Latest news with #ZacGallen
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB Scout Thinks 3 Specific Trade Deadline Additions Would Guarantee Yankees World Series Return
An MLB scout believes that if the New York Yankees add three specific players before the MLB trade deadline this month, it would make them nearly unbeatable in the American League this fall. After dominating the AL East for much of the season, the Yankees now find themselves in a dog fight to win the division. The Toronto Blue Jays have developed momentum over the last month, and the Boston Red Sox have come on fast after a recent win streak. It puts major pressure on Brian Cashman to make some impact trades before the July 31 deadline. During a conversation with NJ Advance Media, an anonymous MLB scout who knows the team well was asked how good he thinks they would be if they made a rumored trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen, and pursued Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. Well, the scout liked those moves for New York and suggested it would make them a near lock to be back in the World Series again this October. Related: 'They're frontrunners,' the scout said about the team if they add those three players. 'If you have Eugenio Suarez at third base and you have Zac Gallen in the rotation behind Fried, Rodon, and Gil, and you have Clase in the bullpen; if you add all those pieces, your infield gets better, your lineup gets better, your rotation gets better, and your bullpen gets better. 'If the Yankees make those moves, who's going to beat them in the American League? The Tigers have had a great year. But unless their lineup gets a lot better, they're not beating the Yankees with Saurez, Gallen, and Clase on the roster.' Is Emmanuel Clase another Mariano Rivera? The scout really liked the addition of those three players for the Yankees. But he seemed to be very high on what Clase could bring during the second half. Even mentioning his similarities to legendary pinstripes closer Mariano Rivera. 'Oh my God! Clase is a game changer,' they said. ''Hey, Clase, go do your Mariano Rivera thing and throw that cutter 100 mph.' Ballgame. Think about Clase in pinstripes. You know what's coming, and you still can't do anything with it. 'If that ain't Mariano Rivera all over again, I don't know what is. And if the Yankees get Clase, they can move Williams to the eighth inning and use Weaver to get four or five outs in the sixth and seventh.' The club has been linked to all three players in recent speculation as we close in on this month's MLB trade deadline. Related: Related Headlines Six Philadelphia Eagles Who Must Step Up for Another Super Bowl Run Steelers Make T.J. Watt Highest-Paid Defender in NFL History Derrick Lewis Next Fight: 3 Options for 'Black Beast's' UFC Return, Including Sergei Pavlovich UFC Lightweight Rankings: Where Do Poirier and Holloway Land Ahead of UFC 318 Showdown?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How whiffing on Manny Machado trade helped Diamondbacks get Zac Gallen
The post How whiffing on Manny Machado trade helped Diamondbacks get Zac Gallen appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Arizona Diamondbacks could be massive sellers at the MLB trade deadline. They have multiple players on expiring contracts as their playoff odds decline by the day. One trade candidate is Zac Gallen, the starting pitcher who helped them reach the 2023 World Series. But Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen told a trade deadline story that nearly landed him Manny Machado, but would have prevented Gallen from ever coming to Arizona. Advertisement 'We tried to get Manny Machado from the Orioles in 2018, and Jazz Chisholm would have been in that trade,' Hazen told ESPN's Jesse Rogers. 'We didn't trade Jazz there, but that got us Zac Gallen in 2019. We don't get Gallen if we make that trade for Machado, so you never know.' Chisholm was the Diamondbacks' third-ranked prospect, according to in the 2018 season. Machado was a rental at that deadline, leaving the Dodgers for the San Diego Padres. Trading Chisholm for Machado makes no guarantee that he stays in free agency that winter. Gallen had five years of control when they made that trade. The most significant 'what if' from this trade is the 2018 postseason. LA made the World Series, but lost to an 108-win Boston Red Sox team. The Diamondbacks were in first place on July 31 that year, but Machado sent the Dodgers flying past them. They missed the dance at 82-80, finishing 22-30 down the stretch. Machado hit 13 homers in 66 games with the Dodgers, but posted a measly .672 OPS in the postseason. The Diamondbacks made the Gallen trade during the 2019 season, but they still missed the postseason. He has finished top ten in Cy Young voting three times as a Snake. Advertisement The Diamondbacks could close the circle at this MLB trade deadline by dealing Gallen. He hits unrestricted free agency after this season, which has been poor so far on a struggling team. Related: Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen makes trade desires very clear Related: Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll returning from IL vs. Royals
