Rockies' $70 Million All-Star Ryan McMahon Emerging as Cubs' Next Gem
The Chicago Cubs have been one of the hottest teams in baseball, with Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker forming arguably the best outfield in baseball.
The rotation has held firm despite a season-ending Tommy John surgery and absence to Shota Imanaga, and the Cubs have a limited amount to address at the July 30th deadline.
Advertisement
One of those areas, however, is third base. With Matt Shaw struggling in his first big league licks, the combination of Jon Berti, Nicky Lopez and Vidal Brujan has left a lot to be desired.
The Cubs, according to recent rumors, may find their answer out west.
Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon (24) throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote that the Cubs, along with the Dodgers, have interest in Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, who was an All-Star in 2024.
McMahon was a trade target for many teams last year, including the Yankees, but the Rockies refused to budge on their All-Star.
Starting out at 8-37 and clearly already out of playoff contention, the Rockies might look to seize any value that they can on McMahon, who remains one of the few players that are worth a look.
Advertisement
After this season, McMahon has two years and $32 million left on his six-year, $70 million contract signed in 2022, and a player of his caliber coming with two years of club control would inflate his value.
Jazz Chisholm Jr attracted a similar price tag last year due to his remaining years of control, with several top Yankees prospects going to Miami in the deal.
With Shaw still needing time to develop, and the Cubs in go mode, could they trade for McMahon before or during the deadline? It certainly makes a lot of sense.
Related: Astros Lose Prized Kyle Tucker Trade Prospect To Season-Ending Surgery
Related: Calls Mount for Red Sox to Trade Rafael Devers to NL Contender

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Phillies' Aaron Nola Confirms Rib Stress Fracture Amid Setback
Phillies' Aaron Nola Confirms Rib Stress Fracture Amid Setback originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies placed starting pitcher Aaron Nola on the injured list with a right ankle sprain in May. Since he's been out, the Phillies have cobbled together innings from bullpen games, Taijuan Walker, and, fortunately, the emergence of Mick Abel. Advertisement But Nola suffered a setback in the form of a different issue that popped up last week. Nola had suffered a fracture right rib and has since been deemed to be out until at least mid-July, and after the All-Star break. Ahead of the Phillies' series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Nola spoke with reporters for the first time since his setback. There, he broke his silence on how he's feeling and where he stands in his recovery process. On Pattison on Twitter/X shared Nola's comments on his injury, setback, and how he's dealing with it going forward. "It definitely wasn't the news I was expecting," Nola said. "I felt it a little more than I had in my last bullpen... Just did an MRI, came back with a stress fracture. So it's just trying to do as much as I can with trainers to heal, and take time for it to heal." Advertisement Nola was then asked a follow-up question about whether he knew where his stress fracture originated, and if the bullpen session was a catalyst for the injury. "Honestly, I don't really know," Nola said. "I guess it just came from throwing. I'm not really sure how it comes about. I'm not really sure, I've never had a stress fracture in my rib before, this is really new to me." Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) walks off the field after the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Curry-Imagn Images Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic also shared part of Nola's answer about his injury on Twitter/X. She provided more context on Nola's feelings amid the injury and his original ankle issue, which landed him on the injured list. Advertisement "Aaron Nola said he was told it was a stress fracture in his right rib," wrote Varnes. "Said he feels discomfort when breathing heavy or throwing. The initial injury that sent him to the IL, a right ankle sprain, is feeling better." While it's encouraging to hear the original right ankle issue is feeling better, the update from Nola on his fractured rib is an unfortunate setback amid his recovery. This update from Nola is a tough one for the Phillies. After he signed a massive $172 million deal in the offseason, Nola was expected to be a huge part of the rotation. But this injury and his 6.16 ERA start have made the contract look like a poor decision. While there is still plenty of time to rebound, Nola isn't expected back into the rotation anytime soon. Advertisement Related: Phillies Get Horrible Aaron Nola Injury Update Related: Phillies' Zack Wheeler Reveals Retirement Plan This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Cubs lose pitchers' duel, but Cade Horton continues to show he's unafraid of the big moment
