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The Carlos Correa saga that loomed over baseball’s offseason finally came to an end this week, meaning the top 25 players in this year’s free agent class have all found homes.

That doesn’t mean the hot stove is done cooking this winter. With moves still left to be made before spring training begins, we asked ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Buster Olney, Jesse Rogers and David Schoenfield to weigh in on the storylines that will dominate the final month of the offseason.

Which players are most likely to be traded? Which under-the-radar free agents could still make a big impact? And which teams need to do something before it is too late? Here is what they predict.

Who is the biggest name who will be traded the rest of this offseason?

Olney: Pablo Lopez of the Miami Marlins. The signing of Johnny Cueto adds even more depth to a team that is already stacked in starting pitching, and now Miami GM Kim Ng can start to use some of her rotation surplus to augment the starting lineup. A rival evaluator sees a potential match with the San Diego Padres — Lopez, a good starter who is two seasons away from free agency, in return for steady shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who is under contract for the next couple of seasons with an option for 2025.

Rogers: All signs point to Lopez. The addition of Cueto and the positive return to the mound of Edward Cabrera in the second half last season give the Marlins depth where most teams don’t have it. If Miami had a contending lineup, then trading from that depth wouldn’t make sense, but the Marlins’ offense needs a boost and Lopez can bring them back a hitter. With a couple more years under team control, Lopez has good value right now.

Doolittle: The Marlins signed Jean Segura and then Cueto, so we can no longer describe their offseason as “diddly-squat,” but they haven’t made their most likely play yet, which is to deal from their surfeit of starting pitchers. As Buster and Jesse suggest, the recent signing of Cueto was likely made to bolster the veteran depth in the rotation, making a trade that much more likely. The name I keep coming back to is Lopez, an excellent pitcher who would fit seamlessly in any clubhouse and on any depth chart. Miami badly needs to balance its roster between pitching and position players, and I’d be shocked if some kind of move like that is not forthcoming. Which team is at the other end of this presumed swap for, I presume, a starting-caliber position player is at present a mystery.

Gonzalez: Gleyber Torres, who was offered to the Marlins for Lopez ahead of last year’s trade deadline. DJ LeMahieu can easily replace Torres at second base, and the New York Yankees have a glut of other middle infielders in incumbent shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and three talented young players — Oswald Peraza, Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera. Torres, who has two years of control remaining, has tailed off offensively in recent years and might benefit from a change of scenery. Trading him, meanwhile, could allow the Yankees to plug remaining holes in left field and the back end of their bullpen.

Schoenfield: Hey, how about the Boston Red Sox and Yankees making a trade for Kiner-Falefa? With Trevor Story sidelined for most of the coming season, the Red Sox need a shortstop. Trades between the two teams are rare, but the Yankees did trade Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox in 2021. However, Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t be the best player traded if Lopez or Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds goes. And since nobody has mentioned Reynolds, I’ll mention him. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are among the teams that could use an outfielder, so with so many potential trade partners, I think the Pirates make a deal they like.

Which one under-the-radar free agent are you most interested in seeing where he signs?

Doolittle: I’ve decided to make all of my answers somehow related to the Marlins. I’m surprised someone hasn’t snatched up Brian Anderson, whom Miami set adrift, as a potential high-use utility player who can help at all four corner positions. He’s not a perfect roster fit because you’d at least like him to have some use as a lefty masher and he has never hit southpaws all that well. But that’s the kind of thing with him … that weakness doesn’t make any particular sense for a right-handed hitter. I feel like he’s the kind of veteran hitter who with some fresh voices in his head might have some unfilled potential that can yet be tapped into.

Gonzalez: Jurickson Profar, a soon-to-be 30-year-old switch-hitter who has the versatility to play every position except catcher. Profar settled into the leadoff spot with the Padres last season and put together a solid offensive showing, batting .243/.331/.391 with 53 extra-base hits. He was worth 2.5 FanGraphs wins above replacement, fourth most among Padres position players. And he can help virtually anyone.

Olney: Zach Britton, who has demonstrated that he has an extremely high ceiling, with his hard-veering sinker, when healthy. One possible landing spot — the New York Mets. That team has some concerns about carrying too many relievers without options, but Britton would give Buck Showalter another experienced lefty and more balance. If agent Scott Boras works out a deal for Britton in New York, that might be a step toward restoring his working relationship with owner Steve Cohen. Plus, Britton has already pitched in New York with the Yankees.

Rogers: Elvis Andrus was such a boost to the Chicago White Sox late in the second half of last season, it’ll be interesting to see who brings him in — as much from a clubhouse perspective as anything else. The Red Sox are an easy choice considering the injury to Story. Andrus is a leader and a veteran who can handle the big-market pressure. As for his production on the field, he tailed off some in late September, but over the course of a month with Chicago — after being picked up due to an injury to Tim Anderson — he compiled an .840 OPS and played smart, heads-up baseball.

