WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 05: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the third inning during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, July 5, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup has given opposing pitchers nightmares all season, but that still doesn’t excuse the Washington staff after allowing 23 runs in just 3 games, resulting in a series loss. The Phillies and Marlins remain red-hot, and the National League Wild Card race isn’t getting any weaker, making this upcoming series against the Astros, and the rest of the month of July for that matter, all the more important.
Houston is sitting on the bubble of a playoff spot and has been playing some much better baseball after a few dreadful stretches during the first half of the season. They still find themself 2 games under .500 and 3rd in an inconsistent American League West, but one series could change the landscape of the entire division.
Game 1 – Monday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas (2-7, 5.44 ERA)
HOU: RHP Mike Burrows (4-8, 5.58 ERA)
This is where the conversation surrounding Mikolas continues to get controversial. A dazzling month of May and portion of June had him looking like a potentially impactful piece in the patchwork Washington rotation, but 2 of his last 3 starts have seen him allow 5 or more runs. He enters this next appearance with a full week of rest, and the Nats will hope that the veteran can get himself back on track.
On the flip side, Burrows had just 2 outings in June where he allowed less than 4 runs, with one of those coming in a 1-inning relief spot. The righty has yet to put together a stretch of starts that has looked anything close to adequate, making him the perfect starter for the Nationals to jump on early and set the tone in this weekday series.
Game 2 – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-1, 3.05 ERA)
HOU: RHP Tatsuya Imai (5-4, 6.14 ERA)
It’s odd for a starter who has yet to work into the 6th inning to be labeled as a “rotation savior”, but that’s essentially what Alvarez has been for the Nats. He rarely gives up any substantial amount of runs, and while it won’t always look the prettiest, the results speak for themselves. The southpaw has also seen an uptick in his whiff rates as of late, making him one of the more important arms on the roster as it stands.
The transition to MLB has been rocky at best for Imai, who signed a large contract with Houston over the offseason as one of the premier Japanese pitching talents to come overseas in recent years. He’s forcing whiffs, but hitters are rarely chasing his pitches and squaring up anything and everything that’s in the zone. The Washington power bats could have a field day on Tuesday night, and elevating the baseball is once again an ideal way to succeed.
Game 3 – Wednesday 6:45 PM EST
WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (9-2, 2.87 ERA)
HOU: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 3.81 ERA)
Griffin has remained steady into the month of July, and I don’t think it’s crazy to say that the lefty is making a case for being one of the most productive arms in the entire National League. He’s lowered his ERA to a sub-2.90 mark, and his WHIP is teetering on dipping below 1.00. One of the biggest breakout arms in MLB, Griffin’s next start could be a crucial one, depending on how the first two games of the series go.
The Nats will hope to see the June Arrighetti rather than his initial July form on Wednesday evening. The righty was tagged for 25 runs in 25.0 innings across 5 June appearances, but settled down and allowed just 1 run and 2 hits over 6.0 innings against Tampa Bay to open his month of July. The matchup heavily favors Washington, but it will be a battle of finesse pitchers in the series finale.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 5: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 5, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today included in his Sunday Notebook four potential Astros trade targets:
Today, former MLB GM Jim Bowden of The Athletic gave us four targets of his own, 3 new ones and one that was also included by Nightengale in Mickey Moniak:
From former MLB GM Jim Bowden:
The Astros are searching for a left-handed hitting outfielder with pop to better balance their lineup. There are not a lot of players available who fit that profile, but a few significant ones they should target include Jarren Duran, Kerry Carpenter, Ryan O’Hearn and maybe even Mickey Moniak.
Best fit: Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox
Duran needs a change of scenery and would thrive in the Astros’ strong clubhouse environment.
Jarren Duran
Duran, 29, is having the worst season of his career, clearly impacted by the mass of trade rumors that surrounded him all offseason and the tumult around the Red Sox to this point in the year. Duran this season is batting just .197 with a .259 OBP and .620 OPS.
It should be noted that his previous 2 season, he combined to post a 14.9 WAR, has led the AL in triples both seasons, led the AL in doubles in 2024 (in which he finished 8th in AL MVP).
Duran, between 2023 and 2025, batted .273 with a .339 OBP, .812 OPS and 122 OPS+. He also stole 82 bases during that time, with a season high of 34. It stands to reason he is a terrific ‘buy low’ candidate, but clearly there is risk involved, if his production doesn’t return this season.
He has played all 3 outfield positions, but has primarily played LF and CF, at near equal rates. He grades much better defensively in LF than he does in CF.
Duran is on a 1 year, $7.7M contract, and has 2 years of arbitration eligibility remaining.
Kerry Carpenter
Carpenter, 28, is traditionally a low average, low on-base, higher OPS guy because of his power. He is batting .234 this season with a .306 OBP and .790 OPS. Carpenter has 13 HR and 36 RBI in 67 games (192 AB).
For his career he is a .263 batter with a .319 career OBP and .823 OPS. He will provide power, but his other numbers seem to go against what the Astros have shown a desire to add to the lineup, which is the ability to get on base and control the strike zone.
Carpenter is primarily a RF, but has experience in LF as well.
Carpenter is on a 1 year, $3.275M contract, and has 2 years of arbitration eligibility remaining.
Ryan O’Hearn
O’Hearn, 32, is having a solid offensive season in his first year in Pittsburgh, batting .284 with a .344 OBP and .807 OPS. He has 13 HR and 51 RBI in 285 AB to date this season.
O’Hearn has primarily been a 1B, but has experience in both corner OF spots. He is a below average defender at all 3 positions.
Over his most recent 3.5 seasons (going back to 2023), O’Hearn has batted .278 with a .343 OBP, .795 OPS and 119 OPS+. He has been the most consistent offensive player of the bunch, but the worst defender.
O’Hearn is in the first year of a 2 year, $29M deal, and will make $15M next season.
Mickey Moniak
Moniak, 28, is a former 1st round pick in 2016 drafted out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was brought up at age 22 the first time, and again at age 23 for a brief time as well, and struggled badly. He was traded to the Los Angeles Angels at the deadline in 2022 for Noah Syndergaard.
2023 finally led to a breakthrough season for Moniak, who hit .280 with 14 HR and 45 RBI after being called up May 12. He posted an .802 OPS, but only a .307 OBP because he walked just 9 times in 323 PA.
In 2024 he would regress, batting just .214 with a .266 OBP and .686 OPS. The Angels released him March 25, 2025.
The next day, he signed a 1 year, $1.25M deal with the Colorado Rockies. His first year in Denver, Moniak hit .270 with a career-best 24 HR and 68 RBI. He again posted a strong OPS (.824) despite a weak OBP (.306).
