Pair last played doubles at the 2022 US Open
Serena returned to action at Wimbledon before injury
US Open begins 31 August in New York
Serena Williams and Venus Williams are set to make their Cincinnati Open doubles debut this month after being awarded a wild card on Monday, marking their return to doubles action for the first time since 2022.
The Williams sisters have won 14 major doubles titles, including six at Wimbledon, plus three Olympic gold medals.
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For this installment of the Staff Roundtable, I asked the crew “Who makes the biggest developmental leap next season?” Below are the answers:
Ian Inangelo
I feel like Hugo Gonzalez will make the biggest developmental leap going into next season. After a rookie year where he was able to show a lot of potential more specifically on the defense end, I feel like we will see more from him on the offensive side of the ball. Boston really believes him and he showed some real offensive flashes when he played for Spain in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. If he can become a consistent average three point shooter from the corners on top of his already great defense and hustle, he will get a lot of playing time and continue to develop into a star in his role for Boston.
Trevor Hass
I think Ron Harper Jr. has a chance to emerge as a very solid backup point guard. The genes are there, and watching his brother emerge as a star has surely added more fuel to the fire. He’s explosive, makes sound decisions and can really shoot it. Give him the rock and see what happens.
Jake Issenberg
The battle for minutes among the development pieces on the Celtics roster will be a bloodbath. Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr, Jordan, Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman all have a claim to more playing time after impressing in their minutes last season. For that reason I am choosing Neemias Queta. Despite finishing fourth in the Most Improved player race I expect Queta to continue to make significant strides in his second season in a featured role. We can start with eliminating the head scratching fouls he picked up in the first round of the playoffs. What we saw from Queta in Game 7 against the 76ers is what I want to see every night.
Nate Moskowitz
I think it’s hard to go wrong answering this question. Hugo feels like a clear option, especially with some of the on-ball reps we saw from him in summer league. If the minutes are there, Harper Jr. taking the biggest leap could definitely be on the table in terms of the limited sample we’ve seen of him in comparison to the type of player I think he can become. My darkhorse pick might actually be Chris Cenac Jr. though. His flashes are very encouraging, and the Celtics are extremely intentional about how they use and develop bigs. I can picture him making major strides throughout the year if he can find his way onto the floor as a rookie like Hugo did.
Grant Burfeind
I know Hugo is going to be the popular answer, but give me Baylor Scheierman.
Last year was really his first season getting consistent NBA minutes, and I think having a full offseason knowing exactly what’s expected of him could make a big difference. I’d love to see him play with a little more freedom and confidence to do Baylor things instead of playing not to make a mistake. Hugo probably has the higher long-term ceiling, but if we’re talking about this season, I think Baylor has a better chance to surprise people.
Robby Fletcher
Hugo Gonzalez has been under the spotlight this offseason after his name was attached to speculation regarding the Giannis trade. It’s gotten the causal fan worked up over what makes Hugo so special to not be a blockbuster throw-in.
Those fans will learn this year why Gonzalez wasn’t someone the Celtics have been so willing to move. Hugo showed impactful defensive instincts and game-shifting hustle in his rookie season, quickly establishing himself as a player that needed to see the floor before we even finished with the preseason. More opportunities await Hugo, who will look to show improved shooting/driving confidence in a more consistent bench role.
And to think he’s only 20 years old.
Jeff Clark
Ok, hear me out. How about Jordan Walsh? He’s already one of the best defenders on the team. He came into the league at age 19 and is entering his 4th season. The Celtics believed in his progress enough to give him an extension. He shot 38.4% from 3 last year. He only played 17.8 minutes a game last year and he’ll be fighting for minutes with a lot of wings again. But what if he just adds the ability to attack the paint off a close out? What if he starts setting monster screens and cuts backdoor and finishes with more comfort around the rim? What if the game just slows down a little bit more for him this year? He’s going to out-hustle anyone he faces up with on a night to night basis. All he needs is a little more offensive comfort level and he could be the leap guy.
Mike Dynon
Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman seem like the most ready guys, and Ron Harper Jr. was impressive when called upon. But if we could put a twist into the question, Sam Hauser and Derrick White need to develop their shots back to what we know they can be. Sam was below 40% on threes for the first time in his career, and Derrick was below 40% for field goal shooting overall, by far his worst season. Celtics can’t afford that again.
Rich Jensen
I’m a sophomore leap guy, so I’m going with Hugo Gonzalez. I think there’s a ‘there’ there with Hugo that might catch a lot of people off guard next season. He’s fearless and dedicated to the game. That’s a potent combination.
