[Mr KLC]

Dave Roberts said there's a chance Cody Bellinger returns to the lineup tomorrow at first base. "I'm hoping that's the case."

[jrgum3]

Gausman is falling off against the Pirates

Baseball is a funny game. The Giants took 3 out of 4 against the Dodgers in LA and then dropped 2 in a row to the last place Pirates with their top two starters going.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

The balls and strikes were a complete joke in last night's Padre game...and it was very one sided

[stevenash]

Dave Roberts said there's a chance Cody Bellinger returns to the lineup tomorrow at first base. "I'm hoping that's the case."

Dodgers ain't repeatin'.

[Otters27]

The balls and strikes were a complete joke in last night's Padre game...and it was very one sided

The computer strike zone will be there soon

[Cross]

Hitters need an automated strike zone so bad.

[Mr KLC]

Update: The Mets are planning on a rehab start for Jacob deGrom at this point and are hopeful he will return to the rotation in early August.

[Mr KLC]

Dave Roberts said Dodgers soon will decide whether to put Mookie Betts on IL or "continue to kick it down the road."

[stevenash]

Dave Roberts said Dodgers soon will decide whether to put Mookie Betts on IL or "continue to kick it down the road."

Dodgers ain't repeatin'.

[Mr KLC]

Tony La Russa expects Eloy Jiménez to be in Kansas City tomorrow, and expects to put him in the lineup.

[EmpireMaker]

Eloy Jimenez’s season is finally ready to begin, as White Sox manager Tony La Russa told reporters (including The Athletic’s James Fegan) that he expects Jimenez will be activated from the 60-day injured list to appear in Monday’s lineup when the Sox begin a series with the Royals.
Jimenez required surgery after suffering a ruptured left pectoral tendon near the end of Spring Training, and he will now return at the shorter end of his initial four-to-five month recovery timetable. He began a minor league rehab assignment earlier this month and has already banked 12 games in the minors to make up for all the lost time. Luis Robert also began a rehab assignment this week, after Robert went on the injured list in May with a hip flexor strain.
Chicago has built a commanding lead in the AL Central even without Jimenez and mostly without Robert, as the White Sox have thrived due to excellent starting pitching and a lineup that is still one of the best in baseball. A mix of somewhat unheralded veterans and youngsters have filled in admirably for Jimenez, Robert, and other injured White Sox like Nick Madrigal and (more recently) Yasmani Grandal. Rookie Andrew Vaughn has become a fixture in left field, and La Russa said that Vaughn will remain in the lineup as either a left fielder or DH, possibly splitting time at the two positions with Jimenez.
Over his first two MLB seasons, the 24-year-old Jimenez did nothing but mash, hitting .276/.321/.527 with 45 home runs over 730 plate appearances. Jimenez finished fourth in AL Rookie Of The Year voting in 2019 and he won a Silver Slugger last year as he helped lead the White Sox into the postseason. With the AL Central title looking like a distinct possibility for 2021, Chicago’s chances of taking another step forward in the playoffs will look a lot better with Jimenez, Robert, and (eventually) Grandal all back in the mix, besides what other acquisitions might be in the works at the trade deadline.

[yisman]

The San Diego Padres are reportedly acquiring Adam Frazier, who leads the majors in hits this year, from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

[jrgum3]

Padres deal for Adam Frazier. Solid bat and good addition to the Padre lineup. Now it will be interesting to see what moves the Giants and Dodgers make because the deals are going to come now that the Padres got the ball rolling.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Padres deal for Adam Frazier. Solid bat and good addition to the Padre lineup. Now it will be interesting to see what moves the Giants and Dodgers make because the deals are going to come now that the Padres got the ball rolling.

No idea what position he is going to play? No way they sit Cronenworth. My guess is Hosmer or Myers is going to lose a lot of at bats.

[jrgum3]

No idea what position he is going to play? No way they sit Cronenworth. My guess is Hosmer or Myers is going to lose a lot of at bats.

He can play the outfield too so he'll probably take at bats away from someone in the outfield like Myers or they could move Cronenworth to 1B and have Frazier play 2nd while Hosmer loses at bats.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

He can play the outfield too so he'll probably take at bats away from someone in the outfield like Myers or they could move Cronenworth to 1B and have Frazier play 2nd while Hosmer loses at bats.

Looks like they plan to use Frazier in a super utility role

[JMobile]

Looks like they plan to use Frazier in a super utility role

Can he play outfield?

