Daytona Tortugas' Sammy Stafura trots to home plate to score during a game with the Palm Beach Cardinals at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Friday, June 27, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
With their lower value trade chips gone on deadline day, the Mets moved on to trading players with more significant value. The Pirates were the eventual landing spot for the first of these deals, landing Luke Weaver— along with some coverage of his contract—for infield prospect Sammy Stafura.
Stafura was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Reds out of Walter Panas High School. Two years later, he was traded to Pittsburgh as part of a deadline deal for Ke’Bryan Hayes. Stafura is actually a lifelong Mets fan from Westchester, the second local product (after Gary Gill Hill, acquired from the Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade) acquired by the Mets at this deadline. It is always cool when you can bring in players who are enthusiastic about the organization.
As for the on-field player, Stafura is your classic toolsy middle infielder; he has plus speed, is a decent shortstop defender, and has plus potential raw power. His on field performance prior to June of 2026 could best be described as “good, but not great”. Then he hit 16 homers in his last 22 games at High-A Greensboro. That’s something that should certainly grab your attention.
With the upside that performance portends comes serious hit tool questions. Stafura is striking out almost 30% of the time in High-A, is running a 71% Z-contact, and has a clear propensity to chase. This all portends to serious hit tool and/or pitch recognition issues, flaws that could be crippling as he moves up the minor league ladder. This weakness will likely him keep him at the back-end or just off offseason top-100 lists (a distinction that is largely meaningless from those that sneak on to the back of the list).
Sometimes guys with big tools and serious hit tool questions have a huge month with no root cause beyond statistical noise. Sometimes it’s the product of actual changes that are real and sustainable. Parsing whether Stafura’s recent surge – which pushed his OPS at High-A from the high 500s into the 1.000+ range – is the former or the latter is nigh impossible for us on the public side. Hell, it’s not even all that easy for team-side analysts to figure out. What this does serve to illustrate is the high risk, high reward nature of this profile.
How you feel about this return largely comes down to personal preference. In terms of objective, consensus value, this is a solid return for a reliever of Weaver’s caliber signed to a roughly market-rate deal. If you like power-over-hit profiles, you probably like this deal more (and you likely less the Freddy Peralta deal less). If, like me, you prefer the opposite sort of hitter, you’ll like this deal a bit less.
We’ll have full grades for every deadline deal the Mets make once all the moves for the deadline have been made. Check back in for those next week.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 28: San Francisco Giants pitcher Blade Tidwell #46 is shown during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants on April 28th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants traded six players off of their Major League roster between Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres and Monday’s series opener against the Texas Rangers. And so, naturally, after parting ways with Luis Arráez, Heliot Ramos, Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, Erik Miller, and Caleb Kilian, the Giants had some work to do just to field a team tonight.
And so they added five players to the roster, all of whom were already on the 40-man roster, and have already played in the Majors this year. Replacing the four pitchers are righties Blade Tidwell, Tristan Beck, and Carson Seymour, and lefty Reiver Sanmartin. Tidwell wil start Tuesday’s game. And replacing Arráez is infielder Buddy Kennedy, who was claimed off of waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
For those doing the math at home, that only gives the Giants 25 players on their 26-man roster. That’s not allowed under normal circumstances, but trades are exceptions to the rule. According to beat reporter Alex Pavlovic, the Giants are planning to add an outfielder tomorrow to replace Ramos. Their options there are limited, with Jonah Cox — who only just played his fourth rehab game yesterday — the only healthy player on the 40-man roster. But with four open spots on the 40-man — without even accounting for the three spots that will open up when the team transfers Casey Schmitt, Trevor McDonald, and Harrison Bader to the 60-Day IL — the Giants can afford to either make a waiver claim, or roster a player like Turner Hill or Parks Harber.
The Mets were long rumored to have been looking to move on from at least seven different players ahead of this year’s MLB trade deadline.
By the time 6 p.m. struck, they were able to part ways with six of them.
New York moved all of their expiring contracts and two pieces with control, but they could not find a new home for outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
They reportedly shopped Robert, but ultimately didn’t strike a deal. Without getting into too many details on specific negotiations, president of baseball operations David Stearns explained the decision to keep him through the end of the season.
“I think with Luis, it’s the possibility of what he can do for us in the second half,” he said. “The understanding that there is a club option and the excitement of having him here for the next two months of the season.”
Along with the $20 million option, Robert is owed $6.5 million for the rest of this year.
The oft-injured slugger was also forced to the sidelines for a significant stretch again, which likely played a factor in matching up with a potential partner.
He’s hitting just .197 with seven XBH’s and a .610 OPS through 35 games this year.
Robert will have the final few months to build some value if he can keep himself on the field, but the Mets are all but certain to decline that option at the end of the year.
Controllable starting pitching?
Even in sell mode, Stearns and the Mets considered adding.
He said that they spoke with several clubs about controllable starting pitching available on the market, but they ultimately could not match up with anyone on their asking price.
The controllable arms moved include Jose Soriano (Angels), Braxton Garrett (Marlins), and Luis Castillo (Mariners).
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 18: Atlanta Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos speaks to the media before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park on July 18, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m going to start this by addressing the headline. When it comes to Atlanta Braves President of Baseball Operations/General Manager Alex Anthopoulos’ claims that the Braves got better after the 2026 Trade Deadline, I’ll let this clip from Futurama speak for me:
I mean, the Braves did add Tyler Mahle to the rotation, they added some very solid outfield depth in Lane Thomas and they brought in Brent Suter to help fortify what’s already a solid bullpen. Technically speaking, the Braves got better with these additions.
