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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer is reportedly generating interest ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline despite a lackluster first half of the 2016 season. 

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Archer Could Become Most Coveted Starter Available

Thursday, July 21

Jayson Stark of ESPN reported Thursday the Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged as the apparent favorite for Archer. One source told Stark there’s a “70 percent” chance the starter lands with L.A.

Archer entered the season with sky-high expectations after a terrific 2015 campaign that saw him post a 3.23 ERA and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 252 batters in 212 innings. Those numbers showed he had the potential to become one of the American League’s top aces.

Instead, he’s taken a step back so far this year. He sports a 4.60 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP through 21 starts. Although a starter’s record doesn’t carry a ton of weight, especially on a struggling team like Tampa Bay, his 5-13 mark is still unsightly.

The 27-year-old North Carolina native told Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Bay Times on July 14 he’s not entirely sure why his results haven’t matched up with his prior success: “I’ve had a pretty good career. You can break it down in six-month intervals if you want. My total body of work pretty speaks to who I am. The honest answer is I don’t know. I have so much upside, so much potential.”

His biggest problem has been a lack of command. He’s walking 3.7 batters per nine innings this season compared to 2.8 last year. Those extra free passes have caused him to get into more jams, and he’s only had moderate success working out of them.

It’s not all bad news, though. His strikeout rate (10.7) ranks seventh in baseball among qualified starting pitchers. He’s also seen increases in batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and the ratio of home runs to fly balls against him, which is partly why his xFIP is a more reasonable 3.60, per FanGraphs.

Ultimately, the intriguing question in trade talks will be the asking price. It’s unclear whether the Dodgers, and any other interested teams, are trying to buy low or if they’re still willing to pay top dollar based on the Rays star’s past success and peripheral stats.

Archer isn’t having the season Tampa wanted from him. That said, he’s better than his baseline numbers suggest, and he’s under club control through 2021 at a reasonable price, as Spotrac figures show. So the Rays would be making a major mistake trading him away without getting a king’s ransom in return.

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The reigning MLB champion Kansas City Royals will hope a visit Thursday to the White House with President Barack Obama to celebrate their 2015 World Series triumph can provide the spark they’ve been looking for heading into the final months of the regular season.

Kansas City, which sits six games out of the final AL wild-card spot with a 47-47 record, stopped by 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on an off day. The journey to Washington, D.C., represented a rare enjoyable road trip for the team, owner of a 17-32 record away from home this season.

Eric Hosmer, fresh off winning the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Award, passed along a snapshot from the bus ride over, which made the group look more like security detail than baseball players:

Before meeting up with the president, the Royals crashed the daily briefing held by White House press secretary Josh Earnest. His socks answered any questions about his baseball allegiance:

The team showcased manager Ned Yost along with Salvador Perez and Hosmer delivering some special gifts to one of their high-profile supporters:

Obama started his speech by rattling off the numerous players who made a large impact during last season’s title run. As he shouted them out, however, he joked it didn’t seem like people spent too long coming up with their various monikers, per 610 Sports Radio-KC:

Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star noted the president particularly enjoyed a quote from Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson:

Obama also took some time to discuss the importance of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and commented on the continued positive impact the Royals are making to help grow the sport, via Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star:

The ceremony concluded as the organization gave the president another championship jersey for a collection that’s grown increasingly large over the past eight years:

Mark Knoller of CBS News showed the different reactions from Obama, a noted fan of the division rival Chicago White Sox, and Earnest from earlier in the day:

One player who missed the proceedings was Jonny Gomes. The veteran outfielder played 12 games for Kansas City last season but was left off the postseason roster. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted the Royals didn’t include the free agent in the travel group, which disappointed him.

“I’ve been sent down. I’ve been non-tendered, whatever,” Gomes said. “But this is probably the worst news of my professional baseball career.”

Although Gomes played only a minor role for the organization last season, he stole the show during the World Series parade. He also stood out during a previous visit to the White House with the Boston Red Sox following their title in 2013 thanks to a patriotic American flag suit.

He would have provided some extra flair to the visit. That said, it was still a memorable trip for the Royals. Just like everything else associated with the title, it’s a little sweeter since they fell just short in the 2014 World Series before fighting back to win it all one year later.

