So here we are at the Major League Baseball All
Star Break Home Run Derby in the books,
the Midsummer Classic last night in Arlington as well.
Two full days off here at the All Star Break,
right in the middle perhaps of a long
162 game season around the bigs.
As I have said a few times,
it's not really the midway point,
it's the reset halfway of a long Major League Baseball
season.
But most teams have played close to 100.
Everybody has played at least 95,
five of their
162 Major League Baseball regular season game.
So we're going to have some fun here at the
break,
our favorite game to make sure that you all buy
or sell as well.
So DRS, let's start with an American League West focus
and a team that has reached the last seven
ALCSS that is the Houston Astros.
It's been one of our bits of the opening half
of this year around MLB.
Is the fork out now?
Can we stick the fork in the Houston Astros and
say definitively that they are done?
In early June, we were going to say that for
sure.
Then we put the fork away,
back in the drawer. And then last week,
in the final week before the All Star break,
I snapped the fork. It's gone.
It's done. Let's take a look at the Astros.
Only a game back. A single game back of the
Mariners in the American League West.
50 and 46 for the Stroh's four games above
500. Houston enters the All Star break victorious in 17
of their last 23 despite losing their final weekend series
against the Texas Rangers.
You see the odds associated.
Now the question Buy or sell?
The Astros are World Series contenders in
2024. I'm gonna sell that.
And the reason I say that is let's just say
they do win the division.
If there was a buy and sell on each one
of those,
I might buy the divisional price,
but I'm going to sell the World Series price.
But the question is about the World Series.
So if you're being honest,
you look at the FanDuel Sports book and you say,
what are the odds for the Houston Astros to win?
It's 20 to one to be World Series champions.
That's not a bad price.
That's not necessarily a long shot price per SE where
it's like,
OK, 50 and 60 to one.
They have a legitimate chance to win this based on
the odds.
But the way I look at it here,
if you are true contender,
that means Donnie right side actually believes that you can
win a World Series.
I don't think they're World Series contenders.
Why? Because I don't think they can win the World
Series.
When I look at the American League,
it's still gonna be the Baltimore Orioles.
And the New York Yankees should have the Guardians,
the Twins, some other decent teams in there,
which go now with the Houston Astros.
But credit them. Three weeks ago,
we were writing their obituary and rightfully so,
because they weren't a good baseball team.
They've played better baseball. They're in a division that can't
get a grip on itself.
Talking about you Seattle Mariners right now that should have
a 5-6,
seven game lead in that division,
but you let that slip away.
So simple answer to that question for me is if
I don't think they can win the World Series,
I can't say Ben, that they're contenders.
Yeah, I completely agree with what your sentiment is.
I do believe they are World Series contenders.
But your idea being unless you're going to cash that
20 to 1 ticket,
you're not actually a contender.
And I completely understand. I will say this,
though, Houston just a game out of that top spot
in the American League West,
again, victorious and seventeen of their last 23 games before
the All Star break.
Meanwhile, Seattle has come back down to earth in a
large they have dropped nine of their last fourteen.
That's why there's only a single game separating those two
teams at the top.
The plus 120 price for the Astros to win the
American League West might not be there come the end
of this upcoming weekend when the second-half officially begins around
Major League Baseball. If you get a seat at the
dance,
you're one of the six teams that make it to
the American League postseason.
How do you not like the Astros chances given the
pedigree of where they have been?
That's why I'm going to buy that Houston is a
true World Series contender.
Houston did lose its final weekend series of the first
half before the All Star break against the Texas Rangers.
Of course, the Rangers, the reigning World Series champs.
That World Series matchup last year indicative of what we
see now in the expanded postseason.
Both of the six seeds,
the final wild card teams reaching that fall Classic.
It was Texas, the Champions of the AL Arizona,
the Champions of the National League.
But both DRS in danger at the break of maybe
missing out on the playoffs entirely come the very next
season.
You can see where the odds were and where they
are now for both the Rangers and the D backs
at the break.
Both were favored to see the postseason before the year
got underway.
Now pretty hefty plus money prices.
So buy or sell, the Rangers and the D backs
will both miss the playoffs.
