A.J. Preller is still not done

New York Times

3 days ago

The 2025 MLB trade deadline arrives at 6 p.m. (ET) today. Join us for live updates and analysis on trades around the league. Getty Images Getty Images
Continuing a frenetic, all-in deadline day, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller surrendered a pair of young pitchers with loads of club control in order to acquire a new starting catcher in Freddy Fermin.
Ryan Bergert, a rookie, and Stephen Kolek, a second-year big-leaguer, supplied valuable innings this season for a Padres team that has missed veteran starters Michael King and Yu Darvish for chunks of time. With the departure of the young right-handers, the Padres could opt to keep Dylan Cease, barring a big offer for the pending free-agent starter.
The Padres, according to people familiar with their thinking, are still determined to acquire a left fielder before 6 p.m. ET, with Baltimore's Ramón Laureano among the possibilities. Since the start of Thursday, Preller already has traded elite shortstop prospect Leo De Vries, Kolek and pitching prospects Bergert, Braden Nett, Henry Baez and Eduarniel Núñez. He still has some interesting minor leaguers left to offer, including catcher Ethan Salas and pitchers Boston Bateman, Kash Mayfield and Miguel Mendez. Getty Images
Here are a few numbers to catch you up on what the Mets are acquiring when it comes to Cedric Mullins: 229/.305/.433/ slash line
15 home runs
14 stolen bases
.216 expected batting average (4th percentile)
.361 expected slugging percentage (18th percentile)
36.1% hard-hit percentage (22nd percentile)
83rd percentile in range
80th percentile in sprint speed Getty Images
Ke'Bryan Hayes is not only in Cincinnati with his new team, he's in the lineup for the Reds' series-opener against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Hayes, who will be at third base and batting ninth, was told he was traded before the Pittsburgh Pirates' game in San Francisco on Wednesday and flew to Chicago before completing his journey to Cincinnati on Thursday.
After spending his entire pro career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he's at least familiar with Great American Ball Park.
Hayes said in the first hour he'd been in the Reds' clubhouse, he'd already met with manager Terry Francona and some of the team's hitting coaches.
'I think just being in a new ballpark, being around a new clubhouse and being around new eyes that are watching me, they already said they've looked at some stuff for me that they have for me,' Hayes said. 'But more than anything, I always want to get better. The two years or so, I haven't hit how I know I can hit. So, yeah, I'm very open to what they have for me and not only them, but guys in the clubhouse and that type of stuff. , I'm hoping that that I can get back to swinging the bat how I know I can swing it.'
Reporting suggests the Pirates are unlikely to trade Mitch Keller, and it's always seemed a long shot that the Twins could be persuaded to trade Joe Ryan. The Padres seem to be shopping Dylan Cease, but perhaps only in a need-for-need deal that can be tough to pull off.
And so, the top of the rotation market — at least on the supply side — seems to come down to these three teams, each with multiple starters to offer. Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen
Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen Marlins: Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera
Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera Orioles: Charlie Morton, Zach Eflin, Tomoyuki Sugano, Trevor Rogers
Just looking at the returns for some of these relief pitchers, it becomes incredibly profound just how badly the Guardians are hurt by Emmanuel Clase being placed on administrative leave for a gambling investigation.
It's not entirely clear that Cleveland would have traded Clase, but with Mason Miller fetching a four-prospect package headlined by Leo De Vries, Jhoan Duran bringing back Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait and a number of other good returns for lesser closers, Cleveland fans — and perhaps front office members — must be wondering what the return could have been for the guy who has led the league in saves in each of the last three seasons, with a career ERA of 1.88 over 366 big-league games.
"I'd like one moon, please, with a few comets and meteors to be named later."
Even if the plan was to keep Clase, Cleveland would at least have that guy on their roster, had this investigation never happened. That's no guarantee now — if Clase is found to have been involved in gambling, it's possible they'll be left with no Clase and no return for his absence. The worst-case scenario would be a lifetime ban, as was the case with Pirates infielder Tucupita Marcano last year. Getty Images
What happened last year to David Bednar? Can the Yankees be sure that they aren't getting that version in their trade today?
Bednar put up an ERA near six in 2024, with a strikeout rate ten percentage points worse than he's shown this year, and the worst walk rate of his career. That's worrisome, of course. But something important was also true in 2024: his stuff was nearly unchanged.
In 2023, Bednar had a 108 Stuff+ and a 102 Location+, giving him mid-level stuff and decent command among his closer peers. In 2024, he actually had a 109 Stuff+ and, well, his Location+ plummeted, to a 96. This year? 107 Stuff+ and a 108 Location+. You can look at his pitch movements and velocities, and they tell the same story: not much has changed in the physical forms of his pitches.
If any pitch has changed, it's his curveball. In 2024, that pitch was bigger than it's been this year, or in 2023. Returning to his old curveball may have helped him, as he's locating the pitch particularly well this year. But, for the most part, his pitches are what they are, and that's a good thing.
