Can Jimbo Fisher’s bold hire of Bobby Petrino relieve the pressure at A&M?
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — John James Fisher Jr. frequently found himself in trouble for not listening when he started the first grade in his hometown of Clarksburg, West Virginia.
His teacher, Mrs. Moore, would call on “John” in class, and he wouldn’t respond, wouldn’t follow directions and wouldn’t do what he was told.
“I was getting whippings, getting put in the corner, all that,” Fisher recalled of his school days in the early 1970s.
Finally, Fisher’s aunt, Juanita (or Ninny as he called her), went to his teacher to see if she could help with the situation. Juanita worked at the school as an assistant to the principal.
“I think we need to get your nephew John’s hearing tested,” Mrs. Moore told Juanita.
“John?” Juanita repeated. “Try calling him Jimbo and see what happens.”
Problem solved.
“My aunt is the one who gave me the name ‘Jimbo,'” Fisher said. “As soon as she heard that my teacher was calling me John, she knew what was wrong. I was never called John by anybody at home. So it wasn’t that I wasn’t listening or couldn’t hear.
“I was listening the whole time.”
In his sixth year as Texas A&M‘s coach — his most critical season yet after the Aggies struggled through a tumultuous 5-7 campaign a year ago — Fisher insists he’s still listening despite what his critics might suggest. He’s listening to those he trusts, at least, while also relying on his own instincts but being willing to change.
“I’m not as stubborn as some people might think,” Fisher told ESPN a few weeks before the start of the 2023 season. “I know what I want in a football program. I’m not going to panic and do something just because somebody outside this building thinks I should. I’m going to do what I think is right for the program. That’s the way it’s always been.”
And that’s precisely the reason he relinquished offensive playcalling duties, which had long been Fisher’s calling card, to new coordinator Bobby Petrino.
Hiring Petrino, who had been away from the FBS coaching ranks since 2018 and hadn’t worked as an assistant since 2002 when he was Tommy Tuberville’s offensive coordinator at Auburn, was hardly a snap decision, Fisher said.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that this is something I’d been considering for a couple of years,” he said. “But it had to be the right guy, the right time, and this was the right time because it’s almost impossible now to do everything that a head coach has to do and also call plays.”
Still, it’s fair to wonder, given the volatile personalities of both Petrino and Fisher and their history of running their own shows, if the pairing might be a disaster waiting to happen.
On the other hand, Petrino is an accomplished playcaller who should free up Fisher to be more involved with the whole team. Brilliant, right? If nothing else, it will be a storyline to watch and should be highly entertaining.
The early returns are good, albeit in a very small sample.
In last Saturday’s season opener, Texas A&M raced past New Mexico 52-10 at Kyle Field, the first time the Aggies scored 50 points or more against an FBS team in regulation in a regular-season game since Fisher arrived in College Station in 2018. Sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman threw four touchdown passes in the first half alone. In the previous three seasons combined, Texas A&M had thrown four or more touchdowns in a game only twice. Last season, the Aggies didn’t reach 52 points against FCS foe Sam Houston and lowly UMass combined.
Obviously, a much more telling test awaits this Saturday when Texas A&M travels to Miami (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), but the Aggies looked more explosive on offense than they ever did a year ago when they finished 101st nationally in scoring offense (22.8 points per game).
“It’s been different for me because I don’t have to be the hardass all the time,” joked Petrino, who has never been accused of being mild-mannered. “And that’s fun. I heard Jimbo say, ‘I’m tired of being the bad guy,’ and you do get tired of being like that when you’re the head coach. So, yeah, this side of it has been enjoyable. I get to teach and coach and enjoy the relationships.”
Fisher is adamant he didn’t want a yes man, and Petrino is hardly a yes man. And while Fisher is never going to completely step away from the offense, Petrino said it’s not like they have recurring sparring sessions in the meeting room.