Yeah, it's interesting because the D backs,
we give them a lot of slack because we saw
last year upsetting the Philadelphia Phillies and the NLCS going
to the World Series.
We expected major things to happen.
And quite frankly, they haven't.
But when you look at their record,
they're not 567 games under 500.
Are they going to win the West?
No, they're not. But they are a game above 500
with a lot of talent on that baseball team from
the starting staff and also that one through 9.
So I sort of think we forget about the Diamondbacks
is just a nice story from last year.
And they're not doing much here.
Now, granted, technically in the grand scheme of things,
they're really not. But they're still above 500 right in
the thick of that wild card race.
If we flip it over to the Texas Rangers,
I told you when you asked me what about a
week ago,
like, what's one of those teams you might want to
keep an eye on?
Because the ticket is going to be so outrageous that
if they just make the playoffs,
it's going to be profitable.
That was the Texas Rangers just last week,
man, at an 80 to one price at the fan
little sports book to win the World Series.
You know what, they're clocking in today at a 60
to one price because most people see that that division
is up in the air.
Somebody has to win it and they're hovering around 500.
There's way too much town on that Rangers team to
say we won a World Series last year,
now we're going to fold up.
That team is starting to get healthy at the right
time and can make a charge.
Now we're talking about contenders to win it all.
I'm not so sure the Rangers can do that.
But I'd much rather take a World Series price at
60 to one right now on the Texas Rangers,
which was 80 to one last week than a Houston
Astros ticket at 20 to one.
Because sometimes the dollars do make sense in that spot.
And once again, if you're for the Astros to make
the playoffs at 20 to one,
you might be able to turn that ticket into a
profit.
But you say they win at least a series or
two,
which would be tough. The Texas Rangers at that 80
to one price last week,
Ben, if they made the playoffs,
you're automatically being able to flip that ticket over for
a plus money number.
So I'm a little bit higher on the Texas Rangers
versus the Astros just because of the price point here,
Not necessarily thinking, Ben, that either one of those teams
can actually win the World Series.
I just like the better price point to turn a
profit there on that end of it.
Both teams playing much better baseball heading into the break.
Arizona victorious and ten of their last 15 series wins
over the Dodgers,
the Padres and the Blue Jays to end it in
a four-game series split.
Fighting their way back to win their final two against
the Braves.
Texas has won seven of its last nine games entering
the All Star break as well,
but stillwell below 500 and needs to make up a
country ground.
Continue that point next on the early line,
buy or sell The Major League Baseball All Star Break
continues here on this Wednesday on the early line,
we were just debating if the two teams that played
in the World Series a season ago would even be
back in October this year,
the Rangers and the Diamondbacks.
Now, I would probably sell the notion that both make
it to the playoffs.
I might sell the notion that either make it to
the postseason.
Arizona now a game above 500 again,
victorious in ten of their last 15 before the break,
only a game out of wild card contention at this
moment.
And they trail the New York Mets,
not necessarily the most formidable side,
only a game and a half even behind the Saint
Louis Cardinals for the second of three National League wild
card spots.
It kind of factors into the conversation around Houston as
well,
Donnie, that when you look at the Astros and the
Rangers,
if they're going to have a seat at the table,
if they're going to be invited to this October dance
in
2024, they probably have a better chance through the American
League West if Seattle continues its slide to make up
ground than they do in the American League wild card
race. Houston only a game out of the top spot
in the ALS,
but 3 1/2 games out of a wild card spot
and even behind the Royals for wild card contention,
The Rangers still four games below
507 1/2 games out of a wild card spot at
this time.
A lot of ground to make up for the Rangers.
And that's where I remain skeptical that the reigning American
League Pennant winners and World Series champions will even be
back in the playoffs.
And that's why they're going to be so far back
at this point.
As you pointed out, seven and a half from the
wild card.
It really is just that race in the West you're
worried about.
And also keep in mind that,
you know, it's not like a receding process.
Once you get to the end of the season,
you win your division, you'll be home.
Like you don't have to worry about that wild card
around going on the road and trying to do all
that stuff.
