Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a Major League Baseball investigation into sports betting.
Clase becomes the second Guardians pitcher to be placed on leave in connection with a sports gambling probe. Right-hander Luis Ortiz is on non-disciplinary leave through Aug. 31.
The Guardians said in a statement that they “have been informed that no additional players or club personnel are expected to be impacted.”
Giants DFA right-hander Carson Ragsdale to make room for Carson Whisenhunt originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
As one Giants pitching prospect arrives, another departs.
Right-hander Carson Ragsdale, the Giants’ No. 25 prospect per MLB.com, was designated for assignment on Monday. The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, who is scheduled to make his MLB debut in Monday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park.
The 27-year old Ragsdale originally was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 4th round of the 2020 MLB Draft. San Francisco acquired the University of South Florida product in a 2021 trade, sending reliever Sam Coonrod to Philadelphia.
Ragsdale pitched at five different levels in the Giants organization in the years following the trade, but never cracked the big leagues. This season with Triple-A Sacramento, he posted a 5-5 record with a 5.37 ERA in 18 appearances. Ragsdale also surrendered 16 home runs in just 65 1/3 innings pitched. He owns a career 4.32 ERA across 81 minor league games.
Whisenhunt’s promotion comes as the Giants deal with injuries and inconsistency in their starting rotation. Right-hander Landen Roupp recently landed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation, while fellow righty Hayden Birdsong battled control issues and was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to recapture his early-season form.
Evgeny Kuznetsov’s longtime teammate recently discussed the possibility of the center returning to the NHL.
After posting 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games with St. Petersburg this past KHL season, Kuznetsov is reportedly looking to return to the NHL.
The 33-year-old played 11 NHL seasons for the Washington Capitals, putting up 32 points in 24 playoff games when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018. In 2023-24, the Capitals traded Kuznetsov to the Carolina Hurricanes for a third-round pick at the NHL trade deadline, and he recorded seven points in 20 games and six points in 10 playoff games after the move.
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin told Russian-language publication Gazeta.ru that Kuznetsov is sensible and can make the right choice to prove himself in the NHL again or in the KHL. But Ovechkin said he’s not Washington’s GM, and whether Kuznetsov can return to the Capitals is not the question for him to answer.
With August almost here, Kuznetsov remains a UFA, but this could change before NHL training camps begin in mid-September. His past success could ultimately lead to an NHL club giving him another opportunity, especially when considering he is one of the top UFAs left based on his potential. While he only had 24 points in 63 games in 2023-24, he had 55 points in 2022-23 and 78 points in 2021-22.
Here are three teams that could make sense as potential landing spots for Kuznetsov if he doesn't return to Washington.
After trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers during the 2024-25 season and losing Pius Suter in free agency to the St. Louis Blues this summer, the Vancouver Canucks could use another center. They’ve gone from having Miller and Elias Pettersson as a one-two punch down the middle to Pettersson and Filip Chytil, who came to the Canucks in the Miller trade and had 26 points in 56 games this past season while dealing with injury issues.
If the Canucks signed Kuznetsov, he would create some competition for the Canucks’ second-line center spot with Chytil. Even if he slotted in as Vancouver’s third-line center, he would still improve their depth down the middle. The third line of Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland that thrived at times in 2023-24 was separated for most of this past season, and Joshua is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so adding Kuznetsov shouldn’t disrupt the bottom six’s chemistry, either. Blueger can stay in an effective depth role, while Vancouver can ease 22-year-old Aatu Raty into a full-time NHL role.
The Canucks have $3.27 million in salary cap space, but Kuznetsov’s agent said he’s not an $8-million player anymore and could be a steal for cap-strapped teams. If signed to a cheap, one-year deal, Kuznetsov could be a solid low-risk, high-reward addition for the Canucks.
The Colorado Avalanche could be an interesting landing spot for Kuznetsov. After trading Charlie Coyle to the Columbus Blue Jackets this off-season, it would not be particularly surprising if they were open to adding another option to consider for their third-line center spot.
With Brock Nelson as the second-line center, Jack Drury is third in the depth chart, and he had nine points in 33 games with the Avalanche after they acquired him from the Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen trade. Drury is better at taking faceoffs than Kuznetsov, but the latter can provide more secondary scoring for the Avalanche, which lost Jonathan Drouin in free agency after he averaged 0.76 points per game in two seasons in Colorado.
