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The Cleveland Indians announced Monday that they acquired outfielder Brandon Guyer from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects with just a little over an hour remaining in Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. 

In 63 games this season, Guyer is batting .241 with seven home runs and 18 RBI. 

His acquisition gives the Indians a better depth option in the outfield behind Jose Ramirez, Rajai Davis and Lonnie Chisenhall. Tyler Naquin has been a stellar fourth option, batting .335 in 70 games this season.

But behind him, an early-season injury to Michael Brantley, the struggles of Collin Cowgill that saw him get demoted to the minors and the 162-game suspension of Marlon Byrd on June 1 forced the Indians to rely on a mediocre Abraham Almonte and an inexperienced Erik Gonzalez. 

In a combined 24 games this season, those two have put together a .250 average with one home run and three RBI. 

While Guyer’s numbers don’t suggest much at first glance, his bat could be a big difference-maker when used in the right situations. 

Against left-handed pitchers this season, he’s hitting .344 with a .488 on-base percentage and a 1.082 OPS, which could help improve Cleveland’s already solid .271 batting average against lefties.

On top of that, he’s been hit by a league-leading 23 pitches, as he finds ways to get on base. He spoke about it with FanGraphs’ David Laurila: “I’m just trying to get on for the big boppers behind me. I’ll take one for the team any day.”

For an Indians team that entered Monday with a 60-42 record and a 4.5-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central, Guyer’s acquisition is the kind of depth move that could round out the roster as Cleveland prepares for a postseason run. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Just hours after he was dealt from the Atlanta Braves to the San Diego Padres, infielder Hector Olivera was designated for assignment by his new team on Saturday, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

The 31-year-old Olivera came to the United States from Cuba in 2015 and has played in just 30 games. He is currently serving an 82-game suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy that will end on Monday.

Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune added that the DFA will not become official until he gets off of the league’s suspension list on Tuesday. 

The Padres sent veteran right fielder Matt Kemp to the Atlanta Braves, per ESPN.com, as the team was able to shed his big contract. 

Per Lin, Olivera was expected to be designated for assignment upon the deal’s completion as the Padres continue to shed big-name players in order to rebuild the franchise.

Kemp was owed $21.5 million in each of the next three years through the 2019 season as San Diego also dealt $10.5 million to the Braves to help them deal with his big contract. 

San Diego has also parted ways with Fernando Rodney, Melvin Upton Jr, Andrew Cashner, Drew Pomeranz and James Shields this summer.

Olivera though also had a big contract of his own as he signed a six-year, $52.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers before he was dealt to the Braves. Per USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, Olivera is expected to make $25.5 million in the remainder of his deal.

As a player who hit .322 with 96 home runs and 438 RBI in 11 seasons in Cuba, Olivera has failed to live up to the height during his time in the majors. 

In his 30 games over two seasons, he’s batted .245 with two home runs and 13 RBI. 

He began his rehab assignment in July 15 in the minor leagues as he prepared to come back from his suspension, which came after an April 13 arrest outside of a hotel in Washington, D.C., where he was charged with assault and battery of a woman.

Now just days before being eligible to return to the majors, Olivera might have to find a new home to try and get his professional career in the United States on track. 

Contract figures courtesy of Spotrac.com. Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Kansas City Royals closer Wade Davis is still recovering from a right forearm strain he suffered in early July. He has been placed on the disabled list, and it is uncertain when he will be able to return.

Continue for updates.

Davis Placed on 15-Day DL

Sunday, July 31

The Royals announced Davis had been placed on the disabled list on Sunday, adding that pitcher Matt Strahm will be called up in his place.

Davis Continues to Struggle with Elbow Issues

Davis was forced to hit the 15-day disabled list after initially straining his forearm, which held him out for more than two weeks. 

He looked fine after returning July 16, as he didn’t allow a run and gave up just two hits in four appearances while picking up two saves. 

But on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels, Davis allowed two runs on two hits and three walks, though he closed out a 7-5 win.