[jrgum3]

Can he play outfield?

Yeah Frazier has some experience playing the outfield so my guess is the majority of time he's in the outfield when he's in the lineup but like Jake says he can play all over the place so they'll find a spot for him.

[jrgum3]

Tough schedule this week for the Giants as the Dodgers come to town followed by the Astros. We'll see if they can keep their lead in the NL West after this week.

[Cross]

Are Pirates even trying to contend in next 10 years? Frazier seems like a solid player to build around in the future.

[EmpireMaker]

Mookie Betts has been placed on the Dodgers’ 10-day injured list due to right hip inflammation, the team announced. In the corresponding move, right-hander Jimmy Nelson was activated from his own 10-day IL stint to take Betts’ spot on the active roster.
There was no mention made of a retroactive placement date, which is somewhat curious since Betts hasn’t played since July 19. Teams are allowed up to three days of back-dating on IL placements, so Betts would have been eligible to return to action in a week’s time. Instead, the star outfielder is now set to miss 10 full days beginning today.
Manager Dave Roberts said last week that Betts was dealing with multiple “nagging” injuries beyond just his hip, so it could be that this 10-day break might be necessary to get Betts fully healed up and ready for the stretch drive. Betts has also missed a couple of games this year with such maladies as a sore shoulder and a sore back, though this represents his first actual IL placement since a minimal 10-day stint in 2018.
After a slow start to the season by his standards, Betts is now back producing at his usual superstar level. The outfielder has 14 home runs and a .270/.374/.502 slash line in 374 plate appearances, and his absence will create another notable gap in the L.A. lineup. Corey Seager and Gavin Lux are also on the injured list, and while Cody Bellinger is dealing with a balky hamstring. Pitching is thought to be the Dodgers’ primary focus at the trade deadline, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the club added another bat to the bench.
Nelson’s return will provide some reinforcement to the bullpen, as the righty missed a little over two weeks due to a back strain. Nelson had another 10-day IL trip earlier this year, but health aside, it has been a very successful comeback year. After missing the entire 2020 season due to back surgery, Nelson has become a full-time relief pitcher and delivered a 2.00 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 27 innings.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Are Pirates even trying to contend in next 10 years? Frazier seems like a solid player to build around in the future.

Who will your Cubs trade and who will they keep?

[Otters27]

Lots of dog wins yesterday

[stevenash]

Yeah Frazier has some experience playing the outfield so my guess is the majority of time he's in the outfield when he's in the lineup but like Jake says he can play all over the place so they'll find a spot for him.

I like Frazier, always have.
I like those Zobrist type super utility guys.


Check out the defensive versatility.
Plus he can rake.
His slash line is nice for a utility dude.

