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New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom is battling forearm tightness that has put him on the shelf since Sept. 2, and it is unclear when he will return to the mound. 

Continue for updates.

Collins Comments on deGrom’s Timeline for Return

Sunday, Sept. 4

Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters there is a “good chance” deGrom will miss multiple starts as he recovers from his forearm inflammation.

DeGrom Comments on Playing Status 

Friday, Sept. 2

“I’m pretty certain I’ll be back out there,” deGrom said when asked whether or not he will play again this season, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Mets Release Statement on deGrom’s MRI

Friday, Sept. 2

The Mets provided details on the nature of deGrom’s visit to the hospital on Friday, via Steve Gelbs of SNYtv:

After experiencing soreness in his right forearm last night while pitching, Mets pitcher [Jacob] deGrom this afternoon had a precautionary MRI at the Hospital for special Surgery in New York. There is no structural damage.

DeGrom will take medication to relieve the soreness and will resume throwing when the discomfort subsides. He is likely to miss his next start.

DeGrom Diagnosed with Inflammation

Friday, Sept. 2

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, deGrom underwent an examination Friday, which showed no structural damage, but there is inflammation that is likely to cost him at least one start.

DeGrom Struggling to Regain Momentum From ’15

Something has seemed to be off for the last two weeks. DeGrom has allowed 31 hits, four home runs and 16 earned runs in three starts since Aug. 18.

DeGrom has been solid in 2016, though, nothing like the Cy Young contender he was last season. He’s on pace to record the worst marks of his career in ERA (3.04), WHIP (1.203) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.6).

Injuries have been a factor in his career, though. He missed the entire 2011 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2010. He was sidelined during his rookie year because of rotator cuff tendinitis, and he dealt with back problems during the early stages of this season.

The Mets starting rotation has already been hit hard by injuries.

Matt Harvey is out for the season, and both Steven Matz and Jon Niese are on the disabled list as well. Bartolo Colon and Noah Syndergaard have been the only reliable starters in New York this season. 

Entering play Monday, the Mets are a game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League‘s second wild-card spot. Losing deGrom would be a crushing blow for a team that’s already had its share of injuries while fighting to make another playoff appearance after a run to the World Series in 2015. 

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Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jeremy Jeffress was arrested early Friday morning on a charge of driving while intoxicated in Dallas County.

Rebecca Lopez of WFAA first reported the details. Chris Siron of the Dallas Morning News said Jeffress was jailed at around 5:15 a.m. local time.

Further details about the incident weren’t immediately released.

The Rangers acquired Jeffress from the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month as part of the blockbuster Jonathan Lucroy deal. He’s endured a mundane start to his career in Texas, posting a 4.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across nine appearances.

The 28-year-old former first-round selection was suspended twice for marijuana use during his time as a prospect in the Milwaukee organization. After the second ban, which spanned 100 games starting in 2009, he took a job working at a pizza place in Florida, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

“I literally felt like nobody cared,” Jeffress said. “I didn’t even feel like my own family cared. Now, that was all in [my head], but I felt like, ‘I don’t belong here.’ So I left after two weeks. I should have stayed at home, but I left and got a job. I was 21, 22 years old, and I was still a fool.”

In 2013, while playing with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com noted the pitcher was diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy. The condition helped explain why he dealt with high anxiety levels and unpredictable seizures since 2008. He received new medication to help treat the issue.

Jeffress returned to the Brewers in 2014 and enjoyed the best stretch of his career. He posted a sub-3.00 ERA in two straight seasons and had a 2.22 mark in 2016 before getting traded to Texas.

His status after Friday’s arrest remains unclear. The Rangers just started a 10-game homestand which continues Friday night with the second of four games against the Cleveland Indians.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton suffered a left groin strain during Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. He has been ruled out for the season. 

Continue for updates.

Stanton’s Season is Over

Sunday, Aug. 14

After the Marlins received Stanton’s MRI results, manager Don Mattingly revealed the 26-year-old would not be able to return this season, per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. President of baseball operations Michael Hill announced the MRI showed a Grade 3 strain, per Sports Illustrated. 

“It didn’t look real good,” Mattingly said of the injury Saturday, per Frisaro. “If you’ve seen that replay, it looked like he kind of pulled something. He felt something in his groin area. They’re looking at him now. We’ll see what happens with that.”