With that being said, it’s very difficult to feel excited and that is solely down to the fact that Atlanta was unable to add a front-line starter to their rotation. It now appears that (outside of the ever-reliable Chris Sale) the Braves will be leaning on pitchers like Martín Pérez, AJ Smith-Shawver, Bryce Elder, (maybe) Spencer Schwellenbach and the newly-acquired Tyler Mahle to help them get outs during a Postseason scenario. Again, it’s difficult to feel excited!
Despite the overwhelming feeling of underwhelm permeating across Braves Country, AA remained defiant and adamant that everything is A-OK as far as the team is concerned. “Since the All-Star break, […] we’ve been fifth in MLB in ERA. During the first two months of the season we were top-five in MLB in ERA,” maintained AA when he was asked about the pitching staff during a post-deadline press conference. . “Obviously in the middle, we weren’t. Does that mean you’re not looking to get better? Absolutely, in all areas — bullpen, offense, rotation, yes. But, you’re managing short-term and long term and you’re going to do what you feel is best for the club and you’re not going to force a deal.”
“We said no to a lot of things,” continued AA. “That’s not easy to do but you have to do what feels right for the organization.”
AA was pressed multiple times about whether or not he was close to acquiring a front-end starter or if there were certain things that got in the way. Anthopoulos was cagier than usual in his responses, stating that it wouldn’t be appropriate to talk about deals that didn’t get done. I’m guessing that’s a recent development since we did hear about the Kyle Schwarber deal from 2021 that didn’t go through and that was straight from AA himself, so maybe there’s a statute of limitations on that?
I digress, though. The only thing that came of that line of questioning is that AA had his eye on “one other guy who we thought was incredibly impactful” but no names were named. Either way, Anthopoulos continued to maintain that he’s willing to defend the state of the big league roster at the moment. He did mention that the Braves are playing well coming out of the break and that they’re in first place. That much is true — the Braves are in a good spot right now and it’s hard to envision them falling off to the point where they miss the Postseason.
Still, it’s also hard to envision this team having enough reliable starting pitching to make it deep into the Postseason. They certainly have the relief pitching to do it and when this offense is clicking, they can swing with anybody. It’s just apparent at this point that the lineup will have to perform at an elite level and the bullpen is going to have to continue shouldering a heavy load if this team is going to make a deep run in October. With all due respect to the aforementioned starters, there just isn’t a ton of confidence here.
Alex Anthopoulos (at least publicly) still has plenty of faith in the club. “How many times do we say ‘This team won the deadline […]’ and then you look up and certain players were unbelievable and certain players didn’t play well. That’s the toughest part — from here on forward, we’re looking at two-month sample sizes,” explained AA later on in the presser. “We can look at the back of the baseball cards of some of these great players and say […] that ‘this team on paper looks great’ and then all of a sudden performances change and health [changes].”
“We’re going to soon find out what were the best acquisitions […] We’re going to find that out pretty soon,” continued AA. “I just think that you’ve got 29 other clubs and you know your own roster, your fit. Ultimately, you’ve got to give to get and ultimately, are you prepared […] to give what could be the [Michael] Harris [II]s or the [Drake] Baldwins. Are you willing to do that?”
AA continued by stating “In some instances, we make trades and others, we hold them back. We look back over time and we cross check ourselves. But, to sit there and say ‘This team did X,’ it doesn’t always work out that way. It doesn’t always work out that way with the projections. I don’t know what the preseason projections were for all these teams but I don’t know how accurate they were. I know there are changes every year. There are some teams that sold that people expected them to be good and there are some teams that are buying that didn’t think that they’d be contending.”
“I don’t think anybody’s good enough to know what’s going to happen,” concluded AA. “But, you are expected to know your own team and your own organization when you’re trading young players.”
Hearing that, it suddenly made sense why we saw that wave of promotions on the farm. That honestly should’ve been the initial sign that the Braves weren’t going to dip into the farm and trade away some potentially impactful prospects. While that would’ve made sense considering what the asking price was for some of the big names who did move and some of the players who were under team control past this season, it’s still certainly disappointing that the Braves didn’t come away from this deadline having used that talent on the farm to potentially upgrade their rotation in any major way.
Despite the lack of moves, AA is still convinced the team has gotten better and also stated that he’s not fully focusing on the Postseason until “we get there.” “Hopefully we get there […] We still have two months. There’s a long way to go — there’s going to be injuries the next two months for everybody. You’re still weighing all of those things [when it comes to getting outs in the Postseason]. We’ve seen teams do all kinds of things with openers and short starts and bullpen games, guys going on short rest, we’ve seen that happen,” explained AA. “Everything’s in play when you’re trying to win but you cross that bridge when you get there. The focus for us is that we’re playing well coming out of the break and we have a nice lead but it doesn’t mean a thing.”
“We’ve got another two months to go and the NL is very strong. There’s great teams and a lot of teams added (including us) and guys are going to continue to get better, so we have to make sure that we keep our foot on the gas and try to get to the playoffs,” stated Anthopoulos.
