AL East

The Boston Red Sox placed slugger J.D. Martinez on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday.

Martinez has been a major source of power in the Red Sox lineup, helping the team reach a 64-47 record entering play Saturday, which has them second in the American League East and first in the AL wild-card standings.

Through 104 contests, the designated hitter and sometimes outfielder is slashing .284/.350/.525 with 21 home runs and 68 runs driven in.

It certainly helps that he continues to bat in a lineup with plenty of support around him in the form of Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo and Rafael Devers, but there's no denying the significance of Martinez's presence in the heart of the order. 

The 33-year-old four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger award winner is in the fourth season of a five-year, $110 million deal that includes an opt-out after the 2021 season.

While the Red Sox will undoubtedly miss Martinez's presence in the middle of the lineup for as long as he is out, it doesn't figure to be a long-term absence since his IL trip is due to COVID rather than an injury.

Until Martinez is able to return, Red Sox manager Alex Cora figures to get Marwin Gonzalez and Franchy Cordero in the lineup more often.

While the Red Sox are still in good position to secure a playoff berth, they are just 2-8 over their past 10 games and can ill afford to be without one of their cornerstone hitters for long.

The phrase "Yankee moment" is tossed around quite a bit in New York City. When an impact player comes to a proud, storied franchise like the New York Yankees, greatness is expected right away. 

It's a little bit of an overblown concept, that a player is required to have a "Yankee moment," but everything in New York tends to be a little bit overblown. It's an intimidating place to fail, with a fanbase that will boo you for a single strikeout and tabloid culture that will plaster your face on the back page with a pithy pun. 

No wonder Joey Gallo entered Thursday's game against the Seattle Mariners pressing. The newest Yankee slugger had yet to hit a bomb in the Bronx after being traded from the Texas Rangers last week ahead of the deadline. Gallo, an All-Star outfielder who hit 25 of them for Texas this season, was gripping his bat so hard during batting practice it looked like the thing was going to splinter. 

The team's other big acquisition, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, wasted no time contributing. The former Chicago Cub drove in a run in his first six games with the Yankees, becoming the first Yankee to do so since RBI became a stat in 1920. 

Gallo, on the other hand, was just 2-for-23 in his first six games with the team. But he made up for that slow start Thursday night, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a towering moonshot of a home run that turned a 2-3 deficit into a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning. 

It was quite the moment—dare I even say his Yankee moment—for the kid who grew up wanting to wear pinstripes. 

"I was thinking in the outfield, the 10-year-old me would be crying and not believing what's going on," Gallo said in his postgame Zoom press conference. "It's really crazy. I had to take a step back from and be like, 'I'm in Yankee Stadium getting a curtain call from Yankee fans.' It's crazy to me."

What's not so crazy is the effect Gallo and Rizzo are having on the Yankees. They were acquired to give the lineup a left-handed presence in a lefty-friendly park, and they're doing exactly that. But they're doing more than just hitting in big spots, they're playing excellent defense, which is something the Yankees have not always done this season, and it's paying off at the right time. 

The Yankees are 6-1 since the trade deadline, at 59-49 they're now 10 games over .500 for first time this season and are currently riding an 18-8 run. Not only do they have a chance to hold off the Mariners in the Wild Card race, but they can gain ground on the Boston Red Sox, the team that currently holds the first AL Wild spot. 

"The energy is at an all-time high," left-hander Nestor Cortes said following the win. "Hopefully we can keep it going."

Gallo and Rizzo give the Yankees a pretty good chance of keeping it going. 

The Mariners were up 3-2 in the seventh after rookie outfielder Jarred Kelenic homered off Chad Green. Kelenic, as you might remember, was supposed to play in New York when the Mets drafted him in the first round of the 2018 draft, but was traded to Seattle as part of the trade for closer Edwin Diaz and former Yankees' second baseman Robinson Cano. 

He's the type of player Yankee fans hate losing to. He's the kind of player that makes Yankee fans boo their own team. 

But a two-out rally by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton set the table for Gallo, who launched a home run off his hometown friend Paul Sewald that went so high it briefly got lost in the lights above the Yankee Stadium facade before falling into the right field stands. The ball only traveled 331 feet but had an incredibly sharp 48-degree launch angle. Gallo had enough power to get it to go, and the short porch in right field was just short enough. 

