Diamondbacks place reliever Martinez on injured list with sprained pitching elbow
PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Justin Martinez has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.
He exited Monday night's win against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning with what the team called elbow tightness. Now Martinez will go for a second opinion, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters Tuesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
Twenty things I'm hearing and watching for on MLB trade deadline with 50 days to go
The MLB trade deadline is now just 50 days away. Where did the time go? Each trade deadline is different in terms of the buyers and sellers and the magnitude of moves, and this year will be no different. So, what can we expect, beyond the unexpected, this trade season? I've been talking and texting with front office executives and evaluators throughout baseball to gauge how the early trade conversations are going. Here are 20 things I'm hearing, watching for, and thinking about with 50 days until the July 31 trade deadline. 1. The Orioles and Diamondbacks will be the headliners of the trade deadline if they decide to be 'sellers.' Baltimore would be able to dangle starting pitchers like Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano and position players like Cedric Mullins and Ryan O'Hearn, among others. All five will be free agents after this season. Arizona has four significant impending free agents it could trade including starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly as well as both of its infield corners, first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suárez. Advertisement 2. After subpar starts, the Braves, Red Sox and Rangers don't appear to be postseason teams this year, but most in the industry believe they will make trades to try to improve their respective rosters for the rest of this season and next rather than being typical sellers. The Braves will focus on acquiring more pitching (starting and relieving). The Red Sox will try to deal one of their outfielders for starting pitching help and an upgrade at first base. The Rangers will generally look for bats if they can't get their own guys going. 3. The front offices of most of the contending teams are underwhelmed by the players the obvious sellers — the Athletics, Marlins, Pirates, White Sox and Rockies — have to dangle for potential deals. GO DEEPER MLB trade targets to address the biggest need for each contending team 4. The Angels, who are currently a game below .500, don't seem inclined to be sellers right now, but that should change by the end of July; if that happens, they'll have two power bats they could offer in DH Jorge Soler and LF Taylor Ward, along with starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. 5. Among their counterparts, front-office executives believe Orioles general manager Mike Elias and Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto are under the most pressure at this year's trade deadline. Elias because he seems to be focusing on adding a top-of-the-rotation starter and doesn't appear to have the mindset to be a seller right now, though, in my opinion, he probably should be. His job could be on the line this trade deadline. In terms of Dipoto, many in the industry believe he should add a significant bat to Seattle's lineup; with such a strong farm system and ownership willing to increase payroll, there is no excuse not to this year. 6. The Mets and Phillies look headed for an epic division race in the NL East, but between now and July 31 they're also in a race to see which team can bolster its bullpen the best. According to industry sources, both organizations are focused on high-leverage arms and will be chasing similar relievers. Advertisement 7. The Padres know they need another bat to lengthen their lineup and are focused on acquiring a left fielder. They might be willing to again dangle their best prospects to get it done as they try to take advantage of their roster's window to win a World Series. 8. The Dodgers are most focused on getting their starting pitchers healthy and back on the mound including Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Tony Gonsolin. If the Dodgers can get them healthy for the stretch run, they really don't have an obvious need to address at the deadline. They have the best offense and lineup in baseball, top to bottom, and when healthy, arguably the best rotation, too. But can their pitchers get healthy? If not, the Dodgers will look to trade for yet another starter. 9. The Royals are shopping for corner outfield help and realize they'll probably have to trade one of their top catching prospects to make it happen. 