware of those type players who might be available.
Spencer: Jose Soriano. Control, knows how to pitch, what’s not to like?
DBacksEurope: One choice wouldn’t suffice. If I could dream, I’d say Shohei Ohtani but I think it is more probable we land on Mars this year. Yordan Alvarez is another impossible player to get. If you look at players that are pending free agents or to become next year, and with Skubal off the board, and looking at a position of need, I think either Sandy Alcantara or Joe Ryan would be great acquisitions. They will be free agents after 2027.
Justin: I know the Dbacks have been linked to Freddy Peralta, so maybe him. Or Casey Mize. Mason Miller? LMAO….Yeah, right.
1AZFan1: Kyle Tucker. I’m told the Dodgers have so many elite outfield prospects that an underperforming Tucker could be replaced easily. They will probably even pay most of his remaining salary. /s
Who is a more realistic acquisition for the Diamondbacks to pursue?
James Attwood: Maybe Freddy Peralta? Honestly though, I expect his price tag to acquire to also be too high for Arizona to meet. A more realistic option, and coming from the same team, might be Clay Holmes. Sure, he comes with some durability question marks, but so did (and still does) Michael Soroka. As a pure rental who has only made nine starts this year, Holmes should be reasonable to acquire.
Makakilo: Two under-the-radar pitcher acquisitions (via trades with the Angels). Starting pitcher Reid Detmers, 101 ERA+, age 27, under arbitration through the 2028 season. Relief pitcher Sam Bachman, 99 ERA+, age 26, prearb, under arbitration through the 2030 season.
Ben: I think someone in the Reid Detmers or Kevin Gausman tier of starting pitchers is more realistic. Finding an upgrade in the rotation is probably the easiest single change the front office could make because of the cascading series of impacts it would make in the bullpen and the team as a whole. Sadly, the next most realistic scenario is simply standing pat and hoping that players returning from injury will be enough to boost the team back into the playoffs for the first time in three years. It’s not a bad bet because of the roster holes the team has in the rotation and in the lineup, the complicated and uber-competitive nature of the National League, and the number of theoretical buyers around the league increasing the asking prices. But it would be a risk to put your hopes into a series of players who are returning from serious injury to help carry you into the playoffs.
ISH95: I think Casey Mize is a good target for the team, and Gambo linked them to him Saturday morning. Especially if Skubal’s going price is indicative of what the Tigers are asking for their players.
Spencer: Casey Mize. He’s got upside and he’s a rental from a team that doesn’t value good returns for their players.
DBacksEurope: I floated the name of Camilo Doval in a comment the other day. I thought it was a pretty realistic acquisition to do, with quite some upside and under control until the end of 2027. Well, Pittsburgh thought the same. With no other realistic and potentially impactful relievers that fit my definition of “trade line acquisition” (rental or 1 extra year left) and with a lot of “quality” pitching potentially returning in August and September, I think the focus will be on a left-handed bat and a position with need (1B). I think a rental like Arraez makes too much sense, but maybe that is why that trade won’t happen, besides him playing for another NL West team.
Justin: Probably some mid tier SP and bullpen depth. A 1B would be nice.
1AZFan1: I’m just hoping for an innings-eating, 5ish ERA starter. I’m sorry, I don’t really have a name, but that general type is kinda what I’m thinking. Cheap and necessary addition.
What’s the biggest surprise, MLB-wide, you think we’ll see at the deadline this year?
James Attwood: Whatever the return is for Hunter Greene should the Reds move him at the deadline. The whole world expects the Tigers to get themselves a haul for Skubal. Detmers will likewise return the angels a haul, assuming Mozeliak doesn’t make yet another strange decision like he did with the Silseth trade.
Makakilo: What if three teams in contention for the NL WIld Card (Nats, Cards, and Marlins) sell at the trade deadline? On the morning of 1 August, they were between 1.5 and 3 games back in the standings. They may choose to add value instead of chase the playoffs. If contending teams give up, that will be the surprise, which would nevertheless be reasonable to expect. The Nats would be the biggest surprise because in July they acquired Tom Cosgrove and Connelly Early, each of which should help them compete.
Ben: Tarik Skubal will not be traded, the Tigers fail to make the playoffs, and the only return the Tigers get is a compensation draft pick. Maybe those second two results aren’t that surprising given where Detroit finds itself in the standings, but I’m pretty surprised a deal still hasn’t emerged with the sheer number of potential suitors and the playoff odds for the team where they are. [Ed. note] Answer submited 8/1 at 2:59 Arizona time.
ISH95: No one within 3 games of the NL Wild Card sells. All major acquisitions will come from the bottom three NL teams and other non-contending AL WC teams.
Spencer: I think we’ll see a lot of MLB names change hands in the same deals. Prospects aren’t iffier to take on when you don’t know what the system will look like after the lost 2027 season.
DBacksEurope: Anything that goes to the Dodgers isn’t a surprise no more, so I will say that Gausman and Varsho moving to Atlanta was a big surprise. Rutschmann to the Yankees comes in at a good second place. I hadn’t expected the Padres to go for Robbie Ray either, so that would be my number 3.
1AZFan1: I was going to answer Skubal to a non-Dodgers team but….oh well.
Do you think the Diamondbacks will stay under the luxury tax threshold? Or will new players push them past that for the first time in franchise history?
James Attwood: I don’t see any scenario in which they willingly go over the luxury tax threshold. The resulting penalties would cripple the organization moving forward. Besides, they don’t really have the trade chips to add too many players. A single solid acquisition will cost under $6 million, so they should be fine, especially if they move anyone from the veteran roster.
Makakilo: Yes! They will stay under the threshold becuase they are competing to be in the playoffs, not to win the World Series (although anything is possible in the Playoffs).