All of that sounds good and it does seem like AA has a nice line of communication with manager Walt Weiss when it comes to the roster and how it’s constructed but it’s still hard to weigh that with the inaction when it comes to the starting rotation. It’s not like this is a new problem, either — fans and media alike have been clamoring for some type of addition to the rotation since the early portion of last offseason and it still seemed like there was a chance to address that situation at the deadline even if they didn’t do so before Opening Day.
Instead, it sure seems like Alex Anthopoulos is convinced that the starting rotation will be good enough to get the Braves where they want to be by the end of the season. Now, there’s a question of whether or not the end-goal is actually to add another World Series trophy to the cabinet or if it’s to simply get back to the Postseason. If it’s the latter then sure, the Braves are likely going to have enough to make it back to October and should also have enough to get back to the top of the division.
If the goal is truly to win another World Series then it’s hard to envision this rotation helping to win one of those tough, gritty, low-scoring games where there’s a ton of drama hanging on every pitch, much less every out. We’ve got some bad memories around here of seeing this team’s pitching staff essentially get bombed out of the Postseason and hopefully that won’t be the case this season.
With that being said, it’s clear that it’s now going to take a Herculean effort from the lineup and some surgical precision from the bullpen in order to make sure that this team has truly got what it takes to make a deep run in October. For now, let’s hope that Alex Anthopoulos is right and that we’re all panicking. If he’s right, a parade may be coming soon. If he’s wrong then, well, enjoy the fireworks from the opposition once October rolls around. We’ll see what happens.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout against the Boston Red Sox during the eigth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For all the drama surrounding the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, and the will they or won’t they position the Tigers were in as the trade deadline approached, the Detroit Tigers ultimately kept to just two notable trades. They got good value for both Skubal and Casey Mize, but at the same time didn’t really address their biggest weakness in their high leverage relief corps. As they still seem bent on trying to secure a wild card slot, it’s a bit of a peculiar mixed bag in terms of their intentions, but ultimately their trades have to be viewed as punting on the 2026 season without simply giving everything away to slash payroll. They had two valuable assets heading to free agency, and they did a solid job of cashing them in for good prospects with which to restock their farm system.
The Tigers currently have the 17th best odds of making the postseason and are +590 on FanDuel’s sportsbook to do so at the moment. FanGraphs is more optimistic, giving them a 22.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. It helps that they’re not entirely out of the divisional race, as well as having the shot at a wild card berth and currently just 2.5 games back of the final spot.
Those odds still aren’t great, and with Skubal and Mize out of the rotation, and no attempt to address the bullpen, those odds will also have to be adjusted to reflect the significantly weaker starting rotation they’ll be working with down the stretch. Ultimately, while the Tigers will say they’re still trying to make the postseason and will do what they can with what they have to do so, the totality of their moves adds up to capitulation without going whole hog and trying to dump the salaries of players like Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, or Kenley Jansen.
Of course, teams have to want those players, and with Flaherty injured, and Jansen struggling, there wasn’t going to be much, if any, interest. Still, the decision not to deal Torres is the really interesting one. He wouldn’t return a whole lot in trade, but he’s also potentially blocking a currently hot-hitting prospect in Max Anderson. Perhaps Anderson will get the call anyway and they’ll simply piece together at-bats for the Anderson/Torres duo, but the best reason to keep Torres is to have that extra, professional right-handed bat in the lineup against the best teams in the postseason.
Overall, we’ll take the Tigers for what they did do, rather than trying to piece together why other moves weren’t pursued. The slightly mixed signals here make it tricky to figure out what they’re thinking in regard to their hopes to at least get into the postseason. The trades suggest a team throwing in the towel, and as sellers, they did pretty well overall. On the other hand, their proximity to a wild card berth, says they still have an outside shot. So declining to go after relief help was strange when that’s been the team’s main problem all season long. Whatever their intentions or hopes the rest of the season, they sold off talent and got quality prospect packages in return, and so we’ll grade them like a team that decided to cash in their chips rather than trying to sustain the momentum they built with their strong run in June and July. Threading the needle between selling and contending doesn’t appear to have been the plan at the end of the day.
Letter grades are a crude tool, but we’ll give the Tigers a solid B+ here. They didn’t land the dream package for Tarik Skubal, but they did better than many expected for a rental ace who hasn’t been at peak form for most of the 2026 season. The Casey Mize deal looks very good, especially as his injury issues have flared up again recently. The Padres may regret that one, and they have completely hollowed out their farm system in the process of adding Mize and lefty Robbie Ray from the Giants.
The Tigers didn’t quite land one of the top prospects the Dodgers could’ve offered, which would’ve taken this to an A grade, but that organization is so flush with top 100 outfielders that Zyhir Hope, despite drawing 50 and 55 grades depending on who you ask, wasn’t even one of their top three outfield prospects according to the major national prospect sites, at least. Either way, Hope is a really talented young player and will slot in as the Tigers top positional prospect over Bryce Rainer and Josue Briceño on many lists.
They chose the risk/reward play in River Ryan rather than holding out for a safer but significantly less talented starting pitcher like Emmet Sheehan or Justin Wrobleski, so they did take a chance there. The way their deadline work is viewed in retrospect may have a lot to do with whether the 27-year-old Ryan can ever stay on the mound consistently. Finally, they added two young pitching prospects in RHP Brady Smith and LHP Kash Mayfield who are still raw but talented enough to develop into mid-rotation starters within a few years time. Considering the lack of pitching development in the system over the past few years, this really improves their group of legitimate pitching prospects and, along with 2026 first round pick RHP Cameron Flukey, balances out the system pretty nicely at a point where a really strong young core of talent has already reached the Tigers major league roster.
