AL East

The Boston Red Sox have released outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., the team announced Thursday.

The Boston Globe's Julian McWilliams first reported the move.

Boston acquired first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder Tommy Pham prior to the MLB trade deadline Tuesday, and McWilliams noted that Pham's arrival "apparently made Bradley expendable, with the Sox choosing to go with Jarren Duran as the everyday center fielder."

Duran led off and started in center for Wednesday's 6-1 defeat to the Houston Astros.

Cora basically said today that Jackie Bradley Jr. is now a bench player. The starting outfield is Pham, Duran and Verdugo. JBJ obviously a defensive replacement who can get some starts against RHPs.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) August 3, 2022

The move ends Bradley's second stint in Boston. He won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018 and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021. Bradley was traded back to Boston prior to the start of this season.

For the most part, Bradley has been a below-average hitter. He sports a .695 OPS and an 85 OPS+ over 10 seasons, per Baseball Reference. This year has been more of the same as he's hitting .210 with a .257 on-base percentage.

The 32-year-old remains a good defender, though, and was the Red Sox's best defensive option in center.

Duran's challenges in the field are encapsulated by this clip from Boston's 28-5 drubbing at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays last month. What could've been a routine fly ball by Raimel Tapia became an inside-the-park grand slam:

Jarren Duran lost the ball and let up an inside-the-park grand slam for the Blue Jays 😨 @BRWalkoff

(via @Sportsnet)pic.twitter.com/3XgIw6oKUu

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 23, 2022

The Red Sox are 53-53 and in last place in the American League East. While they're only three games off the final wild-card spot, trading Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros offsets the acquisitions of Hosmer and Pham. Boston doesn't appear to be aggressively pursuing a wild-card berth.

The front office might prefer to see if Duran, who turns 26 in September and is under team control through 2027, improves as the season winds down.

Getting designated for assignment by the Sox allows Bradley to potentially catch on with a contender for the stretch run. While he may not be a good everyday outfielder, he can provide value in a limited role.

Can't argue with move to DFA Jackie Bradley Jr. based on his numbers, but Red Sox did him no favors by constructing a roster that forced him to start. He should've been a fourth outfielder who played some vs. RHPs, not the everyday right fielder.

— John Tomase (@jtomase) August 4, 2022

Bradley's defense could be helpful in late innings when a team is trying to secure a win, and using him situationally can keep him away from left-handed pitching. Per FanGraphs, he has a .191 wOBA against lefties and a .271 wOBA against right-handers.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts expressed skepticism about the direction of the franchise following the team's decision to trade catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros on Monday.

"I wouldn’t say we got better because we lost [Vazquez]," Bogaerts told reporters Tuesday.

https://twitter.com/byJulianMack/status/1554573214679855104

Xander Bogaerts deferred when asked about his confidence in the direction of the franchise. Said he doesn’t see how they got better losing Vázquez. He was downcast, as you would expect.

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) August 2, 2022

On Monday, John Tomase of NBC Sports Boston reported that players within the organization were frustrated about the lack of moves to address the club's "obvious holes."

It's no surprise Bogaerts was disappointed by the loss of Vazquez. The two had played in Boston together since the 2014 season.

Vazquez, one of the better offensive catchers in baseball, was also having a solid 2022 campaign, slashing .282/.327/.432 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 84 games. However, he was a candidate to be dealt, as his contract is up after this season.

Since trading Vazquez, the Red Sox have acquired first baseman Eric Hosmer from the San Diego Padres and catcher Reese McGuire from the Chicago White Sox. They also brought in outfielder Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds.

While Hosmer is certainly viewed as an upgrade over Franchy Cordero and Bobby Dalbec at first, he doesn't necessarily make Boston any better.

The 32-year-old is slashing .272/.336/.391 with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 90 games this season.

McGuire, meanwhile, is a downgrade from Vazquez behind the plate. The 27-year-old is also hitting .225/.261/.285 with 10 RBI in 53 games.

