The Opener Rumors - MLB Trade Rumors (2024)

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around baseball today…

1. Cardinals, Cardinals, Cardinals:

There’s no shortage of intrigue around the Cardinals right now — albeit not for reasons the St. Louis faithful would prefer. Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman both left last night’s game after injuring themselves on foul balls — Edman fouling one into his leg and Nootbaar fouling one into his groin. The latter was taken to a “non-emergency medical facility” for further exams, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cards will have updates on both today, but with that pair ailing and Nolan Gorman now having missed three games due to ongoing back discomfort, the Cards could be shorthanded and forced into some kind of roster move.

Elsewhere on the roster, tonight will be a crucial night for struggling franchise icon Adam Wainwright, who has limped to an 8.78 ERA in 66 2/3 innings during what will be the final season of his big league career. Wainwright is two wins away from becoming just the 122nd player to ever reach 200 wins … but he’s allowed 38 runs in 23 innings since his last victory, exactly two months ago to the day. Wainwright tells Benjamin Hochman of the Post-Dispatch that he has no plans to quit and plans to see the season through. Manager Oli Marmol acknowledged Wainwright’s struggles, telling Hochman that in the event of another non-competitive outing, “we’ll sit down and we’ll have another honest conversation as to what does this really looks like moving forward and what’s best.”

2. Kittredge set to return to Rays:

When the Rays next take the field on Friday, they’ll likely do so with right-hander Andrew Kittredge in their bullpen for the first time since June 8, 2022. Kittredge, who underwent Tommy John surgery last summer, has wrapped up his rehab process and is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list prior to tomorrow’s game, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Righty Hector Perez, who was selected to the big league roster yesterday and subsequently allowed four of the five batters he faced to reach base, seems to be a likely corresponding move.

Getting Kittredge back is nothing short of a boon to a Tampa Bay pitching staff that has been ravaged by injuries. While he’s not going to step into the rotation to help offset the crushing losses of Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs, Kittredge was a quietly elite bullpen option from 2020-22 before his injury. In his past 99 2/3 big league frames, he’s notched a 2.17 ERA with a 24.2% strikeout rate, 4.9% walk rate and 51.9% ground-ball rate.

3. More veterans hit the market:

As August has worn on, we’ve seen several notable names jettisoned from Major League rosters by way of DFA. With no trades of Major League players allowed, any player designated for assignment at this point can only be placed on outright or release waivers, instantly making him available to all 29 other teams. Yesterday’s DFAs of Ryan Thompson (Rays) and Luke Weaver (Reds) add another pair of potential depth options for teams, joining earlier DFA casualties like Mychal Givens and the since-released Carson Kelly and Chasen Shreve. (Givens, as of this morning, had not yet passed through waivers but will likely clear, given his $5MM salary and injury-plagued season.) Both Thompson and Weaver are affordable enough — earning $1MM and $2MM this season, respectively — that it’s not completely out of the question that a team would claim them, though that appears unlikely in the latter’s case, given the extent of his struggles. Even if Givens, Thompson and Weaver all become free agents, they’ll stand out as immediate depth options for teams dealing with injuries in the bullpen or (in Weaver’s case) the rotation.

There are also a handful of notable veterans who’ve been released from minor league deals recently, including catcher Kevin Plawecki, lefty Fernando Abad, right-hander Dan Altavilla and designated hitter/outfielder Franmil Reyes. Royals righty Nick Wittgren, meanwhile, is likely to elect free agency today.

Here are three things around the baseball world we’ll be tracking today…

1. Bichette return looming?

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo last night, slotting in as the designated hitter, but that contest was rained out. TSN’s Scott Mitchell tweets that the plan had been for Bichette to DH on Tuesday and play shortstop Wednesday, with a Friday return in Cincinnati possible. The Jays are off tomorrow, while their Triple-A club now has games scheduled both today and tomorrow. Bichette could still DH today, play shortstop tomorrow, and technically return as soon as Friday. The Jays will evaluate Bichette following today’s DH appearance but still hope to get him into a game at shortstop before reinstating him, per Mitchell. The 25-year-old Bichette is enjoying an excellent season at the plate, hitting .321/.352/.494 with 17 home runs, but he’s been out since July 31 due to patellar tendinitis in his right knee.

