The Bum's Sports Page For Friday July 31st Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Reds trade pitcher Mike Leake to Giants for minor leaguers

The Cincinnati Reds traded right-hander Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants for minor leaguers Keury Mella and Adam Duvall, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported early Friday morning. The Reds officially announced the deal shortly thereafter.

Earlier on Thursday, Heyman reported the Reds were interested in moving Leake, who has a 3.56 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings this season, and a 3.87 ERA in 163 career starts. He will be a free agent at season's end. The Blue Jays and Yankees also were said to be pursuing Leake, who is 27 years old.

The Giants figure to be set in the rotation with Madison Bumgarner, Chris Heston and Jake Peavy, though the other spots -- belonging to Matt Cain, Tim Hudson and sometimes Ryan Vogelsong -- aren't as steady. He's going to replace Hudson, at least for now.

Leake, it has been said by Heyman and others, was keen on possibly being traded to the Giants. Leake is from California, his dad loves Giants great Willie Mays, and his family is acquainted with that of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Pitching at AT&T Park also would be advantageous for Leake when compared to Great American Ball Park.

Among the return, right-hander Keury Mella, who turns 22 in a few days. In 16 starts for Class A San Jose, he posted a 3.31 ERA with 83 strikeouts and 26 walks in 81 2/3 innings. He's viewed by some scouts as the Giants best pitching prospect. Also going to the Reds, slugger Adam Duvall, who had 77 plate appearances with the Giants in 2014. This season, Duvall had 26 homers and a .548 slugging percentage for Triple-A Sacramento.

The Reds also are said to be looking at possibly trading closer Aroldis Chapman, along with outfielder Jay Bruce. They've already dealt ace right-hander Johnny Cueto to the Royals.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB trade rumors: Top trade deadline day storylines

It's here, hot stove-loving people. The calendar now says July 31, which means it's trade deadline day in Major League Baseball. With what we've already seen this week, we'll just expect the unexpected, no?

Seriously, it's been such a crazy week that I almost feel like the actual deadline day is primed for a letdown. Then again, dozens of loose ends remain. How many will be tied up? We'll find out by roughly 4 p.m. ET (that's the deadline for MLB teams to submit their paperwork to the league office, so it's possible we find out a little afterward, even in the high-speed Internet era).

Here are some of the top storylines heading into the day.

Will the Padres sell and, if so, how much?

It still looks like the Padres will aggressively sell. However, they've won 10 of their last 14 and are 7.5 games out of the second wild-card spot in the NL. It isn't likely that they make a playoff run by any stretch, even if they hold and didn't sell, but what if GM A.J. Preller wants to stick to his guns? It wouldn't be shocking.

Still, all reports indicate there's a big Padres sell-off that's at least being considered. It hasn't started yet, either, so what if they trade Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, James Shields, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy and even Will Venable all in the same day? Wouldn't that be something. It would be a show-stopper in the complete opposite direction of last winter when they bought everyone they could.

One thing is certain: The Padres are an exciting team to watch on July 31 this year. Even if they hold it would be a big story.

Who wants a big-time closer at a big-time price?

We've seen Jonathan Papelbon change teams already (and Joakim Soria, though I'm not sure we could call him "big-time"). Might Aroldis Chapman and Kimbrel join him? We know the Diamondbacks have submitted the Reds their final offer for Chapman. If their offer isn't good enough, will someone else step up? Many reports indicate the Reds' asking price is through the roof, so it's very possible Chapman stays put. As for Kimbrel, it appears the Yankees and Astros are interested.

Mid-level arms for sale

The main courses on the starting pitching market -- David Price and Johnny Cueto -- are gone, but there's plenty remaining who could help to nicely round out a rotation. It's possible we see Cashner, Ross, Kennedy, Yovani Gallardo, Hisashi Iwakuma and more move on Friday. It's a nice way to bolster one's rotation without breaking the prospect bank, much like the Giants just did in adding Mike Leake.

Can the Mets recover in the eyes of their fans?

After the Carlos Gomez debacle, many Mets fans are displeased with their penny-pinching (it's possibly unrelated to Gomez, sure, but it's still penny-pinching) front office. If the Mets are able to swing Jay Bruce and/or Justin Upton, will that help matters? It probably depends on what they have to give up, but this is a fun storyline as the Mets eye a huge weekend series with the Nationals. A sweep there ties things up in the NL East and the Mets have their three horses (Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard) starting.

Shouldn't the Yankees add starter(s)?

The Yankees already had a bit of a thin rotation and now they have injury concerns about Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova, not to mention performance concerns of CC Sabathia. The name they seem most connected to at this point is Kimbrel, though, despite the presence of stud relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller -- not to mention Chasen Shreve. The knee-jerk reaction is to say they shouldn't trade for a reliever and instead should grab a starter.

Allow me to counter. Kind of.

First of all, shortening the game is the best way to protect the rotation and you can't pitch every great reliever every single game. Viewed through that lens, Kimbrel helps the rotation indirectly (and admittedly very slightly).

Secondly, they can do both. Remember the hand-wringing about the Blue Jays adding offense in Troy Tulowitzki, since they needed starting pitching? Well, they just got David Price. The Yankees can add Kimbrel and a mid-level starter. See above for a partial list.

Cubs buyers for first time under Epstein/Hoyer

The Cubs are in contention for the first time since president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer took over. They are in need of a fifth starter and some bullpen depth right now. The offense has struggled in July, too.

Yet the Cubs have been quiet to this point.

Some of this is by design. They don't really have lots of places to add offense for this season without stunting the plan for the future and there aren't a whole lot of attractive bats on the open market that make sense for the club. Hence, there's little reason to cough up a lot of the farm system for a rental due to the makeup of a club that screams the true breakout is coming in 2016.

Still, making the playoffs would be a huge boost to the rebuild and they've been heavily connected with Tyson Ross.

The hunch is they grab a starting pitcher at the very least.

Will Astros, Blue Jays, Royals remain big winners?

The Astros have added Scott Kazmir and Carlos Gomez while supplementing their rotation depth with Mike Fiers. The Blue Jays got Troy Tulowitzki and David Price. The Royals landed Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. While these aren't the only teams to make a splash, they seem to be the three top deadline "winners" so far in terms of additions to already-good (or at least contending, in the case of the Jays right now) ballclubs.

With so many names still out there, who might join them on Friday? Or will no one? That's a quality storyline, no?

The Dodgers

They came into the last week before the deadline with more resources (in terms of payroll flexibility, prospect stash, MLB talent and big-league record) than anyone else in the sport. So far, they've added Mat Latos, Alex Wood and some others while designating a handful of players for assignment.

They've lost out on Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto and David Price. Are they prepared to go with Latos, Wood and Brett Anderson as their 3-5 starters with Mike Bolsinger as the backup option or do they want to grab another? Are they good with how the offense sets up? The bullpen? Will they shock everyone and spin Yasiel Puig into a blockbuster or just try to win with what they have? (I'm guessing no).

This season should probably be World Series or Bust, given the circumstances, so the Dodgers are absolutely a team to watch on Friday.

The unknown

Remember last year on deadline day when the A's dealt Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox for Jon Lester and later the Tigers countered by adding David Price? The latter deal resulted in Austin Jackson being pulled mid-inning to an ovation in Comerica Park, as he was part of the trade. Might we be blessed with another surreal moment like that?

Maybe.

It's trade deadline day. Anything is possible. Let the dreaming begin.

[StarDust Bum]

Blue Jays get Price in blockbuster trade: Eight things to know

The Blue Jays are all-in. A few days after swinging a trade for Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto has acquired ace lefty David Price from the Tigers for a package of prospects, both teams have announced. Detroit receives lefty pitching prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt in the deal.