So far this season, Moniak is batting .282 with a .333 OBP and .945 OPS with 15 HR and 37 RBI in 55 games.
Moniak is not known as a strong defender, with limited range and a weaker arm. He would likely be a left fielder on the Astros.
Moniak is signed to a 1 year, $4M contract and still has one more season of arbitration eligibility.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 23: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on June 23, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After dropping the series to the Baltimore Orioles at home over the weekend, the last place Cincinnati Reds fell to just 41-48 on the season. To wrap the first half of their schedule prior to the All Star break, all they get to do is host the red hot Philadelphia Phillies (who are 20 games over .500 since their dismal 8-18 start) and the mighty Chicago Cubs who, like the Phils, are 10 games over .500 on the season.
It’s looking obvious that the Reds should be sellers ahead on the August 3rd trade deadline even if they haven’t figured that out themselves.
As we opined over a month ago (when the Reds were in last place and looked like sellers), selling wasn’t even going to be easy for them this year. The short term pieces they brought in had underperformed or were already not valued, and longer-term pieces simply had been too hurt or playing poorly to be doing anything other than selling low on.
Has any of that really changed? Let’s take a look at who might be Cincinnati’s biggest, best trade chip for this particular trade deadline.
Off-limits
RHP Chase Burns, IF Sal Stewart
Unless the Castellinis and their consortium are literally selling everything – every player, the entire franchise, all of it – you don’t even listen if someone calls about these two young All Stars. They are the new cornerstones around whom you build.
Only if you are bowled completely over
SS Elly De La Cruz, LHP Andrew Abbott
Notice how I didn’t include Elly above?
You certainly don’t shop him, as news of that would leak and there’d be an insant maelstrom out of which you would not emerge. But if someone comes in with the Bartolo Colon offer, or the Juan Soto Washington Edition offer, or the Mark Teixeira deal on Atlanta’s end, maybe it’s time to consider it.
The insane talent is still obviously there, yes, but you can make a pretty decent argument that he has plateaud just slightly below superstar status. The ability to run has also been taken away from him, either by caution due to the quad and hamstring injuries or by design from the Reds powers that be. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for 2027 and no longer cheap, but just about every team out there probably already has a ‘what would it take to get Elly from the Reds’ in their trade deadline playbook.
Also, do you really think the Reds will be good between now and when Elly walks in 3.5 years? Or, rather, between now and when they’re forced to sell him before he walks?
It’s a somewhat similar story to former All Star Andrew Abbott, who shrugged off a bad April to look exactly like the All Star he was last year again. He’s got 3.5 years of team control, too, and is the classic case of ‘Baseball Refernce bWAR loves him, and FanGraphs fWAR thinks he’s pedestrian.‘
If there’s a BBRef-worshipping franchise out there who comes calling for a starting pitcher, maybe it’s not a bad time to consider cashing in on Abbott for the same reasons.
It’s not the right time
RHP Hunter Greene, IF/OF Matt McLain, OF Noelvi Marte, RHP Rhett Lowder
Greene is precisely the kind of pitcher the Reds should want to be pitching for them the rest of the year. He just missed half a season due to surgery on a right elbow that already had Tommy John under their watch, and he’s controlled long-term. Moving him now would be selling incredibly low, and on top of that he needs to build up innings over the last half of 2026 to be fully ready to return to form in 2027.
Once he does that, then you maybe consider moving him as a cornerstone type arm, not as a dice-roll after surgery that nobody will overpay to acquire.
McLain likely has minimal, if any value right now since he’s been bad or hurt since midway through 2023. Still, he’s a former 1st round pick of two different franchises whose managers have constantly adored him, so someone would probably take a flier on him with multiple years of team control still remaining. However, I think his defense and versatility mean you hold on and give him him another shot in 2027 – ideally under the tutelage of a whole different hitting coach all winter long.
In Noelvi Marte, you still have something of a wild card. Injuries, suspensions, massive positional moves, and he’s still just 24 and oozing talent. You continue to roll the dice on him (especially if you begin a rebuild that doesn’t immediately prioritize winning) and hope he figures it out.
Lowder is something of the Marte version of the pitching staff. You simply wait to see more with him, as there were legitimate reasons (and still are) why he was valued so highly by so many so recently.
Can you even give them away?
IF Eugenio Suarez, RHP Emilio Pagan, OF TJ Friedl, C Jose Trevino
There is a lot (by Reds standards) of money tied to these four this year. Almost $35 million, in fact, and that’s given the Reds a combined -1.5 bWAR. Injuries certainly haven’t helped, but this foursome has been an epic failure so far in 2026.
Someone would probably take Suarez off the Reds hands on a bet he does have a hot streak in him somewhere, but they certainly wouldn’t a) give up anything of value to do that or b) do so without the Reds eating money. TJ Friedl might have a taker somewhere who thinks they can fix him – he does have an option left and has team control for two years – but it’d be such a sell-low that the return would be near nil.
The other two? Well, Pagan’s contract literally has a kicker that pays him more if he’s traded, and Trevino’s got almost zero trade value with that money tied to him despite being a pretty OK backup catcher (when not hurt all the time).
You can’t even give him away
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
Hayes, whose back was a problem when the Reds acquired him from Pittsburgh last year and has been partially behind him being the worst hitter on the planet in 2026, has no trade value. Not with more than $30 million guaranteed to him going forward.
The Reds are stuck with him until they release him.
Do you actually want to give him away?
RHP Brady Singer
Singer has been better lately than he was during a brutal two-month start to the year, but he’s still not been great. What he has been, though, is perpetually reliable, and that’s something the Reds might actually need for the last half of the year.
If they dealt Abbott, or Nick Lodolo, who actually soaks up innings on this roster? Is it worth keeping Singer around at the prorated portion of his salary so that someone can actually go 5 IP every fifth day, especially once Chase Burns gets inevitably shut down?
Do you really trust Chase Petty, or Julian Aguiar to step right in and get through 6 IP every week?
You can make the case that Singer will have a small market, and that’s probably true. What I’m saying here, though, is that if the Reds move him and make a larger move to deal another established starter, Nick Krall is going to need a Zack Littell-esque move to literally have a body out there who can get enough outs to get through the end of the year. It’ll be hard to find one more apt at that for cheaper than what they’ve already got in Singer.
The bullpen
There are some pieces here that good teams will want. Good teams needing only fringe additions in the middle of their bullpen won’t be sending over future superstar talent to acquire them, but they’ll send enough to make the moves.
