NL East

The Philadelphia Phillies bolstered their bullpen ahead of the stretch run.

The National League East club announced it landed relief pitcher David Robertson in a deal with the Chicago Cubs prior to Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline. Pitching prospect Ben Brown is headed back to the Cubs.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Matt Gelb of The Athletic initially reported the details of the trade.

Brown was ranked 26th in the Phillies' farm system by MLB.com prior to this move. While he was not among the team's top-ranked prospects it could have given up, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted he has "power stuff" and is in the middle of a "breakthrough season."

The right-hander has appeared in 16 minor-league games this season with a 3.08 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 73.0 innings.

While Brown may eventually contribute to the rebuilding Cubs, the Phillies landed an impact bullpen arm who will help them push for a wild-card spot this season. They are just one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the final National League playoff spot.

Robertson is accustomed to pitching in pressure-packed playoff races. After all, he helped the 2009 New York Yankees win the World Series over the very Phillies organization that just traded for him Tuesday.

The 2011 All-Star has a 2.23 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 40.1 innings this season and can either work as a closer or setup man out of the bullpen. He has 14 saves this year and posted three straight seasons of 34 or more saves from 2014 through 2016 on the Yankees and Chicago White Sox.

This is something of a reunion for the veteran, who also pitched for the Phillies in 2019.

That was one of the more forgettable seasons of his career with a 5.40 ERA, although he made just seven appearances before he missed part of that year and the entirety of the next campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Robertson has since regained his form and will look to help pitch the Phillies into the playoffs following this move.

The New York Mets have added another slugger ahead of MLB's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, acquiring Darin Ruf from the San Francisco Giants, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

In exchange, the Mets are sending JD Davis and pitching prospects Thomas Szapucki, Carson Seymour and Nick Zwack to the Giants.

While Ruf can play both first base and left field, it's more likely he'll see time as New York's designated hitter alongside Daniel Vogelbach. Pete Alonso serves as the team's first baseman, while Mark Canha starts in left field.

When the Mets acquired Vogelbach last month, they knew they needed another bat as the former Pittsburgh Pirate has been particularly bad against lefties, hitting .134/.266/.149 with seven RBI this season.

Ruf, meanwhile, is hitting .252/.364/.523 with nine home runs and 24 RBI against lefties this year. It's reasonable to believe he'll get the start at DH against left-handed pitching, while Vogelbach will get the start against righties.

Vogelbach is hitting .271/.384/.532 with 12 home runs and 27 RBI against right-handers this season.

Ruf has spent the last three seasons of his career in San Francisco after playing for the Philadelphia Phillies for the first five seasons. He had a break in his MLB career from 2017-19, spending three seasons with the Korea Baseball Organization's Samsung Lions.

Davis, meanwhile, has spent the last four seasons of his career with the Mets. This season, he's hitting .238/.324/.359 with four home runs and 21 RBI in 66 games. Before joining the Mets, he spent two seasons with the Houston Astros.

The Mets are first in the NL East with a 65-37 record, 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves. Adding Ruf to the mix gives the club some much-needed help at the plate entering the final months of the regular season.

The San Diego Padres pulled it off.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Padres are acquiring Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals.

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

Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Eric Hosmer will be heading to Washington as well.

Depending on whether they re-sign Soto, who's due to be a free agent in 2025, the Pads might have two of MLB's brightest talents for the foreseeable future as he joins Fernando Tatis Jr. Manny Machado is performing at an MVP-type level as well.

San Diego's lineup once Tatis returns is going to be fearsome.

Dodgers: Betts, Turner, Freeman.

Padres: Soto, Tatis Jr., Machado.

If the bars are already open wherever you watch the Giants, go for it, man.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) August 2, 2022

https://twitter.com/MarlyRiveraESPN/status/1554495816265498624

Soto, Tatis and Machado pic.twitter.com/XonoZ3k1DS

— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) August 2, 2022

On the other side, the reaction is understandably far different.

Getting a player of equal value to Soto is almost impossible in any scenario. The fact he's under team control for two more years and still only 23 adds to the feeling that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo whiffed.

An absolutely pathetic return for the best player in baseball. And oh yeah, have Josh Bell too! Goodnight.

— Talkin Nats (@TalkinNats) August 2, 2022

Though this was gonna be a historic package the way mlb network been talking pic.twitter.com/cOP3RcXQeL

— Mickey D (@OhMickey0725) August 2, 2022

https://twitter.com/romeosznnn/status/1554495669976662016

https://twitter.com/JRsBackwardsHat/status/1554498688202022913

Mike Rizzo was true to his word in not diluting the trade by attaching a big contract. I'm waiting to find out what the reason he diluted the deal was, though.

— crongstantinople (@cdgoldstein) August 2, 2022

https://twitter.com/MatthewKnell/status/1554499163039141888

In 2018, Mark Lerner said, "We will never sell the Nationals."

