
Ranking college football’s 10 best running backs for 2023
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2 years agoon
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ESPN staff
Most of college football’s biggest spring games have come and gone, and now it’s time to flash forward to August and the upcoming season.
Two of the biggest questions as the summer approaches: Which offense will be the most explosive, and which players will be behind that production? We’ve already knocked out the top 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2023 season, and next up are the running backs.
Here are the names ahead of the fall slate.
Eleven reporters voted on a ballot with 10 points to the first-place running back down to one point for the 10th-place RB.
Year: Senior
2022 stats: 1,463 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 80 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Points: 105 points (9 of 11 first-place votes)
Corum’s return to the Wolverines carries some surprise following his All-America 2022 season and the praise he received. Jim Harbaugh said Corum is the best collegiate back he has coached, while Biff Poggi, who coached Corum both in high school and at Michigan, described him as having shades of both Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. A late-season knee injury derailed Corum’s Heisman Trophy chances and ultimately brought him back for a final season with the Wolverines. If healthy, he will be the focal point of Michigan’s offense alongside another back included here, Donovan Edwards.
A combination of power, shiftiness and speed propels Corum, a Doak Walker Award finalist who won the Chicago Tribune’s Silver Football as Big Ten MVP. Last season, he finished 11th nationally in total rushing yards (1,463) and tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (18) despite essentially missing Michigan’s final three games (he had two carries against Ohio State) and sharing carries with Edwards. Limited early by Michigan’s lopsided nonconference wins, Corum bullied his way in Big Ten play, averaging 24.1 carries and 152.8 yards in the eight league games before his injury. The small-town kid from Virginia returns to the big stage this fall as he tries to become Michigan’s first Heisman winner since Charles Woodson in 1997. — Adam Rittenberg
Year: Sophomore
2022 stats: 1,567 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 132 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
Points: 85 points (2 of 11 first-place votes)
It’s a wonder Judkins ever got out of state. But the former three-star recruit wasn’t the toast of Alabama and didn’t sign with the Tide or the Tigers. Credit Ole Miss for seeing his potential, because after last season, Judkins isn’t going to be overlooked ever again. As a freshman, he led the SEC in rushing yards (1,567) while also setting the single-season rushing record at Ole Miss for yards and rushing touchdowns (16). CBS named him its freshman of the year. And, according to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, Judkins was so well thought of that opposing coaches tried to lure him away via the transfer portal. He stayed, signing a name, image and likeness deal that will keep him as the centerpiece of the Rebs’ offense. — Alex Scarborough
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 1,443 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 271 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
Points: 71
How do you fly under the radar with a nickname like Rocket? But that’s exactly what happened with Sanders last season thanks to Arkansas’ subpar 7-6 finish. The offense as a whole struggled, due in large part to quarterback KJ Jefferson battling injuries. But Sanders more than held up his end of the bargain, ranking second in the SEC in rushing yards (1,443) and third in rushing touchdowns (10). A healthy Jefferson could make a speedy Sanders even better, and the two could form one of the best QB-RB rushing duos in the SEC. — Scarborough
Year: Sophomore
2022 stats: 1,061 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 85 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Points: 53
One of the most noticeable upgrades to Penn State’s offense last fall was its running game, and much of that can be attributed to the emergence of Singleton, the Big Ten’s 2022 Offensive Freshman of the Year. Behind a vastly improved offensive line, Singleton provided a one-two punch with Kaytron Allen, and with both returning this fall, the Nittany Lions should be a more serious contender in the Big Ten’s East Division.
“[Nicholas], his physical attributes are a lot of speed and power,” offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich told ESPN. “You get the straight-line ability to bust a run and go the distance every time. He’s very tough. He provides a lot of inspiration the way he plays. He’s relatively quiet, but I see him gaining more vocal leadership every day. He understands the scheme and understands the protections very well.”