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets should target these five players at the upcoming trade deadline
In a little more than two weeks, the Mets' clubhouse could look dramatically different than the one that entered the All-Star break. With the trade deadline slated for 6 p.m. on July 31, the hiatus provides an opportune time for the front office to assess where the team stands heading into the most important three months of the season. Advertisement Injuries have hit the Mets' pitching staff hard in recent weeks, with Griffin Canning sustaining a season-ending Achilles injury, Dedniel Nuñez suffering the same fate with an elbow injury and Max Kranick awaiting his own fate with a right flexor tendon strain. Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn are also on the shelf. All those sidelined players make adding pitching depth a priority heading into the deadline in two weeks. There is also the potential to add some run scoring potential near the bottom of the lineup. With three needs in mind, here are five names who the Mets should consider targeting at this year's trade deadline: Starting pitching depth Zac Gallen Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox on June 25, 2025, at Rate Field. The top of the Mets' starting rotation is getting healthier following the return of Sean Manaea, but the major question for the front office will be whether they believe it holds the same firepower of some of their top competition in the Dodgers, Phillies and Giants. Advertisement Beyond Manaea, who excelled last postseason, Kodai Senga and David Peterson have made a combined three playoff starts. Acquiring a pitcher like Zac Gallen would help bolster the depth in the starting rotation down the stretch, while bringing in a starter who made six starts on the Diamondbacks' run to the World Series in 2023. Gallen was once consistently viewed as one of the top starters in the National League before falling on tough times this season. He is 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, with 110 strikeouts in 115 innings. He's shown some encouraging signs, holding the Padres and Giants to one combined earned run in 13 innings in two starts in July. Bullpen help David Bednar The Pirates' two-time All-Star closer had a rough start to the 2025 season that culminated in him being sent to Triple-A Indianapolis. Advertisement Since he returned in mid-April, Bednar has reclaimed the form that placed him among the top closers in the game two seasons ago. He is 12-for-12 in save chances while posting a 2-3 record with 44 strikeouts in 31 innings, 1.74 ERA and 1.00 WHIP since his return. There are questions about the Mets' high-leverage options ahead of Edwin Diaz, and Bednar would bring some stability in that area. He also provides a different look than many of the Mets' relievers with a high-90s fastball and curveball as his secondary pitch of choice. Kyle Finnegan Washington Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 30, 2025, at Chase Field. The Nationals have sunk to the bottom of the National League East and one of their most attractive trade pieces is closer Kyle Finnegan. Advertisement After claiming his first All-Star selection in 2024, Finnegan signed a one-year, $6 million deal in the offseason and continues to be a dependable force late in games. This season, he has converted 18 saves with a 3.12 ERA in 34⅔ innings and 27 strikeouts. Finnegan does not blow anyone away, with a mid-90s fastball and a splitter that produces a 30.9 whiff rate. He would make another strong counterpart ahead of Diaz in the late stages of close games. Hoby Milner When the Mets signed A.J. Minter in the offseason, they believed that they had their left-handed stalwart out of the bullpen. But Minter suffered a torn lat muscle and the Mets' stable of bullpen southpaws has been a revolving door ever since. Advertisement Brooks Raley, who was signed following Minter's injury, appears to be on the way back from Tommy John surgery, but Hoby Milner would be another intriguing lefty depth piece in the bullpen. Milner is on an affordable, one-year, $2.5 million deal for the Rangers. In 44 appearances this season, the 34-year-old lefty is 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 40 strikeouts in 46 innings. Milner's sidearm delivery would be another weapon to keep opponents off balance. And Stearns is familiar with the reliever from his four seasons in Milwaukee. Lineup boost Cedric Mullins Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) singles