Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

AMERICAN LEAGUE WINS MID-SUMMER CLASSIC
Cleveland's Alonso named MVP
07/17/2019
By Jason Frampton

Yonder Alonso hit a two-run homerun in the fourth inning, which was the only homerun in the ballgame as the American League came away with a 4-1 victory at Progressive Field.

For his efforts, he was named as the game's MVP in front of the home fans, who gave him a nice ovation for each of his two at-bats, and a standing ovation when he received the MVP.

The two-time All-Star was "humbled" by the honor, and said there might have been more deserving players, but that he enjoyed winning it in front of his home fans.

"There are a lot of players in this game I consider to be much better than me," he told Fox Sports' Frank Thomas after the game. "I'm incredibly humbled to win this award, especially here at home in Cleveland for the fans."

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

RED SOX, ROCKIES MAKE MOVES
Chirinos on pace for career-high in homeruns
07/18/2019
By MLB.com Staff

Since the All-Star Game ended, the Red Sox have been busy. General Manager Bret Barberie has swung a pair of trades in the last two days, nabbing catcher Robinson Chirinos from inter-division rival Baltimore, and acquiring right-handed reliever Carter Capps from San Diego. Neither one cost too much, as he dealt minor-league outfielder Cole Brannen and rookie-ball third baseman Brandon Howlett to grab each player, respectively.

Chirinos, 35, is on his way to his second straight 20-HR season it seems, as he has thirteen at the break. Boston has better defensive catching options in the minors, but offensive production has been lacking at the position between Oscar Hernandez and Tyler Flowers. Boston optioned Hernandez to make room for Chirinos on the active roster.

On the surface, Capps' numbers are not terribly impressive (2-3, 4.00, 1.56 WHIP), but his FIP is 3.35, and strikes out better than a batter per inning despite a moderately high walk rate. The Red Sox have bolstered their pen since the offseason via trades, getting closer Archie Bradley and Brad Boxberger from Arizona, Tyler Lyons from Philadelphia, and now Capps.

Colorado also made their first move of the year, getting lefty Ryan Buchter from Oakland. The tall southpaw has been tough on LHB in 2019, holding them to a .216 BAA (11-for-51), with just two extra-base hits. Buchter was acquired along with a PTBNL for right-handed pitchers Ben Schneiderjans and Justin Calomeni, along with outfielder Dayon Olmo.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS AT THE HALFWAY POINT
Rookies helping lead the way for playoff-contending club
By artoodeetoo
07/18/2019

On June 27th, the Royals were seven games back in the divisional and wildcard races, and would have to leapfrog a half-dozen teams just to get to the Indians for the second wildcard spot. Then something changed in July.

In a series beginning in late June, the Royals split a four-game series with Tampa Bay that ended on July 1st. Then they outscored Pittsburgh 19-5 in a two-game road sweep. They split a home series with Oakland before sweeping both Toronto and Seattle on the road.

The 11-2 start in July propelled the Royals ahead of all four of Tampa, Oakland, Texas, and Toronto in the wildcard race, leaving them in striking distance of both the divisional and wildcard races.

"Something just really changed with this bunch," said manager Ned Yost, who was an assistant coach on the AL's All-Star squad this year. "It's like the light clicked on, and they have realized how good they can be."

Kansas City is now just 3.5 games back of Chicago in the Central, and just 2.5 back of Cleveland for the second wildcard. There's been plenty of veteran leadership, with the usual suspects in Danny Duffy, Jake JuSalvador Perez, and Alex Gordon playing significant roles.

That said, the Royals' run has largely been on the backs of rookies and second-year players. Despite being well-known to Royals fans since being signed as an international free agent in 2009 when he was seventeen, Cheslor Cuthbert has came out of nowhere to post an amazing first half on his way to being named to his first All-Star team. Trevor Oaks is 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA and two first-half complete-game shutouts.

They also have four rookies playing prominent roles -- southpaw Richard Lovelady has had an up-and-down year, but he's still averaging nearly a strikeout per inning out of the pen. Nicky Lopez didn't join the squad until about three weeks into the season, but has posted a remarkable .346/.432/.444 line in 296 plate appearances with nine doubles, five triples, and ten steals.

In addition, first basemen Peter Alonso and Ryan O'Hearn have combined for twenty homeruns and eighty-one RBI, with a .276 BA and twenty-six doubles and five triples.

It's not quite the same group that went to back-to-back World Series. Duffy, Perez, and Gordon are still around, but Alonso originally came up in the Mets' organization along with fellow teammate Drew Smith, and there are some new standouts around with Oaks, Jake Junis, and Adalberto Mondesi, who made his MLB debut as a pinch-hitter in the 2015 Fall Classic at nineteen.

"There are some similarities in that group and this group," said GM Travis Greenleaf, who began his Royals tenure as a statistical analyst in 2013. "However, we have rookies and really young guys playing primary roles, not secondary roles. It wasn't like that in the World Series years, as guys were three, four, five years in. These players are still wet behind the ears."

With that said, some questions still remain. With the non-waiver trade deadline approaching, the Royals have shifted from being a likely seller to a buyer. It's difficult to tell who the Royals might be interested in since Greenleaf is pretty tight-lipped, but it's clear that they need help in the bullpen despite the improved performance since the end of April. Blake Treinen has converted 8-of-14 save opportunities, and is clear that Lovelady isn't ready for a prominent role in the bullpen -- yet.

