MLB Rumors

After locking up one of their impending free agents already, the San Francisco Giants are reportedly going to keep another key player on their roster for at least one more year. 

Per MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Giants intend to bring back Buster Posey in 2022. 

Heyman noted it's possible San Francisco will exercise the All-Star catcher's $22 million option for next season, but the "more likely" scenario is the two sides work out a multiyear deal. 

Last week, the Giants signed shortstop Brandon Crawford to a two-year, $32 million contract extension that keeps him with the team through the 2023 season. 

Posey seemed unlikely to become a free agent this offseason because of the team option on his current deal and how well he has played to this point in 2021. 

San Francisco's front office does have several key roster decisions to figure out after this season. Brandon Belt, Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood are all eligible to become free agents. 

If the Giants can work out a multiyear agreement with Posey that includes a lower average annual salary than the $22 million he would make on his option next season, it could allow the front office to get more money from ownership to retain at least some of those players. 

The Giants have defied even their most optimistic expectations thus far in 2021. Their 77-42 record is the best in Major League Baseball. They lead the Los Angeles Dodgers by four games for first place in the National League West. 

Posey's resurgence has been a major reason for San Francisco's success. The seven-time All-Star is hitting .330/.424/.548 with 15 homers and 39 RBI in 78 games.    

Major League Baseball may look to implement a 14-team postseason field during this offseason's collective bargaining sessions, Ken Rosenthal reported Monday on The Athletic Baseball Show podcast. 

The league currently operates with a 10-team postseason that features six division winners and four wild card teams. According to Rosenthal, a new system could see two more playoff spots available in both the National League and American League (comments begin at 19:00):

Going forward, what has been discussed is a 14-team playoff, seven in each league, in which some of those things I just mentioned, home-field advantage for the division champion, penalizing the Wild Card, best overall record gets the edge, that will all be taken care of." 

In 2020, as the pandemic forced the league to make significant adjustments in order to save the season, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred instituted a 16-team playoff bracket to help balance out a 60-game regular season. 

The first round saw teams play best-of-three series, followed by a best-of-five series in the Division Series. The traditional seven-game series remained for the Championship Series and World Series. 

The changes did add a bit more drama as two Wild Card Series required a decisive third game—the Oakland Athletics advanced past the Chicago White Sox in the AL, while the San Diego Padres eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL—however both the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros made the playoffs despite finishing the regular season under .500. While the Brewers bowed out in the Wild Card Series, the Astros advanced to the ALCS where the Tampa Bay Rays won in seven games. 

A constant refrain from baseball purists is that expanding the postseason even further would continue to diminish the importance of the regular season. It remains to be seen how MLB would argue otherwise or if the players association would be open to such a change. 

MLB and the union last altered the postseason format beginning in 2012 by adding a second wild card spot in each league. The two wild card teams would play a one-game elimination matchup to kick off the opening round of the playoffs. 

"This change increases the rewards of a division championship and allows two additional markets to experience playoff baseball each year," then-commissioner Bud Selig said in 2012. 

Nearly a decade later, Selig's successor is looking to expand the playoff field once again.

   

  

  

New York Mets manager Luis Rojas isn't on the hot seat despite the team's recent swoon, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.

"[Team owner Steve] Cohen believes this is a different time with a different type of player makeup than when George Steinbrenner used to fire Yankees managers regularly in bad periods for the club and/or to try to jolt players into better play, the source said," per Sherman.

The Mets went into the All-Star break at 47-40, with a 3.5-game lead on the second-place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. They're now in third place at 56-55, 2.5 games behind the division-leading Phillies, after having dropped nine of their last 11 games.

Playoff chances, per Fangraphs

July 29
Mets 75.1%
Phillies 19.9%
Braves 9.8%

Aug. 7
Phillies 41.5%
Mets 34.6%
Braves 29.7%

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 7, 2021

Sherman reported that Cohen doesn't think the NL East features one team that's head and shoulders better than the rest of the division. Because of that, now isn't necessarily the time to panic.