In 2021, Penn State had one of the worst running games in the country but made a quantum leap last season, improving from No. 118 in rushing yards per game (107.8) to No. 45 last year at 181.1. With Singleton continuing to improve on catching the ball out of the backfield, he could contribute even more this fall. — Heather Dinich
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 991 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns, 200 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
Points: 48
The “other” Michigan running back is a really good one, and he could continue to make his mark in his third season with the Wolverines. Edwards actually arrived as a more decorated recruit than Corum — ESPN rated him as the No. 4 running back and No. 68 overall player in the 2021 class — but has had to fall in line, first behind Corum and Hassan Haskins and then behind just Corum last season. But Edwards flashed in the No. 2 role, recording 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns as Michigan ran over Penn State. He also filled in admirably after Corum’s injury, rushing for 520 yards and three touchdowns against Ohio State, Purdue (Big Ten championship game) and TCU (College Football playoff semifinal).
Edwards is Michigan’s home run hitter and one of the nation’s best. He had touchdown runs of 85 and 75 yards against Ohio State as Michigan pulled away in the fourth quarter. Edwards ranked fourth nationally in runs of 40 yards or longer with six, including four in his final three games as Michigan’s primary ball carrier. His 7.1 yards-per-carry average last season ranked third in Michigan history. He’s also a capable receiver, recording 38 receptions in his first two seasons. His usage will be interesting with Corum’s return, but Edwards brings an explosiveness to Michigan’s offense that should not be wasted in what could be his final season with the team. — Rittenberg
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 1,242 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 104 receiving yards
Points: 47
Wisconsin’s offense will have a new look this fall following the hire of offensive coordinator Phil Longo, but that doesn’t mean the Badgers are abandoning the running game entirely in favor of the Air Raid offense. Instead, a stronger passing game should create more opportunities for Wisconsin’s star running back. With new coach Luke Fickell on the sideline, Allen ran for 116 yards and scored on a 20-yard touchdown in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over Oklahoma State. It was a performance he’s capable of building on in the new offense, but he has to stay healthy. Allen played through a shoulder injury late last season, and he also missed the Minnesota game because of an ankle injury.
The 7-6 2022 season was frustrating for everyone within the program, including Allen, whose production declined slightly from his freshman season when he wasn’t even a full-time starter. Under former coach Paul Chryst, Wisconsin was a run-first, pro-style offense driven by its burly offensive linemen, but it also became predictable. With fewer defenders in the box this fall to account for what Wisconsin hopes will be a respectable passing game, Allen should reassert himself as one of the best running backs in the country. — Dinich
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 1,058 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 299 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
Points: 39
One of Oregon’s great transfer portal finds ended up being Irving, and the Ducks needed him after playing their first season since 2017 without CJ Verdell or Travis Dye in the backfield. Despite committing to Minnesota out of high school (he didn’t play his senior year during the 2020 COVID-19 season) and spending his freshman season with the Gophers, he transferred to Oregon, expecting that a more creative offense would better suit his game.
Irving was right, as he developed into the Pac-12’s third-leading rusher with 1,058 yards. He and Noah Whittington became a two-back force that became difficult to stop all season. They became the first pair of Oregon teammates since 2018 to each rush for 100-plus yards in the same game on Nov. 12 vs. Washington, with Irving rushing for a career-high 149 yards and Whittington adding 106. In 2022, Irving even showed he might be able to throw the football a little bit, completing two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown to Ducks QB Bo Nix. The 2023 season should be another big one in the backfield for Irving and the Ducks, as he, Whittington and Jordan James all return. — Harry Lyles Jr.
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 1,182 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, 242 receiving yards
Points: 32
In two years at Clemson, Shipley has been something of an enigma. As a freshman, he battled injuries on an offense that struggled mightily. Still, Shipley was a silver lining in an otherwise lackluster year for the Tigers. He rushed for 739 yards and 11 touchdowns, with the bulk of his success coming over the season’s second half, as Clemson reeled off six straight wins to close out the year. It was enough to signal Shipley as an emerging star, a near sure thing to break out as a sophomore in 2022.
Instead, Shipley’s follow-up campaign was … good. Good, but a touch shy of great.