Ben: I add to look up the luxury tax threshold (it’s $244 million for anyone else who didn’t know off the top of their head) and given the team’s total payroll of ~$231 million, it would take a pretty hefty contract or set of contracts to bring them over it. It would take a Pete Alonso or Mookie Betts level of contract to singlehandedly take the team above that threshold and even a set of players would make it difficult. I also suspect that Kendrick (and by extension Hazen) are very motivated to stay below that number so I think it’s unlikely they do unless a deal they can’t turn away materializes somehow.
ISH95: Everything I’ve read is that they have about $6-7 million to spend, so I think you may be using outdated payroll numbers there. That being said, I think that it’s far more likely right now, in this moment, than it would have been in any year in team history. There won’t be any long term penalties for going over, as those will more than likely all be erased by the next CBA, and as first time offenders, they’ll only be charged 20% on every dollar over. So if they go $10 million over, you’re only talking $2 million in penalties. Hardly franchise crippling. With that mind set, I think the team could theoretically have a lot more room to work with than perhaps they’re given credit for.
Spencer: I can see it going either way. History tells us they will retreat below it and pronounce poverty. But recent aging ownership decisions would lend a case to briefly surpassing it in order to try for a wild card.
DBacksEurope: Nah, Ken Kendrick isn’t going to go over the luxury threshold for this Diamondbacks team. Even if you think you can beat juggernaut LA, you still need to beat another team after them in the World Series. That is too much risk for a cost savvy owner. I do think that Kendrick would be prepared to do it if he really thinks it would give Arizona a realistic chance to win the World Series during what is left of his lifetime, but that isn’t the case this year.
Knoxville Smokies infielder Drew Bowser (12) hits the ball during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Biloxi Shuckers at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on July 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Iowa right-hander Ty Blach was released.
Outfielder and second-round pick Caden Sorrell and right-hander and tenth-round pick Luke Alwood were both promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.
Pelicans right-hander Kaleb Wing has been placed on the full-season injured list.
Jace Beck gave up a home run in the first inning and a home run on the second inning and got the loss. The final line on Beck was five runs on seven hits over just two innings. Beck walked two and struck out five.
Six Iowa pitchers combined to give up 13 runs and 20 hits.
Left fielder Jonathon Long hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, his 12th on the year. Long went 1 for 4 with a walk.
Catcher Ethan Hearn hit his first-ever Triple-A home run in the ninth inning with the bases empty. Hearn was 2 for 4 and has five total home runs this year.
Right fielder Kevin Alcántara singled in the eighth inning to extend his on-base streak to 41 games. Alcántara went 1 for 4 with an RBI groundout in the first inning.
Starter Kevin Valdez pitched five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits. All three runs came on two home runs. Valdez walked two and struck out five.
Frankie Scalzo Jr. retired the side in order in the top of the sixth and got the win. He struck out one.
After Luke Little threw a scoreless seventh, Marino Santy pitched the final two innings and got he save. Santy allowed two hits and one walk, but no runs. He struck out two.
Second baseman Drew Bowser hit a grand slam as part of a five-run sixth inning for the Smokies. It was Bowser’s first Double-A home run and sixth overall. Bowser entered the game in the top of the sixth and that was the only at-bat he got.
Shortstop Karson Simas went 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and an RBI single in the sixth. Simas then scored on Bowser’s slam.
This loss deserves an asterisk because South Bend scored four runs in the top of the eighth, including a home run by Jose Escobar. But because the game was called before the Captains got a chance to bat in the bottom of the inning, all of that was wiped out and the final score was 1-0.
Pierce Coppola had a great start, but he took the loss anyways. Coppola allowed just one unearned run on two hits over five innings. He struck out four and did not walk anyone, although he did hit two batters.
South Bend had two hits, both singles, before the rains came.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 25: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) looks on from the dugout during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers on July 25, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers finally bit the bullet and moved Tarik Skubal for a pretty good prospect package late on Saturday night. Only time will tell how this turns out, but they did get a nice mix of talented young players and a high risk, high reward acquisition in River Ryan. With the August 3rd, 5:00 p.m. ET trade deadline now looming, will the Tigers make more trades? Or, just 2.5 games outside of a wild card spot, will they be satisfied to keep the rest of the team together and continue to try and reach the playoffs without Skubal?
At this point, there’s really not much point selling off talent in my view. If someone wants to pay a hefty price for Casey Mize, Gleyber Torres, or Jack Flaherty, fine, make the move. However, the Tigers are still in position to make a run at this thing, and with a bit of luck they’ll add Jackson Jobe and River Ryan to the pitching staff over the next few weeks. The rotation has been weakened, but the bullpen remains the key component standing between the Tigers and success. It’s hard to believe in this team as any kind of real contender unless that’s sorted out, but there’s also no reason to dump Mize, Flaherty, or Gleyber Torres just to save money.
With Max Clark and Eduardo Valencia off to a good start, this lineup has few truly weak points left in it. The two rookies will cool off and have the natural struggles of any hitter new to the minor leagues, but even so they’re still upgrades over some of the terrible production the Tigers have largely received from the bottom of their lineup. Those two players, along with the addition of Gleyber Torres and now Javy Báez off the injured list gives them better versatility and more options to combat left-handed pitching, while getting the Tigers’ worst hitters out of the lineup.
They also have the option of calling up a red hot Max Anderson from Triple-A Toledo, and that doesn’t have to come at the cost of trading Torres either. Keeping Torres around makes a lot of sense, as that professional at-bat could come in very handy in the postseason. James Outman is pretty much irrelevant with Max Clark now in center field, and the Tigers could release him, call up Anderson, and use a mix of he and Torres at second base, with both of them getting shots at the designated hitter spot here and there or just coming off the bench. It’s probably best to make sure Torres has a fair amount of rest days anyway to try and insure that the oblique injury doesn’t flare up again.