One can question how much Rojas is culpable for New York's downturn.

Francisco Lindor, who's battling an oblique injury, is slugging .376, more than 100 points below his career average (.478). Michael Conforto is batting just .201. As a team, the Mets are tied for 21st in weighted on-base average (.304), per FanGraphs, and have already fired hitting coach Chili Davis.

On the pitching side, Jacob deGrom is out until at least September with right forearm inflammation. Noah Syndergaard has yet to pitch in an MLB game after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2020.

The Mets acquiring Javy Baez from the Chicago Cubs right before the MLB trade deadline and Baez subsequently getting a hip injury sums up their season.

The franchise is probably falling short of Cohen's expectations since ownership showed some ambition in the offseason by landing Lindor and Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland then handing the former a 10-year, $341 million extension.

But making a managerial change now risks exacerbating the situation because change isn't always good. A couple of strong weeks could significantly alter New York's outlook for the better, too.

Should the Mets ultimately miss out on the postseason, Cohen's stance on Rojas could shift.

Having already gone into sell mode, the Minnesota Twins are reportedly intensifying their trade talks involving All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios. 

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes, the possibility of Berrios being traded is "increasing" because the market has exceeded Minnesota's initial expectations.

Rosenthal and Hayes noted virtually every playoff contender has checked in on Berrios, including the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post added the New York Mets are in the mix as well.

Hayes noted the asking prices for teams selling has been described as "borderline ridiculous" to this point. 

The Padres' interest in Berrios may not last much longer, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported they are close to acquiring Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals.

Even with the Padres potentially out of the mix, there are enough good teams reportedly in on Berrios to at least make it worth Minnesota's while to listen before the trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Friday. 

The Blue Jays, Yankees and Mets are probably the teams with the most urgency to acquire a starting pitcher. 

The Mets and Blue Jays rank 27th and 28th in Major League Baseball in innings pitched by their starters this season. Robbie Ray and Hyun Jin-Ryu are the only Toronto starters who have made at least 10 starts and have an ERA under 4.00. 

New York currently has Jacob deGrom, David Peterson and Joey Luchessi on the injured list. Carlos Carrasco has yet to pitch this season due to a torn hamstring, but he's set to make his debut on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. 

The Yankees have already pulled off one blockbuster, acquiring Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers to boost their offensive production. But they still need another top-of-the-rotation arm to pair with Gerrit Cole for a potential postseason push. 

Berrios' value is certainly helped by the fact he has an additional year of team control in 2022 before hitting free agency. The 27-year-old has a 3.48 ERA with 126 strikeouts and 95 hits allowed in 121.2 innings this season.    

With Friday's MLB trade deadline approaching, rumors are piling up regarding some of the biggest names believed to be on the trade block.

Some significant trades have already been made, but there are still plenty of impact players who could be had for the right price.

As teams make their final determinations on whether they are buyers or sellers, here is a look at the latest rumors surrounding some of the top stars who could be on the move.

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Max Scherzer

With the Washington Nationals continuing to fall out of playoff contention, longtime ace Max Scherzer may be on the precipice of a move elsewhere.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros and New York Mets are all known to have interest in Scherzer.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic then reported that the Dodgers, Giants and Padres are the most likely landing spots since Scherzer would prefer to play for a contender on the West Coast.

Rosenthal also noted that the Nats would like to get a framework for a deal in place well before the 4 p.m. ET deadline so any details can be worked out, including Scherzer's no-trade clause.

Since the 37-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, there isn't much reason for the Nationals to keep him, unless they believe they can sign him to a new deal.

The best move from Washington's perspective would likely be to trade Scherzer since the heavy interest in him figures to land the Nationals a solid package of prospects in return.

Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner, and he has been named an All-Star in each of the past eight seasons the All-Star Game has been played.