The Red Sox enter Tuesday's game against the Astros last in the AL East with a 52-52 record. However, they are six games behind the second-place Toronto Blue Jays and just three games behind the third-place Tampa Bay Rays. They are also three games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot.

With the opportunity to still make the playoffs, it's no surprise Bogaerts is concerned about the direction of the organization.

That said, it wouldn't be surprising to see the star shortstop exit in free agency this winter. He is expected to decline his player option for the 2023 campaign in pursuit of a larger contract, and even if Boston offers him a better deal, he could leave if he feels the organization isn't built to win.

Bogaerts has spent his entire 10-year career with the Red Sox and has been one of the team's best players since his first full season in 2014.

The New York Yankees have received "inquires" about veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres, according to YES Network's Jack Curry.

.@JackCurryYES: "There have been inquiries made on Gleyber Torres." pic.twitter.com/tX5AY41N93

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 2, 2022

The Bronx Bombers are running out of time to get something across the line, with the 2022 MLB trade deadline due to expire at 6 p.m. ET.

New York has been active over the last two days. On Monday, it announced trades for the Chicago Cubs' Scott Effross and the Oakland Athletics' Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino. A deal sending Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived Tuesday.

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer hypothesized on July 27 that the Yankees could include Torres in a package for Washington Nationals star Juan Soto. That avenue is no longer available, though, with Soto on his way to the San Diego Padres, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Entertaining offers for Torres makes sense since he shouldn't be considered untouchable, but it would presumably take a somewhat aggressive offer to get him out of the Big Apple.

The 25-year-old has rebounded nicely following a pair of underwhelming seasons in 2020 and 2021. Through 92 games, he's batting .257 with 16 home runs, a .780 OPS and a 121 OPS+.

Torres is under team control for two more years as well. That kind of cost control could help a franchise that's looking at Aaron Judge and potentially Anthony Rizzo about to hit free agency. Re-signing both players would be costly endeavors.

Entering 2022, Torres' stock was at its nadir. Over the last few months, he has made a strong case for why he should remain a part of the Yankees' long-term plans.

With New York having addressed its pitching needs already, holding onto him through the deadline is the safest course of action.

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller is still busy making trades, as he found a home for Eric Hosmer on Tuesday.

Per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Boston Red Sox will acquire the 32-year-old first baseman.

With Eric Hosmer out of the Juan Soto trade after rejecting a deal to Washington, the Boston Red Sox swooped in and will acquire him from San Diego, sources tell ESPN. The finances are unclear: Padres could pick up a chunk of money -- or could send along a prospect with Hosmer.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2022

Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported the Padres will pay for the entirety of Hosmer's remaining contract, which will save the Red Sox close to $44 million.

Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Hosmer invoked his no-trade clause to reject a deal that would have sent him to the Washington Nationals as part of the package for the Padres to acquire Juan Soto and Josh Bell.

ESPN's Jeff Passan provided details of the Soto-Bell trade:

The package going back to Washington for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, sources tell ESPN:

- LHP MacKenzie Gore
- OF Robert Hassell III
- SS C.J. Abrams
- OF James Wood
- RHP Jarlin Susana
- one more major league player

That's the only holdup right now to the agreed-upon deal.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2022

Jim Bowden of CBS Sports noted the deal between Washington and San Diego didn't hinge on Hosmer's approval.

After the Padres acquired Adam Frazier from the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, rumblings about Hosmer's future with the organization began to circulate.

Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported at the time that "his name has surfaced in recent trade discussions."

But the Padres held on to Hosmer and traded Frazier to the Seattle Mariners on Nov. 27.

There were a number of reasons for the Padres to trade the four-time Gold Glove Award winner. He has never been a consistent hitter, especially in the power department. He ranked 22nd out of 26 first basemen in slugging percentage (.395) and 23rd in FanGraphs wins above replacement (0.6) in 2021.

In 2022, Hosmer ranks 21st out of 26 first basemen in WAR (0.4) and 24th in slugging percentage (.391).

There was speculation before the season that the Padres and New York Mets were deep in talks about a deal involving Hosmer.

