Freeman’s dominance, Judge’s struggles and Ohtani’s status: What we’ve learned about Dodgers, Yankees so far
Two games into the 2024 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have taken a 2-0 lead on the New York Yankees.
First the Dodgers took the opener in dramatic fashion, winning an instant classic on Freddie Freeman‘s 10th-inning walk-off grand slam.
Then, in Game 2, the Dodgers rode a strong outing by starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 4-2 victory — but now await word on the status of superstar Shohei Ohtani after he exited in the seventh inning with an apparent shoulder injury.
As both teams make their way to New York for Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on Monday night, our MLB experts break down what we’ve seen — and where this World Series will go from here.
What has surprised you most so far in this World Series?
Jorge Castillo: Aaron Judge‘s struggles. Judge wasn’t the out-of-this-world MVP version of himself in the ALDS or ALCS, but he still worked his walks and hit that crucial game-tying home run against Emmanuel Clase in Game 3 in Cleveland. The logic here was that Judge, who did the best peak Barry Bonds impersonation we’ve seen during the regular season, would eventually snap out of his October funk and fuel the Yankees’ offense. Instead, he’s been worse this series. Judge has gone 1-for-9 with six strikeouts in the first two games. He has whiffed on 32 of his 59 swings over the past five games.
Alden Gonzalez: The strength of the Dodgers’ starting pitching. Jack Flaherty got into the sixth inning in Game 1 and gave up only a two-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton. Yoshinobu Yamamoto recorded 19 outs in Game 2 and allowed just one hit — a solo home run to Juan Soto. Starting pitching was supposed to be the Yankees’ strength; the Dodgers would attempt to overcome it with a deep bullpen and an even deeper lineup. And though Gerrit Cole pitched very much like an ace in Game 1, Carlos Rodon struggled mightily for the Yankees on Saturday. Stealing both those games, particularly the way they did, is a boon for the Dodgers, who have Flaherty and Yamamoto lined up to pitch again if this series extends.
Jesse Rogers: Without a doubt, it was Aaron Boone’s decision to bring in Nestor Cortes when he did in Game 1. Clean inning? Maybe. Dirty inning, tied in the 10th? No way. That game was so critical for the Yankees because they mostly held the Dodgers off the scoreboard until Freeman’s historic home run. There have been only a few times this postseason that L.A. hasn’t been running on all cylinders at the plate, so sneaking away with a victory would have been a huge boost for New York. In Game 2, the Dodgers went back to what they usually do: coming at teams in waves of offense. Cortes should have been Boone’s third option behind Tim Hill and Mark Leiter Jr. with a chance to take the series opener. Instead, it was his first, and it cost him.
How will this series change when it gets to New York?
Castillo: For one, it’ll be colder in the Bronx. The Yankees, on paper, also will have a clear pitching advantage in Game 4 with Luis Gil starting opposite a bullpen game for the Dodgers. Winning a World Series with a scheduled bullpen game is a tall task, but that’s where the Dodgers are with their pitching staff. It’s on the Yankees to chase Walker Buehler early in Game 3 and expose the Dodgers’ bullpen before unleashing a line of relievers the next night.
Gonzalez: That will depend on how Game 3 goes. On Monday night, the Yankees will confront Buehler, who has had a hard time generating swing-and-miss since coming back from his second Tommy John surgery but also has a reputation for stepping up in big games. If the Yankees can get to Buehler early, they might force Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to use some of his high-leverage relievers, which will limit his options in Game 4. In other words: The Yankees have a chance to set themselves up to tie this series within the first few innings Monday night.
Rogers: Rabid crowd, colder temps and pitching question marks for the visitors should shift some momentum the Yankees’ way. It’ll be critical to get as many Dodgers relievers into each game as possible, especially considering the teams play three straight days. New York has an uphill battle, but not an impossible one. The only problem is the short porch in right will benefit the Dodgers as much as it has the Yankees all season, so someone is going to have to keep L.A. in the park — or the Yankees are simply going to have to outscore the Dodgers.
How will the Dodgers have to adjust if Shohei Ohtani has to miss any time?
Castillo: Shohei Ohtani is irreplaceable atop the lineup, but the Dodgers won 100 games last year without him — they can win two of the next five if they need to. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, two future Hall of Famers, are still around. Max Muncy and Kiké Hernández, an October monster, will continue bouncing around the diamond. Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman, two significant contributors enjoying stellar playoff performances, are shining in their first postseason in Los Angeles. Ohtani missing any time would ignite a series of lineup changes that could include Freeman, who has been battling a sprained ankle since the end of the regular season, moving to designated hitter. It’ll remove a power source and a base-stealing element to the Dodgers’ offense. But the Dodgers have more than enough firepower to survive.