"It was so high, you don't see very many that high," New York manager Aaron Boone said. "I got up out of the dugout because I thought it was going to go. It just kept going and hit that perfect spot."

It was Gallo's first home run as a Yankee and his first at the Stadium. Boone wasn't worried that his new slugger would fail to deliver in New York because the quality of his at-bats have been so strong. Gallo wasn't worried either, but it was a relief when the ball finally fell into the stands. 

"Once I saw it get out I was overcome with emotion a little bit," Gallo said. "It was just such a big at-bat and a big moment. You could feel that it could be a game-changing at-bat and I was happy I was able to come through and help the team win because I feel like there were a couple opportunities where I could have done that this week and I didn't, so obviously it felt pretty good to do that today."

Prior to the trade deadline, the Yankees lineup was good, but adding adding Rizzo in the No. 2 spot behind D.J. LeMahieu allowed Judge and Stanton to move down. Gallo provides some protection and adds some depth, which is necessary right now with Gio Urshela on the injured list and Gary Sanchez on the COVID-19 injured list. 

The importance of the duo was on display in the ninth inning as closer Aroldis Chapman labored through 30 pitches to convert the save. Without Urshela, the Yankees are using second baseman Rougned Odor at third base. He fielded leadoff man Tom Murphy's throw and made an off-balance throw to first base. It was a deceptively difficult pick, but Rizzo, a Gold Glove infielder, deftly gloved it for the first out of the inning. 

Having a first baseman like Rizzo allows the infielders to make the best throws they can without the pressure of being perfect. 

"I think it's comforting knowing that you've got somebody who is really elite at that," Boone said. "Riz has said, 'Just get it to me, I'll catch it.' And there is some comfort in that."

Gallo made the last out of the game, tracking down a fly ball by Mitch Haniger at the left field with two left on base. It seemed like a fitting end to the first game in a four-game series. 

The true Yankee moments won't really come until the postseason. But if Gallo and Rizzo continue to have this kind of impact on the Yankees, then they'll get their shots to have them.

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has tested positive for CCOVID-19, manager Aaron Boone announced Thursday.

Sanchez was noticeably held out of the lineup Wednesday and Thursday before Boone's announcement. It's unclear if Sanchez has been vaccinated for COVID-19.  Several Yankees who were previously vaccinated tested positive for the virus earlier this season.

Boone said the team is waiting for PCR test results after Sanchez's rapid test came back positive. If the diagnosis is confirmed, Sanchez will miss at least the next 10 days.

Boone said Sanchez seemed to be symptomatic. 

Sanchez is hitting .216/.329/.450 with 17 home runs and 39 runs batted in this season. He's been in the lineup for 84 of the Yankees' 107 games. 

Kyle Higashioka will likely slot into the starting lineup for as long as Sanchez is out. MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported the team has called up Rob Brantly from AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that starting pitcher Gerrit Cole has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss his scheduled start against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Left-hander Nestor Cortes is expected to take his spot in the rotation:

Cole will have to isolate for a minimum of 10 days, per Major League Baseball's health and safety protocols for the 2021 season.

Individuals who test positive will be required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days, receive appropriate care and monitoring from the Club medical staff, and be cleared by the Joint Committee and the individual's team physician, following a mandatory cardiac evaluation and a determination that the individual no longer presents a risk of infection to others.

The 30-year-old is 10-6 with a 3.11 ERA and an American League-leading 176 strikeouts in 130.1 innings.

Boone said Cole tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday evening. He spoke with reporters via Zoom earlier in the day and said he felt good at this part of the year, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.

The Cole news comes two-and-a-half weeks after six Yankees tested positive for COVID-19, per ESPN's Jeff Passan:

Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres, who was fully vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 in May.

Cortes has impressed in limited action, posting a 1.93 ERA in 11 games (three starts). He most recently held the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays to one run over five innings, striking out five in a 3-1 win on July 28.

He'll be opposed by Alexander Wells, who is 1-1 with a 5.28 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Game time is 7:05 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium.

The Orioles are in New York for a three-game series. They took the opener 7-1 on Monday.