Shipley had five 100-yard games. He scored 15 touchdowns. He topped 1,100 yards on the ground. He added 38 catches and more than 300 yards as a kick returner. By any rational standard, he was exceptional. But Clemson again lost three games and Shipley sporadically disappeared from the game plan, spurring fan complaints. He was great, many fans thought, but couldn’t he be even better?
That question might be answered in 2023. Clemson has a new offensive coordinator in Garrett Riley, who engineered one of the most dynamic rushing attacks in the country a year ago at TCU. It has a new QB in Cade Klubnik, and there’s ample reason for optimism that a more prolific passing game will open up running lanes for Shipley, too. Moreover, Shipley’s versatility could result in him flourishing in the passing game, too, akin to Travis Etienne‘s final seasons at Clemson.
The ceiling for Shipley is immense, and for the better part of the past two years, he has carried an otherwise mediocre Clemson offense. In 2023, there’s a chance the stars align and Shipley and the Tigers are all at peak production. If so, he might be the best back in the country. — David M. Hale
Year: Redshirt junior
2022 stats: 990 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 144 receiving yards.
Points: 29
Injuries sidetracked Benson’s career at Oregon, and even when he arrived at Florida State in the spring of 2022, there were big questions about whether he could thrive in a lead role. He tantalized FSU fans during last year’s spring game, but Mike Norvell eased Benson into the offense early on. He had 10 carries or fewer in each of his first six games against FBS opponents last season, but it was enough to flash the potential that made him such an intriguing prospect.
After racking up 69 yards on just seven carries in a Week 7 game against Clemson, however, it was clear there was no more holding Benson back.
Over the season’s final six games, Benson carried 100 times for 618 yards and six touchdowns with 18 runs of 10 or more yards. He topped the 100-yard mark four times, including 168 against Syracuse and 111 against SEC rival Florida. By year’s end, there was no question the Seminoles had a burgeoning star.
In 2023, there will be no easing Benson into the deep end. With the transfer of Treshaun Ward (Kansas State), Benson is the clear-cut RB1 for FSU, and while the Seminoles still have some nice depth at the position, there’s every reason to think he’ll get more than 200 touches. What Benson does with that type of workload is no longer a question mark. The expectation is that he’ll be in the mix for All-America honors. — Hale
Year: Junior
2022 stats: 1,382 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 219 receiving yards
Points: 29
The Golden Eagles needed a big year out of Gore in their first season in the Sun Belt, and he didn’t disappoint. The son of one of the most reliable running backs to ever play the game, Gore helped run Southern Miss to a 7-6 (4-4) record in their first season in what has become one of the best conferences in the Group of 5.
For the more casual viewer, you might remember Gore and his father scoring a touchdown on the same weekend in 2020. More recently, Gore ran for an NCAA bowl-record 329 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to help Southern Miss hold off Rice 38-24 in the 2022 LendingTree Bowl, complete with a cameo from his thrilled aunt. After that performance, Southern Miss head coach Will Hall said, “He’s a special guy. He’s really learned how to be a leader. He’s really learned how to handle the responsibility of being Frank Gore Jr., and he has embraced that, and he’s embraced the whole deal of ‘to whom much is given, much is required.'”
Much will be required of Gore again in 2023, as the Golden Eagles will rely on him through another fall. — Lyles Jr.
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Sports
Deadline week update! Rankings for the top 50 MLB trade deadline candidates
Published
11 hours agoon
July 28, 2025By
admin
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Kiley McDaniel
CloseKiley McDaniel
ESPN MLB Insider
- ESPN MLB Insider
- Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
- Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
Jul 27, 2025, 06:00 PM ET
The July 31 MLB trade deadline is just days away, so it’s time for a deadline week update to our top 50 trade candidates ranking.
Major League Baseball’s trade market is ever evolving, and to keep you updated, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan have put together a list of potential trade candidates based on players’ performance — and that of the teams that could be involved in potential deals.
This is the most up-to-date accounting of where MLB’s trade market stands. While some of the players on the list are unlikely to be dealt, they’re at least being discussed in potential deals. Others might be making the list for the first time this week as their team’s fortunes have changed.