The Avalanche are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, and Kuznetsov’s past playoff success should appeal to them. They have about $3.35 million in cap space, so the center would have to take a prove-it, bargain deal to play for them, but it could be worth it for the team and player.
Five Potential Destinations For Max Pacioretty in 2025-26With the bulk of the sought-after unrestricted free agents signed in the first three weeks of July, teams appear to be accelerating the invitation of players on professional tryouts, as the New York Rangers did with two-time Stanley Cup winner Conor Sheary earlier this week. One of the more successful camp invites last September was veteran forward Max Pacioretty.
The retooling Boston Bruins brought in wingers Viktor Arvidsson, Tanner Jeannot, Mikey Eyssimont and center Sean Kuraly as part of their off-season moves. That said, they could use help at the center position.
Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt and Morgan Geekie are options at center in the top two lines. Zacha played most of the season as the center for Geekie and David Pastrnak, but he and Lindholm each recorded 47 points this past season, while Mittelstadt had only six points in 18 games after being acquired at the trade deadline.
Kuznetsov should entice the Bruins, especially since there are not many other notable free agents left who can play center.
While Kuznetsov would not be a true answer for the Bruins’ first-line center problem, he would offer them another intriguing playmaker to work with in their middle six and on their power play. If he bounces back from his last NHL season, Kuznetsov may even get opportunities to set up Pastrnak for goals on the first line.
The Bruins have about $2.08 million in cap space, so Kuznetsov would have to take less money, even if he could play a larger role there. If he wants to just take this next season to prove himself back in the NHL, he’d be a solid addition to a Bruins club that could use more skill and offense.
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McIntosh aiming for five individual golds
Gretchen Walsh wins first USA gold in 100 butterfly
Two days. Two gold medals.
Summer McIntosh is off to a perfect start at the swimming world championships in her attempt to win five individual gold medals, a feat only achieved by American legend Michael Phelps.
Continue reading...It's Monday, July 28 and the Red Sox (57-50) are in Minneapolis to take on the Twins (50-55). Richard Fitts is slated to take the mound for Boston against Simeon Woods Richardson for Minnesota.
Boston is 4-5 since the break and won the last two games coming against the Dodgers to take that series. For Minnesota, the Twins re 1-3 in the past four games and 3-6 out of the All-Star break.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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The NBA offseason isn't entirely over — there are still some solid free agents available, some veteran extensions to sign, and some restricted free agents still hanging out there — but we know the shape of teams at this point.
Who had the best NBA offseasons? Let's break it down, with seven teams that stood out to me.
Kevin Durant.
Those two words alone made this a winning offseason for Houston. Anyone who watched their first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Warriors saw Houston's problems with half-court shot creation and end-of-clock situations — Durant solves those problems. Even at age 37, the man is still a walking bucket.
☀️ KEVIN DURANT 40-PIECE ☀️
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
42 PTS | 6 REB | 8 AST | 4 3PM
Suns get the big win for their 3rd in a row! pic.twitter.com/jjgf30EHGT
However, the Rockets did more than just add Durant. The addition of Dorian Finney-Smith — adding more defense plus 3-point shooting to the mix — was one of the best moves of the offseason. Clint Capela gives Houston another solid rotation big man. They locked up Fred VanVleet on a good deal, and also re-signed Steven Adams, Jae'Sean Tate, Jabari Smith Jr., Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green.
Houston enters the coming season a clear title contender — that's the sign of a good offseason.
At the heart of the tension that ultimately led to the dismissal of coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth was the question of how hard to lean into the young players the team had drafted. Malone wanted more veterans, while Booth wanted more time for the players he had drafted.
This summer, the new front office in Denver did what Malone had been asking for, adding veterans. Jonas Valanciunas is the best backup center Nikola Jokic has had and will help the second unit not fall off a cliff when the three-time MVP rests. The Nuggets signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and are bringing back Bruce Brown. Most importantly, they sent Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson — an upgrade for the Nuggets. Both Johnson and Porter Jr. are a near 40% threat from beyond the arc, but Johnson is a better defender and a more consistent, high-IQ player who will thrive playing next to Jokic (the cost of a 2032 pick is the price they pay to chase titles now, with Jokic at his peak).
Denver, like Houston, upgraded and is a full-on contender entering next season, that's a win.
Atlanta went all-in on one more (last?) attempt to build around Trae Young — and they did it smartly. This team needed defensive upgrades, such as a high-level rim protector and more wing defense. Enter Kristaps Porzingis at center — who can protect the paint and is a great pick-and-pop partner for young — and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. However, the biggest addition will be the return to health of Jalen Johnson (a step forward by Zaccharie Risacher helps as well).
