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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB trade deadline top targets: 8 most impactful players who could move
The Major League Baseball trade deadline offers playoff contenders one last opportunity to improve their rosters for the stretch run and position themselves for a World Series push. Talks are expected to go down to the wire on many of the top available players, but in the meantime here's a brief overview of who could make the biggest splash over the final two months of the regular season ... and into October. Just for fun, we're ranking them on their potential impact for the rest of this year – and which teams could be/should be the most interested in them as the clock counts down to the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday. 3B Eugenio Suárez, Arizona Diamondbacks The Diamondbacks have the best collection of trade chips in the majors, with Suárez, 34, the top impact bat on the market. He already has 36 home runs this season and is a free agent this winter. Arizona will likely want a pair of top prospects and possibly another player as well, so his price will be high. Potential suitors: Tigers, Mariners, Cubs, Astros, Phillies UPDATE: Suárez was acquired by the Mariners RP Ryan Helsley, St. Louis Cardinals Relief pitchers are the most plentiful commodity at the trade deadline, but top closers are few and far between. Helsley fits the bill after leading the majors in saves last season with 49. He's racked up 21 saves in 26 chances this season, pitching to an even 3.00 ERA. Since June 15, however, he's allowed only one run in his last 11 innings. He's also a free agent at the end of this season. Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers UPDATE: Helsley was acquired by the Mets SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins If the Twins decide to sell, Ryan could be the top starting pitcher available. Despite a rocky last start vs. Washington, Ryan has been excellent all year with a 10-5 record, 2.82 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He's lined up to start on Saturday so he could jump right into a contending team's rotation. Ryan is in his first year of arbitration. Potential suitors: Red Sox, Blue Jays SP Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks Kelly has seemingly overtaken teammate Zac Gallen as the top trade target in the Arizona rotation. Since the beginning of June, he's pitched to a 2.56 ERA, averaging just about six innings over 10 starts. He has generally been a ground-ball pitcher over the course of his career so he could fit in most anywhere. Kelly is a free agent at the end of the season. Potential suitors: Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs SP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young award winner, missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He's had a rocky start in his return to action (6.36 ERA), but has been much better lately -- not allowing an earned run in winning his last two starts. He has $17.3 million left on his contract for next season, with a club option for 2027, so acquring him will come with a sizable financial commitment. Potential suitors: Yankees, Mets, Cubs SP Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins The arbitration-eligible Cabrera is a younger, less-expensive and perhaps more volatile version of Alcantara. With persistent injury issues, he's never pitched more than 100 innings in any major league season – and he's already at 94 innings this season. He experienced some elbow discomfort in his final start before the All-Star break, but has looked fine in two starts since then. Potential suitors: Yankees, Mets, Cubs OF Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox Robert, 27, showed difference-making potential in 2023 when he hit 38 homers with an .857 OPS, stole 20 bases and won a Gold Glove in center field. However, he hasn't come close to that kind of production the past two seasons. The White Sox have club options for 2026 and 2027 so they don't have to deal him if the price isn't right. But it's also highly unlikely he'll stick around until the White Sox are ready to contend again. Potential suitors: Mets, Phillies RP David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates Toiling away on a last-place team, Bednar seems like a lock to be dealt. He picked up his 17th save on Monday, although he did allow a run for the first time in 24 appearances. That's the kind of consistency any contender would love to have in its bullpen down the stretch. On the season, Bednar has a 2.37 ERA and is striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings. He has one more year of arbitration eligibility in 2026. Potential suitors: Tigers, Rangers, Phillies This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB trade deadline top targets 2025, impact players who could be dealt