Davis has been one of the premier relievers-turned-closers over the past three years, as he’s allowed just 22 runs since the start of the 2014 season.

His ability to close out the opposition late in games is what helped the Royals make two consecutive World Series appearances, including a win over the New York Mets in 2015 where he fired the final pitch:

Despite his dominance, his name recently cropped up in trade talks with the MLB non-waiver trade deadline coming up on Monday, per Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. 

A trip to the disabled list with a day to go until the deadline should eliminate any chance of a trade. 

However, the Royals find themselves without another key bullpen arm, as reliever Luke Hochevar recently went on the 15-day DL due to symptoms associated with thoracic outlet syndrome. 

They’ll now have to rely on Kelvin Herrera to carry the bullpen in Davis’ absence. With the Royals entering Saturday night 10 games out of first place in the American League Central, their chances of a postseason berth could worsen if Davis has to miss an extended period. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Major League Baseball’s August 1 trade deadline is just hours away as the transaction market is expected to heat up very soon. 

Contending teams that are looking for a final piece to get them over the hump in terms of a playoff push will get one last chance to add a big asset. On the opposite end of the spectrum, teams that are already out of contention could ship some big names out of town in order to acquire pieces to build a team around in the future. 

Here is the latest on some big names that are on the block:

Chris Sale

It’s been a tumultuous week for Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale, whose second half of the season has been dominated by off-field headlines after starting for the American League at the All-Star Game. 

With trade whispers surrounding him, Sale was suspended on Monday after he cut up his team’s throwback jerseys before his start on July 23. The rift with management though didn’t mean that he was going to be shipped out for a lesser price if the opportunity presented itself, as White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told the media via Katie Strang of ESPN.com:

I want to be clear to all of you: The actions or behavior of the last 24 hours does not change in any aspect, any respect, our belief that Chris Sale can help us win a championship and win multiple championships. It does not move the needle one iota in terms of his value, his value to any other club that may be interested in his services or the likelihood of him being moved or kept whatsoever. None of that stuff is impacted at all by these events.

Strang also noted that the asking price for Sale was “steep” and hasn’t lessened the closer baseball moves toward its trade deadline as Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Friday:

But Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has heard from many that it is unlikely the White Sox will deal Sale: “Industry still skeptical that White Sox will move Sale. However, spoke with GM last night who said for ‘first time’ he thinks it’s possible … Asked GM why. He said, ‘The tone of it. They’ve never even responded before. There’s at least a discussion. Still not sure they get enough.'”

Even though the White Sox are 50-53 this season, they are just 9.5 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central, which isn’t an insurmountable deficit. 

Dealing one of the league’s best pitchers would more than likely bury Chicago’s chances of making the playoffs. Sale is 14-4 this season with a 3.17 ERA and has made five consecutive All-Star appearances. 

No other White Sox pitcher has more than eight, though Jose Quintana does have an ERA of 2.89 in 21 starts. 

Unless Sale could bring in a big-time bat that could spark Chicago’s powerless lineup that has the third-least amount of home runs in the American League, then it’s unlikely that he will be dealt.

Andrew Miller

The New York Yankees have already lost a big bullpen arm by dealing closer Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for two top-tier prospects, but they might not be done dismantling their late-inning pitchers. 

A source told Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi on Friday that the Yankees would ship Miller to the Washington Nationals for the young starter Lucas Giolito “straight up.”

However, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman quickly reported that the Yankees would not execute such a deal. 

The 31-year-old Miller has become a force at the back end of New York’s bullpen alongside Dellin Betances. Entering Friday, he was 6-1 with a 1.39 ERA and nine saves. 

He was the Yankees’ closer last season, recording 36 saves before the team acquired Chapman during the offseason. Since Chapman’s departure, Miller has been 2-for-2 in save opportunities, striking out three batters in two innings of work. 

However, Giolito is the No. 1 prospect in the National’s system, per MLB.com:

Giolito has the highest ceiling among Minor League pitchers, boasting an elite fastball that sits mid-to-upper-90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that he throws with power and hard, downer action. His changeup has steadily improved in the past two seasons and his confidence along with it, giving him a legitimate weapon against left-handed hitters.

