Top Ten Prospects

A reminder that this is strictly a list for 2019. Several of these prospects are among the best in baseball, but for the purpose of this series, it’s just measuring potential impact for this season. Also, a reminder that prospects who are on MLB rosters are not eligible for this list, nor is any player that has exhausted his prospect eligibility.

Without further ado, here’s the top 10 prospects that can help you in the 2019 season.

1. Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers

2019 stats: 53 G, .322/.395/.684, 17 HR, 7 SB, 21 BB, 57 SO at Triple-A San Antonio; 17 G, .281/.333/.531, 5 HR, 1 SB, 3 BB, 23 SO at Milwaukee. 

These numbers are going to go up soon, as Hiura hit a grand slam on Sunday in a game that will be finished on Monday because of inclement weather yesterday. He also homered Saturday, and that broke a homerless streak of a whopping six games. Hopefully you pick up on the sarcasm, there. Hiura will continue to crush Triple-A pitching until he's called up. We think -- or hope -- that it's very soon. 

2. Luis Urias, INF, San Diego Padres

2019 stats: 58 G,.336/.424/.651, 17 HR, 7 SB, 31 BB, 53 SO at Triple-A El Paso; 11 G, .083/.241/.125, 0 HR, 0 SB, 4 BB, 11 SO at San Diego.

It's a bit funny that Hiura and Urias have such similar minor league numbers, isn't it? Maybe funny is the wrong word. Interesting, anyway. The difference, of course, is that Hiura was much more successful at the MLB level, but Urias hasn't been given as much of a chance to hit MLB pitching; not that Hiura has a huge sample size, himself. The expectation is that he'll be called up before the end of the month, and despite those MLB numbers, he'll absolutely be worth a roster addition when he does. 

3. Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics

2019 stats: 3 G, 2.61 ERA, 10.1 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 16 SO at High-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas.

Welcome back to the list, Mr. Luzardo. We don't think you're going to be here for very long. After missing the first three months due to injury, the 21-year-old pitched exceptionally in his two rehab starts with Stockton, and while his line in his Triple-A debut wasn't great (3 1/3 innings, two runs, two walks five strikeouts), the important thing is that Luzardo is getting healthy and building arm strength. With plus command of three pitches that can miss bats, Luzardo has a high-floor and a high-ceiling, and as long as he's healthy, he should be making starts for the A's this summer. I'd stash him now.  

4. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

2019 stats: 28 G, .314/.388/.510, 3 HR, 6 SB, 12 BB, 22 SO at High-A Dunedin and Triple-A Round Rock.

Welcome back, Bo. Like Luzardo, Bichette missed considerable time due to injury, and after hitting well in his rehab time in the Florida State League, he's back in Triple-A, and tearing the cover off the baseball. After a 4-for-5 game on Sunday, Bichette is hitting .395 over his last 10 appearances, and he's homered twice and added two steals in that time. The Blue Jays are nowhere close to contention, and while they could play the service time game -- we certainly have seen it before -- they also could (should) give him a chance to finish the year in Toronto. With a double-plus hit tool and above-average power, he's going to be well worth the addition if the Blue Jays make the right decision.

5. Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros

2019 stats: 70 G, .283/.356/.628, 23 HR, 17 SB, 29 BB, 69 SO at Triple-A Round Rock.

You didn't ask -- although I guess if you are reading this you are kind of asking, aren't you? -- but I continue to struggle with where to rank Tucker. That struggle has absolutely nothing to do with his talent; he's a 22-year-old who has the skills to hit for average, power, draw walks and steal bases. The issue is the playing time, and with Yordan Alvarez crushing the baseball, he's not going down anytime soon. I still call have to call him a top five prospect that would absolutely be worth an add to a roster if the Astros do call him up, but it's tough to recommend him as a stash because of the lack of guarantees. I hope that all makes sense.

6. Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, Tampa Bay Rays

2019 (pitching) stats: 13 G, 1.22 ERA, 66.2 IP, 35 H, 15 BB, 88 SO at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

McKay made only one start this week, but once again, it was a good one. The 23-year-old did walk three -- the first time he's issued that many free passes since May 10 -- but he didn't allow a run, and he struck out five over five scoreless innings. Since being called up to Triple-A, McKay owns an ERA of 1.08 in five games, and he's also posted an .884 OPS with four homers in 12 games. No guarantees of a promotion yet, but McKay has a chance to be a strong fantasy starter -- or 'primary' pitcher -- for the Rays after the All-Star break, maybe sooner. 

7. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

2019 stats: 11 G, 3.10 ERA, 58 IP, 51 H, 25 BB, 74 SO at Triple-A Indianapolis; 3 G, 10.50 ERA, 12 IP, 21 H, 6 BB, 15 SO at Pittsburgh.

Keller's MLB numbers are ugly, and after giving up four runs -- two earned -- over five innings, the Pirates decided to send him down. I think the MLB numbers aren't completely indicative of how the right-hander is pitched, and certainly aren't indicative of his talent. The key when Keller gets another chance is to avoid the big inning, because outside of his struggles in the first inning in his first two outings, the 23-year-old has pitched well. The stats don't show that, but, sometimes the stats lie. There's plenty of reasons to stay optimistic about Keller's chance to help in 2019 and beyond.

8. Carter Kieboom, INF, Washington Nationals 

2019 stats: 56 G, .323/.438/.612, 12 HR, 3 SB, 40 BB, 47 SO at Triple-A Fresno; 11 G, .128/.209/.282, 2 HR, 4 BB, 16 SO at Washington.

Now that's more like it. Kieboom is obliterating the baseball right now, with a .447 average with three homers and seven walks over his last 10 games for the Grizzlies. He's been even better over his last four; going 11-for-18 with two round-trippers in the series against Salt Lake. The Nationals are playing a bit better as of late -- as is Brian Dozier -- but Kieboom is still a prospect that has to be on the radar, and has a great chance of finishing the season with Washington. 

9. Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox

2019 stats: 13 G, 4.69 ERA, 63.1 IP, 70 H, 28 BB, 67 SO at Triple-A Charlotte.