Needless a say, a deal of this caliber has all sorts of impact not only on both clubs, but the rest of the league. Let's run it all down.

1. The Blue Jays have improved their postseason odds tremendously.

This is obvious: the Blue Jays are going for it. They've now added Tulowitzki and Price, and still have another day to make more moves before the trade deadline. Toronto comes into Thursday at 51-51 and seven games back in the AL East. They are, however, only two games back of a wild-card spot. Their +100 run differential is the best in the AL and the second best in MLB overall.

The division is a long shot but it is not out of the question -- the Yankees and Blue Jays do have 13 head-to-head games remaining this year. The wild-card spot is very much up for grabs however, and the additions of Tulowitzki and Price are significant, adding as many as five or six wins to the team's ledger in the second half.

Those additional wins are huge given where the Jays sit in the standings. Each additional win improves their postseason odds tremendously. A team going from 92 wins to 95 wins is great, but it doesn't change a whole lot as far as the playoff situation goes. The Jays might be going from 82 wins to 88 wins with this trade, which could be the difference between baseball in October and golf in October. Huge impact.

2. Even with Price, Toronto's pitching still isn't great.

Price is a tremendous pitcher. Top 10 in MLB. But he is still just one pitcher. The Blue Jays have a team 4.02 ERA, ranking 21st in MLB. Their starters have a 4.34 ERA, 22nd in MLB. Price figures to replace Felix Doubront -- Doubront was designated for assignment Wednesday to clear a roster spot for Tulowitzki -- and join these four guys in the rotation:

Drew Hutchison: 5.42 ERA (72 ERA+) and 1.50 WHIP in 108 innings
R.A. Dickey: 4.27 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP in 137 innings
Marco Estrada: 3.55 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP in 99 innings
Mark Buehrle: 3.29 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP in 134 innings

Dickey and Buehrle have pitched better of late, but that is still only a serviceable rotation with Price, not a great one. That's okay! The Blue Jays have the best offense in MLB at 5.27 runs per game. The Yankees are a distant second at 4.79 runs per game. The offense makes up for a lot of pitching woes.

3. The Blue Jays probably aren't done.

At this point, even after Tulowitzki and Price, I wouldn't expect the Blue Jays to be done with their trade deadline shopping. I highly doubt they'll make another move of this caliber, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make a few depth additions before Friday's 4pm ET trade deadline. A depth arm or two, maybe another infielder with Devon Travis banged up, something like that. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos has no reason to stop now -- the window to win is this year.

4. The Tigers probably aren't done either.

Price was obviously the biggest chip, but the Tigers have other players they figure to move before the trade deadline. Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria, two impending free agents, are most likely to go. (UPDATE: The Tigers traded Soria to the Pirates.) Rajai Davis and Alex Avila are others. The Tigers have some rental pieces to offer contenders. Cespedes in particular figures to have plenty of suitors, perhaps the Mets, who had their deal for Carlos Gomez fall apart due to medicals.

5. The Tigers aren't rebuilding.

The Tigers are still a win-now team, they're not rebuilding. Two of the prospects they acquired in the Price trade (Norris and Boyd) are MLB ready and could step right into the rotation. Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez are still in the primes of their careers. Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Anibal Sanchez are still productive. Justin Verlander has pitched well of late. Detroit's goal is to win now.

GM Dave Dombrowski used the word "reboot" on Wednesday and that's the best way to describe the club's situation. They're not tearing it down and starting over, they're just taking a slight step back and gearing up for another run in 2016. Dombrowski figures to target MLB ready pieces in any additional trades he makes this year. Given their current contract commitments, it is not in this club's DNA to rebuild.

6. No draft pick compensation for Price this winter.

Because he has been traded at midseason, the Blue Jays will not be able to make Price a qualifying offer after the season, meaning he will not be tied to draft pick compensation as a free agent this offseason. For a player of Price's caliber, teams won't hesitate to give up a first round pick to sign him. It's nice teams will be able to sign him and keep their pick, but it won't boost his market much. Price was going to get high-end dollars no matter what. Draft pick compensation has more impact on mid-range players, not elite guys.

7. The top pitchers are now off the market.

Both Price and Johnny Cueto have now been traded, as well as Scott Kazmir, who was arguably the third best available pitcher at the trade deadline. Among those still on the board are Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, James Shields, Dan Haren, Mike Leake, Yovani Gallardo and maybe Hisashi Iwakuma. The White Sox are surging -- they've won seven straight and are 2 1/2 games back of the wild-card spot -- and could hold on to Jeff Samardzija to make a run. There are a lot of good pitchers available. The great ones have already been taken.

8. Lots of contenders still need pitching.

Along with the Blue Jays, you can count the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Cubs and Astros among the contending teams still in need of an arm. Maybe we shouldn't include the Dodgers since they're set to acquire Mat Latos and Alex Wood in a three-team trade. Squint your eyes and you could see the Cardinals and Angels looking for a starter too. As noted in Point No. 7, there are still plenty of good pitchers available, and there are no shortage of teams in need of an arm. The pitching market is not yet dead.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside Baseball: The market for Padres' Justin Upton, more trade buzz

The market for Padres outfielder Justin Upton should be a lot bigger than it is. But unfortunately for San Diego, there are a limited number of teams looking for sluggers, with the Mets and Orioles being two of them. However, the smart money says that Upton, and the rest of the team's impending free agents, are dealt. That group of expiring deals also includes Ian Kennedy, Will Venable and Joaquin Benoit (who does have an option for 2016) ...

Things can change in the last couple days, but the Padres aren't close to anything with star closer Craig Kimbrel. With the market flooded with relievers, it may be tough to get proper value. The Nats were thought to be the best hope before they acquired Jonathan Papelbon. The Yankees offered to pay all of the $28 million remaining on Craig Kimbrel's deal but haven't been too anxious as they "already have two closers," as one person pointed out ...

Tyson Ross seems to be beloved out on the trade market. He is hoping to stay in San Diego, however. Word is, it would take a major haul to trade him. Still, the Astros, Rangers, Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers and others have been inquiring. As for their ace James Shields, his backloaded deal will pay him $22 million a year from 2016 to 2018, and as a result, he probably could get through waivers and be traded after July 31 ...

Pat Murphy is said to be "trending positive ... after a rocky start," according to Padres-connected people. However, it is said to be "too early to tell" whether he'll be brought back. Murphy, however, made a goofy remark after pulling Matt Kemp and Justin Upton on Wednesday, claiming he took those players out of Thursday's game to "troll the media." If that's really the case, shouldn't he have more important things to worry about?

One thing that's been made clear is that A.J. Preller isn't under a mandate to sell, despite the Padres' record $110-million payroll. He will presumably sell at least the impending free agents, starting with Upton.

More Inside Baseball ...


Atlanta Braves News

The Braves long wanted Cuban star Hector Olivera, and they appear to be on the verge of acquiring him only months after the Dodgers signed him to a $62.5-million, six-year deal. The Dodgers paid a very large signing bonus, as is the case oftentimes with Cuban players who have debts to the people that have developed them on the island. The Braves are only responsible for half of the $62.5 million due to the Dodgers already having paid the $28 million bonus. Olivera is still on a rehab assignment at the moment, but it appears he will go from LA to Atlanta in a three-team trade that also includes Miami (the one that's taking awhile and includes Mat Latos going to the Dodgers and Michael Morse).

Baltimore Orioles News

The Orioles inquired about Dan Haren, though it wanted some of the money paid down. So far Miami hasn't offered.