“You saw all the stuff out there about how Petrino and Jimbo were not going to get along,” Petrino said. “People just don’t get it. That’s not how it works. He’s the boss, right? I’ve got to do my job, and that is to make sure we move the ball, score points and win. It was the same when I worked for Tom Coughlin, Bruce Snyder and Chris Ault, other head coaches with offensive backgrounds.
“I’ve learned a lot here with Jimbo. It’s been fun to put it all together and match it together. He’s been really open, saying, ‘That’s a great idea, go for it,’ or ‘Let’s look at this a different way.’ He knows exactly what he wants, the way he wants it run, but he’s also going to listen.”
IT’S HARD TO sugarcoat what happened last season at Texas A&M, a season that started with so much promise only to unravel on all fronts. The Aggies, ranked No. 6 in the AP preseason poll, lost at home to Appalachian State in Week 2 and dropped six straight at one point. They made a habit of losing close games, with five of their seven losses by six or fewer points.
Off the field, four freshmen from the Aggies’ top-ranked 2022 signing class were suspended for the Miami game in Week 3 after violating curfew rules the night before. The suspensions were especially frustrating for A&M fans because the unsettling loss to Appalachian State was still festering. Then following a 30-24 road loss to South Carolina, the Aggies’ third straight loss in their six-game skid, four freshmen were indefinitely suspended after being caught smoking marijuana in the locker room, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle.
All four players suspended after the South Carolina game — Denver Harris, Chris Marshall, PJ Williams and Anthony Lucas — left the program following the season.
And already this season, a freshman from the 2023 signing class has been suspended indefinitely. Receiver Micah Tease was arrested on drug charges the day before the opener against New Mexico.
Losing seasons coupled with off-the-field issues are never a good combination in the win-or-else world of college football, which contributed to the restlessness in Aggieland coming into this season.
There were even rumblings in the media that Fisher could be on the hot seat despite being owed $77 million if Texas A&M were to fire him following this season. Athletic director Ross Bjork debunked that talk this summer when speaking with ESPN and said there’s a reason Texas A&M gave Fisher a guaranteed 10-year extension just prior to the 2021 season that will pay him $95 million through 2031.
The extension came in part because Bjork wanted to be proactive with the LSU job potentially coming open (which it did) toward the end of the 2021 season. He emphasized that the decision-makers at Texas A&M are still in agreement that Fisher has the program on the right track despite the troubling 2022 season.
“You build programs to last, not, ‘Well, this year it’s going to be this and then the next year we’ve got to push this guy out,'” Bjork said. “It doesn’t work that way.
“Look, we’ve got to lock arms. We’ve got to support this program. Clearly, our fans and donors have spoken up in a big way. Everyone knows the expectation. That’s why you sign up for it. But if you start going on these roller coasters of turnover, it doesn’t work. That’s not sustainable.”
When you look at the financials, it’s hard to say Fisher has lost crucial support. Money has poured in for the upgrading of the football facilities, with four donors giving $62.5 million as part of the centennial campaign. There were two other $5 million gifts, meaning six people gave to the tune of $72.5 million.
Season tickets are sold out with fans purchasing nearly 93,000 of 102,733 seats, which is a record for Kyle Field since its expansion in 2015. Bjork said Texas A&M has sold 23 new suites, and donations are tied to those suites.
“And we’re about to hit $20 million in sponsorship revenue. We’ve never hit $20 million, and that’s separate from donations,” Bjork said. “So in every metric of support, it’s never been better.”
David Coolidge, a major donor whose name is on the new Football Performance Center (featuring a massive 180-yard indoor facility), was a member of the 12th Man Kickoff team at Texas A&M in 1987 under Jackie Sherrill. Coolidge views the 2022 season as an “anomaly” and said it’s like any business that has one bad year and then bounces back.
“I’m super supportive that we’re going to do the same thing with our football program and that Jimbo has it headed in the right direction,” Coolidge said. “Now, we’re going to find out, but he’s made changes on his staff, recruiting at a level we never have in the past, and has gotten rid of some players that probably didn’t need to be here. Nobody likes being 5-7, but at its core, I think the program is extremely healthy.”