Atlanta has gone from a "will they make it out of the play-in" team to one with a real shot at a top-four spot in the East. That's a strong offseason.
Orlando is already acknowledged as a team on the rise — they were the No. 6 seed in the East last season, despite Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missing chunks of the season with matching oblique injuries — but they needed more shooting.
Check that box. The Magic could not have landed a better fit than Desmond Bane, a career 41% shooter from beyond the arc who also can do some secondary playmaking and is a plus defender. Orlando also added Tyus Jones, a floor general backup point guard who will boost second units. If just-drafted Jase Richardson can shoot well enough, he could get some run as well. The other thing Orlando did: lock up Banchero for four years with a max extension (the fifth is a player option). All of those are good moves.
Coming off watching Indiana make a run to the NBA Finals, it's not hard to envision the Magic having a similar run if things break their way.
Los Angeles knows who it is, it knows who its stars are, understands its potential limitations, and still this summer leaned hard into that "one more run with the old guys" identity (while setting up the chance to make a pivot and change this team dramatically in 2027).
They did it smartly, starting with adding Brook Lopez and John Collins to the frontcourt. Los Angeles scooped up Bradley Beal after Phoenix waived and stretched him, getting the three-time All-Star at a fair price considering his contributions, and filling the hole left by Norman Powell's exit. Chris Paul is returning home for one more season.
The Clippers are 11 deep with guys who can and will expect rotation minutes, a balancing act for Tyronn Lue to figure out. This is a 50-win team from last season that has gotten deeper and better. The Clippers are a top-six team in the West with a shot to host a playoff round. That's a good offseason.
They didn't do anything spectacular, but they didn't have to. OKC locked up its three-man core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren with massive extensions (although getting Holmgren on a straight 25 without escalators is good work). That trio keeps this team in the contender conversation for the length of those deals, (five years). The cast around that core is going to change somewhat as the second tax apron comes calling starting in 2027, but no team has the draft picks and flexibility to survive that as well as OKC.
For next season, this team runs back the same roster that just won 68 games and a title — they are the bar to clear for any team talking title.
The Spurs are here in part because I like their offseason moves, but also in part because I think we're not talking enough about how big a leap they could make next season. This team gives me Detroit vibes from last year, where Victor Wembanyama comes into his own as a superstar and the talent around him starts to come together.
The Spurs had a great draft — the lottery gods blessed them with Dylan Harper, but picking up Carter Bryant at 14 looked like a steal of a pick based on Summer League (his defense was great, the offense is a project). More importantly, they signed Luke Kornet as a backup to Wembanyama, providing them with another quality big, so they don't have to wear Wemby down and can give him some nights off as needed. Also, the Spurs signed Kelly Olynyk as a stretch four/five to help with the frontcourt rotation.
With a full season of De'Aaron Fox and Wemby, and Harper finding his groove as a rookie, this is going to be a fun team to watch this season.
It's Monday, July 28 and the Dodgers (61-45) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (56-50). Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Chase Burns for Cincinnati.
The Dodgers are 3-6 since the All-Star break and dropped the past two games to the Red Sox. On the other hand, the Reds are on a four-game winning streak and 6-3 since the break.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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It's Monday, July 28 and the Rays (53-53) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (57-48). Drew Rasmussen is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Cam Schlittler for New York.
The Yankees and Rays line up for a four-game series as both teams attempt to right the ship. Tampa Bay has lost four consecutive games and six of the past seven, while New York is 1-3 over the last four and 4-5 since the All-Star break. To make matters worse for the Yankees — Aaron Judge is out for the next 10 games.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Steven Lorentz is having a summer to remember.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has been busy ever since the season ended at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs. Lorentz was a pending unrestricted free agent, with extension talks nearly going down to the wire before free agency opened on July 1.
He and the Maple Leafs agreed on a three-year, $4.05 million extension on June 30, one day before he was set to hit the open market. Similar to his term, Lorentz’s $1.35 million annual average value is the largest of his NHL career.
Saturday, though, likely topped any day of his life as he and his wife, Erin, got married.
The two tied the knot on Saturday afternoon, surrounded by family and friends. Two other Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann and Anthony Stolarz, along with their partners, took a selfie together and also got a photo with the groom.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Cameos In Daughter’s TikTok While Juggling Offseason DutiesToronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is in peak-summer form.