Cease makes a move down the list partially because of some new additions, but also because he just isn't pitching very well. That continued on Friday when he allowed five runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings with three walks; although he did strike out seven. Cease has outstanding stuff and continues to show flashes of why he's one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, but they've been too few and far between as of late. He needs to turn this around if he has any chance of reaching Chicago in 2019.

10. Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox

2019 stats: 64 G, .355/.404/.648, 15 HR, 21 SB, 14 BB, 63 SO at High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham.

That's more like it. Robert went 0-for-15 to end last week, but was excellent in the Barons series in Chattanooga; hitting homers in three straight games and adding three steals. I don't want to spend too much time talking about another player in Robert's profile, but I also considered putting Jordon Adell in this spot, and if the list included 11, he'd be here. The reason I go with Robert right now is because Adell missed so much time, and right now, I think Robert is the most likely to receive a promotion. Both players are absolutely worth monitoring because of their five-tool skill set. 

Also considered:  Jordon Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels; Jorge Mateo, INF/OF, Oakland Athletics;  Isan Diaz, 2B, Miami Marlins; Ryan Mountcastle, INF, Baltimore Orioles; Corbin Martin, RHP, Houston Astros; Bryse Wilson, RHP, Atlanta Braves

A Dominant Pitcher

One dominant pitch does not a good starter make.

On the contrary, the list of starters who have had success in the majors as a one-trick pony is short -- even a guy like Brandon Webb, who regularly threw his sinker more than 70 percent of the time, had a second pitch. The Mariano Riveras and Kenley Jansens of the world dominate with one pitch, but there’s a reason they’ve done it one inning at a time.

That doesn’t mean, though, that having a singular pitch that excels doesn't correlate strongly with success. For every pitch is laden with guys having successful years. It stands to reason -- if you do something that well, and can back it up with secondary offerings that are passable, you are probably near the top of your class.

Let’s take a look at a few of the guys having the most success with individual pitches this year.

Hyun-Jin Ryu’s change up

Ryu is actually generating positive value with three of his four offerings -- his fastball is actually tops in terms of average, not cumulative, value among qualified pitchers, and his cutter is above average as well -- but it’s his changeup that has held the key to his brilliant first half. He’s throwing the pitch more than 26 percent of the time, the highest rate of his career, and he’s generating both whiffs and bad contact with it. To that end: opponents are hitting .164/.168/.246, a .414 OPS, against his change this season. It’s not a pitch that’s come out of nowhere, but it is one that the 32-year-old has refined and turned into a weapon over time. Health has long been the thing getting in Ryu’s way, but good fortune and that dominant changeup have probably put him in line to start the All-Star Game with his 9-1 record, 1.27 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 90/6 K/BB ratio across 99 innings of work to date.

Justin Verlander’s slider

It’s hard to believe a pitcher of Verlander’s ilk has reinvented himself at age 36, but that appears to be what he’s done this year, at least to this point. Long relying on a fastball that, by Fangraphs’ Pitch Value, has annually been the best in the game, Verlander this year is throwing his fastball less than 51 percent of the time, easily the lowest mark of his storied career. In its place, Verlander is throwing his breaking pitches more often, and with huge success. The value of his slider on a per-pitch basis is 4.57 per 100 pitches; the next closest is Max Scherzer at 3.23. He’s basically lapping the field, and it’s helped him stay on top of the game despite his usually-reliable fastball being a pedestrian offering for him this year. Great pitchers adapt, and he’s one of the best. You can’t argue with the results, either -- the right-hander is sporting a 2.59 ERA with 133 strikeouts over 16 starts this year.

Yu Darvish’s cutter

Unlike the rest of the guys on this list, there’s not a lot to praise about Darvish’s 2019 to this point. One bright spot has been his cutter, and it’s not a coincidence that he’s improved in recent weeks as he’s thrown the pitch more frequently. He’s relied on it twice as much this year as he has over the course of his career, throwing the cutter 30 percent of the time -- and he’s finding success, with a pitch value of 3.19 per 100 pitches, almost a full point higher than the next guy. His usage has been even higher in recent starts, with Darvish throwing the pitch 35 times in 89 pitches -- 39.3 percent -- in his most recent outing against the Mets on Friday. Homers and walks have been sinking him, and he’ll never thrive if those don’t improve, even with a shiny new (well, newly effective) pitch, but there are at least signs that he’s moving in a good direction. Optimists might find this a good time to buy low on the 32-year-old.

Charlie Morton’s curveball

If Verlander is the most recent high-profile example of a pitcher reinventing himself, Morton is on the Mount Rushmore. Morton was a sinker-reliant, mediocre pitcher before he overhauled his approach in 2016, throwing fewer sinkers and more breaking pitches. That reimagination has continued in recent years, to where he’s now throwing a sinker 22.5 percent of the time while throwing his four-seamer -- a pitch that helped him pick up a few ticks of velocity, which has played a part in his renaissance -- nearly 25 percent of the time and his curveball a whopping 36.2 percent, basically every third pitch. That frequency has been effective, too, with Morton leading the league in curveball pitch value at 15.0. It’s helped him not only lengthen his career but also jettison into the list of the best pitchers in today’s game. That he’s throwing his curveball more than ever this season and is finding even more success shows the 35-year-old hasn’t stopped evolving yet, a scary thing for the opposition.

Yonny Chirinos’ splitter

Chirinos is one of only a handful of guys who throws a splitter with any consistency, and he’s one of the even fewer who has had good results this year. The 25-year-old throws the pitch roughly 22 percent of the time, mixing it in with a sinker and a slider, and hitters are batting .113/.125/.169 -- a .294 OPS! -- against it. He uses the pitch as his finishing move, generating plenty of two-strike whiffs, but he also gets a ton of ground balls with it. It’s why, despite a relatively average 21.1 percent strikeout percentage, Chirinos has been able to post a 3.00 ERA and 0.97 WHIP through 87 innings of work. With the pitch being so singularly dominant, the next step in his progression could be to throw it even more often, like Masahiro Tanaka. If that happens, watch out.

