AL East

New York Yankees star Giancarlo Stanton is still working to return from an Achilles injury that has kept him out of action for nearly two months.

Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Friday the former National League MVP has a "full baseball day" of activities planned at Yankee Stadium, but he hasn't run the bases and remains without a timetable to play in games.

Boone noted Stanton may need to play rehab games before the Yankees activate him off the injured list.

Stanton was placed on the 10-day injured list June 26 with tendinitis in his Achilles. Boone told reporters at the time his star slugger requested an MRI after experiencing discomfort and the initial timeframe for his return was two to three weeks.

The Achilles issue marked the second time Stanton landed on the IL this season. He missed 10 games from May 25 to June 3 with a strained calf.

Injuries have been a problem for Stanton throughout his MLB career. The 2017 National League MVP has missed at least 23 games in each of the previous three seasons. He has only broken the 140-game barrier four times in his 13-year career.

When Stanton has been able to play, he's one of the best power hitters in the sport. The 32-year-old has hit .228/.309/.498 with 24 homers in 289 at-bats this season.

The Yankees are operating from a position of power at this point, though they have struggled lately. They have fallen behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (77-33) and Houston Astros (72-41) in the race for the best record in MLB with a 71-41 mark, but the Bronx Bombers still have a 10-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

Because of the cushion the Yankees have built for themselves in the division race, they can take things slowly with Stanton to ensure he's 100 percent healthy before bringing him back.

At this point, New York's main focus is staying as healthy as possible to make a run in the postseason.

Before he was dealt to the Seattle Mariners ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month, the New York Yankees reportedly made a push to acquire starting pitcher Luis Castillo from the Cincinnati Reds.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yanks offered one of their top prospects in outfielder Jasson Dominguez as part of a package for Castillo, but they were unwilling to include shortstop prospect Anthony Volpe and "possibly" declined to include shortstop prospect Oswald Peraza as well.

Instead, the Reds took the Mariners' package of four prospects, which included shortstop Noelvi Marte, who is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 17 overall prospect in baseball, and shortstop Edwin Arroyo, who is ranked 90th.

The trade has paid huge dividends for a Mariners team that is attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Each of Castillo's two starts for Seattle has coincidentally come against the Yankees, and the two-time All-Star is 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 15 strikeouts over 14.2 innings in those starts.

After missing out on Castillo, the Yanks directed their attention toward Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Frankie Montas, who sported a 3.18 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 104.2 innings for the A's this season.

Montas has made only one start for the Yanks thus far, and it was disastrous, as he allowed five hits, three walks and six earned runs in three innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.

New York made several trades before the deadline, acquiring Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from the A's, All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals and reliever Scott Effross from the Chicago Cubs. They also shipped struggling outfielder Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers and somewhat surprisingly traded starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery to the Cards for injured outfielder Harrison Bader.

Despite bringing in some solid pieces, the Yankees are just 22-25 over their past 47 games and 1-7 over their last eight.

Fortunately for them, they were on a historic pace earlier in the year, so they are still 71-41, which is good for a 10-game lead in the American League East and are only a half-game behind the Houston Astros for the best record in the AL.

One thing the Yankees clearly attempted to do was make some needed additions without losing their top prospects.

Volpe, Peraza and Dominguez are ranked as the Nos. 7, 35 and 36 prospects in MLB, respectively, and New York managed to keep all of them in the fold.

Parting with two of them may have gotten them Castillo and may have helped curb the losing streak they are currently on, but general manager Brian Cashman is undoubtedly hopeful he was able to toe the line between being a World Series contender this season and ensuring a bright future for the team down the line.

The New York Yankees may get Matt Carpenter back this season.

ESPN's Marly Rivera reported Wednesday that the utility man received some "good news" regarding his fractured foot. It was a clean break that will not require surgery, which means he will be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Carpenter suffered the injury during Monday's game against the Seattle Mariners when he fouled a pitch off his foot.

Even before this diagnosis, he planned on returning this season.

"I don't want to say a number because I just don't know, but I'm holding out hope that it'll be a situation where I could come back in the middle of September and can contribute towards a stretch run,'' Carpenter said, per Rivera. "So we'll see. I mean, that's my mindset is that I'll be back.''

New York recalled Miguel Andujar from the minor leagues while placing Carpenter on the injured list. Like Carpenter, Andujar is a utility man who can play in both the infield and the outfield as needed.