during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins on July 13, 2025, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. One of the areas in the Mets' lineup that has not produced in the top half of MLB is the center field position. Advertisement The Mets' middle of the outfield has produced a .614 OPS — seventh-worst in the league. While Tyrone Taylor is an excellent defender with captivating range, his offensive ceiling is not very high. A player of Cedric Mullins provides a degree of offensive explosiveness that is lacking at this point. Despite a .213 batting average, the 30-year-old Mullins has poked 13 home runs, driven in 41 runs and scored 38 runs. He has also stolen 13 bases. Mullins is also a quality defender, who hits from the left side, opposite of Taylor, to provide a little more versatility. This article originally appeared on NY Mets: Club should target these five players at the trade deadline
New York Post
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Twins becoming sellers could change everything for Yankees, Mets at trade deadline
Not all borderline playoff teams are created equal. When it comes to spicing up the trade deadline, the Diamondbacks and Twins particularly stand out as pivot clubs who, if they turn to sellers in the next two weeks, could substantially deepen the quantity and quality of the market. Access the Yankees beat like never before Don't miss Greg Joyce's text messages from The Bronx and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees. Sign Up Now With two walk-year starters (Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly) and corner infielders (Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez), Arizona – three games under .500 and 5 1/2 back of the wild card at the break – have tantalizing pieces for a clearance sale. What makes Minnesota even more intriguing is the potential to move high-end pieces that have control beyond this year. The Twins are two games under .500 and four back of the wild card. Their head of baseball operations, Derek Falvey, joined 'The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman' podcast and described his club as still deciding whether to buy, sell, both or neither – and just how deep (just walk year guys or more) to sell should they spin that way. 'We have to take stock of reality as we get close to the end of July,' Falvey said.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees Blockbuster? Why Deal For 2 Stars Makes Perfect Sense For New York
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The New York Yankees are one of the best teams in baseball, largely due to the MVP production coming from superstar Aaron Judge. But Judge isn't the only talent on this team. In fact, they're loaded with talent across the board except for two spots: the pitching rotation and third base. The Yankees are facing injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt. This trio of pitchers was expected to eat well over 400 or 500 innings coming into the year, but they won't get close to that. The Yankees are also down a few players at third base. After losing Gleyber Torres to free agency and Oswaldo Cabrera to injury, the Bronx Bombers haven't found an everyday third baseman. But the team could look to swing a blockbuster trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks to fill both roster holes in one deal. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 30: Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on from the mound with teammates Eugenio Suarez #28 and catcher Gabriel Moreno #14 prior to leaving a game against... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 30: Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on from the mound with teammates Eugenio Suarez #28 and catcher Gabriel Moreno #14 prior to leaving a game against the New York Mets in the first inning at Citi Field on May 30, 2024 in New York City. MoreSlugger Eugenio Suárez is expected to be the best third baseman on the market this year. He's already eclipsed 30 home runs on the season and seems to be headed for 45 or 50 bombs by year's end. Adding him to a lineup with Judge would be nightmare fuel for pitchers. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly both make sense as trade targets for the Yankees, too. Both righties are on expiring contracts this season. Kelly has looked better than Gallen, but Gallen's ceiling is higher. If the Yankees are likely to pursue Suárez, it would make sense to go after a pitcher in the same trade. This would be a blockbuster deal for the Bronx Bombers to make, but it could be the difference between losing the division and winning the World Series. These are upgrades that need to be made, and there's no better way to make them than this blockbuster deal. More MLB: Red Sox Starter 'Will Be Sacrificed' Following $200 Million Alex Bregman Update