He is pitching at a high level again this season as well, posting a 7-4 record with a 2.83 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 142 strikeouts in 105 innings.

Scherzer could be an instant game-changer for any team that acquires him, especially if he goes to one of the NL West teams. The Dodgers, Giants and Padres are all battling for supremacy, and Scherzer could be the piece that tilts the race in favor of one of them.

Making him even more valuable to a World Series contender is the fact that Scherzer played a big role in Washington winning the World Series just two seasons ago.

Regardless of where he goes, it seems likely Scherzer will be moved, as the Nats are eight games out of first place in the NL East and would be wise to start building for the future.

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Jose Berrios

If Scherzer is the biggest prize on the trade market among starting pitchers, Minnesota Twins righty Jose Berrios may be next in line.

Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Thursday that trade offers for Berrios have "spiked" in recent days as teams look to add impact players ahead of the deadline.

One team believed to be in the market for Berrios is the Seattle Mariners. According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Mariners have discussed a possible trade for Berrios, but the Twins want one of Seattle's top young starting pitchers in Emerson Hancock or George Kirby back as part of the trade package.

Morosi noted that no trade between the Twins and Mariners is imminent as of yet.

Berrios, 27, is a two-time All-Star who is having a strong statistical year for a Twins team that has largely struggled as a whole.

In 20 starts, Berrios is 7-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, plus 126 strikeouts over 121.2 innings.

During his six-year MLB career, Berrios boasts a lifetime ERA of 4.08 and 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Berrios is the type of power arm who could bolster any rotation and is under team control through 2022, so he wouldn't be a rental.

The Twins are out of it with a 43-60 record this season, but at 55-48, the Mariners are still in the playoff mix.

Seattle is just two games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League, and given that the Mariners haven't made the playoffs since 2001, it is understandable why they may want to make a splashy move.

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Brusdar Graterol

Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol is reportedly on the radar of teams that are looking to make bullpen improvements.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Dodgers could consider dealing Graterol as they attempt to upgrade other positions.

The 22-year-old is a hard-throwing sinkerballer who played a big role in L.A. winning the World Series last season, although 2021 has been a struggle.

Graterol has posted a 6.43 ERA in just eight games for the Dodgers because of injuries and getting sent down to Triple-A.

Last season, Graterol made 23 appearances, going 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. He also had a strong showing in the playoffs, posting a 3.52 ERA in 7.2 innings.

One issue with Graterol is the fact that he doesn't strike out many batters. He has just five strikeouts in seven innings this season and had 13 in 23.1 innings last season.

Because of that, Graterol is at the mercy of the defense behind him most of the time, and the fact that he has a 2.58 FIP compared to a 6.43 ERA this season suggests he has been quite unlucky.

Graterol is a candidate to put up much better numbers for the remainder of the season, but with the Dodgers looking to beat out both the Giants and Padres in the NL West, trading him may be a worthwhile option if it brings in significant help elsewhere.

The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly held "preliminary discussions" about both Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer and Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant ahead of Friday's 2021 MLB trade deadline.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday the Rays are "expected to be active" to upgrade their roster before the deadline, even if they don't land one of those marquee names.

Tampa Bay is second in the AL East with a 60-40 record and 1.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox (62-39) in the division race. It tops the wild-card standings with a 5.5-game edge over the Seattle Mariners (55-46), who are currently the first team outside the playoff picture in the AL. Oakland is in the second wild-card slot at 56-45.

So the Rays are in a strong enough position to believe another deep playoff run is possible. They reached the World Series last year before falling short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Scherzer struggled a bit by his high standards during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign, posting a 3.74 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 12 starts, but he's been right back to his dominant self this year. He's compiled a 2.83 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 142 strikeouts in 105 innings.

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reported Monday the 37-year-old right-hander is "open" to a potential trade and wouldn't use his 10-and-5 rights to block a deal.

Scherzer would immediately take over as the ace for the Rays, who are without Tyler Glasnow because of an elbow injury.