Stanton’s Power is Irreplaceable for Marlins

Stanton is one of the league’s premier power threats and a cornerstone of the Marlins’ offensive attack. The slugger averaged better than 30 home runs per season across his first six years in the big leagues. His career high is 37, which he’s totaled twice.

Injuries have also been a story throughout his career, though. He’s played more than 130 games only twice. His 2015 season came to a premature end after he suffered a hand injury in June. And he dealt with a knee problem during the early stages of spring training this year.

The Marlins will probably use several different players in an attempt to fill the void. Ichiro Suzuki figures to get the first crack in right field, but Derek Dietrich could also see an uptick in playing time.

With that said, the Miami offense shouldn’t be expected to find much consistent success while its most potent hitter is in recovery.

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St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams is dealing with left shoulder inflammation and is currently on the disabled list. It is uncertain when he will return to action.

Continue for updates.

Adams Placed on 15-Day DL

Thursday, Aug. 11

MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch relayed the roster move, noting the team called up outfielder Randal Grichuk to replace Adams.

Adams Continues to Deal with Injury

The ability to develop players such as Adams, a 23rd-round selection in 2009, into reliable contributors has made the Cardinals one of the most consistent teams in the major leagues over the past decade. He’s not a prototypical power-hitting first baseman, but he gets on base at a solid rate with some pop.

Injuries have started to hold him back over the past few years, though. He missed several months of action last year after tearing his right quadriceps, while a different quad problem and back stiffness have sidelined him this season.

If the latest issue forces Adams back out of the lineup for an extended stretch, Brandon Moss figures to receive most of the playing time at first base. In turn, Stephen Piscotty will likely slide over to right field, while Tommy Pham enters the lineup in center.

Although the Cardinals should have enough depth to keep the offense afloat, there will probably be a minor drop-off in run production until Adams is back to full strength.

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New Texas Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy confirmed Friday his decision to veto a potential trade to the Cleveland Indians before the deadline was due to lingering uncertainty about the 2017 season.

Lucroy, who eventually got dealt to the Rangers from the Milwaukee Brewers after opting against joining the Indians, provided details of the decision to Robert Sanchez of ESPN.com. He stated his desire to remain behind the plate was a crucial factor discussed with his agent, Doug Rogalski:

We were right. [Indians president Chris] Antonetti told Doug that the Indians couldn’t make any promises on me catching next season. There was no way they’d drop the team option, either, because I’m pretty inexpensive in 2017. I don’t blame them. I would have been mostly at first base and designated hitter. In the end, that was the deal killer. Doug called me. He said, ‘You’re not going there.’

Lucroy carries a lot of value because he’s a catcher. His current numbers—a .296 batting average with 14 home runs—are among the best at the offensively starved position. They wouldn’t be worth nearly as much if he’s forced to play first base and designated hitter.

The Indians couldn’t make any guarantees due to the presence of Yan Gomes, though. He was enduring a forgettable 2016 campaign with a brutal .198 on-base percentage before landing on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. That said, he had 33 homers over the previous two seasons.

As Lucroy mentioned, the only possible solution was Cleveland agreeing ahead of time to decline the club option in his contract for 2017. But between the package it was giving up in the trade and the reasonable $5.25 million price tag, per Spotrac, that didn’t make sense for the organization.

So the 30-year-old backstop had little option but to utilize his veto powers in order to best preserve his long-term earning potential.

Still, Lucroy told ESPN.com he understood the negative reaction to the decision: “Cleveland fans don’t like that part, but it’s nothing against them. It wasn’t personal.”

It was an unfortunate turn of events for the Indians. They were on the verge of acquiring one of the league’s most talented catchers. Instead, they’re stuck with the triumvirate of Gomes, Chris Gimenez and Roberto Perez, which has produced an awful .165/.215/.280 triple-slash line this season.

Lucroy is heading toward what’s likely to be his final chance at a lucrative contract after next season, however. Sometimes a player needs to remain a bit selfish and put his own interests ahead of everything else, and that was the case here.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers announced they demoted outfielder Yasiel Puig to the minor leagues on Tuesday, and he is expected to be sent to their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said Puig is expected to be in Triple-A by the weekend, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said L.A. made the demotion in order to improve Puig as a “player and person,” per Gurnick. 