This is the Brock Burke, Caleb Ferguson, Pierce Johnson category. If the Reds eat a million here or there with this trio, they’ll be able to get legitimate wild card pieces who are years away. You do this as soon as you can if you are Krall, and you look immediately at where the current Reds bullpen ranks and realize it won’t fall any further down the rankings if you just bring back Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell, Luis Mey, etc.
(That’s a long-term problem to fix. Get what you can from what few pillars there are there right now.)
Sam Moll is controllable again in 2027, so perhaps you keep him around. Someone will need to be a reliever on the Reds in 2027. Still, if someone comes calling for him, might as well move him, too.
The obvious movers
1B Nathaniel Lowe, C Tyler Stephenson
Lowe was released by the Washington Nationals mid-August last year and Boston brought him in for a successful month and a half that mimicked his work for years in Texas. Still, nobody wanted Lowe this offseason and he came to the Reds on a minor league deal and has, ever since, looked more or less like the typical Lowe. There’s just a very light market for that right now, though someone will likely send at least some cash to move him on.
Stephenson might have suitors, especially if any of the typical catching injuries pop up to a key player at an opportune time. He’s a free agent at season’s end, so the Reds may as well move him for what they can. If they want him back on a 1-year deal this winter, he’ll be a free agent and they’ve got his phone number after 11 years in the organization, after all.
The legitimately OK pieces
OF JJ Bleday, IF/OF Spencer Steer, LHP Nick Lodolo
Here’s why we wrote the article. It took us over 1600 words to talk about how little the Reds should legitimately shop this trade deadline, but we made it to this trio – JJ Bleday, Spencer Steer, and Nick Lodolo.
They’re a trio that each come with team control beyond 2026 – 2027 for Lodolo, 2027 and 2028 for Bleday and Steer. Each has their own solid pedigree, too.
Lodolo was twice drafted in the 1st round and was a consensus Top 100 prospect, and his 2025 season established an ability to be a front-line starter.
Bleday was a Top 5 pick, posted a 20 homer season back with the A’s, and was the NL Player of the Month in May when he was the best hitter on the planet.
Steer finished 6th in Rookie of the Year voting, played in the Futures Game the year before, and has a streak of 20+ homer seasons sitting at three right now with 14 already this year, has a 20/25 season under his belt, and he plays all over defensively (even if it’s mediocre)
Nobody is trading for Bleday or Steer to come in and be the best position player on their team, but each would likely be given a significant complementary role for just about any team (especially with Steer’s defense and Bleday’s bat vs RHP). That paired with team control has a good bit of value, even if Bleday’s is dented by his uncermonious exit from the A’s organization.
It’s Lodolo, though, who has the chance to be the buy-low steal of this trade deadline, and that’s my pick for the most apt combination of biggest and best trade chip right now. He just poured in his best start of the year over the weekend, and the blister issues that dogged him early finally look like they’re in the past. He also has a reptuation as being ‘injury prone’ because yes, he has missed a lot of time over the years, but none of those has been a structural injury to a key part of his prized left arm.
There are a lot of miles left on Nick Lodolo, and while he might not get a fraction of the haul that Tarik Skubal will net the Tigers this deadline, you can make the claim (especially while pointing at 2025) that he’s got every bit the next-best upside of any arm on the block. So, there could be some decent bidding on him despite the totality of his 2026 stats looking pedestrian by his standards.
The Reds could certainly wait on him, hope he pitches like we know he can during the season’s second half, and shop him this winter. But that wouldn’t be during a playoff chase for teams, and demand – while broader – might not be as intensely focused.
If Lodolo continues to round back into form over the next four weeks, he’s the single best chip the Reds should move as sellers this trade deadline.
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 27: New York Yankees centerfielder Trent Grisham (12) is congratulated by teammates after scoring during a MLB game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals on May 27, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The last two weeks have been downright depressing in Yankeeland; that much is obvious. Pretty much every facet of the game has been agonizing to watch, and even though several of these games have been winnable towards the end, only one of them have ended in the win column over the last 10 games. While injuries are a big factor, it’s also just maddening regression from the 26 guys on the roster. If you removed the contributions of Aaron Judge and Max Fried from the team’s first two months, they’d still probably have the best record in the AL through mid-June. Their struggles are much more predicated on the guys on the roster stumbling over themselves.
The team is doing a lot less of a lot of things right now. They aren’t slugging. They aren’t making basic defensive plays. The rotation has only put up a zero twice to start the game in the last nine games. Some of this can be explained, though. The slugging drop-off makes sense with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sidelined, along with a slump by Ben Rice. The defensive miscues make more sense with how players are being played out of position out of necessity. The rotation is experiencing natural regression from a strong start and is without Max Fried or Carlos Rodón.
Something that can’t be as easily explained is the other big part of a formidable Yankees offense vanishing, their ability to draw walks. That and hitting the long ball carry a whole lot of weight for an offense that’s usually among the game’s elite. Since mid-June, the team has gone from one of the best at taking the free pass to one of the worst:
Walk Rate: Through June 16th: 11.3 percent (first in MLB) Since June 17th: 7.1 percent (26th)
Sure, Judge and Trent Grisham are big reasons why the team has the league’s best walk rate, but even with their absence, the team should still be pretty good at it. Even if you remove their plate appearances from the sample, something that would not be a clear representative of the data, they drop to sixth in walk rate through mid-June at 10.3 percent.
The raw numbers tell the story of a team that, overall, is walking less across the board, but maybe not as much as you’d think given the drop off.
BB% since June 17, change from pre-June 17th: Ryan McMahon: 7.8 percent to 11.8 percent (+4.0) José Caballero: 5.6 percent to 7.3 percent (+1.7) Amed Rosario: 6.2 percent to 7.3 percent (+1.1) Cody Bellinger: 13.5 percent to 13.4 percent (-0.1) Anthony Volpe: 12.6 percent to 12.3 percent (-0.3) Jasson Domínguez: 4.9 percent to 2.9 percent (-2.0) Ben Rice: 13.3 percent to 8.5 percent (-4.8) Paul Goldschmidt: 8.3 percent to 3.4 percent (-4.9) Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 11.5 percent to 5.5 percent (-6.0) Spencer Jones*: 13.2 percent to 6.8 percent (-6.4) Austin Wells*: 13.6 percent to 0.0 percent (-13.6)
The asterisks for Jones and Wells are for their inconsistent playing time, but I want to key in on Wells, whose descent offensively has been both bewildering and incredibly tragic for both his psyche and the organization. Even when he was objectively bad the first few months of the season, he showed improved plate discipline. He was striking out less and walking more. Through May 30th, Wells had a 13.5 BB%, but has since not drawn a single walk in 45 plate appearances. You really have to wonder at this point if those headaches he had is something closer to an Anthony Rizzo situation with how far he’s even dropped off from his pre-IL stint’s plate discipline.