Note: Players ranked by value for their new team if traded, not likelihood of being dealt.
Chance of trade: 90%
Suarez is in a contract year and playing like one of the best players in baseball. Only Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge have more home runs than his 33. Despite turning 34 years old before the trade deadline, Suarez is sitting near career highs in isolated power and wRC+ (which measures overall performance). His fielding metrics have declined in recent years, but he’s still an acceptable defender at third base. Even if the Diamondbacks don’t offload all their free agents to be, Suarez could move because they’ve got Jordan Lawlar raking in Triple-A and primed to take over at third.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies
Chance of trade: 10%
Ryan is one of the best pitchers in baseball, with a mix of stuff and pitchability, and teams in search of long-term fits dream of the possibility the Twins will actually move him. That is unlikely, but this is deadline season, so there is always the chance a team surveys the market, finds nothing to its liking and overpays. The Twins don’t necessarily want to move Ryan; they are more in listening mode on nearly everyone that occupies a roster spot — and with Ryan not a free agent until after the 2027 season, teams are trying, with little success thus far, to pry him away.
Best fits: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 10%
While the general sense is that Gore won’t go anywhere, the Nationals are, at the very least, listening — and that warrants a spot atop the list regardless of the minimal likelihood interim general manager Mike DeBartolo deals him. The prospect of Gore moving is tempting enough to want to engage: 144 strikeouts in 117⅔ innings with enough control that he’s walking a career-low 3.4 per nine innings. Even if stuff-plus models aren’t crazy for Gore, he gets elite swing-and-miss and is the sort of pitcher that could tempt teams to overpay.
Best fits: Boston, Chicago Cubs, Toronto, New York Yankees, Baltimore, Houston, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 25%
Another late entry to the proceedings, Cease is throwing as hard as he did in his prime and is here more as a function of the Padres not having payroll flexibility or a deep minor league system than some sort of desire to deal him. As an impending free agent, he wouldn’t bring back nearly the haul of Ryan or Gore. And there are genuine questions about whether the holes the Padres would try to fill by moving Cease would only be exacerbated on the starting-pitching side were he to go. Regardless, they’re at the very least listening, and with Cincinnati and San Francisco breathing down their necks for the final NL wild-card slot, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller could try to get creative in upgrading his roster.
Best fits: Boston, Chicago Cubs, Toronto, New York Yankees, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 10%
An All-Star the last two years and Gold Glove winner in all three of his previous big league seasons, Kwan is a do-everything left fielder with elite bat-to-ball skills and two years of club control after 2025. Cleveland doesn’t want to deal him, but with a dearth of available bats, the Guardians at very least will listen to see if teams are willing to blow them away with offers.
Best fits: Philadelphia, New York Mets, Cincinnati, Toronto, San Diego, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 25%
Duran had a huge breakout season in 2024, posting the seventh-best fWAR in the majors at 6.8. He overperformed his underlying metrics, though — i.e. had some lucky outcomes — and those metrics have regressed a bit this year as has his luck. Duran’s projected to finish the season with around 3.0 WAR, which is more in line with how the league sees him. With Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, the Red Sox have the outfield depth to consider moving Duran for controllable, top-end pitching.