Meanwhile, Bryant's story is much the same as the Nationals starter. He struggled last year to the tune of a career-low .644 OPS, but he's bounced right back to form with an .856 OPS and 17 home runs through 91 games for the Cubs in 2021.

The 29-year-old has posted those numbers while shifting around between first base, third base and all three outfield spots to give Chicago valuable lineup versatility.

The Rays have long been known for trying to find unique market deficiencies, and a player like Bryant, who can provide MVP-level offense while playing all over the diamond, could provide a major boost for a team whose bottom half of the batting order has struggled much of the season.

It's unclear whether Tampa Bay has the payroll flexibility to add the remaining salaries of both Scherzer ($34.6 million) and Bryant ($19.5 million), but both players are slated to become free agents at year's end, so it would be a short-term financial commitment to chase a title.

Even if the Rays can only land one marquee name before the deadline, it could be enough to shift the AL East in their favor if the Red Sox don't make any blockbuster moves.

Cleveland has parted ways with a number of key players in recent years through trades or letting their contracts expire. The franchise remains committed, however, to star third baseman Jose Ramirez.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Cleveland would need to be "overwhelmed" by an offer in order to move Ramirez ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

Rosenthal cited the Tampa Bay Rays as a team that might attempt to test Cleveland's resolve.

Finances seem to have driven many of the organization's biggest decisions of late.

Francisco Lindor was heading into the final year of his contract prior to his trade to the New York Mets. Corey Kluber was due to make $17.5 million in 2020 as he landed with the Texas Rangers. The team saved a hefty hunk of change by declining club options for Brad Hand, Carlos Santana and Domingo Santana.

Finances might similarly be a factor behind the front office's assessment of Ramirez, only this time they're working in Cleveland's favor.

The 28-year-old makes $9 million this season and has club options for $12 million in 2022 and $14 million in 2023. That's a bargain for the value he provides on the field.

Through 85 games, Ramirez is batting .257 with a .510 slugging percentage, 19 home runs and 52 RBI. He's fresh off earning the third All-Star appearance of his career, and his 2.9 WAR is tied for 12th among American League position players, per FanGraphs.

The postseason window isn't closed for Cleveland, either. The team is eight games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central and sits 3.5 games back from the second wild-card spot.

Cleveland's offense isn't all that good to begin with. Taking Ramirez out of the mix would make the lineup even more anemic, thus nullifying what can be a dominant rotation when everyone is healthy.

If the franchise is ready to commit fully to a rebuild, then executing this trade makes sense. For now, it doesn't appear general manager Mike Chernoff is ready to go down that road.

The San Diego Padres apparently really want slugger Joey Gallo in their lineup by the July 30 trade deadline.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the National League West club "is practically panting for Gallo" and cited one source who said the Texas Rangers star is someone general manager A.J. Preller "might unload for" in a deal.

Gallo is scheduled for arbitration for 2022 and is not slated for unrestricted free agency until 2023, making him potentially more than just a rental for the Padres if they were able to acquire him via trade.

As for Texas, it is in last place in the American League West and doesn't look primed to compete in the immediate future. Trading someone like Gallo to a team that is reportedly desperate to land him is a quick way to restock the farm system and accelerate a rebuild.

From San Diego's perspective, he would add even more pop to a lineup that already includes Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth and others and would help in a daunting National League West that also features the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gallo, 27, is slashing .235/.394/.516 with 24 home runs and 52 RBI this season as one of the best power hitters in the league.

He would provide a left-handed bat alongside the right-handed Tatis and Machado and has 11 home runs in his last 15 games. He seems to be peaking as the season progresses and would make life even more difficult on opposing pitching staffs.

That is a rather daunting thought after the Padres put up 41 runs in a three-game series against the Washington Nationals to start the season's second half.

For now San Diego is five games back of the Giants and four games back of the Dodgers, but Gallo is someone who could help close that gap and at least ensure the team ends up with a wild-card spot.