Per SNY's Andy Martino, the Padres were going to send Hosmer, Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan to the Mets for Dominic Smith. San Diego would also send $25-30 million to the Mets to cover a portion of Hosmer's remaining salary.

The deal never materialized, and Martino noted the Mets didn't want to go through with it.

After a fast start, Hosmer is hitting .272/.336/.391 with eight homers and 40 RBI in 90 games.

He was supposed to be a key part of San Diego's rebuild when he signed an eight-year, $144 million contract with the team as a free agent in February 2018. He will make $20 million in 2022 and $13 million annually from 2023 to 2025. The pact also includes an opt-out clause after the 2022 campaign.

The Red Sox seemed to indicate with their trades Monday that they were sellers in the interest of looking to 2023 and beyond. Christian Vazquez and Jake Diekman were traded, and Boston acquired Tommy Pham, Reese McGuire, Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu.

Hosmer almost certainly won't be a long-term option for Boston, but he will get the opportunity to rebuild his value with one of MLB's marquee teams.

With his time as a member of the New York Yankees perhaps coming to an end Tuesday by the MLB trade deadline, Joey Gallo talked about his struggles while wearing pinstripes.

Speaking to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media, Gallo said he does not go out in public in New York because of the reaction he receives from Yankees fans.

"A bunch of [players on other teams reached out to offer support]," he added. "It makes me feel like a piece of s--t, honestly. I remember playing here with the Rangers, watching guys get booed off the field and thinking, 'Holy s--t! I feel bad for that guy.' Now it's me. I do appreciate people reaching out, but it makes me feel like I'm a problem."

Gallo also said he's ready for the trade deadline to be over.

"We'll see what happens," he told Miller. "I'm waiting to hear. My parents are waiting to hear. They're going to have to come to New York and clean my apartment out, get all the furniture moved out."

The Yankees essentially ended any speculation about Gallo's future with the franchise Wednesday when they acquired Andrew Benintendi, who also plays left field, from the Kansas City Royals.

Gallo was acquired by New York from the Texas Rangers on July 29, 2021. He was named to the American League All-Star team twice with the Rangers, including in 2021, and was expected to provide a boost to the Yankees' playoff push last season.

Things never materialized. The 28-year-old hit .160/.303/.404 with 13 home runs in 188 at-bats across 58 games after the trade last season. He has fared even worse in 2022 with a .159/.282/.339 slash line with 12 homers in 233 at-bats over 82 games.

Miller reported last week that Gallo was "waiting for something to happen" and would like to end up with the San Diego Padres because of his relationship with A.J. Preller.

Preller, San Diego's general manager, worked in the Rangers front office when Gallo was drafted by the club in the first round in 2012.

If the Yankees are unable to find a trade partner for Gallo by 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, he could be designated for assignment. If that happens and he's not claimed by another team within seven days, he can be released and would become a free agent.

In seven seasons with the Rangers, Gallo hit .211/.336/.497 with 145 homers and 317 RBI. He won back-to-back Gold Glove Awards in 2020 and 2021.

Amid injury concerns for George Springer, the Toronto Blue Jays are seeking to upgrade their outfield prior to the trade deadline.

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Blue Jays are interested in Chicago Cubs' All-Star Ian Happ in part because of his ability to play center field.

Springer sat out Toronto's win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday with an elbow injury. The four-time All-Star told reporters on July 22 he's "going to have to fight through stuff all year."

The expectation has been Happ and Willson Contreras will be traded by the Cubs prior to Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline. Both players basically said goodbye to fans at Wrigley Field during Chicago's July 26 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates before the team went on a road trip that ends on Friday.

The Cubs have no reason to keep either player since they are in the early stages of rebuilding their farm system. Contreras is eligible for free agency after this season.

Happ could net the team a significant return in a trade by virtue of having one more year of team control in 2023 before he can become a free agent.

Springer has not been placed on the injured list, but the Blue Jays could make him their primary designated hitter to ease some of the burden on his body. He had imaging done on his ailing elbow on July 22.