2.Anderson’s suspension appeal:

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is facing a six-game suspension following the benches-clearing brawl that began when Anderson and Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez got into a fist fight following the latter’s slide into second base. Jim Bowden of The Athletic tweets that Anderson’s appeal is scheduled for tomorrow, barring a settlement at some point today. Within the next day then, we should know whether Anderson will serve that full six-game ban or perhaps a reduced punishment. The two-time All-Star and 2019 AL batting champion is having the worst season of his career at the plate (.240/.285/.286), although in 103 plate appearances since the All-Star break he’s posted a .290/.359/.355 batting line.

3. Dodgers going for 10 in a row:

Earlier this season, it looked as though the Dodgers might be dethroned in the NL West, but their recent play has once again made them a commanding favorite to win their 10th division title 11 years. They’ll send Clayton Kershaw to the mound tonight against the Brewers as they seek their 10th straight victory — the longest active win streak in Major League Baseball at the moment. Kershaw, 35, will be making just his second start since returning from a six-week stay on the injured list. He’s been his usual dominant self when healthy, pitching to a 2.51 ERA with a 27.5% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate in 100 1/3 innings this season. Kershaw currently ranks fourth among active pitchers in strikeouts with 2916 in his career. He trails only Max Scherzer (3340), Justin Verlander (3290) and Zack Greinke (2955) in that regard. Depending on how long Greinke’s recent placement on the IL lasts, Kershaw could move into third place on that esteemed ranking by season’s end.

Here are three things to keep an eye out for today…

1. Contreras update:

Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras exited last night’s game due to tightness in his right hip. The 31-year-old knocked in a run with an RBI single in the third inning but appeared to tweak something when tagging up on a fly-ball. He initially remained in the game, but after being doubled off on the bases, Contreras was “clearly limping off the field,” tweets Katie Woo of The Athletic. It’s been a miserable season for the Cardinals in general, but Contreras has flipped his own narrative with a blistering summer at the plate. Over the past two months, he’s been one of the best hitters on the planet, slashing .378/.427/.630 dating back to June 15. On the whole, Contreras is hitting .261/.357/.446 — numbers that fall right in line with his career marks. The Cardinals should have an update on his status before tonight’s game against the A’s. If Contreras requires a trip to the injured list, Andrew Knizner and Ivan Herrera would likely share catching duties in his absence.

2. Milestone watch for Altuve:

Jose Altuve’s three-hit showing in last night’s game pushed him within four hits of joining the 2,000-hit club. It’s at least feasible, albeit unlikely, that the Houston second baseman could reach that milestone tonight against Johnny Cueto and the Marlins. Altuve has already picked up a pair of four-hit games on the season, with his second coming just five days ago. The 33-year-old is in the midst of a torrid stretch at the dish, hitting safely in 15 of his past 16 games and slashing a preposterous .446/.532/.692 during that span of 77 plate appearances. Even if it’s not tonight, Altuve seems certain to become the 296th player in Major League history to cross the 2,000-hit threshold within the next few days.

3. MLBTR Chat today

It’s Tuesday, which means I’ll be hosting my weekly chat this afternoon at 1pm CT. You can click here to submit a question in advance and use that same link to follow along live or read the transcript after it’s concluded!

Just under seven weeks remain on the regular season schedule. Some injury and transaction news to monitor…

1. Does Diaz have time to return?

Mets closer Edwin Diaz, who suffered a torn patellar tendon during the World Baseball Classic, has been throwing off the base of the mound and is about a week out from his next wave of tests, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He could be cleared for full mound work early next week, which at least creates the possibility that he’d return to the mound before season’s end. The Mets won’t rush him but will allow him to take the hill if he’s up to full strength, despite the fact that 2023 has become a lost season.

Diaz alone couldn’t have salvaged the 2023 campaign, but losing him for the majority (if not all) of the season was still crushing news back in March. The 29-year-old Diaz signed the largest contract for any relief pitcher in history this winter (five years, $102MM with two opt-out opportunities) after pitching to a 1.31 ERA with a staggering 50.2% strikeout rate in 62 innings last year.

2. Albies exits with hamstring issue:

Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies exited last night’s game after experiencing cramping in his left hamstring, per the team. The Braves dubbed the move “precautionary” in nature and figure to have an update on Albies’ status today. It doesn’t sound particularly concerning at the moment, but Albies has been one of the key cogs in a juggernaut Atlanta lineup this year, batting .267/.327/.514 with 28 home runs, 21 doubles, four triples and an 11-for-11 showing in stolen bases. Given Albies’ importance to the lineup and the Braves’ massive 11-game lead in the NL East, it’s understandable to see the team play things safe. If Albies requires a few days off or even a trip to the 10-day IL, the Braves would likely turn to deadline acquisition Nicky Lopez, who replaced Albies in last night’s game and would provide standout glovework at the position in his stead.

