MLB Rumors: Cardinals have two intriguing trade pieces
With each passing day, the St. Louis Cardinals look more and more like an obvious seller at the 2023 trade deadline. Now 16 games below .500 and 12.5 games back in their division, the outlook is bleak for this season. Thus, it only makes sense to sell and recoup assets in trades. And they have two highly intriguing trade chips.
Starting pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty.
Both pitchers are likely to be dealt in the coming weeks if the Cardinals continue to slide. It's possible that with the lack of high-end starters on the market, St. Louis could be in position to get a strong return for either Montgomery or Flaherty, who are both on expiring deals.
The expectation remains that neither Nolan Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt will be going anywhere. The names to watch in St. Louis are Montgomery and Flaherty if the Cardinals indeed opt to sell at the trade deadline this season.
MLB Rumors: What will the Cubs do with Marcus Stroman?
The Chicago Cubs are in an interesting position. They are 40-45, but only seven games back in the National League Central, and five games out of a wild card spot.
Which makes their trade deadline decision more difficult, and more likely that their decision to buy or sell comes close to the Aug. 1 deadline. And if they sell, they hold arguably the best starting pitcher on the market: Marcus Stroman.
Stroman, 32, has made it clear that he prefers to stay with the Cubs on a long-term deal, but the team has not engaged in conversations about a new contract. Other reports have also indicated that an extension is unlikely to happen.
There will surely be widespread interest in Stroman and considering his current deal — he has a $21 million player option for 2024 — they could be in position to cash in if he is indeed traded.
MLB Rumors: A veteran catcher signs with the Red Sox
Free-agent catcher Jorge Alfaro and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a major-league contract, the team announced.
Alfaro, 30, had signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox in the offseason in hopes of joining the major-league team out of spring training. Instead, he was buried on the team's depth chart and opted out of his contract and signed with the Colorado Rockies.
But after the Rockies designated Alfaro for assignment, thus making him a free agent, he signed back in Boston and will be active for Thursday's game. Boston catcher Reese McGuire has been on the IL for a while now, thus putting Alfaro in the mix with Connor Wong at the position for the Red Sox.
In 43 games in Triple-A, Alfaro hit .320/.367/.520 with an .887 OPS, six home runs and 30 RBI.