The Washington Nationals are reportedly showing interest in Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant ahead of the 2021 MLB trade deadline on July 30.

Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported the news Friday, but noted it's unclear whether a blockbuster deal is possible with the Nats unwilling to move pitching prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge.

The Cubs started their pre-deadline fire sale Thursday by trading outfielder Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for prospect Bryce Ball. 

Chicago was already heading toward a likely offseason roster overhaul because of a high number of impending free agents, and the process was accelerated by a recent 11-game losing streak that's left them eight games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central division race.

Bryant is perhaps the most intriguing piece available because of his track record, highlighted by the 2016 NL MVP Award, and ability to play all over the diamond.

The 29-year-old Las Vegas native is a third baseman, but he's also made starts at first base and all three outfield spots for the Cubs in 2021. He even made one appearance at shortstop for the club in 2016, though he's unlikely to play that position consistently.

Bryant, who's posted an .854 OPS with 16 home runs in 81 games this season, said the situation is out of control but he'd always remember his time in Chicago fondly if he's moved.

"Whenever my time is done playing for the Cubs, whether I retire here or not, I certainly hope to go out representing who I am and just a good person and keep my head high and realizing, whether it's one World Series or four or five more, whatever we did here was special," Bryant told reporters. "And when I'm done playing this game, I can look back on however long I spent in this uniform and be very proud of it."

The four-time All-Star, who can become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, would likely play center field if dealt to Washington. Starlin Castro has been playing well at third for the Nats. Josh Harrison could also shift to center with Bryant playing left.

What the Nationals would be willing to offer for a potential short-term rental isn't clear, though. Cavalli and Rutledge are the club's top two prospects in the MLB.com rankings. Next up on the list are pitcher Cole Henry and infielder Yasel Antuna.

Washington is six games back in the NL East, so trading anything of substantial value for Bryant without having a contract extension in place would come with risk.

Bryant probably makes more sense for a high-end World Series contender that believes he could be the missing piece for a championship run.

The Atlanta Braves may be struggling in the 2021 season, but they aren't interested in parting with superstar first baseman Freddie Freeman, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the MLB Network. 

And the feeling is reportedly mutual:

While there’s some chance, considering all the unfortunate things that have befallen the Braves, they may sell, Freddie Freeman isn’t going anywhere in trade. No surprise they want to keep the superstar, and he’s told them he wants to stay long-term. @MLBNetwork

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 15, 2021

The Braves are just 44-45 on the season, four games behind the New York Mets in the NL East and seven games behind the San Diego Padres for the second wild-card spot in the National League. 

Worse, star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. tore his ACL on Saturday, ending his season. 

"The only thing I can say is that I'm obviously going to put maximum effort to come back stronger than ever," he told reporters Sunday. "If was giving 500 percent before, I'm about to start giving 1,000 percent."

With Acuna out for the year along with Huascar Ynoa, Mike Soroka and likely Ian Anderson, you could hardly blame the Braves if they called the 2021 season a wash and became sellers before the July 30 trade deadline. Nothing has gone to plan this year—the bullpen has struggled, the lineup has underachieved and injuries have been an issue. 

Cursed season, indeed. 

Freeman has been steady though slightly disappointing after his fantastic MVP campaign last year, hitting .274 with 19 homers, 50 RBI, 58 runs and an .871 OPS. That's about in line with his career .891 OPS, though it's far below the epic 1.102 OPS he notched last year. 

Still just 31, the five-time All-Star has plenty of excellent baseball left in the tank. But he'll also be an unrestricted free agent after the season, which is why it wouldn't be shocking if the Braves chose to shop him. Atlanta is the only team the California native has played for since he was drafted in 2007 and made his MLB debut three years later. 

But it would be hard to imagine the Braves without him. For now, it sounds as though neither the Braves or Freeman can (or want to) imagine it either.