Latest news with #NationalLeagueCentraldivision
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rival GM thinks ‘it sucks' Cardinals won't just lose, make trades
The post Rival GM thinks 'it sucks' Cardinals won't just lose, make trades appeared first on ClutchPoints. When the 2025 season began, the St. Louis Cardinals were little more than an afterthought in the National League Central division. With teams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati Reds, experts expected Oliver Marmol and his team to take a step back. Instead, St. Louis' success has some general managers around the league frustrated that the team will not commit to losing. The Cardinals' president wants their season to remain interesting, refusing to bottom out. Advertisement Amid their success, the Cardinals have been active on the trade market already. St. Louis has thrown out Nolan Arenado's name in trade talks, but no team is interested. Other than their underwhelming third baseman, the Cardinals have other veterans that contenders could reach out about, including closer Ryan Helsley. However, the price for them will be higher because of the team's success. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, St. Louis has leaned on their defense. Theirs is one of the best groups in Major League Baseball. One general manager spoke to Passan about how the Cardinals' success throws a wrench in their plans at the trade deadline. 'It sucks,' said one general manager about St. Louis. The expectation around the league was that the Cardinals would be worse this season. After Marmol's team went from first to worst in the NL Central in the span of just one year, a rebuild seemed in order. However, a second place finish last year revitalized the team. Led by Arenado and Helsley, the balanced roster has found their groove. Advertisement Holding on to their wild card will take a lot for the Cardinals. Milwaukee is right behind them in the standings, joined by the San Francisco Giants and Reds. Arenado and Helsley could still be moved at the trade deadline. However, opposing general managers will have a hard time poaching their veterans. Marmol's team believes they have a chance at contention this year, and they might be right. Their season is dependent on young players finding their way quickly and veterans providing consistency. If Marmol can help them strike that balance, the Cardinals are as dangerous as any wild card team.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cubs Announce Kyle Tucker News After Absence From Lineup
Cubs Announce Kyle Tucker News After Absence From Lineup originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker is in the final year of his contract. Acquired by Chicago from the Houston Astros this past offseason, Tucker has been among MLB's best hitters this season. Advertisement Entering Tuesday, the left-handed hitting slugger has a .918 OPS that ranks seventh in the National League. His 39 RBIs are tied with Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani for 13th in the NL, and his 44 runs scored are tied for fourth. All of this is leading to a massive contract for Tucker in free agency if he can remain healthy and productive the rest of 2025. Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30)Sam Navarro-Imagn Images In Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tucker exited with what initially looked to be a face injury. Sliding awkwardly into second base, Tucker seemed to hit his face on the dirt. Shortly after his removal, the Cubs announced it was actually a jammed finger on Tucker's right hand that forced his removal. Advertisement As the Cubs begin a series with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, Tucker is out of the lineup. This understandably caused concern among the fanbase, but the team announced via manager Craig Counsell that Tucker is not expected to need an injured list stint. This is great news for a Cubs team that enters Tuesday atop the National League Central division with a 37-22 record. The second place St. Louis Cardinals sit four games back of Chicago, giving the 2016 World Series champions a solid cushion as they await the return of Tucker, which Counsell said will be in another day or two. Related: Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani Reacts to Major Aaron Judge News Related: Cubs Star Kyle Tucker Sends 7-Word Message After $600 Million News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cubs' Kyle Tucker Breaks Silence on Contract Extension After $500 Million Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Chicago Cubs took a big swing this past offseason and it has paid off. The team opted to trade away franchise outfielder Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees and bring in Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros as a replacement. Tucker has been one of baseball's best power-speed combinations throughout his career, but he is heading toward a lucrative free agency at the end of this season, making the move a potential gamble on just one year before he opts for another deal with a new team. Tucker has rewarded the Cubs' decision by leading the team to a first-place standing in the National League Central division and one of the best records in the sport. But that success adds even more pressure to Tucker's long-term contract situation. "No one has made more money this first month of the season than Tucker, whose free-agent value has skyrocketed from $300 million to perhaps more than $500 million," USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote in a recent update on the deal's rising value. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 6: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the on deck circle in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on May 6, 2025 in... CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 6: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the on deck circle in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on May 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/) More Dirksen/Getty For his part, Tucker has opted not to discuss his looming free agency situation. Last week, the New York Post's Jon Heyman noted the player "didn't want to talk about any potential talks." But Tucker was forced to break that silence in a recent interview when ESPN Chicago's Carmen DeFalco asked him to acknowledge the calls for an extension coming from Cubs fans. "It's nice, hearing it from fans that they want me to stay with the team and how much support and love they're giving you and everything," Tucker said. "For the most part, I just focus on playing ball and doing my part to win those games and kind of let those other pieces fall into place whenever they shall." While Tucker seems to enjoy playing in Chicago, he stopped short of definitively indicating whether he'd like to sign an extension. But he seems open-minded, and the Cubs should take that as a sign that the right offer can keep their new franchise slugger from ever reaching the open market. More MLB: Mets' Juan Soto Wanted to Re-Sign With Yankees in Free Agency, Says New York Insider