The 22-year-old Giolito has already made his major league debut, not recording a decision in three starts with a 4.91 ERA. He’s had control issues, walking nine and striking out five in 11 innings pitched while allowing 12 hits. 

It’s possible that the Yankees wouldn’t want to dismantle the strongest part of their team to acquire a pitcher that still has some work to do before properly living up to that No. 1 prospect ranking. 

Josh Reddick

Oakland Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick has been involved in trade talks as early as July 10 when Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Kansas city Royals were “closely” following Reddick. Slusser reported the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Nationals and Chicago Cubs were also interested.

Poised to hit free agency after this season, Reddick revealed on July 21 that there haven’t been any contract negotiations, which he described as “kind of disheartening,” via Joe Stiglich of Comcast Sports Network. 

Of the teams from Slusser‘s initial reports from earlier in July, one surfaced up on Friday when ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the Dodgers have inquired about Reddick. 

Entering Friday night, Reddick was batting .300, which was on pace for a career best, with seven home runs and 27 RBI. 

While his power numbers have dipped compared to a 32-home-run season in 2012, Olney noted that Reddick “is generally considered to be the best available outfielder by rival executives.”

With Enrique Hernandez and Trayce Thompson battling injuries, the Dodgers currently have just four natural outfielders available. 

Reddick‘s presence could not only add another body to Los Angeles’ outfield during the dog days of summer, but he can also give them a nice offensive boost. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The San Francisco Giants announced Thursday they acquired infielder Eduardo Nunez from the Minnesota Twins in return for minor league pitcher Adalberto Mejia.

Entering Friday’s slate of games, Nunez is batting .296 with 12 home runs, 47 RBI and a league-leading 27 stolen bases. 

The 2016 American League All-Star spoke with MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger about leaving the team with which he’s spent the past two-plus seasons:

The 29-year-old has been enjoying his best year in the major leagues and was one of the only bright spots on a Twins team that is one of the worst in the big leagues. 

His 110 hits led the team, and his 12 home runs were tied for third behind Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano, respectively. Nunez has experienced a major jump in the power department, as he had never hit more than five home runs in a season since coming up with the New York Yankees in 2010.

He collected one of his homers in an unconventional way:

Nunez will hit his third year of arbitration after the campaign ends, per Spotrac. He’s set himself up for a nice payday, after earning the first All-Star appearance of his career this season.

Now on his way to San Francisco, Nunez is joining a contender that enters Friday with a 2.0-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. That’s a major change compared to playing on a last-place Twins team that improved to 38-63 after Thursday’s win over the Baltimore Orioles.

This acquisition addresses a big problem the Giants have been dealing with for over a month. They have been without starting third baseman Matt Duffy since June 19 because of a strained Achilles, which has forced the team to use a platoon of Conor Gillaspie and Ramiro Pena in his place.

Nunez will likely slot into the starting third base role until Duffy returns. According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, Duffy will begin playing minor league rehab games Saturday. 

The Giants will be able to take advantage of Nunez’s versatility and play him all over the infield when Duffy returns.

But to get him, San Francisco had to part with its seventh-best minor league prospect in Mejia, per MLB.com.

Twins interim general manager Rob Antony told Bollinger that six teams were interested in Nunez, adding that Minnesota was looking for “close-to-MLB-ready pitching.”

Mejia is 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 18 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this season, as he’s rebounded from a 50-game suspension in 2015 for testing positive for a banned stimulant.

MLB stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Jon Jay is healing from a broken forearm he suffered after being hit by a pitch on June 19 against the Washington Nationals. But while he recovers, his name is floating around in trade talks. 

Continue for updates. 

Jay Could Be Dealt While On DL

Thursday, July 28

Sources told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal on Thursday that the Padres are “drawing interest” in Jay, though certain teams haven’t been revealed as of yet.

Even though he is on the disabled list, the Padres could move Jay if the interested team allows the trade to go through. 