While college football is always going to be a bottom-line business, Coolidge echoed Bjork’s sentiments that he doesn’t sense a “clock-is-ticking” mentality among the Texas A&M donor base or the school’s administration. Then again, patience can be a moving target in college football.
Some in the Aggies fan base point out that Fisher’s predecessor, Kevin Sumlin, was 44-22 one game into his sixth season and wound up being fired after going 7-5 that year. One game into his sixth season at A&M, Fisher is 40-21.
“To me, it’s more about the future,” Coolidge said. “People are always going to find things to complain about, and we had our problems last year. I still think we’re close. We should have been in the playoff in 2020. But all these rumors last year that the school was looking to buy out Jimbo … that never happened. That wasn’t even close to happening. If anything, among the people I talk to, it was more, ‘How can we help?’
“It was never a situation where the sky was falling.”
Which begs a lingering question in Aggieland: What is the realistic expectation for a program that has unlimited resources and money, and incredible fan support, but that hasn’t earned a conference championship since winning the Big 12 in 1998 and hasn’t won a national championship since 1939?
One way to gauge fan support is to head to the message boards. Billy Liucci runs the popular TexAgs website, and he said there was clearly a restlessness among fans following last season, but that he never sensed they had the “pitchforks out to get Jimbo like a lot of people around the country made it seem.”
“There was a nervous energy coming off a 5-7 season last year,” he said, “but as the offseason went on, in my day-to-day involvement on message boards and talking to people and listening to Jimbo and the players, a lot of that restlessness was replaced by optimism and anticipation of what the team could do.”
THE AGGIES HAD 24 scholarship players enter the transfer portal following last season. Seven of those players were from the 2022 class, which some view as an indictment on Fisher and his staff in terms of evaluating character and fit. It’s worth noting that six of the seven wound up at other Power 5 schools (including USC, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss), although at least two are no longer with their teams.
The flip side to that exodus is that as many as 15 players from last year’s freshman class are either starting or playing key roles this year for the Aggies.
Going back to the offseason, Texas A&M’s players have noticed a more defiant Fisher. Bjork said Fisher is coaching with a “chip on his shoulder,” and his players are playing that way.
“As a team, we might have been missing a little bit of that last year,” senior receiver Ainias Smith said. “This is a chance to show who we really are and not the team everybody was so disappointed in.
“No more playing down to other teams’ level. We’ve done too much of that. It’s time we play to our level.”
Fisher shakes his head defiantly at any mention that he might have lost his team last season.
“I know what’s out there is that it was total chaos last year. And, yeah, we had some stuff happen that you don’t want,” Fisher said. “But I’ve had championship teams that had more problems than we did last year. Outside the building, it was one thing. But inside the building, we never lost it. Never did. … You saw that by the way we ended the season and the way we responded this offseason.”
Fisher also understands the passion of fans and the importance of staying on the right side of that passion, but he’s not consumed by it.
“You can’t be and be a coach in this league,” he said. “I grew up at Auburn, and they were restless all the time. I was at LSU. We won a bunch, and they were still pissed off. At Alabama, they stay pissed off 24 hours a day. It’s just the way it is, especially when everybody is invested in winning at the highest level.
“What you focus on is your team, and this team is hungry. They’re mature, and they’re committed to working their asses off.”
One of Fisher’s routines this year has been taking a lunchtime walk of three-plus miles around campus with Mark Robinson, Texas A&M’s associate athletic director for football and one of Fisher’s most trusted confidants.
“Some of my best ideas come when I’m working out or doing something outside,” Fisher said.
Robinson, a former offensive lineman at Appalachian State, has been with Fisher since the 2013 national championship season at Florida State.
“He walks fast and is always talking about ways we can do things better,” Robinson said.