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports initially reported Puig “stormed off” after receiving the news Monday that Los Angeles would either trade him or send him to the minor leagues. Rosenthal later spoke with the outfielder’s agent, Adam Katz, who denied that ever happened:

I’m told he never went to the park. The club informed me and the player understood clearly that they were making every effort to trade him and that if they were unable to come to terms with another club on a trade — and successful in acquiring another outfielder — that he likely would be demoted.

Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times confirmed Puig didn’t take the team’s charter flight to Denver for a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies after the Dodgers acquired fellow outfielder Josh Reddick and starting pitcher Rich Hill from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for three pitching prospects.

Reddick is expected to take over as the team’s everyday right fielder. That left the 25-year-old former rookie sensation without a clear role heading into the stretch run.

Puig took the league by storm during his debut campaign in 2013. The Cuba native posted a .391 on-base percentage with 19 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 104 games. He backed it up with a rock-solid 2014 season, registering a .382 OBP, 16 homers and 11 steals.

His numbers have dropped off considerably over the last two years, though. His OPS, which checked in at .925 during that electrifying rookie year, has slid all the way down to .706 in 2016.

Now the question is what happens next.

The Dodgers could hope some time in the minor leagues, far away from the bright lights of Los Angeles, allows him to rediscover the form that made him an impact performer earlier in his career. If that happens, he could still be a major asset before season’s end.

A trade is still a possibility, too. Jon Morosi of the MLB Network believes it’s “very possible” the right fielder could pass through trade waivers, which would make him eligible to get dealt to any team.

Puig expressed his desire to remain with the Dodgers on Sunday, but he acknowledged the situation is beyond his control, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

“If they decide to trade me, then I’ll have to go to another team and work hard there. I just came to this country to play baseball,” he said. “I would like to stay here. But I also understand this is a business. You never know where you are going to end up.”

Puig’s relationships with his teammates and the L.A. front office might have played a part in his demotion as well. 

Many problems have arisen throughout his tumultuous MLB tenure. He was benched for the 2014 season opener after arriving late to the stadium. 

As Molly Knight discussed in her book The Best Team Money Can Buy—and confirmed by Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan—Puig “argued with pitcher Zack Greinke and nearly came to blows with infielder Justin Turner” when Puig wanted to bring a member of his entourage on a team charter flight that is typically for player wives and girlfriends.

One unnamed former Dodger told Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller in December that Puig “is the worst person I’ve ever seen in this game. Ever.” 

There’s time for Puig to get back on track before what are typically a player’s peak seasons, but he has to show a willingness to change his work ethic. It could make him an intriguing buy-low candidate for a non-contending team if he does end up clearing waivers.

The Dodgers may wait to see what some time in the minors does for him first. He’s still full of talent, but it hasn’t translated into much on-field production this season.

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The Tampa Bay Rays agreed to trade starting pitcher Matt Moore to the San Francisco Giants Monday ahead of the trade deadline.  

The Giants announced they traded third baseman Matt Duffy, shortstop Lucius Fox and pitcher Michael Santos to Tampa Bay in exchange for Moore, after Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported the deal.

Moore emerged as one of the most promising young starters in baseball during the 2013 season when he went 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 150.1 innings. Injuries ended up derailing his ascension toward ace status, though.

The left-hander underwent Tommy John surgery after just two starts in 2014. While he completed the recovery process in time for the second half of last season, he didn’t look anywhere close to normal, as he posted a 5.43 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 12 starts.

He’s shown signs of improvement so far during the current campaign. He’s still not all the way back to the level he achieved before the injury, but his strikeout rate is up (7. K/9) and his walk rate (2.8 BB/9) is down compared to last year (6.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9). Those are usually hallmarks of a pitcher who is rounding back into form.

The 27-year-old lefty said he was starting to find a rhythm again after his first outing of the second half, per Gary Shelton of the SaintPetersBlog.

“I just feel like I’m pitching to my capabilities,” Moore said. “Being able to string together back-to-back innings where we retired three in a row, I think that’s something to hang my hat on most these days, just being able to get some quick innings, keep my pitch count on track.”

His record from the early years of his career makes him an intriguing pickup. That’s especially true because FanGraphs notes his pitch speeds are right in line with what they were during his breakout 2013 season. It just comes down to getting his execution back.

The need for the Giants to bolster the starting rotation is clear. San Francisco has a strong trio of Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, but Jake Peavy and Matt Cain are major question marks. Swapping Moore for Peavy or Cain will be a major upgrade.