Chicago Cubs News

The Cubs have looked at Yovani Gallardo but have generally been linked to pitchers who are under control into 2016, so they may not be a favorite ... Cubs people love David Price, but no one sees them giving up a haul for a rental ... Cubs are talking to the Padres about Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner, with Ross believed to be the preferred option. San Diego has interest in Javier Baez, and the deal could be expanded to be much bigger. The Cubs aren't favored for Ross, though, and they are likely to wind up doing bigger deals next year.

Chicago White Sox News

The White Sox have been characteristically mysterious about their deadline intentions, but with a seven-game winning streak, a 2 1/2-game deficit and a big winter of work, rivals suggest they'd be surprised if Jeff Samardzija was traded now. Coincidentally, the White Sox were also 2 1/2 games out when they made the infamous White Flag Trade at the 1997 trade deadline ... Should they surprise folks, the Dodgers, Giants, Astros, Blue Jays and Yankees are potential landing spots. The Yankees make sense for him as a free agent since he's a guy who loves a big stage, and Yankees executive Jim Hendry originally signed him for the Cubs out of Notre Dame.

Cincinnati Reds News

Mike Leake's most likely landing spots are believed to be the Blue Jays, Astros, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees and Orioles ... The buzz about star closer Aroldis Chapman seems to have all but evaporated, so he may not get traded after all.

Cleveland Indians News

Kudos to the Indians for determining not to trade Mike Aviles, whose 4-year-old daughter Adriana is battling leukemia. Best wishes to Adriana.

Colorado Rockies News

Troy Tulowitzki was said by sources familiar with the situation to be very upset to have been traded without any consultation or notice. Tulowitzki may also not have been thrilled to go to a team that wasn't on his list of preferred destinations -- the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and Angels were said to be his top choices. But word is, he felt much more upset about not being kept in the loop, as he always had been in the past. Tulowitzki always had been very close to the Rockies-owning Monfort Brothers, but this could put a dent in that long relationship. Tulo isn't likely to lash out, as he is an extremely non-confrontational fellow who is very conscious of his image around Denver. That is also why he never requested a trade even though there were many times he wanted to go to one of his preferred destinations. Tulo's agent Paul Cohen did not return messages. Neither did Rockies GM Jeff Bridich ... The reality is, while Tulo's people may think there were promises about where he'd go, he didn't have a no-trade clause and they should have long understood he might not go to one of the preferred destinations. Two years ago, which is when the Monforts should have traded Tulo, there were extensive talks with the Rangers regarding Carlos Gonzalez and the Mariners regarding Tulowitzki. Names that are believed to have come up (and not a concrete proposal by the other teams) included Seattle's Nick Franklin, Brad Miller, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton for Tulo, and Texas' Martin Perez, Jorge Alfaro, Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara for CarGo ... Jose Reyes has been led to believe by the Rockies he is not going to be flipped. But he's been through this before, and probably isn't buying a house in Colorado. (He never bought one in Florida either) ... Word is Toronto was worried about Reyes' defense. Perhaps the turf was taking a toll, though one scout remarked, "For a fast guy, his range never was what it should have been." Another scout who saw him recently said, "I was surprised at how his defense had deteriorated."

Detroit Tigers News

Word floating around was that GM Dave Dombrowski took a realistic view of his team and wanted to sell, and Wednesday was the day his plan was approved by owner Mike Ilitch, who is one of the best owners in the game. While this is obviously a downer for Detroit, this could be an indication Mike and his son Chris, who's taking on a bigger and bigger role, favor keeping Dombrowski, who is in the last year of his contract. Makes sense. Overall, he's done a terrific job.

Houston Astros News

Cole Hamels declined a possible chance to go to the Astros when approached some time earlier this week, as it was reported here a few times he likely would do. USA Today first mentioned the official rejection. The Rangers, where his wife's relatives live, were one of two AL teams on the pre-approved list ... The Astros are in talks for Tyson Ross -- that may be their best pitching hope.

Los Angeles Angels News

The Angels acquired three outfielders within the span of around 24 hours, reeling in David Murphy, David DeJesus and Shane Victorino. Though word is the trade flurry has nothing to do with any particular concern over the wrist ailment that's sidelined the great Mike Trout a couple days. In any case, it seems like Victorino may be more a bench player, and Matt Joyce, who is on the DL with a concussion after a slow start, may lose whatever role he had ... Carlos Gonzalez would have counterbalanced a righty-heavy lineup, but owner Arte Moreno has a mandate not to go above the luxury tax threshold and such a trade would have threatened that ... By homering for a 30th time this year, Albert Pujols joined Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Mike Schmidt and Babe Ruth as the only players to do post at least 13 seasons with 30 or more home runs.

Los Angeles Dodgers News

As was mentioned again in "Best Team Money Can Buy," the book on the 2013 Dodgers by Molly Knight, Clayton Kershaw declined a $300-million contract many months before he took a deal for $215 million over seven years, with a five year opt-out. It isn't clear exactly how long the $300-million deal was for, and Kershaw declined to say when asked about it this week. It is clear though that it was going to be considered a "lifetime deal," perhaps with personal service years attached to the end of it. Kershaw suggested in a brief interview at Citi Field a few days ago that he liked the options provided by the shorter deal with the opt out and couldn't see himself committing to staying forever in one place at the time ... Good thing the Dodgers are operating on only a 40 percent luxury tax rate and not the full 50 percent, as their payroll is approaching $300 million. With the tax, the total player expense will be around $400 million. They will, of course, have an excellent chance at the World Series when they are done ...Joc Pederson is struggling with the strikeouts lately, and he may lose his leadoff spot ... The Dodgers opened a kosher hot dog stand at Dodger Stadium, a nice touch considering their Jewish heritage (Sandy Koufax, The Sherry brothers, Shawn Green and Pederson). As Bill Shaikin remarked in the Los Angeles Times, "Mazel Tov." ... The Dodgers might want to make every night Yasiel Puig bobblehead night based on his performance Thursday.

Milwaukee Brewers News

The Brewers were apparently planning to make a third baseman of Wilmer Flores, so the deal that fell through wouldn't have been a bad one for him as he would have found a starting home ... The Cardinals and Pirates wre the two teams known to be interested in Adam Lind, but the Cardinals filled their need by acquiring Brandon Moss from the Indians. Since there's an option for $8 million for next year, the Brewers could keep Lind.

New York Mets News

GM Sandy Alderson and owner Jeff Wilpon met with Wilmer Flores to try to make him feel better about the situation. "They apologized," one person familiar with the talks said after a deal for him and Zack Wheeler fell through after it had been widely reported that it was agreed to. Flores was very emotional during the game but was said to be "fine" after the talk with the two Mets execs. Flores has been with the Mets organization since he was 16 years old and has had quite a roller coaster of a season. For all the heat he took early about his shortstop play, he is second on the team to Duda in home runs and hasn't made an error in two months ... The deal was scuttled when the Mets suggested they didn't like the medicals on Carlos Gomez's hips, sources said, confirming a report by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. But agent Scott Boras said, "He's in first-class condition. He's never had a hip issue and never seen a doctor for a hip issue." ... The Mets are still looking to add a big bat ... The second Jenrry Mejia drug failure is a stunner. There was no challenge on his part, as there is no excuse. He was even caught with some archaic old stuff, stanozolol and the like. That's not even the good stuff. Adam Rubin of ESPN reported the failure came during his first suspension, at a time when relaxing might have been a better idea. Can't see the Mets taking him back after his suspension is up in a year. Hopefully, someone else will. No one should lose their career over IQ points ... If Cespedes is dealt, word is he would not mind New York one bit ... David Wright provided some hope he may not be more than a few weeks away when he worked out on the field at Citi Field.