Best fits: San Diego, Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, San Francisco, Philadelphia
7. Jhoan Duran, RP, Minnesota Twins
Chance of trade: 30%
Duran is one of the best relievers in the sport, thanks to his nasty stuff, headlined by a fastball that averages 100.4 mph and a splinker that sits 97.6 mph. He has two more years of team control after this season, so he’d demand a big trade package.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
Chance of trade: 20%
Clase was nearly unhittable last season, but his numbers have regressed this year. He has issued more walks and gotten fewer ground balls while allowing more damage on his cutter that averages 99 mph — in part due to more center-cut locations. Under contract for less than $30 million through 2028, he would bring a big return to Cleveland.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
9. Cade Smith, RP, Cleveland Guardians
Chance of trade: 20%
Smith has been the best reliever in baseball by WAR since the beginning of the 2024 season, and with more than 13 strikeouts per nine innings this year, he is the solution to many teams’ late-inning woes. With four more years of control, he’s also going to be prohibitively expensive for most teams, making a deal difficult to come by.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
10. Griffin Jax, RP, Minnesota Twins
Chance of trade: 30%
Despite a 3.92 ERA that says otherwise, Jax has been one of the top relievers in baseball this season — the best by xFIP and toward the top in other similar metrics. Over the last two seasons, he’s second in the sport behind Cade Smith in reliever WAR. Only Fernando Cruz and Mason Miller have a better strikeout rate than Jax’s 14.37 per nine, and his sweeper-heavy arsenal induces as much swing-and-miss as anyone.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
11. Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Kelly doesn’t have big raw stuff, posting the second-lowest average fastball velocity (92.1 mph) among pitchers with 125 innings pitched this season. His changeup is his best pitch by a wide margin, and he gets by with location and offspeed stuff. He was a stalwart in the Diamondbacks’ run to the 2023 World Series, striking out 28 in 24 innings with a 2.25 ERA.
Best fits: Toronto, Boston, Houston, Chicago Cubs
Chance of trade: 65%
Not only is Keller in the midst of a career-best season with a 3.53 ERA, he’s under contract for another three years at a very reasonable $55.7 million. The Pirates need bats, and moving Keller is the likeliest way to fill that void. Teams could be scared off slightly by the quality of contact against him — his average exit velocity and hard-hit rate have spiked while his strikeouts are down — but in an environment with little pitching, Keller is nevertheless desirable.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, Toronto, Houston
Chance of trade: 30%
All the potential the Marlins have seen in the 27-year-old right-hander is finally coming into focus this season. While Cabrera’s 97 mph fastball gets hitters’ attention, it’s his curveball and slider that are doing most of the work. And with a changeup that in years past has been his best pitch, the cost to acquire Cabrera will be high because of his full arsenal and three more years of club control.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, New York Mets, Toronto, Houston, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees
Chance of trade: 50%
Alcantara was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in 2022, winning the NL Cy Young unanimously. He was more solid than spectacular in 2023 and missed 2024 with Tommy John surgery. He has been tinkering this season to try to get his pitch mix and locations right in hopes of regaining his former glory. His 6.66 ERA is frightening, and with the Marlins still valuing him as a top starter, they could hold onto him until the winter, when teams like the Orioles would be more inclined to acquire him and the final two years of his contract.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego, Baltimore
15. Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Gallen was excellent for the last three seasons but now, in a contract year, is posting career-worst numbers in almost every category. His stuff looks pretty similar, but he’s allowing much more damage when hitters make contact. That said, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is back to normal in his last six starts, at 35-to-6, despite a 6.55 ERA in that span.
Best fits: Toronto, San Diego, Houston, Chicago Cubs
16. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
Chance of trade: 85%
O’Hearn is having an out-of-nowhere career year, with an OPS+ of 132 (and he’s been unlucky with ball-in-play luck, to boot) along with being on pace for a career high in homers. He doesn’t face lefty pitchers much at all and his splits suggest that he shouldn’t.
Best fits: Houston, Boston, San Francisco, Texas
17. David Bednar, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Chance of trade: 70%
In a market replete with relief options, the 30-year-old Bednar brings high-end performance without quite the price tag of his peers. His swing-and-miss stuff has been elite since his return from Triple-A, and he has more than salvaged his trade value: Over his last 23 outings, Bednar has struck out 29, walked five and posted a 0.00 ERA.