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 07: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 07, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles all but punted on the 2026 season by shipping away Adley Rutschman, Taylor Ward, and Tyler Wells. They declined to deal Trevor Rogers, but did not acquire any significant major league help. With Rutschman on the injured list, Ward failing to hit the long ball, and Wells unable to steady an unstable bullpen, there’s a case to be made that the team is not significantly worse than it was yesterday. That being said, Baltimore dealt away some good players to teams positioned above them in the Wild Card hunt.
Camden Chat has already recapped the majority of today’s moves, and there will be plenty of content over the following days. For now, we’ll assign a grade to each trade.
Alright, let’s rip the bandaid off…
Orioles Receive: RHP Kyson Witherspoon, CF Enddy Azocar, C Carlos Narváez, RHP Anthony Eyanson and Player To Be Named Later
Red Sox Receive: C Adley Rutschman, C Jake Rogers and cash
Grade: C-
They say C’s get degrees, but nobody really likes getting a C. If the Orioles were going to trade away Adley Rutschman—especially in the division—they needed to get a haul. Said haul featured Boston’s two best pitching prospects, an outfield prospect, an MLB catcher, and a PTBNL or Cash.
It doesn’t mean that you have to like it. The Orioles drafted Rutschman with the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. The backstop debuted in 2022. He never won a playoff a game. Somehow, the same executive was still in position to deal Rutschman away in 2026.
Rutschman felt like the keystone for a long-term rebuild. Mike Elias threw around terms like “liftoff” and “10-year window.” The Orioles won the division in 2023 and made the playoffs again in 2024. They crumbled last season and threw in the towel at the trade deadline this season.
Many felt the writing was on the wall after the Orioles inked 21-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year contract extension, but Baltimore made it work with two talented backstops this season. They could have made it work next year (Rutschman’s final season of control) too, but the Orioles took advantage of a seller’s market at catcher.
The Red Sox were clearly comfortable paying an in-the-division type of tax. MLB Pipeline immediately slotted the 21-year-old Anthony Eyanson as Baltimore’s top prospect. They ranked Kyson Witherspoon at six and CF Enddy Azocar at seven. Carlos Narváez was worth 2.8 WAR last season and will not become a free agent until 2031.
The deal also sent recent acquisition Jake Rogers and money to Boston. You can read Mark Brown’s initial reaction here.
Elias deserves all the heat in the world for letting things get to this point, but the significant return from Boston stopped me from busting out a failing grade. Trading Rutschman to a division rival with over a year of control is despicable. That being said, injuries have become a bit of a problem for the 28-year-old, and the 2027 season looks murky at best with a lockout looming.
Orioles Receive: RHP Alex Hoppe, RHP Brock Moore and RHP Harrison Kreiling
Mariners Receive: OF Taylor Ward
Grade: D+
Who the heck are these guys? Taylor Ward was marketed as one of the best right-handed bats on the market. In exchange for the future free agent, Baltimore received Hoppe (5.79 ERA in MLB), Kreiling (a 24-year-old pitcher with minimal experience after recovering from Tommy John), and Moore (a 26-year-old with a 5.56 ERA at Double-A. If there’s one thing to take away, it’s that the trio throws hard. MASN’s Brendan Mortensen noted that Hoppe’s fastball velocity ranks in the 93rd percentile and that Moore has a 42.1 K%.
This deal is an extension of the front office’s decision to give up on former top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez. Baltimore sent their former first-round pick to LA in exchange for less than one year of Ward. Ward never hit dingers, but he did get on base at a steady clip. Rodriguez has nearly an 8.00 ERA over 10 games with LA this season, but he’s under team control until 2030.
Would you have traded Rodriguez for a struggling reliever and two prospects ranked outside of Seattle’s Top 30 last offseason? To make matters worse, the Mariners are only a half game above Baltimore in the Wild Card race. This move represented the first indication that Baltimore would punt on the season despite sitting less than three games from a playoff spot. There are some parallels to the Cedric Mullins deal from 2025, but Ward was billed as more valuable asset than Mullins.
Orioles Receive: RHP Michael Forret
Rays Receive: RHP Tyler Wells
Grade: C+
Context matters here. Last season, the Orioles sent reliever Bryan Baker to Tampa in exchange for the 37th-overall pick. Baltimore selected high school outfielder Slater de Brun, but eventually sent de Brun, recent draft pick Caden Bodine, right-handed pitching prospect Michael Forret, outfield prospect Austin Overn, and the 33rd-overall pick in the 2026 draft to Tampa Bay for Shane Baz. Baltimore proceeded to sign Baz to a five-year contract extension.
Baz has pitched well (3.86 ERA), but the Orioles have struggled to win the games that he starts. Meanwhile, Tampa quickly developed Baker into an All-Star closer. The Rays know how to get the best out of pitchers, and it feels like they’ll find a way to extract the most value out of Wells.
The Orioles deserve credit for plucking Wells out of the Rule-5 draft, but they struggled to find a concrete role for the 31-year-old. Wells spent time as a starter, closer, and multi-inning reliever. What’s his best position? The Rays will probably find it.