There’s been some speculation that the Tigers could move a reliever, but other than dealing a lefty like Tyler Holton or Enmanuel de Jesus for a significant overpay, there really isn’t an obvious trade to make. It’s just difficult to believe that anyone is going to give up anything for Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, or Drew Anderson at this point. If someone wants to get silly with it and actually give the Tigers something for one of them? Wonderful.
Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg are in a pretty advantageous position regarding further trade talks. They don’t really have to trade any of these players. They still have a realistic shot at squeaking into the postseason, and they’ve already reloaded the system with a lot of what it needed in the Skubal trade. So, they can simply force teams to make it worth their while, or go on as they are and hopefully run down a wild card spot even without Tarik Skubal. Despite the potential addition of Jobe and Ryan, it would still be a good idea to go try and add a quality right-handed reliever as well, it’s just that the competition is likely to be pretty fierce over the next 20 hours.
The one thing that would change my mind is if the Tigers could land a solid starting pitching prospect already in the upper minors. Teams aren’t going to deal a young major league starter for Mize or Torres, but if the Tigers can get a Double-A or Triple-A level prospect they like to fill out depth for the future and potentially even to pitch down the stretch, that should certainly be considered seriously. The only player that seems likely to draw that level of interest is Mize. Flaherty is injured and presumably not an option for anyone. Torres might have some suitors but isn’t going to command a whole lot.
There are plenty of teams hunting a good rental starting pitcher, and Mize is one of the best available. The Rays have been looking, and appear to have lost Shane McClanahan to back issues this afternoon, at least enough to require an IL stint, but the Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Yankees, and possibly the Padres are all in need as well. The question is whether they’ll make it worthwhile for the Tigers to flip Mize or not. With Skubal traded, the Tigers are now comfortably under the luxury tax threshold, and can offer Mize a qualifying offer at season’s end. Keeping him for a reasonable one-year price would be fine if he accepts, but should he decline and sign elsewhere for a deal worth $50 million or more, the Tigers would get a compensation pick after the regular first round of the 2027 draft. That’s far from a certainty, particularly with Mize’s tendency to injury, but such a pick would probably be worth at least as much as teams are going to want to offer for his services.
So, with Skubal traded, the situation is much clearer and simpler now. Rival presidents and GMs are going to have to come calling and be willing to overpay significantly for the Tigers likeliest remaining trade chips. If a deal comes through, the Tigers are in the driver’s seat here and should be expected to do well in any such trade. We can hope that Harris and Greenberg can come up with a relief acquisition of their own to help this bullpen out, but their track record says they aren’t going to land anyone impactful, and with Ryan and Jobe on their way back, there may be little point to a minor relief acquisition anyway. Still, any upgrade in the pen would be appreciated.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 02: Colt Emerson #4 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after beating the Minnesota Twins 7-6 at T-Mobile Park on August 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just as the trade for Luis Castillo at the 2022 trade deadline marked the beginning of an era, it feels that yesterday’s trade of him to Chicago marks the transition into a new one. While the roster has shed players that have played an important role in this era of Mariners baseball — Paul Sewald, Ty France, Eugenio Suárez — Luis Castillo, perhaps because he’s known as La Piedra, has felt foundational to this team’s identity. Now the leader of this rotation has left. So it’s all too fitting that today’s game centered on the flagship members of the new version of the roster: Cole Young, with a four-hit day, and Colt Emerson, with a walk-off hit.
Young got his quad squad started on the very first pitch of the game. He took a fastball about a foot off the plate and sent it right back up the middle. Randy Arozarena showily took a couple pitches without even pretending he might swing and got aboard with a walk. Two outs later, Josh Naylor, who has heard your complaints, hit a high pitch with authority for an extra-base hit to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.
Young’s next hit came to nothing but was nevertheless an impressive piece of hitting. After laying off a splitter in the dirt, Young swung through a cutter. Taj Bradley went right back to the same spot with the same pitch and Young was able to get a piece of it. In a 1-2 count, Young spoiled a pair of 99-mph fastballs to stay alive. Then Bradley went back to the cutter that Young had swung through, and this time, seeing all those pitches paid off as Young scorched it to right field at 108 mph.
Young came back to the plate an inning later, this time with Colt Emerson aboard. This time, Young swung at the first pitch again, a splitter that stayed up in the zone, and hit it at 100 mph to bring in the game’s third run.
In the eighth, now facing a lefty, Young laid off a fastball right at the top rail and fouled off another to find himself quickly in an 0-2 hole against a southpaw. Despite being in protection mode, he was able to take an outside pitch the other way to record his fourth hit of the day and decisively win today’s Sun Hat Award.
That’s two first-pitch hits, a well-fought battle, and an emergency swing he nevertheless got enough of. It’s hits to left, right, and center. It’s hits on a fastball, a splitter, and two cutters. “He’s got a very good approach right now,” Dan Wilson said after the game. Noting that while he’s been swinging at the first pitch more as the season has gone along, Dan added, “It gets him ready to hit everything, and that’s the important thing.”
On May 31, Cole Young celebrated the anniversary of his debut, when he walked off the Minnesota Twins. Since that date, Young has a wOBA and xwOBA north of .350, primarily batting out of the leadoff spot. He’s slashing .295/.330/.498. Mark this down now, maybe even in tattoo ink: Cole Young will start the 2027 All-Star Game.
Young was carrying the game’s narrative through the first six and a half innings because I almost forgot about the Mariners’ starter, George Kirby. It was one of those Kirb Your Enthusiasm games, but in the best way. Kirby was just cruising through the game, mixing his pitches and working the edges to throttle the Twins’ hitters. Although he held 96 into the seventh inning, he wasn’t overpowering, just winning every battle. With only three strikeouts, he simply kept things easy peasy, allowing just six baserunners and no runs scored, efficient enough to complete seven innings in under 100 pitches.
