July 14, 2025
Barring a dramatic winning streak after this week's All-Star break, USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale writes that the Baltimore Orioles are expected to trade right-handers
Charlie Morton and
Tomoyuki Sugano. Additionally, right-hander
Zach Eflin (back) will immediately become trade bait for contending teams in search of pitching help when he makes his return from the injured list to open the second half of the season. Eflin has been out since late June due to back discomfort, but he could attract interest around the league if he can prove he's fully healthy when he returns before the July 31 trade deadline. The Orioles have been one of the most disappointing stories so far in 2025 and currently sit last in the American League East with a 43-52 record (11.5 games out of first) going into this week's All-Star break.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July
14,
2025
The
Atlanta
Braves
are
making
designated
hitter
Marcell
Ozuna,
closer
Raisel
Iglesias
and
a
few
others
available
before
the
July
31
trade
deadline,
according
to
USA
TODAY
Sports'
Bob
Nightengale.
However,
read more...
July 14, 2025
General managers around baseball think that the Toronto Blue Jays could be one of the most aggressive teams at this year's trade deadline since this could be their best chance for a World Series run since 1993. USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Blue Jays are searching for a front-line starting pitcher and have show interest in Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Zac Gallen. The 29-year-old Gallen hasn't looked like a front-line starter in 2025, going 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.37 WHIP with 110 strikeouts and 45 walks in 115 innings over a league-high 20 starts in 2025, but he'd surely have a place in Toronto' rotation if he were to join the club via trade. Gallen has given up at least five runs in three of his last five outings and looks far from the All-Star he was in 2023. If he were to land in Toronto, things wouldn't get easier for him in the second half.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July 14, 2025
USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Seattle Mariners have interest in reuniting with Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman
Eugenio Suarez after they traded him to Arizona back in November of 2023. Nightengale also reports that Seattle has interest in D-backs first baseman
Josh Naylor as they look to boost their offense in the second half of the season. Suarez spent both 2022 and 2023 with the M's and he led the league in strikeouts both years while combining to hit .234/.327/.423 with a .751 OPS, 53 home runs and 183 RBI in 312 games. The 33-year-old right-handed slugger made his second All-Star squad in 2025 and is having one of the finest years in his 12 seasons in the big leagues with 31 homers and a league-leading 78 RBI through the first half. Suarez, who will be a free agent in the winter, will be one of the most sought-after power bats this summer.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July 14, 2025
USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale writes that the Arizona Diamondbacks, who enter this week's All-Star break with a 47-50 record, will definitely be sellers at this year's trade deadline, according to rival executives. "I don't see a world they don't sell," one general manager said. "They have so many holes, and so many free agents." Arizona is making starting pitchers
Zac Gallen and
Merrill Kelly, All-Star third baseman
Eugenio Suarez and first baseman
Josh Naylor available since all four players are eligible for free agency after the season. In return for any of those players, the Snakes are searching for young, controllable pitching. Suarez will probably be the most attractive piece for contenders looking for right-handed power this summer, as the 33-year-old Venezuelan is having one of his finest seasons with 31 homers and a league-high 78 RBI at the All-Star break.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July 14, 2025
USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale writes that the Philadelphia Phillies have been extensively scouting Minnesota Twins relievers
Jhoan Duran and
Griffin Jax and are hoping to acquire at least one of them by the July 31 trade deadline. Nightengale adds that the Twins are drawing strong interest from the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds. Duran is having a bounce-back season in 2025 after posting a career-worst 3.64 ERA for the Twins last year. The 27-year-old hard-throwing right-hander has successfully converted each of his last five save chances and enters the All-Star break sporting a career-low 1.66 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, 15 saves, 49 strikeouts and 16 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched. The Phillies are currently mixing and matching save chances with
Matt Strahm and
Orion Kerkering, but if they acquired Duran, he'd be the unquestioned primary closer.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July 14, 2025
New York Mets infielder
Ronny Mauricio is hitting just .237/.311/.409 with four home runs on the season in 93 at-bats, but he has a .797 OPS in his last 15 games. Mauricio has a very high ceiling and hits the ball very hard when he makes contact, but his main flaw has been to chase pitches out of the strike zone. To improve in that area, the 24-year-old has spent time working in the cages before games with star right fielder
Juan Soto, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon. In addition to his plate discipline, Mauricio has also shown improvement on defense. He has been seeing consistent at-bats between third and second base, and if his plate discipline improvements continue into the second half, the Dominican switch-hitter could be an integral piece for the Mets as they look to make a deep postseason run. How the Mets feel about Mauricio could determine what they do at the trade deadline.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
July 14, 2025
Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Carson Spiers (shoulder) made his third minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday and had mixed results, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings on one hit allowed versus Triple-A Columbus. Spiers also managed to fan five batters, but he also gave out four free passes and threw 39 of his 72 pitches for strikes. The 27-year-old is nearing a return to the big leagues since being sidelined since late April due to a right-shoulder impingement, but the Reds may not have a spot open for him in the starting rotation. Spiers could be used in long relief out of the bullpen, but it's also possible he'll report to Louisville, where he'll give the team additional starting depth. In three appearances (two starts) before his shoulder injury, Spiers struggled by allowing nine earned runs in 13 1/3 innings while walking seven and striking out 11.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