Lucas gone a - hunting

Lucas Giolito’s arsenal

It would be wrong to call Giolito a jack of all trades but a master of none; he’s proven fairly masterful in this, his breakout season. What is true is that while he’s not at the tip-top for value of any one pitch, he’s in the conversation with three different offerings. His 94-mph four-seamer leads the way, with a value of 10.3, but his change up is actually his best pitch by average value at 2.98. Not to be forgotten, his slider also checks in as a plus pitch at 1.96 per 100 pitches. He does a good job mixing them, too -- he throws his four-seamer 55 percent of the time, his change up 24 percent and his slider 14 percent. It’s that arsenal that made him such a highly touted prospect and also surely what frustrated fans, fantasy players and the White Sox front office when he struggled so mightily before 2019. The same talent is what makes his 2.74 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings of work seem viable despite such a short track record of success in the majors. The light seems to have turned on, and it’s burning bright.

Buehler Buehler .....

Buehler

Walker Buehler turned in one of the most dominant starts of the 2019 baseball season on Friday against the Rockies. He punched out 16 batters and gave up just three hits and two runs in a complete-game victory. Two of the hits were solo home runs by Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon. Buehler threw 111 pitches, an amazing 83 of which were strikes and he did not issue a base-on-balls in the contest. He was locked in a duel with Rockies starter German Marquez, who pitched eight innings of two-run baseball. The game was still tied at two runs apiece in the bottom of the ninth inning when Matt Beatty ripped a two-run walk-off homer. The win improved Buehler's record to 8-1 with a 2.96 ERA and 0.86 WHIP after 15 starts. His previous career high for a strikeouts in game was 12 and this was his third double-figure strikeout game. It was the first complete game of his career.

Arenado's solo shot in the fourth inning brought an end to Buehler's streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to June 3rd. The 16 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the National League this season, topping a 15-strikeout game by Max Scherzer against the Reds a couple of weeks ago. Chris Sale has the American League high with 17 punchouts in a single game this year. Buehler now has 100 strikeouts on the season, which ties him for 21st in the majors. Because of his heavy workload late last year as his team made it all the way to the World Series, the Dodgers babied Buehler in spring training and it caused him to get off to a sluggish start in the regular season. He's really turned it on of late though. Despite the slow start he owns a sublime 100:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 91 1/3 innings. He is one of the most elite pitchers in the game and plays for perhaps the best team in the majors. He is going to rack up a lot of wins and help a lot of his fantasy owners win championships this year.

Yelich is Transcendent

Christian Yelich homered for the third game in a row on Friday against the Reds. He took Sonny Gray deep to straightaway center field for his league-leading 29th homer of the season. He went 2-for-5 with three RBI in the ballgame. Yelich won the NL MVP Award last year and is playing at an even higher level in 2019 -- much higher actually. Last year he slashed .326/.402/.598 with 36 home runs, 110 RBI, 118 runs and 22 stolen bases. This year he is slashing a monstrous .349/.441/.760 with 29 home runs, 62 RBI and 17 stolen bases in just 69 games. If he continues at this pace it will be a truly historic season. What is amazing is that as fantastic as he's been he might not actually be the best hitter in the league this year. Cody Bellinger has been every bit as good with a .356/.451/.712 triple-slash, 25 dingers, 61 RBI and eight steals -- and he's done it in a less hitter-friendly ballpark. Both Yelich and Bellinger have identical 195 wRC+ scores. Mike Trout has a 193 wRC+ with nobody else above 164 (Anthony Rendon). In most seasons a 150 wRC+ will get a player into the MVP conversation.

Keuchel Makes Return

Dallas Keuchel made his first start of the season for the Braves on Friday against the Nationals. He gave up four runs (three earned) in five innings and took a loss. He fanned three, walked zero and yielded eight base hits, including a solo homer by Yan Gomes. Keuchel missed the first three months of the season due to a contract hold-out. He struggled to find a team that would pay him the amount of money he wanted on the free agent market. It isn't surprising that Keuchel wasn't crisp after such a long layoff. He will likely be better in his next start against the Cubs on Wednesday. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2015 for the Astros. He shouldn't be expected to pitch at that level any longer, but he is playing for a good team and could make an impact in fantasy leagues this summer and down the stretch. He went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA for the Astros last year.

Montas Gets the Axe

Frankie Montas was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The shocking revelation essentially brings his season to an end and delivers a huge blow to his fantasy owners. The Athletics will have just a handful of games left when his suspension ends and he will be ineligible to play in the post-season if the Athletics get there. Montas was in the midst of a breakout season. He is 9-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 15 starts. His turnaround compared to last season is remarkable. He struck out just 5.95 batters per nine innings last year and is up to 9.70 K/9 this year. Are the PEDs the reason for the improved performance? Maybe, but probably not. He isn't throwing harder -- his 96.6 mph average fastball is almost identical to his 96.5 mph career average. The key to his success seems to be a new pitch. He threw just two pitches (fastball/slider) in previous seasons and added a split-finger fastball this year.

NL Quick Hits: Jeff Samardzija allowed five runs over six innings, but managed to pick up a win over the Diamondbacks... Kevin Pillar went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, four RBI and three runs scored to power the Giants to an 11-5 victory over the Diamondbacks... Alex Dickerson went 3-for-5 with a grand slam and a career-high six RBI in his Giants debut against the Diamondbacks... German Marquez struck out eight batter while allowing two runs (one earned) in eight innings against the Dodgers. He did not get a decision... Jose Iglesias went 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI, leading the Reds to an 11-7 victory over the Brewers... Yasiel Puig homered, drove in three runs and stole a base against the Brewers...  Brewers starter Chase Anderson gave up six runs in five innings in a loss to the Reds... Marcell Ozuna went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, three RBI and a stolen base to lead the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory over the Angels... Aaron Nola was handed a tough-luck loss on Friday against the Marlins after striking out 10 batters and allowing two runs over eight innings... Jose Musgrove struck out eight batters while firing sevein innings of one-run baseball in a win over the Padres... Sandy Alcantara held the Phillies to just one run in 7 2/3 innings as part of a 2-1 victory...