In addition to doing plenty of talking, Fisher listens, too. But he’s not listening to the noise outside the building and the cries that a $95 million coach should be winning at a higher clip.
He’s always going to lean on the lessons learned from 35 years of coaching under the likes of Bobby Bowden and Nick Saban. But despite his reputation for being headstrong, Fisher insists he also listens to the roomful of former head coaches and coordinators who fill out his staff, which includes one of college football’s most intriguing offseason acquisitions in Petrino.
“The only way you grow is to listen,” Fisher said.
Listening is all well and good, but in Fisher’s world, the only growth that counts is winning the games that matter most and taking home championships.
Some have had a few. Some have had many. The Oregon Ducks seemingly come up with a new one every week.
The topic is, of course, alternate uniforms. The best of the best have become beloved staples of the fall calendar for college football fans. Just as many, though, have been relegated to the dustbin of history (or at least a campus storage closet). A vaunted few have risen to an even higher tier: cult classic.
With the 2025 college football season approaching, we decided to run through the extensive catalog of alternate uniform offerings in the sport since 2000 and parse through it all to determine some of the most memorable — for better or for worse.
We broke our superlatives list down into a number of categories — three broad, three specific, each with multiple nominations, and six exclusive awards. Some of these categories reward aesthetic beauty. More prefer just plain zaniness.
Here are the best, worst and wildest of alternate uniforms from the past 25 years.
Best in show
In the nominations for our best of the best, we covered a wide range of topical ground. From distinct colors to well-executed throwbacks, our five picks offer an array of different ways to make an alternate uniform pop.
Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors: Retro and rainbow, 2015
Florida International Panthers: Miami Vice, 2024
Houston Cougars: Paying homage to the Oilers, 2023
Florida Gators: Simplistic throwback perfection, 2019
SMU Mustangs: Repping Dallas, 2019
Most … ambitious
It’s always encouraging when a team is willing to try something new — creativity and boldness are two traits that help make college football fun. That said, not every outside-the-box alternate uniform idea is created equal. We’re not necessarily saying these uniforms are bad, but they definitely were… enterprising.
Florida Gators: Gator-print, 2017
Michigan State Spartans: Neon green, 2019
Colorado Buffaloes: Throwbacks gone too simplistic, 2009
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Yankee Stadium crossover, 2018
Miami Hurricanes: Orange sleeves, 2005
Craziest helmets
A great — or poor — helmet can make or break a uniform, so we created a separate category for some of the most notable lids. Bonus points were awarded for distinctiveness, regardless of how well-executed.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Big Red front and center, 2024
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Honeycomb theme, 2012
Utah Utes: Rose Bowl specials, 2022
Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia tries grey, 2011
Virginia Tech Hokies: The flexing HokieBird, 2012
Most “State-triotic”
A key element of college football is representing a school’s hometown or home state. These three schools went the furthest in going above and beyond to fulfill that mission, incorporating their state’s flag into their alternate uniforms. The aesthetic results were varied.
Maryland Terrapins, 2011
Colorado State Rams, 2017
Texas Tech Red Raiders, 2014
Best from the final frontier
An unlikely source of quality alternate jerseys in recent years? Outer space. In fact, space-themed uniforms produced enough impressive alternates that we deemed it worthy of its own category. Here are the best of the best to have drawn inspiration from the stars.
UCF Knights: Space U, 2023
Purdue Boilermakers: Honoring the school’s astronauts, 2019
Air Force Falcons: Representing the Space Force, 2022
Best tribute
Context matters for uniforms, too. Almost all alternate uniforms represent or honor something, but some threads have particularly special motives. These two alternates have established themselves as particularly distinguished in the backstory category.
Boston College Eagles: The red bandana series
The Eagles have donned uniforms featuring a red bandana pattern and a “FOR WELLES” nameplate once a year since 2014. The uniforms pay homage to Welles Crowther, a Boston College alum who died saving lives in the Sept. 11 attacks while wearing a red bandana.
