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With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline looming on August 1, there are some big names who could be on the trading block, including Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy.    

On Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine‘s Buster Olney that the Brewers and Cleveland Indians are “in talks” for the two-time All-Star. 

Continue for updates.

Indians’ Needs Make Lucroy a Prime Target

Wednesday, July 20

Olney noted that the Indians might be interested in the 30-year-old Lucroy after outfielder Michael Brantley had a setback in his recovery from a shoulder injury that’s kept him out since May 14, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. 

Brantley has appeared in just 11 games this year after hitting 35 home runs combined over the past two seasons. 

But the Indians are in desperate need of help at the catcher position, as Yan Gomes—who was batting only .165 this season—dislocated his right shoulder, forcing the team to recall Roberto Perez from Triple-A. 

While Cleveland entered Wednesday with a 55-38 record and a seven-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central, it has gotten nothing from the catcher position:

Lucroy would provide a huge boost there, as he’s batted .305 with a .362 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 85 games this season. 

The average ranks third in the majors among catchers, while his runs batted in are second-most behind Wilson Ramos of the Washington Nationals, per MLB.com. His WAR of 2.3 is also third on the Brewers behind only Ryan Braun and Junior Guerra.

However, Lucroy revealed to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post that the possibility the team will deal him has been in the back of his mind: “We’re all human, and we all have things going on that distract us and get in our heads sometimes. And whenever you’re dealing with trade talk and chatter like that, it’s a distraction.”

As the Brewers sit at 39-52 for fourth place in the National League Central and 16.5 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs, it’s clear they can’t win even with Lucroy excelling in the field.

So dealing him could present Milwaukee with an opportunity to acquire some young, valuable talent to build around in the future. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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Washington Nationals All-Star ace Stephen Strasburg went eight innings during Friday night’s 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing one earned run and just three hits while striking out six to improve to 13-0 on the season.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Strasburg is the fifth pitcher since 1956 to start a season 13-0 or better. Three of those pitchers went on to win the Cy Young Award the year they accomplished the feat, including his current teammate Max Scherzer, who won the award in 2013 as a member of the Detroit Tigers:

Strasburg is the only player to have hit the 13-0 mark in the National League.

While the individual success is a good omen for Strasburg’s trophy case, it’s also a good omen for the Nationals, as most of the teams those pitchers played for saw some form of success in the fall:

Friday’s outing also lowered Strasburg’s ERA from 2.62 to 2.51, moving him up to sixth-best in the major leagues.

It’s not the only category he’s among the big leagues’ best in, either: 

Strasburg is also getting plenty of help from his offense when he takes the hill, which has made his 13-0 mark somewhat easier to attain. According to ESPN.com, he’s receiving 6.41 runs per start, which is fourth-best in the major leagues.

He’s already two wins away from his career high of 15 victories, though it took him 28 starts to get to that number in 2012, compared to the 17 he’s made in 2016.

If history suggests anything, it’s that Strasburg will have to maintain this kind of excellence deep into October. And that’s something Nationals fans, and probably Strasburg, would like to see even more than an undefeated record in July.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Locke leads the team with eight wins, but his status in Pittsburgh is in jeopardy.  

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, the Pirates are looking to make room for top pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow, and Locke’s name is surfacing in trade talks to open that spot. 

Continue for updates.

Youngster’s Emergence Puts Locke on the Block

Thursday, July 14

While Locke leads the team in wins, his ERA of 5.26 is the second-worst among Pittsburgh starters. He’s also had a problem with keeping the ball in the park, allowing 14 home runs in 101 innings. 

Locke did earn a 2013 All-Star Game appearance with a 10-7 record, but he’s never posted an ERA less than 3.52 and hasn’t pitched more than 168.1 innings. 

Glasnow, on the other hand, is the Pirates’ No. 1-ranked prospect, per MLB.com. He has been lighting up the minor leagues. 

Playing with Triple-A Indianapolis in 2016, Glasnow is 7-2 with a 1.78 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 96 innings. However, a frightening statistic for Pirates fans to see is his 52 walks in that span.

Pittsburgh called him up on July 7 to make a start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He gave up four runs in 5.1 innings while striking out five and walking two:

Earning $3 million this year, Locke is slated for two years of arbitration after the 2016 season, per Spotrac. With his uncertain contract future, he could be viewed as a prime candidate for a trade, though no specific suitors have been disclosed as of yet. 