New York Yankees News

The Yankees should be able to find their answer to second base from within if they can't land Martin Prado or Dustin Ackley. They loved Prado when he was a Yankee last year, and they've long coveted Ackley. Ackley is probably more likely than Prado for the Yankees. They like his swing for Yankee Stadium. The Marlins aren't anxious to trade Prado, but are listening. FOXSports.com first mentioned Prado, and the New York Daily News mentioned Ackley this time. If they can't be gotten, Stephen Drew has been fine except for his batting average -- and isn't batting average supposed to be less important now? Robert Refsnyder also looked OK in an earlier cameo. But they are obviously looking ... Shortstop Didi Gregorius has been excellent lately after a rough start in which some folks were crying for his head ... Reggie Jackson denied he shoved an autograph-seeking fan, saying he only cursed him out.

Oakland A's News

Folks are impressed that the A's were able to get Casey Meisner for rental reliever Tyler Clippard and also Sean Manaea for Ben Zobrist, another rental. Manaea is seen a potential high-end starter if he can remain healthy ... Sam Fuld continues to make Superman-type catches even after the A's sale.

Philadelphia Phillies News

The Phillies ended up doing well in the six-for-two Hamels deal, as they got two high-end prospects, Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams. One scout familiar with the prospects going to Philly said, "Alfaro isn't mature but the physical tools are tremendous. He will get there, and if he does, look out. Williams' raw tools are better than Nomar Mazara's and he has shown flashes of being an impact player at the major-league level. But game maturity is coming. Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher will be Nos. 2-4 starting pitchers as they progress. Matt Harrison is progressing but still pitches like a guy with a bad back and could blow at any time." Says another AL scout, "Asher is a Clemens type ... strong kid. Big arm." Say what you will about the Phillies, but as it turned out, they didn't hurt themselves by waiting. They made the sort of deal they needed to make.

Pittsburgh Pirates News

The Pirates made a run at Ben Zobrist but didn't come close to offering anything near to the value of Manaea ... Pittsburgh will look at relievers. Mark Melancon is having another brilliant year as closer, but he could use a bit more help.

St. Louis Cardinals News

St. Louis is said to be seeking bullpen help even after getting Steve Cishek, who should help (he had an ERA under 1 after returning from his minor-league stint) ... Adam Lind is no longer a possibility for the Cardinals now that they added Brandon Moss in a deal for pitching prospect Rob Kaminsky.

Seattle Mariners News

There's very limited interest in Hisashi Iwakuma. No big sale is expected for the Mariners.

Texas Rangers News

A few other teams -- in addition to the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Cubs -- have looked at Yovani Gallardo , who is still likely to be dealt.

Toronto Blue Jays News

One thing overheard: The Jays have no intention of flipping Tulo ... Along with all the other pitchers connected to them, the Blue Jays are considering Gallardo. Hard to predict them, though, since they consider everyone ... Hard to figure what the Blue Jays will do next since they are involved in everything, and wind up doing only the things that are never publicized ... There was varying opinion on Jeff Hoffman, the biggest righty pitching prospect the Jays gave up in the Tulo deal. One AL executive says he is a high-end starter, but another noted that "he doesn't miss many bats." (The first exec said that's only because he's in his first year after Tommy John surgery).

Washington Nationals News

Deposed closer Drew Storen isn't happy to have lost his role. Though he hasn't directly said that he's upset, he has told folks he didn't believe it was the right thing to do. That seems to be the case, as Storen led the NL in one-run saves and had better numbers than Papelbon. It was pretty clear the Nats were intent on replacing him for a third time (the first two times were for Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard) as it looked closely at Kimbrel and Chapman, too.

[StarDust Bum]

Tigers trade closer Joakim Soria to Pirates: Four things to know

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired relief pitcher Joakim Soria from the Tigers, the club announced Thursday. The return to the Tigers is Double-A shortstop JaCoby Jones.

Once the Tigers went into sell mode, the most logical candidates to be moved were free-agents-to-be David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria. So now two of three are gone in the matter of a few hours.

What else is there to know?

1. Soria won't close, Pirates looking to stack bullpen

With All-Star closer Mark Melancon set as the ninth-inning man for the Pirates, expect Soria to take over seventh-inning duties, as more teams are shifting to closer-type duos or trios at the back of games.

Soria, 31, is 23 for 26 in save chances this season with a 2.85 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 41 innings. He's a two-time All-Star.

He joins an already-great Pittsburgh bullpen. Melancon has a 1.32 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Tony Watson has a 2.76 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings and likely deserves to remain the eighth-inning guy. Jared Hughes has a 1.99 ERA, too. As a whole, the Pirates have the second-best bullpen ERA in the NL at 2.71 heading into Thursday's action.

Soria only makes it deeper. It looks like the Pirates are looking emulate the Royals in terms of their success with shortening games last postseason. Remember the HDH (Herrera, Davis, Holland) trio with several fine relievers being able to work the sixth if need be throughout last season -- and this season, for that matter. The Pirates have a group capable of shortening games like that.

2. Soria has a few warning signs, though

The 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) is the lowest of Soria's career while the walk rate (2.41 BB/9) is almost double last season. His 1.76 HR/9 allowed is the highest of his career, too. In terms of predictive metrics, it would appear Soria should have a correction coming. The .222 batting average on balls in play (his career mark is .267) and 4.81 FIP show he's been pitching worse than his ERA shows. He's also stranded 94.7 percent of his baserunners as compared to 80.6 percent on his career.

Maybe the league switch or even just a change of scenery helps, but Soria's peripherals are a bit scary.

3. The Pirates probably didn't give up much

Jones heads to the Tigers system in this deal. The 23-year-old shortstop hit .253/.313/.396 with 18 doubles, 10 homers and 14 steals in 93 games in high Class A before recently having been promoted to Double-A. In three Double-A games so far, he's 5 for 10 with two RBI and a steal. Most prospect reports don't love his glove at short and he looks maybe like a future utility man?

Given that he was a third rounder out of LSU, it seems like his bat should have been more advanced than this for a guy without a firm long-term position. Big-time prospects bust on occasion and non-prospects break out at times as well, so by no means could anyone say Jones will never help the big-league Tigers (that's why I put "probably" in the sub-head).

As things stand, though, it doesn't look like the Pirates had a ton of room for him in their system long term.

4. Tigers closer situation is up in the air ... again

Before the game Thursday, in the wake of the Soria trade, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski was asked who would be his closer.

[StarDust Bum]

Brewers trade Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Astros: 6 things to know

The Milwaukee Brewers traded outfielder Carlos Gomez and right-hander Mike Fiers to the Houston Astros, CBS MLB Insider Jon Heyman first reported Thursday night.

ASTROS GET: OF Carlos Gomez P Mike Fiers Cash Consideration

BREWERS GET: OF Brett Phillips OF Domingo Santana P Josh Hader P Adrian Houser

Lookout Landing, a Seattle Mariners blog, had news of the return first. Heyman confirmed the haul Milwaukee received in exchange for Gomez and Fiers.

A day after another deal involving Gomez failed to be completed with the Mets -- much to the embarrassment of all parties involved -- Brewers general manager Doug Melvin pivoted and sent him to the upstart Astros.

Gomez, 29, has been one of the premier speed-power outfielders in the majors over the past three-plus seasons. He's signed through the 2016 season, and is set to make $9 million next season, along with what's left of the $8 million he's making in 2015.

Gomez came in batting .262 with a .751 on-base plus slugging percentage, along with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. He has played through minor lower-body injuries this season, and his current health came into question Wednesday night after a trade with the Mets fell through, reportedly because New York didn't like what it read in medical reports during the final stages of the transaction. Word of the deal had gone public, however, which made for an uncomfortable night for Wilmer Flores of the Mets. It also put Gomez, along with his agent, Scott Boras, on the defensive about his physical condition. The Astros seem to have no concerns.