With Kirby departing the mound after seven innings with a 3-0 lead, Cal Raleigh blew the game open in the bottom of the inning. Earlier in the game, Cal punished a ball 399 feet, but to the deepest part of the park, so it landed in a glove. In the seventh, with two on, he pulled the ball instead and gave it another 19 feet for good measure. Overall, he continues to be more “so close” than “actually on it” right now, but the past two weeks are pushing that in the right direction.
However, if Kirby was a little boring over his seven innings, the next two existed to remind you that interesting is not necessarily better. The A-side of the bullpen managed to blow a six-run lead, with a three-run dinger off Jose Ferrer, a two-run jack off Eduard Bazardo, and a one-run tater off Andrés Muñoz.
The Mariners would have to walk it off again. Josh Naylor opened the ninth with his second hit of the day, then aggressively took third base on a base hit from Victor Robles. When I say aggressive, I’m referring to more than just his running.
Sporting a bloody face, Naylor was taken out of the game, but he’s fine. Really he was just doing Stuart Fairchild a solid by giving him a chance to pinch run.
With the established arms having blown a three-run lead, the game would come down to a rookie: Colt Emerson, who has been going through it lately as he tries to adjust back to the adjustments the league made to him after his hot first few weeks. Over his first 30 days, he had a 145 wRC+. But since then, that number’s been 20, the second-worst mark in baseball.
Minnesota’s Yeondrys Gómez fed him four straight fastballs, almost a dare. But for as much as Emerson’s struggled lately, the talent underlying that first month is still there. Gómez couldn’t get the fourth one past Emerson. The rookie laced the ball at 105 off the bat for his first-career walk off. It was the fourth time the Mariners have walked off the Twins at T-Mobile Park in the past two seasons. The first was authored by Cole Young.
With an off day tomorrow, that means the Mariners head into the trade deadline at 55-58, three games back of the Astros in the AL West. Brendan Donovan is set to return on Tuesday. Seranthony Domínguez will have arrived in Seattle. With Jerry Dipoto at the wheel, surely more changes are in store as well. But at least for the moment, riding the high of today’s game, it feels to me like those will be buyers’ moves.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: Dalton Rushing #68 of the Los Angeles Dodgers calls for time after a play against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium on July 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Dalton Rushing was a late scratch from Sunday evening’s game against the Boston Red Sox, as the Dodgers catcher is dealing with minor arm irritation. He was replaced by Eliezer Alfonzo, who batted ninth in the final game of the homestand.
Manager Dave Roberts said Rushing felt irritation in the elbow area while playing catch, something he hadn’t experienced before. Roberts said Rushing had an X-ray on his elbow, which came out clean.
“He wanted to keep trying to push through it, but I didn’t want to take a chance and push him anymore. I decided to scratch him, and he got treated today,” Roberts said. “He’s kind of day to day.”
Roberts said Saturday that Smith is pain free and building up strength in the weight room, but didn’t have a firm estimate on a return timetable.
“For me, it’s day to day, but I know Will is anxious to get back out there. But there has to be a progression, and games played,” Roberts said. “I just don’t see before three or four weeks.”
Since Smith last played, Rushing has started 34 of 48 games behind the plate for the Dodgers, and held his own, hitting .235/.335/.475 with a 123 wRC+ and 12 home runs on the season. Rushing has -3 catcher framing runs and -4 catching run value on defense.
Alfonzo has started eight games and before him Chuckie Robinson started six games at catcher. The duo has a combined six hits in 44 at-bats (.136) with two doubles (both by Alfonzo) and no walks.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman did not address the team’s potential need for a catcher, only speaking vaguely on Sunday about what’s left ahead of Monday’s 3 p.m. PT trade deadline.
“For us it’s trying to balance to keep one eye on the present, and one eye on the future, and balancing all of that,” Friedman said. “A lot of conversations on a number of different fronts. How likely is tough to say, but we’ll continue to work through tomorrow.”
The 21-year-old infielder closed out his first week with Double-A Binghamton by putting together one of his best showings.
Voit reached base four times on Sunday night, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
He cracked the first pitch of the game deep over the left-center fence for his first homer at the new level.
The young slugger ripped a single to left with two men on and two outs his next time up, but Kevin Parada got gunned down at the plate to end the inning.
Voit added to his tally in the fourth, though, this time ripping a two-run double to deep center.
Reading finally retired him in the sixth, but he did even more damage two innings later, lacing another two-run double to cap his day at the plate.
He scored his third run of the game two pitches later on Chris Suero’s homer.
Voit finished 4-for-5 with a single, home run, and two doubles while scoring three times and driving in five.
The former first-round pick is now hitting an even .500 with five RBI, six extra base-hits, and a 1.502 OPS through his first 22 Double-A at-bats.
Aug 2, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; GreenJacket outfielder Eric Hartman (17) throws the ball during the Augusta GreenJackets and Carolina Mudcats game at SRP Park. The GreenJackets won the fifth game of the series 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s going to be a big final month on the farm to evaluate some of the young players in the system, as the Atlanta Braves are ramping up their promotion aggression to new heights. While in most seasons a handful of select players get pushed up the system for the final month (valuable in part because the upper level seasons last longer), the Braves are pushing up most of the significant prospects that have not already been promoted. In recent weeks we’ve seen Tate Southisene get a bump to Double-A Columbus, Alex Lodise a promotion to Rome, and Briggs McKenzie a move to Rome. Though two of those players are now injured these moves reinvigorate excitement in teams that have lost players throughout the season, and it also makes space for 2026 draftees to make their debuts with Augusta.
Rome to Columbus
The lineup in Columbus is going to get a much-needed influx of talent to add to the Tate Southisene pickup (if and when he returns to action). The top of Rome’s order is getting a wholesale bump to Columbus, while also adding Cam Caminiti off of his best career start and arguably the greatest minor league start by a Braves in at least the past decade.