More importantly, Moore is a longer-term asset for the pitching staff. Bumgarner is the only starting pitcher under 30. Tyler Beede and Phil Bickford are San Francisco’s two best young arms, but neither is close to hitting the majors—Beede has made 18 starts for the team’s Double-A affiliate.

Moore adds nice value for the Giants beyond 2016. According to Spotrac, he has three team options through 2019 that total $7 million, $9 million and $10 million. That gives San Francisco more flexibility with the staff.

Ultimately, if you consider the type of package it would have taken to acquire Moore three years ago, this trade is a reasonable investment. There is no guarantee he’ll ever showcase that type of form again, but he’s flashed enough promising signs for the Giants to take a chance on him.

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The New York Mets traded for Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Jay Bruce on Monday in exchange for Dilson Herrera and Max Wotell, the team announced.

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball first reported the deal.

“The only thing to do now is go play baseball,” Bruce told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. “I’m a baseball player, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Bruce enjoyed a slight uptick in production last year after a lackluster 2014 season that saw him post a career-low .281 on-base percentage in 137 games. In 2015, he lowered his strikeout rate, increased his walk rate and hit 26 home runs, right in line with his career average.

The veteran outfielder previously found himself on the trade block leading up to the deadline last July. He didn’t end up getting moved at the time and said afterward that a trade would have felt weird, as John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer noted.

“It’s nice that other teams are interested in you,” Bruce said. “But on the other hand, you grow up in this organization. This is all I know. This is like family to me.”

This move is a bit atypical from Cincinnati’s perspective. Rarely do you see a 29-year-old player in the middle of his prime with a trio of 30-homer seasons on his resume get traded. That’s especially true when he’s under team control for another season, as is the case here, per Spotrac.

Those circumstances suggest the Reds are trying to maximize the return with Bruce enjoying a much improved 2016 campaign.

The trade is a reasonable investment considering his power-hitting history, age and contract situation. It’s not like the Mets are acquiring a high-risk, high-reward player on a rental basis and giving up an elite prospect to do it. This is a stable move, and Bruce will give the Mets another power hitter in the middle of the lineup.

With the move for Bruce, it’s clear the Mets are going all-in to make a deep postseason run.

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The San Diego Padres traded outfielder Matt Kemp to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday in exchange for Hector Olivera, the Braves announced on Saturday. 

David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported the news. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Padres would send between $10 million and $12 million to Atlanta to help offset the remainder of Kemp’s salary. 

It’s the second time Kemp’s team has traded him since late 2014. The Padres acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers as they attempted to bolster their roster for what ended up being a disappointing 2015 campaign.

The 31-year-old right fielder enjoyed a steady rise during his nine years with the Dodgers. He peaked in an outstanding 2011 season during which he racked up 40 stolen bases and 39 home runs while posting a career-high .399 on-base percentage.

He hasn’t replicated that success since, though. His power numbers were serviceable last season with 23 homers, but he had just 12 steals, and his OBP fell to .312, which marked a five-year low. That downward OBP trend continued in the first half this year, though his pop remained an asset.

Ultimately, after the Padres’ rapid-building approach failed, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when Kemp became available.

There were a couple of hurdles the front office had to jump to move him, however. The biggest one was the outfielder’s contract, which is slated to pay him $21.5 million per year in base salary through the 2019 season, per Spotrac, though the Dodgers are on the hook for $3.5 million a season through 2019.

Then there are the lingering injury concerns. While he played at least 150 games in 2014 and 2015, he missed 145 contests between 2012 and 2013. He revealed to Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated last May that his body doesn’t respond quite as well as it used to.

“I can still run, but I can’t run like I used to run,” Kemp said. “I got to do a lot more maintenance, making sure my body is right. When I was younger, I could just get out of bed, go play a game and be good. I’ve got to warm up, get those muscles loose to get ready for a game. It’s a process now.”

That said, he still has a lot of natural talent and should have a couple of strong seasons left, assuming he can stay healthy. 

He also adds a veteran presence to an Atlanta team that has struggled throughout the season. The Braves are 36-67 and aren’t a serious contender, but Kemp gives them an experienced option who can add some power to the lineup as the club moves into a new ballpark next year. Atlanta ranks dead last in baseball in total home runs. 