The three players who’ve improved their walk rates are McMahon, Caballero, and Rosario, but the latter two are still decently below average in that regard (MLB average is 9.0 percent). Bellinger and Volpe are still well above average themselves, but the problems start after them.
Rice’s decline is pretty stunning. You would expect a guy like him to actually walk more with Judge out as the premier threat, but teams are just not scared of him right now. Maybe how mortal he’s looked lately is contributing to it? It could also be that his chase rate has ballooned from 23.3 percent to nearly 30 percent. Goldschmidt and Chisholm don’t necessarily come to mind when you think about walks, but both were drawing them at a decent rate before a recent fall-off. Goldy’s faced a ton of lefties of late, likely prompting more aggressive swing decisions, while Chisholm’s is harder to quantify.
Looking deeper, the decrease in walk rate is inversely correlated with a spike in strikeout rate. They were striking out more than league average before this recent stretch, but it’s been even more so:
Strikeout Rate: Through June 16th: 22.8 percent (20th in MLB) Since June 17th: 26.6 percent (27th)
K-BB% is more of a pitcher’s stat, but to give you some context, we’ll use it on the offense. Through mid-June, pitchers against the Yankees had an 11.5 K-BB%, which is like Jeffrey Springs. Since then? It’s 19.5 percent, which is similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That’s self-explanatory.
The more contact-oriented hitters on the team are making less contact, especially Bellinger, who’s up to a 22.4 K% over the last three weeks. He’s never been someone afraid to chase to spoil a two-strike offering or serve a single to left field, but this isn’t helping. His chase and whiff rates are both up five percent in the last three weeks.
You’d think with Judge and Grisham out, the Yankees would be seeing a lot more pitches in the strike zone. After all, there’s a lot less firepower to be worried about, right? I guess not.
Batting Zone%: Through June 16th: 41.5 percent Since June 17th: 41.7 percent
Negligible. This isn’t, though:
Chase%: Through June 16th: 30.3 percent (sixth lowest in MLB) Since June 17th: 35.5 percent (fifth highest)
That’s probably what it drills down to. They’re pressing. They feel the pressure of the situation and are flailing at more pitches, being more aggressive. The team’s overall swing percentage has increased from 44.6 percent to 48.4 percent, going from one of the most passive teams to one of the most aggressive. Aggressiveness on hittable pitches is good. That’s a major reason why the offense shook off a slump in the first two weeks, as they started swinging at hittable pitches more. This time, they’re eating out of the pitcher’s hands. It’s not a winning formula.
It also doesn’t help that the pitching staff has them trailing before they can even pick up the bat. Here’s some stats from the last nine games:
The Yankees have not scored first once
The rotation allowed a run in the first seven times
They trailed before coming to bat five times
They’ve allowed 4+ runs in the first three innings five times
The only two times the game was scoreless after one inning were on June 28th against Boston and July 1st against Detroit. In those games, the offense was dead silent for eight innings, trailed 2-0 after eight, forced extra innings, and lost in extras despite both being very winnable.
All told, nobody is contributing and that blows, but what the team could really use right now as they head into a do-or-die four-game set at Tropicana Field is to breathe, be more selective, and take the advice of Passion Pit:
The 2026 MLB Draft starts this upcoming Saturday at noon, Chicago time. The Cubs have the 23rd pick of the first round. Rounds 1 through 4 will happen on Saturday and rounds 5 through 20 will be on Sunday. So yeah, they’re compressing the usual three days of the draft down to two days this year.
Before we look ahead to whom is available and whom the Cubs might take, it might be a good idea to look back at the Cubs’ last five drafts. These are the five drafts conducted by current Cubs scouting director Dan Kantrovitz. I don’t think there’s much use in going over earlier drafts conducted by different scouting directors.
It’s clear that Kantrovitz has a preference for college over high school players, at least in the first round. All five of his first-round picks have been from a four-year college. He is willing to grab a high school player after the first round and is willing to pay an over slot bonus to sign ones he likes. James Triantos, Drew Gray, Jackson Ferris, Nazier Mulé, Zyhir Hope, Kaleb Wing and Josiah Hartshorn are all types of raw talents out of high school that the Cubs took a chance on, but not in the first round.
Kantrovitz has also shown a willingness to gamble on higher-ceiling players who fell to the Cubs because of health questions. While Kantrovitz’s first first-rounder in Wicks was more of a safe, low-ceiling guy, Cade Horton was a bold pick of a pitcher who had barely pitched in college because of Tommy John surgery. Ethan Conrad was another player whom the Cubs would never have been able to get with the 17th pick had he been healthy.
I also think that the Cubs under Kantrovitz tend to pick more hitters than pitchers, with the exception of that wacky 2022 draft. Kantrovitz will claim that’s just how the talent falls.
You’ll also note that a lot of these players have been traded already. That’s a good sign that other teams want what the Cubs have been picking in the draft.
So let’s review the five Cubs drafts under Dan Kantovitz. The round is listed first, followed by the number of the overall pick in the draft in parenthesis. Also, just because I didn’t list someone in “others of note,” that doesn’t mean they’re not a prospect. There’s only so many of them I can list, especially for the more recent drafts when lots of players still show promise.
2021 Draft
1 (21) LHP Jordan Wicks Kansas State
2 (56) SS James Triantos James Madison HS (VA)
3 (93) LHP Drew Gray IMG Academy (FL)
4 (123) OF Christian Franklin Arkansas
5 (154) SS Liam Spence Tennessee
Others of note: RHP Riley Martin (6th round), 3B BJ Murray (15th)
In Kantrovitz’s first draft, he went with someone considered a safe, low-ceiling college player in Wicks. Wicks certainly hasn’t become that back-end starter they hoped for, but he is a major leaguer (for now) and may still end up as a kind of spot starter/bullpen arm.
Triantos has struggled to find a position and is blocked in Iowa. He’s having a good year there at 23, but has only developed fringy power. He’ll probably play in the majors somewhere. It may not be in Chicago.
Gray has struggled to stay healthy and he’s out for the season. Franklin was dealt to Washington in the Michael Soroka trade and is struggling in Triple-A. Spence was released after the 2024 season.
Martin, a fifth-year senior who signed for a $1000 bonus, has the highest bWAR of any 2021 Cubs draftees. Murray is leading the International League in hitting at age 26 this year. There may be a major league future for him yet, but time is running out.