Lorentz and his wife got engaged last summer, after he and the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup. Following an exciting offseason, the forward attended Maple Leafs training camp on a professional tryout before signing a one-year, $775,000 contract right before the regular season began.
Along with getting married and signing a huge extension, Lorentz also participated in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy festivities earlier in July. He was spotted speaking with a few IndyCar drivers and even did a lap of the track in one of the cars.
Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Earns Invite To Hockey Canada's World Juniors Summer ShowcaseThe Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive prospect, Ben Danford, is among the 44 promising players invited to Hockey Canada’s World Juniors Summer Showcase. Hockey Canada unveiled the 44 prospects who will head to Minnesota for the showcase, which begins Sunday and runs through August 2 in Minneapolis.
Lorentz is coming off a career season with the Maple Leafs, where he scored eight goals and 11 assists (a career-high) for 19 points in 80 games. He also tallied two assists, both coming against his former club in the second round of the playoffs.
The Carolina Hurricanes drafted the Kitchener, Ontario-born product in the seventh round (186th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. Lorentz has scored 62 points (29 goals and 33 assists) in 310 games, split with Toronto, Florida, Carolina, and the San Jose Sharks, since entering the NHL in 2021.
This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Maple Leafs Forward Steven Lorentz’s Thrilling Summer Continues With Marriage To Wife, Erin
(Top photo of Lorentz and wife, Erin: @slorentz16 / Instagram)
Red Sox no longer considering Jarren Duran trade: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox reportedly plan to hold on to their biggest trade chip through this week’s deadline.
Jarren Duran has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, but it appears he won’t be moved after all. WEEI’s Rob Bradford reports that the Red Sox are “no longer entertaining” potential deals involving their All-Star outfielder.
“Multiple major league sources have said that the Red Sox are no longer entertaining the idea of trading Jarren Duran, which is an obvious step in the right direction in the eyes of this current clubhouse,” Bradford wrote.
Duran was widely expected to be the odd man out if the Red Sox decided to move a piece from their crowded outfield. With No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony in left field, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and Wilyer Abreu in right, it made sense to capitalize on Duran’s value and trade him for starting pitching ahead of the deadline.
However, infielder Marcelo Mayer’s wrist injury has thrown a wrench into those plans. Rafaela since has replaced Mayer at second base, with Duran taking over in center field. Trading Duran now would leave Boston shorthanded — either in the outfield or at second base — depending on where Rafaela would play.
The San Diego Padres had been rumored to be the most aggressive suitors for Duran. There were also murmurs about a potential deal for Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan, but with Duran reportedly off the trade block, the chances of such a move have become even slimmer.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported last week that the Red Sox are “not inclined to engage in any large-scale deadline moves.” While that indicates Duran won’t be dealt, it also likely means Boston won’t make any moves for frontline starting pitching, which chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had stated was his trade deadline priority.
The Red Sox could still look to acquire affordable rotation depth. In addition to starting pitching, they could also use upgrades to the bullpen, first base, and backup catcher.
Boston will travel to Minnesota for its last three games before the July 31 trade deadline.
Sam Horn signed a professional contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he will return to Missouri to compete for the starting QB role.
The MLB Trade Deadline is Thursday at 6 pm Eastern time. We've already seen a few trades over the weekend, and rumors are now beginning to swirl with more ferocity. However, while everybody is focusing on the big-name players who could change teams, like Eugenio Suarez or Joe Ryan, there's value in focusing on the "little guy."
In this article, I'm going to discuss some hitters and pitchers I think will gain value after the trade deadline because they'll find themselves in more useful roles. That means we won't be discussing those big-name players who will change teams, players who may just "get hot," or players who could start but not provide fantasy football. We'll just be focusing on the ones who could be on the verge of providing you real fantasy value after the trade deadline due to a new opportunity.
If you also just want to know some of the names of the players who might be moved and open up spots for their previous team, I wrote an article last week discussing the starting pitcher landscape at the trade deadline.
Josh Bell - 1B, Washington Nationals
Last week,I recorded a video on Josh Bell’s decision to move to a more line-drive swing at the end of May. That decision has led to a .284/.361/.469 slash line in 46 games since making the shift. Yes, that has come with just even home runs and 24 RBI, but the numbers and approach will still work in deeper formats since Bell is striking out just 12% of the time and making a lot of contact. Bell is a free agent at the end of the season, so the Nationals would like to move him at the deadline, and if he winds up with regular at-bats for a team like Boston or the New York Mets, he could provide some solid value.
Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles
Ryan O'Hearn is almost certainly out the door in Baltimore since he's a free agent at the end of the season. That will open up first base and DH reps in Baltimore, and you'd have to think they want to get Mayo some full-time reps, especially after watching Kyle Stowers put together an All-Star season in Miami after the Orioles didn't give him consistent reps and then traded him away. Mayo is only 23 years old and has been producing of late in a limited sample size. Now could be the time for him to flourish, or Baltimore could choose to give those reps to top prospect Samuel Basallo - C/1B, Baltimore. Or, let's be honest, they could just bring Ryan Mountcastle off the IL and let him play regularly for the remainder of the season to see if he has a place on this team in 2026. Of course, if the Orioles also trade Ramon Urias, then Mayo has yet another path to full-time at-bats.
Adrian Del Castillo - C/DH, Arizona Diamondbacks
This one already came into focus on Thursday when the Diamondbacks traded Josh Naylor to the Mariners. Pavin Smith will likely be the regular first baseman for the Diamondbacks when he returns from the IL, and that means Del Castillo should be the DH the rest of the way. He hit .313/.368/.525 in 25 MLB games last year with four home runs and 19 RBI. Yes, there were some strikeout issues, but we love that offensive profile for a catcher and, for fantasy, we love catchers who don’t catch.
Jordan Lawlar - INF, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are also likely to move on from Eugenio Suarez, which could mean a starting third base job for Lawlar. The 22-year-old is battling a hamstring strain, but the team had indicated that he would be back in late July, so he could presumably take over for Suarez in August. Lawlar is hitting .319/.410/.583 at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 18 steals in 53 games. He has little left to prove there.
Heriberto Hernandez - OF, Miami Marlins
Hernandez is playing part-time for the Marlins now, but there are rumors that Jesus Sanchez could be traded at the deadline, which would free up more right field at-bats for Hernandez. The 25-year-old has defied expectations and hit .323/.377/.531 in 106 MLB plate appearances with five home runs and 17 RBI. He had a 35% strikeout rate in the minors, so this doesn't feel like it will keep up, but he also has a 91 mph average exit velocity in the big leagues and a 13.2% barrel rate, so maybe he can make enough impactful contact to help in deeper formats.
Luke Keaschall - INF, Minnesota Twins
We know that the Twins are interested in dealing their pending free agents like Willi Castro and Harrison Bader. If Castro were to be traded, that could open up 2B reps for Keaschall, who is in Triple-A recovering from a fractured forearm. Keaschall is not a great defender, so that might impact his overall playing time, but he hit .368/.538/.526 in his seven games before getting hurt and hit .303/.420/.483 with 15 home runs and 23 steals across 102 games at High-A and Double-A last year, so there is some upside in his bat. I still think people may overpay for his seven-game sample size, and I'd rather add him in deeper formats only.
Christian Moore - 2B, Los Angeles Angels
We've already seen Moore up with the Angels, but he's currently on the IL with a sprained thumb. He has begun swinging a bat, so he's nearing a return, and it's likely that the Angels will trade Yoan Moncada away at the deadline. That will allow them to shift Luis Rengifo over to third base and give Moore every day reps at second base for the remainder of the season. Moore has plenty of swing-and-miss in his approach, but his raw tools are loud.
Spencer Jones - OF, New York Yankees
Speaking of loud raw tools, there is no prospect with more helium right now than Jones, who has hit .400/.457/.950 in 19 games at Triple-A with 13 home runs and six steals. There is not much negative you can say about that line; however, there are still real concerns with Jones' approach. Even in this torrid 19-game stretch, Jones has a 17.4% swinging strike rate and a 66.8% contact rate. He's just swinging nearly 53% of the time, so even though he swings at misses, he gets so many cracks at it that he eventually clobbers a baseball. That approach may work at Triple-A, but players with contact rates under 70% in the minors often struggle a lot against big league pitching. Rece Hinds, for example, has a 68.6% contact rate and 17.2% SwStr% at Triple-A this season. Those are almost identical contact metrics to Jones. The Yankees prospect obviously has more potential and is a good defender in the outfield as well, but his contact profile has some glaring red flags that might get exposed at the big league level in New York or if they move him at the deadline.