Ryan Paice
I’d bet on Baylor Scheierman taking the biggest leap, even over Hugo. I think Baylor’s ability to improvise and make plays for himself and others is going to be crucial for the C’s in lieu of Jaylen Brown. As I’ve said before about Boston’s lack of a strong tertiary playmaker, I think there are going to be several possessions where our first options get shut down and our role players will be asked to finish them. Outside of the Celtics’ top four players (Tatum, White, Pritchard, George), I don’t know if I trust anyone more than Baylor to answer that call. And I think we’ll see him blossom into a starting caliber player because of that. He’s shown a lot of flashes on the court, but he’s yet to eclipse 20 minutes per game, so his opportunities to shine have been limited. Give Baylor 25+ per game and I think we’ll see some magic.
Your Turn – How would you answer this question?
Irish golfer one of four wildcard picks for Europe
Rookies Ramirez, Nadaud and Rhodes also selected
Leona Maguire has retained her place in Europe’s Solheim Cup team despite a disappointing 2026, with the Irish golfer one of four wildcard picks named on Monday by Anna Nordqvist.
Maguire joins three rookies – Julia López Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes – in completing the Europe side who will attempt to reclaim the trophy in the Netherlands next month.
Continue reading...The Toronto Blue Jays have emerged as both a buyer and a seller at the MLB trade deadline, acquiring right-hander Jose Soriano on Monday from the Los Angeles Angels.
The deal comes less than 12 hours before the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
Jays GM Ross Atkins has been quite busy the last few days, sending ace Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs for a pair of prospects, while also acquiring veteran starter Jameson Taillon from the Cubs in a separate deal.
In his fourth MLB season, Soriano, 27, has posted a record of 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 123 innings for the Angels.
In return, the Angels pick up a trio of minor leaguers, headlined by shortstop Arjun Nimmala, who rates as the game's No. 43 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
Unlike Kevin Gausman (whom they traded to the Cubs), Soriano, 27, doesn't become a free agent until after the 2028 season. That gives the Jays a bit more runway to build their future rotation. He's a hard-thrower whose fastball is averaging 96.8 mph this season, resulting in a career-high strikeout rate (9.3 K/9). If Gausman was going to leave anyway after the season, the Jays have found a capable replacement − one who's going into his second season of arbitration.
But Soriano isn't without his flaws.
He has battled control issues throughout his three previous MLB seasons, issuing roughly four walks per nine innings. That's resulted in a fairly high 1.30 WHIP over the course of his career.
An incredible beginning to the 2026 season likely boosted Soriano's value on the trade market. In his first six starts (the last of which was at Toronto), he allowed just one run over 37 2/3 innings (0.24 ERA). But since then, he's reverted to his previous form with a 4.64 ERA and 1.44 WHIP.
However, moving from a last-place team to one that has playoff experience and is focused on being a perennial playoff contender should sharpen his focus.
The Jays were able to include Nimmala in the package because they still have 19-year-old shortstop JoJo Parker as their shortstop of the future.
The Angels may be on the verge of a complete (and much-needed) rebuild. And Soriano could become expensive by the time they're ready to compete for a playoff spot.
This may not be the last of their moves as the deadline draws closer.
Nimmala, 20, was a first-round pick by Toronto (20th overall) in the 2023 draft. The Jays' No. 2 prospect is the key piece to this deal as the Angels look to bolster what's been a very weak farm system for quite some time. Nimmala has missed some time this season with injuries, but he's moved up three levels already and is currently hitting .279/.355/.451 in 33 games at Class AA New Hampshire.
Although he's progressed quickly, Nimmala seems at least a year away from a call to the majors. However, he could potentially be viewed as a replacement for the Angels' current shortstop Zach Neto, who's been the subject of several trade rumors.
Micheletti, 24, is a corner outfielder and first baseman who's also at Double-A New Hampshire. He's slashing .251/.347/.454 with 14 home runs in 402 plate appearances for the Fisher Cats. He was an eighth-round pick by the Jays in 2024 out of Virginia Tech.
Rivero, 19, was signed out of Venezuela in 2024. The right-hander is currently pitching in the Florida Complex League and has a 2.36 ERA in 42 innings.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jose Soriano trade grades: Blue Jays buying, selling at deadline
As the Trade Deadline approaches, Joel Sherman and Mark Feinsand are reporting that interest in Clay Holmes remains high. The Milwaukee Brewers are among those with the most interest in Holmes, and the Mets are expected to make a deal for him by the 6 PM ET deadline today.
Holmes had a strong start to the season, among the best in the Mets’ rotation, with an ERA of 2.39 and WHIP of 1.10 through nine starts, but his season was abruptly interrupted by a comebacker that fractured his fibula Spencer Jones during his start against the Yankees. He has been on the 6o-day IL, and instead of making his scheduled major-league start on Sunday, made another rehab start in Brooklyn.
Holmes has a player option for next year that he is expected to decline, though he has expressed interest in an extension in New York. Despite that, no meaningful extension talks have materialized, and he has been floated as a trade candidate for weeks. The Brewers need starting pitching as Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester are both out for the season.