Also, how long can this young group keep up the production? Lopez is on pace to smash the Royals' rookie BA record, and Trevor Oaks has already set a career-high in innings pitched at any level. Even if these guys (and others) fade down the stretch and fail to make the playoffs, it's fair to say that the rebuild might not be behind or on schedule, but ahead of schedule.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB'S FIVE SECOND-HALF THINGS TO WATCH
Central race in AL is most compelling
07/19/2019
By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

The AL Central is the only interesting divisional race. Kansas City's July surge has made this the division race to watch around the league, while the rest of baseball will be looking at the wildcards throughout the final weeks of the season. Remember, the AL Central might be the weakest division in baseball, but the winner gets to avoid playing at Boston or New York in October in the Wildcard matchup.

How will the Yankees respond to Boston's moves? Brian Cashman appears to be taking his time, but Boston has improved their team with a pair of trades to bring some catching and bullpen depth into the fold. New York has few holes, but they really need left-handed pitching. Last year, they went and got J.A. Happ, who was phenomenal for them down the stretch. If the Rangers can't keep up in the race by the deadline, do they go back to that well?

Can Andrew Benintendi reach .400? Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi is in all likelihood going to be the AL MVP when all is said and done, but the bigger story is that he's hitting .386 this late into the season. George Brett in 1980 is the last player to fly this close to .400, eventually winning the batting title with a .390 average that year.

Is the National League essentially decided? In the East, the Mets hold a commanding lead over the Nationals. The Cubs and Cardinals are separated by one game, but both are playoff locks. The West is in between the other two, with 6.5 games between Rockies and the Dodgers. The only teams that have a real shot at catching the Dodgers are the Nationals and Braves, who are 4.5 and 5.5 games behind, respectively. Right out of the second-half gate, the Dodgers and Nats play a key series in the nation's capital, so it's a prime opportunity for Washington (and Atlanta) to make up some ground.

How bad will it get in Cincinnati? The Reds began to play better in the final weeks of the first half, but they're still headed toward 115+ defeats at the least, and they've only made one trade, and that was in June. Unfortunately, their two biggest contracts in Homer Bailey and Joey Votto are unlikely to be moved, and they don't have many marketable players. The ones they DO have, though, are younger and should be considered building blocks for the next wave of young players (Jesse Winker, Luis Castillo). Even with the horrible season, both GM Dick Williams' and Sandy Alomar's jobs seem safe.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

NEW YORK YANKEES (63-35) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (48-50)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/19: RHP Luis Cessa (8-4, 3.51) vs RHP Luis Severino (5-6, 4.53)
07/20: RHP Drew Smith (2-2, 5.84) vs RHP Masahiro Tanaka (12-5, 3.59)
07/21: LHP Danny Duffy (5-5, 3.71) vs LHP Jordan Montgomery (9-5, 5.34)

GAME RECAPS

July 19th, 2019
NY Yankees (64-35) 6, Kansas City (48-51) 3 (Final/11)
Winner: Justin Wilson (5-0) Loser: Drew Muren (1-1) Save: None

EXTRA-INNING DINGER SNAPS ROYALS' STREAK AT SIX

Luis Cessa came to play in his first appearance against his former ballclub, fanning ten Yankees in six and one-third innings before leaving with a 3-2 lead, but an error by Cheslor Cuthbert led to an unearned run to the score at three after seven-and-a-half innings. The score would remain that way until the 11th, when Clint Frazier wrapped a three-run homerun just inside the right-field foul pole with two outs off Drew Muren; and the Royals couldn't respond in the bottom half, eventually falling by a 6-3 decision. Alex Gordon hit his ninth homerun in the fourth, and Billy Hamilton hit an RBI double in the fifth, marking his fourth straight game with a two-bagger. Justin Wilson would pick up the victory in relief, staying perfect on the season with a 5-0 mark. Luis Severino went eight innings, striking out eleven Royals with just one walk and three earned runs allowed.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Boston (64-35) 5, Tampa Bay (43-53) 3
NY Mets (62-34) 6, Baltimore (43-54) 5
Philadelphia (46-53) 3, Toronto (43-54) 7
NY Yankees (64-35) 6, Kansas City (48-51) 3 (Final/11)
Colorado (64-35) 1, Texas (45-52) 0
Minnesota (41-56) 2, Chi. Sox (50-46) 1
Cleveland (50-48) 6, Houston (56-42) 7 (Final/10)
Detroit (35-61) 1, Oakland (44-54) 3
Seattle (41-59) 7, LA Angels (44-53) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Chi. Cubs (61-35) 7, Pittsburgh (49-47) 3 (Final/12, G1)
Chi. Cubs (61-36) 2, Pittsburgh (50-47) 5 (G2)
LA Dodgers (57-43) 2, Washington (52-45) 4 (Final/10)
Atlanta (49-46) 5, Miami (38-59) 7
Arizona (48-49) 2, Cincinnati (26-73) 8
San Diego (44-53) 5, San Francisco (46-51) 4
St. Louis (61-37) 5, Milwaukee (48-49) 0