UAB Blazers: The Children’s Harbor series
A tradition since 2016, UAB has worn special jerseys for select games as part of a partnership with Children’s Harbor, a service center for seriously ill children and their families in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blazers’ Children’s Harbor jerseys feature the names of patients on the back in place of those of players.
Worst trend to never catch on
Block letter jerseys
A very brief but nevertheless unfortunate stint in the pantheon of alternate uniform history was the spurt of designs in the early 2010s featuring jerseys with block letter logos front and center. Of the assorted pitfalls an alternate uniform can hit, these ran the gauntlet.
Changing the aesthetics for the jerseys of teams with classic traditional threads? Check. Unwieldy designs without grounding in a school’s history or tradition? Check. Creating a strange on-screen viewing experience? Check. Blissfully, these never took hold outside of a few Big Ten one-offs.
Lifetime achievement award
Oregon
Undoubtedly the most prolific uniform-producing school, the Ducks put out more uniform combinations in a season than some programs do in a decade. Instead of trying to choose which categories to slot them into — since they’ve produced enough memorable combinations to be involved in just about every option, really — we’re simply giving the Ducks a lifetime achievement award, showcasing a short palette of their range here.
Best alternate uniform reveal series
Notre Dame
While there have been plenty of great alternate uniform reveals, nobody in the game has committed to a bit quite like Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish started in 2022, parodying “The Hangover” to unveil their uniforms for that year’s Shamrock Series game in Las Vegas. They’ve since established the movie parody lane as their niche, riffing “Jerry Maguire” in 2023 and “Wolf of Wall Street” in 2024.
Some guys CAN handle Vegas
Feel It. October 8 pic.twitter.com/HdzdAOaCDs
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 27, 2022
Best consistent yearly alternate uniform matchup
The Army-Navy game
Admittedly, there are not a ton of matchups producing alternate uniform matchups on an annual basis. Or any, for that matter. But it simply wouldn’t be an alternate uniform story without plaudits being given to the level of detail put into Army and Navy’s respective uniforms on a yearly basis for their rivalry game in recent years. So, like Oregon, we’ve created a specific category to highlight some of the best Army-Navy alternate uniform showdowns.
Techs Stick Together unity award
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech, 2007
It felt right to end this piece with an “alternate” uniform that, while very much not intentional, was certainly memorable. On November 1, 2007, Virginia Tech played a routine road game against Georgia Tech. There was just one issue — some of the Hokies’ jerseys had gone missing. As a result, four Virginia Tech players had to play with the only extra uniforms on hand: Yellow Jacket road jerseys, with new names scrawled on the back and “Georgia Tech” blacked out on the front.
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David Hale
At a media event Friday, North Carolina Central coach Trei Oliver was asked about the most ridiculous moments he has faced in coaching, and his response set off alarms across the state of Virginia.
Oliver said he found a Virginia Tech assistant coach on the sideline for one of North Carolina Central’s games last year and suggested the coach was there to lure his star running back, J’Mari Taylor, into the transfer portal.
“Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver told reporters, according to WRAL News. “That was pretty bold. I couldn’t believe it.”
Oliver didn’t name the running back, but he said the player later transferred to Virginia. Taylor was a first-team all-conference player who is now on Virginia’s roster.
Oliver said he needed assistant coaches to calm him down on the sideline, noting several told him, “He’s just down here visiting.'”
“But I knew what it was,” Oliver said.
Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday saying this was the first time the issue had been raised and that the school would investigate.
“This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel,” the team said. “Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.”
Taylor, a graduate transfer, will be part of the Virginia backfield rotation this season, and Oliver said he will be rooting for his former player at his new school — particularly when the Cavaliers play Virginia Tech on Nov. 29.
“Thank God he went to UVA,” Oliver said, “and UVA is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks.”
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner, with contending teams deciding what they need to add before 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.