Now the focus turns back to baseball. Kansas City needs to get hot in the coming weeks if it wants an opportunity to defend the championship in the postseason. The team returns to action Friday for a three-game series with the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

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Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara suffered a strained pectoral muscle Tuesday night during the club’s game against the San Francisco Giants and has been placed on the disabled list. It’s unclear when he will return to the field.

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Uehara Placed on DL

Wednesday, July 20

Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reported the Red Sox recalled relief pitcher Noe Ramirez from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace Uehara on the active roster.

Uehara Provides Red Sox With Bullpen Stability

Uehara registered a 1.86 ERA and 72 saves across his first three seasons with the Red Sox. The team still couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add flamethrower Craig Kimbrel during the offseason, but his trip to the disabled list had pushed Uehara back into the closer role.

The 41-year-old reliever’s health has been an issue in recent seasons. He was limited to 43 appearances in 2015 before a wrist injury ended his season early. He also missed time during spring training this year while dealing with general soreness.

The Red Sox will probably use a wide-ranging committee approach to fill the high-leverage situations with Uehara out. Robbie Ross Jr. and the recently acquired Brad Ziegler figure to see the most work in those key spots for the time being.

Uehara should slide back into his usual spot in the pecking order once he’s back to full strength. The Red Sox will hope he can avoid further setbacks, because the bullpen loses valuable depth when he’s not available.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is reportedly generating interest from multiple teams ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

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Two Teams Emerge as Possible Eovaldi Landing Spots

Saturday, July 16

Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Saturday the Pittsburgh Pirates have already engaged in discussions with the Yankees about the right-hander. He noted the Texas Rangers could also be a factor in the trade talks.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced Friday the 26-year-old flamethrower would return to the rotation after a brief stint in the bullpen. He strung together three scoreless outings in relief, but the team never changed its overall outlook, per Zachary Ripple of the New York Daily News.

“I liked what he did on Sunday. I thought his split was more consistent on Sunday,” Girardi said. “I told you all along we looked at him as a starter, and at the time we moved him to the bullpen, we needed some help there. He did a really good job on Sunday, and he’s going back in the rotation.”

Eovaldi has always carried a lot of intrigue thanks to his upper-90s fastball. He’s struggled to develop an out pitch, however, which is why his numbers continue to lag behind the hype.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins starter possesses a 4.24 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through 129 career appearances (122 starts). His numbers this season are even more mediocre, with a 5.11 ERA coming out of the All-Star break.

His peripheral stats suggest a second-half rebound could be on the horizon, though. His strikeout rate (7.4 K’s per nine innings) is above his career average (6.6), while his walk rate (2.9) remains steady, which is one reason his xFIP is a more reasonable 4.12, according to FanGraphs.

He pitched 7.2 innings without giving up a run during his short bullpen stay. He gave up a total of eight hits and walks over that span while striking out five. Between those encouraging results and the background numbers, it’s no surprise teams may try to buy low.

The Pirates and Rangers both make sense as possible destinations. Pittsburgh ranks 17th in team ERA, while Texas checks in at No. 19. Adding a piece like Eovaldi to the back end of their rotations could provide a second-half boost as they try to earn playoff berths.

A lot depends on the results of both Eovaldi and the Yankees over the next few weeks. New York is 5.5 games back in the wild-card race. If it doesn’t start climbing in the standings and Eovaldi doesn’t showcase improvement, moving him before the deadline for other assets may become reality.

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Former MLB outfielder Darryl Strawberry stated Thursday he used to pick women out of the crowd and have sex with them in the clubhouse in between innings.

Strawberry, who starred with the New York Mets in the 1980s before playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees, talked about it during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio with Evan Cohen (via Mike Oz of Yahoo Sports).

“Between innings. It worked out well, just how crazy it was,” Strawberry said. “It kind of worked out that way. You point [a woman] out and tell the kid [to go get her].”

The “kid” he apparently sent to pick up women was the clubhouse attendant, who’s often tasked with running errands for players. Strawberry also discussed “drinking in the clubhouse and smoking cigarettes in the dugout,” according to Yahoo Sports.

Now 54, Strawberry has been doing a promotional tour to hype the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “Doc & Darryl,” which also features Dwight Gooden. The film, which first aired Thursday night, looks back at the rise and fall of the two superstars.