AL Quick Hits: Mariners starter Mike Leake earned a win against the Orioles despite giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings against one of the weakest offenses in the league. Luckily for him he was spotted 10 runs of support to help him get one of the most unlikely wins of the season... Pedro Severino went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored in the Orioles' loss to the Mariners... J.P. Crawford went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, a walk and a run scored in the Mariners’ win over the Orioles... Dwight Smith Jr. went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI in the Orioles' loss to the Mariners... Mallex Smith went 3-for-3 with an RBI, two stolen bases, a pair of walks and a season-high four runs scored in the Mariners 10-9 victory over the Orioles... Willy Adames went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and a pair of runs scored in the Rays’ victory over the Athletics... Matt Olson went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI in the Athletics’ loss to the Rays... Brandon Lowe went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a run scored to power the Rays to a 5-3 win over the Athletics... Cheslor Cuthbert went 3-for-4 with a homer, four RBI, and two runs scored against the Twins... Randal Grichuk went 3-for-4 with a homer, a walk, and three RBI against Chris Sale and the Red Sox... Eric Sogard finished 4-for-6 with a run scored versus the Red Sox... Nomar Mazara blasted a mammoth 505 foot home run on Friday, but it wasn't enough to lead the Rangers past the White Sox. Mazara's two-run blast off of Reynaldo Lopez in the first inning was the longest home run hit in Arlington during the Statcast era... Brad Peacock struck out 11 batters but took the loss after allowing two runs in six innings against the Yankees... Gary Sanchez finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer against the Astros... Aaron Judge went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his return from the injured list Friday against the Astros...

Jump Ball

Openly flirting with a lovelorn fan base in Montreal, the Tampa Bay Rays have a clear message as they pursue the possibility of playing home games in both Montreal and their current home in St. Petersburg, Fla.:
We’re going to have an open marriage, or we’re getting a divorce.
“Unless they agree to allow (the Rays) to look into this … the team is gone,” a person with knowledge of the club’s plan said.
Contractually obligated, for now, to play their home games at Tropicana Field through 2027, the Rays are suggesting the only way to save baseball in the market is to stay half the time.


At meetings in New York this week, Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg received permission from fellow Major League Baseball owners to explore a plan that would have the Rays play roughly their first 40 home games in Florida to start the season before wrapping up the rest of the home schedule in Montreal.
Government officials in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area now must determine whether the Rays are bluffing and whether potentially building a reduced-cost stadium for a team playing just 40 games a season is any more appealing than the other proposed stadium deals for the Rays that have failed for a standard 81-game season over the last decade.

Potentially, the Rays could play in new stadiums in both markets, but numerous hurdles would need to be cleared, including getting permission from the players union, which would have to consider the strain on players calling two different countries home.
The Players Association had no comment on Thursday.

“The news definitely surprised me, waking up to that text,” Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier said in Oakland. “We were talking on the bus today — it’s weird to think about splitting games.
“Once spring training ends, I know I’m staying in a house and many hotels throughout the year. Now to sit here and think about living in a place for the first part of the season and then moving everything for the second half, it’s wild. … If this were to happen, you’re asking a lot of guys to get a lease for three months then go find a new one.”
Taxes would rise considerably from what players pay in Florida, Rays player rep Tyler Glasnow pointed out.
At least in spirit, the timeshare idea gives hope to many baseball fans in Montreal, which lost the Expos to Washington D.C. after the 2004 season. But the Rays are not sold on Montreal as a viable option beyond a half-time arrangement — creating a situation where the whole of the two-city plan is greater than the sum of its parts. Part of the impetus here for the Rays is a sense they need an answer sooner rather than later on where their home(s) will be beyond 2027. Nashville, Tenn., Portland, Ore., Las Vegas and San Antonio are prospective destinations.
Funding will probably determine everything, and the Rays could be asking for something that the people of the greater Tampa area won’t go for.
The Rays hope that a schedule where they play games in Florida early in the regular season, when the weather isn’t as hot as July and beyond, could mean that a roofless stadium could be built in Florida at a cost of around $600 million, a source with knowledge of their thinking said. That’s a reduction in cost of roughly $300 million to $400 million from the initial estimate for a domed park. The stadium, which could be in St. Petersburg or Tampa, would be proposed as a small (likely to seat around 27,000 people), multi-purpose park. Other attractions would be part of the selling point.


So, do the Rays mean it? Or is this just a ploy?
Sternberg is scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
“Love it. Yeah, wouldn’t it be kind of cool?” former Rays manager Joe Maddon said of the split-season idea. “Let’s do a little ‘European Vacation’ in the middle of the summer, head north of the border. It sounds really groovy, actually. I’ve never been to Montreal, but I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it. Um, I don’t see it ever happening.”
The language in the Rays’ lease at The Trop is firm: Permission to play home games elsewhere would have to be granted by the City of St. Petersburg. So the city has legal grounds to stand in the way of the Rays exploring another home until the current lease expires. The team is preparing a lobbying effort.
The Rays, too, understand they’re at the city’s mercy. What the club is banking on, though, is a realization from the city that if it plays hardball, the team is out the door.
The city has concerns the Rays may be gone anyway.
In a market that hasn’t looked viable for two decades, the Rays entered Thursday with an average of 14,545 tickets sold at home games in 2019, worse than every team but the Marlins. The Rays receive a huge amount of revenue-sharing dollars, affecting ownership across the league. After years of wrangling, MLB and the Rays seem to have reached a point where they’re wondering what they have to lose. A few more fans?
The Rays realize that Florida officials likely would not grant permission to play home games in Montreal if there is no renewed commitment to stay in Florida. Allowing the Rays to play elsewhere, only to leave at the earliest point they could, wouldn’t help the Tampa area, where the Rays remain bound.

The mayor of St. Pete, Rick Kriseman, indicated on Thursday that he’ll do everything in his power to keep the Rays through 2027.
“I want to be crystal clear: The Rays cannot explore playing any Major League Baseball games in Montreal or anywhere else for that matter prior to 2028,” Kriseman said, “without reaching a formal memorandum of understanding with the City of St. Petersburg.
“Ultimately, such a decision is up to me. And I have no intention of bringing this latest idea to our city council to consider. In fact, I believe this is getting a bit silly.”
Kriseman is scheduled to speak to media again on Friday.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted that anything could happen once the respective parties engage. But whether the city is open to talking at all under these circumstances — which include a public overture to another city and a suggestion that half of the baseball schedule in St. Petersburg is already out the window — remains to be seen.
The language from the 1995 deal that the Rays are working against:
“Neither the club nor any of its respective parties, principals, directors, officers, employees, owners, or agents will enter into, initiate or conduct any agreement or negotiations (directly or indirectly) for the use of any facility other than the Dome for the Home Games of the Franchise.”
There are some limited exceptions, including for a major disaster, which the Rays do not yet qualify as.
Well, there it is , the city of Tampa making it quite clear it's intentions.