The fractured foot was a disappointing setback for the 36-year-old, who is in the middle of a bounce-back campaign that surely would have ended—and still could—with the American League Comeback Player of the Year award.

While he was a three-time All-Star for the St. Louis Cardinals in his prime, Carpenter hit .186 with four home runs during the shortened 2020 season and followed up by hitting .169 with three home runs in 2021.

He started the 2022 campaign in the minor leagues for the Texas Rangers organization but was eventually released. The Yankees signed him in May, and he has responded by slashing .305/.412/.727 with 15 home runs and 37 RBI in 47 games.

Fortunately for New York, it has a 10-game cushion over the Toronto Blue Jays and should have no trouble qualifying for the playoffs even with Carpenter sidelined.

After being released by the Boston Red Sox last week, veteran outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. has found a new home in the same division.

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, Bradley is signing with one of Boston's AL East rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays.

Prior to being released Thursday, Bradley was in his second stint in Boston after being acquired along with two minor leaguers last December as part of a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for Hunter Renfroe. The 32-year-old was a staple in the Red Sox lineup from 2013 to 2020.

Bradley earned an All-Star selection in 2016 and a Gold Glove Award in 2018. That season, he helped lead Boston to a World Series title, earning ALCS MVP honors along the way.

Despite Bradley's stature within the Red Sox organization, his struggles at the plate this season made it hard to keep him on the roster. At the time of his release, he was hitting .210 with three home runs and 29 RBI in 92 games while making $9.5 million on the contract he had signed with Milwaukee.

"He had some stretches at home that were good. Obviously, he struggled toward the end," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We weren't able to get him to be consistent hitting the ball the other way. This year, there weren't too many strikeouts. But toward the end, there were a lot of ground balls to the pull side. Offensively, it just didn't work out."

The left-handed hitter joins a Blue Jays team that is second in the AL East with a 60-49 record entering Tuesday. Toronto has an opening in center field with George Springer on the injured list with an inflamed elbow.

Bradley should fill in adequately until Springer returns, and once that happens, he can provide some outfield depth for the Blue Jays as they chase a wild-card spot.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale will miss the remainder of the 2022 season after suffering an off-field injury.

The team announced that Sale broke his right (non-throwing) wrist Saturday while riding his bike and subsequently underwent surgery.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom provided details on the injury:

Bloom on Sale accident: Happened Saturday, right after Sale had finished throwing at Boston College. He jumped on a bike to grab lunch, hit something going down a hill, and flew off the bike.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) August 9, 2022

Bloom says he thinks Sale was going to pitch again this year - said he’d looked great throwing at BC this weekend.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) August 9, 2022

The 33-year-old had undergone surgery July 18 after suffering a broken left pinky finger during his second start of the season against the New York Yankees. While the team didn't give a firm timetable for his return, it was expected that his recovery would take four to six weeks.

Sale missed the first three-plus months of the 2022 season after suffering a broken rib while training during the MLB lockout. He made his season debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 12, throwing five innings with no runs allowed, one walk and five strikeouts in a 3-2 loss.

In his next start against New York, the seven-time All-Star allowed two earned runs in the first inning before a 106 mph line drive off the bat of Aaron Hicks connected with his little finger.

"One look at this finger, I knew [it was broken] immediately," Sale said. "That feeling of just that kind of cold water rushing through your body when something like that happens. I soon as I hit the ground, I looked down, the finger is gone."

The native of Lakeland, Florida was once the ace of Boston's starting rotation, but he's been slowed by injuries in recent years. He missed the 2020 season because of Tommy John surgery and has pitched just 48.1 innings combined in 2021 and 2022.

Nick Pivetta and Nathan Eovaldi will continue to be the top two starters for a Red Sox team with fading playoff hopes, as they are last in the AL East with a 54-56 record.

New York Yankees utility man Matt Carpenter says he hopes to return this season after suffering a broken left foot in Monday's game against the Seattle Mariners.

"I don't want to say a number because I just don't know, but I'm holding out hope that it'll be a situation where I could come back in the middle of September and can contribute towards a stretch run," Carpenter said, per Marly Rivera of ESPN. "So we'll see. I mean, that's my mindset is that I'll be back."

Carpenter was injured in the first inning when he fouled a Logan Gilbert slider off his left foot. He remained in the game to finish the at-bat, a strikeout, before realizing his injury was more severe than he initially hoped.