Earlier this year, the Lerners were reported to be exploring a sale.

Today, Nationals fans are hoping that exploration concludes ASAP. https://t.co/7Q1hgt2VjR

— Dan Merica (@merica) August 2, 2022

MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams were highly touted prospects prior to making their MLB debuts. Robert Hassell III is the No. 1 player in San Diego's farm system in the eyes of MLB.com, and James Wood follows closely behind at No. 3.

Rizzo might wind up having the last laugh because it will be a few years before the full return for Washington becomes clear.

Still, fans are right to question whether continuing to employ a generational talent who's yet to hit his prime was still a better outcome than banking on an incoming crop of young players to guide the organization forward.

It's looking increasingly like Juan Soto has played his last game for the Washington Nationals.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported that the Padres are "getting close" to acquiring Soto:

The San Diego #Padres are getting close to landing Juan Soto from the Washington #Nationals. The deal is not yet finalized.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 2, 2022

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com added that the belief is the Padres are gaining momentum for a deal:

Executives around the league believe the momentum for Soto to the Padres is gaining steam. However, let’s not forget the exact same scenario happened last year with San Diego and Max Scherzer. Still, many believe that Soto will be a Padre by the end of the day.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 2, 2022

Those reports come after MLB Insider Hector Gomez reported the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals will increase their offers for Soto amid buzz the Padres had emerged as a front-runner.

Soto, who by any measure is one of the five best players in baseball, has become the crown jewel of this trade deadline after contract extension negotiations with the Nationals broke down. Washington reportedly offered a 15-year, $440 million contract, a deal Soto rejected as he attempts to sign perhaps the richest contract in sports history.

The 23-year-old is in the midst of a down season, hitting .246/.408/.485 with 21 home runs and 46 runs batted in. Despite posting by far the worst batting average of his career, Soto remains MLB's most patient hitter and is on pace to hit 30-plus home runs for the first time since 2019.

The Dodgers, Cardinals and Padres all fashion themselves as World Series contenders. San Diego and Los Angeles are no strangers to deadline battles down to the wire, with the Dodgers outbidding the Padres for Max Scherzer at the 2021 deadline.

It's likely the Nationals will take the discussions right down to the 6 p.m. ET deadline, forcing teams to put their best offers on the table as they try to land a generational talent.

The Dodgers have the unlimited financial wherewithal to make Soto a massive long-term contract offer, whereas it's possible the smaller-market Padres and Cardinals view him as a shorter-term difference marker. Soto can become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Washington Nationals superstar Juan Soto addressed his feelings concerning the flurry of rumors about his future ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.

Soto homered in Monday night's 7-3 loss to the New York Mets in what could end up being his final game with the Nats.

"I feel good where I'm at," Soto told reporters. "I understand it's a business, and they need to do whatever they need to do. I'm just another player, another employee here like [former teammate Ryan Zimmerman] used to say."

He also thanked the fans for their strong support throughout the night at Nationals Park.

"It means a lot," Soto said. "It kind of feels weird, too, because nothing's happened yet. We're still waiting. It's kind of cool at the same time, but it's kind of weird, too."

Soto, 23, is the one player available on the trade market who could cause a monumental shift in the World Series outlook if he's dealt before 6 p.m. ET.

The two-time All-Star owns a career .291/.427/.538 slash line with 119 homers and 38 stolen bases across 565 appearances with Washington.

While his .894 OPS this season is on pace to set a new career-low, it's important to factor in the lack of protection in the Nats' lineup. His 91 walks are an astonishing 31 more than anybody else in baseball (Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy, 60).

If Soto moves to a high-end contender where opposing pitchers won't have nearly as much leeway to pitch around him, his numbers could explode down the stretch.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals are all still involved in discussions with the Nationals.

Adding Soto to a Dodgers lineup that already ranks second in MLB with 534 runs scored would be borderline unfair, and it'd make L.A. the clear World Series favorite.

Going to either the Padres or Cardinals would move those teams into the upper echelon alongside the Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

The situation has reached this point because the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner has shown no interest in signing a long-term extension with the Nationals.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Soto turned down a 15-year, $440 million proposal in mid-July, which led Washington to begin considering trade offers.

The Dominican Republic native still has two more years of club control via arbitration and can't become a free agent until after the 2024 season, per Spotrac. So there isn't imminent time pressure if the Nats don't get the type of package they want before the deadline.

Even the mere idea he could be on the move makes for one of the biggest deadline stories in years, though.

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that All-Star third baseman Austin Riley agreed to a 10-year, $212 million extension with the team that includes a $20 million club option for the 2033 season.