CHICAGO — Even before the game started, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell wasn't interested in moral victories. In a fun matchup of two young, highly talented starters, Counsell wanted to add to his team's win total. So, when asking him what would account for success against Paul Skenes, one of the best pitchers in the game, the answer was obvious. Advertisement 'Winning,' Counsell said. 'What else is there? We can make up a story. We can make up a narrative. But if we don't win, it's not going to be a good narrative. That's what we're trying to do.' The Cubs couldn't accomplish that primary goal Friday afternoon, as they fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 in extra innings. But for those eager for a pitching duel, the buildup to Friday's matinee at Wrigley Field lived up to the hype. On an overcast, misty day on the North Side, nearly 40,000 fans showed up to watch Skenes take on Cubs rookie phenom Cade Horton. The matchup was much-anticipated and delivered. Perhaps it wasn't an old-fashioned, low-scoring affair where each starter goes deep into the game. Those are rare in this era of baseball. But if this is the modern-day version of an ace-off, it was surely entertaining. Skenes is a Cy Young favorite who debuted just a year ago and has quickly become arguably the best arm in the game. He delivered five shutout frames, striking out five Cubs and walking two while allowing just four hits. Horton hasn't reached ace status yet, but he outperformed Skenes on Friday, tossing 5 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out four, walking one and allowing just three hits. His stuff is nasty with a cut-ride heater that sits at about 97 mph. He uses it with a pair of plus breaking balls, including one of the better sweepers in the game, and a developing changeup. 'He's pitching really well,' Counsell said. 'He's locked in, delivering good outings; he's efficient. His stuff plays in the strike zone, which is such an important thing for a young pitcher to feel. I look forward to giving him the ball next time.' Horton dropped his ERA on the season to 3.47 in seven games, and he's averaging more than five innings per outing. His strikeout rate (19 percent) probably needs to rise and likely will as he continues to get more experience. His low walk rate (5.2 percent) is incredibly impressive for such an inexperienced arm. Advertisement But Horton's bulldog mentality and ultra-competitiveness are what stand out to those around him. 'I think he has a great mentality,' Ian Happ said. 'He has a great mound presence and the right attitude for it. The ability to throw strikes and fill up the zone is super important. It allows him to get some length into games. He did a great job of just making them beat him. The stuff is really good. So the stuff will play as long as he's in the zone.' Horton has pitched in the College World Series. He made his big-league debut in New York against a talented Mets team, and his first start at Wrigley was at a packed house for the crosstown matchup against the Chicago White Sox. He has grown accustomed to these big moments and seems to relish them. 'It's fun,' Horton said. 'Iron sharpens iron. So just being able to compete against him was fun. Hopefully, we're doing it for a lot of years.' Horton knew he'd have to be on his game because runs would be hard to come by against Skenes. And that proved to be the case. The Cubs pushed Skenes' pitch count high and worked good at-bats, a small moral victory that signifies a good process. As with Tarik Skubal a week ago, Counsell was pleased with the at-bats against a top-tier pitcher. 'Frankly, even better,' Counsell said, comparing it to the game against the Detroit Tigers last Friday. 'You get him out after five innings. We did have some scoring opportunities. But they make it hard. You get some runners on, and it's still tough. We had some long at-bats in this case — maybe a little different than in Detroit. But you gotta get hits to win.' Against Skenes and the Pirates bullpen, the Cubs' bats couldn't come up with the big hit, going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. In the fifth, with Happ on first and two outs, Kyle Tucker drove a double into the left-center-field gap. Happ was looking to score, but Oneil Cruz made a good throw to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who made the relay to Henry Davis, and Happ was out easily at the plate. Advertisement 'The Tucker double, I thought they got a pretty good kick off the wall, and then the shortstop made a really nice play on the short-hop throw and made a nice throw,' Counsell said. 'Credit to their defense on that one.' Hitting with runners in scoring position can go in waves sometimes. On the season, the Cubs have the second-highest batting average and wRC+ in those situations, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers. In their last 10 games, they're hitting .164 with runners in scoring position. Those include games against Skenes, Skubal, MacKenzie Gore, Zack Wheeler, Jack Flaherty and Jesús Luzardo, all of whom are pitching incredibly well this season. And it's such a small sample that it shouldn't sway opinion about what this team can do. One good game can shift the narrative. One strong series and it's just a blip in a long season. Ultimately, the most important part of Friday's game, beyond the outcome, is the continued development of Horton. In a season in which the Cubs have a strong chance to not only make the postseason but also push deep into October, their primary weakness appears to be the rotation. But Horton is emerging as a key piece to the puzzle. There's a good chance some big moments will be coming for Horton this summer and even in the fall. The spotlight is certain to be on the rookie. 'I'm not scared of the moment,' Horton said. 'I love the moment.'