With a little over two weeks remaining until Major League Baseball’s Aug. 1 trade deadline, the Pirates will have to move one of their pitchers in order to settle Glasnow into a regular starting role. And if the right team comes along, then Locke could be on the move. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor is halfway through his third major league season and has just three months until his rookie contract is up, per Spotrac. 

With team control and arbitration looming, the Rangers and Odor are in talks for a new deal. But Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported on Thursday that negotiations “broke off, at least for today” after Texas offered the 22-year-old a six-year, $35 million deal, plus two option years.       

Continue for updates.

Odor, Rangers Will Have to Pick Up Talks Later

Thursday, July 14

If a deal is unable to get done, then Odor will have to play under team control in 2017, which was instituted when he made his major league debut back in May 2014. Because he recorded less than 172 service days that year, the Rangers received one more year from him, and if things lead to arbitration, they can limit what he makes, per FanGraphs.

After the team-controlled 2017 season, Odor would hit three straight years of arbitration, which could hurt his wallet, per Spotrac.

Heyman broke down why those contract talks ended Thursday:

Word is, he and his agent didn’t want the two team option years that were part of the offer. Odor had made a counteroffer at one point, so he has a clear interest in signing, but the sides will have to pick up another time. The sides can re-address the situation in the winter, if not sooner, and are likely to do so.

Heyman also noted that Odor “is a feisty type who wants to fight hard for the best deal,” which could make negotiations tricky in the future. 

Baseball fans are already aware of Odor’s feistiness after a May run-in with the Toronto Blue Jays‘ Jose Bautista:

Odor is on pace for a career season with a .275 average along with 16 home runs and 46 RBI. In 334 at-bats this year, he has recorded 92 hits. Last year, he had 111 in 426 at-bats. 

Those 16 home runs are tied for fourth among all second basemen, per Yahoo Sports. 

His efforts have helped the Rangers build a 5.5-game lead in the American League West with a 54-36 record, which is tied for second-best in the major leagues. 

Since he’s a young star on a blossoming team in the American League, expect the Rangers to do everything they can to keep Odor in Texas for as long as possible. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Major League Baseball’s 87th Midsummer Classic will assemble the best players from the 2016 season’s first four months. 

On Tuesday, July 12, this year’s edition will be from Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. The city of San Diego had also hosted the All-Star Game in 1992 from Jack Murphy Stadium and in 1978 from San Diego Stadium. 

Last Tuesday night, the league announced both the American and National League rosters, which can be seen below:

Pitching Breakdown

The pitching in this year’s All-Star Game might leave something to be desired due to the absence of some big names. 

San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner and the undefeated Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals will not be able to pitch due to recording starts too close to Tuesday’s festivities. 

On top of that, New York Mets fireballer Noah Syndergaard and Los Angeles Dodgers virtuoso Clayton Kershaw have sustained injuries. 

Those four arms alone have combined for a 41-10 record with an average ERA of 2.27. Luckily for the National League, they still have an embarrassment of riches on the hill, but these major absences have closed the gap between the pitching staffs of both rosters:

With the designated hitter in effect even though the game is being taken place at an NL ballpark, this will be a whole new challenge for some of these National League aces, as there will be an onslaught of talented bats coming to the plate. It’s something that American League pitchers are more used to even if the talent isn’t as elite. 

When it comes down to short, concise outings that occur during All-Star Games, a stress on relievers to shut things down toward the middle and end of games will be crucial. The NL collected a number of closers, headlined by the Mets’ Jeurys Familia, who leads the majors with 31 saves. 

The AL, on the other hand, went with a series of setup men where six of them have an ERA south of 2.00. 

If these rotations suggest anything, it will at least be a closely contested game as the arms to be featured in San Diego have been dominating all season. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Oakland Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick is playing under a one-year, $6.6 million contract, per Spotrac. 

With Major League Baseball’s Aug. 1 trade deadline approaching, Reddick could be dealt within the next three weeks if he and the Athletics don’t improve their contract negotiations. 

Continue for updates.

Likelihood of Trading Reddick Increasing

Sunday, July 10

According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland and Reddick haven’t picked up contract talks since spring training: “The outfielder was offered a three-year, $36 million deal during the spring, sources confirmed, and Reddick’s representatives countered with four years and $56 million, which is considered below Reddick’s market value by at least $5 million to $10 million.”