The California native was one of the most dynamic offensive threats in baseball at his peak. He hit at least 25 home runs in each of his first nine MLB seasons starting in 1983, when he was named Rookie of the Year. His resume also includes eight All-Star selections and four World Series titles.

His drug addiction overshadowed his on-field success, though. Cocaine abuse led to three suspensions before his playing career ended in 1999.

Strawberry’s life has changed since those darker days. In 2013, he told Bob Nightengale of USA Today he had become an ordained Christian minister and wanted to start carving out a new life, leaving his baseball years, both good and bad, in the past.   

“I’m over ‘Strawberry,'” he said. “I’m over Mets. I’m over Yankees. I don’t want to exist as Darryl Strawberry, the baseball player. People don’t understand that’s no longer you. I’m not a baseball player, anymore. That person is dead.”

However, the documentary has brought his career back to the forefront. Based on his comments Thursday, it might have been a wilder journey than most fans imagined.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco was held out of Saturday’s lineup after suffering a hamstring injury during Friday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs. 

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Polanco Sidelined Again by Hamstring Problems

Saturday, July 9

Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review confirmed Polanco’s absence for Saturday’s clash with the Cubs. Sawchik previously reported the right fielder is dealing with left hamstring tightness.

The latest setback comes just a couple days after the 24-year-old rising star returned to the field following a prior hamstring problem. He didn’t play anywhere close to full speed when that happened Monday, however, according to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Polanco is enjoying a strong first half of the campaign aside the injury issues. He’s posted a .287 batting average to go along with a .362 on-base percentage, 12 home runs and nine stolen bases in 82 games.

Sean Rodriguez replaced him in right field for Saturday’s contest. Adam Frazier and Matt Joyce could also see some additional playing time moving forward, depending on how long the starter is sidelined.

In this case, the Pirates catch a break with the timing of next week’s All-Star break. It’s unlikely they will rush him back into action Sunday. Instead, they can use the time off to see what type of progress he makes before deciding whether a DL stint might be necessary.

Getting Polanco back to full strength is crucial because, as the latest setback illustrates, hamstring problems tend to linger if not given the proper time to heal. That said, the Pirates’ lineup isn’t nearly as strong without him, so they’ll hope he can avoid an extended absence.

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The Chicago White Sox placed starting pitcher Carlos Rodon on the 15-day disabled list Saturday morning because of a wrist injury.  

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Rodon Expecting to Make Quick Recovery

Saturday, July 9

The team officially announced the roster move on Twitter and noted fellow pitcher Tommy Kahnle will fill the void on the 25-man roster. The Associated Press (via USA Today) reported Rodon was diagnosed with a sprained left wrist.

Jeff Arnold of the Chicago Sun-Times passed along further information about the ailment from Rodon. He stated the injury occurred Friday when he braced himself after he slipped on the dugout steps.

JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago reported the starter only expects to miss one turn in the rotation thanks to the timing of next week’s All-Star break. He initially didn’t think anything of the injury until returning to the clubhouse after the fall.

“I came back in and sat down and I was like, ‘uhh, all right, this kind of hurts a little bit,'” Rodon said.

The accident brings an end to a mostly disappointing first half for the 23-year-old lefty. He went 2-7 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 16 starts. He told Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago on Thursday he was hoping to turn things around after the break, but that goal will now be briefly delayed:

It hasn’t been what I wanted, that’s for sure. Frustrating, especially when you have a good team like this. You want to be able to win for them. You want to be a part of their winning. You got guys like (Chris) Sale and (Jose) Quintana shoving it … and pitching well. It’s tough to sit there and watch your start when you’re not doing what you’re doing.

His peripheral numbers suggest there’s reason for optimism once he gets healthy. The .349 batting average on balls in play points toward some bad luck, a thought backed up by his 4.12 xFIP and 4.11 SIERA, per FanGraphs.

Rodon has also struck out 91 batters in 92 innings, the type of rate a team likes to see from a pitcher who should eventually become a key cog in the rotation. The biggest factor in reaching that status is improving his command to cut down on his walk total.

The fact that he’s hoping to miss just a single start is good news for a White Sox club that’s looking to contend for a playoff berth. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team ends up giving him a little extra time to fully recover, though, since it’s an injury to his pitching wrist.