Meanwhile, the Orioles get back a piece from the Baz deal. MLB Pipeline ranked Bodine as the Rays third best prospect, while Forret slotted in at number eight. Is this Elias trying to outsmart the Rays after they stole back de Brun? Forret holds real value, but it’s difficult to imagine this front office got the best of Tampa.
Orioles Receive: OF Jhomnardo Reyes
Twins Receive: SP Dean Kremer
Grade: B
The Orioles sent Dean Kremer to the Twins after a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Phillies. At the time, it felt like Baltimore couldn’t afford to have a struggling Kremer taking the ball every fifth day while they chased down a playoff spot. The team would either hand Kremer’s starts to Chris Bassitt, or it might even make a deal to acquire a starting pitcher.
With added context from today, this was simply another instance of the Orioles swapping big league players for future value. Baltimore dealt away 1.5 years of Kremer in exchange for an 18-year-old outfielder.
MLB pipeline had Reyes slotted as Minnesota’s 20th best prospect, but the former international signing has been trending upward. The Twins gave the lefty a six-figure bonus in 2025, and he slugged his way through rookie ball before making a recent debut at Low-A. At the end of the day, the Orioles had had enough of Kremer, while Reyes looks like an intriguing piece to monitor for the distant future.
Orioles Receive: OF Christian Franklin
Nationals Receive: RHP Joe Glassey
Grade: Incomplete
It’s incredibly difficult to assign a grade to a deal that involves two unknown prospects. Franklin will be placed on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old has played all three outfield positions but mostly profiles as a corner outfielder. Will Baltimore give Franklin a look before Heston Kjerstad or Enrique Bradfield Jr.?
Orioles keep Trevor Rogers
Leading up to the deadline, Mike Elias suggested that the Orioles would not position themselves as buyers or sellers. The team did plenty of selling, but the closest thing to “buying” was simply not trading away Trevor Rogers.
Rogers has insisted that he wants to stay in Baltimore long term, and perhaps the Orioles believe they can make that a reality. The organization handed out extensions to Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish, but Rogers will become a free agent at the end of the season.
The decision to keep Rogers around could pay off if he signs a new deal with the organization, but Elias could look foolish if he leaves at the end of the season. Rogers will be eligible for a qualifying offer after 2026, but there’s been speculation that a new CBA could eliminate qualifying offer compensation as early as this offseason.
Orioles extend Yennier Cano
The Orioles signed Yennier Cano to a two year extension that included a club option for 2029. The move essentially handed Cano guaranteed money during his arbitration years and ensured a team option for 2029.
Cano was already under team control, but the new deal likely deterred Baltimore from parting with the reliever at the trade deadline.
The trade grades were sponsored by FanDuel, which dropped Baltimore’s odds of making the playoffs to +680 after the trade deadline.
Including a few deals prior to Monday's 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Mets completed eight trades that sent out eight players in exchange for 13 new players.
"We're excited about the players we're bringing in," Stearns said after thanking the traded players. "We think we added a tremendous amount of talent to our organization that will help us going forward. Believe it was the right thing to do given where we are in this season to make these decisions; these are not easy decisions.
"Our goal is to move the organization forward in the best way possible to ensure that we have a far better season next year and each season beyond."
Stearns added that the players acquired fit the varying molds they are looking for and make their farm system stronger.
"First and foremost, we have a tremendous amount of talent all throughout our system," Stearns said. "Different shapes and sizes, different positional groupings, arms and bats, really good defenders. So overall, we believe that we've added to our system. We've added players that will help us in New York and overall strengthen the quality of our farm system."
Of the prospects acquired by New York, infielder Jefferson Rojas from the Cubs is the highest ranked by MLB Pipeline at No. 63 overall. The 21-year-old is right-handed and has split time mostly between 3B (56 games) and SS (26 games) this season in Double-A. He's hitting .270 with an .800 OPS and has 15 home runs, 19 doubles, and 57 RBI over 91 games.
"Really exciting, well-rounded player," Stearns said. "Has experience at all three positions on the dirt, has the ability to play all three. A very well-rounded offensive profile. Young for his level. Has really done exactly what you would want to see a player do, who was a very well-thought-of amateur on the international market and has really just performed and progressed throughout his development.
"All of our reports are extremely hard worker and is going to fit in very well to our organization."
Another top prospect acquired was SS Sammy Stafura from the Pirates, who attended Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, NY and coincidentally grew up a big Mets fan. Stafura, 21, was ranked as the Pirates' No. 9 prospect and owns a .276 batting average with a .960 OPS in High-A, blasting 20 home runs for 54 RBI, plus 20 stolen bases.
"I think the first thing that jumps off the page with you with Stafura is the defense," Stearns said. "He's got tremendous defensive ability. He's a very good baserunner. Can impact the game in a variety of different ways, can help you win ball games in a variety of different ways, and clearly has power as well.
"When you begin to talk about a power-hitting infielder, who we believe can play shortstop at a high level, that's a player with a pretty high ceiling."
HOUSTON - APRIL 2: A general view of the opening day game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Houston Astros on April 2, 2007 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Pirates won 4-2 in 10 innings. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After all that happened today, there is still a game tonight.
Shane Bieber gets the start, since he’s still there. Cristian Javier starts for Houston.
Daulton Varsho hits cleanup tonight for the Astros. That will be weird. He had a rather emotional press conference before the game. It does have to be hard on guys to leave their friends.