What will become of the franchise ? Who wants this team ? Who deserves this team ?

Scherzer breaks his schnazz . AKA his nose

Mad Max

The Nationals and Phillies were rained out for the second consecutive night on Tuesday, but that bizarre occurrence was relegated to a minor footnote, because Nationals’ ace Max Scherzer suffered a broken nose when he fouled a ball into his face while trying to lay down a bunt in batting practice earlier that afternoon. The good news for fantasy owners is that a CT scan came back negative and he isn’t expected to miss any significant time. However, the Nationals have not said anything official about his status. At this point, it seems unlikely that Scherzer will take the mound for his regularly scheduled start in the second game of Wednesday’s twin billing. However, if there was one pitcher on the planet who would be undeterred by a broken nose (and willing to pitch through pain) it’s Scherzer. The 34-year-old righty has been arguably the most durable workhorse in the game over the last decade, making at least 30 starts in every season during that span, dating back to the 2009 campaign. He simply doesn’t miss starts.

Nationals manager Davey Martinez told reporters that he still expected Scherzer to start one half of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Phillies, but that statement came prior to the rainout and official diagnosis of a broken nose. Veteran southpaw Patrick Corbin, who was originally slated to pitch on Monday, will take the mound for the front-end of the doubleheader, but it remains to be seen what the Nationals’ elect to do in the nightcap. They have several options. If they decide that Scherzer could use an extra day of rest, which seems like the obvious course of action here, it’s likely that the assignment will go to either Erick Fedde or spot starter Austin Voth, who is expected to be called up from Triple-A Fresno to serve as the 26th man. Fantasy owners should stay tuned for further updates on Scherzer, but there’s a strong possibility that he’s ready to go in the series finale on Thursday.

Pete Pummels Braves

On a night in which reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was utterly sensational, striking out 10 batters over 8 1/3 innings of two-run ball, it was rookie sensation Pete Alonso who stole the spotlight. The 24-year-old slugger went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, a pair of doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in the Mets’ - blowout win over the division-rival Braves on Tuesday. He also walked twice, reaching base safely in all six of his plate appearances in the contest. He got the Mets on the board in the third inning with an RBI double, one of his two doubles on the night, and clobbered a mammoth 426-foot two-run homer off Braves starter Julio Teheran in the fourth inning. Alonso has certainly lived up to the lofty preseason prospect hype, delivering top-of-the-scale 80-grade light-tower power in his first exposure to major-league pitching. He’s up to 24 round-trippers on the season and owns a sublime .274/.359/.624 triple-slash line to go along with 46 runs scored and 57 RBI. He’s already cemented his status as a legitimate four-category fantasy superstar and has a realistic shot at eclipsing the 50-homer plateau this season. To put that in context, only four hitters have accomplished that feat since 2010. He’ll be the unquestioned centerpiece of the Mets’ offense for years to come and a likely late-first, early-second round selection in fantasy drafts next spring.

Minnesota Marathon

Max Kepler delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 17th inning to propel the Twins to a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox. The 17-inning affair lasted a grand total of five hours and 45 minutes. The two teams combined for 32 hits, stranded 30 base runners, used a grand total of 18 pitchers and threw 487 pitches in this marathon contest. The two teams went into extra-innings tied at two runs apiece. Mookie Betts launched a solo homer -- his 12th of the season -- to put the Red Sox ahead in the 13th inning, but Max Kepler, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning and finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, responded with a game-tying solo shot in the bottom of the frame to keep the Twins alive. Considering how much these bullpens were taxed, there is a lot of pressure on Wednesday’s starters Eduardo Rodriguez and Kyle Gibson to soak up some innings. No matter how you look at it, this was easily the craziest game of the 2019 campaign so far.

Cincinnati Quashes Controversy

Reds manager David Bell expressed confidence in closer Raisel Iglesias after pulling him in favor of Michael Lorenzen to close Monday's game against the Astros. The 29-year-old right-hander was summoned in the eighth inning to attempt to preserve a one-run lead and secure a five-out save. Iglesias managed to work around a walk and a wild pitch to escape the eighth inning, but got wild again in the ninth. He issued a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Myles Straw before bouncing back to retire Alex Bregman. With the tying run on-base, and Iglesias already at 21 pitches (10 strikes) Bell elected to turn the ball over to Lorenzen, who got Michael Brantley to line out to center field and whiffed rookie sensation Yordan Alvarez to end the contest. “We’re just trying to do whatever we can to give us our best chance to win. Raisel’s done it before, he’s going to do it again. He’s a great pitcher. He’s going to be ready next time,” said Bell after Monday’s game.

When a nearly identical situation presented itself against the Astros on Tuesday, Iglesias was once again summoned to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning. He whiffed Yuli Gurriel and Robinson Chirinos to escape the jam created by lefty Amir Garrett. Instead of coming back out for the ninth inning to attempt to complete the five-out save, Bell once again turned to Lorenzen, this time to face the bottom of the Astros’ lineup. He managed to retire the side in order to secure his fourth save of the season. Despite the odd events in this series, fantasy owners shouldn’t draw any significant conclusions. Iglesias remains firmly entrenched as the Reds' primary closer. However, they aren’t afraid of using him (and Lorenzen to a greater extent) in a non-traditional manner. He made some noise about his abnormal usage patterns, complaining to reporters that the team was using him “horribly wrong” in early May. The Reds have clearly made an effort to scale back his portfolio, using him in a more traditional one-inning closer role ever since, but they still want to use him in high-leverage, multi-inning situations outside of the ninth inning. This is a situation worth monitoring moving forward, but it doesn’t look like there will be a significant change anytime soon in Cincinnati.