The Toronto Blue Jays made their big move before the trade deadline Friday, acquiring two-time All-Star Jose Berrios from the Minnesota Twins.

Per an announcement by the Blue Jays, Berrios will join the Toronto starting rotation with top prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson going back to Minnesota.

Berrios' addition should provide a huge boost to a unit that has lacked consistency and depth.

Updated Blue Jays Starting Rotation

No. 1: Hyun Jin Ryu

No. 2: Jose Berrios

No. 3: Robbie Ray

No. 4: Steven Matz

No. 5: Ross Stripling

Injured list: Alex Manoah

The acquisition of Berrios came at a steep price. Martin and Woods Richardson are ranked as top 100 prospects by MLB.com. They are now the second- and third-ranked prospects in the Minnesota farm system.

Regardless of what happens with Martin and Woods Richardson, the Blue Jays made the right move for where they are now: 4.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card in the American League.

Even if Toronto doesn't make the postseason this year, Berrios has one more year of arbitration before his free agency. He solves a major problem with the roster for the rest of this season and in 2022.

The Blue Jays rotation ranks 27th in innings (488), 19th in FIP (4.36) and 27th in homers allowed per nine innings (1.6).

Ray (20 GS, 3.04 ERA) and Ryu (20 GS, 3.26 ERA) are the only pitchers who have made at least 10 starts and have an ERA under 4.58.

Berrios, who was named to the AL All-Star team in 2018 and 2019, has a 3.48 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 1.04 WHIP and 126 strikeouts over 121.2 innings in 20 starts this season.     

The New York Yankees made one of the biggest deals at the deadline by acquiring first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs. New York's rivals to the north didn't even wait until the end of the day to respond by trading for Rizzo's former teammate in Chicago. 

The Boston Red Sox added slugger Kyle Schwarber from the Washington Nationals with less than 24 hours before MLB's trade deadline, bolstering a lineup that hasn't lacked for power this season. 

Through 72 games, the 28-year-old is slashing .253/.340/.570 with 25 home runs and 53 RBI. After mashing 16 home runs in June—and briefly turning the Nats into contenders in the National League East—Schwarber was placed on the injured list with a hamstring issue. He's expected to return to play in August. 

Here's how the Red Sox lineup could look when he does:

Boston Red Sox Projected Lineup

1. Enrique Hernandez, 2B

2. Alex Verdugo, OF

3. Xander Bogaerts, SS

4. J.D. Martinez, DH

5. Rafael Devers, 3B

6. Kyle Schwarber, LF

7. Bobby Dalbec, 1B

8. Jarren Duran, CF

9. Christian Vazquez

Payroll: $180,096,393

The Red Sox sent right-handed pitching prospect Aldo Ramirez back to Washington in exchange for Schwarber's expiring contract. The Indiana alum signed a one-year, $11 million deal with a mutual option in 2022. Boston would owe Schwarber $11 million next season should both sides agree to exercise the clause. If not, the power hitter will become an unrestricted free agent. 

Ramirez is expected to reach the Major Leagues by 2023 with MLB Pipeline rating him the No. 8 prospect in the Nationals farm system following the deal.

By then, Schwarber could be onto his next team. In the meantime, the former Cubs playoff hero will look to get healthy and help an AL East-leading Red Sox team capture the division and make a charge for the World Series. 

The Boston Red Sox confirmed Thursday they acquired Kyle Schwarber from the Washington Nationals for minor league pitcher Aldo Ramirez.

The Red Sox also designated Brandon Workman for assignment to open up a spot on their 40-man roster.

Following a disappointing 2020 season, Schwarber earned his first All-Star appearance this season. Through 72 games, he's slugging .570 with 25 home runs, 53 RBI and a 150 OPS-plus, per Baseball Reference.

The Red Sox are 1.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and have an 8.5-game lead on the New York Yankees in the American League East. The front office may have felt pressed to act after both Tampa Bay and New York made moves to strengthen their rosters prior to Friday's MLB trade deadline.

The Rays added Nelson Cruz, while the Yankees went a step further. On Thursday, the Bronx Bombers confirmed the additions of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo.

Schwarber hasn't played since July 2 after suffering a hamstring strain. When he makes his Red Sox debut, he might be in unfamiliar territory on the diamond.