Schoenfield: Andrew Chafin has been one of the best lefty relievers the past two seasons — a 2.29 ERA over 135 appearances and 126 innings — and would make an excellent addition to any contender’s bullpen. He has been solid against both sides and actually was more effective against right-handers for the Detroit Tigers in 2022, so you can use him in big moments. The Houston Astros made it through the postseason last year without a lefty (Will Smith was on the World Series roster but didn’t pitch), but Chafin feels like a good fit for Houston.

Which contender most needs to make another move between now and the start of spring training?

Doolittle: Sorry, Marlins fans, I can’t use you on this question. The Dodgers have some work to do. No, they aren’t in danger of slipping into obsolescence, but whereas they invariably project as one of the top couple of teams in the majors, I feel like they’ve been passed up in the forecast game by a handful of clubs that have been a lot more aggressive this winter. In particular, L.A.’s team defense was looking like a concern and still does, though the trade for Miguel Rojas (Marlins!) helps on that front.

Gonzalez: The Marlins stick out to me. Yes, the Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves reside on a different platform in the National League East, but this is nonetheless the Marlins’ window. They possess what the industry desires most — a plethora of proven-yet-controllable starting pitchers. But they have yet to utilize it in order to access the offense they so desperately need. There’s still time, of course, but with so many teams filling so many needs through free agency, one has to wonder if the best opportunities have already passed the Marlins by.

Olney: Soon enough we’ll see if the Baltimore Orioles and Red Sox consider themselves contenders. If Boston is going to have any shot at making the playoffs, the Red Sox need at least a one-year fix at shortstop now that Story is out indefinitely. And after winning 83 games last season and stoking the hope of the fan base, Baltimore’s leadership has spent relatively little; the four free agents signed by the Orioles this winter will make less money combined in 2023 than what Justin Verlander will get with the Mets.

Rogers: Quick, who’s the St. Louis Cardinals‘ ace? If you said Jack Flaherty, then you’ve gone back in time. Perhaps he returns to form, but right now, St. Louis has the same problem it did to end last season: It doesn’t have a true No. 1 pitcher. It’s hard to navigate three or four rounds of the postseason without that guy. And how long can Adam Wainwright be asked to lead the group? At the very least, the Cardinals need more depth there — that is, if they can’t swing a deal for a No. 1.

Schoenfield: The Dodgers don’t NEED to make a move — but I think they will, now that Trevor Bauer has been released and the Dodgers know that they’re on the hook for his $22.5 million salary. The Dodgers would love to keep their payroll below the $233 million tax threshold in order to reset their tax rate, but it’s already at an estimated $237 million according to FanGraphs, so maybe that’s an impossible order. Why not spend a little more?

They just added Miguel Rojas for shortstop insurance (or to keep Gavin Lux at second base). I could see them being in play for Lopez or Reynolds as they still have 40-man and prospect depth to deal from. Certainly, adding another starter to a fragile rotation that includes Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard and Dustin May makes sense, and Reynolds would provide a second reliable outfield bat next to Mookie Betts.

What is the one storyline you’re watching most closely between now and the start of spring training?

Gonzalez: I’ll be interested to see if anybody signs Bauer, who was officially released by the Dodgers on Friday and is now a free agent. It’s widely considered unlikely, at least initially, given that he just finished serving the longest suspension in the history of the sport’s domestic violence policy and hasn’t publicly expressed even a modicum of contrition. But Bauer is in his early 30s, was considered one of the sport’s best pitchers before assault allegations surrounded him in the summer of 2021 and can be acquired for the major league minimum — at a time when free agent contracts have skyrocketed.

Doolittle: Bauer. He is, without a doubt, an impact starting pitcher. The free agent market is now down to a nice list of possibly useful veterans, at least a couple of whom will end up making a meaningful difference next season, but there are no more star-level impact performers out there. Except Bauer. But that’s just the baseball aspect, and there is much more to consider here.

Rogers: The one story that could produce the most hot take opinions is the extra-inning rule. Expect baseball to announce that it’s keeping a runner on second to start the 10th inning and this time there’s no legitimate reason behind it — except that teams and the league like the rule. In the past, it was about pitcher safety, considering shortened spring training due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s lockout. But GMs simply don’t want to deal with the fallout from 18-inning games and the league likes shorter games anyway … So, it’s staying. Cue the heated debate.

Olney: I’ll be watching to see whether or not Shohei Ohtani declares his intention to go to free agency, which is what the baseball world expects — and if the Los Angeles Angels try to sway him with a record-setting offer that will presumably utilize the number “5” in two historic ways: $50 million-plus in annual salary and $500 million-plus in total contract value. Once Ohtani’s status is clarified, we’ll have the first concrete indication of whether he might be traded in July and whether he’ll dominate baseball’s next offseason.