Owen Caissie - OF, Chicago Cubs
Caissie is another top prospect who could be traded at the deadline and land in a starting spot. The 22-year-old is hitting .278/.377/.563 with 20 home runs and three steals at Triple-A Iowa this year. He has a 29.3% strikeout rate, which is a bit of a concern, but a more palatable 12.3% swinging strike rate and 72.5% contact rate. He has some swing-and-miss in his game, but he's also taking too many called strikes that get him into bad counts. If he were to be traded into full-time at-bats, his batting average would likely settle around .230-.240, at least for this season, but the power could be immediately impactful.
Dylan Beavers - OF, Baltimore Orioles
Beavers is yet another prospect who could see full-time reps after the trade deadline if the Orioles move on from one or both of Cedric Mullins and Ramon Laureano. The 23-year-old is hitting .284/.448/.567 in July with five home runs, 12 RBI, three steals, and a 13/18 K/BB ratio. He has 21 steals on the season to go along with a .303 average and .912 OPS while playing solid defense in the outfield. He would be an under-the-radar waiver add.
Ryan Ward - OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
One final outfielder to mention is Ryan Ward, who has been unreal for the Dodgers in Triple-A this season, slashing .311/.393/.607 with 28 home runs and 12 steals in 97 games. Now, Ward is a 27-year-old, so he is not a young prospect, but he has yet to make his MLB debut and has taken a big step forward this year thanks to lowering his groundball rate and looking to get to his pull-side more. The Dodgers are looking for bullpen help anywhere they can find it, and Ward could be an intriguing piece for them to send to a team like the Pirates, or the Guardians, or the Royals.
C.J. Kayfus - 1B/OF, Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians are not guaranteed to be sellers at the deadline, but it feels like they could at least move on from Carlos Santana, who is a free agent at the end of this season. That would open up at-bats for Kayfus, who has also been taking reps in right field as well while playing at Triple-A. The 2023 third-round pick is hitting .285/.367/.537 with 13 home runs and two steals at Triple-A Columbus this season. His 13% swinging strike rate is a bit elevated for a player without elite power, so it's unclear what kind of impact he will have immediately after being called up, but he profiles as the type of hitter who could be a solid deep-league corner infielder for now.
Cam Devaney - SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates seem likely to trade Isiah Kiner-Falefa, which is likely why they acquired Devaney from the Royals earlier this month to begin with. Across 77 Triple-A games in both the Pirates and Royals' organizations, Devaney is slashing .271/.371/.535 with 18 home runs and three steals. He had a 48% hard-hit rate with Kansas City but, like many of the prospects we've covered on this list, has some contact issues, with just a 68.6% contact rate overall at Triple-A this season. That will limit him to deeper formats, even if he lands in an everyday role.
Nestor Cortes - SP, Milwaukee Brewers
Cortes is coming off the IL this week after pitching to a 1.29 ERA in three rehab starts at Triple-A. We know that Cortes is a useful starter when he's healthy, and he seems destined to be in the rotation either for the Brewers or another team if Milwaukee decides to move him because of all their starting pitcher depth. He may be more of a 15-team league option, and a streamer in 12-team leagues, but given how many pitchers are banged up right now, I'm OK taking my shot on a guy like Cortes.
Kyle Bradish - SP, Baltimore Orioles
Have you forgotten about Kyle Bradish? The 28-year-old is making his second rehab start with Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday and might be another three weeks from being ready to rejoin the rotation in Baltimore. With Zach Eflin, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Charlie Morton all potentially being traded, there will be plenty of spots for Bradish when he does return. Chayce McDermott figures to get the first opportunity, but he has not been good in Triple-A this season, so it's hard to get too excited by him or Cade Povich or anybody else that Baltimore may put in the rotation.
Jack Perkins, SP, Athletics
The Athletics could trade any of, or all of, Luis Severino, JP Sears, and Jeffrey Springs, which would open up a few rotation spots. One of the more likely candidates to take that spot is Perkins, who has pitched to a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings out of the bullpen for the Athletics since being promoted. He was also having a good season in the Triple-A rotation, with a 2.86 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 38.4% strikeout rate in 44 innings. He's an intriguing arm to be stashing in fantasy leagues, as is his teammate, JT Ginn, who appears to already be in the rotation and could stay there. Ginn doesn't have the strikeout upside that Perkins does, but he has revamped his pitch mix to create better command and induce more weak contact. He looked good against the Astros on Sunday and should be an option in deeper formats.