The most notable prospect making the leap to Columbus is the system’s top overall prospect Eric Hartman. Hartman has led the way in the system almost from the jump this season with 24 home runs in 94 games, and has broken out as the near-unanimous top prospect in the system. He’s maintained consistent output from day one, and while the command ability of Double-A pitchers will be a test for him it is one that is needed. Hartman clearly has a handle for High-A pitching and has started drawing more walks, and though his hit tool is still a bit of a question mark he will have a real chance to face a true challenge.
John Gil and Owen Carey will also being receiving promotions. These two are sort of headed in the opposite direction at the moment, though it isn’t the first time Gil will get a chance in Double-A. He had a short stint with Columbus last season before going back to High-A this season and playing well the first few months. He has had a poor July that has crushed his numbers for the season overall, but hit a home run in his last game with Rome and has the approach and pitch recognition to adjust to Double-A. Owen Carey meanwhile has been one of the system’s hottest hitters, putting an early season injury behind him and breaking out with his best power numbers while making solid contact. Carey will face the biggest test as his free-swinging nature will be challenged by High-A pitchers, but given his age this is still a player who is well ahead of the curve.
Finally, after Cam Caminiti’s last start he should get a chance to be promoted. Caminiti struck out 14 batters in 6 2/3 innings and even more impressive was the mind-boggling 33 whiffs on 56 swings (58.9%). Caminiti has had a few inconsistent streaks this season and his command has been a bit worse than expected, but he is coming off of two good starts back-to-back and has been taking well to the adjustments to his arsenal. Caminiti has missed bats more and more as the season has gone on, and even at his worst has been a guy who never gives up hard contact or makes a lot of mistakes over the middle of the plate. Double-A will be a test of his command, but his stuff is Double-A ready and the Braves especially love to blitz pitchers through the system. Still, Caminiti is already 13 innings over last season’s total so having some lowered expectations may be fair.
Sounds like it will be Eric Hartman, Owen Carey, John Gil, and Cam Caminiti who will be off to Columbus. A major influx of talent for the @GoClingstones
Two big time hitting prospects will be filling the gaps for the Rome offense, and both are going to face a real test in Rome. Luis Guanipa has been phenomenal for Augusta now that he is finally healthy, and though he has been inconsistent this season there is little doubt he should be capable of handling High-A pitching. Guanipa isn’t the type of player who really struggles with pure stuff and should be able to handle the bump in quality between levels, though his approach will be a factor in that. Guanipa’s free-swinging is a major concern in his profile and the difference in command between Single-A and High-A is real, but Guanipa’s bat-to-ball skills are good enough for him to be able to overcome it for now. How he fares against pitching beyond Rome is a question, but Guanipa can hit without a doubt.
Conor Essenburg has the opposite problem of Guanipa, where his contact and tendency to not swing at all can at times be detrimental. Essenburg has been incredible this season and when he makes contact it comes off of the bat like no one else in the system. He has the zone recognition to make the jump to High-A, and the steadier high-quality of fastballs in High-A shouldn’t be a problem, though he will have to do a better job of handling secondary stuff. Essenburg’s swing rate in the strike zone is extremely low, and while his selectiveness is a trait High-A hitters are the level at which guys are capable of throwing strikes enough to put overly patient hitters in early holes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Essenburg taking more early-count hacks to try to combat this, and Essenburg has shown such an aptitude for making adjustments that I don’t expect the learning curve to overwhelm him.
Cody Miller is headed back to Rome and will hope to reverse his concerning performance from earlier this season. Miller was awful in Rome to start the season, but has managed to level things out a bit in Augusta. He is drawing a lot more walks now (though that is influenced by the quality of pitching) and had six home runs in Augusta in June. He needs a bounce back, and at 22 years old can’t be spending most of a season in Single-A. Catcher Austin Machado will be making the jump to Double-A where he will provide depth for the Clingstones. Machado is not a guy with much power but he makes a lot of contact, he’s patient at the plate, and he’s a very impressive defender. He’s not going to be a guy who ever gets much attention, but there is the framework for a guy who could be a third or fourth catcher type to stash at the upper levels.
Can confirm the Braves are sending a bunch of prospects from Augusta to Rome to make way for some of the draftees.
This list includes Conor Essenburg, Luis Guanipa, Daniel Brooks, Cody Miller, and Austin Machado.
Essenburg and Guanipa it’s beyond time they earned this move up,…
What we’re waiting to hear word on now is who is going to come up to fill the open roster spots in Augusta. We know that AJ Gracia won’t be one of those, given his season-ending labrum surgery, but there are a few options from the Braves draft. The most likely of those is PPI selection Carter Beck, who has both the experience to fit in quickly with Augusta and the high draft stock for them to want to get a look at him. Parker Brosius would be another interesting college outfield after his breakout senior season. We’ll also likely see one of the five catchers drafted fill in Machado’s spot, though it’s impossible to guess which will get the nod. Jack Brenner would be fun to see in pro ball after getting such a high signing bonus, but the Braves are probably more likely to go with one of the college catchers they drafted. Fifth rounder Wil Libbert also has a high likelihood of getting a spot given he is their highest selected college arm, but beyond that it’s not really going to be easy to predict which of the high bonus guys may have a chance to debut. Second and third rounders Kaiden McCarthy and Jensen Hirschkorn would be especially intriguing options. 11th round overslot signee Ryne Barker could also get the infield spot vacated by Miller, and would certainly be an intriguing watch for the final month of the year.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 30: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals reacts as he lays his head on third base after hitting a RBI triple in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With just over 24 hours left before the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, Yankees fans had begun to grow anxious. The offense badly needed help, the bullpen was begging for reinforcements, and let’s be honest, nobody would ever say no to more depth in the starting rotation (just ask the Dodgers!). Then, as they were watching Gerrit Cole and the Yankees’ bullpen walk a tightrope against the Cubs in a windy Wrigley, Joel Sherman posted this tweet.