So that's why it's so enticing to take those longer
price points because yes,
you're going to sneak into the playoffs,
but typically sneak into the playoffs.
It's the last wild card spot,
the toughest hill to climb in either one of those
leagues.
That's not going to be the case here for the
Texas Rangers and or Houston Astros or Seattle Mariners.
That's what makes it a little bit more intriguing.
Somebody has to win that division,
which means somebody will have home field advantage in that
first round.
Yeah, absolutely. So. And I think that's the better spot.
Houston, a game out of the AOS,
but 3 1/2 games back of the Red Sox for
that third and final American League wild card spot.
The Rangers only five games behind.
Seattle, 7 1/2 games out of wild card contention in
the American League.
Now we flip our attention to the National League.
The Philadelphia Phillies, who have made the NLCS each of
the past two MLB campaigns
-240 for the Fightings to be the number one overall
seed in the NL.
Plus 210 to win the National League Pennant.
Second best price behind the Dodgers.
Second best price to win the World Series as well,
plus 420 only behind LA.
So buy or sell, Mr.
Philly? Will the Phillies buy or sell?
The Phillies are, excuse me,
the team to beat in the National League.
Yeah, it's pretty much a layup at this point.
You take a look at the standings overall,
the Phillies have a 6 1/2 game lead here on
the Los Angeles Dodgers for that true number one overall
seed.
And also taking a look at the Phillies in the
first half compared to what you're going to get in
the second-half.
Well, the one thing they had to weigh those waters
was,
oh, no, that big lead for the Philadelphia Phillies might
dissipate here because of all the injuries they had.
Quite frankly, they got lucky for Schwerberter Herders groin.
And in the same night also have Bryce Harper get
that hamstring injury.
You could have been looking at a month and a
half and two months down depending on the severity.
Both of those guys made speedy quick get backs here
and help the Phillies out and also still waiting on
maybe the most important piece of the team.
You say, well, Donnie, what the be Zach Wheeler?
Would that be Aaron Nola,
Bryce Harper? No, that's your catcher back there.
JT remote to one of the better defensive catchers and
the solid hitting catcher.
He's going to be coming back to that lineup sooner
than later as well.
And also the Phillies front office bring proactive.
There's a couple things that we talked about when you're
getting to the deadline.
This doesn't include the Phillies.
There's teams that are looking to make the playoffs and
then the other teams are looking to sell because they're
not going to make the playoffs.
But the upper echelon teams going like the Phillies,
this is our chance to win a World Series.
You're supposed to push your chips in the sending go
on getting a Mike Trout,
which I don't think is going to happen is the
Phillies have a pretty solid lineup.
But the Phillies aren't gonna stand pat at the trade
deadline and tell us like,
hey man, look at how good we are so far.
Why would we add on a mess up the quote
UN quote chemistry that you'll hear coming up over the
next couple weeks.
They're going to add on here.
They have the best pitching staff start to finish in
the rotation,
plus a great bullpen and also great one through 9.
How can't they be the best here so far in
the National League with a legitimate give him a chance
to win the Pennant and also win the World Series?
I'm buying the Philadelphia Phillies.
I'm buying as well. There is little doubt in my
mind the Fools will be the number one seed in
the National League postseason bracket.
There was little doubt in my mind that the Fools
will win the National League East,
ending the Braves streak of 6 consecutive and LE divisional
crowds.
The only thing I think really up for debate is
the Phillies versus the Dodgers at this point.
The odds makers still have LA as the favorites to
win the Pennant at plus
175. So how do you stack up and match up
at this moment,
even considering the guys on the IL for the Dodgers,
I would give the pitching edge to Philadelphia and that
is key come October.
Trade deadline discussions next notable dates on the Major League
Baseball calendar.
Here we are with two full off days firmly in
the All Star break at the end of this month
of July.
It's the MLB trade deadline.
So the All Star break used Donnie not only for
us content guys to speculate about what the rest of
the season is going to hold,
what we're keeping an eye on down the scratch and
all of those conversations in those
second-half narratives. But you would also think front offices and
clubs around the bigs reassessing where they stand.
Are they a true contender for a playoff spot for
a Pennant come October?