In return, the Padres get Olivera, who is set to finish an 82-game suspension Monday after he was charged on April 13 with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery. However, Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reported Olivera would be designated for assignment by the Padres upon completion of the deal. 

A Cuban defector, the 31-year-old Olivera has played 30 major league games since 2015 and batted .245 with two home runs and 13 RBI. Per Lin, he is due $28.5 million over the next four years.

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Excitement continues to build leading up to Monday’s MLB trade deadline. Several high-profile deals have already been completed and more should be on the horizon with so many teams still holding realistic hopes of reaching the playoffs.

That dynamic also means it should be a seller’s market. Those teams that have already turned their focus to the future should be able to acquire some promising future assets in exchange for veterans who likely wouldn’t be part of the puzzle when they’re ready to contend again anyway.

So let’s take a closer look at some of the notable trades that have already been completed. Each breakdown includes a grade for each team involved as the clock ticks toward Aug. 1.

Melvin Upton Jr. to Toronto Blue Jays

Upton was one of the most interesting assets available ahead of the deadline. He’s returned to form this season with 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases, but two disastrous seasons with the Atlanta Braves and a mediocre first year with the San Diego Padres left his value as a bit of a mystery.

As it turns out, the strong first half didn’t do much to bolster it. The Padres received Hansel Rodriguez, a raw 19-year-old starter with a 3.06 ERA in Class A rookie ball. They were also forced to retain all but $5 million of the outfielder’s remaining contract, per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

It reduces most of the risk for Toronto. If Upton can continue to provide dual-threat production down the stretch, it should become a steal based on the small package it gave up. And even if he struggles at the plate, he can provide solid defense and base running, which are key for playoff teams.

Speaking of the postseason, the chance to compete for a championship is what excited the outfielder most about the trade, as noted by Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star.

“I’m here to help this team win and in whatever capacity that might be, I’m ready for it,” Upton said. “I’ve been around for a little while and I think the main goal, especially at this point in my career, is to try to win a ring.”

On the flip side, the Padres are out of playoff contention, so it’s no shock they decided to take the best offer for Upton and move forward. Being forced to retain so much of the salary takes away a sizable portion of the upside from the deal, though.

Grades: Toronto B, San Diego C+

Aroldis Chapman to Chicago Cubs

The Cubs already had a reliable closer in Hector Rondon before making the deal for Chapman. But instead of trying a cheaper trade for somebody to fill the seventh or eighth inning, they decided to shoot for the stars by grabbing the league’s most electric closer from the New York Yankees.

Chicago had to give up veteran pitcher Adam Warren and three prospects, including promising shortstop Gleyber Torres, who could eventually fill the No. 2 hole in the order for the Yanks. But it’s a move that should go a long way in stabilizing the bullpen.

The Cubs lead baseball in starter ERA by a significant margin but rank 13th in reliever ERA, according to ESPN.com. Chapman has already started to prove his value in that regard with four strikeouts over 2.1 scoreless innings since the deal. Jayson Stark of ESPN noted the other key numbers:

Ultimately, it’s a good move for both sides. The Cubs have championship aspirations and should now deal with far less headaches in the late innings. And the Yankees had a plethora of bullpen weapons, which allowed them to deal one of them to bolster the farm system.

Grades: Chicago B+, New York A-

Drew Pomeranz to Boston Red Sox

It’s been quite a journey for Pomeranz this season. He didn’t even earn a spot in the Padres’ rotation until early April. He then proceeded to secure a spot on the All-Star team by posting a 2.47 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 102 innings before the break.

Now he’s been traded from easy-going San Diego to Boston, one of the most intense sports markets in the country. After getting shelled in his first start with the Red Sox, he bounced back by giving up just two runs in six innings while striking out seven in his last outing.

The most important thing is his curveball. It’s one of the most underrated out pitches in the league when he’s got a feel for it, which wasn’t the case in his debut with Boston. Pitcher List provided a look at the sweeping breaking ball from his latest start:

While the Red Sox were able to upgrade their rotation for this season, the Padres continue looking toward the future by getting Anderson Espinoza. The 18-year-old right-hander has struggled with a 4.63 ERA across 19 starts in the minors so far this season, but he’s slotted in as the team’s top prospect, according to MLB.com.

Grades: Boston B+, San Diego B

All deals discussed via USA Today’s Trade Tracker.

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