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees Pushed To Swing Blockbuster Trade After Seth Lugo Decision
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees were one of the teams closely connected to a trade for Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo ahead of the trade deadline. But the Royals recently inked Lugo to a contract extension, so it's rather unlikely he's moved at any point in the near future. Now, the Yankees will be forced to look elsewhere to fill the massive hole in their starting rotation. FanSided's Joseph Kallan suggested the Yankees could pivot from Lugo to a deal with the Miami Marlins for pitcher Sandy Alcántara in the days leading up to the trade deadline. MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 23: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins walks to the dugout during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at loanDepot park on July 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida.... MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 23: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins walks to the dugout during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at loanDepot park on July 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida. More"The 2022 NL Cy Young winner is a long shot, but a worthy gamble. Sandy Alcántara has had a rough go in his return from Tommy John surgery, with a bloated 6.66 ERA and a negative WAR," Kallan wrote. "Still, there are glimmers of a return to form. His most recent outing featured seven shutout innings, and over his last two starts, opposing hitters are swinging at 73% of his two-strike pitches — second highest in MLB during that span. "At 29 years old, Alcántara still has long-term value. If his velocity and command continue to trend upward, New York could be the perfect landing spot for a bounce-back stretch. He's a risk — but one worth considering." A trade for Alcántara would be bold and expensive for the Bronx Bombers, but it's seemingly the kind of deal they need to pull off. The Yankees would be betting on the star to return to his pre-surgery form when he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. Since he's under team control for a few years, the Yankees would have a bit of time to help him get there. This idea has the potential to give the Yankees one of the better pitching staffs in baseball over the next few years if they can get everybody healthy. If the Yankees are serious about building for this year and beyond, a deal for the 2022 National League Cy Young winner makes a lot of sense. More MLB: Blockbuster Mock Trade Sends MacKenzie Gore To Cubs For Monumental Return
Newsweek
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
MLB Cy Young Odds, Best Bets: Tarik Skubal Heavily Favored In AL
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is currently heavily favored to become the first back-to-back American League Cy Young award winner since Pedro Martinez in 2000. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is currently heavily favored to become the first back-to-back American League Cy Young award winner since Pedro Martinez in 2000. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As the first full, post-All Star break week of the MLB season continues, Newsweek's look at the odds to win the biggest regular-season awards in baseball continues today with a breakdown of the Cy Young races. Fortunately for bettors interested in these markets, there's plenty of intrigue in both the AL and the NL (particularly in the latter) There's no need for any further throat-clearing here -- below are where both the AL Cy Young and NL Cy Young races stand, as of July 24. American League Cy Young Odds FanDuel ESPN BET Tarik Skubal -330 -240 Garrett Crochet +250 +230 Jacob DeGrom +1600 +1500 Hunter Brown +3000 +1800 With Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.19 ERA over 127.2 IP) listed at shorter than -200 at both ESPN BET and FanDuel, there's little doubt about who would win the 2025 AL Cy Young Award if the season ended today. Skubal, 28, received all 30 first-place votes for AL Cy Young last year after going 18-4, with a 2.39 ERA. Somehow, he has been even better this year -- and if he keeps his ERA anywhere near 2.19, it's hard to imagine anyone overtaking him for this award. It should be noted, though, that after Chris Sale (2.38) and Skubal (2.39) were the only players to finish 2024 with an ERA under 2.50, there are currently nine MLB pitchers with an ERA under 2.50. That list includes Skubal's top AL Cy Young threats: Boston's Garrett Crochet (2.19 ERA) and Texas's Jacob DeGrom (2.28 ERA). Statistically, picking between Skubal and Crochet is a matter of splitting hairs right now -- with one key exception -- as you can see below. Tarik Skubal vs. Garrett Crochet Statistical Comp. (as of 7/24) Record (IP) ERA Strikeouts (SO/9) BB BB/9 SO/BB WAR Tarik Skubal 10-3 (127.2) 2.19 164 (11.6) 16 1.1 