Do they need to add at the deadline to really
solidify that stance?
Or maybe your years gone S,
maybe you're always thinking about what your vacations are going
to look like come this winter,
come where things stand in December and you're starting to
make those deals,
maybe selling at the deadline.
First, let's talk individuals. Notable MLB trade candidates.
A few that were asked conversations about their futures this
week,
namely Pete Alonso ahead of the Home Run Derby on
Monday in Arlington,
stress that he wants to remain with the New York
Mets in this season and beyond.
Vladimir Guerrero junior was asked about his future in Toronto,
saying he wants to stay with the Blue Jays as
well.
Beau Bichette for a struggling Blue Jays team,
Louise Robert for the Chicago White Sox,
and Jazz Chisholm. If there's ever for a trade for
Jazz,
maybe we'll hear about it from our guy Craig Mish.
A couple of the notable trade targets.
The Rs, at least from the offensive perspective around MLB.
Yeah. And you know what,
let's start with Pete Alonzo,
right? Because there's a couple things of what you say
and what you do.
And I've always been a proponent for players.
Just make it easy on yourself,
which I'm going to bring up the New York Yankees
right now.
Last year, Aaron Judge in the thick of that huge
debate on whether or not they're going to sign him
or get back.
Aaron Judge repeatedly was giving you the notion that,
look, if I leave, I leave.
It's not a big deal here.
And I remember one of the beat reporters asked him
a question like,
well, what are you going to tell,
like the young kids or a Yankees fans who absolutely
adore you.
And he basically was telling them,
yeah, well, there'll be other players next year if I'm
not here that you like,
which I'm like, this is just wild.
Even if, like, you believe that deep down,
that's not what you're supposed to say.
So then I bring up Juan Soto,
who again, Scott, Boris as an agent,
we know he wants to get paid a lot of
money,
but you don't get all the warm and fuzzies like
when you get traded to New York.
You're supposed to be like,
this is where I always wanted to be.
Even if you don't believe it growing up as a
kid,
you know, wherever I was in what country,
you know what, I always wanted to be a Yankee.
And I hope this is my long term destination.
Even if you don't believe it,
it just sends those good vibes and gets the fans
on your side want so to do in the opposite.
Yeah. Yeah. We'll see how it goes.
Right no big deal so then you take a look
at Pete Alonso who's actually saying the right things like
no,
like I know we're struggling with the Mets.
I can't picture being anywhere else.
I want to be a lifelong met,
which endears you to the fan base.
Now when you go out and sign S Scott Boris
and you want hit the free agent market and you
would get the best price.
That's what it tells a little bit of a different
tale.
But you see like the the tone of those like
no big deal.
It's a business as opposed to being like I always
wanted to be here.
So Pete Alonso for my money is probably going to
stay in New York met because you do need a
star right like Steve Cohen is more money than anybody
in baseball. I understand, like maybe building a franchise doesn't
include paying Pete Alonzo a ton of money because you're
looking down the line a little bit more.
It's hard. It's easy to do that in Kansas City
and Pittsburgh,
per se. He can't do that with the New York
Mets.
I believe he gets signed there.
But the other ones that you brought up,
Vladimir Guerrero Junior and Beau Bichette,
are the Blue Jays. That's a big money town and
a big money market,
but they're not working out at all at this point.
That young core that you had put together over the
past couple years,
we were expecting the fruits of that labor to start
to bear at this point,
saying that's one of the more fun young teams in
baseball.
Pay them all, keep them together for a decade and
see what happens.
It just hasn't worked out.
So Vladi and Bo moving on would surprise,
wouldn't surprise me as much as Pete Alonzo moving on
from the New York Mets.
Robert Junior, he's gone. Jazz Chisholm,
he's gone as well. But I do think those first
three guys,
Alonso, Guerrero, Junior and Bichette are interesting options there.
Very interesting options. Vladdy is seen as one of the
sluggers still from a young perspective.
Only 25 in all the Major League Baseball,
but was shet right there as well.
They can say they want to remain in the 6th.
The Blue Jays eight games below
500. The optimistic team each of the last 2-3 off
seasons and during a new year in the American League,
it is not worked out.