While most of you are focused on today’s MLB Trade Deadline, which comes up at 5 p.m. CT, I thought I’d take time to update you on some good — and not-so-good — Cubs performances over the past week.
Here’s who’s been hot and not for the Cubs over their seven games against the Cardinals and Yankees.
The Cubs second baseman batted .423/.444/.654 (11-for-26) over the seven games. He had a four-hit game in St. Louis and hit two home runs, his first since April. One of those homers was a key part of the win against the Yankees Saturday — it tied the game in the seventh inning.
Since the All-Star break, Hoerner is batting .400/.409/.523 (26-for-65) with nine runs scored and 13 RBI in 16 games.
Bregman’s bat began getting stronger just before the All-Star break and over the seven games against the Cardinals and Yankees he had three multi-hit games and overall batted .429/.484/.750 (12-for-28) with six doubles, a home run, three walks and eight runs scored.
Overall in 17 games since July 11: .304/.385/.580 (21-for-69) with seven doubles, four home runs, eight walks, 12 RBI and 16 runs scored.
Keep that up and he’ll be near his career norms by the end of the year.
In his two starts against the Cardinals and Yankees, Peterson allowed three earned runs in 12 innings and struck out 11. The Cubs won both those games. Since Peterson’s awful start at Wrigley July 3 against St. Louis, he has posted a 1.52 ERA and 0.887 WHIP and has returned to being the ground-ball pitcher the Cubs thought they were getting — in those four starts, 35 ground-ball outs of 71 total outs recorded.
This was a very good trade by Jed Hoyer.
A hat tip to Pedro Ramirez, who started five of the seven games and batted .333/.474/.400 (5-for-15). That OBP is an eye-opener — Ramirez walked four times over the week and has a .370 OBP in 109 PA this season. Looks like a keeper to me.
Despite a two-hit game in St. Louis, Happ batted just .148/.233/.259 (4-for-27) over the seven games. He did have three doubles and walked three times, but had eight strikeouts.
Craig Counsell has been giving his infielders rest from time to time. I think Happ could use a day off, too.
Swanson did get a day off during the week, but it didn’t seem to help, as he batted .048/.091/.048 (1-for-21) in the six games he did play, with eight strikeouts.
Swanson has become a real streaky hitter, much as Happ is. It would be nice for them both to go on hot streaks starting … right now.
Busch had a rough week, batting just .161/.188/.161 (5-for-31).
He could probably also use a day off. The thing is, the Cubs don’t really have a backup first baseman — Carson Kelly played first for an inning Sunday after Counsell sent Justin Dean in to run for Busch. But I don’t think Counsell really wants Kelly to start at first base — he’s done that just once this year, April 13 vs. the Phillies.
If that happens, I doubt it would happen during the Dodgers series, anyway.
The trade deadline has arrived. The final dots and crosses must made made to all the letters and all the agreements must be in to the Commissioner’s Office by 3:00 p.m. MST. As is often the case, there is an expectation that there will still be some contracts with wet ink at the time. However, as long as the paperwork is completed on time, smudged ink will not hold things up.
Saturday night saw the big deal happen that everyone had been fully expecting since last November. Finally, the Tigers admitted they were not going to be able to retain Tarik Skubal and that they were furthermore not contenders in 2026. As such, the Dodgers mad a move late on Saturday to acquire him. In exchange for two months plus the playoffs of one of the best pitchers in the game, Detroit receives right-hander River Ryan, outfielder Zyhir Hope, and righty Brady Smith. A fuller accounting of the move can be found over at MLB Trade Rumors.
Freddy Peralta
The Diamondbacks were one of many teams linked to the New York Mets’ struggling rental right-hander, Freddy Peralta. However, the Tamps Bay Rays struck first (and likely much harder than Arizona could). Freddy Peralta was shipped off to Tampa during the rain-lengthened affair between the Snakes and the Indians yesterday. If Arizona is going to find themselves a rental starter, it will have to be somebody else. (Frankly, this author is actually glad about that. Freddy Peralta had too many red flags similar to ones already residing on the Arizona roster in one form or another.)
Luis Garcia Jr.
While there was not much buzz linking the Diamondbacks with a move to acquire Washington’s Luis Garcia Jr, the slugging first baseman was very much the sort of help Arizona is in the market for. The Yankees have acquired first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. from the Nationals. Washington will receive four players in return, with right-hander Yovanny Cruz headlining a package that also includes right-handers Jack Cebert, Ben Grable, and Jake Bird. (Link to article at MLBTR)
Even slow trade deadlines still have flurries of minor activity. This projects to be a rather slow deadline. It also seems quite likely that Arizona will indeed make at least one of those various minor moves. Stay tuned to the Pit to see what happens and feel free to discuss today’s deadline moves below.
Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.