3. Recent DFAs back on the market?

A handful of veterans have been designated for assignment over the past few days, any of whom could be of interest to contending clubs seeking depth ahead of the Sept. 1 deadline for postseason eligibility. Tigers lefty Chasen Shreve is on release waivers, for instance, and could bulk up a team’s left-handed depth in the bullpen. His 4.79 ERA isn’t much to look at, but the 33-year-old Shreve has a solid 23.3% strikeout rate, a terrific 6.7% walk rate and an above-average 46.8% ground-ball rate in 41 1/3 innings. Catcher Carson Kelly hasn’t yet passed through waivers after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks, but his $4.275MM salary should make him a good bet to clear. He has enough service to reject an outright assignment and retain the remainder of that salary. Kelly hasn’t hit well in 92 plate appearances this year, but he’s a career .257/.346/.471 hitter against lefties, and he has roughly average framing marks with plus blocking grades from Statcast in his career.

Orioles righty Mychal Givens has missed the bulk of the season due to knee and shoulder injuries, and Baltimore designated him yesterday. His $5MM salary should allow him to clear, at which point the veteran will surely become a free agent. He pitched to a 6.60 ERA in 15 rehab frames and has allowed five runs in his four MLB innings this year, but Givens has a lengthy track record and would be available on a minor league deal. Once he clears waivers and is released, a new team would only owe him the prorated league minimum for any MLB time. It’ll also be worth keeping an eye on Red Sox righty Dinelson Lamet, who cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A. Like Kelly and Givens, Lamet has enough service time to reject that outright assignment and retain his entire salary, if he chooses.

With another weekend of baseball set to kick off, here are some things we’ll be keeping our eye on around the league…

1. Harper dealing with back spasm

Phillies superstar Bryce Harper was removed from last night’s game due to a mid-back spasm and will undergo further evaluation, with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com among those to relay the info. It’s unclear at this point how serious the issue is, though it would obviously be an unwelcome development if Harper had to miss any time. Manager Rob Thomson described Harper as day-to-day, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Harper already missed over a month of the season due to last year’s Tommy John surgery and has also been limited defensively since being activated in early May.

He has been able to hit but hasn’t quite been himself. His .294/.380/.429 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 120, still well above average but that would be his lowest rate of production since 2016. He’s seemingly been getting better as the year has gone along, however, slashing .303/.386/.438 in July and .324/.350/.622 in August. Having to put a pause on his season after building so much momentum would be unfortunate for the Phils, though they will surely hope the issue is mild and passes quickly.

2. Will Chang finally clear waivers?

Infielder Yu Chang hasn’t hit too much in the majors but his defensive acumen clearly has appeal. Last year, he began the season with the Guardians but had exhausted his option years and bounced around quite a bit. After getting designated for assignment by the Guards in May, he went to the Pirates in a cash deal before bouncing to the Rays and Red Sox on waiver claims.

The Sox non-tendered Chang in November but later re-signed him on a major league deal when Trevor Story required elbow surgery. Chang missed over two months due to a hamate fracture and has now been nudged off the roster by the return of Story, getting designated for assignment on Tuesday. He’s hit just .204/.265/.359 in his career but is above-average at all four infield spots and can be controlled for two seasons beyond the current campaign. With the trade deadline having passed, he will be on the waiver wire again and could appeal to a club that seeks infield depth.

3. The return of Sale?

The Red Sox haven’t listed a starter for tonight’s game against the Tigers but it seems likely to be Chris Sale. The lefty has been on the injured list for over two months due to shoulder inflammation but has been on a rehab assignment of late and manager Alex Cora recently hinted that Sale could be back in the big leagues by Friday, with Christopher Smith of MassLive among those to relay the info.

Injuries have been a huge issue for the southpaw in recent years, as he hasn’t thrown 60 innings in a season since 2019. Prior to landing on the IL, he tossed 59 innings this year with a 4.58 ERA. The Sox would surely love to get him back to his previous ace level, but results similar to earlier this year would also be welcome. They have frequently been deploying openers and bullpen games to cover for the absences of Sale, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck. Both Whitlock and Houck are currently on rehab assignments and could return to the club soon as well.