I think you are spot on though,
Donnie, for the assessment around the Amazons and the New
York Mets because when you look at the Mets,
95 games played so far this year,
49 and 46, they're three games above 500.
If the Mets were where the Mets were at the
end of May,
9 games below 500, then I think Pete Alonzo would
be on the block.
But you can't be Steve Cohen and you can't have
all the money and turn your back on a team
that right now the season ended today.
Of course it does not.
But here at the All Star Break has a wild
card spot,
the 3rd and final in the National League and it's
three games above 500.
If they trade Polar Bear Pete,
a staple of this franchise,
there should be a lot of angry words and things
said about Steve Cohen.
I do not expect Pete Alonzo to be on the
move.
The New York Mets have been one of the stories
of this Major League Baseball season.
The proud franchise in June,
16 and eight in the Grimace era,
continuing to win baseball games nine and five in the
month of July,
victorious in seven of their last nine games before the
All Star break.
The Mets should not be sellers at the deadline.
Are they going to buy integral and important pieces?
I'm not entirely sure, but they should not be sellers.
Now let's go to the arms.
Despite being the American League Cy Young favorite and pitching
the 2nd inning of the All Star game last night
for the AL,
Tarek Schuble for Detroit. Maybe on that trade block at
the moment.
Garrett Crochet who has been about the only bright spot
for the Chicago White Sox this year,
Maybe on the move. Nathan Ievaldi for the Rangers key
in their race.
I don't expect the Rangers to sell,
especially with Scherzer getting healthy into Grom,
maybe on his way back here in the second-half,
but Zach Eflin and Jack Flaherty also in consideration.
You would think in terms of the armors perspective,
Donnie, if there is a buying team,
Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, Orioles around Major League Baseball,
they would be looking at this list and would be
very enticed by adding some important pizzas to their pitching
staff.
You never know where some of these teams are going
to wind up.
But like when you just take a look back and
forget about if you're a fan of the franchise,
let's just go with Detroit here.
Young dominant pitcher and Tarek Scubal as a fan base.
You say, my goodness, it's going to be so nice,
Ben, to have a true #1 here for the next
decade in Detroit.
You wait to get these players and when you hear
his name,
possibly at the trade deadline as a move piece,
you say to stuff, what are we actually doing?
Like we're going to get a couple of prospects hoping
they turn into Tariq Scubal over the next couple years.
Like, no, you're supposed to keep these young,
dominant arms under control. This is what you vie for.
You take a look at Garrett Crochet,
the same thing. I know the White Sox aren't going
anywhere,
but where do you build with a young pitching staff?
That's how you start to move forward.
If we're looking at Zach Eflin for the Rays,
that's what the Rays do.
If you have a good picture that somebody wants,
they're more than happily handing him over.
So they have to pay him a paycheck the next
year and just rebuild.
They're a unique franchise. As it said,
Jack Flaherty, maybe you say,
OK, brought him in. It didn't workout so well.
We're not that good. You move them.
But I can't imagine school being on the move.
But here's what's so devastating.
Here's why we take a look at some of these
odds markets at the FanDuel Sports.
Can say like why are the Dodgers still ahead of
the Phillies because the Dodgers are crazy enough to go
out yet 3 school and Garrett Crochet at the deadline
of like we have plenty of money and plenty more
prospects to even make more moves.
That's what we wait for.
Does anybody out there think right now they go hey,
the Don just got a lot of guys on Illinois.
They're just gonna wait for them to come back absolutely
not That's why they're the favorites.
They're gonna be able to turn a sigh young caliber
pitcher onto that roster and then wait for their guys
to come back.
And to see guys like Tarek Scuba would it be
amazing in a week and a week and 1/2 here,
by the way, school just got traded to the Dodgers.
Like, Oh my goodness. Like,
yeah, that makes sense. That's exactly what they do.
I would slander Detroit endlessly.
Know if it happens, scuba
-130 to win the American League Cy Young Award.
If he gets straight into the National League,
that might be the only thing holding him back.
I will say this about the Tigers.
Still a lot of ground to make up.