A left-handed hitting first baseman who can fake it at second and short (but isn’t particularly good at either spot), Luis García Jr. was not a player who had been on most people’s radars; after all, the Yankees were desperate to add a right-handed bat, not someone else who needed to sit against southpaws. And yet, with the Yankees offense struggling against, well, everybody since Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton hit the shelf, the Bombers clearly were looking for anybody whose bat had a pulse.
Yankees fans didn’t have all that long to wait, as just a few minutes after the game ended, Jeff Passan reported that the deal was done. Soon, the news broke that the Yankees were sending four pitchers to DC in the deal: Double-A arm Jack Cebert, the recently-promoted Yovanny Cruz, Futures Game representative Ben Grable, and 2025 Trade Deadline bust Jake Bird.
BREAKING: The New York Yankees are acquiring infielder Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals, sources tell ESPN. Garcia, 26, leads the National League in slugging percentage and is hitting .283/.313/.560 with 23 home runs. He’s under club control through end of 2027.
Immediately, the community began to discuss the deal.
While the most common reaction was something along the lines of, “Oh wow, a player who can hit the ball, I didn’t know we were allowed to acquire them,” others, however, focused on the fact that he is a first baseman/designated hitter, which the team theoretically has plenty of, even if in practice they don’t.
Others, in typical Pinstripe Alley fashion, promptly began looking ahead to the next few moves, recognizing that the move does not fill their gaping hole at “offense against lefties.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top-voted comment on our breaking news post was a straightforward celebration of the fact that we are now assured that neither Bird nor Camilo Doval—two Trade Deadline moves from last year that went bust, unlike David Bednar—will appear on a mound in Yankees pinstripes again.
While there was some Ryan Jeffers discussion, as we dream of the Twins reversing their course and opting to sell, the main topic of conversation was shortstop George Lombard Jr., who is knocking on the door of a possible promotion from Triple-A.
All in all, we’re going to have a lot to talk about over the next few days, as inevitably, this will not be the last move the Yankees make. But, as we wait for Jeff Passan, Ken Rosenthal, or Jack Curry to give us some more news, let’s take a step back and reflect on this first step.
What do you think of the Yankees’ new bat? Vote in the poll, and let us know in the comments’ section below!
Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal sits on the bench during the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“I heard that it was pretty much done,” Roberts recounted Sunday afternoon. “But there’s obviously things that have to go on with medical, so it wasn’t actually even finalized. I just heard that it was pretty much close.”
Friedman, however, wasn’t ready to exhale until he got final word from the Tigers during the game.
“I had no idea and was trying to emotionally hedge,” he said. “I wasn’t getting too high or too low on it until we actually found out.”
There was, it turned out, no need to stress. On Saturday, the Dodgers agreed to trade three prospects — outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 25 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100), right-handed pitcher River Ryan (No. 68) and right-hander Brady Smith — to the Tigers for one of the best starters in baseball.
Even as the Dodgers signaled a potentially low-key trade deadline in the lead-up — “we try to do everything we can to avoid not having to do something,” Friedman said last week — many rival executives and scouts had come to see the Dodgers landing Skubal as practically inevitable.
Of course, the World Series favorites didn’t need to acquire Skubal. But if they wanted him, they’d get him.
And they did.
“Friday it started picking up a little bit,” Friedman said. “But [Saturday] it was much more aggressive back and forth and a lot of different conversations. Obviously being on our side, you didn’t really know how long the process was gonna go, whether it was gonna go into Sunday, into Monday. But obviously we were of the mind to be aggressive and try to get a deal done.
“We were of the mind to be aggressive for one player this deadline, and fortunately we were able to line up.”
Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, speaks to reporters on Jan. 21. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
Two aspects of the trade did, however, take the industry by surprise: the timing and the return.
The Dodgers pulled off the trade without disrupting their major-league squad. Ryan, who made four major-league starts in 2024, has the stuff to compete in the majors, but health has kept him from another call-up.
“Obviously they felt good going through it,” Friedman said. “We gave up a lot of talent. Those guys are really good, and have a chance to be really good major-league players. But with where our core is, this moment in time, it was something that we felt like, erring on the side of aggressive made the most sense right now.”
“I think it’s arguably the best rotation of all time — as if it wasn’t before as well,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “Hope he’s ready to win a ring.”
"Whenever there's a star-level player that is available, that can really shift championship odds, those are the moments that we'll be more aggressive."
Dodgers' President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman speaks to the media on the #Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal via trade… pic.twitter.com/CzJZYModUb
Said veteran utility player Miguel Rojas: “It’s a statement from this organization to the rest of the league and the world that they’re not just satisfied with what happened the last couple years. … It’s kind of like a pressed button for us to kind of continue to go and not let the rest of the league catch up to our standards.”
Of course, health is never guaranteed. Skubal and Snell have undergone surgeries to remove loose bodies from their pitching elbows. Skubal has made nine appearances since, and Snell is scheduled to make one more rehab start before being activated off the injured list.
Glasnow, on the verge of a rehab assignment, has been sidelined for nearly three months with back spasms, an injury the Dodgers initially hoped wouldn’t even need an IL stint.
Ohtani’s nagging knee problem creates the most uncertainty. Ohtani hasn’t pitched in nearly a month, despite receiving an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint. He could restart playing catch this week in Chicago, Roberts said.
“We’re as confident as we can be that he’s going to be back and he’s going to start throwing soon and building back up,” Friedman said. “You can never perfectly predict the future but if you said, ‘Hey, place a bet on it,’ I would be very confident placing it that he would be back pitching.”
Pitcher Tarik Skubal is congratulated by teammates after playing in his final game with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
With this much time off, however, Ohtani will need to build back up to a starter’s workload without the benefit of a rehab assignment, similar to what he did last season. The timing of his return to the mound will dictate how long the build-up will be.