SIX THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRADE

1. The Astros had pursued Gomez for weeks, and were overjoyed when the deal with the Mets fell apart. They also quickly gave Gomez a passing bill of health.

2. Gomez was a top-five player in Major League Baseball in 2013 and 2014.

Only Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Donaldson compiled more wins above replacement than Gomez in that span, according to Fangraphs. Gomez's combination of power and speed on offense, along with great defensive skills, made him more valuable (based on fWAR) than the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, Jose Bautista -- you name it. Gomez is capable of hitting the game-winning home run, or preventing it. He's a crowd-pleaser with flair and substance, one of the game's top showman. Some people are rubbed the wrong way by Gomez's theatrics, but to his own team, Gomez wins games.

He might have given the Astros a 7 percent greater chance of winning the AL West:

CARLOS GOMEZ: ADDED VALUE TO ASTROS

HOUSTON WINS WIN DIV PLAYOFFS

Before Trade 91.73 67.4 percent 95.8 percent

SportsLine 91.98 69.3 percent 97.7 percent

WARP (1.5) 92.74 74.3 percent 97.7 percent

Source: Stephen Oh, SportsLine

Stephen Oh of SportsLine explains:

My own model admittedly does not factor for individual defense as much as most advanced stats services probably do, so in my simulations, Carlos Gomez isn't having a measurable impact on Houston. With him, I have them winning 0.25 more games per simulation, giving them a 69.3 percent chance of winning the division, up from 67.4 percent before the trade.

However, if you use the Baseball Prospectus WARP metric, they report Gomez as having a 1.5 WARP which basically translates to improving a team by 1 percentage point per game (1% x 150 games = 1.5). I ran a simulation where I improved Houston by 1 percent per game -- not just the sliver of improvement my simulation model has -- and in this case, Gomez adds one win and nearly 7 percent to their chances to win the division.

4. The Mets had valid reasons for having second thoughts -- based on some of Gomez's stats in 2015.

Gomez's power and speed numbers have dropped for a third straight season. He's not stealing bases like he used to, and his metrics in center -- while good -- are not nearly as good as two seasons ago. He has missed time because of nagging injuries. There's some reason to believe, based on a relatively small sample size, that he already might have hit his peak and is beginning to decline. There's more reason to believe that he'll be a better player the rest of this season, and next, than he was in the first half of 2015.

5. The Astros say they could use Fiers as a starter or reliever.

Fiers, 30, has been an effective starter since breaking in full-time in 2012, but he's also been subject to occasional injuries (though not this season). He has posted a 3.89 ERA with a 121/43 K/BB ratio in 118 innings over 21 starts.

The Astros also recently added Scott Kazmir to their rotation from the Athletics, so Fiers might be rotation depth, in case the team wanted to sub out Scott Feldman or Collin McHugh. Following several heavily-losing seasons, the Astros are in the thick of the pennant chase, posting a 57-45 record in the AL West, good enough to lead the Angels by a game heading into play Thursday.

6. The Brewers got a great return for Gomez and Fiers.

Phillips is the prize of the package, described as a high-ceiling outfielder. He's 21 years old, and playing in Double-A. He's perhaps a top-40 prospect in all of baseball. Here's what Baseball America recently said about Houston's best prospect:

The Florida prep star grabbed as a sixth-rounder in GM Jeff Luhnow's first draft in 2012 has certified himself as the organization's top prospect. Questions about his power have vanished in the wake of 15 first-half homers and evaluators peg his arm as plus. At this point, his ceiling is first-division center fielder who's at least an average defender, with power, a 70 arm and a grinder mentality. He was recently promoted to Corpus Christi as the Astros try to better gauge his power and offense in general.

As Brew Crew Ball says, a potential five-tool center fielder makes sense as a return for a five-tool ballplayer such as Gomez.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (50-52) at Orioles (51-50)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 31, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Detroit's front office is clearly looking to the future.

Brad Ausmus and the Tigers, though, are focusing on the present after a win over streaking Baltimore.

Detroit seeks its third straight victory Friday night against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Tigers (50-52) are only 3 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot in their bid for a fifth straight postseason appearance, though they're behind five teams, including Baltimore (51-50). Deals completed Thursday that sent ace David Price to Toronto and closer Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh spoke volumes about general manager Dave Dombrowski's priorities, however.

"I would much rather be acquiring than I would be trading," Dombrowski said. "But it's just where we are at this point.'

Detroit received three left-handed pitchers from the Blue Jays, including 2011 second-round pick Daniel Norris. From the Pirates, they acquired infielder JaCoby Jones, who has 60 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 96 minor league games this year.

The Tigers held on for a 9-8 victory Thursday in Baltimore powered by 16 hits - including three each from Yoenis Cespedes, Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias. Cespedes, second on the club with 61 RBIs, has also been mentioned in trade speculation and could be gone before Friday's deadline.

"We're not giving up," Ausmus said. "Would we rather have Price and Soria? Of course. But we don't."

Chris Davis and Adam Jones homered for the Orioles, who gave up two more runs than they had allowed during a five-game winning streak. Baltimore, conversely, could be looking to acquire a bat Friday - specifically to play left field. The Orioles have been one of baseball's least productive teams at that position, batting .210 with a major league-low 25 RBIs.

"That's the bet," manager Buck Showalter said of his team making a trade. "If you told me to be on which side of it, I'll take 51-49."

Wei-Yin Chen (5-6, 2.88 ERA) looks to bounce back for Baltimore after failing to record a quality start for the first time in seven games, allowing two runs over 5 1-3 innings of a 5-2 win at Tampa Bay on Sunday. He gave up two homers, something he's done in four of his last six outings. His 1.41 home runs allowed per nine innings are a career-worst.

The left-hander wasn't entirely pleased with being yanked after just 86 pitches.

"I was taken out of the game because I allowed a couple of runners to get on base," he said through a translator. "Anybody would be angry in that situation."

Detroit has been one of the majors' best teams against left-handed pitching, batting .274, and Jose Iglesias is hitting .375.

Chen won his last start against the Tigers, 7-5 in Detroit in 2012, despite giving up five runs in five innings.

Buck Farmer (0-2, 9.22) makes his first appearance for Detroit since a relief outing July 11 when he gave up two runs over 3 1-3 innings against Minnesota.

He's still seeking his first career win after struggling through his first four career starts. He has surrendered 23 runs in 16 2-3 innings, and opponents are hitting .373. He needed 103 pitches to complete 5 1-3 innings in his last start, an 8-2 loss at Cleveland on June 24.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Orioles
Thu, Jul 30 Final 9 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Orioles
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Orioles
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Tigers at Orioles
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (61-40) at Blue Jays (52-51)
Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 31, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

After receiving a warm welcome from his new team, Johnny Cueto is ready to show the Kansas City Royals they made the right move by adding him to the mix.

Cueto makes his Royals debut Friday night in Toronto against a Blue Jays club that's also bolstered its roster considerably this week.

Though Kansas City (61-40) enjoys a comfortable lead atop the AL Central, it lacked a true ace before acquiring Cueto from Cincinnati for left-handers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed on Sunday. Meeting his new teammates for the first time Tuesday with the Royals in Cleveland, the right-hander was greeted with a welcome sign from some players and staff and given a crown to wear.

"I'm just very happy and very proud to be part of this club," said Cueto, who won 92 games in seven-plus seasons for the Reds and was 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA this year.

"I'm excited about my next chapter," he added.

A passionate competitor, Cueto is expected to fit in well with a confident Kansas City group that continues to embrace the same team concept that led to the 2014 AL pennant.