MONDAY
The Mets beat the Braves 14-3 after having lost to them 14-3 on July 4 in Atlanta. It’s the first time an MLB team has won 14-3 and lost 14-3 to the same opponent in the same season since 1996, when the Yankees lost to the Angels 14-3 on August 29 and beat them 14-3 on August 31. Prior to this season, the Mets had only played six games with a 14-3 final in franchise history, with three wins and three losses.
A.J. Ewing, Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, Tyrone Taylor, and Marcus Semien each recorded three hits, marking the first time five Mets recorded three or more hits in a game since August 22, 2025, when five Mets (including Lindor and Taylor) did it in Atlanta. The Mets have accomplished the feat on eight different occasions in their history, and four of those eight have come against the Braves.
Lindor, Semien, and Francisco Alvarez each reached base four times, marking just the third time three Mets reached base four or more times in a game at Citi Field. The previous two came on July 1, 2013, against the Diamondbacks (Eric Young Jr., David Wright, Josh Satin, Omar Quintanilla) and March 29, 2018, against the Cardinals on Opening Day (Brandon Nimmo, Adrián González, Kevin Plawecki).
Zac Thornton posted a 2.43 ERA over his first five career outings, ranking seventh-best among Mets pitchers with a minimum of five innings per outing, behind: Nolan McLean (1.42), Steven Matz (1.80), Mike Bruhert (1.82), Tom Seaver (1.91), Dillon Gee (2.18), and Jason Jacome (2.38).
Thornton also became one of eight Mets pitchers with four or more quality starts among their first five career outings, joining Ron Darling (5), Jacome (5), Gee (5), Seaver (4), Gary Gentry (4), Alay Soler (4), and Jacob deGrom (4).
Luis Robert Jr. has played in just 35 games this season, but he is tied for second on the Mets with six batted balls of 110 mph or higher, including Monday’s fifth-inning single off Martín Pérez which registered at 111.7 mph. Only Juan Soto (7) has more such batted balls for the Mets this year.
Lindor recorded three extra-base hits in a game for the 10th time in his career, and for the third time as a Met (after having done so on July 6, 2023, in Arizona, and September 12, 2021, in his three-homer game against the Yankees).
The Mets notched 19 hits in a game for the second time this season. They are one of only five teams with multiple 19-hit games this year, along with the Giants (3), Braves (2), Royals (2), and Pirates (2). Monday also marked the fifth time the Mets had 19 hits in a game at Citi Field, and the first since July 14, 2017, in a 14-2 win over the Rockies.
The Mets recorded nine hits with an exit velocity of 100 mph or higher, marking their most such hits in a game this season.
WEDNESDAY (GAME ONE)
A.J. Ewing stole two bases, marking the second time he’s done that in his short big league career. He’s the fourth Met with two multi-stolen-base performances in his first 68 career games, along with Bud Harrelson, Mookie Wilson, and and Darryl Strawberry.
WEDNESDAY (GAME TWO)
Christian Scott completed six innings for the first time this season. Prior to Wednesday, he had gone 14 consecutive starts without completing six innings to begin the season, currently tied with the Athletics’ Jacob Lopez (who has an active streak of 14) for the most in the Majors this year. The Nats’ duo of Jake Irvin (12) and PJ Poulin (11) also have active streaks close behind.
THURSDAY
With a first-inning strikeout of Heriberto Hernández, Nolan McLean recorded his 200th career strikeout in his 30th career game, making him the fifth-fastest Met to reach that total behind Dwight Gooden (25 games), Matt Harvey (27 games), Noah Syndergaard (28 games), and Kodai Senga (29 games). Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes are the only other starters since Senga to debut and reach 200 strikeouts in 30 or fewer games.
McLean posted his sixth consecutive quality start, the most by a Met since Kodai Senga (8) from August 7-September 20, 2023. It was also McLean’s eighth consecutive start in which he completed six innings, the most by a Met since Sean Manaea (8) from August 16-September 21, 2024.
McLean had seven total chances in the field (three putouts, three assists, and one error), marking the most in a game by a Mets pitcher since Armando Reynoso’s seven on August 15, 1998, in Arizona. (source: SNY broadcast)
Kyle Stowers’ 112.8-mph home run was the hardest-hit homer the Mets have allowed since Shohei Ohtani’s 114.0-mph shot off Max Kranick on June 2, 2025 at Dodger Stadium.
FRIDAY
Francisco Lindor’s seventh-inning solo shot was his 150th home run as a Met, passing Carlos Beltrán for seventh on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard behind Pete Alonso (264), Darryl Strawberry (252), David Wright (242), Mike Piazza (220), Howard Johnson (192), and Dave Kingman (154).
With his fifth-inning single, Lindor extended his hitting streak against the Marlins to 21 games, setting a record for the longest hitting streak by any player against the Marlins. Tom Pagnozzi (1993-1996) and Quilvio Veras (1997-2000) were previously tied for the record at 20 games. Lindor got hits on Saturday and Sunday to make it a 23-game hitting streak against the Marlins. He’ll have the chance to extend it to 26 games later this season when the Mets play in Miami on September 7-9.