Year	Age	Tm	Pos	Lg	G	GS	CG	Inn	Ch	PO	A	E	DP	Fld%	Rtot	Rdrs	Rtot/yr	Rdrs/yr	RF/9	RF/G	lgFld%	lgRF9	lgRFG	Awards
2016	24	PIT	OF	NL	35	12	9	175	32	29	1	2	0	0.938	1	-1	4	-6	1.54	0.86	0.985	2.07	2.05
2016	24	PIT	LF	NL	20	10	7	107.1	18	17	0	1	0	0.944	2	0	23	0	1.43	0.85	0.981	1.8	1.79
2016	24	PIT	2B	NL	17	13	6	100	48	15	30	3	7	0.938	-1	-2	-14	-24	4.05	2.65	0.982	4.59	4.56
2016	24	PIT	RF	NL	16	2	2	64.2	13	11	1	1	0	0.923	-2	0	-35	0	1.67	0.75	0.984	2	1.99
2016	24	PIT	3B	NL	5	2	1	18	10	1	8	1	2	0.9	0	0	13	0	4.5	1.8	0.956	2.5	2.5
2016	24	PIT	CF	NL	1	0	0	3	1	1	0	0	0	1	-1	-1	-240	-400	3	1	0.99	2.4	2.4
2017	25	PIT	OF	NL	67	55	46	511.1	118	114	3	1	0	0.992	-1	5	-2	11	2.06	1.75	0.985	2.03	2.01
2017	25	PIT	LF	NL	52	44	38	400.1	96	92	3	1	0	0.99	-2	6	-7	18	2.14	1.83	0.982	1.83	1.81
2017	25	PIT	2B	NL	42	35	29	305.2	162	69	85	8	21	0.951	-6	-6	-22	-24	4.53	3.67	0.982	4.41	4.36
2017	25	PIT	RF	NL	15	10	7	95	19	19	0	0	0	1	0	-2	5	-25	1.8	1.27	0.985	1.95	1.92
2017	25	PIT	CF	NL	4	1	1	16	3	3	0	0	0	1	1	1	83	75	1.69	0.75	0.987	2.31	2.3
2017	25	PIT	3B	NL	1	1	0	8	4	0	4	0	0	1	1	0	90	0	4.5	4	0.963	2.48	2.5
2017	25	PIT	DH	NL	1	1
2017	25	PIT	SS	NL	1	1	0	7	5	2	2	1	0	0.8	0	-1	-51	-171	5.14	4	0.972	4.11	4.1
2018	26	PIT	2B	NL	55	47	29	392.1	198	72	121	5	30	0.975	4	6	11	18	4.43	3.51	0.982	4.31	4.29
2018	26	PIT	OF	NL	35	19	14	192.1	49	45	2	2	0	0.959	2	2	9	12	2.2	1.34	0.985	2.08	2.08
2018	26	PIT	LF	NL	14	7	5	77.1	21	20	1	0	0	1	3	2	53	31	2.44	1.5	0.986	1.85	1.85
2018	26	PIT	RF	NL	13	8	6	70.1	16	15	1	0	0	1	0	0	-3	0	2.05	1.23	0.985	1.95	1.94
2018	26	PIT	CF	NL	9	4	3	44.2	12	10	0	2	0	0.833	-1	0	-19	0	2.01	1.11	0.985	2.46	2.44
2018	26	PIT	DH	NL	2	2
2019	27	PIT	2B	NL	142	133	122	1180.2	555	222	327	6	78	0.989	7	5	7	5	4.18	3.87	0.983	4.15	4.13
2020	28	PIT	2B	NL	41	40	38	343	154	63	90	1	24	0.994	6	6	21	21	4.01	3.73	0.978	3.99	3.79
2020	28	PIT	LF	NL	14	13	12	108.2	28	26	2	0	0	1	3	1	30	11	2.32	2	0.989	1.82	1.73
2020	28	PIT	OF	NL	14	13	12	108.2	28	26	2	0	0	1	3	1	30	11	2.32	2	0.988	2.04	1.94
2020	28	PIT	DH	NL	2	1
2021	29	PIT	2B	NL	94	92	82	780.1	362	144	213	5	47	0.986	-4	1	-6	2	4.12	3.8	0.981	4.08	3.96	AS
2021	29	PIT	LF	NL	7	0	0	15	4	4	0	0	0	1	1	0	49	0	2.4	0.57	0.983	1.8	1.76	AS
2021	29	PIT	OF	NL	7	0	0	15	4	4	0	0	0	1	1	0	49	0	2.4	0.57	0.985	2.04	1.96	AS
2021	29	PIT	DH	NL	1	1																		AS
6 Seasons			2B		391	360	306	3102	1479	585	866	28	207	0.981	6	10	2	3	4.21	3.71	0.982	4.17	4.12
5 Seasons			OF		158	99	81	1002.1	231	218	8	5	0	0.978	5	7	6	8	2.03	1.43	0.985	2.05	2.03
5 Seasons			LF		107	74	62	708.2	167	159	6	2	0	0.988	7	9	11	15	2.1	1.54	0.984	1.83	1.8
3 Seasons			RF		44	20	15	230	48	45	2	1	0	0.979	-2	-2	-9	-10	1.84	1.07	0.985	1.96	1.95
3 Seasons			CF		14	5	4	63.2	16	14	0	2	0	0.875	0	0	-4	0	1.98	1	0.986	2.42	2.4
4 Seasons			DH		6	5
2 Seasons			3B		6	3	1	26	14	1	12	1	2	0.929	1	0	37	0	4.5	2.17	0.958	2.49	2.5
1 Season			SS		1	1	0	7	5	2	2	1	0	0.8	0	-1	-51	-171	5.14	4	0.972	4.11	4.1
6 Seasons			TOT		556	463	388	4137.1	1729	806	888	35	209	0.98	11	16	3	4	3.68	3.05	0.982	3.65	3.51

[JMobile]

If Padres gonna go, they gotta pick up pitching

[EmpireMaker]

The A’s have made their first upgrade of deadline season, acquiring veteran left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin from the Cubs in exchange for minor league outfielder Greg Deichmann and minor league right-hander Daniel Palencia, per a club announcement.