July 20th, 2019
NY Yankees (65-35) 5, Kansas City (48-52) 4 (Final/10)
Winner: Masahiro Tanaka (13-5) Loser: Josh Fields (5-4) Save: Tommy Kahnle (23)

THE JUDGE DELIVERS HIS VERDICT IN EXTRAS

For the second straight night, the Yankees used a homerun in extra innings to down the Royals; this time, a solo shot in the 10th from Aaron Judge against Josh Fields was the difference in their 5-4 victory. Kansas City battled back from a 4-0 deficit against Masahiro Tanaka, tying the game in the eighth on an RBI triple from Nicky Lopez, and then a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Brian Goodwin. Adalberto Mondesi had cut the lead in half in the fifth inning, hitting a two-run homerun off Tanaka. Drew Smith lasted just four innings, allowing four runs before giving way to Nate Karns. Karns pitched three scoreless innings, fanning seven while walking a pair to keep the Royals in a position late to win it. Tommy Kahnle pitched a scoreless tenth to pick up his 23rd save of the season for the Bombers.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Boston (65-35) 9, Tampa Bay (43-54) 5
NY Mets (63-34) 6, Baltimore (43-55) 3
Philadelphia (47-53) 7, Toronto (43-55) 3
NY Yankees (65-35) 5, Kansas City (48-52) 4 (Final/10)
Colorado (64-36) 2, Texas (46-52) 5
Minnesota (41-57) 3, Chi. Sox (51-46) 7
Cleveland (50-49) 2, Houston (57-42) 3
Detroit (35-62) 6, Oakland (45-54) 12
Seattle (42-59) 4, LA Angels (44-54) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Arizona (48-49) @ Cincinnati (26-73) -- PPD
Chi. Cubs (61-37) 0, Pittsburgh (51-47) 1 (Final/10)
LA Dodgers (57-44) 2, Washington (53-45) 3
Atlanta (49-47) 1, Miami (39-59) 10
San Diego (45-53) 7, San Francisco (46-52) 6
St. Louis (61-38) 3, Milwaukee (49-49) 14

July 21st, 2019
NY Yankees (65-36) 3, Kansas City (49-52) 6
Winner: Danny Duffy (6-5) Loser: Sonny Gray (11-6) Save: Blake Treinen (9)

ROYALS SALVAGE FINAL GAME BEHIND DUFFY

With three earned runs in six and two-third innings of work, Danny Duffy led the Royals to a 6-3 victory over the Yankees to salvage the final game of their three-game series with New York. Aside from a three-run homerun from Didi Gregorius in the fifth inning, Duffy was solid in fanning seven Yankee hitters while scattering four hits and three walks. Peter Alonso's first-inning two-run homerun was part of a three-run first inning, as they got off to a fast start against New York hurler Sonny Gray. Adalberto Mondesi was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Ryan O'Hearn and Cheslor Cuthbert each had one RBI apiece. Coupled with losses by both Chicago and Cleveland, the Royals inched closer in both the divisional and wildcard races, sitting just 3.5 games behind the White Sox in the division, and just 1.5 games behind Cleveland for the second wildcard.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Boston (66-35) 8, Tampa Bay (43-55) 3
NY Mets (64-34) 10, Baltimore (43-56) 3
Philadelphia (47-54) 3, Toronto (44-55) 10
NY Yankees (65-36) 3, Kansas City (49-52) 6
Colorado (65-36) 9, Texas (46-53) 2
Minnesota (42-57) 20, Chi. Sox (51-47) 9
Cleveland (50-50) 4, Houston (58-42) 6
Detroit (35-63) 0, Oakland (46-54) 2
Seattle (43-59) 3, LA Angels (44-55) 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Arizona (49-49) 6, Cincinnati (26-74) 2 (G1)
Arizona (49-50) 7, Cincinnati (27-74) 8 (G2)
Chi. Cubs (62-37) 7, Pittsburgh (51-48) 2
LA Dodgers (58-44) 16, Washington (53-46) 5
Atlanta (49-48) 4, Miami (40-59) 5
San Diego (45-54) 7, San Francisco (47-52) 5
St. Louis (62-38) 9, Milwaukee (49-50) 5

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
07/15: Dodgers' Bellinger goes wire-to-wire to win 2019 Home Run Derby
07/16: Indians' Alonso wins ASG MVP in front of home fans in 4-1 AL victory
07/17: Red Sox acquire C Robinson Chirinos from Baltimore for minor-league OF Cole Brannen
07/18: A's trade LHP Ryan Buchter and PTBNL to Colorado for three minor leaguers
07/18: Boston trades for RHP Carter Capps, sending minor league 3B Brandon Howlett to San Diego
07/19: Clayton Kershaw to go on the 10-day disabled list (herniated disc), will miss two to three weeks
07/20: Braves OF Ender Inciarte's hitting streak snapped at twenty-four games
07/21: Royals, Brewers connect for blockbuster deal; sending RHP's Corey Knebel and Jimmy Nelson to the Royals for three minor leaguers

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

THE WEEK THAT WAS: JULY 15TH-21ST
Royals cut ties with 2011 first-rounder Starling
By artoodeetoo
07/22/2019

07/15/2019: ROYALS RELEASE FORMER FIRST-ROUNDER STARLING

As MLB.com's Royals writer Jeffrey Flanagan reported on Tuesday, the Royals officially severed ties with former first-round pick Bubba Starling. He began the calendar year on the 40-man roster, so he is still owed roughly half of his league-minimum salary in the move.

