It was an action-packed week in the MLB, from injuries to pitchers on top teams to bench-clearing brawls to new developments in trade rumors. Here are the 10 most significant stories of the week in the MLB.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade rumors heating up as Marlins look to rebuild
The talks for the trade deadline have officially begun! Rumors are swirling that the Miami Marlins are possibly selling off outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm is 26 years old and is batting .250 this season with a .730 OPS. It is no secret that Miami wants to head toward a rebuild, and Chisholm likely won't fit in the long-term plans.
Teams that would be interested in the youngster are the Yankees, Royals, Phillies and the Mariners. I expect Miami to take things slowly with Chisholm. If they are not getting the package they want at the trade deadline, they will likely wait until the offseason to do it. With the Marlins at 33-63, Miami can take their time with a trade and wait for the best possible package.
Defending World Series champions Rangers still struggling, rumors of selling off assets surfacing
Boy, what a World Series hangover it has been for the Texas Rangers. After winning the World Series last November, the Texas Rangers have struggled since that day. Bringing back most of the roster, Texas has had a slow start this season, and rumors are surfacing that they will blow it all up at this year's trade deadline.
The Rangers are currently 7.5 GB of a wild card and have some big names they can trade. The biggest one would be starting pitcher Max Scherzer. The 39-year-old veteran right-hander has just returned from injury and would only be a rental for a team, but he would have to waive his no-trade clause. It is unlikely Texas sells off any other asset than Scherzer, but they have gone on runs before. Last season, the Rangers went on a 40-20 split over 60 games. Texas will need another run like that to crack the playoffs and defend their title.
Pirates looking to add a bat, rumored to be Taylor Ward of Angels
It is no secret that Pittsburgh is in desperate need of a bat, and they have to address the need by the deadline if they want to make a run for the wild card. Taylor Ward is batting .228 with a .713 OPS. There were rumors earlier this week that a done deal of Ward to the Pirates was made, but as of today, nothing is official. The Angels have a 41-55 record and are 12.5 GB of a wild card spot. They are officially in sell mode. I expect the Pirates to add some bats, depending on the price they would like to pay.
Dodgers ace pitcher heads to IL with back tightness
Tyler Glasnow has been added to the 15-day IL with lower back tightness. Glasnow isn't expected to miss much time, but this already adds to a depleted Dodgers pitching staff. Glasnow has a 3.47 ERA with 143 strikeouts in his first season with the Dodgers. Glasnow has had an injury riddled career, dealing with some significant elbow injuries. LA is also on a skid, going 1-6 in their past seven games. The All-Star break has come at a good time for the Dodgers.
Last year's Dodgers breakout pitcher optioned to Triple-A
Bobby Miller's stint with the Dodgers is over for now. He has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 25-year-old Miller, in his second season in the majors, is 1-2 in seven games, all as a starter, covering 29 innings this season. After pitching six shutout innings to pick up a win in his first start, he has a 10.17 ERA since. The Dodgers are already without seven starting pitchers due to injury this season. On all of that, LA has a 56-41 record and is in first place in the NL West.
Paul Skenes defies odds, named National League starting pitcher
It feels like every week I talk about this guy, right? He has been that impressive to start his MLB career. Posting a casual seven-inning, 11 strikeouts, no-hit performance this week against the Milwaukee Brewers, it is just another day in the office for Paul Skenes. He has been named the NL starter in the All-Star game this Tuesday. Skenes is now set to become just the fifth rookie pitcher to start the All-Star Game. He is just so young in his career, but he is on a Hall-of-Fame-type trajectory and is the best pitcher I have ever seen in my lifetime.
A pair of veterans released from contenders in both NL and AL
Whit Merrifield and Kevin Kiermaier have been released from their teams. Merrifield was released from the Philadelphia Phillies, and Kiermaier was released from the Toronto Blue Jays. Both players have cleared waivers and are free to sign with any team.
Both have struggled this season, with Merrifield batting .199 with a .572 OPS and Kiermaier batting .189 with a .540 OPS. While I don't see Merrifield impacting a playoff team, I expect Kiermaier to be signed for his defense in October. The four-time Gold Glove winner is still elite defensively and can provide some much-needed defense for a team come playoff time.
Twins place red-hot hitter on IL with a back strain
The Minnesota Twins have placed Jose Miranda on the 10-day IL with a back strain. On July 6, he tied a major league record when his single against the Houston Astros marked his 12th hit in consecutive at-bats. Miranda is hitting .325 this season with a .888 OPS. The Twins selected infielder Diego A. Castillo from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Minnesota is currently 54-42 and in the second wild-card spot in the AL.
MLB Draft kicks off this Sunday, with Guardians taking the best available at pick one
The MLB draft kicked off this Sunday night in Fort Worth, Texas. While it was heavily rumored that the Guardians would go under slot, they go with what many believe is the best player available in Travis Bazzana out of Oregon State. The biggest surprise came at pick four, when the Oakland Athletics decided to go under slot and pick Wake Forest first-baseman Nick Kurtz. Taking Kurtz over Jac Caglianone surprised me, as I viewed Caglianone as the best power hitter in this year's class. Otherwise, Oakland decides to save some money with the pick to spend it elsewhere in the draft.
Dodgers shut down once prized prospect pitcher to get yet another season-ending surgery
You can argue that no one has had it worse regarding injury luck than Dodgers pitcher Dustin May. Last pitching in May 2023, Dustin May is expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season after having esophageal surgery. May has been great when he is healthy and pitching, posting a career 3.10 ERA with 174 career strikeouts.
With all the injuries and shuffling of pitchers for the Dodgers this season, I expect them to get a few at the deadline to build their pitching staff. I would keep an eye on Garrett Crochet for a spot in LA, as the Dodgers have a deep farm system, and Crochet would immediately impact the pitching staff.
Team of the Week
NL: Pittsburgh Pirates
Going 6-1 this week, the Pittsburgh Pirates are riding high into the All-Star break with a 48-48 record and are just 1.5 GB of the wild card. Taking two out of three from the Milwaukee Brewers and sweeping the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh took care of business this week and has built some momentum into the second half of the season.
AL: Detroit Tigers
Going 5-2 this week, the Detroit Tigers enter the All-Star break with a 47-50 record and 7.5 GB of a wild card. Taking three out of four from the Guardians and two out of three from the Dodgers, Detroit used the Dodgers' mishaps to win that series and get to three games under 500. While it is unsure what the Tigers' direction will become at trade deadline time, a winning streak like this could change the strategy of what the front office might want to do.
Player of the Week
NL: Rece Hinds
What a start to an MLB career for Rece Hinds it has been. Drafted in the second round of the draft in 2019, Hinds is now up at the big league level and making an immediate impact. Over the past week, through 26 at-bats, Hinds hit .423 with a 1.656 OPS. Slashing five home runs through 26 at-bats, Hinds has been a bright spot for a Cincinnati lineup that is in need of a resurgence in the second half of the season.
AL: Julio Rodriguez
Julio Rodriguez has put up some ridiculous numbers in the past six games. Through those six games, Rodriguez slashed at a .591 AVG, an OPS of 1.595, and had 13 hits. Those are some video game-type numbers by the Mariners slugger.
HN’s NFL Power Rankings: Week 12
