Monday — MLB News
Trade Rumors
Some of the biggest names in the upcoming trade deadline are Yu Darvish, Zach Britton and Sonny Gray.
Darvish is having a pretty good year with a 3.44 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 133.1 innings. The Astros, Dodgers and Cubs have all expressed interest in the 30-year-old.
Zach Britton is probably the most intriguing player in all of this. The man has been injured all year but he is finally healthy and ready to bring value. He had a rough night last Thursday giving up 2 runs and 2 hits in the ninth, but other than that, he has had a flawless year. The Astros and Dodgers have came out as clear contenders for Britton as they could both use a solid bullpen pitcher to lead them through the post season.
Sonny Gray is probably the hottest starter on the market. He has been stellar in his last five starts with a 1.62 ERA. The Brewers, Yankees and Braves seem to be in the best position to acquire Gray by next Sunday.
Astros and Dodgers Lose Star Power
The Astros lost Carlos Correa last Monday with a torn ligament in his left thumb. He underwent a successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the thumb. Correa took to Instagram to assure us that the surgery was a success. He is expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks.
Clayton Kershaw was removed from Saturday’s start with lower back tightness. He missed about 1/3 of last season with a mild herniated disk in his back although it is not confirmed that this is the same injury. Kershaw is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks, hoping to make it back in time for the postseason.
Cubs Roaring into 1st Place
The Chicago Cubs were in a rough spot when the All-Star break hit. The offense was weak and the starting pitching wasn’t up to par. Since the break, the defending Champions have won 9 of 10. Before the break they were batting .234 as a team, since then, .294. The pitching has also been much better, from a 4.10 ERA to a 3.56 ERA.
Things are most certainly looking up in Chicago, but will it continue?
Hock’s Hot Takes
- Zach Britton stays in Baltimore because the front office whole heartedly believes that they can make a playoff push.
- (Not so hot take) Astros and Dodgers continue to roll even without Correa and Kershaw.
- Pirates Sweep Giants to take the lead in the NL Central
