MLB rumors: Brewers eager but patient ahead of trade deadline
The NL Central has been a whirlwind of mediocrity for much of the season. Both Chicago and St. Louis were prohibitive favorites early on, but both clubs have struggled mightily, with the Cardinals approaching a particularly unfortunate realm of incompetence.
Meanwhile, the Reds got off to a similarly cold start before rocketing into contention with a torrid June — led by rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz, who might already be the most impressive athlete in the league.
Then, there's the Brewers. Milwaukee has been hovering right around .500 all season, which has been enough to keep them locked in first place prior to this Cincinnati run. The Brewers are currently tied with the Reds at 44-39 with a couple of weeks left until the All-Star break.
The Brewers have been a notoriously patient trade deadline operator in recent years, but with so much ground to gain or lose in a tight divisional race, Milwaukee could be inspired to take some major swings ahead of Aug. 1.
When discussing the upcoming deadline with MLB.com, Brewers GM Matt Arnold was indeed eager to improve his team, but he also preached the importance of building the team "responsibly."
"Look, we want to be competitive here in 2023. We feel like we have a good team in place. We will be opportunistic to try to improve this team where we can, responsibly, but ultimately, I think we have a lot of good players here and even others coming back off the IL led by somebody like Brandon Woodruff, who is a really exciting player to add as a Deadline addition. Aaron Ashby, I think there's a chance that he comes back later in the season. Justin Wilson is throwing the ball really well right now. Tyrone Taylor isn't that far off. So just more guys coming back. I think those could also be quality additions to a team that we certainly already believe in."
This is classic GM speak. We want to improve, but also we have great in-house options. The Brewers will certainly scour the market for upgrades, but Arnold doesn't sound too desperate to pull a rabbit out of the proverbial hat. With the Brewers still waiting to achieve full health (what team isn't?), don't be shocked in Milwaukee sits tight at the deadline and gambles on the roster currently in place.
MLB rumors: Carlos Rodon makes return for Yankees in minor league
The Yankees signed Carlos Rodon to a six-year, $162 million contract last winter. The lefty ace suffered a forearm muscle strain and back discomfort in spring training that landed him on the 60-day IL, but now the two-time All-Star is on the verge of making his New York debut.
Rodon made his third and final rehab start with High-A Hudson Valley on Saturday. He gave up one hit and two walks while recording eight strikeouts and zero earned runs in 3.2 innings. Not too shabby, and, for Yankee fans, a promising sign of what's to come.
After the game, Rodon received a standing ovation.
According to the New York Post, Rodon could be in the Yankees' rotation as soon as Friday, July 7. New York will be eager to incorporate Rodon back into the fold, as the Yanks' pitchers have struggled to keep runs off the board in recent weeks.
That isn't the end of the good news for New York either. Nestor Cortes is nearing a return of his own after throwing his first bullpen session of the season on Friday. He's further from his return than Rodon, but the Yankees could have two powerful left-handed throwers back before the month is out.
MLB rumors: Cubs lose Jordan Holloway from farm system
The Chicago Cubs' bullpen has been a sliding door this season. Now one option is no longer on the table, with Jordan Holloway opting out of his minor league deal and hitting the free agent market, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
The 27-year-old is expected to have many suitors due to his impressive strikeout rate (38.1%), but it's worth noting that Holloway was in the minors for a reason — despite Chicago's blatant need for better relievers.
Holloway has split time between Triple-A Iowa and Single-A Myrtle Beach for the Cubbies this season, posting an ERA of 6.57 with 24 strikeouts and 12 walks in 12.1 innings pitched. Averaging basically a walk per inning won't cut it, not to mention that ghastly ERA.
This isn't Holloway's first rodeo either. He spent three years with the Miami Marlins from 2020-22, including 15 big-league appearances. His MLB numbers are a little less unsightly (3.92 ERA, 38 K's, 28 BB's), but with his recent struggles taken into account — plus the fact that he's not exactly a spring chicken by prospect standards — it's hard to imagine the Cubs losing too much sleep over Holloway's impending departure.
Chicago will instead turn its attention toward other internal development projects or, perhaps, toward the Aug. 1 trade deadline, which looms large on the horizon. Chicago is currently five games below .500 and five games back of first-place Milwaukee. The front office has a decision to make regarding the direction the franchise will take over the second half of the season.