Stars out tonight

Friday was not a good night to be a pitcher as homers went flying left and right in the summer heat, even in the lowest-scoring game of the night. There were five players with multiple home runs on the day. The Twins lead the major leagues in home runs and set a new franchise record last night when Eddie Rosario clubbed the team's 226th longball of the campaign. They have more than six weeks remaining in the season and should have no problem breaking the league-wide record of 267 home runs set by the 2018 Yankees. This year's version of the Yankees are not far behind the Twins with 206 home runs and the two teams could duel it out down the stretch for the privilege of setting the new standard.

One of the Twins' best sluggers, Nelson Cruz, was placed on the injured list yesterday with a wrist injury. The Yankees have played almost the entire season without Giancarlo Stanton, who has hit just one home run this year. He hit 38 homers last year and 59 in 2017 with the Marlins. The Astros and Dodgers are tied for third in the majors with 192 dongs apiece. The Marlins rank last with just 98 bombs. The Marlins are lead by Brian Anderson with 20 home runs -- he is one of 69 players in the majors with 20 or more longballs already. Last year exactly 100 players hit 20 or more homers, a mark that will surely be obliterated by the time the 2019 season draws to a close.

Two-Homer Hammers

Carson Kelly clobbered a pair home runs to propel the Diamondbacks to a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in extra-innings. The game started out as a pitchers' duel between Walker Buehler and Robbie Ray. Buehler fired six shutout innings and appeared poised for a victory when closer Kenly Jansen came on to protect a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. Kelly had other plans however and ripped a two-run shot off Jansen to tie the game and send it to extras. Kelly won it with a solo blast off Julio Urias in the 11th frame. The young catcher never hit a home run in parts of three seasons with the Cardinals but now has 16 long balls in his first campaign as a Diamondback. He has developed into a solid fantasy catcher with a .268/.354/.553 slash line in 260 plate appearances. Kelly is ranked as the 11th-best catcher on Yahoo and 10th on the ESPN Player Rater.

Oracle Park in San Francisco is the toughest ballpark in the majors for home run hitters but Bryce Harper didn't let that get in his way. He homered twice and collected four RBI to lead the Phillies to a 9-6 victory over the Giants. He now has four homers in his last eight games. He cracked a solo shot against starter Tyler Beede in the fifth inning and then banged a three-run jack to right field in the seventh off reliever Tony Watson. That one sailed right out of the ballpark and into McCovey Cove. Harper is now slashing .252/.371/.478 with 22 home runs, 78 RBI, 69 runs scored and six stolen bases. Those are solid but not spectacular numbers and Harper is certainly capable of more. Fantasy owners were hoping his numbers would improve this year considering he left the Nationals to play in a more hitter-friendly ballpark in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old won't be setting any new career highs this year.
J.D. Martinez went 4-for-5, blasted a pair of homers, scored four runs and drove in four runs, powering the Red Sox to a 16-4 victory over the Angels. He ripped an RBI-double in the first inning, took Jaime Barria yard for a two-run bomb in the fourth and cracked a solo shot in the seventh. The monster game kicked his slash line up to .310/.383/.569 with 27 home runs and 71 RBI on the season. He isn't a Triple Crown threat this year like he was a year ago but his owners are still getting exactly what they paid for on draft day. He is a four-category stud (just one stolen base) and can easily rack up huge RBI and run totals in the heart of the loaded Red Sox lineup.

Acuna Matata

Ronald Acuna Jr. went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBI in an 8-4 win over the Marlins. He smoked a two-run tater off starter Caleb Smith in the fifth inning and thumped another two-run shot in the ninth off reliever Austin Brice. Acuna has been on an epic streak with seven longballs in his last eight games. He's also been running the bases with reckless abandon and is up to 26 stolen bases on the season. He is bashing to the tune of .298/.377/.535 with 32 home runs, 79 RBI and 96 runs scored. He is proving his Rookie of the Year season was no fluke and currently ranks as the second-best player in fantasy leagues according to both Yahoo and the ESPN Player Rater. Christian Yelich is the only player who has out-performed him.
Teoscar Hernandez went 2-for-3 with two homers, three RBI, and two runs scored in a win over the Yankees. He ripped a solo dong off struggling Yankee starter J.A. Happ in the second inning and banged a two-run dinger off stud reliever Tommy Kahnle in the eighth. Hernandez is a frustrating player to own in fantasy leagues because of his inconsistency. He has great power but too often flails wildly at the plate. He has a .224 batting average with 17 home runs and 43 RBI in 87 games. He hit another five dingers in the minors this year. He is ranked number 193 among all hitters on the ESPN Player Rater, putting him on the fringe of roster-worthiness in fantasy leagues.

Buehler !!

National League Quick Hits: Walker Buehler fired six shutout innings in a no-decision against the Diamondbacks. He has a 3.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 160/23 K/BB ratio... Gio Gonzalez fired five innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Rangers... Robbie Ray yielded two runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers... Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer against the Pirates.... Cal Quantrill struck out five and hurled seven scoreless frames in a win over the Rockies. He has a 1.62 ERA  in 33 1/3 innings... Scott Oberg was lit up for a season-high four runs on three hits in a non-save chance appearance against the Padres... Josh Naylor slugged a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the Padres’ win over the Rockies... Luis Urias went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored in the Padres’ lopsided win over the Rockies... Fernando Tatis Jr. drilled a two-run double, stole two bases and also drew a pair of walks to lead the Padres to a 7-1 blowout victory over the Rockies... Drew Smyly was charged with six runs -- four earned -- on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Giants... Corey Dickerson went 3-for-4 with three-run triple and a run scored in the Phillies’ win over the Giants... Stephen Vogt went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the Giants’ loss to the Phillies... Marcus Stroman allowed four runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Nationals... Pete Alonso homered in his fourth straight game in a win over the Nationals and is up to 38 bombs for the season... Anthony Rendon went 2-for-5 with a homer, three RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored against the Mets... Todd Frazier slugged a game-tying three-run homer against Nationals closer Sean Doolittle in the bottom of the ninth inning... Julio Teheran registered seven strikeouts while throwing seven innings of one-run ball in an 8-4 win over the Marlins... Caleb Smith allowed a season-high six runs in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Braves... Ozzie Albies stayed red-hot by going 4-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored... Starlin Castro went 4-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in a loss to the Braves... Braves' manager Brian Snitker announced Friday that Mark Melancon will function as the team's primary closer for the time being, replacing Shane Greene... Trevor Bauer piled up 11 strikeouts and allowed just one run through seven innings to beat the Cubs. This was his seventh double-digit strikeout game of the season and first with the Reds... Yu Darvish took the loss against the Reds after surrendering four runs over six innings... Ross Stripling has been shut down for an additional week due to continued neck discomfort... Yadier Molina (thumb) is expected to return from the injured list on Tuesday...

Shane , not Justin Bieber

American League Quick Hits: Marco Gonzales gave up two runs on seven hits and matched a season-high with nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Rays... Shane Bieber struck out 11 while allowing two runs over seven-plus innings in a win over the Twins. He is 12-4 with a 3.28 ERA and 193/32 K/BB rate over 156 1/3 innings... Devin Smeltzer was tagged for six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Indians... Yasiel Puig finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored against the Twins... Jose Ramirez went 3-for-5 with an RBI double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored against the Twins... Rafael Devers homered and drove in three runs as the Red Sox slaughtered the Angels... Albert Pujols blasted a three-run homer in a losing effort against the Red Sox... Sean Reid-Foley held the Yankees to a lone run over five innings as part of an 8-2 win... J.A. Happ was knocked around for six runs over five innings in a loss to the Blue Jays... Danny Jansen swatted a three-run homer in a win over the Yankees... Mike Tauchman went 2-for-4 with a solo homer against the Blue Jays. He has five homers in his last five games... Dawel Lugo went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, leading the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Royals... Edwin Jackson dominated in his return to the Tigers, surrendering just one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings in a victory over the Royals. He has a 9.35 ERA on the season... Matt Chapman crushed his 25th home run of the season, powering the Athletics to a 7-0 victory over the White Sox.. Mike Fiers dominated the White Sox, racking up eight strikeouts over seven shutout innings. He is now 11-3 on the season with an impressive 3.30 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 147 1/3 innings... Nelson Cruz has been diagnosed with a ruptured ECU tendon in his left wrist and will visit a specialist on Monday. He was placed on the 10-day injured list... Yandy Diaz will be shut down for 6-8 weeks after a CT scan revealed a hairline fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot... Lourdes Gurriel has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left quad strain and will be placed on the injured list prior to Saturday's game...