10. The Mariners appear to be focused on acquiring a middle-of-the-order bat, either a first baseman or third baseman, and have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball from which to trade. They match up perfectly with the Diamondbacks for either Naylor or a reunion with Suárez. GO DEEPER MLB trade deadline Urgency Index 1.0: Who needs what? Who needs it most? 11. The Cardinals will be open-minded about adding at the trade deadline, but if things go south in the coming weeks, don't expect them to turn into traditional sellers. They are committed to building for the long term so expect every move they make between now and the deadline to reflect that approach. Being open to adding doesn't mean if they get the right offer for closer Ryan Helsley or a starting pitcher like Erick Fedde or Miles Mikolas, they won't jump on it — they will. All three will be free agents after this season. 12. Don't expect the Marlins to trade Sandy Alcantara (7.14 ERA over 13 starts) while his value is down. Instead, they're expected to keep him until he regains his Cy Young Award form, which might not happen until later this year and maybe even next. They can always shop Alcantara, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, in the offseason or the next trade deadline. (His contract includes a $21 million team option for 2027.) However, the Marlins will listen to inquiries on their corner outfielders this summer since teams like the Padres and Royals might overpay for Kyle Stowers or Jesús Sánchez. Advertisement 13. The Nationals are looking for an ace to pair with MacKenzie Gore at the top of their rotation. That will be their priority at the trade deadline and in the offseason. It appears their ownership could be willing to spend more in the offseason to make impactful moves and start getting serious about trying to contend. 14. The Tigers are for real. They'll be aggressive at the trade deadline to bolster their bullpen and lengthen their lineup, with a power-hitting third baseman being their biggest need. Like the Mariners, a reunion with the Diamondbacks' Suárez could be the best fit. Arizona could put Jordan Lawlar at third base to build for next year and let him work on his development in the majors in the second half of the season. 15. As we've written many times, the Pirates have no interest in trading Paul Skenes as this year's deadline. However, multiple GMs have told me that won't stop them from making serious offers to acquire him. And, if you're the Pirates, you have to listen because you have so many needs to fill — on your big-league team and also in your farm system. The return for Skenes in a trade would have to be even more than the haul the Nationals got for Juan Soto at the 2022 deadline. However, he is the best pitcher in baseball, with four more years of team control, so it arguably would be worth paying that type of package. I learned long ago in baseball … never say never. 16. The Cubs have a clear path to an NL Central title and are planning to be aggressive at the trade deadline, looking for a strong starting pitcher and bullpen help. 17. The Giants believe in stability and continuity so, outside of adding another bat, don't expect a lot of moves from them at this deadline. They need more offense — they rank 24th in OPS — and could use an upgrade at first base or in right field. Naylor would be a good fit because he's a rental and wouldn't block their top prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge. The Giants usually don't like short-term solutions, but in this case, it would make sense. 18. The Blue Jays have made acquiring a starting pitcher their priority at this trade deadline. They match up well with the Diamondbacks for one of their impending free-agent starters, Gallen or Kelly, if Arizona decides to sell, or perhaps with the Angels for Anderson. 19. Similar to recent years, the Guardians have been asking around about the availability of possible right-field upgrade options, hoping to improve the production in the middle of their lineup. Advertisement 20. There is a lot of buzz in the industry that Braves manager Brian Snitker and Rangers manager Bruce Bochy could retire at season's end, which would be a big loss for the sport. Both are classy people with impressive track records who have been great for the game. It's disappointing that both of their teams might look to sell at this year's deadline. That said, I would never bet against either one of them or the teams they manage. (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Steph Chambers, Kevin C. Cox, Matthew J. Lee / Getty Images)
New York Times
30 minutes ago
- New York Times
Phillies MLB trade deadline primer: 3 early storylines to watch