2022 Draft
1 (7) RHP Cade Horton Oklahoma
2 (47) LHP Jackson Ferris IMG Academy
3 (86) SS Christopher Paciolla Temecula Valley (CA)
4 (113) RHP Nazier Mulé Passiac County Technical (NJ)
This is the draft that Kantrovitz went wild and took 16 pitchers out of 20 picks. Kantrovitz took a chance on Horton, who hadn’t pitched much in college because of Tommy John surgery. It looked like a brilliant move until Horton went down with elbow surgery again this year. If he bounces back like he did from the last surgery, it could still turn out to be a fantastic pick, because Horton finished second in Rookie of the Year balloting last year.
Ferris proved useful to the Cubs as part of the Michael Busch trade. Paciolla was a bust and has been released. Mulé throws 100 miles per hour but has struggled with control. He has improved slightly this year. Birdsell would probably be in the Cubs starting rotation right now as a back-of-the-rotation guy were he not also recovering from Tommy John surgery.
McGwire missed all of last year with injuries, but this year he looks like a future major league pitcher. McCullough looked like a 10th-round steal out of a Division II school who has missed most of the past 2 1/2 seasons with injuries. But he’s just returning to the mound now and is a decent prospect who could be a back-end starter or a bulk reliever.
2023 Draft
1 (13) SS Matt Shaw Maryland
2 (68) RHP Jaxon Wiggins Arkansas
3 (86) SS Josh Rivera Florida
4 (113) RHP Will Sanders South Carolina
5 (149) C Michael Carico Davidson College
Others of note: OF Alfonsin Rosario (6th round), 1B Jonathon Long (9th round), OF Zyhir Hope (11th round)
I don’t think I need to tell you much about Shaw. Probably not Wiggins either, other than he’s rehabbing his way back to Iowa and should probably feature in the Cubs pitching staff next year. Rivera was traded to the Blue Jays for Nate Pearson and is currently in Triple-A. Sanders is Iowa’s best starter this year, which isn’t saying much, but he does appear on most prospect lists and could be in the Cubs rotation next year. Or this year if the injuries get even worse. The Cubs have pretty much given up on Carico as a catcher and he’s now a 1B/DH, where his bat just isn’t special.
Long is a tantalizing prospect at the moment who could be a major league starter somewhere. It would help if he proves able to handle left field.
Rosario was traded to Cleveland for Eli Morgan. Hope was part of the Michael Busch trade and is now a top prospect.
2024 Draft
1 (14) 3B Cam Smith Florida State
2 (54) 3B Cole Mathis College of Charleston
3 (90) SS Ronny Cruz Miami Christian (FL)
4 (120) SS Ty Southisene Basic HS (NV)
5 (150) C Ariel Armas San Diego
Others of note: C Owen Ayers (19th round)
You know what happened to Cam Smith. You probably also know what happened to Mathis, who was just dealt to the Mets for David Peterson. Cruz was dealt with Franklin for Soroka last year. He’s struggling a bit in High-A, but he’s also 19 and in High-A, so that’s not really a bad sign.
Southisene is having a breakout season in South Bend, putting up high batting and on-base averages, but no power. He could be a Tommy La Stella or Nick Madrigal-type player with speed. Armas is one of the best defensive catchers in all of the minors. It’s up in the air if he can hit enough to hold a backup catcher’s job.
Ayers is the real steal of this draft and is having a breakout year. Beyond the .318 batting average and 21 home runs in South Bend and Knoxville combined, he’s reportedly making great strides as a handler of a pitching staff. He already has a cannon for an arm. Ayers may always be a bat-over-defense catcher, but he’s starting to look like the Cubs’ catcher of the future.
Either in spite of or because of the Cubs trading away their first three picks, this is starting to look like a very good draft. The Cubs may not benefit from it as much as they would have hoped by trading the first three picks away, but at least they’ve gotten something out of each pick.
2025 Draft
1 (17) OF Ethan Conrad Wake Forest
2 (59) OF Kane Kepley North Carolina
3 (90) RHP Dominick Reid Abilene Christian
4 (121) RHP Kaleb Wing Scotts Valley HS (CA)
5 (151) OF Kade Snell Alabama
Others of note: OF Josiah Hartshorn Orange Lutheran (CA)
It’s obviously too early to say much about this draft class other than Hartshorn is looking like a very wise pick in the sixth round. Conrad is another one of those players that Kantrovitz tried to get a bargain with by taking an injured player. As Conrad has just started playing in Mesa, it’s too early to judge the wisdom of that. Kepley is also looking like a good pick with a .438 OBP and 40 steals so far in South Bend.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets warms up before the first inning at Citi Field on June 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the time that I am writing this, it appears that top prospect Owen Murphy is being called up, but its unclear when he will be deployed, though presumably he will either start today’s game or tomorrow’s. The scheduled starter has been Reynaldo Lopez for today’s game. Lopez is coming off his best start in a while, against the Cardinals. We’ll either be hoping for Reynaldo to build on that success, or perhaps more interestingly, a successful MLB debut from the Braves’ former first round pick Owen Murphy.
For New York, Freddy Peralta will start today’s game, as the series will be decided between an Atlanta win or a 2-2 split. After being one of the jewels of the offseason last offseason, being traded from Milwaukee, Peralta has not lived up to expectations in Flushing. He’s been nothing more than solid on performance and worse on run prevention, with a 4.81 ERA and a 4.16 xFIP. His velocity is perhaps down a tick and his pitch shapes have moved a touch toward his arm-side, but the big change has been his extension dropping from very good to average and his arm angle dropping 6 degrees. The Braves’ offense has been good this series, a much needed change from the last month of play, so let’s hope that continues against Peralta and the Braves can seal a nice 4-game series win over their disappointing rivals in New York.
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Neil Parker's expert pick: Mets moneyline
Price: 46¢ (+117) at Polymarket
The Atlanta Braves have dropped to 29th in wOBA and 27th in xwOBA through 21 games without star Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring), while the New York Mets comfortably sit 16th and eighth in the two metrics. Atlanta starter Reynaldo Lopez also sports a 4.60 xFIP across his seven 2026 starts that’s well above his 3.34 ERA, so statistical corrections looms.
It’s just the opposite with New York righty Freddy Peralta, too. He’s held opposing hitters to the sixth-lowest barrel percentage among pitchers with at least 75 innings to pave the way for a respectable 3.78 xERA that’s way below his 4.81 ERA. Peralta also has statistical correction coming to his unsustainably low 68.7% strand rate.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
How to watch: SNY, BravesVision
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Dodgers -1.5
Price: 54¢ (-115) at Polymarket
A perfect storm has formed for the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight with the Colorado Rockies coming to town. Los Angeles has demolished left-handed pitching over the past two weeks, leading MLB in OPS, and now gets a crack at Kyle Freeland, who's completely fallen apart with a 7.25 ERA through 15 starts.