J.D. Martinez is the everyday designated hitter, and he'd be a defensive downgrade from Alex Verdugo or Hunter Renfroe in one of the two corner outfield spots. Schwarber will serve as a solid platoon option for Renfroe.

For the most part, though, that leaves first base, which is an area Boston could benefit from upgrading. The issue is, the 28-year-old has logged zero innings at first in an MLB game.

All things considered, it's still not a bad deal for the Red Sox.

Ramirez is 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA through eight Single-A appearances in 2021. MLB.com ranks the 20-year-old as the 19th-best prospect in Boston's minor league system and projects his MLB arrival in 2023.

Taking a flier on the right-hander makes sense for the Nationals, who are headed for a rebuild. And giving him up doesn't come at a steep cost for the Sox.

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly looking at both Max Scherzer and Jose Berrios as they try  to upgrade their starting pitching before Friday's trade deadline, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Scherzer has a no-trade clause, but Heyman reported the pitcher "would consider" going to the Red Sox.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com previously reported Scherzer "strongly prefers the West Coast" with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres all reportedly interested. It appears the first-place Red Sox could also be an option for the talented starter.

The National League All-Star Game starter would certainly be a difference-maker in any location after producing a 2.83 ERA and 0.886 WHIP in 18 starts with the Washington Nationals. He also has 142 strikeouts in 105 innings, putting him on pace to top 12 strikeouts per nine innings for thee fifth year in a row.

With a resume that includes three Cy Young awards, eight All-Star selections and a World Series title, Scherzer could be a big-time addition for Boston for the rest of this season.

Finding an upgrade in the back of the rotation could be valuable for the Red Sox with Garrett Richards (5.15 ERA) and Eduardo Rodriguez (5.23 ERA) failing to find much consistency in 2021. The pitching has been enough to help Boston (63-40) enter Thursday with a 2.5-game lead in the AL East, but the team would likely need more to win a World Series.

Berrios could be another option with a 3.48 ERA in 20 starts with the Minnesota Twins. The 27-year-old has two All-Star selections and some quality postseason experience, allowing just two combined earned runs across nine innings in a pair of starts against the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

One challenge could be finding a reasonable trade for the pitcher. According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the New York Mets were also interested in Berrios but had "sticker shock" at the asking price of two top-100 prospects or one top prospect and one young major leaguer.

Berrios is at least under contract through the 2022 season while Scherzer will be a free agent this winter.

The New York Yankees remain interested in Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story ahead of Friday's 2021 MLB trade deadline despite their acquisition of slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

SNY's Andy Martino reported Thursday the Yanks' interest is contingent on not trading one of their top prospects, such as shortstop Anthony Volpe.

Story is a popular name leading up to the deadline. He can become a free agent at season's end with the conclusion of his two-year, $27.5 million contract, and the Rockies have faded out of playoff contention in the National League with a 44-58 record.

The 28-year-old's numbers are down this year, including a .741 OPS that would be a career low, but he was one of the most productive hitters in the NL over the previous three seasons. He compiled a .909 OPS with 83 home runs and 65 stolen bases in 361 games from 2018 through 2020.

Story said last week he'd heard the trade rumors but was doing his best do ignore the chatter.

"Obviously, I'm aware of the talk, but that's all out of my control, so it doesn't do me any good to think about that," he told reporters. "I'm just concentrating on playing baseball and helping my teammates. I think I have done a pretty good job of not breathing a lot of life into it."

If Story joins Gallo with the Yankees, it would help revitalize an offense that's been stuck in neutral. The Yanks rank 25th in MLB with 415 runs scored in 2021.

His arrival would lead to some lineup shuffling. Gleyber Torres would likely head to second base while DJ LeMahieu stays at first, even when Luke Voit returns from the injured list, which would make Rougned Odor the odd man out in the infield.

It's unclear whether a trade is possible if New York is unwilling to part with any of its best prospects. Colorado can get a compensation pick in the draft if Story leaves in free agency, so it doesn't have to force a trade.

That said, the Yankees, who are 2.5 games back in the AL wild-card race, showed they're focused on making a playoff push with the Gallo trade. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them get more aggressive on the Story front to further bolster their lineup.