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cubs Exploring Infield Trade After Matt Shaw 'Killed It' In Minors: Report
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 Chicago Cubs have surged to a first-place standing in the National League Central division as several offseason roster moves pay dividends. The team has enjoyed great returns from its trade to land slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker. And Pete Crow-Armstrong and Carson Kelly are rewarding the Cubs for their faith as well. But at least one key roster spot has been harder to fill with a definitive answer. After opening the season in Japan with top-ranked prospect Matt Shaw at third base, the Cubs quickly demoted the young infielder after a less-than-stellar debut. Shaw proceeded to remind the team why they brought him up in the first place by once again dominating minor-league pitching and now the Cubs will bring him back up. "Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is indeed coming up to the Cubs," as Jon Heyman reported on X. "Shaw killed it in Iowa and rounds out (a) terrific lineup." CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 01: Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer speaks to the media during a press conference at Wrigley Field on October 01, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty... CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 01: Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer speaks to the media during a press conference at Wrigley Field on October 01, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by) More Reaves/Getty But with Shaw joining the big-league club once again, the Cubs will have to shed something from the roster. Even with Shaw in the minors, the team had several options at the hot corner, including Jon Berti, Justin Turner, Vidal Bruján and Nicky Lopez. And Heyman added that Lopez has found himself as the odd man out in that mix. "Cubs will try to trade defensive specialist Nicky Lopez, who didn't travel with the team to Miami," per Heyman. Lopez joined the Cubs after opening the season with the Los Angeles Angels. In just 18 at-bats so far this season with Chicago, he has logged a single hit and three strikeouts. It's not clear that the Cubs can accrue any significant value by trading away Lopez, but without a clear spot on their roster, it makes sense for the team to try. More MLB: Giants Get Unfortunate Justin Verlander Injury Update As Velocity Dips
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Ex-Mets GM Admits What He Got Wrong in Blockbuster Trade With Cubs
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. Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong needed just 41 games this season to hit his 10th home run. It's been one of the least expected — and most welcome — storylines of the season in Chicago, where the 25-19 Cubs have raced out to first place in the National League Central division. Last year, Crow-Armstrong did not reach 10 home runs until his 110th game of the season. He did not hit homer again over the season's final two weeks, and finished his rookie year with a .384 slugging percentage. More news: MLB News: One All-Star Slams Another in Scary Collision Between Teammates That's mostly in line with the industry expectations for Crow-Armstrong, who was taken 19th overall in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. Now, however, it's looking like the industry underestimated Crow-Armstrong's potential as a five-tool center fielder. Pete Crow-Armstrong #5 of the National League celebrates a run with Jackson Chourio #8 in the seventh inning during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game against the American League at Dodger Stadium on July 16, 2022... Pete Crow-Armstrong #5 of the National League celebrates a run with Jackson Chourio #8 in the seventh inning during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game against the American League at Dodger Stadium on July 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. MoreThe Mets' general manager who drafted Crow-Armstrong was Brodie Van Wagenen, who was fired in November 2020 when Steve Cohen completed his purchase of the team. Jared Porter was hired to replace Van Wagenen. A year later, Crow-Armstrong was traded to the Chicago Cubs in the blockbuster exchange that sent All-Star Javy Baez to New York. Zack Scott, hired on an interim basis after Porter was fired in January 2021, executed the trade. Hopefully, this is the last time I speak on this topic. No one at either the Red Sox or Mets saw PCA's power coming. We were wrong. Onward... — Zack Scott (@ZackScottSports) May 15, 2025 "I think people forget we were in first place at the time," Scott said in an appearance this week on SNY. "We wanted to add some impact to the lineup." The Mets got 47 games out of Baez, who posted a 140 OPS+, stole five bases, and provided excellent defense up the middle. But the team failed to qualify for the postseason, and Baez signed with the Tigers in free agency. More news: Former Red Sox Pitcher's Cause of Death Revealed: Report Hindsight is 20-20, but including Crow-Armstrong in the trade now looks like a mistake on the Mets' part. "The big thing was (Crow-Armstrong's) bat," Scott told the SNY panel. "Loved the defense, the makeup, the speed, had no doubt that that would be there. But did not see this level of power." More news: Two-Time American League All-Star Infielder Passes Away Scott seems resigned to the fact that he — and other industry evaluators — underestimated Crow-Armstrong's power potential. Scott was an assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox at the time of the 2020 MLB Draft and his team missed it then, too. Boston opted to draft Nick Yorke with the 17th pick in 2020, while Crow-Armstrong went to the Mets two picks later. Yorke currently has a poor .677 OPS with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate. More news: Three-Time American League All-Star, World Series Champion, Passes Away Kudos to Scott for realizing he underestimated the potential of "PCA" as a prospect. Just don't expect him to dwell on this realization in public interviews again. "Hopefully," Scott wrote Thursday on Twitter/X, "this is the last time I speak on this topic." For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