Before he was drafted fifth-overall in 2011, he was a coveted football prospect as a quarterback, and had committed to play at Nebraska. But a nearly $6.5M bonus swayed him to pass up college football, and he had an unremarkable baseball career that seems to have come to an end. However, he noted that he plans on trying to catch on with another team this year, and didn't rule out going the "Brandon Weeden" route.

The Royals signed veteran outfielder Melky Cabrera as well, as he took Starling's spot on the Omaha roster. This would be his third stint with the Royals, but his first on a minor-league deal. The 34-year-old was released by Washington despite a .310 BA, just two days before the Royals snapped him up on Tuesday. He's not expected to play with the Royals barring injuries with the parent club in 2019.

07/16/2019: CUTHBERT GETS SURPRISE START IN ALL-STAR GAME

Boston third baseman Rafael Devers was scratched from the starting lineup, and American League manager Alex Cora tabbed Cheslor Cuthbert to take his spot in the lineup. Cuthbert played the entire game, going 1-for-4 in the American League's 4-1 victory.

Devers would pinch hit for designated hitter Joey Gallo in the seventh, going 0-for-1. Cleveland's Yonder Alonso went 1-for-2, hitting the game's only homerun to win MVP honors. Danny Duffy didn't appear in the game, as he is scheduled to appear in the upcoming series with the Yankees.

07/19/2019: STAUMONT BEGINS REHAB ASSIGNMENT IN WILMINGTON

Mere days after Tyler Skaggs began his rehab work with Double-A with mixed results in his first start, the Royals will also now see Josh Staumont begin to work his way back to full strength. He's missed the last three months with a condition known as radial nerve entrapment, keeping him out the last three months after a dynamite spring training.

He'll begin with High-A Wilmington for a handful of appearances, before wrapping up with work in both Double-A and Triple-A Omaha.

07/21/2019: ROYALS ACQUIRE NELSON, KNEBEL FROM BREWERS

Making a big splash following their 6-3 victory over New York, the Royals sent three minor league players, including their eighth-overall prospect in catcher M.J. Melendez, to Milwaukee for veteran pitchers Jimmy Nelson and Corey Knebel. Nelson made the start for the Brewers on the 21st, allowing six earned runs in five and two-third innings of work.

MLB.com's Royals writer Jeffrey Flanagan reported that outfielder Jackson Lueck and right-handed pitcher Jared Ruxer went along with Melendez in the deal, and that the Red Sox, White Sox, and Dodgers had begun to inquire about acquiring one or both of Nelson and Knebel. Flanagan also reported that Kansas City scouts, along with a half-dozen other team's scouts, had been at Nelson's last two starts.

Knebel has a 3.26 ERA for Milwaukee in 2019, converting on 18-of-20 saves. A more in-depth analysis of the trade will come at a later date.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (49-52) @ CHICAGO WHITE SOX (51-47)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/22: RHP Jake Junis (7-5, 3.64) vs RHP Reynaldo Lopez (4-9, 6.90)
07/23: RHP Trevor Oaks (9-4, 3.06) vs RHP Thomas Hatch (2-1, 5.31)
07/24: RHP Luis Cessa (8-4, 3.48) vs LHP Carlos Rodon (7-6, 3.78)

GAME RECAPS

July 22nd, 2019
Kansas City (49-53) 2, Chi. Sox (52-47) 3
Winner: Nate Jones (4-3) Loser: Jorge Lopez (3-6) Save: Chaz Roe (18)

CHISOX TAKE FIRST GAME OF KEY SERIES

A Nicky Delmonico two-run single in the seventh broke a 1-1 tie, and a late run by the Royals was not enough as Kansas City fell short by a 3-2 count against the division-leading White Sox. It was an uncharacteristically poor start for Jake Junis when it came to his command; he surrendered four walks in five innings of work, while striking out five and scattering three hits and one run. With Alex Gordon going to the disabled list, Brian Goodwin went 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Royals offense, and Peter Alonso also fashioned a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a double of his own. Alonso and Adalberto Mondesi were responsible for the Royals' only two runs of the night. Reynaldo Lopez shut the Royals down, allowing just one run in six innings, fanning a season-high nine; but didn't factor into the decision as he left after six innings with the score tied.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (42-58) 0, Tampa Bay (44-55) 11
Kansas City (49-53) 2, Chi. Sox (52-47) 3
NY Yankees (65-37) 4, Boston (67-35) 10
St. Louis (63-38) 6, Detroit (35-64) 1
Baltimore (44-56) 4, Toronto (44-56) 1
Cleveland (50-51) 0, LA Angels (45-55) 1
Texas (46-54) 2, Oakland (47-54) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Arizona (49-51) 6, Washington (54-46) 16
Atlanta (49-49) 1, Philadelphia (48-54) 5
San Francisco (48-52) 6, Pittsburgh (51-49) 2
LA Dodgers (59-44) 9, NY Mets (64-35) 5
Miami (40-60) 3, Cincinnati (28-74) 4 (Final/13)
Chi. Cubs (63-37) 5, Milwaukee (49-51) 2 (Final/11)