Lourdes, not Yuli Gurriel

They built it, now they will play there

The MLB is building it, and the Yankees and White Sox will come. In some kind of tribute to the 31st anniversary of the iconic baseball movie “Field of Dreams,” the two teams will play each other on August 13, 2020 in Dyersville, Iowa, where the baseball classic movie “Field of Dreams” was filmed.

It will be the first-ever major league game in Iowa.

There is an obvious tie-in for the White Sox here: With its links to W.P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel “Shoeless Joe” — which is based on Shoeless Joe Jackson and the 1919 Black Sox scandal — the White Sox were an obvious choice to host this thing.

But the Yankees tie-in? Well, they just have a big, global fan base, and have been happy to participate in MLB’s attempts to branch out and expand its reach. Plus, Aaron Boone and Aaron Judge are excited about it.
 “I had heard little whispers about it earlier this entire year but I hadn’t heard much about it lately. To see it and see the Aaron Judge commercial, I think it’s great,” Boone said. “I was part of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN when we went to Fort Bragg, and the first in Williamsport. It’s a special thing that they do and I’m sure they’ll do a great job of getting it ready and recreating. It’s such an iconic movie. To go there, I think it’s something we’ll all start to look forward to.”

Judge is featured in the commercials that MLB released to promote the game on Thursday. Recreating a clip from the movie, Judge jogs out to the first-base line, turns and delivers one of the most memorable lines from the movies. “Is this heaven?” a serious Judge asks before the camera cuts to the movie’s star Kevin Costner, who laughs and replies, “No, this is Iowa.”

They participated in the first-ever regular season game played in the UK this season. The two-game London Series featured the premium rivalry of the Yankees and the Red Sox.

An 8,000-seat temporary ballpark will be constructed on the Dyersville site. A pathway through a cornfield will take fans to the ballpark, which will overlook the famous movie location. The right field wall will include windows to show the cornfields beyond the ballpark. The ballpark’s design will pay homage to Chicago’s now-demolished Comiskey Park, home of the White Sox from 1910-1990. It will replicate the shape of the outfield, as well as the bullpens beyond the center field fence.

This is just one of several marquee games that MLB has created to take the regular-season games outside the normal 30 big league cities. It held a game in Omaha earlier this season to highlight a connection with the NCAA College World Series and are playing their third game at the Little League World Series this year.

The Thursday night game will be a White Sox home game, and the opener of a three-game series. The teams will have Friday off and then resume the series Saturday back at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. Logistically, this will be an easier detour than this season’s London Series, which required 7,000 miles of travel and three off days for a two-game series in a soccer stadium that produced two barely watchable games.

But travel logistics aside, it’s the different atmosphere these games produce that really stands out to Boone.

 “Going back to Fort Bragg, I don’t know what the attendance was there, but it was small and intimate. It was all the people that lived on the base. It was a really neat experience," the Yankees skipper said. "This will be different than that obviously, but I would imagine the same kind of cool intimate but also feel like I really big deal. It’s something that we’ll start to look forward to.”

Finally The Jays Brass commits to install netting

The Blue Jays are going to get more protective in 2020.

Finally.
.
The Jays announced on Tuesday that netting will be extended farther down the baselines at Rogers Centre and at Dunedin Stadium, the team’s spring training park, next year.
In statement released by the club on Twitter, Andrew Miller, the Jays’ executive vice-president of business operations, said it’s in the best interests of the fans to take this step.

“Fan safety is paramount to the Blue Jays and we believe that fans should feel protected and secure during our games,” Miller said. “Extending the protective netting at Rogers Centre and Dunedin Stadium is a clear next step for our organization and one that reflects our team’s values. As fans and followers of the game, it is vitally important for us to preserve and enhance the live baseball experience, while also ensuring everyone who visits our ballparks can do so safely.”

The exact configuration of the netting in Toronto and Dunedin is to be determined.
Recent incidents involving fans being hit, and injured, by foul balls has led to growing conversation in the game that the kind of netting the Jays will implement is required across major league baseball.
All 30 teams put extended netting in their stadiums to start the 2018 season.


The Chicago White Sox announced earlier this season that the club would extend netting to the foul poles at Guaranteed Rate Field, and that went into effect late in July.

A long story about Nate

Nate Pearson retired the first 11 batters he faced. Four strikeouts, four ground outs, two popups and a fly ball against the Erie Sea wolves, who boast the best offence in the Double-A Eastern League. Pearson’s fastball sat at 97 mph, touching 100. He was dominant.
He was also liberated. For most of the season, the Blue Jays had cosseted their top pitching prospect, alternating two- and five-inning inning starts and keeping a fastidious watch on his pitch count. Pearson had faced only 10 batters at High-A Dunedin last year, the 10th man drilling a pitch off his forearm. It was broken. His season was over after one short start.
Entering this season, Pearson had pitched only 21 2/3 innings in pro ball. The Blue Jays’ conservative approach to load management was prudent. In their dreams cape, Pearson walks tall, leading the youth movement alongside Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. The club was taking no chances.
“Yeah, it was frustrating at times, but I just had to remember that the Blue Jays were looking out for my arm and my health,” Pearson said of the metaphorical harness he had to wear for the first four months. “I just had to take it that they know what’s best for me. I had to go through that to get to the full healthy year that I wanted to reach.”
But as of Sunday, the reins were off. Pearson’s pitch limit in his remaining starts will be 100. He has pitched 72 innings. With five starts left (the season ends on Labour Day), he’ll finish well short of his club-imposed innings limit of 125.

It was sunny and hot as Pearson’s visiting New Hampshire Fisher Cats prepared for the final game of their road trip against Erie, a Tigers’ affiliate. In his previous start, Pearson had worked six shutout innings, a career high. His ERA for the season, covering 19 starts at Dunedin and New Hampshire, was 2.01.
His first pitch was a fastball at 98 mph, top of the zone. His third was a slider down. The batter grounded out to third.
For three innings, that was the pattern. The hitters were late on the heater, stumped by the slider. He got a come backer on a change up. One fastball hit 100 mph. The batter fouled it off.
Pearson worked quickly, a towering figure at 6-foot-6, his head jerking toward first base as he released the ball, his stare side-eyed as he tracked each pitch. His stoic expression never flickered.
The day before, after finishing his afternoon work with the pitchers, New Hampshire coach Vince Horsman sat on the bullpen bench and offered a scouting report on the robust righthander now ranked as the Blue Jays’ best prospect.

“Big strong guy,” Horsman said. “He’s really fun to watch. He’s got the four-pitch mix. His work ethic is off the charts. Very focused, very determined. He really is a coach’s dream. Very coachable, but yet as a coach, you really don’t have to impart a lot on Nate. Everything’s already in place. He just needs to go out there and pitch and make the in-game adjustments.”
And now, “He has some innings to play with. Now we can just let him go.”
The last batter of the third inning swung late at a 97-mph fastball and grounded out. Nine batters up, nine down. The Fisher Cats led 1-0.
Returning from the third-base coach’s box, Erie manager Mike Rabelo stood on the steps and told his troops: “We got ‘em right where we want ‘em.”
Maybe it was hot air. Or maybe he’d noticed something.
Pearson’s potent pitching pattern included some tiny telltale signs.