The Atlanta #Braves today signed 3B Austin Riley to a 10-year contract worth $212 million: pic.twitter.com/TdPVtpYnL5

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 1, 2022

Austin Riley's franchise-record 10-year, $212 million contract extension with Atlanta:
2023: $15M
2024: $21M
2025: $22M
2026: $22M
2027: $22M
2028: $22 M
2029: $22M
2030: $22M
2031: $22M
2032: $22M
2033: $20M club option

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 1, 2022

#Braves bought out the last three years of arbitration eligibility (he was Super 2 this year) and seven years of free agency. It would be a hugely team-friendly deal if he continues to perform anywhere near the level he's been at since early last season.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 1, 2022

The #Braves announce 10-year contract extension with 3B Austin Riley in a club friendly $212 million dollar pact. Riley is an MVP Candidate this year and one of best RH Power Hitters in NL. Based on the industry this a well below average AAV for his talent.

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) August 1, 2022

The 25-year-old is having a heck of a season, hitting .301 with 29 homers, 68 RBI, 61 runs and a .964 OPS. He was a first-time All-Star this year and is in the running for the National League MVP Award.

He was red hot in July in particular:

Atlanta All-Star third baseman Austin Riley in his 26 games in the month of July:
.423 batting average
.459 on-base percentage
.885 slugging percentage
11 homers
26 extra-base hits
25 RBI
21 runs
NL Player of the Month

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2022

It’s time to start talking about Austin Riley and the NL MVP conversation. pic.twitter.com/KCxd7F4ESV

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 30, 2022

🚨 AUSTIN RILEY WALKS IT OFF 🚨 pic.twitter.com/B0KNVfeQvK

— Braves On FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSNBraves) July 31, 2022

Austin Riley posted a 1.344 OPS in July 📶 pic.twitter.com/CHboLSjPsX

— Braves On FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSNBraves) July 31, 2022

Riley was equally impressive in 2021, blasting 33 homers to go with 107 RBI.

The Braves have built an impressive young core. Alongside Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr. (24) is a superstar, while Matt Olson (28) has been a solid replacement for Freddie Freeman at first base. Ozzie Albies (25) is one of the top young players in the game, Dansby Swanson (28) has blossomed into an excellent shortstop, Max Fried (28) is an ace, and Kyle Wright (26) and Ian Anderson (24) are solid starters.

For 33 years of service time, the Braves will have paid…

Austin Riley
Matt Olson
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Ozzie Albies

…a total of $515 million.

That, my friends, is how you build a frigging juggernaut.

— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) August 1, 2022

The defending World Series champions are 62-41 and just three games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. They hold the top wild-card spot in the NL.

And now one of the key players from that October run—Riley hit .277 with two homers and eight RBI in 16 games—is with Atlanta for the long haul.

The New York Mets are reportedly "in on" Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

Per that report, "nothing is imminent" in potential trade talks, however.

Both players would be potential rentals for a World Series push this season, as they each will become free agents after the season. The Mets may also look to bolster their bullpen this week:

Mets, White Sox among teams seeking to add left-handed reliever. The Tigers’ Andrew Chafin is of interest to both clubs and other teams, too, sources tell @TheAthletic. Owed rest of $6M salary this season and $7M next season.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 1, 2022

Martinez, 34, is a five-time All-Star, though he's having a bit of a down year by his own lofty standards, hitting .288 with nine homers, 40 RBI, 52 runs and a .816 OPS in 87 games.

Vazquez, 31, has provided solid offense from the catcher position for the Red Sox this season, hitting .282 with eight homers, 42 RBI, 33 runs and a .759 OPS in 84 games.

With the Red Sox just 51-52 on the season and last in the AL East (though just 3.5 games out of the final Wild Card berth), trading players set to hit free agency like Martinez and Vazquez would make sense for the Red Sox.

"I'm not blind. I know what's going on, being out there. But just put it off to the side," Martinez told reporters on Sunday. "As far as I know I'm here. I'm not going to think anything otherwise. I want to make it as hard on [chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to make a trade] as I can. If we keep winning I think we can do that."

Vazquez offered a similar sentiment.

"We're still here. We control what we can control," he said. "We're here fighting together. We are family and we're going to continue until we see what happens in these couple of days. We're still here with this uniform and I hope we can stay here."

While the Red Sox will have to decide between gunning for that Wild Card spot and gathering prospects in an effort to retool down the line, the Mets (64-37) are clearly in title-or-bust mode this season.

The question will be how much of their farm system they are willing to sacrifice to improve the roster. Martino reported that "Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are obviously off-limits in any deal for rentals, and... the Mets feel essentially the same way about Mark Vientos."

In other words, the Mets won't move one of their top prospects for a rental. But expect them to be in the market for potential upgrades until the deadline hits.

The Atlanta Braves have designated Robinson Cano for assignment to make room for Ehire Adrianza, the team announced Monday.

Atlanta sent minor-league outfielder Trey Harris to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Adrianza, who spent last season with the Braves before signing with Washington as a free agent.