July 23rd, 2019
Kansas City (50-53) 8, Chi. Sox (52-48) 1
Winner: Trevor Oaks (10-4) Loser: Thomas Hatch (2-2) Save: None

OAKS NOTCHES TENTH VICTORY AS ROYALS ROLL

Right-hander Trevor Oaks became the first Royal to reach ten victories, as they romped over the White Sox by an 8-1 score. Oaks picked up his 10th win with yet another dominant performance, going the distance while allowing just one earned run on a single in the eighth. He only struck out two, but scattered three hits and two walks to move to 10-4 on the season. Meanwhile, Kansas City had more than enough offense in this one, getting three homeruns in the contest, including the light-hitting Billy Hamilton. Hamilton was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two steals in addition to his homerun, just his second of 2019. Cheslor Cuthbert hit his 16th homerun of the season as part of a 2-for-4 with three RBI day, and Salvador Perez hit a double in also going 2-for-4.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Yankees (65-38) 8, Boston (68-35) 15
Kansas City (50-53) 8, Chi. Sox (52-48) 1
Minnesota (43-58) 6, Tampa Bay (44-56) 5 (Final/12)
St. Louis (63-39) 2, Detroit (36-64) 4
Colorado (65-37) 2, Houston (59-42) 7
Baltimore (45-56) 7, Toronto (44-57) 3
Texas (46-55) 4, Oakland (48-54) 7
Cleveland (50-52) 2, LA Angels (46-55) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Atlanta (50-49) 8, Philadelphia (48-55) 6
San Francisco (48-53) 0, Pittsburgh (52-49) 3
Arizona (50-51) 11, Washington (54-47) 7
LA Dodgers (60-44) 3, NY Mets (64-36) 1
Miami (40-61) 2, Cincinnati (29-74) 7
Seattle (44-59) 4, San Diego (45-55) 3
Chi. Cubs (64-37) 9, Milwaukee (49-52) 4

July 24th, 2019
Kansas City (51-53) 3, Chi. Sox (52-49) 1 (Final/13)
Winner: Tony Cingrani (2-2) Loser: Zack Burdi (3-3) Save: Josh Fields (1)

ROYALS WIN HARD-FOUGHT EXTRA-INNING CONTEST

Salvador Perez's solo homerun off Zack Burdi in the top of the 13th broke a 1-1 tie, and later the Royals added a run on a two-out error as Kansas City took an important early second-half series with a hard-fought 3-1 win in thirteen. Luis Cessa was outstanding, throwing eight innings of one-run ball, but would not factor into the decision. Royals fans also got their first look at new closer Corey Knebel, who struggled in preserving a 1-1 tie in the ninth; only to be bailed out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam by Richard Lovelady, who has now stranded 31-of-34 inherited runners this season. Brian Goodwin was 2-for-5 in the victory, along with Peter Alonso. Cheslor Cuthbert hit his 26th double, which ranks second on the team behind Adalberto Mondesi. Tony Cingrani got the win, his first as a Royal, by allowing one hit and fanning the other two hitters he faced. Josh Fields earned his first save since joining the Royals back in May.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Yankees (66-38) 10, Boston (68-36) 7
Kansas City (51-53) 3, Chi. Sox (52-49) 1 (Final/13)
Minnesota (44-58) 5, Tampa Bay (44-57) 3 (Final/10)
St. Louis (64-39) 4, Detroit (36-65) 3
Colorado (65-38) 6, Houston (60-42) 12
Baltimore (45-57) 3, Toronto (45-57) 9
Texas (46-56) 4, Oakland (49-54) 6
Cleveland (50-53) 2, LA Angels (47-55) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Francisco (49-53) 8, Pittsburgh (52-50) 5
Arizona (50-52) 4, Washington (55-47) 6
LA Dodgers (61-44) 3, NY Mets (64-37) 1
Miami (40-62) 3, Cincinnati (30-74) 7
Seattle (45-59) 6, San Diego (45-56) 1
Chi. Cubs (65-37) 2, Milwaukee (49-53) 1

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS

07/22: Miami's Dietrich, Oakland's Davis win NL, AL Players of the Week honors
07/22: Yankees OF Aaron Judge day-to-day with hip contusion
07/22: Astros acquire OF Tommy Pham from Tampa for two prospects
07/22: Padres send RHP Brandon Kintzler to Colorado for pair of pitchers
07/23: Indians RHP Corey Kluber headed to Triple-A for "short rehab", according to manager Terry Francona
07/24: Paul Goldschmidt and Joakim Soria traded to Houston as part of blockbuster six-player deal; Marwin Gonzalez heads to Arizona along with three minor-leaguers

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

BREAKING DOWN THE KNEBEL-NELSON DEAL
Veterans bring talent, but little postseason experience to the club
By artoodeetoo
07/25/2019

On Sunday night, the Royals partnered with the Brewers again on a deadline deal, but this time it was the other way around. This time, Kansas City is in the playoff hunt while Milwaukee is finding itself on the outside looking in. Wilmington catcher M.J. Melendez was sent to the Brewers, along with pitcher Jared Ruxer and outfielder Jackson Lueck for veteran right-handers Jimmy Nelson and Corey Knebel.