Kodai Senga completed four innings on just 33 pitches. That’s the fewest pitches a Mets starting pitcher has thrown to make it through the first four innings of a game since Bartolo Colon completed four innings on 32 pitches on September 23, 2015 against the Braves at Citi Field. (credit: PIX broadcast)
Senga took the loss on Friday night, giving him an 0-8 record on the season. He’s the fifth Met to begin a season with at least eight consecutive losing decisions, after Bob Miller (0-12 in 1962), Anthony Young (0-13 in 1993), John Franco (0-8 in 1998), and Shaun Marcum (0-9 in 2013).
SATURDAY
After Saturday, Tyrone Taylor had hit seven home runs over his past 19 games. Prior to this season, his previous career-high in homers during a 19-game span was five.
The Mets issued multiple walks for the 100th game this season, second-most of any team in MLB behind the Reds (101).
SUNDAY
Making his first Major League appearance in over a year, Robert Stock shattered his career high by racking up 12 whiffs, including at least three on three different types of fastballs (cutter, four-seamer, and sinker). His previous career high had been nine.
Stock has made 58 career appearances, and in only three of those has he completed at least four innings. All three have come at Citi Field, and in all three he has been pinned with the loss. The first was on June 16, 2021, when he started for the Cubs against the Mets. The second was on June 7, 2021, when he started for the Mets in the second game of a doubleheader against the Brewers. The third was Sunday, when he tossed five innings for the first time in his career while allowing just one earned run. (credit: SNY broadcast)
Luke Weaver recorded his 37th appearance with at least one inning pitched and no earned runs allowed this season, tied for fifth-most in MLB. Only Louis Varland (42), Tyler Rogers (41), Mason Miller (40), and Taylor Clarke (38) have more such appearances.
Sandy Alcantara made his 19th career start against the Mets, tying Tom Koehler and Dontrelle Willis for the second-most by a Marlin behind Ricky Nolasco (23).
The Mets suffered their eleventh shutout loss of the season, tied with the Pirates for the most in MLB.
The Mets scored two runs or fewer through nine innings for the 47th time this season. Only the Angels (48) have more such games in MLB.
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:
The last two Mets pitchers to record triples were Steven Matz and Dillon Gee, and both triples were hit against former Mets left-handers. Matz’s came on June 7, 2016, against Jon Niese in Pittsburgh, while Gee’s came on August 14, 2013, against Chris Capuano at Dodger Stadium.
There are probably going to be a bunch of deals made today, so let’s concentrate all of the chatter about them here in this thread.
We can talk about rumors, react to what has already gone down around the league, whatever you want.
Let’s ride.
We’ve at last arrived at the MLB Trade Deadline. Once the clock strikes 6 p.m. EST this evening, teams will no longer be able to trade to reshape their rosters; what you have is what you’ve got the rest of the way. It’s the last chance for clubs around the league, and for Brian Cashman and the Yankees, to load up for a playoff push.
Though this deadline season took a while to heat up, we at last saw some marquee names exchanged this weekend. Yesterday, Freddy Peralta went to the Rays, Kevin Gausman went to the Cubs, and the Yankees made a major move with the acquisition of slugger Luis García Jr. Of course, the biggest news was the Dodgers’ addition of Tarik Skubal late Saturday night, a move that was expected by many but is still earth-shaking in its impact on the pennant race.
The Yankees laid in wait for some time leading up to the deadline, but after dealing Camilo Doval to the Pirates for prospects and then shipping out prospects for García, they’re out of the shadows and moving actively. Will they stay active on deadline day? Follow along with us as we keep you updated with every move and rumor from across the league all day.