Best fits: Detroit, Toronto, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Seattle
Chance of trade: 80%
Helsley had the fourth-best WAR among relievers last season and is in a contract year, but he has been notably worse this season. His stuff and locations are pretty similar, but the main difference is his fastball is getting hit hard — with one byproduct being his spiking home run rate.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, Toronto, Detroit, New York Mets, Seattle
Chance of trade: 20%
Fairbanks raised his slot a bit this year, and now his 97.3-mph fastball has more cutting action while his slurvy slider has more depth with both pitches playing a notch better than they did last season. He’s got a club option for 2026 that, with escalators, should wind up around the $10 million range. Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes and bullpen injuries have cut into the likelihood Fairbanks moves.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto, Texas
20. Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Guardians
Chance of trade: 50%
A late entrant into the trade market, Bieber still hasn’t thrown a big league pitch this season and is coming back from Tommy John surgery. With his fastball up to 94 mph and his slider looking like its old sharp self, though, he’s generating plenty of interest and could be one of the bigger names moved at the deadline.
Best fits: San Diego, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston, Toronto
Chance of trade: 60%
Ward comes with an additional year of team control after this season and he’s having a strong 2025 campaign, just one homer away from last year’s career high total of 25 — and in 52 fewer games.
Best fits: Cincinnati, San Diego, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 50%
Robert has been extremely unlucky with ball-in-play results this season, but that has begun to turn around recently. He remains a strong defender and baserunner, with a career-high 24 steals already. But the slashline is unsightly, and his trade value has cratered over the last two seasons. He’s got a pair of $20 million-a-year club options that the acquiring team will be hesitant to exercise absent a turnaround. Finding a match with a team willing to pay more for Robert’s upside than his productivity could be challenging.
Best fits: San Diego, Philadelphia, New York Mets, Cincinnati, San Francisco
23. Nolan Arenado, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Chance of trade: 20%
Arenado’s strikeout rate is around his career best and he’s still an above-average defender, but his power and patience are both trending down to around the worst of his career. He’s still a solid starter but no longer a star, and the team taking him on a deal would still have to pay him like one. Potentially complicating any deal: a full no-trade clause.
Best fits: Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle
Chance of trade: 70%
Ozuna is a stone-cold DH, playing two games in the field in 2023 as his last regular-season experience defensively. He’s also in a contract year, but his power numbers are down a notch from his standout .302 average and 39-homer performance last season. His on-base percentage remains among the highest of potential trade candidates. If anyone is moving from Atlanta, he’s the likeliest candidate, with free agency beckoning.
Best fits: San Diego, Seattle, Texas, Detroit, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 50%
Garcia averaged 30 homers in 2021-24, but he’s fallen off since his 2023 career year. It’s worth noting that per xwOBA, he’s been the 13th-most unlucky hitter in the big leagues this year. He also has another year of team control, so some teams could see a buy-low opportunity.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Seattle, Cincinnati, San Diego, San Francisco
26. Reid Detmers, RP, Los Angeles Angels
Chance of trade: 15%
The No. 10 pick from the 2020 draft transitioned to relief this season and has found similar success to other highly-drafted college lefties, including A.J. Puk, Andrew Miller and Drew Pomeranz. He comes with three more years of control after this season and his velo is up 1.7 mph in the new role, so this might be where he fits long term — and he could fetch a hefty return. Some teams still see Detmers as a starter.
Best fits: New York Mets, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Toronto
Chance of trade: 90%
Following a dreadful start to the season, Morton found his curveball and has righted himself. Between his stuff and playoff experience, he has leapt up teams’ boards as a true target and almost certainly will move before the deadline.
Best fits: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston, San Diego, Toronto
28. Adrian Houser, SP, Chicago White Sox
Chance of trade: 90%
Houser’s resurgence is a success story for the White Sox. He opted out of a minor league deal with Texas to sign with the White Sox in mid-May and has limited home runs to post a 2.10 ERA in nearly 70 innings. He’ll eat innings for sure, but some scouts see his stuff as good enough to warrant a spot in a postseason rotation.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston, San Diego, Toronto
Chance of trade: 80%
Mullins is a 30-year-old center fielder in a contract year who contributes in a number of ways, though he’s hitting only .217 and his defensive metrics have regressed to be below average in center. His walk rate and power numbers are up this season, making him a solid contributor on a contender.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Houston, New York Mets
30. Willi Castro, UT, Minnesota Twins
Castro has played six of the eight field positions this year and has been a solid, versatile utility type since a breakout season in 2023. He doesn’t offer eye-popping numbers or tools, but is around average at most things while playing all over the field on an everyday basis.