If you ask him why the command left him, as I did last year, he would talk about mechanics, and how he released the ball. Obviously, something was wrong, and it looks like he's fixed it.
But in terms of numbers, losing command for a year is not the biggest problem. Stuff+ is stickier year to year, and Location+ comes and goes. That's why teams bet on stuff, as the Yankees have here.
Pirates fans do not seem happy with the return from the Yankees for David Bednar...
Al H.: Bednar is one of the elite closers in MLB. He is a tremendous addition. Strikes out a ton of batters and walks very few. Does not give up many homers and he would be the Yankees closer next year and possibly this year.
Anonymous: Well, Rafael Flores ain't much, but at least he's not a middle infielder with a .550 OPS!
Bruce W.: Once again my Pittsburgh Pirates trade one of their true assets for what looks like a very underwhelming return.
Chris S.: What a garbage return and coward move by Cherington. Same old Pirates. Getty Images
I'd tack on two other needs to Chad's list, though I get why he didn't include them, because both of those teams have addressed these needs (somewhat). But they have more work to do with less than three hours left before the deadline.
Cubs rotation: As Stephen Nesbitt pointed out, Chicago needs a frontline starter with Justin Steele on the shelf. Michael Soroka is a sneaky good pickup, but he hasn't been a true ace-like option for years at this point.
Dodgers bullpen: Similar to the Cubs, the Dodgers made a nice start by bringing back Brock Stewart but need more. Stewart was a solid setup man in Minnesota in front of Griffin Jax and new Phillie Jhoan Duran. But he's not going to singlehandedly solve the problems of a team that has asked Ben Casparius, Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer to close out games this week. (Who, you're asking? Exactly.)
The Yankees aren't expected to stand pat after adding David Bednar. As previously reported, they have been all over the bullpen market, and they have been keeping in touch on starting pitchers.
David Bednar won't be a free agent until the end of next season. Important because Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are both free agents at the end of this season.
And, no, the Yankees are not pencils down yet. They are still trying for more. Getty Images
The full prospect return heading to the Pirates from the Yankees for closer David Bednar, per source: C/1B Rafael Flores, C Edgleen Perez and OF Brian Sanchez. Getty Images
There are just under three hours left until the 6 pm ET trade deadline.
The Phillies have checked bullpen and center field off their wish list. The Mariners have addressed both infield corners. The Blue Jays have added a starter and a late-inning reliever. The Yankees have a new third baseman and — as of a few minutes ago — a new reliever. The Dodgers haven't done much, but they have added to their needy bullpen.
Not every buyer, though, has been able to meet all of its needs. Here are four that still have a key spot to address.
Astros rotation — Injuries have taken a toll, and the Astros need a starter. They've been linked to Sandy Alcantara and Dylan Cease. They have, at least, found a third baseman in Ramón Urías.
Mets outfield — Improving the bullpen was obviously a priority, and the Mets have traded for three relievers. But center field remains a position of need. The division rival Phillies took Harrison Bader off the board.
Padres offense — A.J. Preller went all-in to get closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears from the Athletics. Could he now get creative by trading Cease — or someone else — to add a much-needed bat? Getty Images
The New York Yankees just added to a bullpen is desperate need of additional quality, reportedly acquiring David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here's more on the right hander: 2.37 ERA
97.1 mph average fastball velocity (89th percentile)
33.1% strikeout percentage (95th percentile)
28.3 % whiff percentage (72nd percentile)
51 strikeouts in 38 innings
17 saves (0 blown saves) Getty Images
The dominant story of this trade deadline has been the relief pitchers. It makes sense, with so many teams needing to shore up the back end of their bullpen after mixed to flat-out bad results for contenders like the Yankees and Dodgers despite heavy investment in those areas last offseason.
The deadline action got started in earnest yesterday with three reliever trades — Jhoan Duran from the Twins to the Phillies and the Mets getting Tyler Rogers from San Francisco and Ryan Helsley from St. Louis. Then, A.J. Preller's Padres delivered another trade deadline bombshell by sending his team's top prospect in a package to acquire A's All-Star closer Mason Miller (and starter JP Sears). Now, it's the defending pennant winners getting in on the action with the Dodgers bringing back Brock Stewart while the Yankees take a swing for the Pirates' David Bednar.
And Twins setup man Griffin Jax is still out there... Getty Images
The Padres are finalizing a deal to acquire catcher Freddy Fermin from the Royals, according to sources.
San Diego is sending rookie pitcher Ryan Bergert to Kansas City, per ESPN. Getty Images
Pirates closer David Bednar is being traded to the Yankees in exchange for C/1B prospect Rafael Flores and two other prospects, a source tells The Athletic .
Yankees and the Rays delayed with one out in the bottom of the fifth. The Yankees are ahead, 7-4. They are in the middle of wild thunderstorm — one that looks like it has little chance of letting up, with the forecast calling for inches of rain all night and into tomorrow. Almost have to expect this game will get suspended here. Fun fact: Yankees catcher Austin Wells sat out in the dugout, allowing himself to get absolutely drenched by the rain for a good five minutes while his teammates sat under cover — presumably laughing.