"When I went to swing on the next pitch, as soon as I started to plant and rotate on that back foot, my lower body like gave out and I wasn't able to," Carpenter said. "Thankfully, probably the best thing that happened was to swing and miss — because if I hit it and had to run, I might have made it worse. But I knew it wasn't good."

Tim Locastro came into the game and finished it out as the Yankees' designated hitter.

Carpenter was in the midst of an out-of-nowhere return to All-Star-level form. The 36-year-old hit .305/.412/.727 with 15 home runs and 37 RBI during his first 47 games with the Yankees after signing in late May. He had failed to make the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster and was languishing in Triple-A before being released in May—a move that allowed for his career resurgence.

Coming into Monday, he was seemingly a mortal lock to win AL Comeback Player of the Year. Carpenter hit below .200 in each of his final two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and had only seven home runs in his final 180 games with the franchise.

The rejuvenated Carpenter's impact has carried beyond his on-field brilliance.

"I have no doubt in my mind that [Carpenter] is going to still make an impact on this team even while he's hurt," Yankees starter Jameson Taillon said. "He's come in here right away and made an impact on a lot of people. He's not afraid to talk pitching with the pitchers. He's not afraid to give honest feedback. He's one of the best guys that I've been around and played with, so I wouldn't be surprised if he finds his way back and makes an impact."

Carpenter has played all over the field since his arrival, serving as a designated hitter, outfielder, first baseman and third baseman. The Yankees will likely use a committee approach to replace him in the lineup.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the team was committed to Jarren Duran despite the center fielder's ongoing struggles this season.

"He's our center fielder right now. We trust him," he said on NESN on Sunday. "This is a kid that's part of what we're trying to accomplish and we're going to keep rolling with him."

Durran had a tough Sunday in particular, with a pair of mistakes in the field and a confrontation with Kansas City Royals fans during Boston's 13-5 loss.

Jarren Duran is having an interesting 7th inning

Misplayed a ball, couldn't secure a fly ball, makes a diving catch and argues with some fans pic.twitter.com/w0MCSCnRtJ

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 7, 2022

Jarren Duran made back to back mistakes in CF where the ball bounced off his glove. Then made a diving catch. Now he appears to be yelling and pointing at Royals fans who it’s safe to assume were chirping at him. Alex Verdugo is holding him back.

— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) August 7, 2022

NESN cameras with a shot of Alex Cora consoling Jarren Duran in the Red Sox dugout. Duran with his head down, nodding as Cora talks to him.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) August 7, 2022

Via NESN postgame, Duran says fans were throwing bottlecaps at him. https://t.co/AhoDdeRWAp

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) August 7, 2022

Thus continued a difficult 2022 season for the 25-year-old, who was dropped to ninth in the batting order ahead of Sunday's game after largely serving as the leadoff hitter when he started.

For the season, Durran is hitting .225 with two homers, 12 RBI, 20 runs, seven stolen bases and a .650 OPS in 42 games. Over the last 30 days, he's hitting .139.

In many ways, Durran is an apt metaphor for the Red Sox themselves this season: talented but struggling mightily nonetheless. The Red Sox are 54-56 after Sunday's loss and find themselves in last place in the AL East, one season removed from a trip to the ALCS.

When the Houston Astros beat them in six games in that series, the Red Sox appeared poised to challenge for a World Series berth yet again in 2022, or at least for a playoff position. Instead, they find themselves in the basement of the loaded AL East.

Durran's recent struggles have contributed to Boston's fall from grace, though he's hardly the only culprit. But after two seasons of struggles, there are very real questions about whether he will have a place in the Red Sox's outfield beyond this season.

For now, Cora remains a believer.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced Saturday that they placed outfielder George Springer on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Aug. 5 because of right elbow inflammation.

The team added that it called up infielder Otto Lopez from Triple-A Buffalo to occupy Springer's spot on the roster.

Springer, 32, has had his elbow issues pop up over the past couple of months. He left in the eighth inning of a June 21 loss to the Chicago White Sox with elbow discomfort.

Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider removed Springer prior to the ninth inning of a July 28 game against the Detroit Tigers. He hurt his elbow during an at-bat the previous inning.

When Springer has been healthy, he's played well with a .251/.331/.464 slash line, 18 homers and 49 RBI in 338 at-bats over 89 games.