Bubba Chandler - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
It has to be now, right? The Pirates are likely to trade away Mitch Keller or Andrew Heaney and open up yet another roster spot that should have gone to Chandler months ago. Now they don't need to worry about him losing his rookie eligibility. He has long since earned a shot.
Since his promotion to Triple-A last August, Chandler has now logged 122 innings at Triple-A (2.80 ERA) without an MLB promotion. That's pretty unusual - in terms of a lot of innings at that stop - for a top prospect.
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) July 25, 2025
Cade Cavalli - SP, Washington Nationals
The Nationals could move on from MacKenzie Gore at the deadline, but it's far more likely they simply trade Michael Soroka and call it a day as far as the rotation goes. That would open up one spot, and while Cavalli is not a lock for it, he's certainly the most intriguing option. The former top prospect is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his Triple-A results have been inconsistent, but he has flashed that same upside we saw before the injury, so it would be nice to see what he looks like against MLB arms.
Chase Silseth - SP, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels may finally trade Tyler Anderson, even though they should have last season, and that could open up a rotation spot for Silseth or Caden Dana. Dana is the more intriguing option, but he is working his way back from injury, so it might be Silseth who gets the first crack. He has a 4.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 23% strikeout rate at Triple-A this season, so he's not lighting the world on fire, but we've seen him produce some solid stretches in the big leagues before, so maybe he can put together a solid month over the summer.
Lucas Erceg - RP, Kansas City Royals
The Royals are not sellers, per se, but they may see an option to land some talent by trading away Carlos Estevez at the deadline. Estevez has a $13 million team option for next season, and that's a bit pricey for a team like the Royals to pay, especially after extending Seth Lugo. The Royals could take advantage of a hot relief pitcher market and deal Estevez and slide Erceg right into the closer's role. We've seen him do it before, so we could add him with confidence.
Dennis Santana - RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
It seems like a lock that David Bednar will be traded at the deadline, which would open up the closer's role in Pittsburgh. Dennis Santana would be the logical choice to fill the role and was good there earlier in the season; however, Santana is also a pending free agent and could be traded away as well. If he is, it would seem that, based on recent usage patterns, Isaac Mattson could get a chance to secure some saves as the Pirates' primary closer.
Phil Maton - RP, St. Louis Cardinals
It also seems like the chances of Ryan Helsley being traded away increase with each passing day. That would mean that Phil Maton would likely slide into the closer's role in St. Louis. Oli Marmol has not been the type to play matchups in the ninth inning, so there's a chance Maton gets the opportunity to be the full-time closer on a team that will still be average after the deadline.
Dylan Lee - RP, Atlanta Braves
Another closer likely to be dealt is Raisel Iglesias, now that he has pitched much better over the last six weeks. If he does get traded, the Braves could move to a committee at the end of games, but Lee has been their best high-leverage reliever and would get his shot at save chances over the final two months.
Jason Adam - RP, San Diego Padres
It seems like a long shot that Robert Suarez gets traded, but his name has come up in rumors because he will be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Padres have a deep bullpen where they can deal from a strength to address a weakness. If Suarez is dealt, it would be Adam or Jeremiah Estrada who would step into the closer's role. Both of them have been tremendous this season, but Adam has pitched in the second-highest-leverage innings, behind Suarez, so he seems likely to get the first shot at the gig.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski already has won matchups with Paul Skenes and Clayton Kershaw and has pitched in the All-Star Game since reaching the major leagues six weeks ago.
So forgive the 23-year-old if he isn’t getting overly caught up in the atmosphere surrounding his first matchup with the NL Central-rival Chicago Cubs — even though the two teams share the National League’s best record at 62-43.
“I know it’s a division rival so it’s going to be fun, but there’s nothing different than a normal day,” Misiorowski said.
That’s a typical approach for the 6-foot-7 right-hander.
Misiorowski says he spends the days before a start focusing more on himself and making sure he’s physically ready than worrying about the hitters he’s going to face.
“I don’t really prepare for an opponent,” he said. “I just prepare my body for a game. I don’t think I’m looking ahead at who’s going to be there. It’s just about making myself ready.”
Both teams are ready for a major test.
The series opener is an All-Star pitching matchup featuring Misiorowski and Chicago’s Matthew Boyd. Game 2 features Colin Rea (8-4, 4.08 ERA) for the Cubs and Quinn Priester (9-2, 3.28) for the Brewers. Game 3's scheduled starters are Chicago’s Shota Imanaga (7-4, 3.12) and Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (12-4, 2.81).