Dodgers hitters have also crushed him for a .918 OPS across 200 combined at-bats. Eric Lauer has helped LA go a perfect 5-0 in his starts, while the Dodgers have won 10 straight home games against Colorado and are 13-1 in their last 14 following a loss, which is the situation tonight after losing to the Padres yesterday.
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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 17: Washington Nationals President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni (R) introduces Washington Nationals Manager Blake Butera (L) with his jersey during a press conference at Nationals Park on November 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. Butera became the eighth manager in Nationals team history and the youngest manager in Major League Baseball since 1972. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A year ago today, the trajectory of the Washington Nationals changed drastically. Manager Davey Martinez and President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo were fired on July 6th, 2025. The duo had led the Nats to a World Series title in 2019, but in the midst of a disappointing season, it was clear that they were no longer the right men to lead the franchise forward.
After the World Series in 2019, the Nats quickly aged out of contention, and the lack of depth on the farm meant that there were no replacements. In 2021, Mike Rizzo decided to sell off veteran pieces and lead the franchise into a rebuild. With a World Series ring only a couple years prior, Rizzo and Martinez were allowed to lead the Nats into this new era.
In 2022, the reality of the rebuild set in. This would be an even longer process than expected. That meant 23 year old future Hall of Famer Juan Soto had to be traded. The move was a painful one, but it turned out to be the best decision Mike Rizzo made in the rebuild. He got three cornerstone pieces in James Wood, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore.
However, Rizzo’s lack of success in the draft and Martinez’s archaic coaching staff meant the fruits of that trade could not be fully realized. By 2025, the Nats were stuck. They had nice pieces, but there was a clear disconnect between the coaching staff and the players, and the roster was far too top heavy. With the Nats sitting at 37-53, the Lerner family made the big decision to fire Rizzo and Martinez.
A year later, that decision is looking very wise. Right now, the Nats are above .500 with a 46-45 record. Under Paul Toboni and Blake Butera, the organization has quickly modernized and embraced analytics in a way that they had not in the past. A big story this spring was how much new technology the Nats had. Between the trajekt machine, weighted bats and more, the Nats were finally embracing 2020’s baseball.
There is now a Trajekt, pulse bands, plyo walls, TVs in the ‘pen, TruMedia, weighted bats and… did you leave anything out?
“Dude, I might [have]. We have so much stuff, it’s insane.”
As you can see with the record, this new approach is paying immediate dividends. The Nats did not improve their record by going out and signing big name free agents. In fact, the Nats barely spent any money at all. Toboni’s three biggest free agent signings were Miles Mikolas, Zack Littell and Foster Griffin.
The Nats biggest offseason move was actually to sell one of their core pieces away. After an offseason of speculation, MacKenzie Gore was shipped off to Texas for a five prospect haul. So far, that move is looking good, with Devin Fitz-Gerald becoming a top 100 prospect, and Gore failing to take the next step.
I am not going to sit here and say that Toboni’s trade history has been perfect. He has made a few moves that look dicey right now, such as the Harry Ford for Jose A. Ferrer swap and the Jake Bennett for Luis Perales deal. Toboni has also struggled to build a competent bullpen, much like Mike Rizzo had for the past few seasons.
However, it would be difficult to argue that the Toboni impact has been negative. He has made good moves like the Gore deal, the Foster Griffin signing and the Curtis Mead trade. His biggest impact though has been putting a development system in place that is helping improve players on the roster.
Right now, the Nationals have scored the most runs in all of baseball. Just about every player on the offensive side of the ball has improved. Already productive players like James Wood and CJ Abrams have taken the next step. However, the biggest success stories have been among guys who had previously been written off.
I thought I knew who Luis Garcia Jr. was. My perception of him has changed drastically in the past month though. He is swinging the bat harder, hitting the ball harder and hitting it in the air more often. That has led to an insane hot streak where he has 10 homers in his last 15 games. Garcia has already set a career high with 19 home runs.
If not for Junior Caminero, Luis Garcia Jr. would be the hottest hitter in baseball. 10 home runs in his last 15 games! pic.twitter.com/wkHDtnvDZ6
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 5, 2026
Keibert Ruiz’s turnaround is a great example of what a new coaching staff can do. His career looked to be dead and buried after last season. He was awful on both sides of the ball, and had injury issues. Ruiz’s long term contract looked like an absolute albatross. With the help of catching coach Bobby Wilson and the rest of the Nats staff, Ruiz is having a career year.
He is hitting .285 with a .788 OPS while playing well above average defense. Despite not producing the last couple years, we knew that Ruiz had some offensive upside. The defensive turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous and the changes happened seemingly overnight. That is great work by the new coaching staff, but also a real indictment on the old staff.
By the end of his tenure with the Nats, Davey Martinez seemed stubborn and standoffish. He would rather go down with the ship than make any changes to his coaching staff. That stubbornness came to a head during his famous “never on coaching” rant.
A year after his firing, it sure seems like coaching does matter. Players like Ruiz, Garcia and Mead have been totally unlocked by this coaching staff. There is still room to grow, but for the first time in a while, you can really see coaches making players better. That is what they are here to do after all.
Blake Butera embodies the development first mentality that the Nats have. This should not come as a shock given the fact that the 33 year old worked in player development for the Rays prior to taking this job. He has given some great quotes about the importance of pre-game work and about how players are still not finished products when they get to the big leagues. This coaching staff is trying to make every player better, even grizzled veterans like Miles Mikolas.
Long pregame message from Nats manager Blake Butera about the defense, which leads MLB in errors. They were practicing on the field over five hours before today’s game.
Said they need to let their athleticism take over and stop being afraid to make mistakes. pic.twitter.com/Bx1Jr0r5ES
The dedication to improving players is my favorite part of this new regime, and it is the biggest change. They are clearly working very hard to make these guys better, and they are seeing the fruits of their labor.
This is not just happening on the major league side either. We have seen some big breakouts on the farm as well. Seaver King had a disastrous first pro season, but after going in the lab with the new braintrust, he looks like a different player. He is hitting the ball harder, chasing less and whiffing less.
A year after the firings of Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez, the Nationals are in a much better position. Sure, a lot of the main pieces contributing to this team were brought in by the old regime, but it is the new regime that is unlocking them.
The Chicago Cubs battered San Diego to the tune of a 23-3 score that would have seemed more appropriate for an old Bears-Chargers matchup.
Then, in their very next game, they lost to St. Louis 17-1.
The Cubs have been a tough team to figure out this season. By May 9 they already had two separate 10-game winning streaks and were 15 games over .500. Then a week later they began a 10-game losing streak. Chicago now is 10 games over .500 but trails the Milwaukee Brewers by six games atop the NL Central.