“We have a plan to build him up slowly, methodically,” Roberts said. “And that would have happened if this trade would have happened or not.”
In the meantime, the Dodgers are filling his spot in the rotation with the best possible option. Skubal is scheduled to make his Dodgers debut Tuesday against the Cubs in Chicago.
And the Dodgers aren’t necessarily done dealing. As of Sunday afternoon, they still were engaged on “a number of different conversations on a number of different fronts,” Friedman said.
Late on Saturday evening, the Detroit Tigers made a monumental trade, sending ace pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for prospects River Ryan, Zyhir Hope, and Brady Smith.
Skubal, who has won consecutive American League Cy Young Awards, joins a stacked Dodgers roster looking to become the first MLB World Series three-peat club since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.
That leaves many sports fans in the Motor City wondering - is Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin the next high-profile athlete to be moved?
Of course, Larkin's stunning trade request went public in early June, and it had a major ripple effect on the organization from that point on.
General manager Steve Yzerman stepped down from his role just over a month later in mid-July, while future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane chose to return to the Chicago Blackhawks despite expressing interest in what would have been a third straight extension to stay in Detroit.
Like Larkin, Skubal was a homegrown talent (although not a Michigan native) who was drafted by Detroit and developed through the organization before eventually becoming the face of the franchise, and arguably the top player at his position in the Majors.
While Larkin may not be considered a superstar on the level of players such as Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, or Nikita Kucherov, he remains a highly productive top-six forward coming off his fourth consecutive season with at least 30 goals.
However, their contract situations were vastly different.
Skubal entered salary arbitration before the current season and defeated the Tigers in his case, setting him up to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 campaign.
Larkin, meanwhile, has only completed the third season of the eight-year contract he signed in 2023, keeping him under team control through 2031. However, his no-movement clause significantly limited Detroit's ability to secure what it believed would be an acceptable return package in a potential trade.
Initially, Larkin reportedly would only approve a move to the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, or Minnesota Wild. None of those teams, however, were able to provide general manager Steve Yzerman with the level of compensation he was seeking for a player of Larkin's caliber.
As of now, Larkin’s trade request remains unresolved, and that situation may not be settled anytime soon. The Red Wings are currently focused on finding Steve Yzerman’s replacement, and it's possible their search could extend until shortly before training camp begins in mid-September.
Detroit's next general manager will be tasked with either convincing Larkin to rescind his trade request or continuing the transition by dealing him for current or future assets.
Now that Skubal is officially a former Detroit athlete, all eyes are now on Larkin's future.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: Keider Montero #54 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the bottom of the first inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on August 02, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Keider Montero fired six shutout frames and the Tigers bullied Athletics pitching again to win 11-0 and complete a three-game sweep. The Tigers scored 32 runs in this series. No one player was really the hero as the offense pounded out 12 hits and drew nine walks, but Eduardo Valencia continued to rake, contributing a pair of two-run doubles to lead the way.
A.J. Hinch stacked up his right-handed hitters to face young lefty Gage Jump in this one. The 23-year-old got out to a really good start this season but has struggled quite a lot since late June. Riley Greene got a day off, while Max Clark was in against the lefty and Javier Báez was on the bench as well.
Gleyber Torres led off and drew a walk from Jump. Dillon Dingler, the designated hitter in this one, followed with a single. Kevin McGonigle took a called strike three, and Eduardo Valencia also had a little trouble picking up Jump’s fastball after falling behind 0-2, and took a heater right down the gut for strike three as well. That was fine because Spencer Torkelson smoked a double that split the left and center fielders to the wall, scoring both baserunners for a 2-0 lead. Torkelson snatched third base on a pitch that squirted away from catcher Jonah Heim. Hao-Yu Lee ripped a hot one-hopper down the third base line but Tommy White made a really nice pick and saved a run by throwing Lee out.
Montero took the bump knowing that as a fly ball pitcher, he needed to avoid mistakes in a very home run friendly Triple-A park. Donovan Walton popped out to shallow left field to start things off. Tyler Soderstrom ripped a hot one-hopper that clipped Montero in the heel, rode up his back, and stayed right there. Montero gloved it in the air and easily retired Soderstrom. Montero was laughing about it and quickly dismissed the training staff’s concerns and got back to business. He just missed to a 2-2 changeup to Heim and then yanked one to walk him. Tommy White squared up a sinker but Max Clark ran it down easily near the warning track.
Max Clark challenged a 2-1 fastball from Jump that was called a strike. The rookie was correct, and then Jump missed 3-1 to put the speedy center fielder on to begin the second inning. Malgeri then grounded a 3-1 pitch into a 6-4-3 double play, but the Tigers challenged the play at first and they were right again as Malgeri beat out the throw by a few inches. Zach McKinstry flew out in foul territory down the left field line, leaving it up to Torres as the lineup turned over. The first pitch to Torres was a passed ball that got Malgeri into scoring position, and the Tigers second baseman once again patiently waited out the youngster and drew a walk. Dingler took a called strike three to strand two.
Lawrence Butler led off with a single, but Montero got a fly out and Alika Williams, former ASU teammates of Torkelson and Gage Workman, grounded into a force of Butler. Montero wasn’t getting many whiffs, and Valencia may have cost him a strike or two, but Jeff McNeil flew out to McKinstry, who had an…interesting route on the ball, to end the inning.
The Tigers went in order in the top of the third, but they did continue to wear on Jump, and he finished the inning at 55 pitches.
Montero got the first two hitters in the bottom half, but Soderstrom lined a one-hopper over the right field wall for a two-out double. Heim immediately hit a soft tapper in front of the plate and Valencia easily threw him out to send us to the fourth.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Max Clark put together another patient at-bat and walked for the second straight plate appearance. Malgeri worked a full count and Jump’s effectively wild routine was wearing thin. Heim wasted a challenge, but the pitch was low and there were two on for McKinstry. Jump fell behind 2-0 again, and McKinstry smoked a line drive just over Walton at second for a sharp single. The runners had to wait a beat as Walton leapt for it, and so Billy Boyer held Clark at third, and the bases were juiced for Gleyber Torres. Former Tigers right-hander Elvis Alvarado was warming in the pen.