Chafin, 31, inked a one-year, $2.75MM deal over the winter. It contains a $5.25MM mutual option for the 2022 season ($500K buyout), though it’s exceedingly rare for both parties to pick up their side of a mutual option. Generally speaking, if the team exercises their end of a mutual option, it’s because the player has performed well enough to make that price a bargain, which prompts the player to decline and return to free agency. If the player picks up his half, it’s usually due to poor performance or injury, and the team will subsequently decline its half. More often than not, mutual options are simple accounting measures. The A’s likely view him as a rental reliever for the remainder of the season, though the option technically creates the chance that he’ll return.
The Cubs have consistently taken a frugal approach to their offseason bullpen construction in recent years, but Chafin is one of their better low-cost signings. The longtime D-backs lefty has a 2.06 ERA with a 24.7 percent strikeout rate, an eight percent walk rate and a 50 percent ground-ball rate in 39 1/3 innings. It’s the best season of what has quietly been a solid career for Chafin, who carries a 3.14 ERA and strong 24.9 percent strikeout rate through 314 innings at the big league level.
Oakland relievers rank tenth in the Majors with a collective 3.78 ERA and 12th with a 4.16 FIP, and adding Chafin will only further strengthen an already solid group. There’s value beyond simply adding another effective arm, though. Jake Diekman has been the only consistent left-handed presence in manager Bob Melvin’s bullpen, so adding Chafin to the bunch will give the A’s an easier time matching up late in games. Athletics relievers also have the second-lowest combined strikeout percentage of any bullpen in MLB (20.6 percent), and Chafin will give them a solid boost in that department.
From a payroll standpoint, the A’s are only on the hook for about $835K of Chafin’s remaining base salary, although there are other factors to consider. The mutual option comes with a $500K buyout, and Chafin’s deal also comes with $500K worth of incentives that are fairly easy to unlock. He can earn a quartet of $125K bonuses based on games pitched, beginning with his 50th appearance of the season. Chafin, who has pitched in 43 games already, would then earn an additional $125K for each of his 55th, 60th and 65th appearances of the year.
Deichmann is a solid get in a deal for a rental reliever, as he’s a largely MLB-ready prospect enjoying a strong 2021 season in Triple-A. The 2017 second-rounder ranks ninth among Oakland farmhands at FanGraphs and at MLB.com, and he’s currently batting .300/.432/.449 (127 wRC+) in 257 plate appearances with Las Vegas.
There have been concerns about his bat-to-ball skills in the past — understandably so after he whiffed at a 34.1 percent clip in Class-A Advanced in 2018 — but Deichmann’s 23 percent punchout rate so far in Triple-A is the lowest of his career. Those strikeouts are also part of the expected package for a player with this type of pop; FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pegs Deichmann’s raw power at a 70 (on the 20-80 scale), but he’s yet to unlock that prodigious power in games. Deichmann’s career-high in home runs is 11, and he’s connected on four so far in 2021. It’s worth noting that he’s had some injuries that might’ve impacted that, including a broken hamate bone and a shoulder injury sustained on a diving catch (link via MLB.com’s Jim Callis).
Palencia, 21, signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2020 and has only recently made his professional debut. He’s tossed 14 1/3 innings for the Athletics’ Low-A affiliate in Stockton, yielding 11 runs on 17 hits, six walks and three hit batters with 14 strikeouts. FanGraphs pegs him 12th in the Oakland system, noting that his plus fastball and above-average breaking ball impressed in a short look this spring before he was sent out of camp. Obviously, with last year’s scratched minor league season and the fact that Palencia only signed in early 2020, scouts haven’t gotten long looks at him, though the Cubs clearly saw enough to pique their interest despite some rough surface-level numbers in Stockton.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand had first indicated that the Cubs were closing in on a trade involving Chafin (Twitter link). Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the A’s were the second team and that Deichmann was going back to Chicago (Twitter links). The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro first reported Palencia’s inclusion.