Dansby Swanson hit three home runs with eight RBIs as the Cubs produced their most runs at home since 1977. San Diego catcher Rodolfo Duran pitched the final two innings, allowing eight runs.
After a day off, Chicago looked like a completely different team, when David Peterson allowed 10 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Cardinals.
Perhaps it simply was a case of Chicago facing two opponents heading in different directions. The blowout loss was part of an eight-game losing streak for the Padres. Meanwhile, the Cardinals took two of three at Wrigley Field and have won five of their last seven overall.
The Cubs have been one of baseball’s better offensive teams despite a quiet season from new addition Alex Bregman. Pete Crow-Armstrong has 19 homers, 23 steals and a .910 OPS.
Trivia time
Crow-Armstrong is tied for the major league lead in homers plus stolen bases with 42. Which player is he tied with, and who led the majors in that stat last year?
Late dramatics
The Cubs lead the majors with 10 walk-off victories this season, and the crosstown White Sox are second with seven. But two of the biggest walk-off wins came against Chicago.
Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Cleveland a 6-5 victory over the White Sox. Then Kahlil Watson hit a game-winning RBI single the following night in the 10th for a 4-3 triumph.
The first-place White Sox have been one of the game’s biggest stories this year, but even after Chicago took the last two games of the four-game set, Cleveland only is a game behind in the AL Central.
Performance of the week
Eury Pérez pitched seven perfect innings, then was pulled by Miami manager Clayton McCullough. The move nearly blew up in McCullough’s face, but the Marlins held on to beat the Athletics 9-8 after almost squandering an 8-0 lead.
Part of McCullough’s explanation was that he was thinking long term, with the Marlins hoping to play beyond the regular season. And it probably is time for the rest of baseball to take Miami seriously as a playoff contender. The Marlins are percentage points behind St. Louis for the third wild card, and they have the second-best run differential in the NL East.
Pérez has allowed two runs in 17 innings since returning from a leg injury.
Comeback of the week
The Houston Astros rallied from a 7-2 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-8. Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win it. That snapped a nine-game winning streak by the Rays, who now lead the New York Yankees by four games atop the AL East.
Houston is 45-47 but just 2 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West and one game out of a wild card.
Trivia answer
Bobby Witt Jr. has 12 home runs and 30 steals.
Last year’s leader was Juan Soto (43 homers, 38 steals).
KANSAS CITY – Cristopher Sanchez’ second-to-last audition to win the starting assignment for the National League in next week’s All-Star Game did not go well Monday afternoon.
In fact, it was pretty awful.
The left-hander was rocked for nine runs in 3 1/3 innings as the Phillies were hammered, 15-1, by the lowly Kansas City Royals for the second day in a row at Kauffman Stadium.
As bad as the results were for Sanchez, things might have gone differently for him and the Phillies had one of the team’s gnawing concerns not reared its head.
You hear a lot about the bullpen, the back-end of the starting rotation and the lack of a strong right-handed hitting outfielder as being the Phillies’ biggest flaws.
But Trea Turner’s defense at shortstop is a significant deficiency that the club cannot hide from.
Turner, who entered the game as the lowest-ranked shortstop in the majors with minus-8 defensive runs saved, according to Fangraphs, threw away a potential inning-ending double-play ball that opened the door for the Royals to score six first-inning runs against Sanchez. Turner was charged with an error, his 12th, allowing the runners to advance. But since a double play can’t be assumed, all the runs against Sanchez in that inning were ruled earned. His ERA jumped from 2.00 to 2.44 in the course of one inning.
Now, Sanchez should not be let off the hook here. He clearly did not do a good job limiting the damage. He allowed four straight hits, including a three-run homer, after Turner’s error. But not getting that inning-ending double play was a game-changer.
Sanchez will make his final start before the All-Star break on Saturday in Detroit. He’s probably still in the driver’s seat to make the start next Tuesday night in Philadelphia. But, recently, some of the luster of his run to the All-Star Game has been stripped away. He has allowed 14 runs in 8 1/3 innings in two of his last three starts.
Monday’s start was the shortest by Sanchez in over a year. He exited after two innings against the Mets on April 22 of last season, but that was due to forearm soreness. The 12 hits allowed by Sanchez matched a season and career high. His sinking fastball averaged 94.8 mph, down a tick from its 95.2 season average. His signature changeup produced six swings and misses, but there were times when it was up in the zone. He gave up three home runs, all on changeups.
As for Turner, the day started off promising. He opened the game with a double off the center field wall and scored on a double by Alec Bohm as the Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Phils looked to have some momentum going but everything changed in the bottom of the first inning.
Kansas City lefty Noah Cameron pitched five innings and, despite walking five, did not allow another run after the first. He used a six-pitch mix and a fastball that averaged just 92.7 mph to hold the Phillies at bay.
Phillies hitters were just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and they left 15 men on base. The Phils were out-hit, 22-10. Yes, the Royals feasted on the bullpen, as well.
Turner led the Phillies with three hits, but his 12th error loomed large. Turner is in the fourth year of an 11-year contract that runs through 2033. He made 40 errors his first two seasons with the Phils. His defense improved last season and he made just eight. Now, the defense is an issue again. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said in the past that the club has not considered moving Turner to the outfield. The team might have to think about it before long because it’s getting difficult to hide from this gnawing concern.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 30: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron (65) as seen before a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals on June 30, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This afternoon the 36-54 Royals will play their last home game against the 50-40 Phillies before the All-Star break next week. After this game, the Royals will travel to New York and then Baltimore to finish out this disappointing first half of a season.
Noah Cameron takes the bump for the Royals. He was last seen getting shelled by the Rays and hasn’t really been all that good for a month. The lineup is, well, it’s certainly a lineup of baseball players.
The Phillies will start lefty Cristopher Sánchez, who is tied with human flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski for the MLB pitcher lead in fWAR and is a Cy Young candidate.
In other words, it doesn’t look good for the Royals today as the try to take the series.
The game starts at 1:10pm US Central time. You can watch on Royals.TV or listen on 96.5 The Fan/the Royals Radio Network.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 04: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros is congratulated by Jose Altuve #27 after hitting a two run home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park on July 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first question surrounding the Houston Astros has finally been answered.
After another frustrating April and a sluggish start that had some fans calling for a rebuild and others wondering whether this would finally be the year the Astros became sellers at the trade deadline, Houston has done what it seemingly does every season.
It reminded everyone never to count them out.
By taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays, the team with the best record in the American League, the Astros made one thing abundantly clear.
They’re buyers.
And they should be.