---

Through three innings, Pearson was averaging 13 pitches. In the fourth, he doubled that number.
He started the inning with two strikeouts, two of his best at-bats of the day. He set up the first with a high, teasing fastball at 98 mph for a ball, then dropped in a swing-and-miss slider, 86 and down. The next batter got a diet of offspeed stuff, including a spiked show-me curveball. After mixing in another 100-mph heater (fouled off), he froze the hitter with a slider for his fourth K.
Then came the turn.
“The biggest thing for Nate is just commanding his body,” Horsman had said the previous day. “There are times when he’ll just try to overmuscle a ball or overpower a ball. That’s pretty tempting when you’re 6-6 and throw 100. I think what he’s learning here is, regardless of how hard he throws, there still has to be a measure of pitching. He has to command his fastball and work his fastball to both sides of the plate.”
At his best, Pearson is masterful with his fastball at the top of the zone. His heater has late life. His stride is long. Those factors, and his elite velocity, further divide the split-second that hitters have to decide whether to swing or take, regardless of pitch location.
But when a pitcher misses his spot, hitters can hit heat. Pearson had missed a few times in the early innings – not by much, mind you – and in his second time through the order, he started to miss a little more often.
With two down, he put a 100-mph pitch in the lower outside quadrant and Jose Azocar lined it to the opposite field for Erie’s first hit. Good pitch, good hitting.
Up stepped Josh Lester, a left-handed batter with 14 home runs. On a 2-1 count, Pearson left a 97-mph pitch up and out over the plate. Lester hit it over the right-field fence.
The next batter took 99 mph for a ball, then got 96 right down the middle. He hit a fly ball to deep right. Chad Spanberger lined it up, then started swatting his glove at the sun. The ball dropped for a triple.
Pearson stranded the runner. But it took him eight pitches to strike out the next batter. With hitters starting to time up his fastball, he went heavy on sliders, the last a swing-and-miss beauty at 86. (“His slider has come a long way since he’s come up here from Dunedin,” Horsman said.)
Three batters had reached base, but only two scored. The damage was minimal. But it felt like a long inning, and for Pearson, at 26 pitches, it was.
After four innings, his pitch count was 65. He would not reach 100.

---

Since his college days, Pearson has been a devotee of the famed Driveline Baseball training and conditioning program, which focuses heavily on motion-capture technology and high-speed, slow-motion video. Back then, he started using a series of Drive line-designed weighted balls to improve arm strength. This past offseason, he visited the Driveline facility in Seattle for in-person instruction.
Driveline features two key tools, which have taken baseball by storm in the past couple of years:

The Blue Jays invested heavily in Rapsodo and Edgertronic equipment for their minor-league teams this year. The systems are used during each pitcher’s bullpen session.
“It’s a humongous aid to the pitching coach,” Horsman said. “Nate might say, ‘I’m getting around my slider.’ We have data from Rapsodo telling us what his slider is supposed to look like, and we have video from the Edgertronic that shows where his hand is when he’s throwing his good slider versus where his hand is now. It’s instant feedback.”
Pearson says the Driveline program has helped him with the “design” of his breaking pitches. To hear him talk, one might conclude that his understanding of the technology might surpass that of his coaches.
“I’ve spent more time on it, learning about it the last couple years,” he said. “They kind of just introduced it to the coaches this year, so they’re all kind of still learning. Baseball’s starting to go that way, so they’re trying to learn, which is good.”
Horsman, a Halifax native in his 12th season as a coach in the Jays system, certainly likes the technology. But it can’t be used during games. That leaves a coach to rely on old-school techniques.
“You just have to go with your experience, with what you see,” he said.
Which is what he did in the fifth inning on Sunday, when things started going sideways for Pearson.
Facing the bottom of the order, he started with a walk. With one out, he gave up three straight singles, the last one loading the bases with a run in. The pitches weren’t meatballs, by any means. But Pearson was missing his spots, by just a bit, catching enough of the plate to let batters pounce.
Horsman came out for a visit. After he left, Pearson threw just one pitch, a slider down, on the inner half. Azocar bounced it into a 6-4-3 double play.

Pearson’s final line: five innings, six hits, three runs, a walk, five strikeouts and 81 pitches. It ended in a grind under a scorching sun. He threw 42 pitches over the fourth and fifth innings.
By most standards, it was a decent outing. He’d limited the damage. He’d maintained his velocity, touching 100 mph again in his last inning. He’d killed a budding rally with a one-pitch at-bat. And his ERA for the season over two levels stood at 2.25.
But by Pearson’s standards, it wasn’t good enough. He and Horsman will give the Edgertronic and Rapsodo units a workout during his next bullpen sessions. The Jays’ top prospect turns 23 in two weeks, and while he understands patience is a virtue, he’s still trying to make up for a lost season of development. Over the next month, he says, he aims to pile up innings and gain the knowledge that comes from pitching deep into his starts.
A day earlier, as he discussed the work ethic that Horman called “off the charts,” Pearson said: “I guess I spend more time taking care of my body than maybe other guys.”
For some new pro pitchers, ramping up their workout comes after an epiphany of sorts, when they watch the habits of more experienced pitchers. Not so with Pearson.
“I’ve always had that kind of approach, ever since high school,” he said. “I can’t do the same things that other guys do and expect better results. I’ve got to build my own routine that works for me, and I think I’ve got a good foundation of that now.”
And then, the kicker that sums up the mentality that drives Nate Pearson.
“I want to be the best,” he said, “and I’ve got to do stuff that separates me from the others.”

He’s well on his way, with plenty more to learn, from technology and especially from experience.

The newest Spaceman

Aaron in Orbit

Bill Lee was known as the Spaceman, but after one appearance, Aaron Sanchez has idenified as the newest spaceman.

Astros are known around the league as a club that uses their strong analytical background and pioneering work into spin rates and the like to improve the overall quality of any and all pitchers that they come into contact with.
Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, Wade Miley, Charlie Morton, Collin McHugh, Will Harris and Ryan Pressly are among the lengthy list of hurlers who improved their performance and strikeout rate under the watchful eye of Jeff Luhnow and company.

So naturally, when Aaron Sanchez was acquired from the Blue Jays just prior to Wednesday’s trade deadline, optimists around the league salivated at the prospects of the Astros’ brain trust digging in and attempting to correct whatever has plagued the talented right-hander.
The 27-year-old hurler came to the Astros with an underwhelming 6.07 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 99/59 K/BB ratio across 112 ⅔ innings. Sure, there was talent there, but this type of transformation would take time, right?
No one could have foreseen what happened on Saturday though, in Sanchez’s first start as a member of the Astros.
Sanchez went out and fired six innings of no-hit baseball against the Mariners, allowing just a pair of walks and striking out six along the way. He was lifted after throwing just 92 pitches in his six frames -- 55 of them or strikes.

Will Harris took over for Sanchez and worked through the seventh inning without allowing a hit. Then Joe Biagini -- who also came over to the Astros from the Blue Jays on Wednesday -- went through the eighth inning with the no-hit bid intact.
That put all eyes on Chris Devenski who was tasked with working the ninth. Devenski got Kyle Seager to ground out to first base, then struck out Omar Narvaez. That left only Daniel Vogelbach standing in the way of history. After running the count full Vogelbach flew out to right field, competing the combined no-hitter for the Astros.
It was the third no-hitter in the big leagues this season -- and the second one against the Mariners after they were no-hit by the Angels on July 12.
It was the 12th no-hitter in Astros’ franchise history and their first since Mike Fiers no-hit the Dodgers in 2015.
An excited Sanchez told reporters after the game, “It’s hard to come to a team and feel like you can contribute in a way when they’re already so good… It’s been an unbelievable 48 hours, and for today to end like it did, I’m so happy.”