[EmpireMaker]

Nationals ace Max Scherzer has been one of the most intriguing trade candidates in baseball as the Nationals have slid down the standings following a scorching month of June, but a trade surrounding him is also complicated for myriad reasons. He’s being paid $35MM in 2021 and has more than $100MM in deferred money still owed to him from 2022-28. The Nationals, historically, do not operate as sellers under general manager Mike Rizzo. Scherzer has full no-trade protection as a 10-and-5 player (10 years of MLB service, the past five with the same team). Additionally, agent Scott Boras has previously suggested that Scherzer would require some type of incentive (e.g. a contract extension) in order to waive those rights.
It would seem that at least one of those major hurdles, however, is surmountable. Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports (via Twitter) that Scherzer is open to being traded and would not invoke his 10-and-5 rights for the sole purpose of remaining with the Nationals. However, Scherzer could use that full no-trade protection as a way to have a say in his ultimate destination if the Nats are presented with offers from multiple clubs.
It’s not yet clear whether the Nationals are going to legitimately make Scherzer available, although a weekend sweep at the hands of a 34-64 Orioles club couldn’t have helped convince Rizzo and his staff that the Nats need to operate as a buyer. Rizzo said just under a week ago that he was approaching the deadline with a both a “buy” and “sell” mindset, remaining open to all possibilities depending on how his team played. The implication was that with a strong showing, the Nats would act as they tend to do under Rizzo: make at least incremental upgrades in an effort to push toward the postseason.
That hasn’t happened, however. The Nats are 1-4 since those comments from Rizzo, including the sweep in Baltimore, and the fact that the Nationals had to slow Stephen Strasburg’s throwing program down once again only adds another negative element to the equation. Washington now finds itself eight games below .500, seven and a half back of the division lead and 11 out in the Wild Card hunt. The generally feeble nature of the NL East and the top-heavy trio of contenders in the NL West mean that the only path for an NL East club to reach the postseason is likely via a division title. FanGraphs gives the Nats a 1.4 percent chance of making the playoffs; PECOTA is only marginally better, at an even 2.0 percent.
If the Nats do indeed make Scherzer available, he’d (obviously) be the best starting pitcher on a market that is lacking in impact arms. The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star, who turns 37 tomorrow, has pitched to a 2.83 ERA with a brilliant 35.1 percent strikeout rate and a 6.1 percent walk rate in 105 innings this season. He’s had one astonishing meltdown that the Padres and Daniel Camarena will never forget, wherein Scherzer allowed 12 percent of the runs he’s yielded all season on one pitch to a just-called-up relief pitcher. Outside of that night, Scherzer has allowed 26 runs in 101 1/3 innings of work (2.31 ERA). He’s held opponents to two or fewer runs in 14 of his 18 starts.
It’s also worth noting that Scherzer had his Saturday start against the Orioles scratched due to discomfort in his right triceps. The injury popped up when he was taking batting practice, not pitching and Scherzer has already said publicly that he plans to make his next start. He underwent an MRI that came back clean, and (via MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman), manager Dave Martinez said Scherzer’s bullpen session today went as planned. Assuming he feels fine tomorrow, he’d be in line to start Thursday’s game for the Nationals — their final game prior to Friday afternoon’s trade deadline.

[Cross]

No idea what they do Peavy, but gotta keep Javy!!! You guys gotta watch him chirp Amir Garrett before, during, and after walking him off. Garrett deserved it all, it was a work of art. Best thing I’ve seen in baseball this year.

[jrgum3]

No idea what they do Peavy, but gotta keep Javy!!! You guys gotta watch him chirp Amir Garrett before, during, and after walking him off. Garrett deserved it all, it was a work of art. Best thing I’ve seen in baseball this year.

You just know the Reds are going to target him tomorrow too for a beaning. If they don't I'd be surprised but that's the way these things go when you chirp like Javy did tonight.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

No idea what they do Peavy, but gotta keep Javy!!! You guys gotta watch him chirp Amir Garrett before, during, and after walking him off. Garrett deserved it all, it was a work of art. Best thing I’ve seen in baseball this year.

I just watched the replay, looked pretty uncalled for to me. Baez deserves to get beaned tonight.

[Stallion]

Scherzer will be hard to trade, too much money owing to him.

[Otters27]

Scherzer will be hard to trade, too much money owing to him.

Sherzer way past his prime unless he starts cheating

[stevenash]

Could this be the Yankees last stand starting tonight against TB?

[Cross]

Have you ever watched Amir Garrett??? he got what was coming to him. Javy delivered it perfectly.

[yisman]

Tyler Anderson traded to the Phillies.