Nos. 31-57
31. Seth Halvorsen, RP, Colorado Rockies
32. Zack Littell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
33. Jeffrey Springs, SP, Athletics
34. Jesus Sanchez, RF, Miami Marlins
35. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
36. Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
37. JP Sears, SP, Athletics
38. Michael Soroka, SP, Washington Nationals
39. Tyler Anderson, SP, Los Angeles Angels
40. Kyle Finnegan, RP, Washington Nationals
41. Luis Severino, SP, Athletics
42. Zach Eflin, SP, Baltimore Orioles
43. Pierce Johnson, RP, Atlanta Braves
44. Phil Maton, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
45. Steven Matz, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
46. Harrison Bader, CF, Minnesota Twins
47. Jake Bird, RP, Colorado Rockies
48. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
49. Yoan Moncada, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
50. Andrew Heaney, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
51. Chris Paddack, SP, Minnesota Twins
52. Raisel Iglesias, RP, Atlanta Braves
53. Tomoyuki Sugano, SP, Baltimore Orioles
54. Ramon Urias, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
55. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, UT, Pittsburgh Pirates
56. Luis Urias, 2B, Athletics
57. Shelby Miller, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Sports
Ichiro shows funny side, joins CC, Wagner in HOF
Published
15 hours agoon
July 28, 2025By
admin
-
Bradford DoolittleJul 27, 2025, 06:34 PM ET
Close- MLB writer and analyst for ESPN.com
- Former NBA writer and analyst for ESPN.com
- Been with ESPN since 2013
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese-born player to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, one of five new members of baseball’s hallowed institution.
After enduring the baseball tradition known as a rain delay, the five speeches went off without a hitch as the deluge subsided and the weather became hot and humid. Joining Suzuki were pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, and sluggers Dick Allen and Dave Parker, both of whom were enshrined posthumously.
“For the third time, I am a rookie,” Suzuki said, delivering his comments in English despite his long preference for conducting his public appearances in Japanese with the aid of an interpreter.
For the American audience, this provided a rare glimpse into Suzuki’s playful side. Teammates long spoke of his sense of humor behind the closed doors of the clubhouse — something the public rarely saw — but it was on full display Sunday.
When Hall voting was announced, Suzuki fell one vote shy of becoming the second unanimous selection for the Hall. He thanked the writers for their support — with an exception.
“Three-thousand [career] hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers,” Suzuki said. “Except, oh, one of you.”
After the laughter subsided, Suzuki mentioned the gracious comments he made when balloting results were announced, when he offered to invite the writer who didn’t vote for him home for dinner to learn his reasoning. Turns out, it’s too late.
“The offer to the one writer to have dinner at my home has now … expired!” Suzuki said.
Suzuki’s attention to detail and unmatched work ethic have continued into the present day, more than five years since he played his last big league game. That was central to his message Sunday, at least when he wasn’t landing a joke.
“If you consistently do the little things, there’s no limit to what you can achieve,” Suzuki said. “Look at me. I’m 5-11 and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger major leaguers.”
After becoming one of the biggest stars in Japanese baseball, hitting .353 over nine seasons for the Orix BlueWave, Suzuki exploded on the scene as a 27-year-old rookie for the Seattle Mariners, batting .350 and winning the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.
Chants of “Ichiro!” that once were omnipresent at Mariners games erupted from the crowd sprawled across the grounds of the complex while the all-time single-season hits leader (262 in 2004) posed with his plaque alongside commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark.
Despite his late start in MLB, Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits in the majors and 4,367 including his time in Japan. Suzuki listed some of his feats, such as the hit total, and his 10 Gold Gloves.
“Not bad,” he said.
Sabathia’s weekend got off to a mildly rough start when his wife’s car broke down shortly after the family caravan departed for Cooperstown. They arrived in plenty of time though, and Sabathia was greeted warmly by numerous Yankees fans who made the trip.