Could Jarren Duran be on the move from the Boston Red Sox? Will the Arizona Diamondbacks deal Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen to contenders? And who among the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies will go all-in to boost their 2025 World Series hopes?
Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.
More: Top 50 trade candidates | Passan’s preview | Fantasy spin
Jump to: Completed deals | Latest intel
Completed deal tracker
Yankees make another deal for infield depth
The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for two minor leaguers. Story »
Royals get outfielder in trade with D-backs
The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Andrew Hoffmann. Story »
Yankees land infielder McMahon in deal with Rockies
The New York Yankees are acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »
Mets get bullpen help from O’s
The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »
Mariners start trade season with deal for Naylor
The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Brandyn Garcia and right-hander Ashton Izzi are headed back to the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners for first baseman Josh Naylor, sources told ESPN. Story » | Grades »
MLB trade deadline buzz
July 27
Can Mets find an ace at deadline? The market has been very thin in teams offloading, but according to sources, the Mets continue to look around to see whether there’s a match for a starting pitcher capable of taking the ball for a Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3 of a postseason series. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks could be that guy, or maybe it’s Seth Lugo of the Royals, or the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Perhaps it’s one of the two big-time starters who will be under team control beyond this season, the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara or the Twins’ Joe Ryan. The Mets’ rotation was exceptional early in the year, before injuries and natural regression began to take a toll, and the team could use a boost in the front end of this group as they fight the Phillies for NL East supremacy. — Buster Olney
Which way will deadline bubble teams go? The staredown continues as deadline week begins, with perhaps as many as a half-dozen teams waiting to declare their status. “This weekend is big for a lot of teams,” said one evaluator.
The Rays, who appeared to be gathering momentum a month ago, are now just a game over .500, and given the organization’s longstanding focus on maximizing the value of their players, some rival evaluators think they could now be considering dealing some pieces away.
The St. Louis Cardinals are two games over .500, with the industry waiting to see whether they will deal closer Ryan Helsley. The expectation is that they will, given the tough NL playoff landscape. The Tigers could be interested, maybe the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers or Yankees.
The Los Angeles Angels are now five games under .500, and the presumption is that they will eventually move some players before the deadline, but the Angels don’t always operate in the way teams typically do. Taylor Ward has drawn interest from other organizations. — Olney
July 25 updates
Will the Royals trade Lugo — or extend him? Seth Lugo is an intriguing name in the trade market, but rival evaluators don’t sense the Royals are especially motivated to make a deal. Kansas City could also use this moment to explore an extension with Lugo, to keep their deep well of starting pitching intact. — Buster Olney
Angels’ deadline plans coming into focus: Any confusion about whether the Angels will add or subtract ahead of the trade deadline has seemingly cleared up in recent days, with a four-game losing streak that has them five games under .500.
The Angels are telling teams their pending free agents are available, sources with knowledge of the situation said. That includes third baseman Yoan Moncada, utility infielder Luis Rengifo, starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. Left fielder Taylor Ward, controllable through 2026, can also be had with the right deal.
The Angels famously never rebuild under owner Arte Moreno and are prone to adding even in times when they seem like long shots to contend — most notably in 2023, when they not only held on to Shohei Ohtani but also traded for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez before collapsing in August.
At this time last year, they tried to move the likes of Anderson and Rengifo but did not believe they would have received enough back to justify holding on to them through the following season. And so it is worth noting: Even if the Angels do decide to punt on 2025, their goal would be to contend again next season.
Any moves they make would probably be geared toward that. By trading away rentals, the Angels will try to use the trade deadline to add accomplished players who can help the team next year. — Alden Gonzalez
What the Astros might be looking for: The Astros’ best fit in a hitter is someone who could play second base or left field, and they can move Jose Altuve accordingly. Per FanGraphs, the Astros have a 94.5% chance to reach the postseason; they lead the Mariners by five games in the AL West. — Buster Olney
How Arizona could shape the trade deadline: The Diamondbacks informed other teams in the past that they would “probably” be dealing away players, but even after trading Josh Naylor to Seattle, it’s unclear just how far Arizona will go. If the D-Backs decided to go all-in on trading veterans, they could reshape their organization significantly, by moving free-agents-to-be Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and, of course, Eugenio Suarez.
