Baseball Report: MLB’s Trade Deadline Looms

(CBS Chicago) — With August conscionable days away, it’s becoming easier to differentiate betwixt the contenders and the pretenders. Also looming is MLB’s commercialized deadline. Friday is teams’ past accidental to capable immoderate needs going into the pennant contention and, ideally, the playoffs. On the flipside, teams with expiring contracts and dwindling postseason hopes tin unload players who whitethorn not beryllium successful their longer-term plans.

This week’s Baseball Report looks astatine the looming commercialized deadline, the Baltimore Orioles’ expanse of the Washington Nationals, and the slipping distant of Trevor Bauer’s career.

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MLB Trade Deadline

The trade deadline for Major League Baseball is July 30. And galore players could beryllium changing teams. Some bigger names perchance connected the determination successful the coming days see Chicago Cubs outfielder and third/first baseman Kris Bryant and Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton and Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer’s names person besides travel up.

As of Monday, the Cubs are 2 games beneath .500 and 9 games disconnected the gait successful the National League Central. Three teams are successful beforehand of them successful their part alone. And fixed however they’ve floundered this season, that seems improbable to change. Bryant, however, has seen a spot of a resurgence since his injury-riddled 2020 season. The National League MVP from 2016, the twelvemonth the Cubs won the World Series tin play immoderate spot successful the outfield, arsenic good arsenic archetypal and 3rd base. He’s slashing .266/.353/.500, with 17 HRs and 50 RBI successful his 316 ABs. He volition beryllium an unrestricted escaped cause aft this season, but has the versatility successful the tract and powerfulness astatine the sheet to assistance a contender now.

The Rockies came into the play destined for the National League West cellar. They’ve exceeded expectations, oregon the Arizona Diamondbacks are worse than expected. Either way, the Rockies person struggled successful a part wherever they’ve been looking up astatine the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres since April. Rockies shortstop Trevor Story could find himself with the Yankees successful New York by the extremity of the week. Story, different pending unrestricted escaped agent, is turning successful stats a small beneath his vocation averages. But his slashline of .242/.313/.425 — arsenic opposed to .273/.339/.521 — won’t scare distant suitors.

The Twins came into the 2021 play looking to contend successful the American League Central. They person not travel anyplace close. While the Chicago White Sox are cruising on successful first, the Twins, astatine 42-58, proceed to sink. Buxton is 1 of MLB’s amended outfielders, erstwhile helium tin get connected the field. The occupation for the Twins, and the hazard for different team, is that he’s often injured. Buxton is signed done 2022 successful Minnesota, though helium reportedly turned down a declaration extension. So helium could beryllium connected the move. The Philadelphia Phillies person shown interest, if the Twins take to portion ways with their talented outfielder.

The Nationals beryllium beneath the Phillies successful the competitory National League East. While they person hinted astatine contending from clip to time, that seems to beryllium over. Slugger Kyle Schwarber has been laid up with a hamstring injury, and the Nats person drifted from relevance. Most recently, they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles, arrogant owners of MLB’s second-worst record. Nationals ace Max Scherzer is having different coagulated play successful what’s surely a Hall of Fame career. He has 142 strikeouts and a 2.83 ERA successful 105 innings pitched. The Houston Astros and Dodgers could some usage pitching assistance successful their respective pennant chases, not to notation the playoff acquisition Scherzer brings to the table. The Dodgers, successful particular, mislaid a large portion of their rotation erstwhile Trevor Bauer was placed connected administrative permission successful aboriginal July.

Orioles Sweep Nationals

Baltimore, sitting astatine 34-64, past successful the American League East, has had precise small to observe this season. After a twelvemonth disconnected to retrieve from cancer, Trey Mancini is steadfast and backmost successful form. Catcher Adley Rutschman is simply a small person to his MLB debut. And this past play the Orioles swept the Nationals successful a three-game bid astatine home. It was their archetypal expanse of the Nationals astatine Camden Yards since 2010 and their 2nd expanse successful the past month.

On Friday night, Pat Valaika homered 2 times, arsenic the Orioles picked up 4 runs disconnected of starter Patrick Corbin en way to a 6-1 win. It was lone their 2nd triumph successful 11 games.

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Matt Harvey gave up conscionable 1 deed implicit the people of his six innings of scoreless ball. It was his 2nd consecutive commencement successful which helium didn’t let a tally successful six innings. Then the Orioles held connected for the 5-3 win.

Sunday’s game travel down to a Ramon Urías groundball that scored the winning tally successful a adjacent play astatine the plate. The Orioles besides managed 3 solo location runs to assistance implicit the sweep.

The Orioles big the Marlins for 2 games, starting tomorrow. They’ll past question to Detroit for 4 games against the Tigers.

Trevor Bauer’s Career In Jeopardy

After winning the National League Cy Young Award past season, Bauer joined the Los Angeles Dodgers successful the offseason connected a three-year, $102 cardinal contract. Now, helium whitethorn ne'er play shot again. MLB placed the pitcher connected administrative permission earlier this month, soon aft intersexual battle allegations came to light. Pasadena constabulary is besides investigating the assault allegations.

Bauer is accused of choking and punching a pistillate and sexually assaulting her portion she was unconscious. The pitcher denies the allegations and says the encounters were consensual. The incidental successful question took spot earlier this year.

MLB’s argumentation connected home unit gives it the close to subject players, careless of whether charges are filed. Other players person been enactment connected leave, pending the result of the ineligible process.

Bauer’s suspension remains successful effect, and could past done the extremity of the play oregon longer, depending connected MLB’s findings. Other Dodgers don’t look to privation him backmost successful the clubhouse. According to a Los Angeles Times report, nary subordinate has spoken retired astir the incidental oregon defended the pitcher. They don’t privation him back.

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If the allegations beryllium true, it seems improbable different squad would motion a subordinate with his history. Criminal charges could marque him unavailable regardless.