As we know, seven games out of the wild card
race,
the American League Central features three teams with a winning
record in front of them.
But they did win eight of their last 11 entering
the All Star for a break.
Garrett Crochet is going to be a name to know.
He has been great this year for the White Sox.
If there is a pitcher on this list that I
think is going to be dealt and could make an
immediate impact,
it would be Crochet. Now,
on the other side of the break,
we'll go from the individuals to the teams,
the teams that we expect to buy,
the teams that we expect to sell and those teams
to monitor ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline.
I think Donnie's point. Very sound.
By the way. Remember a couple of trade deadlines ago?
Was it
20/21/2019? I don't even remember how long ago it was
when the Dodgers acquired both Max Scherzer and Craig Turner
from the Nationals.
That's one of the craziest things the world has ever
known.
So don't put anything bass those big money teams in
those big markets in hopes of winning a World Series.
The team to keep an eye out on the trade
deadline next.
So we looked at the individual trade candidates,
those targets around Major League Baseball.
Now that we look at what teams might be in
the running to make a deal for them,
the buyers and the sellers we played.
Buy or sell at the MLB All Star Break.
With the trade deadline just 13 days away,
that's July 30th into Tuesdays.
Here are some teams we expect to buy.
The Phillies have the best record in all of baseball.
The Orioles and the Yankees,
of course, in the American League,
the Dodgers always dealing at the deadline and the Atlanta
Braves,
the sellers, those teams near the basement.
The Angels, not maybe as bad as we expected,
but my Trout dealing with injuries.
Anthony Rendon not happy. The A's Mason Miller could be
on that trade block.
Brett Rooker as well. The Rockies,
not sure what assets they have to give the Miami
Marlins and the Chicago White Sox.
DRS, do you agree with the list of the five
teams we have and the buyers component and the five
teams we have may be selling at the deadline?
Yeah, they make some sense.
And again, the buyers always should be the Phillies,
Orioles, Yankees, Dodgers and Braves,
the teams that we think are going to win the
World Series.
It's very rare that when you get in the the,
you know, the encompassing of we think we can make
a run.
You better maximize that product on the field.
I think those teams will try to do that.
We talk about the Braves.
How significant will those moves be?
I don't know, but I know that front office and
trust them with the moves they make will help that
ball club.
The question is going to be also,
even if if you don't want to make a move,
Ben right, it's imperative that you get into the race
because number one,
maybe you can steal players and let you say the
Phillies and the Dodgers,
they're both going after the same pitcher.
Well, if you get them,
that's a double win because then the Dodgers didn't get
them.
But if you don't get them,
you want to drive that price up high enough that
it makes it painful for the other team trying to
get them to actually inquire about those said players.
But if you are sanct yourself,
the sellers, the Angels, they should have been sellers multiple
times over the years.
This might be one of the worst one franchises in
a major market city that had so much talent and
never won a damn thing.
Like if you're telling me you might have had when
it again,
then when it's all said and done,
two of the top five baseball players to ever lace
them up and you're not going to get anything for
those two guys when you should have done that.
Like let's just roll reverse a year and a half
ago.
If you say, you know what,
don't think we can afford a tonic this point,
which is ludicrous. Should have paid him whatever he wanted
to immediately and said we'll match any price because that's
good business sense to keep that guy in town.
But you could have traded him for an absolute crazy
haul.
And you could have done the same thing with a
Mike Trout.
You could have rebuilt that organization from top to bottom
and in three to four years starting seeing the fruits
of that labor in the trades with hopefully those prospects
working out. So it's no shame to see them once
again here.
But the questions come up like the Oakland Athletics.
This is a team that we can't understand why Major
League Baseball is allowing this to happen.
And again, the jokes write themselves like you're only All
Star.
Was basically gonna have to show up at Philadelphia International
Airport and wait in a lounge to actually get a
flight to the All Star game when the feel is
like no, no, no bro,
come over in the side of the locker room.
We got everything Five star will take care of you.
That should be an embarrassing nonetheless that you shouldn't be
allowed to have happen.
It should be private jets for everybody and every player
that makes it to the Major League Baseball organization or
All Star game.