In 68 games, Jay was batting .296 with two home runs and 23 RBI. While he doesn’t have a lot of power, he was leading the league with 24 doubles and his team with 80 hits before the injury.

With a .345 on-base percentage, he was a solid contributor at the top of San Diego’s lineup, though he did see a spike in strikeouts with 62.

However, plenty of risks come with dealing for Jay before the deadline. 

First, there isn’t a concrete timetable for his return. Rosenthal noted he is “expected” to return by “early to mid-August.”

Second, he is in the final year of the two-year, $10.975 million deal he signed as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2015 season, per Spotrac. 

So if a trade did take place, Jay’s new team might only have him for just over a month before he hits free agency. A deal would make more sense for a contending team, which could use him as a rental for a playoff push. 

But for a team that is looking to find a concrete outfielding asset for the future, trading for Jay might prove costly if he walks during the offseason.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker hasn’t appeared in a game since suffering a foot injury, but that doesn’t mean he’s exempt from trade talks.  

Continue for updates.

Recovering Walker Garnering Interest

Thursday, July 28

Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Walker threw a “pain-free” simulated game Wednesday and looks poised to return shortly. It remains to be seen, though, if he will be a member of the Mariners when that happens. 

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Walker will throw a bullpen session Friday at Wrigley Field “in front of intrigued scouts.”

The Chicago Cubs are “one of a couple teams” that have inquired about Walker, according to Today’s Knuckleball’s Jon Heyman. They will have a front-row seat in their own ballpark to see how he looks in his recovery.

He is dealing with an injury to the tendon in the arch of his right foot, something that has nagged Walker since June. He was pulled from two straight starts on June 14 and 19 before going on the disabled list on July 6. 

He spoke with the media about how the injury affected him, via ESPN.com: “I feel like I just haven’t had my best stuff. My [velocity is] down. My changeup isn’t as sharp. Nothing is really as sharp, just because I can’t get into my legs and get after it. It’s probably not best for me to go out there and pitch, because I can’t give it 100 percent.”

Before his trip to the DL, Walker went 4-7 in 16 starts with a 3.66 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 86 innings. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, he has the second-best ERA among Mariners starters who have appeared in 15 or more games. Only Felix Hernandez has a better mark than the 23-year-old. 

He was even better through the first two months of the season before his foot began to bother him, holding a 2.90 ERA after he allowed an earned run in 7.1 innings against the Oakland Athletics on May 23.

At 6’4″, Walker is a looming presence on the mound who is able to generate plenty of power on a live fastball that has averaged over 94 mph, per FanGraphs. 

Contending teams that are looking to bolster the middle of their rotation could see Walker’s size and velocity as a solid acquisition before the August 1 trade deadline, but a lot of that hinges on the status of his foot. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Boone Logan is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, but he could be on his way out of town before Major League Baseball’s Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. 

Continue for updates.

Rockies Shopping Logan

Thursday, July 28

On Thursday, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported the Toronto Blue Jays “have discussed” a possible deal with the Rockies for Logan.

Toronto’s bullpen is in desperate need of a serviceable left-handed arm as the team looks to stay in contention in the American League East. Entering Thursday, the Blue Jays were two games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles.

Brett Cecil, the only lefty Toronto has, is 0-6 with a 6.00 ERA in 27 appearances this season, and a lack of a lefty specialist could come back to haunt the Blue Jays as August approaches.

Logan could provide a huge boost, as the 31-year-old southpaw has been the best arm in Colorado’s bullpen this season.

He’s recorded a team-best 2.48 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts in 29 innings. He’s been especially stellar as of late, not allowing a run in his last 10 outings.

In contrast, no other Rockies reliever who has appeared in 35-plus games has an ERA lower than 3.86.

Because of that, Morosi forecast on July 19 that Logan would “be among the most talked about bullpen arms across the industry in the coming days.”

Logan’s three-year, $16.5 million deal will expire at the end of the season, per Spotrac, and due to such great interest, it might be best for the Rockies to deal him to get something in return instead of taking their chances in free agency.