The 29-year-old outfielder is on pace for a career-high batting average, as he’s recorded a .296 mark through 52 games. However, his power numbers have dipped, with just five home runs, compared to 20 last season. 

Reddick has seen a vast decrease in power since a monster 2012 season in which he launched a career-best 32 home runs. In the following two seasons, he hit a combined 24. 

This season has come with an unexpected break, though, after he suffered a fractured thumb May 19. He landed on the disabled list the following day and did not return until June 28. 

Still, the dip in power and injury concerns haven’t impacted his value much. Per Slusser, some believe that Reddick could receive a $100 million deal thanks to the lack of outfield talent that is projected to hit the free-agent market during the winter:

He has plenty of interest, too. According to Slusser, the Kansas City Royals are “closely” following him, while the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals are also believed to be keeping an eye on him.

With that kind of attention, the Athletics should be able to find a trade partner, but it’s imperative that they get the right pieces. Oakland was 38-50 entering Sunday and already 15.5 games out of first place in the American League West.

One possible problem to address is pitching, as the Athletics staff ranks as the fifth-worst in the majors with a 4.77 ERA.

Putting a player like Reddick on the trade block could yield a solid return that should help Oakland start rebuilding its roster.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Huston Street exited Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with a leg injury. 

According to Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times, “some leg issue” was hobbling Street, who did not want to exit his outing after giving up a home run to J.J. Hardy.

Moura noted the Angels gave him one more batter to face, but Street walked Adam Jones before the team pulled him.    

Continue for updates.

Street Battling Injuries Again in 2016

Sunday, July 10

In 20 appearances this season before Sunday, Street was 3-1 with a 4.67 ERA in just 17.1 innings. He’s never had an ERA lower than 3.73 over his 12-year career.

It’s hardly the follow-up season the Angels expected from him after 40 saves last year. 

But his drop in numbers could have a lot to do with previous injury troubles. On April 28, he went on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. He missed more than a month, returning to the mound for the Angels on May 31. 

Seeing Street play limited innings is nothing new. He hasn’t hit the 70-inning plateau since 2008, when he was with the Oakland Athletics.

Heading into June, though, Street had an ERA under 1.00, and on June 9, it dropped to 0.82 after a clean eighth inning against the New York Yankees. However, a blown save against the Cleveland Indians two days later—he allowed three earned runs in that game—began the ascent of his ERA. 

He blew a 2-1 lead against the Houston Astros on June 21, allowing two earned runs, and he gave up three more to the Astros eight days later:

Street’s season has made fans wonder about his baseball mortality, as the 32-year-old has also seen a dip in his velocity. 

According to FanGraphs, Street’s fastball has dropped to a career-worst average of 87.9 miles per hour. That’s a little more than three miles per hour slower than his velocity during his rookie season. 

If Street misses considerable time, the Angels will have to rely on Joe Smith and Fernando Salas to close out games while he recovers. But the front office might feel his time out even more, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register:

The Angels entered Sunday 16.5 games out of first place in the American League West, and they could have used Street as trade bait to bring in some young, fresh talent to start addressing the roster’s needs.

Now another injury could scare teams away from doing business. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Major League Baseball announced Friday that it has suspended Oakland Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp one game for throwing his bat toward an umpire during Thursday night’s game against the Houston Astros.  

The incident came in the fifth inning when Crisp took a curveball that he believed was low for strike two. He later struck out swinging on a similar pitch, and while walking away from umpire D.J. Reyburn, Crisp tossed his bat toward the umpire’s feet and was immediately ejected.

According to John Hickey of Bay Area News Group, Crisp spoke about the incident after Thursday’s game and wasn’t sure if there was a punishment in his future:

I didn’t hit him, but it was way too close, obviously. Today just happened… This has never happened to me before. I don’t know what happens in these situations. We’ll see. 

I did go back and look at it, first to look at the one before that one, and then to look at that one. When I walked off, I wanted to just flick it back. It was a kind of `see if you can hit it’ type of mentality.

Then when I went and looked at it, I came out way too hot.

The 15-year veteran is no stranger to the league’s justice system, as he’s exhibited a short fuse before during his career. 