One of the big keys to success for Sanchez in this start -- which also led to the improvements for Charlie Morton when he was with the Astros -- was the increased usage of his curveball and four-seam fastball. Sanchez entered the start throwing his curveball 22% of the time, but wound up throwing it 29% of the time in this one.
Mariners’ manager Scott Servais noticed a distinct change in Sanchez’s arsenal and pitch usage on Saturday, explaining "Sanchez pitched different tonight than he typically does … Going into the game, we know what Houston likes their guys to do. He quickly jumped on board with what they like to do over there, and he got results tonight. You’ve got to give him credit. He was riding more four-seamers up in the zone. Typically he’s been more two-seam down. But he did a good job tonight.”
The Astros have now won 13 of their last 16 games and own the best record in the American League at 72-40. They already had a terrific top three in their rotation with Verlander, Cole and Miley -- and that was before acquiring Zack Greinke from the Diamondbacks in the waning moments on Wednesday.

To be able to slot Sanchez in as the fifth member of that starting rotation, is a tremendous luxury. He isn’t going to pitch like this every time out, and it’s still way too early to tell if he’ll turn his whole season (and career) around with the move to the Astros. But at least for one night, Luhnow and company look like the smartest men in the room.

Boomstick Barrage

Nelson Cruz wasn’t a hot commodity on the free agent market over the winter, despite coming off a season in which he had blasted 37 home runs in 144 games for the Mariners -- the fifth straight season in which he had hit 37 or more long balls.
He hung around as a free agent until the end of December, when the Twins surprised the baseball world by inking the soon to be 39-year-old slugger to a one-year $14.3 million contract with a $12 million club option for 2020.
The way that Cruz has been mashing the baseball, that contract looks like a ridiculous bargain.
Entering play on Saturday, Cruz had swatted 27 home runs through his first 81 games of the season. That included a recent surge in which he had left the yard nine times in his last 12 games -- including a three-homer game against the White Sox on July 25.
In the first inning on Saturday, Cruz obliterated a Danny Duffy offering for a solo home run. He repeated the feat again the very next inning, one of three homers that the Twins would blast against Duffy in the second inning. He wasn’t finished though. Cruz then strolled to the plate in the sixth inning and blasted a two-run shot off of Jorge Lopez -- allowing him to eclipse the 30-homer plateau for the sixth consecutive season.
He also became the first player in Major League history to have multiple three-homer games after turning 39 years old -- let alone accomplishing the feat twice in a matter of eight games.
Cruz has now clobbered 12 home runs in his last 13 games. He’s slashing a monstrous .295/.386/.652 with 30 long balls and 72 RBI in 82 games on the season. His .652 slugging percentage would set a Twins’ franchise record.
I think it’s a safe bet to say that the Twins will be picking up his $12 million option for 2020.

The Parrot is down

Encarnacion Fractured

The Yankees -- who are no strangers to dealing with injuries this season -- lost another big bat from the middle of their lineup on Saturday when Edwin Encarnacion fractured his right wrist when he was drilled by a pitch during the first game of their doubleheader against the Red Sox.
Initially, fantasy owners were able to breathe a sigh of relief when it was announced that Encarnacion’s X-rays came back negative, but after undergoing a CT scan, the diagnosis quickly became much more grim.

Mike Ford was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday and he’ll help to shoulder the load in Encarnacion’s absence. The Yankees have thrived on the next man up mentality this season, with Gio Urshela, Cameron Maybin and Mike Tauchman among the many who have had unexpected success when forced into the Bombers’ lineup.
The 36-year-old slugger said Saturday that he only expects to miss 3-to-5 weeks with the injury, which was described as a hairline fracture in his right wrist. That timeline may seem a bit optimistic, but it's encouraging to see that Encarnacion is so eager to return. What will be important to watch, is how the wrist injury impacts his power stroke upon his eventual return.
It's a major loss to the Yankees, and to fantasy owners, who have enjoyed Encarnacion's power production this season. Despite a poor batting average, Encarnacion has slugged 30 home runs, driven in 74 runs and scored 74 runs through 101 games on the season.

American League Quick Hits: Aaron Hicks is set to undergo an MRI exam on Sunday after injuring his elbow while making a throw to third base during Saturday night's game against the Red Sox. … David Price will be activated from the paternity list to start on Sunday against the Yankees. He’ll attempt to snap the Red Sox’ seven-game losing streak… The Orioles claimed Ty Blach off waivers from the Giants. … The Twins placed Byron Buxton (shoulder) and Michael Pineda (triceps) on the 10-day injured list. … The Royals claimed Jacob Barnes off waivers from the Brewers. … John Means (shoulder) will return from the injured list to start against the Yankees on Wednesday. … Didi Gregorius sat out both games of Saturday’s doubleheader with a strained knuckle on his right hand… Corey Kluber (arm) is set to begin his minor league rehab assignment on Thursday. … Ken Giles (elbow) is expected to be available on Sunday. … Andrelton Simmons was a late scratch from the Angels’ lineup due to a sore left foot. He’ll undergo an MRI on Sunday. … Derek Fisher was pulled from Saturday’s game with a facial contusion after he was hit in the face by a fly ball that he lost in the sun. … Patrick Sandoval is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his first big league start against the Reds in Cincinnati on Monday. Felix Pena will undergo an MRI exam after leaving Friday's start against the Indians with a right knee sprain. … Jordy Mercer was pulled from Saturday’s game due to lower body cramping. … Chris Sale was slaughtered for eight runs on nine hits over 3 ⅔ innings in a loss to the Yankees. … DJ LeMahieu homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Yankees’ attack in the first game of their doubleheader. … Eric Sogard belted a pair of long balls and plated five runs in a victory over the Marlins. … Jonathan Villar homered and swiped a base in a win over the Blue Jays. … Michael Brantley went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four RBI in a lopsided win over the Mariners. … Francisco Lindor clubbed a three-run homer in a win over the Angels… Gleyber Torres swatted a pair of home runs as the Yankees took the nightcap from the Red Sox to sweep Saturday’s doubleheader. … Rougned Odor blasted a walk-off solo homer in the 10th inning to sink the Tigers. … Danny Duffy allowed nine runs (eight earned) over 4 ⅔ innings in a brutal loss to the Twins. … Matthew Boyd fanned nine over 5 ⅔ innings of two-run baseball in a no-decision. … Chad Pinder blasted a pinch-hit, three-run homer to lead the Athletics past the Cardinals.

National League Quick Hits: David Dahl was placed on the 10-day injured list with a high right ankle sprain. … The Cubs designated veteran right-hander Brad Brach for assignment. … The Mets claimed Donnie Hart off waivers from the Brewers. … Howie Kendrick missed his second straight game due to leg cramps. … Willson Contreras was forced to exit Saturday’s game with a right hamstring strain. He’ll undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. … Evan Longoria (foot) is expected to return to the Giants’ lineup on Sunday. … Matt Carpenter (foot) is likely to return to the Cardinals’ lineup on Sunday. … Neil Walker was removed from Saturday's game against the Rays with a jammed right index finger. He’s considered day-to-day. … Cole Hamels struck out six over five scoreless innings against the Brewers in his return from the injured list. … Albert Almora went 3-for-3 with a homer in a victory over the Brewers. … Marcus Stroman surrendered three runs on seven hits over 4 ⅓ innings against the Pirates in his Mets’ debut. … Wilson Ramos went 4-for-5 with a homer, double and six RBI in a win over the Pirates. … Bryan Reynolds went 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored in a losing effort there. … Aaron Nola punched out 10 over seven innings of one-run ball in a dominant victory over the White Sox. … Nick Pivetta worked the final two innings to record his first career save. … Ronald Acuna Jr. delivered a walk-off win for the Braves with an RBI single in the 10th inning. … Aristides Aquino went 2-for-2 with his first major-league home run in a loss to the Braves. … Shane Greene suffered a blown save, giving up a run in the ninth inning against the Reds in his Braves’ debut. … Trevor Bauer allowed three runs on seven hits over 4 ⅔ innings in his Reds’ debut. … Walker Buehler punched out an astonishing 15 batters in a complete game victory over the Padres. … Scooter Gennett swatted his first home run of the season as the Giants topped the Rockies. … Eduardo Escobar homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs as the Diamondbacks slaughtered the Nationals. … Stephen Strasburg took it on the chin, giving up nine runs on nine hits (including three home runs) in a loss to the Diamondbacks.