Marcelo Mayer was the most-hyped prospect in Red Sox history. He was not the highest-ranked prospect the Sox have ever had, and other players like Roman Anthony, Mookie Betts, and, now, Franklin Arias, have all had their moments as the fanbase’s primo prospect darling. But Mayer represents the only time in Red Sox history when the organization landed a player who was viewed as potentially the single-best talent in the entire MLB Draft. Thus, what sets Mayer apart in terms of hype is the fact that, unlike pretty much any other Sox minor leaguer in history, he was widely known throughout the fanbase from the very moment he entered the org. So as prospects fly around the league today on deadline day, it’s worth keeping him in mind, because at this point, if the most-hyped prospect in Red Sox history “has any trade value at this stage, it would be as a throw-in.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
And that’s why Criag Breslow is reportedly going into overdrive on the hunt for a new shortstop. “One exec, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so they could speak candidly about the Red Sox, said in a text, “That’s all I hear — Boston/SS.” (Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic)
Though don’t count the team out of the starting pitcher race, either:
The Sox could use another arm in the bullpen, too, though thankfully they already have the closer’s spot locked down, as Aroldis Chapman was just named the AL Reliever of the Month for the fifth time in his career. (Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, MLB.com)
Of course we know one starting pitcher who definitely won’t end up with the Sox: Tarik Skubal, who landed with the Dodgers over the weekend. “Looks like they’re going to be positioned to have a pretty good rotation, and we don’t play them anymore after today unless we get to the World Series,” said Chad Tracy. “So we’ll deal with it then.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
The players seem to be just as nonchalant as Tracy when it comes to thinking about trade deadline help. “If somebody comes, we’ll welcome them with open arms,” said Ceddanne Rafaela. “If not, we will keep winning baseball games with this team. That’s what we’re doing.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Ceddanne has earned the right to believe in his own abilities. Has he also earned the right to enter the MVP conversation? (Scott McLaughlin, WEEI)
The deadline for Major League Baseball teams to make trades during the 2026 season is today – Monday, August 3rd – at 6:00 PM ET, and the Cincinnati Reds presumably have a lot of business to take care of between now and then.
The currently sit at 53-58, mired in last place in the National League Central some 16 games adrift of the Milwaukee Brewers. Despite their recent best efforts, they also sit 5.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, with six teams they’d need to jump to earn their way into a playoff spot.
With seven guys who are set to reach free agency at season’s end, all signs point to the Reds being active sellers in the next few hours. Guys like Brady Singer, Tyler Stephenson, Eugenio Suarez, Caleb Ferguson, Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, and Nate Lowe are all expected to be shopped aggressively, and there’s the off-chance that Nick Krall and Co. opt to cash-in on players with more team control (i.e. Hunter Greene or JJ Bleday) in order to help restock the farm.
We’ll be following all the developments here at Red Reporter HQ, and here will be the clearinghouse where you can follow with us.
Maybe, just maybe, the front office will find a way to unload Ke’Bryan Hayes!
Today’s the big day, folks. It’s Monday, August 3 and it’s time to get locked in since the deadline is officially at 6:00 p.m. ET. Will the Braves make a huge splash? Will AA surprise us? Will it all be a big dud? It’s time to figure it all out! Keep it locked here as we’ll be trying to parse all of the major rumors of the day, whether they’re Braves-related or just intriguing for the bigger picture. Let’s get into it, folks!
[3:49 p.m. ET]: The Angels continue their great firesale and the Cubs continue to be very active at the deadline. Chicago gets some relief pitching help in the form of RHP Ryan Zeferjahn.
[3:47 p.m. ET]: Apparently the Braves are in on Mets starter Clay Holmes. Normally I’d say that this is a long shot (and it still might be considering that he’s garnering a lot of attention with a handful of other teams included in this report from Mark Feinsand) but considering all of the intra-divisional trade action that we’ve seen so far today, it certainly seems possible.
Holmes is also currently on the 60-Day IL and currently on rehab assignment, so you have to keep that in mind. Either way, it’s a Braves rumor! Do with that what you will.
[3:18 p.m. ET]:Another intra-divisional trade. The NL Central gets involved, as the Brewers are picking up right-handed starter Dustin May and lefty reliever JoJo Romero from the Cardinals. Ken Rosenthal is reporting this, so you can take it to the bank.
Meanwhile, our friend from Bleacher Nation is standing ten toes town on his reporting despite other reporters challenging it. I guess we’ll see what happens but for now, I’d just go ahead and assume that Reid Detmers is still available.
[3:10 p.m. ET]: Annnnnnd Luke Weaver comes off the board. The Mets are sending him out to Pittsburgh.
[3:00 p.m. ET]: Well, well, well: We have our first example of conflicting sources. Cerami says that the Cubs/Angels Detmers deal is done. However, Peter Appel of Just Baseball Media is saying that a deal is not close. It’s officially silly hours, folks.
Cubs/White Sox reporter Jesse Rogers of ESPN has come in and stated that his source is saying that the deal has not happened and that Detmers is on the board. I’d say that hope has officially been restored for the rest of us who may have our eyes on Detmers.
[2:49 p.m ET]: Welp, you can take Reid Detmers off of the board. The Cubs acquired Kevin Gausman yesterday and today they’ll be getting Detmers from the Angels. I really would’ve liked having him here, so blah. Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation is reporting this news.
[2:43 p.m. ET]: Apparently Jose Soriano might still be available despite having been traded from the Angels to the Blue Jays. Joe Sherman is reporting that the trade hasn’t stopped other teams from trying to acquire Soriano as they’ve simply moved from calling the Angels to calling the Blue Jays. Wacky!
[2:19 p.m. ET]: Kansas City is sending Kris Bubic to the Dodgers. Bubic had a breakout season for the Royals in 2025 but he was unable to build upon that and turn it into consistent above-average performance — which is why he’ll probably turn into an ace wearing Dodger blue instead of Royal blue, right? He is on the IL right now, so you can take that into consideration.