AL Quick Hits: Adalberto Mondesi left Tuesday night's game against the Mariners with right groin tightness. … The Indians are optimistic that Mike Clevinger (ankle) will be able to make his next scheduled start Saturday against the Tigers. … Joey Gallo (oblique) could return to the Rangers' active roster next Tuesday for the start of a series against the Tigers. … Jose Altuve (hamstring, knee) will be activated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. … George Springer (hamstring) is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with Double-A Corpus Christi. … Aaron Judge (oblique) homered Tuesday in his fourth rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. … Tyler Glasnow (forearm) threw another successful bullpen on Tuesday. … Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Monday that Ken Giles (elbow) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list when he's first eligible. … Domingo German (hip) began throwing off flat ground on Monday. … Luis Severino (shoulder) hopes to start throwing from a mound on either June 25 or 26th. …  Twins placed Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist contusion. … Blue Jays placed Justin Smoak (quad) on the 10-day injured list. … White Sox placed Welington Castillo on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. … Yoan Moncada (back) remained out of the White Sox starting lineup Tuesday. He’s expected to return on Wednesday. … Yandy Diaz was held out of the Rays' lineup Tuesday because of a hamstring issue. … Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-4 in his return from the injured list on Tuesday. … Whit Merrifield went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, a career-high six RBI to lead the Royals to a blowout victory over the Mariners. … Eloy Jimenez socked a go-ahead two-run homer to propel the White Sox to a win over the crosstown-rival Cubs. … Jose Ramirez walloped a three-run homer to power the Indians to a rout of the Rangers. … Oscar Mercado swiped a pair of bases in the victory. … Luke Voit went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the Yankees’ win over the Rays … Edwin Encarnacion launched his 22nd homer of the year, his first in a Yankees’ uniform, in that one .. Tyler Skaggs struck out six batters over 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a win over the Blue Jays. … Hansel Robles converted his 11th save in that one. … Shane Greene netted his 21st save in the Tigers’ win over the Pirates. … Alex Bregman slugged his 20th homer in the Astros’ loss to the Reds. … Ramon Laureano went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer in the A’s blowout win over the Orioles.. … Hunter Dozier (chest) went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored Tuesday in his second rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. … Hunter Pence (groin) could return from the 10-day injured list when first eligible. … Joe Palumbo will start for the Rangers against the Indians on Wednesday. … Jordan Zimmermann (elbow, glute) is expected to start for the Tigers against the Pirates on Wednesday. … Andrelton Simmons (ankle) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with the Angels' rookie league affiliate. … Jordan Montgomery shut down a bullpen session Tuesday in Tampa after experiencing discomfort in his surgically-repaired left elbow. … The Angels have requested release waivers on Cody Allen.

NL Quick Hits: Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless inning for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted Tuesday that Joc Pederson will play first base at some point this season. … A.J. Pollock (elbow) could begin a minor league rehab assignment over the All-Star break. … Kyle Hendricks has been diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement. … Jay Bruce (hamstring) remained sidelined Tuesday against the Nationals. … Caleb Smith (hip) will make a rehab start before returning to the Marlins rotation. … Scooter Gennett (groin) was scratched from a scheduled rehab game on Tuesday due to wet field conditions at High-A Dayton … Brandon Nimmo (neck) will be shut down completely from baseball activities for the next month. … Mike Moustakas was removed from Tuesday night's game against the Padres due to a left hand contusion. He’s expected to remain out of the Brewers’ lineup on Wednesday. … Logan Allen tossed seven scoreless innings to earn a victory over the Brewers in his major-league debut. … Kirby Yates recorded his major league-leading 26th save in the Padres’ win over the Brewers. … Clayton Kershaw struck out six batters over seven shutout innings in a win over the Giants. … Nolan Arenado went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in the Rockies’ lopsided win over the Diamondbacks. … Charlie Blackmon notched his fifth consecutive three-hit game in that one. … Jordan Yamamoto whiffed seven batters over seven scoreless frames in a win over the Cardinals. … Jack Flaherty fanned eight batters over seven innings of three-run ball in a loss to the Marlins. … Josh Bell launched his 20th homer in the Pirates’ loss to the Tigers. … Jeff McNeil went 3-for-5 with a solo homer, stolen base and three runs scored in the Mets’ lopsided win over the Braves. … Freddie Freeman swatted his 20th long ball in the losing effort. … Mets placed Jeurys Familia on the 10-day injured list with a Bennett lesion in his right shoulder. … Adam Wainwright (hamstring) will return to the Cardinals' starting rotation on Thursday against the Marlins. … Tyler Chatwood will start for the Cubs on Thursday against the Mets. … Brandon Morrow (elbow) has begun throwing from a distance of 135 feet. … Rockies designated Mike Dunn for assignment.

National League potential trades

With about six weeks left until the trade deadline, contending teams are already in heavy discussions with their GM counterparts in an attempt to improve their teams. The playoffs, and home-field advantage, could be decided on the transaction wire just as much as by on-field play.

Here are five trades I’d like to see National League contending teams make now:

Milwaukee Brewers
Trade Partner: Cleveland Indians

The Brewers continue to have a strong need for an ace and acquiring Trevor Bauer from the Indians might be their best play. Bauer is controllable through 2020 and would really enhance the Brewers’ chances of winning the NL Central division or give them a much better chance of winning a win-or-go-home wild-card game come October. In return, they would have to sacrifice their best prospect — and one of the best young hitters in all of minor-league baseball — in former first-round pick, second baseman Keston Hiura. The Indians are in need of retooling, improving their offense and acquiring cheaper, more controllable players.
With Mike Clevinger coming back to the rotation and Corey Kluber hopefully not that far behind, the Indians do have a rotation that can continue to keep them at least competitive in the AL wild-card race even without Bauer. Hiura is major-league ready and would fit in nicely near the top of the Indians’ lineup and provide some much-needed offense both short- and long-term.
Bauer, 28, is 4-6 this year with a 3.71 ERA and 1.178 WHIP resulting in a WAR of 1.4. Last year, he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA, finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young Award voting. Hiura, 22, is slashing .331/.399/.703 at Triple-A San Antonio with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 39 runs batted in. He also hit .281 with five home runs in 17 games with the Brewers’ major-league club earlier this year.
The Brewers have Mike Moustakas at second base, who’s having an All-Star-caliber season, and although this deal would be painful for the team in the long-term, it might be a postseason difference-maker for them this year or next in their small window to bring a world championship to Milwaukee, something this franchise has never accomplished.