"It's an easy group to get along with," said Eric Hosmer, batting .500 in his last 13 games. "We have a lot of fun. When the game starts we play, we give everything we've got. We know he's a similar type guy. We're looking forward to having him."

Cueto, third in the majors in opponent batting average (.196), gave up four hits in eight scoreless innings of a 5-2 victory at Colorado on Saturday.

He's 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays (52-51) and will see a familiar face in Troy Tulowitzki. The ex-Rockie is 3 for 13 with a double and a home run against him.

Tulowitzki has won both games he's played since being acquired, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and a home run in his debut Wednesday before going hitless in Thursday's 5-2 victory over the Royals. The Blue Jays made another huge move prior to that win by nabbing David Price from Detroit for left-hander Daniel Norris and two prospects.

"These types of players, the great superstar players, rarely become available," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "We think we're a good team and adding a guy like Price we think makes us that much stronger and will give us a chance to win. It's as simple as that."

While Price could make his Toronto debut in Sunday's finale, Drew Hutchison (9-2, 5.42 ERA) tries to become the first Blue Jay since A.J. Burnett in 2008 to win six consecutive home starts. He's yielded three earned runs over 32 2-3 innings during that five-start wining streak and is 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA in nine starts at Rogers Centre.

Hutchison, however, gave up six runs in four innings of Saturday's 8-6 victory at Seattle. He's received a major league-high 7.83 run support average.

The right-hander's only two starts against the Royals were in Kansas City, going 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA.

Ben Zobrist is 1 for 8 when facing Hutchison and went 0 for 4 in his Royals debut Thursday as they lost a second straight after winning four in a row.

Edwin Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a home run against Cueto last season but could miss a third straight contest with a finger injury.

Cueto has not yielded a homer in five consecutive starts, but Toronto has hit at least one in 12 straight and is third in the majors with 135.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Blue Jays
Thu, Jul 30 Final 2 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Blue Jays
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Blue Jays
Sat, Aug 1 - 1:07PM EDT

GAME 4
Royals at Blue Jays
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:07PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (46-56) at Phillies (39-64)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 31, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

This was scheduled to be Cole Hamels' turn in the Philadelphia Phillies' rotation, but as expected, it's not going to happen.

He's far from the only recently departed veteran being replaced on the field Friday night in Philadelphia with the Atlanta Braves in town continuing a series of two of the NL's biggest sellers before the trade deadline.

More deals could be on the way for these clubs. One of the top names being mentioned is Phillies leadoff hitter Ben Revere, who leads the team with a .298 average and 24 steals.

"Anything can happen. One phone call or one trade could happen," Revere told MLB's official website. "But really I'm not thinking about it."

Philadelphia (39-64) owns the majors' worst record despite going 10-2 since the All-Star break and began trading away some major pieces this week, sending Hamels to Texas after shipping closer Jonathan Papelbon to Washington.

"They're trying to rebuild the team. We just have to keep going," catcher Carlos Ruiz said. "But definitely it's sad when you're around one of your teammates for a long time and then they have to go away."

Ruiz had two RBIs in his 1,000th career game Thursday, helping the Phillies win the series opener 4-1. Ken Giles got his second save in as many chances since replacing Papelbon.

David Buchanan is taking Hamels' place Friday even though that trade hasn't been finalized. Matt Harrison could eventually join the rotation as part of the package from the Rangers along with four prospects, and reliever Jake Diekman is supposedly headed to Texas despite being in the Phillies' bullpen Thursday.

The Braves (46-56) have a new-look bullpen as well. They traded relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan along with starter Alex Wood to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in a 13-player deal which involved Miami. Atlanta also gave up top infield prospect Jose Peraza but received highly coveted Cuban infielder Hector Olivera.

"You build relationships and friendships," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "It's always tough to see them leave. You wish them the best over there. But this is obviously tough from a personal standpoint."

Olivera could soon be batting behind Freeman, the No. 3 hitter who is 3 for 23 following a month-long absence for a bruised wrist. Adonis Garcia, a 30-year-old rookie, was moved into the cleanup spot for the past three games but went 1 for 11 without an RBI.

The Braves also received injured left-hander Paco Rodriguez and minor league pitcher Zachary Bird in Thursday's deal, which came six days after lineup regulars Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson were traded to the New York Mets for prospects. It has been rumored that A.J. Pierzynski, Cameron Maybin and Jonny Gomes could also be traded by Atlanta, a loser of 11 of 12 on the road and 14 of 18 overall.

Another part of looking toward the future will be seeing Williams Perez (4-0, 2.88) come off the disabled list to make his first start since June 26, when a comebacker resulted in a bruised foot.

The rookie right-hander had pitched very well after getting called up May 6, posting a 2.31 ERA in eight starts after originally coming out of the bullpen. Perez, though, averaged 4.14 walks per nine innings in 11 games and hit six batters. He showed better control during three rehab starts for Triple-A Gwinnett, walking one and striking out 15 in 11 2-3 innings as he allowed one earned run.

Buchanan (1-5, 7.00 ERA) is being recalled after a seven-inning victory for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday. He was sent down five days earlier, just moments after getting his lone win of 2015 - allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia's Domonic Brown hit his first homer of the season Thursday and is batting .429 in his last eight games.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Phillies
Thu, Jul 30 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores

GAME 2
Braves at Phillies
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Braves at Phillies
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Braves at Phillies
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (51-52) at Red Sox (45-58)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 31, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

If not for one pitch, Erasmo Ramirez might still be amid an impressive stretch that dates back to May.

The Tampa Bay Rays right-hander will try to get back on track Friday night against the Boston Red Sox.

Ramirez (8-4, 3.74 ERA) had yielded two runs or fewer in nine consecutive starts, matching the second-longest streak in franchise history, while going 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA entering Saturday's game against Baltimore.

He went a season-high 7 1-3 innings but gave up five runs - his most since May 24 - with nearly all of that damage coming on Chris Davis' grand slam in the third en route to a 5-1 loss.

"I didn't execute a couple pitches in that inning, and that got me in trouble," Ramirez said. "After that hit I put it out of my mind, just tried to get deep into the game."

Ramirez will next face a team that's lost 12 of 15, but the Red Sox (45-58) are batting .328 with 33 runs in their last five games following an 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

David Ortiz and Xander Bogaerts each had three hits while combining to drive in three runs. Ortiz is batting .429 with 13 RBIs in his last seven games, and Bogaerts is hitting .386 this month.

Ortiz is 0 for 3 with four walks against Ramirez, who has a 6.94 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox and failed to pitch past the fifth inning in each.

He'll start opposite Eduardo Rodriguez (6-3, 4.26), who will face Tampa Bay for the first time. The rookie left-hander allowed one run and three hits in seven innings in an 11-1 rout of Detroit on Sunday, six days after getting ripped for seven runs in 1 2-3 innings of an 11-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Rodriguez has been ripped for at least six runs in each of his three losses, lasting a combined 10 innings, but he's surrendered no more than two runs in any of his other eight starts.

"This has been an interesting roughly two months that he's been here," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "He's been challenged at times in between the lines, and it's the greatest teacher that we have.

"There's been some adjustments in his delivery. That's an ongoing situation, and he continues to adapt and evolve. It shows his aptitude and his attitude to make those adjustments."

It's unclear if Pablo Sandoval will start after he exited Thursday's win when he was hit on the left forearm while striking out. Sandoval, batting .176 in his last 10 games, left a 9-2 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday because of dehydration.

"He's sore right now," Farrell said. "That was a fastball that chased him. It looked like it might have hit him in the throat if he didn't take it in the wrist on the swing. A scary moment. The scan here at the ballpark is clean, but he's still day to day."

Sandoval has hit .152 in 12 career games against Tampa Bay and Ortiz is batting .167 in his last 21 matchups.