Excuse me but moving forward with the like or what
are they gonna do over the next three to four
years?
Are they just gonna pair this payroll down to five
six,
$7,000,000 if that's even possible here.
It's almost unfair what's happening there.
So when you get a pitch like Mason Miller,
hey, I can have a closer Ben for 15 years
on my roster that's dominant.
You're like, hey, who can we flip them for?
Because we'll get that next player and in two years
when he's good,
we'll flip him again. So it's crazy what the Oakland
Athletics are going to do with the deadline.
Some really good talent on that team.
They're just going to pare it down once again.
I think the sports documentary landscape has become a little
bit saturated at this moment,
but there should be one on the Angels post
2018. Shohei Otani's first year in MLB in Anaheim,
in the six years they had Otani and Trout together,
yes, injuries plaguing both. In that more than half decade
run in Southern California,
they never even had a winning record.
They never won more than 80 games.
They never even made the postseason.
I don't understand it. We've already had Moneyball also.
We don't need to do the same on the A's.
Back to the buyers list quickly here,
DRS. What I find so fascinating,
I think you look at the Top 14,
the Phil's, the O's, the Yanks and the Dodgers.
I would say they're all in the running for another
starting pitcher,
maybe a deep reliever, a closer,
somebody that can help in terms of things on the
mound.
I would actually say the Braves are probably more invested
in a bat than any of those four other teams
in that buyers list.
Yeah, it probably could be that point,
too. And also, if you take a look at the
Braves,
the Phillies always probably in need of another back coming
off the bench,
which is certainly an important ingredient
to make a postseason run with pinch hitters and also
those deep arm bullpens.
But when we take a look at the Phillies,
if there's anything that you could say they really need,
they don't actually need an extra arm in the bullpen.
Technically, they don't really need another starting pitcher at this
point,
but they would like to get an everyday center theater.
Marsh has been a great acquisition since coming over from
the Angels,
but he's more of a platoon guy.
And you throw Rojas out there just to play great
defense,
but they're looking for that.
Every guy that can maybe line up in the either
that #2 hole or number six or seven hole,
that can be that guy.
So it'll be interesting to say.
And also, again, it proves the point that you're going
after those same players who's more than willing to give
up some of the better prospects here to get those
to make a run. I look for this if you're
the Braves,
I don't know about going all in because I told
you multiple times,
I don't actually think they can win the World Series.
But a team like the Phillies that is right now
the best team in baseball,
those are the teams that are supposed to load up
like wow,
they didn't need another starting pitcher,
They got him. Look at that.
They didn't need another 7th inning guy,
they got him. They didn't need another right fielder,
but Oh my goodness, it was too good to pass
up.
This guy should be able to help him.
Those are the teams I'm looking forward to there to
see what they can make some moves here at the
deadline.
About a week and 1/2.
There is need potentially. Then there is desire.
The Dodgers could just add Jazz Chisel and put Mookie
Betts when he returns from the IO back in center
field because they feel like it.
Here are now the intriguing teams.
Of course. What will the Mets do?
We think they will probably be buyers,
but definitely not sellers. The Rays,
the Tigers, What will the Cubs do?
I feel like they have been in that weird Gray
limbo area each of the last
345 Major League Baseball trade deadline.
The Rangers, the reigning World Series champs,
and I would think, I think the Blue Jays probably
skew more to sellers than maybe even being inactive at
the deadline.
I also ask you this,
Donnie, right side, because here's your platform for the final
45 seconds.
We did not include the top team in the American
League in the obvious buyers or even in the teams
to monitor the Cleveland Guardians.
What might they do at the deadline to not just
be the best team in the American League from a
record perspective,
but actually contend for the Pennant?
They need a frontline starting pitcher.
They really do and say,
well Donna, they have decent pitchers already on their roster,
not good enough to win a World Series.
So for my money, if you're asking me what the
Guardians will do with the deadline,
I don't think very much of anything to be at
this point.
Now, I would be shocked if they went after a
frontline starting pitcher or a major bat at this point.
I really would be when you look at Cleveland,
58 and 37, a half game lead over Baltimore,
who is 58 and 38 for the best record in
the American League.