There is an absolute in the years since Dave Dombrowski assumed control of the Phillies, and that is an active trade deadline. He has engineered 12 deadline trades in four years. He acquired two players — Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa — at the 2022 deadline who are still on his roster. He's obtained others — Ian Kennedy, Rodolfo Castro and Austin Hays — who left less of a mark on the Phillies. Advertisement Dombrowski figures to be active again come July; these Phillies are in deep with a $305 million payroll. They still have flaws. The Phillies entered this season attempting to strike a difficult balance; they did not sign a free agent to a multi-year contract over the offseason, and resisted trading their best prospects. This, then, was a bridge year. The Phillies are trying to win, but without sacrificing everything. It makes this a fascinating deadline for Dombrowski, who has to issue a referendum on this roster's chances for a World Series title. Dombrowski has never been afraid to flip middle-tier prospects in July trades. He has protected his best farmhands at previous deadlines. The Phillies went deep into trade talks last summer with the Chicago White Sox regarding Garrett Crochet, a deal that would have required surrendering a massive prospect package. Those talks fizzled. There might not be a player of Crochet's caliber available at this year's July 31 deadline. Even if there is, Dombrowski has made Andrew Painter untouchable. Other prospects might have since ascended to that status. Here's a primer on what to monitor in the weeks ahead. It's no secret the Phillies will look to fortify their bullpen. It is a familiar need. The Phillies searched for bullpen help at the 2022 and 2024 trade deadlines; they went with 'proven veteran' types like David Robertson and Carlos Estévez. Under Dombrowski, the Phillies have targeted velocity when building a bullpen. They had the hardest-throwing bullpen in baseball in 2023 and the third-hardest in 2024. They've dipped to sixth in 2025 — that includes José Alvarado's high-powered fastballs from earlier this season. They could be hunting in July for more velocity. Dombrowski will go into this trade deadline knowing he'll have Alvarado, suspended by MLB until Aug. 18, for the season's final six weeks. The lefty is ineligible for the postseason if the Phillies qualify. They do not know how effective Alvarado will be upon his return, but that adds a layer to Dombrowski's decision-making. Advertisement So does this: The Phillies might have a surplus of starting pitching, depending on Aaron Nola's health and Andrew Painter's ascension, which could bump some starters to the bullpen in August or September. This matters too: This year's postseason schedule calls for an extra off day during the National League Division Series, which means a team would need only three starters in a five-game series. So a bullpen acquisition at the trade deadline has to be more than a marginal one; the Phillies might not be looking for someone to help them reach October, rather someone who can be trusted to pitch in high-leverage postseason situations. That is a high bar. Whether that pitcher becomes available or the Phillies decide to meet the price remains to be seen. Here lies, yet again, another festering problem. The Phillies entertained an outfield addition at the 2023 trade deadline, but opted to stick with Johan Rojas in center and Brandon Marsh in left. They plucked Hays from the Baltimore Orioles last July, only to see that transaction flop when Hays suffered myriad injuries. They tried another marginal addition over the offseason by signing Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal. The outfield free-agent market has not borne much fruit: Anthony Santander, Tyler O'Neill, Michael Conforto and Jurickson Profar (suspended) have all struggled for various reasons. The only free-agent outfielder from the middle class who has produced, Harrison Bader, is having his best season in years. The Phillies made a bet on Kepler as a bounce-back candidate. They have hidden him against lefties through a platoon, yet Kepler is a below-average hitter overall in 2025. He's played an average left field. If the Phillies want an outfield reinforcement in July, they might have to think creatively again. Many contenders are seeking a right-handed bat. Left field, at least in the past, would be a logical place to stick one. Advertisement The Phillies entered the week tied for 25th in home runs by right-handed hitters. They've averaged 102 homers from righties over the past four seasons. They are on pace for 64 in 2025. The last time they did not have a righty who bashed 20 homers in a season (excluding 2020) was 2015. Slugging numbers are down across the sport, rendering any available power hitter a hot commodity. Some teams could simply double down on pitching and defense. The Phillies have one of the worst defensive outfields in baseball. If they cannot obtain power, maybe they rearrange things to optimize for defense. This qualifies as a good problem for the Phillies to solve, considering how much Mick Abel's stock has risen following a forgettable 2024 season. He's pitched with conviction in the majors. He has emerged as a more confident strike-thrower; it is a transformation that could entice other clubs. Abel, for now, is crucial rotation depth because Nola could be sidelined through the All-Star break. At that point, if Nola is ready, Abel would probably return to the minors. Sometime in July, the