July 14, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Drew Rasmussen won't be on a short leash in his first start of the second half of the season, which is scheduled for July 22 against the Chicago White Sox. In an effort to keep Rasmussen's workload down this year after he had elbow surgery in 2023, the Rays limited the 29-year-old to no more than three innings in each of his final three starts of the first half. Tampa could put the brakes on Rasmussen again later this year, depending on how many innings he's at, but to begin the second half, fantasy managers should feel comfortable rolling him out there in starting lineups. He should definitely be in there for a plus-plus matchup next week against the White Sox. Rasmussen has only 77 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings over his 19 starts in 2025, but he's limited the damage and is sporting an impressive 2.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
July 14, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday, July 11, with left-oblique tightness, but he's hoping to return when he's eligible to come off the IL on Friday, July 18, for the first game of the second half of the season. Lowe was pulled after just two innings on July 6 and will now be forced to miss this week's All-Star festivities, but the 31-year-old veteran may not have to miss much time after all. The former third-rounder has been relevant in all fantasy leagues in 2025 and made his second career All-Star team by hitting .272/.324/.487 with an .811 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI, 54 runs scored and three steals through 84 games. Fantasy managers can only hope that Lowe's oblique injury doesn't negatively impact his swing going into the second half of the season. The Rays open up the second half on Friday at home against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 14, 2025
Seattle Mariners infield prospect
Michael Arroyo went 1-for-5 on Sunday for Double-A Arkansas, belting his second home run since joining the Travelers in late June. The Mariners' sixth-ranked prospect hit the ground running when he joined Double-A, collecting a hit in 11 of his first 12 games, but Sunday's homer was his only hit in the last three games. Still, the 20-year-old is slashing .309/.426/.527 at Double-A, and for the season, he owns a .276/.422/.515 slash line with 17 home runs and six steals. The excellent OBP is buoyed by a strong 13.4 percent walk rate compared to a better-than-average 19.3 percent strikeout rate. There's plenty of pop in his bat and speed on the basepaths that make the right-handed slugger an intriguing prospect for fantasy, so dynasty managers would be wise to keep tabs on him.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 14, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Jaison Chourio returned from the High-A injured list in early June, and after going 3-for-37 (.081) in his first 11 games back, he's begun to regain form, going 7-for-22 (.318), albeit with zero extra-base hits. The 20-year-old continued to display an excellent eye at the plate, though, walking 22 times compared to only 17 strikeouts since his return, now with an elite 25.0 percent walk rate through 39 games at High-A in 2025, with a better-than-average 19.8 percent strikeout rate. The switch-hitter has always shown a keen eye throughout his minor league career, but he'll need to pick it up at the plate if he's going to see any time at Double-A this year, hitting just .194 for the season.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 14, 2025
According to MLB.com, Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever
Porter Hodge (shoulder) was scheduled to throw on Saturday, July 12, and is "feeling good," according to manager Craig Counsell. The Cubs placed Hodge back on the injured list last Wednesday with a right-shoulder impingement after he surrendered six runs in just one-third of an inning against the Minnesota Twins the previous day. It's been an injury-plagued year for the 24-year-old, as Hodge also missed more than a month this season with hip and oblique injuries. It sounds like his shoulder injury isn't all that serious, though, so it's possible that he could rejoin Chicago's bullpen in late July or early August, barring a setback. Hodge had nine saves in his rookie season in 2024 but is currently sporting a 6.85 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, two saves and a 25:12 K:BB in his 23 2/3 relief innings this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 14, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon (calf) is doing some baseball activities, including playing catch, in what manager Craig Counsell called a "good sign" over the weekend. However, Taillon hasn't started running, and the Cubs plan to put together a plan for him after this week's All-Star break. The 33-year-old veteran was put on the 15-day injured list on July 4 with a right-calf strain, and he's expected to miss at least a month of action. Taillon gave up 15 runs in his last three starts, so it was pretty clear there was something amiss. Until he's able to return, expect the Cubs to continue mixing and matching in their starting rotation with right-hander
Chris Flexen and lefty
Jordan Wicks. Taillon has only struck out 74 batters in 95 1/3 innings pitched in 2025 while going 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his 17 starts for the Cubbies.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 14, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Miguel Amaya (oblique) will likely start a minor-league rehab assignment after this week's All-Star break. Amaya will initially begin playing in rehab games in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. Manager Craig Counsell said that Amaya will need a week's worth of games before being activated from the 10-day injured list, potentially before the calendar flips to August. The 26-year-old has been working his way back from a strained left oblique that has kept him out since May 25. Amaya has been taking batting practice and catching bullpen sessions, but he should start playing in games on the farm this weekend and into next week. When Amaya does return, he'll be sharing playing time behind the plate with
Carson Kelly, who is having a very strong year. Amaya himself was hitting a strong .280 (26-for-93) with four homers, 25 RBI and 14 runs before his injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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