I’d still be ok with it if the Jays went on a bit of a roll. I’m not betting on it, but I’d be ok with it.
When the MLB Trade Deadline came at 6 p.m. on Monday, the Yankees had added infielder Luis Garcia Jr. and outfielder Heliot Ramos. But the failure to add one of the big fish available at the deadline wasn’t for a lack of conversations had by general manager Brian Cashman.
Cashman revealed that the club had many conversations with Detroit about left-hander Tarik Skubal, who ended up being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore about catcher Adley Rutschman, who went to the Boston Red Sox.
"We've certainly been working at it for a long time; it’s always hard to find matches,” Cashman said Monday evening of the deadline talks.
While starting pitching is clearly a strength of the club, because of the excellence of the lefty, Cashman said, “We definitely made our phone calls and I talked to [Tigers president of baseball operations] Scott Harris several times about it.”
“We talked to Detroit, they set a high price,” Cashman said. “And, to be honest… we were unable to get them off what they said might work, but at the same time they were communicating that it also might not even win the day.
“They kinda went silent, I think after they got what they were looking for, and, ultimately, were wrestling whether they were gonna make the decision to move him or not. And then they made that decision. We feel like we didn't really match up in the end. We weren't able to compete at that level.”
Cashman said that the Tigers “did have some asks our way that we were unwilling to do.”
“It was a very specific ask, a certain player and players that we weren't willing to play with in that arena on Tarik Skubal, despite how great a pitcher he is," the Yankee GM said. “It’s another two months to go, plus the postseason, and that made it more difficult for us to be comfortable giving up the ask that was gonna go their way.”
Cashman said in the weeks leading up to the deadline that catcher was an area they were looking to improve with Austin Wells and Ali Sanchez struggling mightily at the plate.
Asked how close the club came to adding a catcher and Rutschman in particular, the GM said, “We grinded through the market at catching, ” but it was “a very thin market of opportunity.”
“We do believe we have quality catching, but obviously the offensive side, which has been a struggle for our team overall, not just at the catching position, made us certainly shop in that aisle,” Cashman said. “We had many conversations with Baltimore, as well, but were unable to meet the price. They did their business elsewhere.
“And we kept grinding through it, but ultimately at the end of the day there was no opportunity that existed that we felt good enough about to be able to push through on. There were very limited opportunities that were available in the marketplace, regardless, so I think that’s why probably Baltimore [did well]. And they did well. We had conversations with them, but to no avail.”
As far as the catchers on the roster, Cashman believes Wells is “trending in the right direction” of producing more at the plate.
“I think Austin has been getting his offense going this past month,” the GM said. “A much more closer version to what he’s capable of.”
“I know he’s capable of a lot, but we’ll see,” he continued. “Hopefully, the best is yet to come, and they're going to play big roles on both sides of the ball. [Wells] is extremely talented, knowledgeable in how he's handling our staff, and he does possess a lot of potential with that bat. Hopefully he's starting to finally tap into it."
One thing that won’t happen is Ben Rice seeing time behind the plate in any meaningful way.
“We’re not planning on having Rice catch now. He’s our third emergency catcher, but in terms of putting him in play for an everyday situation, we think he’s best served in being deployed in the capacity he has been this year,” Cashman said. “We are not considering him as a consistent catching option for us.”
Cashman did add that Rice is “capable of getting back there” if there are any late-game situations that require manager Aaron Boone making substitutions, but they will not “put him back there starting games.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 23: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 23, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time for a short memory to move past the three straight losses against the Red Sox, now visiting the Cubs.
St. Louis Cardinals trade SP Dustin May and LHRP JoJo Romero for (#11) OF Alexander Frias and (#13) OF Josiah Ragsdale
Grade: A
It took a while for Chaim Bloom to get their first deal across the finish line, but boy was it worth the wait.
OF Alexander Frias is a name Cardinals fans are going to know for a long time. At 18 years old, he’s posted a max EV of 117 this season, leading evaluators to believe he has plus-plus raw power, and if the Cardinals can help him make a tiny adjustment to add more loft into his swing, he could be a perennial 30 HR bat. Frias is considered a below-average runner but has exceptional arm strength, making him an ideal RF long-term. MLB Pipeline lists Frias as the Brewers’ number 11 prospect in the system, and Fangraphs had him as number 43 overall in all of baseball in their latest top 100 update. He demolished the FCL this year to the tune of a 1.196 OPS and has a modest .746 OPS against Low-A competition that is advanced for his age. Again, an 18-year-old who would be a High School Senior posting an above .700 OPS at the equivalent of Palm Beach is very impressive.
OF Josiah Ragsdale has made big strides this season from an offensive standpoint. The Brewers’ 7th-round pick in 2025, Ragsdale has posted a 1.127 OPS in his first month of Double-A and has 12 HR at that level ALREADY. A player who was considered a potential big-league 4th outfielder type has flashed offensive upside; 3rd-party evaluators didn’t think Ragsdale was capable of coming into the year has shifted his upside forward in a meaningful way. Ragsdale is considered a 70-grade runner and should be capable of sticking in CF long term.