10.25 4.9 Garrett Crochet 11-4 (135.1) 2.19 165 (11.0) 36 2.4 4.58 4.4 Both Skubal and Crochet have posted remarkable numbers across the board, but Skubal's remarkable ability to avoid walking batters is the difference. While Skubal is en route to his third straight season with a BB/9 of 2.0 or fewer, Crochet -- who gave up 2.0 BB/9 in 2024 -- is allowing 2.4 walks per nine innings. AL Cy Young Best Bet: Stay Away, Or Take Favorite Tarik Skubal Assuming both Skubal and Crochet maintain what we've seen from them so far this year, I can't argue with Skubal's status as the favorite here. Unfortunately, that makes all the non-Skubal options in this market easy-to-resist, even at odds that might look tempting on the surface. National League Cy Young Odds FD ESPN BET Zack Wheeler -115 -115 Paul Skenes +105 EVEN Christopher Sanchez +1500 +1600 Logan Webb +5000 +3300 In the National League, we're looking at a battle between Zack Wheeler and Paul Skenes that could go down to the wire. Zack Wheeler vs. Paul Skenes Statistical Comp. (as of 7/24) Let's start the comparison by listing off the key stats for both below. Record (IP) ERA Strikeouts (SO/9) BB BB/9 SO/BB WAR Zack Wheeler 9-3 (128) 2.39 164 (11.5) 26 1.8 6.31 5.0 Paul Skenes 5-8 (127) 1.91 137 (9.7) 31 2.2 4.42 5.4 If you took a blind look at the numbers above, you might need a second to figure out whether you're more impressed by the overall numbers on the top line or those below it. Skenes' ERA and WAR are spectacular, but it's hard to argue with Wheeler's almost-as-impressive ERA, not to mention his absurd strikeout numbers. There are a couple interesting questions to ponder beyond the stats for these two: Will Wheeler -- who finished a distant second behind Chris Sale in last year's NL Cy Young race (Sale got 26 first-place votes, while Wheeler received four) -- get the benefit of the doubt in another close race? Will voters go against the player with the better WAR? Last year, Sale (6.2 WAR), Wheeler (6.1 WAR) and Skenes (5.9 WAR) "happened" to finish in the same order in the NL Cy Young vote as they did in the NL WAR rankings. Now, let's unpack WAR's role in Cy Young voting a bit further. In last year's AL race, Skubal's WAR of 6.4 was one of the many metrics by which he was in a class of his own. In 2023, Gerrit Cole (7.4 WAR) won the AL Cy Young in a landslide thanks in large part to his big lead atop the WAR leaderboard, while the story for then-Padres ace Blake Snell (6.5 WAR) was the same in the NL. Let's wrap this up by addressing whether either Wheeler and/or Skenes are likely to rest down the stretch of the regular season. If you weren't familiar with 35-year-old Wheeler's recent track record, you might assume there was a chance he wouldn't be a safe bet to rack up the innings. But Wheeler has started 32 games in three of the last four seasons, and it's hard to see that changing this year, especially given that the Phillies are in a dogfight in both the NL East and the National League wildcard hunt. NL Cy Young Best Bet: Zack Wheeler Best odds as of 7/24: -115 (available at FanDuel, ESPN BET) Unfortunately for Skenes' case, it's unlikely that Pittsburgh -- which has one of the worst records in baseball and no playoff hopes -- will trot him out for anywhere near 32 starts. For me, that makes a chalky bet on Wheeler the best NL Cy Young bet as of today. The good news here is that while -115 is not exactly irresistible, it's still well worth a wager at nearly even-money. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Could Trade to Dodgers Be Secret Recipe to Return Ace to 'Former Glory'?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Dodgers came into the season with seemingly the best pitching staff in baseball, but injuries have destroyed most of the top arms. Los Angeles' pitching staff is barely averaging four innings per start at this point. ESPN's Jeff Passan recently suggested the Dodgers would be one of the best fits in a trade for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 18: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins pitches against the Kansas City Royals d1i at loanDepot park on July 18, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 18: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins pitches against the Kansas City Royals d1i at loanDepot park on July 18, 2025 in Miami, Florida."Alcantara was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in 2022, winning the NL Cy Young unanimously. He was more solid than spectacular in 2023 and missed 2024 with Tommy John surgery," Passan wrote. "He has been tinkering this season to try to get his pitch mix and locations right in hopes of regaining his former glory. His 7.14 ERA is unsightly, and with the Marlins still valuing him as a top starter, they could hold on to him until the winter, when teams such as the Baltimore Orioles would be more inclined to acquire him and the final two years of his