Cano appeared in nine games for the Braves, hitting .154 with just one extra-base hit. He was 0-for-12 since July 17 with just one walk.

After tallying three hits in two games against the New York Mets—the team that released him earlier in the season—the 39-year-old had just one hit during the remainder of his time in Atlanta.

Cano was already on his third team of the season after appearing for the Mets and San Diego Padres. In 33 games across the three stops, he has a .150 batting average with one home run and one double.

The poor play comes after the eight-time All-Star was suspended for all 2021 after testing positive for stanozolol, which is on Major League Baseball's list of performance-enhancing substances.

Cano has a guaranteed salary of $24 million this season—mostly paid for by the Mets and Seattle Mariners—but he could have limited opportunities moving forward after losing his job at three locations.

The Braves, meanwhile, have been unable to fill the hole at second base since Ozzie Albies suffered his foot injury. Adrianza could split time with Orlando Arcia filling in at the position until Albies returns to the field.

Adrianza played 109 games for Atlanta last season, hitting .247 with five home runs and 28 RBI.

The 32-year-old had just a .179 average for Washington to start 2022, although his true value is his versatility in the field. Adrianza has started games at four different positions for the Nationals this season, plus one shutout inning as a pitcher. Last season, he played third base, second base, shortstop and all three outfield spots for the Braves.

It gives Braves manager Brian Snitker plenty of lineup options down the stretch of the season.

The deal cost the Braves their No. 28 overall prospect in Harris, per MLB.com. The 26-year-old had a .238 average with two home runs in 59 games in Double-A this season.

People in the industry believe the Washington Nationals will trade outfielder Juan Soto before Tuesday's deadline, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Though the Nationals could hold onto the superstar and deal him in the offseason, Passan argued the top trade contenders—San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers—could offer less with one fewer year under team control.

The Padres could be most likely landing spot for Soto. Opposing teams see the squad as a "dream trading partner due to the overflowing talent of their top prospects," according to Passan.

Catcher Luis Campusano and outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood are all among MLB.com's top 100 prospects. They're part of a deep Padres farm system that also includes talented shortstop Jackson Merrill.

Other young players have already reached the majors, including MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams.

Those prospects could help headline a package to land Soto, a 23-year-old who already has two All-Star selections and a batting title on his resume. The right fielder finished second in MVP voting last year and currently has 20 home runs with an .878 OPS this season.

Considering Soto already helped the Nationals win a World Series in 2019, there is no question why so many contenders want to add him this season.

The Padres could be especially desperate to complete a deal as they seek their first World Series title in franchise history. The squad has reached the playoffs only once since 2006, and that came in the shortened 2020 campaign.

San Diego entered Monday trailing the Dodgers by 12 games in the NL West race, but it is currently in position for one of the three wild-card spots.

Adding Soto to a lineup that could also feature Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. would make the Padres extremely dangerous in the postseason.

The Atlanta Braves got outfield help before last year's trade deadline en route to winning a World Series crown, and they're reportedly looking to do the same in 2022.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweeted the latest on the trade front for Atlanta.

"The Braves are looking for outfield help, per source. A reunion with Joc Pederson (on concussion IL) could make sense, but the Giants are 4 games out of a Wild Card and haven’t decided to sell. A rival exec believes SF is “ready to sell” after losing 8 of 9 games since the break.

"Other outfielders available on the trade market include Ian Happ, David Peralta, Ben Gamel, Tommy Pham, Ramon Laureano. Alex Anthopoulos worked some deadline magic with his outfield acquisitions last summer (Joc, Duvall, Soler)."

Last year, the Braves added four outfielders midseason: Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, Joc Pederson and Eddie Rosario. Soler ended up winning the World Series MVP, Rosario took the National League Championship Series MVP, Duvall hit 16 home runs in 55 regular-season games and Pederson smacked three playoff homers. All of them contributed to the team's first Fall Classic win since 1995.

This season's team has gone 60-41, good enough for second in the NL East and first in the wild-card race. They are four games ahead of the next-closest team in the wild-card chase (the San Diego Padres) and just three games behind the New York Mets to lead the division.

They're set up for success thanks to a tremendous infield led by NL MVP candidate Austin Riley and a pitching staff with the third-best ERA in the NL, but they do need some outfield reinforcements.

Superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and 21-year-old Michael Harris have fared the best for Atlanta. However, Duvall is out for the year after undergoing season-ending wrist surgery. Rosario, who has spent time on the injured list this year, is hitting just .157. Guillermo Heredia sports a .127 average, and Marcell Ozuna is slashing just .221/.274/.401.

An additional bat or two to take over a corner outfield spot and/or spend time at designated hitter could go a long way toward back-to-back World Series titles. Plenty of names are out there on the trading block, as Feinsand noted, but the Braves don't have a ton of time to get something done. The trade deadline is set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.