In 2008 as a member of the Boston Red Sox, Crisp charged the mound after James Shields, who at the time was with the Kansas City Royals, plunked him in the leg at Fenway Park:

MLB suspended him seven games for his role in the fight in what would be his last year with the Red Sox.

Crisp has been a member of the Athletics since 2010, when he became a solid leadoff man thanks to his blazing speed. He led the league with 49 steals in 2011 and had 39 the next year.

But now at 36 years old, Crisp is trying to keep his career afloat after a dismal 2015 campaign in which he batted .175 in 44 games. 

This season, he’s batting .243 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and five stolen bases, which is significantly better than last year. However, for at least for one moment Thursday night, his frustration got the best of him and landed him in some trouble with the league.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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New York Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon is headed to his fourth All-Star Game after Terry Collins, his manager in New York and of the National League All-Star team, selected him Friday to replace San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner for Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic, per James Wagner of the New York Times.

Bumgarner is scheduled to start the Giants’ game Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will not be able to pitch in San Diego on short rest. 

He will be the fourth Mets player and third pitcher to represent the organization on July 12, joining starter Noah Syndergaard, closer Jeurys Familia and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who was voted in as a starter.

The 43-year-old Colon is in his 19th MLB season and will make his first All-Star appearance since 2013 when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics. He was also an All-Star in his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2005 with the Los Angeles Angels and in 1998 as a 25-year-old with the Cleveland Indians.

Colon is 7-4 this season with a 3.28 ERA and 10 quality starts as a veteran presence inside a loaded Mets rotation that is stacked with young talent.  

Even though he’s a bottom-end starter in New York, he’s still capable of spinning some gems. He recently outdueled reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on July 2, going six innings and allowing just two runs while striking out five in a 4-3 Mets win.

The man nicknamed “Big Sexy” has become a cult favorite not only with Mets fans but with baseball enthusiasts across the country due to his laid-back style and ability to make plays despite his 5’11”, 280-plus pound stature. 

But one of his finest moments of the season came in the batter’s box of the same ballpark where the All-Star Game is being held. In a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in May, Colon launched his first career home run off James Shields:

With this being the last year on his deal with the Mets, via Spotrac, and given his age, this could well be Colon’s final season in Major League Baseball. If it is, then baseball fans everywhere will get at least one more opportunity to see such a universally loved player on the national stage. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The St. Louis Cardinals placed first baseman Brandon Moss on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday because of a left ankle sprain, per MLB Roster Moves.    

St. Louis recalled outfielder Randal Grichuk from Triple-A to take Moss’ spot on the roster while he recovers. 

Continue for updates.

Moss Most Likely Out Until After All-Star Break

Tuesday, July 5

Moss suffered the injury during Monday’s contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates while running the bases. Though he was able to stay in the game, he awoke with pain in his ankle on Tuesday, per Mark Saxon of ESPN.com. Saxon noted Moss received X-rays and met with a foot specialist, who revealed that it was a Grade 1 sprain. 

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak spoke with Saxon about a possible timetable for Moss’ return: “I think the likelihood of him being back before the All-Star break was questionable, and we certainly didn’t want to play short the rest of the way. When you see him later tonight, he’ll be in a boot, and we just have to be patient.”

In his first full season in St. Louis, the 6’1″, 210-pound left-handed bat has been the Cardinals’ best power hitter with 17 home runs and 40 RBI:

Entering Tuesday night, his 17 home runs tied for 13th in the National League. Considering the Cardinals had to give up just one minor leaguer to get Moss from the Cleveland Indians during last year’s trade deadline, he’s already surpassed expectations. 

Moss also has 1.3 wins above replacement through 75 games, which ranks fifth on the team.

He’s also proved his worth thanks to his versatility in the field, as he’s played first base, left field and right field throughout the season. 

Grichuk, who is set to take Moss’ spot on the roster, was the team’s Opening Day starter in center field, but he was batting .206 through 62 games before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A. 

Since his demotion, he’s batting .283 with five home runs in 15 games, per Saxon. 

Moss’ absence doesn’t affect things on the field for the Cardinals. Matt Adams will stay the starter at first base, while Stephen Piscotty patrols right field. But without Moss’ bat in the lineup, the Cardinals could have trouble scoring runs, which would only make their 8.5-game deficit behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central even worse. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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