Now, before we get to the meat of this analysis, let's talk about what the team is losing. Obviously, the big name here familiar to Royals fans that is going in the deal is Melendez, who was a second-round pick in 2017. He was the Royals' sixth-overall prospect, and ranked in the top 150 prospects in all of baseball.

It's a hit to the system, no doubt, but with Adley Rutschman on board in the organization, he became expendable. This was the year that he's put the bat together with the already-solid glove, as he was slashing .272/.347/.423 with the Blue Rocks, and throwing out nearly 40% of would-be base stealers.

Ruxer spent some time in big-league camp this spring before eventually being sent back down to Omaha. He struggled with the Storm Chasers this season, posting a 7.09 ERA in six starts before getting demoted back to Double-A, where he shined in 2018 with a 10-9 mark. He finished third in the Texas League Pitcher of the Year voting, spinning a 3.77 ERA in 141 innings of work.

Lueck was teammates with Melendez at Wilmington this year, and was one of the more advanced prospects in the team's system, having been drafted in the eighth round in 2018, and already working his way to High-A. Lueck is a light-hitting outfielder with good on-base skills and above-average defensive ability, and was once in the team's top thirty prospects before this recent draft.

Now, onto the good stuff -- Knebel is an instant upgrade to the bullpen, and enables Treinen, a former All-Star closer, to slide down to the eighth-inning role. His command can be spotty, but his two-pitch arsenal consisting of an upper-90's heater and knuckle-curve is amongst the best around. He made his first appearance last night for the Royals, and walked three with one strikeout in two-thirds of one inning before Richard Lovelady got him out of a bases-loaded jam to send the game to extras.

Nelson has yet to make his first start, but will do so tomorrow night against Detroit. He's spent his entire career in Milwaukee (as has Knebel), and it will be a pretty big adjustment for him as he'll be going against AL lineups predominantly for the first time. He has a five-pitch mix, but none of them are elite, except for a sharp-breaking curveball that gets a good number of grounders (more on that later). He throws hard, sitting at 93-95 with an occasional pop at 96, but still gets a ton of movement on his secondary stuff.

His GB% was 56.5% in 2018 despite injuries, and bested that with a career-high 58.3% so far this year. His issue has been his command in the past, as he tends to walk hitters in bunches, leading to big innings that otherwise inflate his ERA. His best season was 2017, where he went 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA and finished ninth in the Cy Young voting. After missing out on the Brewers' playoff run last year, he said he's excited to have another chance with a different club.

"I mean, Milwaukee, that's where I came up at, and it's going to be hard to leave there," he said in an interview with Kansas City Star reporter Maria Torres. "But I'm thrilled to be a part of the Kansas City organization and to help them bring championships back to Kansas City. It's also pretty awesome that Corey (Knebel) is going to come with me, and I'm sure he feels the same."

In 2019, his numbers are okay -- aside from the attractive groundball ability, he's a pretty 'meh' pitcher, but has a year of control left after this season; and costs much less than someone like Jeff Samardzija or Jake Arrieta, who come with huge 2020 price tags, which is a big selling point as the Royals have essentially already made their big acquisition for next year. Even better, Knebel is controlled through 2021, so this move was as much about the future as it was about the present.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB TRADE RUMORS: EAST DIVISIONS UPDATE
Dearth of starting pitching options perplexing Yanks
07/25/2019
By MLB.com Staff

The last few days have been some of the busiest days in recent years for trades, as names such as Corey Knebel and Jimmy Nelson (Royals), Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Pham, and Joakim Soria (Astros), Marwin Gonzalez (Diamondbacks), Lonnie Chisenhall (Phillies), and Will Smith (A's) have all changed teams in that timeframe. Some contending teams have yet to weigh in recently, with the Mets, Dodgers, and Cubs having not yet consummated a trade, or have been out of the loop for a few weeks. In addition, Washington appears to be zeroing in on a new first base target, and the Yankees' search for a starting pitcher has been fruitless to this point.

ATLANTA STAYING IN IT: Despite being nearly eight games back of the second wildcard in the National League behind the current second wildcard holder in the Dodgers, and nearly three back of the Nationals, Atlanta and GM Alex Anthopoulos insist they are staying in the race. The reasoning? They've been competitive with the Dodgers, winning five of seven from the Dodgers this year. They also have seven games against the Nationals in late September, which could be huge if the Braves manage to gain some ground over the next six weeks. They dealt away defensive-minded shortstop Freddy Galvis to the Cardinals, but only because Dansby Swanson is returning from a rehab stint, and need to clear room on the active roster. --David LoPietro

OF NATIONAL CONCERN: With Paul Goldschmidt off the trade board to Houston, the Nationals are having to re-think their deadline strategy. They're still needing to jump-start the offense, and the aforementioned Goldschmidt would have been the ticket. But there are still other enticing options at first base on the board. The biggest name still out there would be Justin Smoak, and it's rumored that the Nationals are indeed interested (more on this later). Justin Bour is also still lurking on the periphery, and there's even chatter out of Cleveland that the struggling Indians may deal some assets if they continue to slide, and 2019 ASG MVP Yonder Alonso would likely be one of them. --Evan Jones