Rating the haul

The Blue Jays were fairly active at this year’s trade deadline, which came and went at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, swinging three deals, including one that was particularly confounding. Consumer confidence is not high in Toronto at the moment, and the front office’s decision to give up on Aaron Sanchez, and more, for a post-hype prospect who was never really all that hyped to begin with did not sit well with a fan base.

This comes on the heels of what many felt was the unnecessary trade of Marcus Stroman over the weekend, and what was perceived to be a light return for the team’s ostensible ace.
Whether the Astros can turn around Sanchez, the former American League ERA leader, is a story that will be followed closely in these parts over the rest of the season. In the meantime, Jays fans are picking up the pieces, remembering the good times of 2015 and 2016, and — as it feels like they’ve been doing forever — looking to the future.

I’ve already written quite a bit about the Stroman deal. There would be no point in going through any of that again in this piece. What you will find here, though, is a first look at the other prospects the club has acquired, plus the one — Cal Stevenson — who is going to Houston as part of the Sanchez trade.

I’ve also managed to squeeze in a few thoughts on Sanchez’s departure.

Derek Fisher — OF, Round Rock (Triple A)

Derek Fisher has never hit in the big leagues, though he has consistently been an above-average hitter everywhere else he’s played. The big-league numbers are concerning, no doubt, and the bet the Jays placed by acquiring him for Aaron Sanchez, Joe Biagini, and prospect Cal Stevenson is certainly a curious one. On first blush, maybe even a bad one. That certainly was the prevailing thought among Jays fans when news of the trade broke on Twitter and ultimately it might not be the wrong one. But there are a lot of dimensions here.
As easy as it could be to dream on Sanchez’s arm — to remember his 2016 and the prospect hype — the reality is that only once in his entire career as a starter has he had a season of fewer than four walks per nine innings. And in his past three seasons, he’s either been bad or hurt or both. Yet in his last two starts with the Blue Jays, he flashed as much promise as he’d shown in a long while. Sanchez walked none in each of those final two outings, and just three in total over his last four starts with the club — though he was also tagged for four runs in three of those starts, and 26 hits over 20 2/3 innings. He delivered hope in a hopeless season, and to see him jettisoned, along with two other pieces (one of them, Biagini, a lovable reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever-again who has been a perfectly solid piece in the middle of the Jays’ bullpen, and who has three years of club control left beyond this one), for a player whose age and stat line echoes the likes of Teoscar Hernández, Billy McKinney and Sócrates Brito came as a shock.
Shouldn’t Sanchez have a whole lot more value than this? You might think so, but the fact the rest of the league wasn’t pouncing any harder on his availability suggests otherwise. (Though that might also suggest the Jays are way too high on Fisher.)
OK, but shouldn’t they have moved Sanchez back to the bullpen and cashed in on him as a reliever down the road? It’s an understandable idea, but one that doesn’t come without risk. Yes, the injuries account for some of Sanchez’s poor performance in recent years, but that poor performance has mostly come when he was going through an opponent’s lineup a second and third time. This season he has a 2.12 ERA the first time through the order, meaning that if he continues to fail as a starter, there’s still a chance might find success as a reliever. I’m not convinced that a move to the bullpen would immediately bring back the pitcher he was in the fall of 2015, but there’s a chance. That apparently isn’t something that interests him, though, or at least that didn’t while he was with the Jays. GM Ross Atkins told reporters in the wake of the trade that Sanchez is “driven to be a starter,” and as a long-tenured veteran on the club, asking him to go back to the bullpen (where he thrived early on in his big-league career) would have been tricky.
The Astros might have better luck on that front. Simply the fact that he’s with a new team might make him more amenable to a switch, and he should be especially interested in one come playoff time, given that Houston just added Zack Greinke to a rotation that was already fronted by Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. Earmarking him as a bullpen weapon in October makes a lot of sense, though if any team could unlock his potential as a starter it’s probably the Astros. This is a good situation for a guy who, frankly, needed a new situation. But as much as there’s an interesting ceiling there, we’re still talking about a player who has given up a whole lot of loud contact and a lot of walks (his 1.69 WHIP is the worst among qualified starters this season by a sizeable margin over Dakota Hudson’s 1.54), and who could succumb to a blister or other ailment at any moment. I’ve seen fans criticize the front office for dealing Sanchez at the nadir of his value, but the fact they could use him to get anything back tells us that it wasn’t. Only two weeks ago, it seemed like his trade value was nil. The same was true at last year’s deadline when he was out due to injury and was otherwise mired in his second consecutive disaster of a season. And so the thing is, though his value today is indeed low, his history tells us that it absolutely can go lower.
Yes, the Jays could have stuck it out with him and hoped for a better return, but they evidently feared the risk enough, and liked the player they got back enough, to set Sanchez free. There’s nothing wrong with that, just like there would have been nothing wrong with holding onto him. And if you’re a fan of the Jays, or of his, you have to hope he gets his career back on track in Houston. Even if that will be a bitter pill to swallow.

So … Derek Fisher.
I bring up Hernández, McKinney and Brito because there is indeed a bit of a similar shape here. Brito is a 26-year-old outfielder and absolutely raked at Triple A last season, but has struggled against big-league pitching in 99 career games. McKinney, another outfielder, is just 24, has hit at every level but the majors. He’s played 92 games at the highest level so far. Hernández, 26, is the veteran of the group, having played 281 big-league games, and has been a better hitter too — though only about league average (102 wRC+) overall.
Fisher will turn 26 in August. Unlike the others, he is a left-handed hitter. He has played 112 big-league games, and other than the majors has hit everywhere he’s played. Of course, for the bulk of the past three seasons, that’s been at Triple A. He first reached the level in 2016, in fact.
Other than power, Fisher’s speed is one of his better tools — among Blue Jays, only Brito and Hernández rate faster in 2019, per Statcast — though the book on him is that he’s not a great defender because of his poor reads and his poor arm. He can technically play all three outfield positions, his best fit might be left.
Part of the reason Fisher has spent so much time in Triple A is he’s been blocked by some outstanding outfielders already in place in Houston — George Springer, Jake Marisnick, Josh Reddick, Michael Brantley, and before him, Marwin Gonzalez — just to name a few. Much of it, though, is because he’s never really seized an MLB opportunity.
Over those 112 big-league games, Fisher has slashed just .201/.282/.367. That gives him a wRC+ of just 77 for his career so far, and he’s struck out far too often — 35.3 percent of the time, though his rate has been a much more manageable 23.3 percent over 19 games in 2019. Bad luck isn’t necessarily to blame here, either, as his BABIP sits at a normal-looking .288 (though that’s perhaps a touch lower than you’d expect for a player with his speed). Yet in the minors, it’s a different story. This season he’s slashed .286/.401/.522 for Round Rock, and though that means he’s been playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, his home park is not at elevation (Round Rock is just outside of Austin, Texas) and plays somewhat neutrally compared to some of the other places in the league. The fact that Triple A teams are playing with the juiced MLB ball this season might have some effect, but he’s put up similar numbers at the level in previous years (before the MLB balls came into use in the minors).
Especially impressive was his 2017 season, during which he slashed .318/.384/.583 for the Express, with 21 home runs, and just a 19.3 percent strikeout rate. Heading into that season he was the No. 83 prospect (at the time they said he had “middle-of-the-order upside and 20-20 potential”), and thanks to his strong output, he ended up playing 53 games in Houston that year. Though he’s mostly been in the minors since he’s graduated from most prospect lists since then. In 2017, FanGraphs had him as the Astros’ No. 7 prospect, ahead of Hernández and behind David Paulino, who was acquired in last summer’s Roberto Osuna trade.