Evan Longoria, meanwhile, is hitting .375 with three homers and four doubles in an eight-game hit streak against Boston.

The Rays (51-52) have lost 11 of 14 on the road.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Red Sox
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Rays at Red Sox
Sat, Aug 1 - 1:35PM EDT

GAME 3
Rays at Red Sox
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (49-53) at Marlins (42-60)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 31, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres took on hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts this offseason in an attempt to return to the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

That quick-fix approach hasn't paid off, and some of those acquisitions could be dealt by the time the Padres open a three-game road series with the Miami Marlins on Friday night.

San Diego (49-53) brought in Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Melvin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Derek Norris, Will Middlebrooks and Wil Myers through trades and signed starter James Shields to a four-year, $75 million deal.

The Padres have underachieved, though, and manager Bud Black was fired June 15 and replaced on an interim basis by Pat Murphy. With the club's first playoff appearance since back-to-back NL West titles in 2005 and '06 seeming unlikely, San Diego has been rumored to be making available many of the players from general manager A.J. Preller's offseason shopping spree.

If Justin Upton is traded before the deadline, he'd be leaving in style. He hit a two-out, three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the Padres an 8-7 win over the New York Mets on Thursday after they trailed 7-1 through six.

'Livin' in the moment. Whatever happens tomorrow happens - or doesn't happen,' Upton said. 'Just taking it day to day.'

Norris went 5 for 5 with a grand slam for San Diego, which has won five of six.

Ian Kennedy's name also has come up, leaving it unclear if he'll be around to make his start with the deadline coming four hours prior to Friday's first pitch.

Kennedy (6-9, 4.58 ERA) allowed one run and struck out seven in six innings to beat the Marlins 3-1 on Saturday. He's 3-4 over his last eight starts despite posting a 2.53 ERA.

'I've been in this situation before," said Kennedy, who was dealt from Arizona to San Diego at last year's deadline. "No matter what's going on, I still have to go out and pitch. It doesn't matter if I'm going or staying a Padre. Whatever it is you still have to do your job and pitch.'

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in his last four against the Marlins (42-60), who also could be planning more moves.

Miami has lost five of six - including dropping the final three of a four-game series with the Padres last weekend - after falling 1-0 to Washington on Thursday. Shortly after the game, it was announced that a 13-player deal between the Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta had been completed, with Miami receiving prospects while sending Mat Latos and Michael Morse to the Dodgers.

'When I have to sit here and say we've made a trade and we haven't added (major league players), it means something has not gone right,' team president Michael Hill said. 'As we currently sit right now, we're 18 games under .500 and not performing the way we felt like this team was capable of performing.'

David Phelps (4-7, 3.86) has lost his last three starts while receiving one run of support in 17 2-3 innings. The right-hander opposed Kennedy on Saturday and allowed two runs in six innings.

Five of the six runs Phelps has allowed in those three defeats have come in the first three innings.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Marlins
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Padres at Marlins
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Marlins
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (54-46) at Mets (52-50)
Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 31, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

For a team one day away from entering August in first place, a weekend visit to the club immediately behind it in the standings might generally be approached with a mindset of wanting to get out of town without losing any ground.

By the Washington Nationals' recent standard in New York, though, they shouldn't be happy with anything short of a sweep.

The NL East's top two teams square off Friday night with the Nationals out to double their three-game lead over the Mets.

The Nationals (54-46) haven't lost a road series with the Mets (52-50) since their first meeting in 2013, going 18-3 since with three shutouts in the last five games.

One of those was started by Gio Gonzalez, who's 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA in nine career road starts against the Mets. The left-hander limited them to six hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings of a 1-0 victory May 2. Gonzalez (8-4, 3.83 ERA) also limited the Mets to two runs and six hits in six innings of a 7-2 home victory July 20.

New York's struggles have been highlighted by Wilmer Flores (1 for 13), Curtis Granderson (3 for 27), Lucas Duda (3 for 17) and Travis d'Arnaud (2 for 11), while Juan Lagares is 10 for 22 with a home run, triple and three doubles.

Gonzalez is up against Matt Harvey, who allowed two runs in seven innings of a 15-2 home win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Harvey (9-7, 3.16) improved to 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last four home starts.

The right-hander matched up with Gonzalez on July 20 and was tagged with five runs and five hits in seven innings. Harvey had given up three earned runs in his previous six starts against the Nationals and remains 3-2 with a 1.34 ERA.

Bryce Harper is 0 for 14 with seven strikeouts against Harvey, the only of 49 pitchers he has more than eight at-bats against without a hit.

Some of that pressure could be relieved by Ryan Zimmerman, who's 4 for 14 with a home run off Harvey, and the first baseman homered for the first time in his three games back from the disabled list in Thursday's 1-0 victory in Miami. He's 4 for 11 since coming back, and along with the return of Jayson Werth and the trade for Jonathan Papelbon, Washington has talent new and old joining the mix to contribute.

"Just hitting the ball well and getting good at-bats is the key," Zimmerman told MLB's official website. "I'm not trying to hit home runs or anything like that. I'm just grinding out at-bats and getting my timing back. Everything feels good."

The Mets are hoping for similar production from a returning bat. D'Arnaud is likely to come off the disabled list Friday after missing 33 games with a sprained right elbow, but the club plans to ease the catcher into action.

"He won't be a four-in-a-row guy," manager Terry Collins said. "He might play two and get a day off. We'll see how he feels. The last time we did this, he played in two in a row and the second day, he was really sore at the end of the game."

In Thursday's 8-7 home loss to San Diego, pitching was the problem as New York dropped the last two of a three-game series. The Mets allowed 15 runs in the two defeats, and they led 7-1 after six innings in the latest.

Jeurys Familia tried to protect a two-run lead in the ninth Thursday but allowed a three-run homer with two outs to fall to 0 for 3 in save opportunities since the All-Star break.

'He just has to locate,' Collins said. 'The pitches he made were over the middle of the plate.'

Since being taxed with 10 1-3 innings of work in an 18-inning game July 19, the bullpen has a 5.59 ERA.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Mets
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Nationals at Mets
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Mets
Sun, Aug 2 - 8:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (59-42) at Reds (46-54)
Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 31, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to have difficulty with the Cincinnati Reds but might face a different-looking team Friday night.

The Reds could make at least one deal ahead of the trade deadline and before their attempt at a ninth win in 11 games against the Pirates, who made a notable move of their own Thursday.

After winning five of six, Pittsburgh (59-42) was dominated in a 15-5 loss Thursday. It was the sixth loss in a row at Cincinnati for the Pirates, who have surrendered an average of 5.6 runs while going 2-8 in the season series.

Brandon Phillips became the first major leaguer with four hits, two homers, seven RBIs (a career high) and two stolen bases in a game since the RBI became an official statistic in 1920.

Pittsburgh's bullpen gave up seven runs and has a 5.97 ERA over the past 12 games but added a new piece Thursday, acquiring closer Joakim Soria from Detroit. He'll move into a setup role while Mark Melancon remains the closer.

Two Reds who have been in trade rumors, Jay Bruce and Marlon Byrd, each had three RBIs on Thursday. Starting pitcher Mike Leake was shipped to San Francisco for two prospects late Thursday, and closer Aroldis Chapman also could be traded before Friday afternoon's deadline.

"I don't think there (are) probably a lot of guys that are comfortable and are able to sit in front of their locker and not think about the trade deadline. When we get past it, I think we'll be in a better place," manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website. "Of course we've won three in a row with the trade deadline hanging over our head. I've been really impressed with how the guys have handled it."

Cincinnati (46-54) will pursue a season high-tying fourth consecutive victory and try to extend its longest home win streak over the Pirates since a seven-game run from 1996-97.