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Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is suffering from back soreness, according to an announcement on Tuesday. He has been placed on the disabled list without an exact timeline for a return revealed.

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Kershaw Placed on 15-Day DL

Thursday, June 30

MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick revealed that Kershaw was placed on the disabled list and received an epidural for the pain. Gurnick also noted that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was uncertain if Kershaw will be ready after 15 days.

Dodgers Need Kershaw Healthy to Compete for World Series

Kershaw is not only one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball, but he’s also one of the most durable. He has landed on the disabled list just once—early in the 2014 season due to a back injury—across nine years in the majors.

Last year, the 28-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner dealt with a minor hip problem in July. It only pushed back his next start a few days, though. Los Angeles will hope he can continue to navigate his prime without any serious health setbacks.

The Dodgers do have some depth in their rotation, led by Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda. That said, losing Kershaw for any type of extended period is among the biggest worst-case scenarios in all of MLB. He’s one of the most valuable players in the league.

One thing’s for sure: L.A. needs a healthy Kershaw to make serious noise in the National League. 

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista suffered a toe injury when he ran into the wall during Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. While X-rays were negative, he was placed on the disabled list on Friday. It’s unclear when he’ll return to the field.

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Bautista Injury Details Revealed

Saturday, June 18

Bautista underwent an MRI on his left foot on Friday, and the Blue Jays are giving the results to a specialist for further examination, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, who added Bautista is currently in a walking boot. 

On Saturday, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reported Bautista will travel to Charlotte on Monday to be evaluated by a specialist.

Bautista Sent for X-Rays

Thursday, June 16

Chisholm reported the outfielder was experiencing “left big toe soreness” and was “sent for precautionary X-rays.” 

Bausista indicated he hyperextended his toe hitting it against the wall and knew he would be headed to the disabled list as soon as it happened, per Zwelling.

Bautista was noticeably limping after hitting the wall:

Bautista Remains Essential Piece to Blue Jays Lineup

Bautista has become one of the league’s most feared power hitters since joining the Blue Jays in 2008, highlighted by six straight seasons with at least 25 home runs. It’s allowed him to win three Silver Slugger awards while serving as a crucial cog in Toronto’s lineup.

The 35-year-old has remained mostly healthy in recent years, appearing in at least 150 games in each of the past two seasons. The last time he missed an extended stretch came in late 2013, when he suffered a hip injury. He also dealt with a minor thigh issue earlier this month.

If Bautista misses action, Ezequiel Carrera figures to pick up most of the extra playing time in the outfield. While he won’t be able to fill the power void, he gets on base at a solid clip and gives the Jays a little more speed on the basepaths.

While the Toronto offense is probably going to see a dip in production during Bautista’s absence, it has enough depth to prevent a major drop-off. The team will hope he’s able to return to his usually durable ways once he’s back to full strength.

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Detroit Tigers star J.D. Martinez suffered a right elbow injury that forced the power-hitting outfielder to leave Thursday’s game against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning. X-rays revealed a fracture, and the team placed him on the disabled list. It is uncertain when he’ll return to the field.

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Martinez’s Timetable for Return, X-Ray Details Announced 

Thursday, June 16

Martinez is going to miss four to six weeks, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com.

X-rays showed Martinez suffered a “non-displaced fracture on the radial neck at the right elbow,” according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, who added a CT scan will be conducted Friday. 

Outfielder Steven Moya will be recalled from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding roster move on Friday, per Aaron McMann of MLive.com.

Martinez an Essential Piece of Tigers Lineup 

Martinez, who was let go by the Houston Astros ahead of the 2014 season, has since developed into one of the league’s most dangerous hitters. He illustrated that by smashing 38 home runs last year, proving himself as a key cog in the Detroit lineup.

In turn, any type of injury issue causes immediate concern for the Tigers. Even though they do feature some offensive depth, losing a player of his caliber for any type of extended stretch would obviously be a serious setback. He played in 158 of the team’s 161 games last season.

With the 28-year-old outfielder set to miss time, Detroit will probably use a committee of players to fill the massive void. Anthony Gose and Mike Aviles should both see an uptick in action. They may play left field with Justin Upton shifting to right field for the time being.

It’s hard to imagine the offense producing at the same level regardless of how manager Brad Ausmus tries to replace Martinez, though. He’s a vital piece when locked in at the plate.

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