Schoenfield: Ohtani certainly has a chance to become one of the greatest free agents ever — with the title of “greatest” going to Alex Rodriguez, who hit free agency entering his age-25 season after hitting .316/.420/.606 with 41 home runs (10.4 WAR) at 24 years old. So, yes, any declaration from Ohtani would set up a never-ending buzz of rumors and speculation. Something tells me Steve Cohen has already set aside $500 million.

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Matchup in Ireland is among the last for the Farmageddon football rivalry

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Matchup in Ireland is among the last for the Farmageddon football rivalry

Week 0 is college football’s oft-ignored start to the season. The good stuff doesn’t generally happen until the smorgasbord of Labor Day weekend.

This year, though, it begins with a unique bang. Consider that, right now in some Dublin pub, two fan bases from Middle America are likely baffling locals by arguing not merely over their teams but the per-acre yields of wheat vs. corn.

It’s Iowa State and Kansas State to kick things off — in Ireland no less.

It’s Farmageddon on the old sod, or Farm O’Geddon, as some have dubbed it this year.

The rural-rooted and wonderfully self-aware rivalry is getting a rare but well-deserved turn in the spotlight.

These are two proud and solid programs. Both are nationally ranked. The Wildcats check in at No. 17, and the Cyclones at 22. It’s a Big 12 game with conference title and national playoff implications.

“It’s certainly a great opportunity, and we certainly feel honored to be able to be a part of it,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said.

It’s also a reminder of how, even when college football is doing something well, the sport’s self-destructive ways can hang over everything.

This is the 109th consecutive meeting between these two schools, a run that dates to 1917.

Yet in 2027, there will be no scheduled game; Farmageddon’s streak will be a casualty of conference realignment.

The series predates the old Big Eight, which is now called the Big 12 even though it has 16 members, complicating everything. Trying to manage a schedule in a league that large is a massive challenge. The conference relies on what it calls a “scheduling matrix” to get it done.

The Big 12 chose just four long-standing rivalries to be “protected” and thus forced into the matrix each season: Arizona-Arizona State, BYU-Utah, Baylor-TCU and Kansas State-Kansas.

Those make sense — each is an intense, in-state clash. K-State would rather assure a game against Kansas than Iowa State, just as Iowa State wants to make sure it plays Iowa, of the Big Ten, each year in nonconference play.

Scheduling is tough. Sometimes something has to give.

Still, Farmageddon’s run of games is longer than Texas-Oklahoma, Michigan-Ohio State and the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. While Iowa State-Kansas State will be played again in future seasons, any break feels unfortunate.

Obviously, the rivalry isn’t nearly as storied as those. Both teams have endured lengthy periods where even mediocrity would have been welcomed. Still, there is something endearing about tradition. It isn’t just for the winners.

The strength of college football isn’t the blue bloods, or at least it isn’t solely in the blue bloods. Yes, the powerhouse teams drive the boat and command the television ratings. Every sport has that, though.

What college football has is everything else, everywhere else. The nation’s 136 FBS-level programs hail from more than 40 states. They are in big cities and tiny towns. There are big state schools and small private ones, religious institutions and military academies. Not everyone expects a national title. Or even a conference one.

This is an American creation that represents America in the broadest sense. That is: None of it makes sense except all of it makes sense. The passion. The pageantry. The pride.

That includes these weird neighborhood rivalries. Leagues were once formed because of familiarity or cultural commonality. You went to one school, your neighbor another. The geographic footprint mattered. Now it’s all about media rights and money.

The Big Ten has 18 teams. The Atlantic Coast Conference has two schools overlooking the Pacific Ocean. And the Big 12 is so big that the Kansas State-Iowa State rivalry — which survived world wars, droughts and depressions — can be brushed to the side.

Saturday’s game is a showcase for what needs to be maintained against the avalanche of money. It’s old-school stuff featuring two programs with reasonable expectations that mostly just want a taste of the big time and all the fun that comes with it.

So they’ve invested in it — as institutions and individuals. Try explaining to some Irishman that the 50,000-seat Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in the Little Apple of Manhattan, Kansas, is larger than any sporting venue in the Big Apple of Manhattan, New York.

Or that Iowa State running back Abu Sama III is already a school legend for racking up 276 yards and scoring four touchdowns during a winter storm in 2023 at Kansas State.

That game will be forever known as Snowmageddon.

The tradition continues in Ireland, of all places, now with everyone watching. It’s a fitting moment for an overlooked series. It’s also a reminder to appreciate what this sport can produce, because even the good stuff isn’t necessarily safe.