The Cardinals sent mercenary Dustin May and rental LHRP JoJo Romero to a Milwaukee team that is the class of the division and is looking to fill out its roster fully as it prepares itself for a potentially inevitable clash with the evil empirical villain of MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dustin May slots in as a potential 3-4 starter in a top-heavy Brewers rotation, and JoJo Romero will be a 3rd lefty in their bullpen behind DL Hall and Aaron Ashby. Just as I’ve been saying for months now. JoJo is considered a high-leverage lefty in St. Louis, but he’s not particularly viewed that way across the league; he IS a valuable reliever nonetheless.
Overall, a deal for two rental pitchers in exchange for two outfielders who both have everyday potential (or more with Frias). It’s hard to give this deal anything other than an A, especially considering the path this organization has chosen going forward.
St. Louis Cardinals trade OF Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for (#5) RHP Daniel Eagan and (#26) Sandro Santana and a PTBNL
Grade: B- tentatively depending on the PTBNL
If Lars were healthy in the offseason, he likely would have been traded then. After only 8 weeks of health, the Arizona Diamondbacks are satisfied with the results, having parted with two of their top 30 arms to acquire him.
RHP Daniel Eagan was a 3rd-round pick in 2024 and fits the mold of the Cardinals player development group, getting a guy with a tall, projectable frame: 6’4 205 lbs, and his delivery features induced vertical break of up to 20 inches. Eagan’s primary offering is a plus curveball that sits in the low 80s and a mid 80’s Gyro slider that flashes above average. Eagan also throws a Splitter that has a chance to be MLB average as an offspeed offering. Eagan has posted a 4.95 ERA this season for Double-A Amarillo, but their park is also known to be a bit of a launching pad, and he has been posting a 4.43 ERA on the road as opposed to a 5.44 ERA at home. Overall, Eagan projects as a number 4 starter in the big leagues when all is said and done.
LHP Sandro Santana is a left-handed relief pitching prospect who has the potential to make his MLB debut as early as next season. Sitting mid 90’s with his fastball, it’s more about deception, arm slot, and placement on the rubber than it is about movement that allows the pitch to get swings and misses. Santana’s true calling card is a 70-grade slider/sweeper that he can work against either-handed hitters to both sides of the plate. He is also developing a changeup as a 3rd viable option. When you watch video of his delivery, it’s hard not to get JoJo Romero vibes.
It has been a rollercoaster experience with Lars Nootbaar, with the injuries he’s dealt with but also the moments of joy and excitement he’s brought over the years and his infectious personality and constant energy. Lars Nootbaar will leave a lasting legacy in Cardinals fans’ eyes of “what if” during an era in which most Cardinals fans will likely be eager to forget years down the road.
The ability to get two near big-league-ready arms within the next 2 seasons that fit the team’s current timeline, and being able to get a reasonable deal done after only 8 healthy weeks of Lars Nootbaar in 2026 when some were uncertain about his big-league career overall is a win. Nothing at present suggests the Cardinals received anything of wow in return for this deal, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a solid return. Thus the deal receives a B- grade with the chance to improve further based on who the PTBNL is.
St. Louis Cardinals acquire LHRP Caleb Ferguson from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 250,000 dollars in International Bonus Pool money.
Grade: B
After JoJo Romero went down with appendicitis and had been out since the All-Star Break, the Cardinals had a clear and existing need for another left-handed option out of the bullpen. They tried to get by with George Soriano, Luis Gastelum, and Justin Bruihl as their counters to lefties, but it has not been a fruitful venture since the break. This acquisition allows the Cardinals an immediate boost to their bullpen that had allowed them to piece together games early in the season. The fact that the Cardinals didn’t have to give up a prospect to fulfill an immediate need down the stretch is a bonus.
Ferguson is primarily a Sinker/Slurve lefty that also throws a 4Seam FB and Cutter. Posting a 4.01 ERA but a 3.48 xERA lends to the theory that Ferguson could be marginally better for St. Louis with the high-level defense behind him. 11 Walks to 22 strikeouts in 24.2 IP this year; if the Cardinals can get him more in the zone, you can see an easier pathway to Ferguson becoming a more effective reliever almost immediately. Just a quick side note on Ferguson’s slurve. He generates over 3,000 RPM’s of spin on the pitch (elite) but only throws it 15% of the time. That seems like a pitch he should throw more often. Just my two cents!
If you’re someone who likes to put down a little extra spending money on your sports consumption, you can head over to FanDuel. Maybe you think the Cardinals can go on a little run now that the pressure of the deadline is over, and you think the Cardinals can snag that last wild card spot! Only being 4 games out of the final spot, the Cardinals are currently +1200 to make the playoffs! That would be a good value play if you believe in the first half of the team as compared to what they’ve been out of the break.
Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 18: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers greets Dalton Rushing #68 as they leave the field during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The superteam Dodgers continue to draw ire for their largesse, including adding Tarik Skubal to their already deep rotation. But perhaps as an olive branch, they sometimes show their frailty as well. Dalton Rushing’s arm irritation that got him scratched from Sunday’s start is now right elbow inflammation that landed the catcher on the injured list.
“Everyone knows what we think of him. I mean, the talent is there, the care, the preparedness, all that stuff is there,” manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss. “But it’s just, when you’re pitching in the big leagues, you’ve got to get guys out.”
In seven games with Oklahoma City the 29-year-old Hernández had a 6.14 ERA with nine walks and six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers already had an open spot on the roster after Cole Irvin was designated for assignment on Saturday. They opened another spot by acquiring Kris Bubic — who is on the 60-day injured list — from the Kansas City Royals for Carlos Durán earlier Monday. Feduccia took up one of those 40-man roster spots when his trade was finalized.