As second-half postseason pushes (or, in some cases, collapses) are in full swing, here are three things the baseball world is looking at today…

1. Lorenzen’s historic night:

Michael Lorenzen is the talk of baseball after one-upping his gem of a Phillies debut (eight innings of two-run ball in Miami) with a no-hitter in his Citizens Bank Park debut last night. Lorenzen was wild early on but settled in and blanked the Nationals on 124 pitches — with his family in attendance (video link). Following the game, an emotional Lorenzen discussed the highlight of his career, noting how special it was to achieve that goal after years of questions about whether he can start and to do so in front of a ravenous new fan base that kept him going.

The Phillies have been rolling, with seven wins in their past ten games, moving into the top Wild Card spot in the National League. They’re still a massive 10.5 games back in the division and unlikely to close that gap in the remaining time on the schedule, but the manner in which Lorenzen has reinforced the rotation only further tightens Philadelphia’s grip on a postseason spot. FanGraphs gives the Phillies an 86% chance of reaching the postseason, while Baseball-Reference has them at 89.8%.

2. Crawford tested for concussion symptoms:

Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is undergoing testing for a possible concussion, manager Scott Servais announced last night (Twitter link via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). Crawford and third baseman Eugenio Suarez both charged a slow grounder off the bat of Xander Bogaerts in the fourth inning of last night’s game, which resulted in Crawford colliding sharply with Suarez’s shoulder as the latter fielded the grounder and managed to throw out Bogaerts in a close play (video link). Crawford was slow to his feet but remained in the game, but he wasn’t feeling well in the later innings, per Servais.

Crawford, 28, is enjoying the finest offensive season of his career, batting .266/.379/.411 with a personal best 10 home runs on the season already. His 14.8% walk rate is the seventh-best mark in all off baseball among qualified hitters, while that .379 OBP ranks 13th. Were Crawford to miss time, the Mariners would likely turn to rookie Jose Caballero or utilityman Dylan Moore for the majority of reps at shortstop. Seattle is currently riding MLB’s longest active win streak at eight games, and the M’s certainly don’t want any sort of extended absence for one of MLB’s top table-setters.

3. Will someone take a chance on Garcia?

Yankees righty Deivi Garcia, once one of the sport’s top-ranked pitching prospects, was designated for assignment earlier this week after years of struggles both in Triple-A (6.52 ERA in 214 innings) and the Majors (4.84 ERA in 48 1/3 innings). The 24-year-old Garcia ranked among the game’s top 100 prospects heading into both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, having dominated in the lower minors all the way up through Double-A. Questions about the 5’9″ righty’s ability to maintain a starter’s workload were always present, even as scouts continued to be impressed by the quality of his arsenal. It’s been a steep fall for Garcia over the past few seasons, however, and he’ll now be available to all 29 other clubs.

Technically, teams have five days to place a player on waivers following a DFA, but with trades no longer allowed for any player who’s been on a Major League roster, the majority of August DFAs have been resolved within a matter of days. There’s a good chance we’ll find out today or tomorrow whether any team wants to take a chance on the formerly lauded prospect. Garcia is in his final option year, so he can be freely sent to the minors for the remainder of the current season but will need to crack a new team’s Opening Day roster in 2024 or else be designated for assignment.

As MLB’s 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Hanco*ck promotion inbound:

The Mariners are poised to promote right-hander Emerson Hanco*ck to the big leagues today for tonight’s game against the Padres. Hanco*ck, the club’s first-round pick in the 2020 draft, was a consensus top-50 prospect in the game as recently as 2021. That being said, his prospect shine has dimmed a bit since then, as he entered the 2023 campaign below right-handers Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo on both the organizational depth chart and prospect rankings over at FanGraphs.

Hanco*ck, 24, has spent virtually all of his professional career at the Double-A level, and sports a career 3.99 ERA in 210 innings of work at the level since 2021. He sports a solid 24.1% strikeout rate and a 9.1% walk rate in that time. While his walk rate has stayed mostly consistent (9.2%) and his ERA has ticked up a bit (4.32) in 2023, Hanco*ck is actually striking out the most batters of his career in 2023 with a 26% figure. That fact gives Seattle reason for optimism as Hanco*ck makes his big league debut this evening and extend the team’s six-game winning streak. The club will have to clear space for him on the 40-man and active rosters before he takes the mound.