The Reds will likely need a much improved performance from Michael Lorenzen (3-5, 4.58 ERA) than in a 17-7 loss in Colorado on Sunday. The right-hander was charged with a career-worst eight runs in 2 1-3 innings in his third consecutive defeat.

Lorenzen's first major league win came in his only start against the Pirates, yielding one run and three hits in six innings of a 7-1 victory May 5.

Jeff Locke (5-6, 4.15) is 0-2 with a 5.18 ERA in his last five starts versus the Reds, and he's allowed eight runs and 16 hits in 11 innings against them this year.

The left-hander has one victory in his last six outings. Locke had a 2.15 ERA in the first five games in that stretch, then gave up four runs in the fourth of his five innings last Friday against Washington. He did not get a decision in a 7-5 victory.

Joey Votto is 6 for 17 with two doubles against Locke and is batting .568 with a 1.570 OPS in his last 13 games after going 3 for 4 on Thursday. Votto is 7 for 18 in his last four games against Pittsburgh.

Billy Hamilton, batting .333 in his last 10 games, is 6 for 13 lifetime versus Locke, and Todd Frazier is 9 for 20 with two homers. Frazier, 3 for 27 in his last seven games, is expected to return after getting the night off Thursday.

Pittsburgh's Aramis Ramirez has a home run and a double in four at-bats against Lorenzen. Starling Marte, batting .444 in a nine-game hit streak, has homered in two at-bats versus the right-hander.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Reds
Thu, Jul 30 Final 5 to 15
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Reds
Fri, Jul 31 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Reds
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Pirates at Reds
Sun, Aug 2 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (56-45) at Rangers (49-52)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: July 31, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Nick Martinez is scheduled to start Friday night, though Texas Rangers fans are more eagerly anticipating who could follow him.

That's because the Rangers are close to obtaining Cole Hamels, who will start for them this weekend if he comes over from Philadelphia.

The trade speculation has made Martinez's outing a bit of an afterthought as the Rangers welcome the San Francisco Giants to Arlington for the first time since the 2010 World Series for this three-game set.

Texas (49-52) is close to finalizing a deal with Philadelphia to acquire Hamels and reliever Jake Diekman for left-hander Matt Harrison and a package of top prospects. No deal was announced Thursday night, though players for both teams were talking as if it was already finished with Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus saying the addition of Hamels will be a "real plus."

Hamels, who hasn't pitched since his 13-strikeout, no-hitter Saturday over the Chicago Cubs, is scheduled to start Friday for the Phillies. Harrison is slated to pitch in the middle game of this series.

When asked if Martinez was a certainty to start Friday night, manager Jeff Bannister said, "As we sit right now."

There's good reason for Texas fans to look forward to Saturday - if that's when Hamels does make his debut - since Martinez (5-6, 4.08 ERA) has struggled in two starts since getting recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, going 0-1 with an 11.00 ERA.

The Rangers have dropped the last six starts by the right-hander, who is 0-4 with a 7.01 ERA in that span. Martinez has never faced the Giants.

San Francisco (56-45) no doubt has fond memories of Arlington, where it won two of three games in the 2010 World Series to begin its current run of three championships in five years.

Madison Bumgarner (11-5, 3.16) began developing his reputation as a clutch postseason pitcher with eight innings of three-hit ball in Game 4 of that series in a 4-0 road victory. That's his only career start against Texas.

The left-hander has posted a 2.04 ERA in winning three straight outings after limiting Oakland to one run over seven innings in Saturday's 2-1 victory.

He'll eventually be joined in the rotation by Mike Leake, who was acquired from Cincinnati for a pair of prospects late Thursday.

The Giants expect two of their top hitters to return Friday. Joe Panik has missed the last two games with back stiffness and Buster Posey sat out Wednesday's 5-0 victory over Milwaukee for rest.

"They've been going hard since the All-Star break," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I'm trying to keep these guys as fresh as I can."

Bochy's club has won 13 of 15 as it starts a 10-game trip. The Giants are an NL-best 9-3 in interleague games.

Posey is fourth in the majors with a .413 average in interleague play. Matt Duffy is tied for sixth at .400 and tied for fourth with 14 RBIs.

Josh Hamilton delivered a game-ending RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning in Thursday's 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees as Texas earned a four-game split. He had a three-run homer in the first.

Hamilton, Andrus and Mitch Moreland are the only current Rangers hitters who faced Bumgarner in the World Series, combining to go 1 for 8.

Texas won two of three at San Francisco when these teams met in 2012. The Giants have captured 16 of 25 regular-season meetings between the teams that played baseball's first interleague game June 12, 1997, in Arlington.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (57-44) at White Sox (49-51)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 31, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The New York Yankees have won five straight games over the Chicago White Sox and six in a row when facing left-handed starters.

They'll look to avoid their first three-game slide in a month Friday night when they open a three-game road series against lefty Carlos Rodon and the White Sox.

New York (57-44) makes the final stop on a 10-game trip on which it dropped to 4-3 after a four-game split in Texas, capped by Thursday's 7-6 defeat in which Mark Teixeira homered twice. The Yankees last lost three straight from June 28-30.

They are 18-11 against southpaw starters with six straight wins and a 5-0 mark since the All-Star break as they get their first look at Rodon (4-3, 4.09 ERA), who threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in Sunday's 2-1 victory at Cleveland. He was 1-3 with a 6.98 ERA in his previous six starts.

"He's like every other pitcher," manager Robin Ventura said. "He can get himself into trouble, but what he has that most people don't is he can get himself out of trouble."

Rodon has posted a 10.00 ERA in losing his last two home outings.

His presence means that Chris Young will be back in the Yankees lineup for the first time in three games. Young is third in the AL with a .371 average against lefties, going 7 for 15 with two homers against them since the All-Star break.

Third baseman Chase Headley is 8 for 16 with two doubles against southpaws in the same span, and he's batting .392 in his last 14 overall.

This is the Yankees' first meeting with the White Sox (49-51) since winning the final five last season, including two on the road after losing eight straight in Chicago.

The White Sox held the AL's third-worst record on July 22 before getting back into wild-card contention with a season-high seven-game win streak to start a road trip that was capped with Thursday's 8-2 loss to Boston. Chicago batted .318 and averaged 7.0 runs in the eight games - its overall mark is 3.7.

"We wanted to win all eight, but that's the way it goes," Ventura told MLB's official website. "You want us to swing the bats and we did that on this road trip."

Melky Cabrera was 0 for 3 after going 18 for 33 with 11 RBIs in the first seven games. Jose Abreu is batting .375 with three homers and 13 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.

The White Sox seek to avoid their first five-game slide in two years at home, where they average a major league-worst 3.2 runs.

Nathan Eovaldi (10-2, 4.27) will move up a day and pitch on regular rest after New York placed Michael Pineda on the disabled list with a right flexor forearm muscle strain. CC Sabathia started Thursday for Pineda.

Eovaldi benefits from the majors' second-best run support average at 7.09. He improved to 5-0 with a 2.83 ERA in his last seven starts by giving up two runs over eight innings Sunday in a 7-2 win at Minnesota.

The right-hander has never faced the White Sox. Adam LaRoche is the only Chicago hitter with more than four at-bats against him, going 7 for 19 with a homer.

The Yankees will likely debut utility player Dustin Ackley, acquired from Seattle for a pair of minor leaguers Thursday.

"He's a guy who that over the last three or four years has played about five different positions so he's a guy who we feel we can move everywhere," manager Joe Girardi said.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at White Sox
Fri, Jul 31 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Yankees at White Sox
Sat, Aug 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Yankees at White Sox
Sun, Aug 2 - 2:10PM EDT