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Gleyber David Torres Player Props: June 6, Tigers vs. Cubs
Gleyber David Torres Player Props: June 6, Tigers vs. Cubs Gleyber David Torres is looking to get back on track after a hitless showing in his previous game (0 for 4). His Detroit Tigers take on Ben Brown and the Chicago Cubs on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET on Apple TV+. Find odds, stats, and more below to make your Gleyber David Torres player prop bets. Gleyber Torres is batting .264 with nine doubles, five home runs and 32 walks. Watch tonight's Tigers game on Fubo! Gleyber David Torres Prop Bets and Odds Hits Prop: 0.5 hits (Over odds: -208) 0.5 hits (Over odds: -208) Home Runs Prop: 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +825) 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +825) RBI Prop: 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +195) 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +195) Runs Prop: 0.5 runs (Over odds: +120) 0.5 runs (Over odds: +120) Total Bases Prop: 1.5 total bases (Over odds: +150) 1.5 total bases (Over odds: +150) Stolen Bases Prop: 0.5 stolen bases (Over odds: +1050) How to Watch Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs Matchup: Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs Time: 7:10 p.m. ET 7:10 p.m. ET Date: Friday, June 6, 2025 Friday, June 6, 2025 TV Channel: Apple TV+ Apple TV+ Live Stream: Fubo (Watch now! - Regional restrictions may apply) Gleyber David Torres vs. Ben Brown Gleyber David Torres prop bet insights Gleyber David Torres has reached base with a hit 31 times this season in 51 games played (60.8%), including multiple hits in 25.5% of them (13 times). In five of 51 games this season, he has homered (9.8%). He's taken the pitcher deep in 2.3% of his trips to the plate in 2025. In 24 of 51 games this year (47.1%), Gleyber David Torres has scored a run, and four of those games (7.8%) included an effort that produced more than one run scored. In 31.4% of his games this season (16 of 51), he has notched at least one RBI. In eight of those games (15.7%) he recorded two or more RBI, while he was responsible for three or more of his team's runs in five contests. In 43.1% of his games this year (22 of 51), Gleyber David Torres has gone down on strikes at least once, and in four of those games (7.8%) he registered more than one punchout. MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Friday at 6:28 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Gleyber David Torres stats against the Cubs Date Opp. SP H/AB XBH HR RBI R K/BB SB 9/8/2024 Jameson Taillon 1-for-4 0 0 0 0 1/0 0 9/7/2024 Javier Assad 1-for-4 0 0 0 1 1/1 0 9/6/2024 Jordan Wicks 1-for-4 0 0 0 1 0/1 0 7/9/2023 Kyle Hendricks 2-for-5 0 0 0 1 0/0 1 7/8/2023 Drew Smyly 2-for-3 0 0 0 2 1/1 0 7/7/2023 Jameson Taillon 1-for-4 0 0 0 0 1/0 0 6/11/2022 Matt Swarmer 2-for-4 1 1 1 2 1/0 0 6/10/2022 Wade Miley 1-for-5 1 1 1 1 1/1 0 Cubs starter: Ben Brown Brown (3-3 with a 5.72 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings pitched) takes the hill for the Cubs in his 11th start of the season. His last appearance came in relief on Saturday, when the right-hander pitched six scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds while giving up only one hit. In 12 games this year, the 25-year-old held an ERA of 5.72, with 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are batting .277 against him. Brown is trying to register his third quality start in this outing.