After sitting out Toronto's first three games following the All-Star break, Springer returned to the lineup on July 26. He sat out two of the team's three games against the Detroit Tigers over the weekend.

Happ has been an incredibly versatile player for the Cubs over the past six seasons. The 27-year-old has started games in left field, center field and DH in 2022. He also has experience playing right field, first base, second base and third base.

In addition to his positional versatility, Happ is having a strong season with the bat. He is hitting .279/.360/.436 with 36 extra-base hits and 46 RBI in 99 games with the Cubs.

The Blue Jays (57-45) are a distant second place in the American League East, 12 games behind the New York Yankees. They do have a three-game advantage over the Tampa Bay Rays for the top wild-card spot.

Multiple teams have reportedly expressed interest in outfielder Brett Phillips, who was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.

According to NJ.com's Brendan Kuty, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are among the teams known to have inquired about or shown interest in Phillips.

Phillips has spent parts of the past three seasons with the Rays as a reserve outfielder after previous stints with the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals.

Although Phillips has never been much of a hitter, he is known for his high-energy play, speed and solid defense in the outfield.

The 28-year-old veteran is a career .190 hitter and is hitting just .147 this season with five home runs, 14 RBI and seven stolen bases, but he enjoyed his most productive season in 2021.

Even though he hit just .206, Phillips set career highs with 13 homers, 44 RBI, 14 steals and 50 runs scored across 118 games.

Phillips has primarily played center field and right field, but he has seen some action in left field as well and is capable of playing all three outfield positions effectively, which adds to his value.

Per Baseball Reference, Phillips has made just two errors this season and has eight defensive runs saved above average in right field. Overall, Phillips has 38 defensive runs saved above average across all three outfield positions in his career.

Phillips is perhaps best known for his entertaining forays into pitching, as the Rays let him make relief appearances four times over the past two seasons when games were out of hand.

He posted a 16.20 ERA over five innings in those appearances, but made the highlights thanks to his eephus pitches and willingness to sprint off the mound in order to make plays defensively.

If a team acquires him, his value will come in the form of being a defensive replacement and pinch runner, which tends to be a key role late in the season and into the playoffs.

The Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies are all in the playoff race to varying degrees and could potentially benefit from a versatile player like Phillips.

New York has the best record in the American League and already addressed its outfield by acquiring All-Star Andrew Benintendi from the Royals. Bringing in Phillips would likely be incumbent on finding a team to take the struggling Joey Gallo at the deadline.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are three games out of a wild-card spot in the AL and the Phillies hold a one-game lead for the final wild-card spot in the NL.

Boston Red Sox players are reportedly unhappy with the moves the front office has made leading up to Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.

According to John Tomase of NBC Sports Boston, there is frustration within the locker room that nothing has been done to address the team's "glaring" and "obvious holes."

Per ESPN, the Red Sox acquired outfielder Tommy Pham and catcher Reese McGuire in separate trades with the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox on Monday, but only after they shipped catcher Cristian Vazquez to the Houston Astros.

Boston parted with a key bullpen piece in lefthanded pitcher Jake Diekman as part of the deal for McGuire.

Although there is still time before Tuesday evening's deadline, Tomase noted that the Red Sox have done nothing to improve one of their biggest weaknesses, which is first base.

Bobby Dalbec and Franchy Cordero have primarily split time at the position this season, but the results haven't been good. Dalbec is hitting just .205, while Cordero is hitting .219. They have combined for 15 errors defensively as well.

Before getting traded, Vazquez said he didn't know if general manager Chaim Bloom believed in the team he helped assemble, but based on some of the moves made thus far and the additional moves that could come Tuesday, it doesn't seem as though Bloom is going to great lengths to make a playoff push.

After reaching the American League Championship Series last season, the Red Sox are in last place in the American League East so far this season at 52-52. They're three games out of a wild-card spot and 18 games behind the division-leading New York Yankees.

The Vazquez trade was a product of the veteran backstop being set to hit free agency this coming offseason, but he could prove to be a huge loss for the organization.