Phillies expect Andrew Painter to factor into their rotation plans. That would bump Abel even further down the depth chart. If the Phillies retain Abel, he'd still be on the outside of an initial 2026 rotation projection. The Phillies have Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Nola under contract, with Jesús Luzardo and Painter under club control. All of this must factor into the calculus the Phillies use in assessing Abel's place in the organization. Should the Phillies believe Abel's transformation merits a longer look, they could toy with the idea of him as a reliever for the stretch run, then revisit things in the offseason. The Phillies will receive calls on Aroon Escobar, a stocky infielder who hits the ball hard. The 20-year-old Venezuelan generated interest among clubs at last year's trade deadline despite being sidelined by persistent shin splints. Eduardo Tait, a big-bodied catcher who does not turn 19 until August, is a potential trade chip. Rival evaluators have questioned whether Tait sticks behind the plate, but that is not a universal opinion. The job requirements for a big-league catcher could be drastically different by the time Tait reaches the majors. (Top photo of Dave Dombrowski: Eric Hartline / Imagn Images)
New York Times
31 minutes ago
- New York Times
Eight things to know about the 2025 NCAA Men's College World Series field
The 2025 College World Series begins at 2 p.m. ET on Friday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. The field consists of two teams from the SEC (Arkansas and LSU) and one each from the ACC (Louisville), Big 12 (Arizona), Big Ten (UCLA), Missouri Valley (Murray State) and Sun Belt (Coastal Carolina) as well as one independent (Oregon State). Advertisement Here are eight things to know about the 2025 CWS. Arkansas has had no trouble recruiting elite high school talent to Fayetteville over the years, but the 2025 Razorbacks were built by the transfer portal. Of the Hogs' eight position players with at least 30 starts, catcher Ryder Helfrick is the only one who signed with the Razorbacks out of high school. The imports: Wehiwa Aloy, the SEC Player of the Year, is the only one on that list who has been with the program for more than one season. Starting pitchers Zach Root (ECU) and Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State) also arrived via the portal last offseason. The bullpen, however, is almost exclusively homegrown, with Dylan Carter (Crowder College) and Aiden Jimenez (Oregon State) the only transfers. The previous two College World Series featured a total of 15 future first-round MLB Draft picks, including five of the top nine picks in 2023. The 2025 field does not appear to be as star-studded, with only five players in the first round in Keith Law's most recent mock draft. Three players were mentioned among 'others to watch' — Arkansas pitchers Zach Root and Gage Wood and Louisville pitcher Patrick Forbes. Some fun facts on the eight head coaches in the 2025 field: • Four of the eight are coaching at their alma mater — Arkansas' Dave Horn, Arizona's Chip Hale, Coastal Carolina's Kevin Schnall and Oregon State's Mitch Canham. • Three coaches played in the College World Series. Hale was on the Arizona team that won the national title in 1986. Louisville's Dan McDonnell was on the 1990 The Citadel team that reached the CWS as a No. 5 seed in the Atlantic Regional when the field was still 48 teams (with eight six-team Regionals). Canham was a catcher on the Oregon State teams that won back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. Advertisement • Two coaches have taken other schools to the CWS — Van Horn (Nebraska, 2001 and 2002) and LSU's Jay Johnson (Arizona, 2016 and 2021). • Hale can become the third person to manage in the major leagues and lead a team to the College World Series title. The list of two right now includes Jack Barry and Bobby Winkles. Barry, who led Holy Cross to the 1952 national championship, spent one season as the Boston Red Sox manager (90-62 in 1917). Winkles won three national titles at Arizona State in the 1960s and later managed the Angels and A's in the 1970s. Hale went 148-176 in two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2015-16). Eight players on the LSU roster were also on the 2023 team that won the national championship, but only three saw action in Omaha. Pitcher Gavin Guidry made four appearances out of the bullpen, giving up seven hits and three earned runs in five innings. He was on the mound for the final two innings of the 18-4 win over Florida in Game 3. Outfielder Josh Pearson struggled, going a combined 2-for-20, but he hit a home run in the clincher. Jared Jones, a freshman at the time, went 1-for-2 in two appearances as a pinch hitter. Coastal Carolina has two players on its roster who were on teams that played in the College World Series — pitchers Cullen McKay (Virginia in 2023 and 2024) and Chance Mako (NC State in 2024). Neither appeared in a game in Omaha. Arkansas