[2:05 p.m. ET]: Here are a few more rapid-fire updates. We have another intra-divisional trade, as the Padres have reportedly picked up Robbie Ray from the Giants in an effort to boost their rotation as they attempt to snatch a Postseason spot. A.J. Preller just likes being busy.
Meanwhile, there’s an intra-state trade down in Florida as the Rays are getting Liam Hicks from the Marlins. Remember when the Marlins made a push for a moment there during June?
Lastly, apparently The Athletic is reporting that Jacob deGrom has told the Rangers that he wants to remain with the team, so there’s that. Now, just because he wants to stay doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t agree to leave if the Rangers do strike a deal with another team but at the same time, I’d say that it’s looking more likely that deGrom is staying put in Arlington.
[1:46 p.m. ET]: We’ve got a couple of AL East deals and one of them is a biggie. There’s another intra-divisional trade that’s close to happening that would see Baltimore send C/DH Adley Rutschman over to Boston in exchange for some prospects. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are picking up UTIL Josh Smith from the Rangers.
Speaking of the Rangers, Jon Heyman is reporting that the Braves have, in fact, “checked in” on Jacob deGrom’s availability. Watch out for that, folks.
[12:59 p.m. ET]: Francys Romero of Beisbol FR is the first to report that Brenton Doyle would be getting freed from the Rockies and joining the fun on the South Side of Chicago with the White Sox.
The Rockies are reportedly getting INF Carlos Vielma and RHP Mason Adams in return. Jorge Castillo of ESPN had that news first.
Romero is also reporting that Luis Robert Jr. could be on the move before the deadline hits, so there’s that.
[12:30 p.m. ET]: Here’s a sign of the times: The 54-58 Orioles are selling to the 55-58 Mariners. Taylor Ward (and his sky-high walk-rate) is heading to Seattle. It may not be a huge needle mover but the Deadline is showing who still has hope and who’s deciding to punt with an eye towards next season* when it comes to the overly-crowded Wild Card race. The Mariners are only a half-game ahead of the O’s in the Wild Card but they’re only three back in the AL West compared to Baltimore being far behind the Rays for the AL East lead, so there you have it.
*That’s assuming there is a “next season” in 2027
[12:21 p.m. ET]: Jo Adell was a name that had been bandied about in rumors concerning the Braves. I think we all figured that that was out of the window once the Braves acquired Lane Thomas and sure enough, Adell is now heading to Cleveland. Everything must go in AnaheimLos Angeles, I guess.
[11:48 a.m. ET]: Here’s the graphic for Suter, so it’s official.
[11:32 a.m. ET]: The Braves have made their first deadline day deal. They’ve linked up with the Angels (again) and reportedly lefty reliever Brent Suter is heading to Atlanta. We’ve got more on the trade here.
[11:05 a.m. ET]: Not a trade update but just a heads up that our very own Gaurav Vedak will be returning to BravesVision on Thursday, so stay tuned for that!
[10:37 a.m. ET]: In case you’re wondering how the Phillies are going to make all of this work, they’re definitely going to have to move some parts around. We’ll see how this goes.
[9:55 a.m. ET]: Now we get an intra-divisional trade here in the NL East and (surprise, surprise) it’s the Phillies and the Mets doing a deal together. LHP Brooks Raley is heading to Philadelphia, according to Bob Nightengale. Nightengale also mentioned that the Phillies are looking for another starter, so that’s great.
[9:50 a.m. ET]: Well, the Phillies just got even more annoying. Luis Arraez is heading to Philly in a deal with the Giants, according to Jeff Passan.
The Phillies will also be getting Caleb Killian as well. The Giants are putting it all up for sale, apparently.
[9:44 a.m. ET]: I was going to mention that Jose Soriano was going to be a name to watch just like Reid Detmers and then additionally, there have been rumors that the Braves may be in on Casey Mize and Jacob deGrom as well. deGrom in particlar has a no-trade clause and according to Evan Grant, he may be willing to waive that no-trade clause if a deal sends him here to Atlanta.
[9:33 a.m. ET]: Just a couple of moments after this tracker went live, we get a big one. According to Jeff Passan, Jose Soriano is on the move and heading to Toronto. Wait, Toronto?