Philadelphia Phillies
Trade Partner: Detroit Tigers

The Phillies could use another legitimate left-handed starting pitcher to put between Aaron Nola and right-handers Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin, and the Tigers’ Matthew Boyd would be a perfect fit. Boyd, 28, is controllable through 2022 and is arbitration-eligible in 2020. He’s having a breakout-type season, going 5-5 with an impressive 3.35 ERA, 3.0 WAR with 112 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings in 15 starts. He could be a difference-maker and a strong counter to the Braves’ signing of Dallas Keuchel last week.
The prospect cost to the Phillies would be significant because of the contractual control years of Boyd, and perhaps a deal centered on outfielder Adam Haseley coupled with one of their top pitching prospects not named Adonis Medina or Spencer Howard, such as righty Francisco Morales, would make sense. Haseley, 23, can play all three outfield positions and is slashing .275/.358/.466 with 11 doubles and seven home runs in the minors for the Phillies this year and would be major-league ready for the Tigers. Morales, 19, is pitching in Class A, where he has punched out 66 batters in just 42 innings. He has a mid-90s fastball coupled with a solid breaking ball. Once his delivery is cleaned up, his command and control should arrive and if that happens, the 6-4 right-hander has the potential of developing into a solid No. 2- or 3-type starter.

Atlanta Braves
Trade Partner: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Atlanta Braves made a big splash last week when they signed left-handed starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel in free agency, but GM Alex Anthopoulos is not done making moves. He’s been very aggressive on the trade front, talking to several GMs on a regular basis regarding every possible reliever and closer who’s available or could become available. If the Pirates continue to fall out of the race, the Braves might be a perfect match in a trade for impact closer Felipe Vázquez. Perhaps a package of southpaws Kolby Allard and Thomas Burrows could get a deal done.
Vázquez, 27, is in his prime and controllable through 2023 with the last two years of his deal being team options. He’s under a club-friendly deal that pays him $4.5 million this year, $5.75 million in 2020 and $7.75 million in 2021 with club options at $10 million for both 2022 and 2023 and the buyouts totaling $1.5 million. Vázquez has appeared in 26 games this year with a 2.22 ERA with 15 saves and a staggering 46 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings.
In return, the Pirates would need one of the Braves’ top starting pitching prospects, and although they can’t get Ian Anderson from them, they might be able to pry away 21-year-old Allard. The lefty is currently pitching at Triple-A Gwinnett in the International League and is 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA. Allard has an 89-92 mph sneaky fastball with a filthy curveball and a solid changeup and would fit nicely in the Pirates’ young rotation. Burrows, 24, was the Mariners’ fourth-round pick back in 2016 and was acquired by Atlanta, along with Luiz Gohara, for outfielder Mallex Smith and right-handed reliever Shae Simmons. Burrows has pitched at both Double A and Triple A and has struck out 28 batters in 25 1/3 innings over 21 appearances. His lack of command is the only thing standing in his way of being a productive left-handed set-up reliever in the majors.
This deal would make the Braves heavy favorites in the NL East and give them a legitimate chance of getting back to the World Series. For the Pirates, it’s business as usual, lowering payroll and building for the future.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Trade Partner: Kansas City Royals

The Dodgers are always prepared to deal with injuries without making a trade, as was the case when Corey Seager went down last week with a Grade 1 1/2 hamstring strain. At the major-league level, they had Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández capable of filling in, and they have top shortstop prospect Gavin Lux waiting in Double A. However, there is one player who would really add to the Dodgers’ pool of position players who could be a potential difference-maker, and that’s Whit Merrifield of the Royals. Merrifield fits the Dodgers’ mold of being able to play multiple positions, including second base, third base and either corner outfield position. I think he would win the everyday job at second base (with Max Muncy moving to first base most of the time) because he’s a definite upgrade offensively over both Taylor and Hernández. Merrifield, 30, is slashing .302/.351/.492 with 18 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs and stolen 10 bases. He would give the Dodgers even more flexibility than they already have, and he’s signed to a club-friendly contract pays him $1 million this year, $5 million in 2020, $6.75 million in 2021 and $2.75 million in 2022 with a club option for 2023. There are some escalators and incentives in the contract. Merrifield has great makeup and character, and his positive energy would fit in great with the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
In return, the Royals would be thrilled if they could get a package of second baseman Jeter Downs and right-handed pitching prospect Josiah Gray, even though they are both a few years away from the majors. Downs, 20, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Reds the last offseason in the Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood trade. He’s slashing .249/.315/.469 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs, 45 runs batted in and 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts at Rancho Cucamonga in the California League. He profiles as an everyday second baseman with a special speed-and-power combination for the position. Gray, 21, is dominating in Class A, where he’s 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA, punching out 69 batters in 58 innings. Both prospects have high upside but both also have some risk.

Colorado Rockies
Trade Partner: Miami Marlins

If the Rockies want to see the playoffs again this year, I think they should go outside the organization and trade for another starting pitcher, and the one they should target is the Marlins’ Caleb Smith. The lefty has three above-average pitches, a 92-94 mph fastball with a plus late-breaking slider and a deceptive changeup. The three-pitch mix is special, and he’s one of the most underrated left-handers in the sport. He is presently on the injured list with left hip inflammation so the Rockies would need to wait until he is healthy and make sure the medicals are cleared so there is no risk going forward.
In return for Smith, who is controllable through 2024 and not even eligible for salary arbitration until 2021, the Marlins would have to get both quantity and quality and be clear in their minds that they win this deal long-term when they’re ready to start contending in 4-5 years. The deal would have to be centered on minor-league first baseman Grant Lavigne, the Rockies’ first-round pick (42nd overall) in last year’s draft. Lavigne, 19, is presently at Asheville in the South Atlantic League, where he’s got a .348 on-base percentage with 13 doubles and five home runs in 64 games. In addition, to make the deal work for Miami, the Marlins would need two more prospects such as second baseman Garrett Hampson, who is blocked long-term behind the Rockies’ best prospect Brendan Rodgers, and third baseman Colton Welker, who is also blocked on the Rockies’ depth chart behind Nolan Arenado. Hampson, 24, was hitting .282 at Triple A in 85 at-bats and .186 at the major-league level in 97 at-bats. He has the potential of developing into a 10-12 home run hitter with the potential to steal 30 bases. Welker, 21, was the Rockies’ fourth-round pick in 2016, and he’s currently slashing .281/.336/.465 with 19 doubles, seven home runs and 36 runs batted in at Double-A Hartford in the Eastern League. Lavigne, Hampson and Welker would immediately improve the Marlins’ position-player prospect pool with three potential everyday future major-league players.
It’s a big price for the Rockies to pay, but worth it for Smith, 27, who has a 3.41 ERA in 12 starts, punching out 82 hitters in 66 innings with a WHIP of 1.015 and a WAR of 1.2.