Gonzalez: Freeman, hobbled all month, would probably get the start at designated hitter. That would move Muncy to first base, Hernandez to third and Tommy Edman to center field against a right-hander. They would also put Betts in the leadoff spot. Their lineup would still be pretty good. But they would be without both their best power hitter and their best base-stealer at the top of the lineup. And though the Dodgers have shown all year that they can overcome injuries — to Betts, Muncy and Freeman in particular — this would be an entirely different level.
Rogers: The sudden emergence of a postseason starting staff for L.A. helps take some pressure off the offense in case they do lose Ohtani — plus they did win Games 1 and 2 with little help from him at the plate. Muncy might be the key to their offense without Ohtani — he’ll move up, as will Betts. They’ve won without Betts and Freeman, so the Dodgers should be OK. Having said that, if the series is more high-scoring in hitter-friendly Yankees Stadium, the Dodgers certainly will miss his firepower.
What is the biggest adjustment the Yankees need to make?
Castillo: Get back to grinding pitchers down. The Dodgers have three starting pitchers. They’re expected to cover Game 4 with only relievers. If the Yankees force high pitch counts, they should eventually tax the Dodgers’ bullpen and increase their chances of putting up crooked numbers. They were on track for that in Game 1 after making Jack Flaherty throw 40 pitches over the first two innings. But he threw just 20 over the next two innings, which allowed him to get through 5⅓ innings. Yoshinobu Yamamoto needed just 86 pitches to hold the Yankees to one run over 6⅓ innings in Game 2. Walker Buehler will take the ball in Game 3 for Los Angeles after throwing 90 pitches in four scoreless innings in his last start. Chasing him early and placing a heavy burden on the Dodgers’ relief corps, with a bullpen game the next day, could change the series.
Gonzalez: Simply put: Make more contact. The Yankees thrived on luring pitchers into the strike zone and doing damage this season. Through the first two games of this series, they’ve done a nice job not chasing but are simply swinging and missing way too often. Judge, of course, has been the biggest culprit, but the Yankees as a whole have a swing-and-miss rate of 35.4%, way up from their regular-season total of 23.8%. Yes, of course, hitting is far more difficult this time of year. But the Dodgers are whiffing basically half as often as the Yankees right now.
Rogers: Um, get the MVP hitting like an MVP again? The Yankees simply can’t afford any of their stars to slump the way Judge is right now. Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton leading the way won’t be enough without something from the captain. Judge looks like a guy putting way too much pressure on himself. Perhaps going home will get him and his team to relax. In fact, the Game 1 pitching debacle might have impacted them in Game 2, so a day off and a change of scenery might be what the Yankees need.
Freddie Freeman is the easy choice for World Series MVP so far — will he win the award?
Castillo: My answer here is no just because I still don’t expect a quick series. The more games, the more opportunities for someone else to claim the award. Freeman has been superb so far, but remember, he’s playing on a sprained ankle. Continuing the production will be a challenge. If he does, he’ll be the clear winner — especially if Ohtani misses significant time.
Gonzalez: I would guess no, simply because playing three consecutive games in the frigid temperatures of New York might be an issue — as we witnessed in the National League Championship Series, when Freeman struggled while playing at Citi Field — and because this series might still possess enough twists and turns to create distance from his iconic moment in Game 1. Freeman is certainly capable of continuing to produce and taking home the MVP trophy, which would be storybook, but I’d still take the field at this point.
Rogers: Yes. Hitting triples, walk-off grand slams and, ya know, other home runs, is going to get him the honor. He’s moving well, so that there’s no major concern about his ankle, so he’s going to continue to get chances to tee off against right-handed pitching and some suspect lefties in the Yankees pen. See Nestor Cortes for evidence. It’s kind of a cliché to say, but it might apply here: New York has no answer for Freddie Freeman.
Would you like to revise your original pick for this Series based on what we’ve seen?
Castillo: Yep. I picked the Yankees in seven, and while I believe that is still very possible, I’m going to switch it over to Dodgers in seven. The Yankees squandering two leads in Game 1 makes it feel like they now must win five games to win the series. That was a gut punch. They could still recover, but the Dodgers are too good not to capitalize on that lead.
Gonzalez: I picked the Dodgers to win in six and would stick with that. Ohtani’s shoulder injury is certainly concerning, but watching the way Flaherty and Yamamoto pitched and watching how off Judge seems gives me no reason to think the Dodgers — already up 2-0 — won’t take the series. They even have some really cool symmetry on their side thanks to the Freeman-Kirk Gibson comps: Gibson’s walk-off homer in Game 1 of the World Series was part of the last time the Dodgers won a full-season championship in 1988. You can’t write this stuff.
Rogers: Yes. My prediction of Yankees in seven could still materialize, but the Dodgers’ offense is just too much. Maybe there’s a game where New York scores double digits because L.A.’s bullpen implodes, but losing Game 1 was such a killer, I don’t think they recover. They say a series really doesn’t begin until a team wins on the road. L.A. will do that at least once in New York, setting themselves up for a World Series title.
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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