2. Martinez to undergo MRI on nagging injury:

Dodgers slugger J.D. Martinez flew back to Los Angeles last night to undergo an MRI with the hope of determining the root of a lingering lower-body issue, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Martinez, 35, is having a resurgent season at the plate with the Dodgers, hitting .260/.312/.558 with 25 home runs. However, he’s also been plagued throughout the season by what the club has termed “left groin/hamstring tightness” that has at points, per Ardaya, left Martinez “feel[ing] like he is unable to walk.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Dodgers beat that the issue dates back to Spring Training, and the hope is that Martinez can avoid a trip to the IL after receiving an injection. Should Martinez require a trip to the shelf, the club will likely turn to one of their previously-optioned youngsters, Michael Busch or Miguel Vargas, to fill the void at the big league level.

3. Will Severino make his start?

Right-hander Luis Severino’s spot in the Yankees’ rotation comes up against the White Sox this evening, but the club has been non-committal regarding whether or not Severino will actually take the mound. As noted by Greg Joyce of the New York Post, manager Aaron Boone said yesterday afternoon that Severino is set to make his start today “as of now” but, following the game, said the club still needed to discuss how to handle today’s game and that they are “considering everything.”

With right-hander Randy Vasquez expected to take the spot of left-hander Carlos Rodon in the rotation, the club’s options seem somewhat limited: they can either utilize Severino, skip his start and opt for a bullpen game, or call up a surprise youngster who has yet to make his MLB debut. Once one of the most promising young arms in the game, Severino has fallen off in a big way in 2023 with a brutal 7.74 ERA and 6.56 FIP in 13 starts. His struggles have been particularly pronounced as of late, with a stunning 11.22 ERA over his past six starts.

As MLB’s 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Ryu undergoing x-rays:

In a brutal turn of events yesterday, veteran left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu left his start against the Guardians yesterday after being struck in the right knee by a comebacker. Ryu, who finished top-3 in Cy Young award voting in back-to-back seasons 2019-20, missed the last 13 months of action after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Yesterday was just the second start of his return to big league action. Looking ahead, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson notes that the 36-year-old hurler will undergo x-rays to determine the severity of his injury. Should Ryu require a return to the injured list, Toronto won’t need to replace him in the rotation, as they’re currently utilizing a six-man unit and could simply downsize to a group of five containing right-handers Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Alek Manoah, and Jose Berrios along with lefty Yusei Kikuchi.

2. Story to return:

Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story is expected to be activated from the injured list prior to this evening’s game against the Royals. Story has yet to play in the majors this season, the second of his six-year, $140MM pact with Boston, after undergoing an offseason internal brace procedure in his throwing elbow. Story is on the 60-day injured list, but the club already has a spot on the 40-man roster, meaning only an active roster move will be necessary to activate the two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner.

Story won’t return to everyday play right away, as noted Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, as player and club agreed that Story would play just every other day in his first week back in the majors as he continues to build back to full strength. That Story is returning today is a reversal from the plan outlined as recently as this weekend, which would have left the 30-year-old in the minors through the end of a maximum 20-day rehab assignment. Story’s return presumably ends Yu Chang’s run as the club’s starting shortstop.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

MLB’s trade deadline has come and gone, and the league’s 30 clubs are all pushing full steam ahead into the stretch run. Although we’re fairly deep into the season at this point, nearly two thirds of the league still has 10% or better odds at a playoff spot, per Fangraphs. If you’re curious how your team will hold up over the season’s final months, what their plan for the future is, or have a question about one of the many deals that went down at the deadline last week, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is hosting a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With MLB’s schedule roughly 70% complete, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. White Sox, Guardians await suspensions:

The White Sox and Guardians got into one of the more memorable benches-clearing fights in recent memory on Saturday, with Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson and Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez at the center of the chaos. Unlike the majority of MLB skirmishes, actual punches were thrown between Anderson and Ramirez before the pair were pulled away from each other. The fracas lasted for several minutes, and each of Anderson, Ramirez, Guardians manager Terry Francona, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, and Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh were ultimately ejected. While Anderson was out of the lineup during yesterday’s series finale, the league has yet to hand down any suspensions in the aftermath of the scuffle. Tom Withers of the Associated Press writes that the clubs expect to hear from MLB as soon as today regarding likely multi-game suspensions for both Anderson and Ramirez.

2. Rodon to undergo MRI:

Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon exited yesterday’s start against the Astros with left hamstring tightness. He’s scheduled to undergo an MRI today, though in comments to reporters (including the folks at YES Network) Rodon indicated that he did not anticipate the MRI revealing anything overly concerning.