Springer was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career this season and the first time in his two seasons with the Jays.

The loss of Springer will likely lead to more playing time for Raimel Tapia. The 28-year-old is hitting .277/.299/.398 with five homers and 37 RBI in 289 plate appearances. Bradley Zimmer should also see more playing time, likely as a defensive replacement late in games.

After a slow start this season, the Blue Jays have hit their stride. Their 59-47 record is the third-best mark in the American League, behind the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

Losing Springer takes away a key piece of Toronto's lineup, but this roster has so much offensive talent that it should be able to keep scoring runs in bunches until he returns.

Whit Merrifield can play for the Toronto Blue Jays when they open their homestand next Friday as he's fully vaccinated against COVID-19, he told reporters Thursday.

If the second baseman did not get vaccinated, he wouldn't have been eligible to participate in Toronto's home games because of Canada's vaccine requirements.

The Kansas City Royals sent Merrifield to the Blue Jays ahead of MLB's trade deadline Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Max Castillo and minor league infielder Samad Taylor.

Merrifield joined the Blue Jays on Thursday ahead of their four-game series against the Minnesota Twins. He is in Thursday's lineup, batting eighth and playing center field, per Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star.

The 33-year-old told reporters last month that he would consider getting vaccinated if it meant playing for a team that could face Toronto in the playoffs.

"I understand what Canada has in place right now. That’s the only reason that I would think about getting it at this point is to go to Canada. That might change down the road. Something happens, and I happen to get on a team that has a chance to go play in Canada in the postseason, maybe that changes."

However, Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider told reporters Wednesday that the team would not require the veteran to get the shot.

"Obviously we know he wasn’t there in Toronto, but totally up to him," Schneider said. "And I’m sure that he’s had conversations with his family and other people. So, you know, we’re leaving that decision up to him."

Merrifield is having a down season, hitting .240/.290/.352 with six home runs, 42 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 95 games. However, he's a nice depth addition for the Blue Jays, who will likely use his versatility to play him both at second base and in the outfield.

Merrifield spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Royals, earning two All-Star selections. He agreed to a four-year extension in 2019 and is under contract through the 2023 season with a mutual option for 2024, per Spotrac.

Toronto enters Thursday's game against the Twins second in the AL East with a 58-46 record, 11 games behind the New York Yankees. The club has a three-game lead in the wild-card race.

The Blue Jays have a 97 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs.

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is in the midst of the best season of his career, but he remains unsigned and is headed for free agency this winter.

However, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Thursday that the club's "hope is to get Aaron Judge signed to an extension."

Judge is playing the 2022 season on a one-year, $19 million contract.

The 30-year-old turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million contract offer from the Yankees before the 2022 season, deciding to bet on himself in hopes of signing an even larger deal in free agency.

Taking that chance has paid off for Judge as he'll likely be an American League MVP candidate this year. Through 102 games, he's hitting .298/.386/.676 with 43 home runs, 93 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

Judge's production has helped vault the Yankees into first place in the AL East with a 70-36 record, and the club looks primed to make a deep playoff run, perhaps ending with a World Series title.

In May, ESPN's Jeff Passan said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that Judge, if he remained healthy, would likely command a contract worth at least $300 million this winter.

If he earns that large of a deal, he would join Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and fellow Yankee Giancarlo Stanton as the only outfielders to put pen to paper on a deal worth at least $300 million.

However, Juan Soto, who was recently traded from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres, is also expected to join that list of lucrative outfielders.

Judge made his MLB debut in 2016, though he didn't play his first full season in New York until the 2017 campaign, when he was named AL Rookie of the Year after hitting .284/.422/.627 with a league-leading 52 home runs and 114 RBI in 155 games.

The California native also earned his first All-Star selection in 2017, won his first Silver Slugger Award and won the Home Run Derby. Since then, he has earned three more All-Star selections and another Silver Slugger.

Judge reiterated his desire to remain in Pinstripes last month.

"The money, the contract has never been why I play this game," Judge said. "I want to play for the Yankees and be here for a long time. If it works out, it works out, but if it doesn't, it doesn't. It's out of my hands. I can't really control that kind of stuff."

Considering Judge has played a massive role in the Yankees' success over the years, it would be foolish for Cashman to not make him a significant offer once the 2022 season ends.