That way, Colorado could acquire some pieces to help the team develop into a contender in the National League West, which has been dominated by the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Luke Hochevar is headed to the 15-day disabled list after showing signs of thoracic outlet syndrome, according to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star on Thursday.

Continue for updates.

Injury Could Shed Light on Hochevar’s Struggles

Thursday, July 28

As Kansas City’s seventh-inning man ahead of Kelvin Herrera and closer Wade Davis in the bullpen, Hochevar had a 2.90 ERA heading into the month of July.

But in 6.1 innings over seven July outings, Hochevar has allowed six earned runs, the most he’s allowed in a month all season.

It’s ballooned his ERA to 3.86, which is on pace for his worst mark since 2012.

Thursday’s news could provide an explanation as to why he’s struggled, though. New York Mets ace Matt Harvey recently underwent season-ending surgery July 18 because of thoracic outlet syndrome. 

NJ.com’s Maria Guardado explained what a player experiences while suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome: “TOS…is caused by the compression of nerves near the neck and shoulder and can result in tingling in the arm or hand.”

That makes it difficult to comfortably grip and throw a baseball.

While Harvey needed to have a rib removed “to relieve some of the pressure off an entrapped nerve,” per Guardado, it is unclear at the moment what kind of recovery options Hochevar has been presented with. 

With Hochevar shelved, the Royals announced they recalled pitcher Brooks Pounders from Triple-A. The 25-year-old has appeared in three games this season, pitching just four innings. But in that span, he allowed six runs, including two home runs, resulting in a 13.50 ERA.

Numbers like that won’t help the defending champions as they struggle to make a playoff push, so expect veterans Joakim Soria and Chien-Ming Wang to see an increase in their usage as the team attempts to fill the void.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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As MLB inches closer to its Aug. 1 trade deadline, Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz could find himself shipped out of town.

Continue for updates.

Buchholz Facing Trade While His Role Diminishes

Thursday, July 21

In a conversation with Rob Bradford of WEEI.com on Thursday, Buchholz revealed that he feels “like something has [to] be going on,” given his limited usage in July. 

On Thursday, Buchholz made his first appearance on the mound since July 2, pitching a scoreless ninth inning in the Red Sox’s 13-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

He’s trudged through one of the worst seasons of his career with a 3-9 record to go with a 5.84 ERA in 2016.

His struggles and a logjam of starters, which got more crowded when the team acquired All-Star Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres, have seen him demoted from the starting rotation. 

“If this is the way the team is going to be as far as the rotation part of it…I feel like the guys they’re rolling out there, I don’t have a spot. I’m the odd man out,” Buchholz told Bradford.

But his role as a reliever and his place on the team are also in jeopardy. According to ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber, reliever Junichi Tazawa is set to return from a right shoulder injury Friday, which makes Buchholz expendable.

Lauber also noted the Red Sox can’t demote Buchholz to the minors without his consent, which could have been the easiest option to open a spot in the bullpen for Tazawa. 

Instead, Buchholz will have to wait for a suitor to emerge and take him away from Fenway.

“I don’t necessarily think about it,” he said, per Bradford. “If it happens, it happens. There’s not a whole lot I can do about it on that side of it, except pitch whenever they call. I’m sure there are a lot of things that are going on. There might be another chapter. It is what it is. I’ll figure it out either way.”

With the rash of injuries some National League teams are facing to their pitching staffs, Buchholz could be an intriguing option. The Los Angeles Dodgers could be without ace Clayton Kershaw for the foreseeable future, as manager Dave Roberts told ESPN.com’s Doug Padilla the southpaw might need surgery. 

On the East Coast, the New York Mets lost Matt Harvey when he underwent season-ending surgery Monday, while Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz have been dealing with bone spurs, though they continue to pitch. 

Even though he isn’t having his best year, a team could add Buchholz for insurance purposes. A change of scenery could also do wonders for the 31-year-old as he looks to turn his season around and prove he can still be an effective starter in the majors. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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