Gleyber Torres got an 0-1 heater and paddled it back through the box for a two-run single. McKinstry went first to third just ahead of the throw, and it was 4-0 Tigers. Dingler had some trouble with Jump’s slider and struck out.
Jump’s outing looked like it would end either way after McGonigle, and the Tigers rookie got ahead 3-1 and eventually walked to load the bases for Valencia. Mark Kotsay brought in Alvarado, and his triple digit heat remains intact. Valencia fouled off a triple digit 0-2 pitch, and then Alvardo dropped a slider right down the middle and Valencia came through once again, smashing a two-run double to left. Mwahaha. 6-0 Tigers. Torkelson flew out, and a now rested Montero took the mound with a big old lead.
Montero got a pair of quick outs on routine contact, then walked Carlos Cortes with two outs in the bottom half. Alika Williams popped out to Torres to end the inning. Montero hadn’t been terribly efficient and still didn’t have a strikeout to this point, but he was at 58 pitches and looked primed to go six. The Tigers went in order against Alvarado in the top of the fifth, with Lee and Malgeri flying out, and Clark striking out swinging.
Montero dropped in a perfect 0-2 slider to McNeil to start the bottom of the fifth. Valencia failed to challenge it, and McNeil fouled off a pair of heaters before flying out to McKinstry in right field. Henry Bolte fouled a 2-2 fastball right back into the mask of home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak. He was shaken up, and after a little concussion testing, it was determined that he needed to leave the game. Adam Beck moved from second base to the home plate umpire spot, and there was a lengthy delay as the umpiring crew talked it through.
When play finally resumed, Montero plunked Bolte with the first pitch he threw. Walton slapped a grounder to third and Lee to McGonigle to Torkelson, who made a nice diving scoop while keeping his toe on the bag, recorded a double play to end the inning.
Lefty Hogan Harris took over in the sixth. Zach McKinstry greeted him with a single up the middle. He took second on a wild pitch, and Torres drew a walk. Dingler chased a rainbow curveball down and struck out for the third time in this one. The success at hammering breaking stuff may be getting him a little too aggressive at this point. McGonigle grounded into a double play to send us to the bottom half.
Montero punched out Soderstrom with a slider for his first strikeout of the game. Heim flew out to Clark, but Tommy White got ahead 3-0. Montero then threw two fourseamers right on the outer edge which were absolute perfection, and then whiffed him on a slider right on the corner to send us to the seventh. Montero was through six with just two hits and two walks allowed. Montero’s ERA is down to 3.17 with a WHIP right at 1.00. Impressive stuff despite the relative lack of strikeouts.
Right-hander Hayden Juenger was on for the Athletics in the seventh. Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-out single to center field after a sleepy pair of innings for the offense in triple digit heat and holding a big lead. Max Clark got a first pitch heater on the outer edge and went with it, barrelling a line drive single to left field. Hinch wasn’t sitting on this lead, and he pinch hit Colt Keith for Ben Malgeri to try and cash in these baserunners. He worked into a full count but Juenger tied him up with a heater inside and he popped out.
Tyler Holton succeeded Montero in the seventh. He racked up three routine ground balls, but the third one was right on the third base line and Lee clanged it trying to circle around to a better throwing angle, allowing Williams to reach. McNeil singled up the middle and just past a diving McGonigle. Clark hustled and got to it quickly to hold Williams at second, and the Tigers turned to Drew Anderson with the right-handed hitting Bolte digging in at the plate. A 1-1 changeup got a routine grounder to McGonigle to end the seventh inning. Still 6-0 Tigers.
Lefty Ben Bowden took over for the A’s in the eighth, while the Tigers continued to wage war on the pythag. Torres walked for the fourth time on the day with one out, then Dingler was clipped on the right wrist, and fortuantely appeared no worse for wear. Good grief this Athletics team is terrible…and a wild pitch advanced the runners, while a walk to McGonigle loaded the bases. That brought up Valencia, and you know the big man wants to eat. Feast he did, getting a 3-1 fastball down and smoking a one-hopper off the left field wall for a two-run double. Spencer Torkelson dumped a single into center field to score McGonigle and it was 9-0 Tigers. Hao-Yu Lee grounded into a force of Torkelson at second, and Valencia scored to make it 10-0. Max Clark popped out, mercifully ending the inning.
The Tigers had now scored eight or more runs in five straight games for the first time since August 2 of 1996, exactly 30 years ago.
Anderson punched out Walton to start the bottom of the eighth, and Soderstrom flew out to James Outman, who had taken over in left field and replacing Keith in the lineup. Heim dumped a bloop single to right field with two outs. Anderson flew away Tommy White with high heat to send us to the ninth.
The A’s moved their DH, Cortes, to the mound to preserve whatever is left of that pitching staff. James Outman took advantage, launching a solo shot off the soft tossing lefty to right field for a 11-0 lead. After a pair of ground outs, Dingler singled, but McGonigle flicked a little breaking ball to left to end the inning. Everyone, most especially the A’s, just wanted this one over.
Enmanuel de Jesus took over to finish this game off. Brian Serven, former Tiger, singled on a grounder that Hao-Yu Lee couldn’t quite glove. Jeff McNeil singled with two outs, but de Jesus whiffed Bolte to end it.
The White Sox and the Guardians both won, while the Twins lost on Sunday. The Tigers remain 2.5 games back in the wild card hunt and 5.5 games back in the AL Central. Casey Mize is scheduled to start on Tuesday in Seattle, but we’ll see if he’s still a Tiger or not at that point.