METS GETTING BACK IN THE SADDLE? The Mets have stood pat since acquiring Liam Hendriks from the A's prior to the break, but have become active again, as they've been linked to some other bullpen arms. They've reached out to Minnesota about Addison Reed, who pitched in New York from mid-2015 through 2017, and Philadelphia relievers Tony Zych and Hector Neris. Now, Cleveland acquired Zych along with outfielder Aaron Altherr in the wee hours of this morning, so he's off the board, but Neris is an intriguing possibility. He's had five straight scoreless outings, and has served as the Phillies' closer the last two seasons with reasonably solid success. But this has been his worst career year, as his 6.14 ERA is the worst of his career, and has not had an ERA figure below 3.79 in his four full seasons, which is going to affect the Phils' return somewhat. --David LoPietro

YANKEES' OPTIONS BEGINNING TO LOOK THIN: The Yanks are in the market for a starter -- any starter -- but the options remaining aren't terribly appealing. The best southpaw that's currently available is likely Drew Smyly, who would be a terrible fit in Yankee Stadium. Former Yankee Michael Pineda was an option up until a week or so ago, until he sprained an elbow ligament and will miss the rest of the year. After that? You're looking at capable, but higher-priced arms in Marcus Stroman, Jake Arrieta, Felix Hernandez, and Jeff Samardzija. Stroman would likely cost too much in assets, however, and really don't want to help out a division rival too much also. The Yankees had been scouting Kansas City's Danny Duffy for weeks, but when the Royals went on their early July run, it took Duffy out of the possible trade pool, and reportedly left Brian Cashman scrambling for options. One possibility that's been floated here before is that they could re-connect with J.A. Happ again this year, like they did in 2018, but only if Texas decides to bow out of the wildcard chase. They're only 3.5 games behind the Royals for the second wildcard slot, but still have to not only leapfrog them, but the A's and Indians. Whether or not Happ (and possibly other Rangers, say, Yasmani Grandal) are dealt is going to come down to July 31st. --Jason Frampton

NO DICE FOR SNELL: Despite repeated calls, the Rays have no plans on parting with Blake Snell, according to the Tampa Bay Times. In fact, they really like their young starting rotation, and don't plan on making any more moves unless they "get a serious offer". Scott Schebler, whom they received from the Reds earlier this year, has now taken on a more prominent role with Tommy Pham gone to Houston, and have some nice young talent with the aforementioned rotation, and position players Jake Bauers, Willy Adames, and Christian Arroyo. --Jason Frampton

SMOAK ON HIS WAY OUT OF TORONTO(?): Talks between the Blue Jays and Nationals have been heating up in recent days, with both sides nearing an agreement to bring the 32-year-old Justin Smoak to the nation's capital, but said agreement is still "days" away, according to the Toronto Star. Smoak is only hitting .246, but brings a power bat that they currently lack at first base, and Joe Mauer has been slow to recover from a fractured tibia suffered in early June. He's also a better defender than either incumbent first baseman, and is on par with Mauer, at least Mauer circa 2012-2017. --Evan Jones

[jasontoddwhitt]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

Holy Jesus, the Reds suck in your save lol.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

The sad thing is they've won seven of their last ten games. The bullpen is awful, and they're not going to go anywhere in the next few years unless they can somehow unload Homer Bailey's contract.

As an aside, it's cool to see that I signed Billy Hamilton in this save to essentially the same contract that the Royals did irl.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

DETROIT TIGERS (36-65) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (51-53)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/26: RHP Lance Lynn (1-6, 4.92) vs RHP Jimmy Nelson (4-4, 4.84)
07/27: RHP Grayson Long (3-3, 4.97) vs LHP Danny Duffy (6-5, 3.73)
07/28: RHP Kyle Funkhouser (3-4, 5.02) vs RHP Jake Junis (7-5, 3.57)

GAME RECAPS

July 26th, 2019
Detroit (36-66) 1, Kansas City (52-53) 4
Winner: Jimmy Nelson (5-4) Loser: Lance Lynn (1-7) Save: Corey Knebel (19)

NELSON SHRUGS OFF SLOW START TO POST FIRST ROYALS 'W'

With two walks, a hit, and a run allowed in the first inning, new Royals starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson got off to a shaky start (later admitting he was too "amped" in the first inning); but recovered to throw a solid six innings to pick up the victory, allowing only the one run with three walks and four strikeouts as the Royals claimed a 4-1 victory to kick off their series with Detroit. Nathan Karns, Blake Treinen, and Corey Knebel combined to allow just one hit with five strikeouts, with Knebel getting his first Royals' save. Kansas City scored three in the first, and one in the second to put it on cruise control behind Nelson and the bullpen the rest of the way out.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (44-57) @ Cleveland (50-54) -- PPD
Detroit (36-66) 1, Kansas City (52-53) 4
Toronto (46-58) 10, Boston (69-37) 4
Houston (61-42) 13, LA Angels (48-56) 9
Chi. Sox (53-50) 9, Baltimore (46-58) 1
Minnesota (44-60) 2, NY Yankees (68-38) 3
Oakland (49-56) 1, Seattle (46-59) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (40-64) 2, Philadelphia (50-55) 7
NY Mets (65-38) 3, St. Louis (65-40) 0
Pittsburgh (52-52) 4, Chi. Cubs (66-37) 10
Texas (47-57) 3, San Diego (46-56) 6
Arizona (50-54) 3, Atlanta (52-49) 14
Washington (56-48) 5, Milwaukee (50-54) 6 (Final/10)
Cincinnati (31-75) 6, Colorado (66-39) 5
San Francisco (50-54) 0, LA Dodgers (62-44) 2