Are you underwhelmed yet?

It’s entirely fair if you are, but the Blue Jays believe there’s more here than meets the eye. The fact they have believed similar things, which we haven’t yet (or have only rarely) seen, from guys such as Hernandez, McKinney, Randal Grichuk and Brandon Drury — players who strikeout too much, walk too little, chip in with occasional power, but mostly comprise the “ugh, when are we going to get back to the top of the order?” part of the Jays’ lineup — doesn’t exactly fill the heart with high expectations.
It doesn’t mean that Fisher — or any of those guys — can’t still be an important piece for the team, though, either. The Jays are making a bet, much like we’ve seen them do on the pitching side, that if they keep acquiring guys with what could be star qualities if not for certain flaws holding them back, eventually, with the right kind of player development approach, a wellspring of potential might be unlocked. Not every great player in the league began as a highly regarded prospect, so it’s not exactly difficult to understand that sort of thinking. And it’s admirable, in a way, how little the front office seems to care about how the deals they choose to make will be perceived by their fans or by the industry. But it’s fair to wonder about this approach. Not so much in the outraged fan sense where it’s seemingly obvious that they don’t know what they’re doing — they do know what it is they’re doing — but that in that they’re actively choosing to do things that sometimes look unusual and that simply might not work out.

Of course, plenty of these moves might not work out — evidently, it is by design that they’re scooping up players they don’t necessarily expect to work out. It would just make everybody a little more comfortable, I think, if it didn’t sometimes seem like the goal is to put together a championship roster for the Buffalo Bisons.
There is plenty of good that the front office has done, which tends to get overlooked on days when the team pulls off something of a head-scratcher, and I think it’s entirely reasonable to have walked away from Sanchez and a couple of minor pieces to take a bet on this player whom they apparently really like. Former Astros hitting coach Dave Hudgens is, of course, the Jays’ bench coach this season, so there’s a strong voice in the organization who knows and has worked with Fisher over the years, which should give you a bit of comfort on this one. But you don’t have to like it. It’s weird. And one hopes that sooner or later some of these bets the Jays are making start to work out. (Though one suspects that, if a few do, we’ll still end up shouting at each other about the ones that didn’t.)

Cal Stevenson — OF, Dunedin (High A)

Stevenson was a 10th-round pick for the Blue Jays in last year’s draft and opened some eyes when he put up video-game numbers at Bluefield in his first taste of pro ball. He slashed .369/.511/.523 there, though the numbers are a touch misleading because he had been drafted as a college senior and so was old for the level. This year at Dunedin, his walk rate, while still good, is way down, and his strikeouts have ticked up. His slash line remains impressive — .298/.388/.393 — but the lack of power is a concern. Before the season started, in a study, Kiley McDaniel responded to a question about Stevenson by saying, “We’d like to see more. You had a great K/BB ratio as a 21-year-old in the Appy League and you have very little power. K/BB will regress against better pitching, then what’s really there beyond speed and CF fit?” Those criticisms seem to be playing out this season, but the fact that the Astros have remained interested enough to acquire him in the Sanchez/Fisher trade perhaps bodes well. He was ranked No. 16 among Blue Jays prospects by Baseball America in its recent mid season update, just behind Anthony Alford and Patrick Murphy, but ahead of 2019 third-rounder Dasan Brown. FanGraphs, for what it’s worth, had him as the Jays’ No. 33 prospect at the start of the season. But there’s still a greater-than-zero chance that he becomes the part of the trade the Blue Jays end up regretting.

Thomas Hatch — RHP, Tennessee (Double A)

Hatch, acquired by the Blue Jays in a trade for David Phelps, went back to Double A this season despite doing a reasonably good job at the level over 26 starts in 2018. This year, his ERA has gone up noticeably (from 3.82 to 4.59), but there are some encouraging signs. He strikeout rate is up (though still a little below one per inning), his walk rate is down and some of the poor results can be attributed to a worse BABIP and strand rate. He helped get Oklahoma State into the 2016 College World Series, and was valued enough by the Cubs heading into the 2018 season that,  Baseball America, the team gave him “a locker in between Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks at big-league camp and purposely held him out of Cactus League games, wanting him to soak up as much as possible before sending him to minor-league camp.” He was coming off a strong pro debut season that year but has never really gotten back on that track. He has the stuff to generate more strikeouts than he does, but while he’s kept walks down he still struggles with command — particularly throwing his fastball consistently for strikes. The Blue Jays might try to continue to work with him as a starter, but reports on him suggest that his future is in relief and he might be good enough to pitch there in the big leagues in the near future — especially if his fastball ticks up in short bursts. He currently sits in the low 90s as a starter. Whatever the outcome, the Jays basically pulled Phelps off the scrap heap with a cheap free-agent contract and turned him into a player who could actually help the bullpen down the road. It’s the kind of marginal value add they’re generally pretty good at. Now if only they could get the big moves right!

Kyle Johnston — RHP, Potomac (High A)

Like Hatch, Johnston (acquired from the Washington Nationals for Daniel Hudson) appears to have the bullpen in his future. Currently a starter, he finally seems to have reined in the control problems that have plagued him since college, walking just 37 over 105 innings at High A this year, making this the first season as a pro in which he’s had his BB/9 rate below 4.6. He can reportedly touch 97 mph but sits lower than that as a starter, and has an improving slider to go with it. The lack of a quality third pitch, along with the command and control problems, seems to be what’s moving him toward the ‘pen, and in return for a rental player, that’s probably OK. Hudson is just not quite enough of an impact player to bring back more, and once Johnston starts tapping into his velocity in a relief role, the Jays might end up with something reasonably decent out of this.

Brock Stewart — RHP, Oklahoma City (Triple A)

In their smallest move of the day on Wednesday, the Blue Jays claimed the right-hander on waivers from the Dodgers and immediately optioned him to Buffalo. Though he is obviously back-fill for a rotation that’s going to see a number of pitchers moving up to the big leagues in the coming days (the Blue Jays just dealt away two starters and two relievers, and might yet have to put Ken Giles on the IL), Stewart is not without at least a little bit of intrigue. He’s got 36 big-league appearances under his belt, all with the Dodgers, including 11 starts, dating back to 2016. According to Baseball America, he was the No. 8 prospect in the second-ranked Dodgers system heading into 2017, with his high-spin fastball cited as his best pitch. He had pitched to a 2.49 ERA the previous year in Oklahoma, striking out 54 in 50 2/3 innings while walking just six. It’s been pretty much downhill since, as his strikeout rate continues to drop and his walk rate balloons. Still, before a rough handful of innings in relief this season, he’s managed a 3.41 ERA over 34.1 innings in the big leagues as a reliever, and so maybe there’s some kind of a future for him there in Toronto. The likelihood is low.

"Houston, we've got NO problems."..

While the vast majority of the biggest names rumored to be on the trade block -- including Noah Syndergaard, Robbie Ray, Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith, Zack Wheeler, Felipe Vazquez, Ken Giles, Kirby Yates -- ultimately stayed put, it was the Astros -- who boast the American League’s best record (69-39) this season -- that made the most substantial acquisition of any franchise to bolster their starting rotation; extracting right-hander Zack Greinke from the Diamondbacks in a blockbuster deal only minutes before Wednesday’s 4 PM ET major-league trade deadline. They paid an extremely steep price, but will be adding another potential ace to a staff already comprised of foundational cornerstones Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole in addition to veteran southpaw Wade Miley. The 35-year-old right-hander is a tremendous talent and arguably one of the most underrated workhorses in the game. He’s also among the most analytically savvy and inquisitive pitching minds in the modern era moving to an extremely progressive organization that has shown an ability to get the most out of the pitching talent they acquire. It’s a perfect match. Despite lacking the premium fastball velocity he possessed in his halcyon days as a perennial Cy Young Award contender with the Royals, Brewers and Dodgers earlier in his career, Greinke’s rare ability to change speeds and expertly locate his extensive repertoire remains unparalleled. He owns a 2.90 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 135/21 K/BB ratio across 146 innings (23 starts) this season and should benefit exponentially from the move to Houston.   