The first year of Rodon’s six-year, $162MM contract hasn’t gone the way the sides had hoped as Rodon missed the entire first half due to a strain in his left forearm. In six starts since since returning from the injured list, Rodon has looked nothing like the ace who made consecutive All-Star appearances while finishing in the top six of Cy Young award voting in both 2021 and 2022. He’s posted a 7.33 ERA while failing to make it out of the sixth inning in any of his appearances. In the event Rodon requires another trip to the injured list, right-handers Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez could be among the club’s options to take over in the rotation.

3. Perez returns to the majors:

Marlins phenom Eury Perez was shut down in the midst of a sensational rookie season (2.36 ERA across 11 starts) last month as Miami keeps a close eye on the 20-year-old hurler’s innings. With the team currently dealing with a losing streak that has extended to four games and half a game out of the final Wild Card spot, club brass have made the decision to bring Perez back into the fold of the major league rotation. He’s slated to start this evening’s game against the Reds in Cincinnati and figures to help anchor the Marlins’ rotation throughout the remainder of the 2023 campaign alongside Sandy Alcantara and Jesus Luzardo.

As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Fried to return from IL:

The Braves have been perhaps the most impressive team in the majors this year, with a phenomenal 69-37 record that puts them 11.5 games up on the competition in the NL East. What’s more, they’ve done all of that without two of their most impactful starters from last season: left-hander Max Fried and right-hander Kyle Wright. That’s poised to change today, at least in the case of Fried, as the southpaw is set to return from the IL today to take the mound against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. As Fried is on the 60-day IL, the club will need to make a 40-man roster move to accommodate their lefty ace.

Since his breakout campaign in 2020, Fried has been one of the game’s best starters with a 2.64 ERA (165 ERA+) and 3.01 FIP in 74 starts. That includes a stellar 2022 campaign where Fried made the first All-Star appearance of his career and was the runner-up in NL Cy Young award voting after posting a sterling 2.48 ERA and an equally excellent 2.70 FIP. In five starts this season prior to going on the injured list, Fried appeared on track to continue his dominance from last season, as he posted a walk rate of just 5.8% against a solid 24.3% strikeout rate, leaving him with a 2.08 ERA and 3.04 FIP over 26 innings of work.

2. Verlander to make 2023 Astros debut:

Newly re-acquired Astros ace Justin Verlander is set to make his 2023 debut with the team against the Yankees in the Bronx on Saturday opposite Nestor Cortes, who will be making his first start since going on the injured list back in May. Verlander, now in his age-40 season, signed with the Mets after winning the World Series with the Astros last season but was made available at the trade deadline thanks to the Mets’ unexpected struggles this season. After weathering injuries to Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Lance McCullers Jr. for most of the 2023 campaign, Houston pounced on the opportunity to re-acquire their ace, sending a prospect package headlined by top prospect Drew Gilbert to Queens in exchange for Verlander’s services.

As Verlander prepares to make his first Astros start since he was the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the 2022 World Series, he’s in the midst of another strong season with a 3.15 ERA over 16 starts. That being said, Verlander’s performance has taken a step back from the dominance he displayed last season en route to the third Cy Young award of his career. In 2022, Verlander struck out 27.8% of the batters he faced, while this season that figure has dipped to just 21%. That being said, Verlander figures to help anchor the starting staff in Houston alongside left-hander Framber Valdez, giving the Astros a pair of aces as they attempt to catch the Rangers in the AL West.

3. Woodruff to return from IL:

The Brewers reclaimed the lead in the NL Central race yesterday as they took a half-game lead over the Reds following a 14-1 rout of the Pirates. As they try to protect that minuscule lead, they’ll receive reinforcements this weekend from ace right-hander Brandon Woodruff. He’ll be activated from the injured list on Sunday to make his first start since early April, when he first went on the shelf due to a subscapular strain in his right shoulder. Before he can take the field against the Pirates, the Brewers will need to make a 40-man roster move to accommodate the righty, who is currently on the 60-day IL.

Woodruff has been perhaps one of the most underrated starters in the game in recent years. Since joining the rotation full-time in 2019, Woodruff has posted an incredible 2.97 ERA (142 ERA+) with a nearly matching FIP of 3.04 across 94 starts with a strikeout rate just north of 30%. Prior to his aforementioned injury, Woodruff seemed to be gearing up for another dominant season with a microscopic 0.79 ERA across his two starts this season. With fellow ace Corbin Burnes also heating up in recent weeks (1.85 ERA in six July starts), Milwaukee’s rotation seems well-equipped as they work to fend off the Reds and Cubs over the next two months.