outfielder Logan Maxwell, a transfer from TCU, went 3-for-7 in three games with the Horned Frogs in the 2023 CWS. Getting elite high school players to campus is always a challenge, even in the NIL era. The eight CWS teams combined to sign 17 of the top 100 players in Perfect Game's Class of 2024 recruiting rankings. Nine of the 17 enrolled in college, headlined by two top-10 prospects at LSU — pitcher William Schmidt (No. 5) and outfielder Derek Curiel (No. 10). Advertisement LSU's signing class featured 11 top-100 players (six enrolled), while Oregon State and Arkansas each signed two and Arizona and UCLA each signed one. Here's a look at the 2024 top-100 recruits who made it to campus for the teams in the 2025 CWS. No. 5 William Schmidt, RHP, LSU: Schmidt has pitched in 17 games, mostly in nonconference action, and has a 7-0 record with a 4.73 ERA. He has 41 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings. No. 10 Derek Curiel, OF, LSU: Curiel has been one of the best freshmen in the nation. He's hitting .347 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs. No. 40 Mason Russell, LHP, Arizona: White has thrown only 7 1/3 innings in seven appearances. He has a 13.50 ERA and a 2.45 WHIP. No. 43 Dax Whitney, RHP, Oregon State: Whitney has been a key part of the Beavers' weekend rotation. The Idaho native is 6-3 with a 3.66 ERA and has struck out 111 batters in 71 1/3 innings. No. 56 Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas: Wiggins has made 14 appearances, all in relief, and is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and three saves. He has given up only seven hits and has 20 strikeouts in 14 innings. No. 73 Cooper Williams, LHP, LSU: Williams has been a key left-handed option out of the bullpen. He has thrown 19 2/3 innings over 20 appearances and has an 0-1 record with a 1.83 ERA. No. 74 Casan Evans, RHP, LSU: Evans started three SEC games but has mostly been used out of the bullpen. He is 4-1 with a 1.90 ERA and six saves. He has 65 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings. No. 79 David Hogg II, INF, LSU: Hogg played in only three games and recently entered the transfer portal. No. 92 Ryan Costello, 1B, LSU: Costello, like Hogg, is in the transfer portal after playing sparingly in 2025. Last year's CWS field featured some of the game's most prodigious power hitters. Led by Florida's Jac Caglianone and Tennessee's Christian Moore, seven of the nation's top 16 home run leaders played in Omaha in 2024. Advertisement It's a different story this time around. The 2025 field features only two of the top 20 sluggers: Jonathan Hogart of Murray State (tied for fourth with 24) and Roch Cholowsky of UCLA (tied for sixth with 23). Three teams in the field rank among the top 20 nationally in home runs — Arkansas (fourth with 124), Oregon State (tied for 16th with 103) and LSU (19th with 101). Next up is Louisville (43rd with 83). Coastal Carolina is the only team not in the top 100. The Chants are 108th with 66. Murray State is the fourth No. 4 Regional seed to crash the College World Series since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1999. Here's a look at how the Cinderellas got to Omaha, and how they fared. Fresno State, 2008: Aaron Judge's alma mater (no, he was not on the '08 Bulldogs) won the Long Beach Regional and then beat Arizona State in three games in the Tempe Super Regional to advance to Omaha. The Bulldogs beat No. 6 seed Rice 17-5 and No. 2 seed North Carolina 6-2 to stay in the winners' bracket. They lost to North Carolina 4-3 but then beat the Tar Heels 6-1 to move on to the championship series. Georgia won the opener 7-6, but Fresno State bounced back with wins of 19-10 and 6-1 to claim the title. Stony Brook, 2012: The America East champs had to come out of the losers' bracket to win the Coral Gables Regional and advance to face mighty LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional. LSU won the first game, but Stony Brook won the next two, 3-1 and 7-2, to stun the college baseball world. The Seawolves' stay in Omaha did not last long; they lost to No. 2 seed UCLA 9-1 in the opener and then bowed out with a 12-2 loss to No. 3 Florida State. Oral Roberts, 2023: Oral Roberts, which cruised through the Summit League with a 23-1 record, went 3-0 at the Stillwater Regional and then beat Oregon in three games at the Eugene Super Regional (after losing the opener 9-8 after leading 8-0!). The Golden Eagles went 1-2 in Omaha, beating TCU in the opener and then losing to Florida and TCU. The eight teams in Omaha have a combined 74 appearances in the College World Series and 16 national championships. LSU leads the way with 20 CWS appearances, followed by Arizona (19), Arkansas (12), Oregon State (eight), Louisville (six), UCLA (six), Coastal Carolina (two) and Murray State (one). The titles belong to LSU (seven), Arizona (four), Oregon State (three), Coastal Carolina (one) and UCLA (one). (Photo of Murray State: Jaylynn Nash / Imagn Images)