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Diamondbacks are sending $24 million to the Astros, who will assume the remaining $53 million left on his deal, which runs through the end of the 2021 campaign. Without question, the Astros paid a steep price, surrendering four quality prospects to complete this deal. I can only paraphrase Rotoworld prospect guru Chris Crawford, who tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, “the Greinke trade is a freakin' haul.” From a pure fantasy perspective, Seth Beer is the most relevant name to monitor in Arizona moving forward. He profiles as a middle-of-the-order masher and a potential four-category impact contributor long-term. There’s a realistic possibility that he pries the starting first base gig away from incumbent’s Christian Walker and Kevin Cron by the start of the 2020 campaign. Right-hander Corbin Martin showed some flashes in his brief stint at the major-league level, but the 23-year-old righty will be sidelined for the majority of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this month. J.B. Bukauskas, the Astros' first-round selection back in 2017, boasts a prodigious strikeout rate, but the 22-year-old righty still needs to iron out his command issues. If you’re looking for a potential sleeper, Josh Rojas has hit .315/.403/.575 with 20 homers and 32 steals in 97 between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season.

Greene New Deal

Braves acquired RHP Shane Greene from the Tigers in exchange for minor-league LHP Joey Wentz and INF/OF Travis Demeritte.

Here’s an oversimplification: Shane Greene has been one of the best relievers in baseball this year. He’s collected 21 saves for the Tigers while recording a sparkling 1.18 ERA and 43/12 K/BB ratio across 38 innings. Meanwhile, the Braves bullpen has been an absolute quagmire, to put it mildly. Incumbent closer Luke Jackson has been a true rollercoaster experience in recent weeks. He was pulled after failing to record an out and throwing just six pitches in an ugly appearance against the Nationals on Wednesday afternoon. Greene should slide right in as Atlanta's closer for the remainder of the 2019 season and he should be in line for plenty of save chances over the final two months. Since he's eligible for arbitration in 2020, it’s extremely likely that he remains in the role next season as well. As far as the return goes for the Tigers, Wentz and Demeritte are high-risk prospects with plenty of upside and a ton of question marks moving forward. If you’re speculating on saves in Detroit, 24-year-old righty Joe Jimenez appears to be the frontrunner to inherit the lions' share of the closing duties moving forward. 

Gallen Jettisoned to Desert

Diamondbacks acquired RHP Zac Gallen from the Marlins in exchange for minor-league SS Jazz Chisholm.

There’s nothing better than a prototypical one-for-one, straight-up challenge trade involving a pair of talented young prospects. However, the fact that this deal came together is simply stunning considering Zac Gallen’s meteoric rise and immediate success at the major-league level upon his promotion last month. The 23-year-old righty was simply magnificent in his final start for the Marlins on Tuesday against a high-powered Twins’ lineup, whiffing eight batters over seven innings of two-run ball. He owns a 2.72 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 43/18 K/BB ratio across seven starts at the major-league level. While it’s an obvious downgrade, transitioning from one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the game in Miami, to a worse home environment in Arizona, Gallen should benefit from staying in the National League and settle in as an immediate mid-rotation starter for the Diamondbacks. More importantly, he gives them some long-term rotation insurance in the event that they elect to move left-hander Robbie Ray this offseason. While he doesn’t profile as an upper-echelon fantasy starter, he misses enough bats to remain a viable mixed-league fantasy asset for years. Jazz Chisholm, the top prospect in the Diamondbacks minor-league system, has hit a meager .204/.305/.427 with 18 home runs -- second-most in the Southern League this season -- and 13 steals in - games at Double-A Jackson this season. Clearly, the Marlins envision the 21-year-old middle infielder as a key piece of their future, considering they were willing to jettison a quality, cost-controlled young starting pitcher to acquire him.   

Cubs Corral Castellanos 

Cubs acquired OF Nicholas Castellanos from the Tigers in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Paul Richan and RHP Alex Lange.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the Cubs were out on Nicholas Castellanos on Wednesday afternoon. Ultimately, they were able to land him for a pair of pitching prospects. At an extremely basic level, the move out of the brutal dimensions of Comerica Park and into the hitter-friendly confines of Wrigley Field should pay immediate dividends for the 27-year-old right fielder, who is hitting .273/.328/.462 with 11 home runs in 439 plate appearances (100 games) this season. Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect Castellanos to evolve into a superstar, but this move is extremely beneficial to his immediate fantasy stock, especially from a counting stats perspective. He should score plenty of runs and have the opportunity to drive in far more baserunners than he did in Detroit.   

Hudson Headlines Nationals Haul

Nationals acquired RHP Daniel Hudson from the Blue Jays in exchange for minor-league RHP Kyle Johnston.

Nationals acquired LHP Roenis Elias and RHP Hunter Strickland from the Mariners in exchange for minor-leaguers RHP Elvis Alvarado, LHP Taylor Guilbeau and LHP Aaron Fletcher.

The Nationals bolstered their bullpen with a trio of veteran acquisitions. They may not seem like monumental upgrades, but they’ve struggled to bridge the gap between their starters and lefty stopper Sean Doolittle this season. They’ve thrown a myriad of pedestrian cast-off middle relievers at the problem including Kyle Barraclough, Fernando Rodney and Tanner Rainey, but still haven’t stumbled into a quality setup option. The most intriguing of these names is Daniel Hudson, who has enjoyed a remarkable rebound season in Toronto, posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 48/23 K/BB ratio across 48 innings of work this season. The 32-year-old veteran righty will likely operate as their primary setup man moving forward. 

Shortly after netting Hudson, Washington also reeled in a pair of Mariners relievers in Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland. Elias owns a 4.40 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 45/17 K/BB ratio across 47 innings of work as the primary closer in Seattle. While he doesn’t profile as a pure lefty specialist given his rather pronounced struggles against southpaws this season, his versatility and ability to throw multiple innings has value to a contending team down the stretch. Strickland just came off the injured list after missing nearly four months after suffering a Grade 2 lat strain back in late March. The fantasy fall-out for the Blue Jays, who scooped up 23-year-old right-handed pitching prospect Kyle Johnston -- a seventh round selection back in 2017 -- is rather straightforward. Ken Giles, who has been dealing with a nagging elbow issue, will remain their closer. The Mariners will likely go with a committee approach moving forward. Fantasy owners should steer clear of that situation entirely. 

Rays Reel In Reinforcements

Rays acquired 1B Jesus Aguilar from the Brewers in exchange for RHP Jake Faria.

It’s become increasingly difficult to judge a trade like this, especially since it seems like a classic low-risk, high-reward gamble by the Rays, who seem to be optimistic that a change of scenery could reinvigorate Jesus Aguilar’s potent bat. The 29-year-old slugger has slowly turned it around after a first month to open the 2019 campaign. Aguilar was a force last season in Milwaukee, tallying 35 home runs and 108 RBI in 149 games alongside an .890 OPS, but he regressed to the tune of a .694 OPS with only eight home runs and 34 RBI through 94 games in 2019. Meanwhile, the Brewers add some bullpen depth in right-hander Jake Faria. The 26-year-old righty possesses and outstanding changeup and his stuff could play up significantly in short stints out of the bullpen. 

Rays acquired RHP Trevor Richards and RHP Nick Anderson from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Ryne Stanek and minor-league OF Jesus Sanchez.