The National Crisis

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says he is not even considering the possibility of trading Max Scherzer. But if the Nats decide to listen to offers for their ace right-hander, the interest likely would be intense, and not simply because Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young award winner who remains an elite performer at age 34.
 

The massive deferrals in Scherzer’s contract reduce the amount he will be paid in the near term, potentially increasing his appeal to both big spenders and small. Scherzer is owed the second $7.5 million portion of a $15 million payout for this season, plus $15 million in both 2020 and ‘21. He will receive additional $15 million payments, deferred without interest, from ‘22 to ‘28. 

In an interview on Friday, Rizzo continued to talk about the Nationals as a potential contender, saying, “You build these teams to compete for championships.” The Nats, however, are six games under .500, 8 1/2 games back in the NL East, and 1-2 to start a critical 11-game homestand against the Diamondbacks and the two teams Washington is chasing in the NL East, the Phillies and Braves.
A 12-4 surge prior to this stretch had the Nationals believing they were on the verge of a turnaround. A failure to regain momentum quickly will increase the chances they listen to offers for veterans such as Scherzer, potential free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon and closer Sean Doolittle.
Asked specifically about Scherzer, Rizzo said, “We’re certainly not thinking about that right now. We control the best pitcher in baseball for 2 1/2 more years – three playoff runs. He’s extremely well-priced. If you look at his contract, he’s extremely, extremely well-priced. We would have to command something that would be franchise-altering to consider moving him.”
The unique structure of Scherzer’s contract would not help clubs trying to stay under the luxury-tax threshold – his annual charge, based on the average salary in his seven-year, $210 million contract with the Nationals, is $30 million. The Nats, however, could lower that number by including cash in a trade, reducing the financial burden for a prospective suitor in exchange for a better return.
Scherzer would be the prize of the starting-pitching market if he became available – he leads the NL with 99 1/3 innings and 33.6 percent strikeout rate, and ranks sixth with a 2.81 ERA. If the Nats are to trade him, their best chance would be within the next 6 1/2 weeks, before Scherzer gains control of the process.

The Nationals did not award Scherzer a no-trade clause when they signed him to his free-agent contract in January 2015. But baseball this season is introducing a single trade deadline on July 31, and Scherzer at the end of the season will gain full no-trade protection as a 10-and-5 player – 10 years of service, five consecutively with the same club.
Until then, he is powerless to block a trade.
“I have zero control over that. It means nothing to me,” Scherzer said on Saturday. “I’m here to win here. I have too much to worry about, trying to pitch and prepare every fifth day. Why (expend) any mental capacity on it at all when it’s completely out of my control? If we turn the corner here and win, we don’t even have to talk about it.”
Even if the Nationals fail to recover, they might prefer to retool around Scherzer rather than move him. The Nats exceeded the luxury-tax threshold in each of the past two seasons, spending more than $400 million combined in player payroll. A trade of Scherzer would represent almost a complete reversal at a time when the team’s attendance already is in decline, dropping from 31,620 in 2018 to 28,115 this season, through 33 home dates.

A trade of Rendon, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, also would not be a certainty. As previously reported, the Nats had a deal in place to send outfielder Bryce Harper to the Astros at last year’s deadline, but ownership quashed the possibility. Harper at the time was in the same contractual position as Rendon is now, and the two are represented by the same agent, Scott Boras.
Rendon, 29, is third in the National League in both OPS and FanGraphs’ version of Wins Above Replacement (fWAR), and might be even more valuable to the Nationals than Harper was. The Nats had an abundance of outfielders to replace Harper. They do not have a third baseman in their system to replace Rendon.
Rendon has said he wants to stay in Washington and the Nats have said they want to keep him, but Boras generally prefers his clients to establish their values on the open market. On May 22, Rizzo told Washington radio station FM 106.7 The Fan that the team was “aggressively” trying to sign Rendon. On Friday, he said, “We’ve gone back and forth with offers and counter-proposals fairly recently.”
The return in a trade for Rendon almost certainly would beat the draft pick the Nats would receive if he left as a free agent, but it would not necessarily be a game changer. Few contenders need a third baseman, and Rendon – like Manny Machado a year ago – would be strictly a rental. The Orioles acquired five minor leaguers from the Dodgers for Machado, but only one was a headliner – outfielder Yusniel Diaz.

Scherzer likely would yield a better package, particularly if the Nationals included significant cash, but such a move would be difficult for Rizzo personally as well as professionally. Rizzo was the Diamondbacks’ scouting director when the team drafted Scherzer out of the University of Missouri with the 11th pick of the 2006 draft.
“I’ve never been closer to a player in my career,” Rizzo said. “I drafted him in Arizona. I watched him grow up. We went hard after him (in free agency). We made him a promise that if you’re signing for seven years and you’re deferring all this money to help us win championships, we’re going to do everything we can to win.”
The Nats have maintained that commitment, opening the season with the game’s fifth-highest payroll, according to the Associated Press. But Rendon, shortstop Trea Turner, outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman are among their stalwarts who have spent time on the injured list. The team’s bullpen, even after a recent uptick, remains last in the majors with a 6.23 ERA.

“We’ve dug ourselves a big hole. But we’ve dug it early enough where hopefully we can respond,” Rizzo said. “We all build these teams to win championships. But you also have to be flexible and open-minded enough to know when you have to make changes and go in a different direction.”
The days and weeks ahead will determine whether the Nationals shift direction, and the extent of the changes they are willing to make.

It will fascinating to follow this story as it develops, after all, it is a National Crisis.