To add both Robinson and Hernández, the Dodgers had to clear one more 40-man spot, and Wyatt Mills was designated for assignment after throwing 53 pitches in his two innings on Sunday night. Mills appeared in six games for the Dodgers this season, and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, nine walks, and two hit batters, with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
DENVER, CO - JULY 31: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, July 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There’s nothing like waiting until the last minute, and that’s exactly what happened on an action-packed day across the MLB as the trade deadline came and went at 4 p.m. MDT on Monday.
The Rockies waded into the chaos, making three of their four trades in the final hours on Monday, but didn’t end up dealing Hunter Goodman, who weighed heavily in the trade rumor mill. Colorado started the day by dealing center fielder Brenton Doyle to the Chicago White Sox, then sent former starter and current RHP reliever Antonio Senzatela to the Milwaukee Brewers and finished off by shipping right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik to the Miami Marlins. Earlier in July, the Rockies traded RHP reliever Seth Halvorsen to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
To fill two of the roster holes, the Rockies called up outfielder Jordan Beck and RHP Nick Frasso from Triple-A Albuquerque.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions:
– Recalled OF Jordan Beck from Triple-A Albuquerque. – Recalled RHP Nick Frasso (#41) from Triple-A.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) August 3, 2026
Now, it’s time to get back to baseball. That is, if the weather will allow it.
After notching triple digits again on Monday, a storm appears to be rolling in.
Update: Denver has now reached 102 degrees this afternoon ahead of the incoming cold front https://t.co/v7pDuIJj24
Starting tonight, the Rockies will finish a six-game homestand with a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (65-46). Colorado (45-67) is coming off a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals when they happened to first match and then surpass their 43-win total from 2025.
RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.54) will be on the mound for the Rockies. Lorenzen is coming off back-to-back short starts. Most recently, he gave up three runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts in four innings of work in an 8-7 loss in San Diego on July 28. On July 21, the Nationals beat him up, shelling him for six runs 0n seven hits, including two homers, with one walk and five strikeouts in an 8-7 loss at Coors Field.
LHP Ian Seymour (7-3, 4.37) will get the start for the AL East-leading Rays. A second-round pick from 2020 who made his MLB debut in 2025, Seymour, 27, has made 36 appearances for Tampa Day this season, but only seven have been starts. He’s 2-2 as a starter with a 5.34 ERA, and he’s made it at least five innings in five of those starts. Today will mark Seymour’s first appearance at Coors Field.
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are poised to acquire pitcher Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets for touted infield prospect Jefferson Rojas.
It’s the latest effort by the busy Cubs to replenish an injury-depleted pitching staff as they attempt to chase down first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central and hang onto the National League’s top wild-card spot.
Earlier in the day, Chicago obtained reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels for two minor leaguers: catcher Moisés Ballesteros and right-hander Mason McGwire — son of retired slugger Mark McGwire. The team also added left-hander Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins for a pair of minor leaguers: infielder Jonathon Long and right-hander Jace Beck.
Garrett was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Those deals came one day after the Cubs augmented their rotation by acquiring veteran starter Kevin Gausman in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Holmes appears just about ready to return from a broken right leg that has sidelined him since mid-May. He was 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA in nine starts before getting hurt.
Jake and Romy Reiner, children of Rob and Michele Reiner, embrace after throwing ceremonial first pitches ahead of the Dodgers' game against the Red Sox on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
The late actor and director Rob Reiner was a devoted Dodgers fan.
Jake Reiner, a 35-year-old actor and reporter, threw his pitch straight down the middle to Dodgers outfielder Alex Call behind the plate. Romy Reiner, a 28-year-old actor and writer, sent her pitch a little high and outside, but her catcher, Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, had no trouble handling it.
Afterward, the siblings shared a heartfelt hug next to the mound.
Jake Reiner, who co-hosts the Dodgers-based podcast “The Incline,” wrote about his and his father’s connection through the Boys in Blue in a Substack column posted in April.
“We loved the Dodgers more than anything,” Jake wrote. “We went to so many damn games. I’ll never go to Dodger Stadium again without feeling my dad’s presence and hearing his voice tell me why Shohei Ohtani should never bat in the leadoff spot.”
When Rob Reiner threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Dodgers-Braves game in 2010, Jake was photographed helping him warm up.
Rob Reiner told People in 2023 that he became a die-hard fan through his own father, Carl Reiner, and that he made it a point to pass the same love for the sport on to Jake. The family has had Dodgers season tickets for about 60 years, with Reiner telling People that he and Jake “would go to at least 25 or 40 games a year.”
“Every time we come to the ballpark, even today when we walked in, I said to Jake, ‘There’s nothing like being at the ballpark,’” Rob Reiner said. “I love coming here. We look out at the grass. The green, it’s so beautiful.”
Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele, 70, were found by Romy Reiner when she went to their home the afternoon of Dec. 14. Their other son, Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents by stabbing in December. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
Nick Reiner has struggled with addiction for years and had been living in a guesthouse on his parents’ property, according to a family friend. His mother was said to have become increasingly concerned about his mental health in the weeks leading up to her death.
“The Dodgers express our deep sorrow and share our condolences over the passing of longtime fan Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele,” the team posted Dec. 15 on X.