contract." The Dodgers are certainly the level of aggressive it would take to land a star like Alcántara. The righty also has a few years of affordable team control left on his deal, which would fit perfectly with the Dodgers' payroll. The Marlins need to trade him before he drops his trade value any further. Trading him now would almost certainly net at least one star prospect in return. If the Marlins hunt a trade with the Dodgers, they could pursue former top prospects Bobby Miller and James Outman as well as talented prospects like Justin Wrobleski and plenty of others. Either way, the Dodgers are the right level of aggressive and desperate to make a deal like this come to life this month. More MLB: Shocking Deadline Deal? MLB Insider Links Phillies To All-Star Outfielder
Fox Sports
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star Game: Building the Best Phillies Lineup
The Philadelphia Phillies' baby blue-and-maroon look is among the best in sports. Might say we're Phanatics of it? This franchise has also left a rich legacy on the diamond, paving the way for today's stars to keep lighting up that Liberty Bell replica overlooking center field. Manager: Charlie Manuel Two-plus years after getting fired midseason in Cleveland, Manuel got his career back on track by becoming Philadelphia's manager in 2005. Taking over a team that was buzzing in wild-card contention, the Phillies won 85-plus games in each of Manuel's first seven seasons in the dugout, highlighted by two National League pennants (2008 and 2009), five consecutive NL East division titles (2007-11), a 102-win 2011 campaign and, of course, winning the 2008 World Series. Manuel is first among Phillies managers with 780 wins. Starting pitcher: Steve Carlton After seven high-caliber seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Carlton joined the Phillies for the 1972 season and took his game to the next level. In his first season in Philadelphia, Carlton posted an MLB-best 12.1 WAR, an NL-best 1.97 ERA and claimed the 1972 NL Cy Young, which would be one of four times that he won the award. On the Phillies' road to winning the 1980 World Series, the left-hander recorded a 2.30 ERA in four starts (27.1 innings). Carlton, who played 14-plus seasons in Philadelphia (1972-86), is first in Phillies history with 3,031 strikeouts, 241 wins and second among pitchers with 39 shutouts, a 64.6 WAR and 3,697.1 innings pitched. Reliever/closer: Tug McGraw After nine sharp seasons with the New York Mets, McGraw joined the Phillies in 1975 and continued to be one of the elite relievers in the sport. McGraw, who was part of Philadelphia's 1980 title team and posted a career-best 1.46 ERA and 0.92 WHIP that season, posted a combined 3.10 ERA over 722.0 innings pitched with the Phillies from 1975-84. McGraw is first in Phillies history with 313 games finished and sixth with 94 saves. Catcher: Darren Daulton Daulton got more and more productive at the plate across his 13-plus seasons in Philadelphia (1983-1997). Midway through his career, the catcher broke out for a pair of mammoth seasons, averaging 26 home runs, an NL-high 107 RBIs and a 5.9 WAR per season from 1992-93, while boasting a .263/.389/.503 slash line. Daulton was an All-Star three times and a Silver Slugger Award recipient once with the Phillies, who gradually moved the catcher to the outfield near the end of his career, and his 6.9 WAR in 1992 is a franchise best for a catcher. 1B: Ryan Howard Howard, who spent his entire career with the Phillies (2004-16), hit baseballs very, very far — and tried to dabble in the publishing industry in "The Office," but that's a story for another day. In just his first full season at the MLB level (2006), Howard uncorked 58 home runs and 149 RBIs, which each led MLB and helped him win the NL MVP Award. Furthermore, across his first six complete seasons (2006-11), Howard led the NL in RBIs three times, home runs twice and averaged an absurd 44 home runs and 133 RBIs per season, while boasting a combined .559 slugging percentage. A torn Achilles tendon suffered on the final play of the 2011 season began to spiral Howard's career, though, he still hit 23.7 home runs per year across his last three seasons (2014-16). Howard, who started at first base for Philadelphia's 2008 World Series team, is second in Phillies history with 382 home runs, third with 1,194 RBIs, seventh with both a .515 slugging percentage and 709 walks and 10th with 277 doubles. 