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MLB-best Brewers put SS Ortiz (hamstring) on IL

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MLB-best Brewers put SS Ortiz (hamstring) on IL

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s Joey Ortiz went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring Friday, leaving the NL Central-leading Brewers without their starting shortstop.

The Brewers also reinstated first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers from the injured list and sent outfielder Jackson Chourio to a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Nashville.

Ortiz left a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday after hurting himself while grounding out in the fifth inning. Manager Pat Murphy said he has been told it’s a low-grade strain, an indication that Ortiz’s stay on the IL might not be too long.

Ortiz, 27, is hitting .233 with seven homers, 43 RBIs and 11 steals in 125 games. He has batted .343 with an .830 OPS in August.

“I felt like I was finally kind of getting a groove going, especially offensively, that I was starting to swing the bat as I feel I can,” Ortiz said. “Things happen. It’s baseball. It’s going to happen. I’ve just got to do what I can to get back.”

Murphy said Andruw Monasterio will be the Brewers’ primary shortstop while Ortiz is out. Monasterio, 28, has hit .254 with two homers and 11 RBIs in 43 games.

Bauers, 29, was dealing with a left shoulder impingement and last played in the majors on July 18. Bauers is hitting .197 with five homers and 18 RBIs in 59 games. He had gone just 2-for-23 in July while dealing with the shoulder issue before finally going on the injured list.

“Since April, May, I’ve been dealing with it,” Bauers said.

Chourio, 21, hasn’t played since straining his right hamstring while running out a triple in a 9-3 victory over the Cubs on July 29.

“He’s got to be able to get comfortable standing on the diamond back-to-back days,” Murphy said. “He’s got to be comfortable playing all nine (innings) in the outfield back-to-back days, because you can’t bring him back here and then just [go] zero to 100.”

Chourio is hitting .276 with 17 homers, 67 RBIs and 18 steals in 106 games.

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Red Sox move Buehler to pen as RHP eyes ‘reset’

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Red Sox move Buehler to pen as RHP eyes 'reset'

NEW YORK — The Boston Red Sox are pulling Walker Buehler from their rotation and sending the struggling right-hander to the bullpen.

“It’s going to be his new role,” manager Alex Cora said Friday before the Red Sox continued a four-game series with the Yankees. “We’ll figure out how it goes, maybe one inning, multiple innings. Whatever it is, we don’t know yet.”

Buehler’s next scheduled start would have been the opener of a four-game series in Baltimore on Monday. The Red Sox did not immediately announce who would take his turn. Right-hander Richard Fitts, currently with the Red Sox, and left-hander Kyle Harrison, who is at Triple A after being acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, are options.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” Buehler said. “It’s the first time in my career that I’ve been in a situation like that, but at the end of the day, the organization and, to a lesser extent, myself, kind of think it’s probably the right thing for our group and it gives me an opportunity to kind of reset in some ways.”

In his first season with the Red Sox after seven seasons with the Dodgers, Buehler is 7-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 22 starts and has allowed a career-worst 21 homers. He was 4-1 with a 4.28 ERA in his first six starts but is 3-6 with a 6.37 ERA over his past 16 outings. He also missed two weeks in May because of bursitis in his pitching shoulder.

“He’s been very frustrated with the way he has pitched,” Cora said. “I still believe in him. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Buehler last started in Wednesday’s 11-inning loss to the Orioles and allowed two runs in four innings while throwing 75 pitches. It was the ninth time this season he did not complete five innings.

After the game, he didn’t fault Cora for the quick hook.

“At some point, the leash I’m given has been earned,” he told reporters. “I think they did the right thing in coming to get me before the [Gunnar] Henderson at-bat. Our bullpen has been great. For me, personally, I think everything went according to plan until the fifth. You go double, four-pitch walk. The way I’ve been throwing it, it all kind of makes sense.”

Buehler also issued 54 walks in 110 innings this season for a career-high 4.4 walks per nine innings.

The Red Sox signed Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million contract in December. The deal contains an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses. The Red Sox also gave Buehler a $3.05 million signing bonus and includes a $25 million mutual option for 2026 with a $3 million buyout.

Buehler was 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA and pitched 75⅓ innings in the 2024 regular season for the Dodgers after missing all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He helped the Dodgers win their second championship since 1988 by going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and pitched a perfect ninth for the save in Game 5 of the World Series against the Yankees.

Buehler’s only previous relief experience was eight appearances as a rookie in 2017. His last relief appearance was June 28, 2018, when he allowed a run in five innings after missing time because of a rib injury.

A two-time All Star in 2019 and 2021, Buehler is 54-29 in 153 appearances. He finished fourth in voting for the National League Cy Young Award in 2021 after going 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 33 starts when he threw 207⅔ innings.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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