August 2 – Atlanta Braves acquire RHP Tyler Mahle from San Francisco Giants for RHP Anthony Molina
August 2 – Chicago Cubs acquire RHP Kevin Gausman from Toronto Blue Jays for INF Ty Southisene and OF Brett Bateman
August 2 – Tampa Bay Rays acquire RHP Freddy Peralta from New York Mets for OF Aidan Smith, INF Émilien Pitre and RHP Gary Gill Hill
August 2 – New York Yankees acquire INF Luis García Jr. from Washington Nationals for RHP Yorvanny Cruz, RHP Jake Bird, RHP Jack Cebert and RHP Ben Grable
August 1 – Atlanta Braves acquire OF Lane Thomas and LHP Bailey Falter from Kansas City Royals for LHP Carter Holton and RHP Lucas Braun
August 1 – Pittsburgh Pirates acquire RHP Camilo Doval and cash considerations for C Omar Alfonzo and OF Luis Cruz
August 1 – Chicago White Sox acquire Luis Castillo from Seattle Mariners for RHP Seranthony Dominquez, OF Nolan Jones and C Boston Smith
August 1 – Milwaukee Brewers acquire C Bo Naylor and RHP Codi Huer from Cleveland Guardians for RHP Craig Yoho and OF Blake Perkins
August 1 – Los Angeles Dodgers acquire Tarik Skubal from Detroit Tigers for OF Zyhir Hope, RHP River Ryan and RHP Brady Smith
Today might be the Trade Deadline (and check out Tracker if you haven’t already) and it’s an off day for our Atlanta Braves but there’s still news to discuss outside of all of that. We’re a few days into the month of August and now Atlanta’s ace hurler has received some recognition for what he did during July.
Chris Sale has been recognized as the National League Pitcher of the Month for July.
Here’s more from Major League Baseball’s press release on the matter:
The 13th overall pick of the 2010 Draft posted three scoreless starts, dealing 7.0 innings on July 17th against Texas and 6.0 frames in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Citi Field on July 29th, along with a rain-shortened start of 3.0 innings on July 10th at St. Louis. He registered six strikeouts against the Rangers and nine at the Mets as he held both opponents to just two hits and did not issue a walk. Sale has three starts of at least 6.0 scoreless innings in which he allowed two-or-fewer hits and no walks (also: April 1st vs. ATH), matching Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes for the most such starts in the Majors this year.
Sale made five starts in total during the month of July (with 27 total innings pitched) and finished with a 2.00 ERA and a 2.21 FIP across those five starts. He racked up strikeouts at a pretty high rate, finishing with an 11.33 K/9 alongisde a 1.33 BB/9 and a 0.67 HR/9 over the month of July. Additionally, the Braves won all but one of those five starts he made — the only loss came when Sale was limited to three innings due to rain hitting Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
This is now the second time that Sale has been recognized as NL Pitcher of the Month with the Braves and it’s the sixth time overall — he pulled off the feat twice with both the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox. It’s just yet another accolade to add to the resume for the future Hall of Famer. Hopefully Atlanta will continue to thrive this season so more major honors of the team variety could be on the way for Chris Sale. We’ll see what happens.
LeBron James joining Philadelphia tilted the balance of power in the East, turned the 76ers into nearly co-favorites with the Knicks to win the conference, and led to accusations of ring-chasing from his clickbait haters.
Are the Philadelphia 76ers genuinely contenders now? Kevin Durant says yes, in a quote over the weekend, via Ben Golliver of ESPN.
Kevin Durant on LeBron James’s 76ers: “The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. They have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender.” pic.twitter.com/aFcSyDoEq1
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 1, 2026
"The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. [The 76ers] have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they're going to be a contender. They're going to be a fun team to watch. It's going to be League Pass-worthy."
To be technical, while Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid all averaged 25+ points per game last season, LeBron "only" averaged 20.9 playing on a team with Luka Doncic. However, LeBron has averaged 25+ points per game in 20 of his 23 NBA seasons so far.
There are legitimate questions about how all the puzzle pieces fit together in Philadelphia in a way there were not when Durant went to Golden State. The Warriors had an established offensive philosophy and system, a team culture in the locker room, that Durant was plugging into and enhancing. It was a clean fit. Philadelphia is much harder to pin down because it's basically two teams, the one when Embiid plays and the one when he doesn't. Brown and LeBron are not coming to be plugged into an already highly-efficient system.
One accusation that came out of LeBron choosing Philadelphia — over more narrative-driven options such as Cleveland or Golden State — has been that he is "ring chasing."
It is a horribly flawed critique, starting with the fact it comes from people who would have complained he didn't care about winning if he went to Golden State or Miami — online full-time LeBron haters looking for clicks. These fans too often will lean into the "ringzzzz" culture as a measuring stick but then complain when a player does what is best for them to go get those rings. It's an impossible double standard.
In an interview with Sam Yip of Hoopshpe, Chris Bosh — who was rooting for LeBron to go to Miami — shot down the ring-chasing argument, bringing in a couple of the other biggest names in the game.
"Philly was a pretty good choice, too. So a lot of people call it ring chasing. Everybody chases rings. If you didn't think Kobe and Jordan were ring chasers too, you're crazy. [Laughs] Everybody wants a ring. I'll chase a ring right now. [Laughs]."
Well said.