The American League doesn’t have a dominant team. The playoff picture remains wide open, and Houston has positioned itself squarely in the middle of the race despite enduring months of injuries and inconsistent play. When you have one of the league’s premier players in Yordan Alvarez putting together an MVP-caliber season, you don’t waste that opportunity by standing pat.
You add.
The only question now is where.
If Astros GM Dana Brown can make only one significant addition before the trade deadline, should it be another starting pitcher or an impact bat for the outfield?
There’s a legitimate case for either move.
On the pitching side, the Astros have reason for optimism. Cristian Javier is back and, while he’s currently working out of the bullpen, it’s difficult to imagine him staying there if his arm continues to respond well. Lance McCullers Jr. is making rehab starts in Sugar Land and appears to be nearing another return. Ronel Blanco is also progressing through his recovery and could provide meaningful innings during the second half.
If even two of those three pitchers return and perform near their previous levels, Houston’s rotation suddenly looks much deeper than it did just a few weeks ago.
The outfield, however, is another story.
It has become a revolving door of role players and short-term solutions. Every few weeks another name is inserted into the lineup in hopes of finding a spark, but the overall production has remained largely unchanged.
LaMonte Wade Jr. is simply the latest attempt to patch the position, but he’s unlikely to be the long-term answer.
Cam Smith continues to show why the organization believes he’s part of its future. His athleticism, power potential, and maturity are all evident, and there’s every reason to believe he’ll become an impact player.
But that future doesn’t necessarily have to be now.
Asking a young player to consistently help anchor a playoff lineup is an enormous burden. There will be flashes of brilliance, but there will also be growing pains. That’s simply part of the development process.
Which is why, if I’m sitting in Dana Brown’s chair, my priority is finding another proven bat.
Not because pitching isn’t important.
Because the Astros already have reinforcements on the way.
The lineup doesn’t.
Houston needs another hitter who can lengthen the order, provide additional protection for Yordan Alvarez, and force opposing pitchers to navigate a dangerous lineup from top to bottom. One established offensive player changes the complexion of this team far more than adding another arm to a rotation that could soon receive multiple internal upgrades.
That’s not to suggest the Astros shouldn’t explore pitching. Every contender is looking for more pitching this time of year.
But if they’re forced to choose one major acquisition, I believe the bigger need is in the outfield.
The Astros have survived the toughest part of their season. They’ve weathered injuries, slumps, and a slow start while keeping themselves firmly in the playoff race. Now it’s time to capitalize on that perseverance.
The right addition won’t simply help them reach October.
It could put them in position to make another deep postseason run.
So now the question shifts to Astros fans.
If Dana Brown only has one major move left before the trade deadline, which direction should he go?
Would you rather add another frontline arm?
Or would you find the impact bat this lineup has been searching for all season?
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ranger Suarez was unable to pitch in the 2024 All-Star Game because of back stiffness, and there is a chance the Boston Red Sox left-hander will miss the July 14 event in Philadelphia because of a groin injury.
Suarez, named an American League All-Star, left a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels because of left-adductor tightness, an injury he said he suffered on a pitch to Jo Adell with two outs in the third inning.
Suarez probably aggravated the injury when he jumped for Adell’s chopper over the mound, a ball that went for an infield single. Interim manager Chad Tracy and a team trainer came to the mound, where Suarez threw one warmup pitch to test the leg before immediately heading for the visiting dugout.
“With that pitch that I threw, I felt a big pinch around the groin area,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “I tried to throw another pitch, but I still felt it, so I came out.”
Suarez, who signed a five-year, $130-million free-agent deal with the Red Sox last winter, said he could not recall suffering a similar injury. He underwent treatment during the game but said the injury “felt the same” by the time he spoke to reporters 2 1/2 hours later.
Is the injured list a possibility?
“Yeah, it’s only been two hours,” said Suarez, who is 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA this season. “The training staff wants to see how I feel tomorrow and the next day, and then we’ll make a decision on where we go from there.”
Tracy said the team will wait to see how Suarez feels in the next day or two before sending him out for an MRI test.
“Any time you see adductor, groin tightness, you’re always concerned,” Tracy said. “Sometimes things like this will pop up, then you check the next day, and they get better quickly. It’s hard to say right now until we see how he feels coming out of it.”
If Suarez goes on the injured list, Red Sox teammate Sonny Gray, who was not named to the All-Star team despite his 10-1 record and 2.61 ERA, could be added to the AL club.
“Right now, I’m not thinking about that,” Suarez said. “For me, the most important thing is to be as healthy as possible for the second half. I’m not thinking about anything other than that.”
SEATTLE — Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer could make his return from the family medical emergency list, manager John Schneider said.
The four-time All-Star went on the paternity list, welcoming the birth of his third child. The paternity leave expired, so the Blue Jays moved him to the family medical emergency list. But Schneider confirmed everything was well and the move was to give their leadoff hitter more time.
He is expecting Springer to be available for its road trip to San Francisco.
“I think he’s going to travel tomorrow,” Schneider said after Toronto’s 4-0 loss to Seattle. “That was the tentative plan. So, just got to confirm that with him.”
Springer, 36, is slashing .221/.308/.373 with eight homers and 21 RBIs.
Right-hander Max Scherzer was in Seattle after making a rehab start in High-A Vancouver. Schneider confirmed that the 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner will make another rehab start or two before being activated off the 15-day injured list since June 17 because of back spasms.
CLEVELAND — White Sox rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, the slugger’s final step before rejoining Chicago’s lineup after being out with a right hamstring injury.
Murakami has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 2 strain on May 29, when he got hurt trying to beat out a double play grounder against Detroit. At the time of his injury, Murakami was tied for the AL lead in homers and was first in runs.
He’s been traveling with the White Sox and following a 7-6 win over the Guardians, manager Will Venable said Murakami will leave to play with the Knights. If all goes well, it’s possible he could be back with Chicago before the All-Star break.
“I’m just really happy that I am able to get back to playing baseball,” Murakami said through an interpreter.
The 26-year-old Murakami is batting .240 with 20 homers, 43 runs and 41 RBIs in his first season with the White Sox, who signed the Japanese free agent to a two-year, $34-million contract in December.
Chicago has been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season and the White Sox managed to stay near the top of the AL Central without Murakami. In splitting the four-game series with Cleveland, Chicago moved back into first by one game.
“It took a lot,” Venable said after the White Sox won the weather-delayed series finale. “There was a lot going on in that game.”
The White Sox went 17-15 without Murakami, but will soon have him back to bolster the middle of their batting order.
“There’s a possibility that he plays for us before the break, for sure,” Venable said. “We need him back obviously on the field, but just his presence, it means so much to have him in the lineup, what that does for you.”