“Look, it’s two teams that are playing really well, that have postseason aspirations,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Obviously, it feels like we’re going to be battling for the division. So, you know, it’s still July, but these are big games.”
The Cubs lead the season series 3-2 and won two of three in Milwaukee from May 2-4. This marks the last time these teams will square off in Milwaukee this season, though they have a five-game series at Wrigley Field from Aug. 18-21.
American Family Field generally has a little more energy when the Cubs are in town. The large number of Cubs fans capitalizing on the short drive from Chicago often results in about a 50-50 split in the crowd.
This series got even spicier after Counsell, a Milwaukee-area native and the winningest manager in Brewers history, left for the Cubs following the 2023 season. Counsell has been showered with boos whenever his name has been mentioned each time he’s managed the Cubs in Milwaukee.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy was a bench coach on Counsell’s staff in Milwaukee. When Counsell played college baseball at Notre Dame, Murphy was his coach. The two men remain friendly even while managing division rivals in the majors.
Now they’re meeting with the NL Central lead on the line.
“It’s going to be fun,” Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff said. “I don’t care if it’s a Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday series. It’s going to be packed. It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be a playoff-like feeling, which is good for us. It’s a good test for us, to kind of see where we’re at.”
This didn’t look like a particularly competitive race for much of the year.
The Brewers struggled to get above .500 for the first two months of the season and were 6 1/2 games behind the Cubs as recently as June 18. But they’re 23-8 since that date, while the Cubs have gone 17-15.
“Obviously, they’ve played really great baseball here, especially lately,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “Add in two other teams over .500 I think (Cincinnati is 56-50 and St. Louis is 54-53), and it’s a strong division right now. Obviously, that’s why you need 162 games to really see the test of it.”
They’ve won in different ways.
The Cubs own a .444 slugging percentage that ranks second in the majors — behind only the New York Yankees — while Milwaukee is 23rd at .384. Yet both teams are in the top eight in scoring, with the Cubs second and the Brewers eighth.
Both teams love to run; the Cubs rank second in steals (121) with the Brewers third (120). Only the Tampa Bay Rays (138) have stolen more bases.
This series features two of the game’s bright young outfield stars in Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong and Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio, who is on a 20-game hitting streak.
Milwaukee’s edge is its extraordinary starting rotation depth. The Brewers have a 3.58 ERA that ranks fourth in the majors, while the Cubs are 15th at 3.90.
Milwaukee’s pitching staff got a big boost when Misiorowski burst onto the scene. Now he gets his first taste of the Brewers-Cubs rivalry.
Woodruff isn’t surprised that Misiorowski doesn’t seem fazed by the challenge.
“This kid throws 102 (mph),” Woodruff said. “If I was him, I wouldn’t be scared of nothing.”
Athletics' Nick Kurtz earns second consecutive AL Player of the Week honor originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Big Amish has done it again.
Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz won his second consecutive AL Player of the Week award, MLB announced Monday, to no one’s surprise.
Kurtz’s stretch of six games from July 21-27 was just unreal.
The 22-year-old rookie hit .600 with a 1.400 SLG and 2.043 OPS over six games and finished with 15 hits, 11 RBI and five home runs.
Kurtz’s week, of course, was headlined — and immortalized — by his historic performance on Friday against the Houston Astros, in which he hit four home runs, collected six hits, drove in eight runs and totaled 19 bases at Daikin Park.
“It’s hard to think about this day being, you know, kind of real,” Kurtz told Chris Caray and Dallas Braden on “A’s Cast” following the 15-3 win. “Still feels like a dream. So it’s just, it’s pretty remarkable. I’m kind of speechless. I don’t really know what to say.”
“I don’t really know how to describe that one,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters that same night in Houston. “It’s arguably the best game I’ve ever watched from a single player.”
Kurtz has been on a tear for far longer than the past week. Through 67 games, the A’s No. 4 overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft is slashing .309/.378/.683 with 75 hits, 59 RBI, 23 homers and a 3.4 WAR.
And he leads the league in virtually all offensive categories as July nears a close.
Kurtz is the ninth A’s player in franchise history to earn consecutive Player of the Week awards and is the first to do so since former ace Barry Zito in 2000 — the lefty’s rookie year.
There is no telling how high Kurtz’s ceiling will be. But at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, it’s clear it’ll end up being quite tall.
After 21 stages and 3,338km, this year’s Tour came to an end in Paris. Here are our favourite images from the last three weeks
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