For the last few weeks, it seemed like Nick Anderson, who owns a 3.95 ERA and an impressive 69/16 K/BB mark over 43 2/3 innings this season, was predestined to take over the closing role in Miami. After being dealt to the Rays, it wouldn't be a surprise if he pushed Emilio Pagan for saves over the final two months. The other key component in the deal, Trevor Richards, struggled mightily in the Marlins’ starting rotation before being demoted to the bullpen. It’s unclear what his role will be in Tampa Bay, but he’s someone to monitor in AL-Only formats. The same question marks surround Ryne Stanek, who operated primarily as an opener for the Rays, but could transition into a high-leverage role and eventually take over as the Marlins closer. 

Roark Relocates to Bay Area

Athletics acquired RHP Tanner Roark from the Reds in exchange for minor-league OF Jameson Hannah.

The Reds’ blockbuster acquisition of Trevor Bauer from the Indians on Tuesday night made Tanner Roark, who was slated to hit free agency once his contract expired at the end of the season, an expendable asset. The 32-year-old veteran right-hander owns a 4.24 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 110 1/3 innings (21 starts) this season. From a fantasy perspective, it’s a major upgrade in ballpark upgrade, which should pay immediate dividends for Roark from a run-prevention standpoint over the final two months of the regular season. It’s difficult to trust him in shallow mixed leagues, but this feels like a sneaky-good addition for the Athletics.  

Minor Deadline Deals, Major Ramifications 

Astros acquired RHP Aaron Sanchez and RHP Joe Biagini from the Blue Jays in exchange for OF Derek Fisher.

Aaron Sanchez is a fascinating reclamation project for the Astros player development machine. He’s recorded a disastrous ugly 6.07 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 23 starts this season. There’s a chance that he’s not a relevant mixed-league asset anytime soon, but after witnessing Houston turn around several pitchers with less raw talent, he’s at least worth monitoring moving forward. 

Giants acquired 2B Scooter Gennett from the Reds in exchange for cash considerations.

Scooter Gennett was at least worthy of a cheap flier for the Giants, even though he's also been a complete non-factor at the plate and has played only 21 games this season. The veteran infielder is set to hit free agency this offseason, but not before the Giants voodoo magic somehow transforms him into their next unlikely playoff hero.  

Mauricio Dubon, one of the top prospects in the Brewers’ minor-league system, is an intriguing long-term prospect and could blossom into the Giants’ long-term solution at either shortstop or second base, which makes him a must-own prospect in NL-Only leagues. He’s hitting .297/.333/.475 with 16 homers at the Triple-A level this season. As for the Brewers’ return, Drew Pomeranz -- who is an impending free agent -- has been extremely effective since transitioning to a relief role. Ray Black boasts a prodigious triple-digit fastball, but has been plagued by injuries throughout his professional career. He’s a quintessential lottery ticket with some long-term upside.

The 31-year-old innings-eater will take over Zack Greinke’s vacated rotation spot in Arizona. He’s a worthwhile streamer in deeper mixed leagues in favorable matchups, but that’s the extent of his fantasy upside.

Corey Dickerson offers legitimate mixed-league appeal as a prototypical righty-masher in deeper leagues. He should play regularly with Jay Bruce sidelined with an oblique injury. 

Dodgers acquired 3B Jedd Gyorko, 2019-20 international cap space and cash from the Cardinals in exchange for LHP Tony Cingrani and minor-league RHP Jeffry Abreu.

It doesn’t hurt to have another lefty masher on the bench, especially since the Dodgers have been forced to turn to another recent trade acquisition, Kristopher Negron, to fill the void left by injuries to Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor. 

Astros acquired C Martin Maldonado from the Cubs in exchange for INF/OF Tony Kemp.

Tony Kemp was recently designated for assignment by the Astros after batting just .227/.308/.417 this season, but he's been a useful player in the past and offers some versatility between second base and the outfield. He figures to serve in a utility role for the Cubs after they missed out on a handful of alternative leading up to the deadline. Meanwhile, Maldonado will serve as the Astros’ primary backup behind starter Robinson Chirinos. 

AL Quick Hits: White Sox placed Yoan Moncada on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. … Yankees placed Luke Voit on the 10-day injured list with a sports hernia. … Astros placed Ryan Pressly on the 10-day injured list with a right knee contusion. … Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left Wednesday’s game against the Royals with right knee discomfort. … Indians activated RHP Danny Salazar from the 60-day injured list. … Rays recalled LHP/DH Brendan McKay from Triple-A Durham. … Bo Bichette drilled his first major-league home run and finished a triple shy of the cycle in the Blue Jays’ win over the Royals. … Mike Trout slugged his 35th home run of the season in the Angels’ loss to the Tigers. … Jose Berrios whiffed 11 batters over seven shutout innings in a win over the Marlins. … Roberto Perez homered twice in the Indians’ blowout win over the Astros. … Kevin Kiermaier, Austin Meadows and Willy Adames homered in the Rays’ victory over the Red Sox. … J.D. Martinez went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI in the Red Sox’ loss to the Rays. … Lucas Giolito recorded nine strikeouts over seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Mets. … Willie Calhoun blasted a three-run homer in the Rangers’ narrow win over the Mariners. … Trent Thornton (elbow) will return to the Blue Jays' rotation Thursday against the Orioles. … Felix Hernandez (shoulder) will make a rehab start on Friday for short-season Everett. … Rays placed Joey Wendle on the 10-day injured list with right wrist discomfort. … Twins acquired RHP Sam Dyson from the Giants in exchange for minor-leaguers OF Jaylin Davis, RHP Prelander Berroa and RHP Kai-Wei Teng. ... Angels acquired C Max Stassi from the Astros in exchange for minor-league outfielders Rainer Rivas and Raider Uceta. … Rangers acquired RHP Nate Jones, international slot compensation and cash from the White Sox for right-handed pitching prospects Joe Jarneski and Ray Castro. … Rays acquired C Rocky Gale from the Dodgers for cash considerations. … Twins acquired RHP Marcos Diplan from the Brewers for cash considerations. … Blue Jays claimed RHP Brock Stewart off waivers. … Twins released RHP Cody Allen. 

NL Quick Hits: Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect Dustin May will make his MLB debut on Friday when he starts against the Padres. … Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters on Wednesday that top prospect Trent Grisham will be in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Athletics. The 22-year-old outfielder owns a .300/.407/.603 triple-slash line with 26 home runs and 12 stolen bases over 97 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season, … Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Wednesday that the Mets pulled Noah Syndergaard off the trade market Tuesday night. … David Robertson will undergo season-ending surgery to repair flexor injury in right elbow and might also need to undergo Tommy John surgery as well. … German Marquez left his start on Wednesday against the Dodgers due to “full body cramping.”. … Charlie Blackmon went 1-for-4 in his return to the Rockies' starting lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers after missing two games due to back issues. … Jacob deGrom struck out 11 batters over seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the White Sox. … Josh Donaldson launched a go-ahead homer in extra-innings to power the Braves to a victory over the Nationals. … Adam Duvall went deep for the fourth time in five games since being recalled from Triple-A last week. … Mike Soroka hurled seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision. … Juan Soto swatted his 20th home run in the loss. … Will Smith slugged a three-run homer to lead the Dodgers past the Rockies. … Jesse Winker went 3-for-3 with a solo homer in the Reds’ win over the Pirates. … Kyle Hendricks fired seven scoreless innings in a win over the Cardinals. … Craig Kimbrel notched his eighth save in that one. … Dodgers acquired LHP Adam Kolarek from the Rays in exchange for minor-league OF Niko Hulsizer. …  Braves acquired RHP Mark Melancon from the Giants in exchange for Tristan Beck and RHP Daniel Winkler. … Padres acquired RHP Carl Edwards Jr. from the Padres in exchange for LHP Brad Wieck. … Dereck Rodriguez is expected to start for the Giants on Thursday against the Phillies. … Dominic Smith will be in a walking boot for the next three weeks. … Cardinals optioned RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon to Triple-A Memphis. … Braves acquired C John Ryan Murphy from the Diamondbacks for cash considerations. … Phillies acquired RHP Dan Straily from the Orioles for cash considerations. … Braves designated LHP Luiz Gohara for assignment.