2B: Chase Utley Utley was a stone-cold killer. A four-time Silver Slugger and six-time All-Star, Utley is one of the best second basemen of all time and one of the faces of an electric Philadelphia team in the late 2000s, highlighted by the 2008 championship season. The second baseman had a tall, impact power swing from the left side, posted a slugging percentage north of .500 in five seasons and was a vacuum at the middle-infield position. While the Phillies lost the series in six games, Utley launched five home runs in the 2009 World Series. Utley is second in Phillies history with a 62.0 WAR, fifth with 346 doubles, sixth with both 233 home runs and 949 runs scored, seventh with 916 RBIs and ninth with 1,623 hits. 3B: Mike Schmidt Schmidt is the best player to put on a Phillies uniform for a prolonged period of time. The third baseman spent his entire 18-year career in Philadelphia (1972-89), earning three NL MVP awards, six Silver Slugger honors, 10 Gold Gloves and 12 All-Star nods. Schmidt, who led the NL in home runs eight times, was an impact hitter who slugged at an elite rate his entire career; he's one of the best players in MLB history. The third baseman was the face of the 1980 Phillies' championship team, which saw Schmidt win the World Series MVP. Schmidt is first in Phillies history with 548 home runs, 1,595 RBIs, 1,506 runs scored and a 106.9 WAR, second with 2,234 hits, third with 408 doubles and tied for fourth with a .527 slugging percentage. SS: Jimmy Rollins Rollins was a demon at shortstop, in the batter's box and on the basepaths. A four-time Gold Glover and three-time All-Star, Rollins spent the majority of his career in Philadelphia (2000-14), with whom he won the 2008 World Series and was a net at the middle-infield position. Furthermore, Rollins, who posted a career 55 DRS at shortstop, led MLB in triples four times, including an absurd 20 triples in 2007, a year which saw the shortstop win the NL MVP Award. Rollins and the aforementioned Utley formed one of the best double-play duos of all time in Philadelphia, and the two reunited in 2015 on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Rollins is first in Phillies history with both 2,306 hits and 479 doubles, second with 453 stolen bases, third with both 111 triples and 1,325 runs scored, eighth with 887 RBIs and ninth with 216 home runs. OF: Bobby Abreu One of the best players not in the Hall of Fame, Abreu was one of the best all-around outfielders and left-handed hitters of his generation. Spending eight-plus seasons in Philadelphia (1998-2006), Abreu, who frequently worked the count and had a great deal of power, averaged 23 home runs and 94 RBIs per season from 1998-2005, while posting a combined .305/.415/.519 slash line. A two-time All-Star with the Phillies, Abreu is second in franchise history with 947 walks, fourth with both a .416 on-base percentage and 348 doubles, seventh with both 254 stolen bases and a 47.2 WAR and eighth with a .513 slugging percentage across his entire stay with the team. OF: Lenny Dykstra Dykstra worked the count, got on base and scored runs, and one could argue that the Phillies are the team that got the best version of him. Acquired midway through the 1989 season and playing for the franchise through 1996, Dykstra led the NL in hits twice (1990 and 1993) and raked in the Phillies' 1993 run to the World Series, totaling six home runs and 10 RBIs, while posting a .313/.450/.729 slash line in the playoffs. Dykstra, who earned each of his three All-Star honors with the Phillies, had a career .289/.388/.422 slash line for the franchise. OF: Richie Ashburn Ashburn put the ball in play like nobody's business. A six-time All-Star who spent 12 of his 15 seasons with the Phillies (1948-59), Ashburn consistently got on base by means of raw contact hitting, leading the NL in hits three times, triples twice and winning two NL batting titles (1955 and 1958). Ashburn, who helped the Phillies reach the 1950 World Series, is third in franchise history with 2,217 hits, fourth with both 1,114 runs scored and a 58.1 WAR, fifth with 97 triples and eighth with a .394 on-base percentage. DH: Bryce Harper The Phillies gave Harper a $330 million contract in 2019, and he has been worth every penny of that deal. In his first season with the Phillies (2019), the power, left-handed hitter totaled 35 home runs and a career-high 114 RBIs. Two seasons later, he won the 2021 NL MVP, boasting a .615 slugging percentage. And the following year, Harper helped lead the Phillies to the 2022 World Series in a postseason that saw him hit six home runs and post a .746 slugging percentage. Harper, who has primarily played right field for the Phillies but began playing first base in 2023, is fifth in franchise history with a .526 slugging percentage and tied for ninth with a .389 on-base percentage. He has earned two Silver Slugger awards and two All-Star nods in Philadelphia. Honorable mentions: Robin Roberts (starting pitcher) Cole Hamels (starting pitcher) Curt Schilling (starting pitcher) Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander (starting pitcher) Brad Lidge (reliever/closer) Carlos Ruiz (catcher) Bob Boone (catcher) Scott Rolen (3B) Dick Allen (3B) Johnny Callison (OF) Greg Luzinski (OF) Pat Burrell (OF) Del Ennis (OF) Garry Maddox (OF) Billy Hamilton (DH) Ed Delahanty (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