After breaking in with Cleveland at age 20, Sabathia rocketed to stardom with a 17-5 rookie season. Alas, that came in 2001, the same year that Suzuki landed in the American League.
“Thank you most of all to the great players sitting behind me,” Sabathia said. “I am so proud and humbled to join you as a Hall of Famer, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year Award in 2001.”
Sabathia focused the bulk of his comments on the support he has received over the years from his friends and family, especially his wife, Amber.
“The first time we met was at a house party when I was a junior in high school,” Sabathia said. “We spent the whole night talking, and that conversation has been going on for 29 years.”
Parker, 74, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on June 28, less than a month before the induction ceremony. Representing him at the dais was his son, Dave Parker II, and though the moment was bittersweet, it was hardly somber.
Parker II finished the speech with a moving poem written by his father that, for a few minutes, made it feel as if the player nicknamed “The Cobra” were present.
“Thanks for staying by my side,” Parker’s poem concluded. “I told y’all Cooperstown would be my last rap, so the star of Dave will be in the sky tonight. Watch it glow. But I didn’t lie in my documentary — I told you I wouldn’t show.”
Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 homers, won two Gold Gloves on the strength of his legendary right-field arm and was named NL MVP in 1978. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and entered the Hall representing the Bucs.
Wagner, whose 422 career saves ranks eighth on the all-time list, delivered an emotional but humorous speech about a small-town guy with a small-for-a-pitcher 5-foot-10 stature who made it big.
“I feel like my baseball life has come full circle,” Wagner said. “I was a fan before I could play. Back when baseball wasn’t so available on TV, every Saturday morning I watched Johnny Bench and so many of the other greats on a show ‘The Baseball Bunch.'”
In one of the moments of baseball serendipity that only Cooperstown can provide, the telecast flashed to Bench, sitting a few feet away from where Wagner was speaking.
Allen’s widow, Willa, delivered a touching tribute to her late husband, who died in 2020 after years of feeling overlooked for his outstanding career. The 1964 NL Rookie of the Year for the Phillies, Allen won the 1972 AL MVP for the Chicago White Sox.
“Baseball was his first love,” Willa said. “He used to say, ‘I’d have played for nothing,’ and I believe he meant it. But of course, if you compare today’s salary, he played almost for nothing.”
Willa focused on the softer side of a player who in his time was perhaps unfairly characterized for a contentious relationship with the media.
“He was devoted to people, not just fans, but especially his teammates,” Willa said. “If he heard someone was sick or going through a tough time, he’ll turn to me and say, ‘Willa, they have to hear from us.'”
Sports
Braves get starting pitcher Fedde from Cardinals
Published
15 hours agoon
July 28, 2025By
admin
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Alden GonzalezJul 27, 2025, 06:42 PM ET
Close- ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.
The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran starting pitcher Erick Fedde from the St. Louis Cardinals for a player to be named later or cash, both teams announced Sunday.
As part of the deal, the Cardinals will cover the majority of what remains of Fedde’s $7.5 million salary for 2025, a source told ESPN.
Fedde, 32, is a free agent at season’s end, making him a surprising pickup for a Braves team that was swept by the Texas Rangers over the weekend and is 16 games below .500, trailing the first-place New York Mets by 16½ games.
But the Braves have sustained a slew of injuries to their starting rotation of late, with AJ Smith-Shawver (torn ulnar collateral ligament), Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow), Chris Sale (fractured ribcage) and, more recently, Grant Holmes (elbow inflammation) landing on the injured list since the start of June.
Fedde reestablished himself in South Korea in 2023, parlaying a dominant season into a two-year, $15 million contract to return stateside with the Chicago White Sox. Fedde continued that success in 2024, posting a 3.30 ERA in 177⅓ innings with the White Sox and Cardinals.
This year, though, it has been a struggle for a crafty right-hander who doesn’t generate a lot of strikeouts. Twenty starts in, Fedde is 3-10 with a 5.22 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.
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