The perception of other front offices is that Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick does not want to completely offload, especially with the Dodgers drifting back toward the pack in the NL West — and as of Thursday night, Suarez wasn’t even officially on the market.
The Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 after winning just 84 games during the regular season, won their first three games after the All-Star break, but have subsequently lost three in a row. What some rival evaluators believe is that if the D-Backs keep dealing, it’ll be because of a nudge from the front office. Arizona has been extensively scouting other organizations in preparation. — Buster Olney
White Sox starter drawing interest from contenders: About a half-dozen or more scouts will be in attendance at Rate Field on Friday night when Adrian Houser takes the mound for the White Sox. He has compiled a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for Chicago after being picked up midseason. Teams don’t believe they’ll have to give up a lot to acquire him, and he could make for a good back-end starter or depth piece for a contender. The White Sox are likely to move him at his peak, and Friday could be the final look for those who are interested. — Jesse Rogers
July 24 updates
Could Mets land this deadline’s top slugger? Eugenio Suarez could be an intriguing option for the Mets as they’ve gotten little production out of Mark Vientos at third base. And if things work out and Suarez wants to stay — and they want him to — he could also provide protection for the Mets at first base in case Pete Alonso moves on next season. The Mets rank 23rd in OPS at third, so why wouldn’t they inquire about Suarez, knowing they can hand the position back to Vientos in 2026 if they wish. — Jesse Rogers
July 23 updates
Houston is in the market for a third baseman: Add the Astros to the list of contenders looking for a third baseman. With All-Star Isaac Paredes expected to miss significant time because of what manager Joe Espada described as a “pretty serious” right hamstring strain, the Astros have begun poking around for available third basemen. One of them is the Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, who also has drawn interest from a few other clubs.
The 30-year-old represents a solid veteran option. McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, and the metrics indicate he has been one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors this season. He is under contract over the next two seasons for $32 million, so he wouldn’t be just a rental, which should raise the Rockies’ asking price. — Jorge Castillo
A big addition to the available deadline starting pitching options? A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL East teams, Cubs among teams that have talked about him. — Buster Olney
How Cubs are approaching deadline: The Cubs are looking for a starting pitcher first and foremost, but won’t part with any top prospects for rentals. They would be willing to trade a young hitter for a cost-controlled pitcher or one already under contract past this season. They are desperate to add an arm who can help while Jameson Taillon recovers from a calf injury. Bullpen games in Taillon’s place haven’t gone well. — Jesse Rogers
Will Twins trade top pitchers? Several high-profile teams are in need of bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline — including the Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers — and the Twins have two of the best available in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. The sense is that at least one of them will be traded, but those who are looking for relief help expect the asking price to be very high, partly because both of them are controllable through 2027 and partly because the Twins’ uncertain ownership situation has clouded the approach with those who are not pending free agents.
The Twins are widely expected to trade outfielder Harrison Bader, super-utility player Willi Castro, starter Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. But Jax, Duran and young starter Joe Ryan are the ones who would bring back the biggest return. The Twins are said to be listening on everyone. But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players. — Alden Gonzalez
July 22 updates
An Orioles starting pitcher to watch: It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market with a lot of teams looking for rotation help — the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest. In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his Florida home, but he doesn’t control that. O’s GM Mike Elias does. — Buster Olney
Will Cleveland deal All-Star outfielder? The player asked about the most on the Guardians’ roster is Steven Kwan, but given that he is two and a half years away from free agency, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded, according to sources. Kwan’s slash line this year: .288/.352/.398. He also has 11 stolen bases and has made consecutive All-Star appearances. — Olney
Braves not looking to move Murphy: Sean Murphy‘s name has been tossed around in trade speculation, but according to sources, he will not be available. Atlanta’s catcher is playing well this year and will be playing under a high-value contract for the next three seasons — $15 million per year from 2026 to 2028, plus a team option in ’29. And the Braves are set up well with the right-handed-hitting Murphy and left-handed-hitting Drake Baldwin perhaps sharing the catching and DH spots into the future. — Olney
Why the 2022 Cy Young winner isn’t the most in-demand Marlins starter: Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix. Alcantara’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is scary low — just 1.9 — and his ERA is 7.14. Cabrera, on the other hand, is striking out more than a batter per inning and his ERA sits at 3.61. The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams. — Jesse Rogers
How Kansas City is approaching the trade deadline: The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year — meaning they aren’t willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does.
Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 “that you’d assume he’s going to turn down,” said one rival staffer. That’ll make it more difficult for other teams to place a trade value on him: The Royals could want to market him as more than a mere rental, while other teams figure he’ll go into free agency in the fall when he turns down his option. — Olney
What the Dodgers need at the deadline: The Dodgers’ offense has been a source of consternation lately, with Max Muncy out, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman slumping, and key hitters tasked with lengthening out the lineup — Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto — also struggling.
But the Dodgers’ focus ahead of the deadline is still clearly the bullpen, specifically a high-leverage, right-handed reliever. Dodgers relievers lead the major leagues in innings pitched by a wide margin. Blake Treinen will be back soon, and Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol are expected to join him later in the season. But the Dodgers need at least one other trusted arm late in games.
It’s a stunning development, considering they returned the core of a bullpen that played a big role in last year’s championship run, then added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency. But Scott and Yates have had their struggles, and there are enough injury concerns with several others that it’s a need. — Alden Gonzalez
Which D-backs starter is most coveted? The Diamondbacks are getting as many calls — if not more — about Zac Gallen as they are for Merrill Kelly, even though the latter starting pitcher is having the better season. Teams interested in adding to their rotations still have more faith in the 29-year-old Gallen than the 36-year-old Kelly. — Rogers
Who are the White Sox looking to deal? Chicago’s Adrian Houser seems likely to move, as a second-tier starter who has performed well this season. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Rangers in May but has been very effective since joining the White Sox rotation, giving up only two homers in 57⅔ innings and generating an ERA+ of 226. Nobody is taking those numbers at face value, but evaluators do view him as a market option. The White Sox also have some relievers worth considering.
But it seems unlikely that Luis Robert Jr. — once projected as a centerpiece of this deadline — will be dealt, unless a team makes a big bet on a player who has either underperformed or been hurt this year. The White Sox could continue to wait on Robert’s talent to manifest and his trade value to be restored by picking up his $20 million option for next year, which is hardly out of the question for a team with little future payroll obligation. — Olney
Why Rockies infielder could be popular deadline option: Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the consolation prize for teams that miss out on Eugenio Suarez — if he’s traded at all. The Cubs could have interest and would pair him with Matt Shaw as a lefty/righty combo at third base. — Rogers
Does San Diego have enough to offer to make a big deal? The Padres have multiple needs ahead of the trade deadline — a left fielder, a catcher, a back-end starter. How adequately they can address them remains to be seen. The upper levels of their farm system have thinned out in recent years, and their budget might be tight.
The Padres dipped under MLB’s luxury-tax threshold last year, resetting the penalties. But FanGraphs projects their competitive balance tax payroll to finish at $263 million this year, easily clearing the 2025 threshold and just barely putting them into the second tier, triggering a 12% surcharge.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously. The Padres have several high-profile players who can hit the market this offseason — Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez — and a few others who can hit the open market after 2026. Don’t be surprised to see Preller leverage at least one of those players, and their salaries, to help fill multiple needs. — Gonzalez
Which Orioles could be on the move? Not surprisingly, Baltimore is perceived as a dealer and is expected by other teams to move center fielder Cedric Mullins, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney
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