In addition to being solid defensively, Vazquez is hitting .282 with with eight home runs and 42 RBI at a position that hasn't yielded much offense across the league.

Vazquez made his Red Sox debut in 2014 and was drafted by the club in 2008, meaning Boston parted ways with a player who was an important part of some major success, including a World Series title in 2018.

In McGuire, the Red Sox are replacing Vazquez with a career .241 hitter who is hitting .225 with no homers and 10 RBI in 53 games this season.

Pham could be a bit more impactful given that he is slashing .238/.320/.374 with 11 home runs, 39 RBI and seven stolen bases, plus he has had some productive years in the past with the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.

Perhaps the biggest concern with the Red Sox relates to whether they are willing or able to sign shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers to new contracts.

The All-Stars are perhaps Boston's top two hitters, but Bogaerts will become a free agent this offseason, while Devers is under team control only through 2023.

If the Red Sox continue to subtract and don't make any moves to obviously prove they are attempting to make a playoff push, it could also be telling about their intentions with Bogaerts and Devers.

The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most active teams ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline, and they added a veteran outfielder Monday.

Boston acquired Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and C. Trent Rosecrans initially reported the details of the trade.

A nine-year veteran, Pham signed a one-year deal with the Reds in March with a mutual option for 2023. He spent the previous two seasons with the San Diego Padres and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.

In 91 games this season, Pham is slashing .238/.320/.374 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI. The 34-year-old is striking out more this year, having already reached 100 after totaling 128 in 155 games in 2021.

More moves are likely on the horizon for the Red Sox. They also traded catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros for two prospects, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. Boston didn't waste any time replacing Vazquez, as ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported it acquired catcher Reese McGuire from the Chicago White Sox.

Boston and Houston will begin a three-game series Monday night. The Red Sox are 51-52, last in the American League East. Boston has lost 17 of 23 and has struggled to find consistency throughout the season.

The New York Yankees have acquired relief pitcher Scott Effross from the Chicago Cubs for minor league starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski.

Jack Curry of YES Network first reported the deal, with The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reporting the return. MLB.com ranks Wesneski as the Yankees' No. 7 prospect.

Effross' sidearm delivery has caused problems for hitters all year.

New @Yankees reliever Scott Effross has some nasty stuff. 👀 pic.twitter.com/WpyQy1ApTi

— MLB (@MLB) August 1, 2022

In 47 appearances, he has a 2.66 ERA and a 2.19 FIP while averaging 10.23 strikeouts per nine innings, according to FanGraphs. Opposing hitters also have a 35.0 percent chase rate and a paltry 3.4 barrel percentage, per Baseball Savant.

The 28-year-old doesn't have overwhelming stuff—his fastball averages 90.3 mph—but he can consistently get batters to chase stuff out of the zone and avoid danger when they do get their bat on the ball.

With Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline rapidly approaching, the Yankees figured to address their bullpen in some form.

Zack Britton is still recovering from his Tommy John surgery last November. Chad Green was lost for the remainder of the year in May when it became clear he'd need the same procedure. A fractured right elbow sidelined Michael King for the rest of the season, too.

The Bronx Bombers needed to add reliever depth in preparation for the stretch run and the playoffs.

In the case of Effross, New York landed somebody who can help for years to come. He's under team control through the 2027 season, so this isn't a case of a team looking for a short-term stopgap.

His contract status allowed the Cubs to get a prospect who might become a regular contributor in the bigs.

Wesneski made his way up to Triple-A this year. In 19 starts for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, he's 6-7 with a 3.51 ERA and 83 strikeouts.

In June, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter listed the 24-year-old as one Yankees prospect who would potentially join the team this season.

"He doesn't miss many bats, with only 49 strikeouts for 7.7 K/9 rate, but he throws a ton of strikes and gets good natural sink on his fastball, which helps him keep it in the ballpark," Reuter wrote.

"At this point, Wesneski doesn't have much left to prove in the minors."