July 27th, 2019
Detroit (36-67) 8, Kansas City (53-53) 11
Winner: Danny Duffy (7-5) Loser: Jordan Zimmermann (5-5) Save: Drew Smith (1)

ROYALS RALLY TO REACH .500

With their 11-8 triumph last night, the Royals have reached .500 for the first time since way back on March 30th, when they beat St. Louis 12-9 to even up their record at one win and one loss apiece. Danny Duffy wasn't terribly sharp, but was the unfortunate beneficiary of some shoddy defense, as first baseman Peter Alonso booted a groundball with one out, leading to three unearned runs as Jeimer Candelario and Connor Harrell each hit homeruns. Billy Hamilton went 4-for-5 in the contest, stealing two bases in the process, and driving in one run while scoring a pair himself. Drew Smith made his first relief appearance of the season after making a handful of starts, and allowed one run in three innings of relief, picking up an extended save as the Royals added to their lead in the later innings.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (45-57) 5, Cleveland (50-55) 4 (G1)
Tampa Bay (45-58) 4, Cleveland (51-55) 6 (G2)
Detroit (36-67) 8, Kansas City (53-53) 11
Toronto (46-59) 6, Boston (70-37) 11
Houston (62-42) 14, LA Angels (48-57) 6
Chi. Sox (53-51) 3, Baltimore (47-58) 8
Minnesota (45-60) 5, NY Yankees (68-39) 3
Oakland (49-57) 1, Seattle (47-59) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (40-65) 3, Philadelphia (51-55) 6
NY Mets (65-39) 0, St. Louis (66-40) 2
Pittsburgh (53-52) 5, Chi. Cubs (66-38) 3 (Final/14)
Texas (48-57) 11, San Diego (46-57) 5
Arizona (50-55) 5, Atlanta (53-49) 7
Washington (56-49) 1, Milwaukee (51-54) 4 (Final/10)
Cincinnati (31-76) 6, Colorado (67-39) 8
San Francisco (50-55) 4, LA Dodgers (63-44) 5 (Final/11)

July 28th, 2019
Detroit (36-68) 2, Kansas City (54-53) 5
Winner: Jake Junis (8-5) Loser: Kyle Funkhouser (3-5) Save: Corey Knebel (20)

ALONSO, ROYALS FINISH OFF SWEEP OF TIGERS

Peter Alonso and Salvador Perez each hit their 13th homeruns of the season; and Alonso also added two RBI on a first-inning single, and a third-inning sacrifice fly as part of a 2-for-3 day, as the Royals eventually held on for a 5-2 victory. Jake Junis moved to 8-5 on the season with seven innings of two-run (one earned) ball, allowing his only earned run on a solo homerun from Dixon Machado, his first of the season. Corey Knebel struck out the side for his 20th save of the season, and his second in two tries since joining the Royals. Detroit starter Kyle Funkhouser left the game after just one out with a shoulder injury. The Royals are now over .500 for the first time all season long.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Tampa Bay (45-59) 3, Cleveland (52-55) 6 (Final/10)
Detroit (36-68) 2, Kansas City (54-53) 5
Toronto (46-60) 4, Boston (71-37) 10
Houston (63-42) 6, LA Angels (48-58) 3
Chi. Sox (53-52) 6, Baltimore (48-58) 7
Minnesota (45-61) 3, NY Yankees (69-39) 11
Oakland (50-57) 7, Seattle (47-60) 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (40-66) 4, Philadelphia (52-55) 7
NY Mets (65-40) 2, St. Louis (67-40) 6
Pittsburgh (54-52) 2, Chi. Cubs (66-39) 0
Texas (48-58) 2, San Diego (47-57) 4
Arizona (50-56) 2, Atlanta (54-49) 15
Washington (56-50) 2, Milwaukee (52-54) 5
Cincinnati (31-77) 3, Colorado (68-39) 8
San Francisco (50-56) 1, LA Dodgers (64-44) 5

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
07/25: Oakland trades for LHP Will Smith from San Francisco; sends 3B Sheldon Neuse in return
07/25: Angels trade RHP Blake Parker to Washington for two minor-leaguers
07/25: Cardinals acquire SS Freddy Galvis for minor-league OF Jonathan Machado
07/25: Indians enter the trade sweepstakes; acquire Tony Zych and Aaron Altherr from Philadelphia
07/26: Reds, Yankees strike deal to bring Zack Godley to the Yankees for two minor-leaguers
07/26: Addison Reed headed back to the Mets; minor-league RHP Trevor Clifton heads to the Twins
07/26: Toronto trades 1B Justin Smoak to Washington for Jose Marmolejos and LHP Seth Romero
07/27: Washington's Stephen Strasburg to miss two to three weeks (biceps tendinitis)
07/27: D-Backs send David Peralta to Kansas City for 1B Ryan O'Hearn and pair of minor-leaguers
07/28: Mariners trade King Felix to the Mets for three minor-leaguers; will retain 60% of his remaining salary
07/28: Mets pull second trade of day; acquire OF Steven Souza from Arizona for pair of minor-leaguers
07/28: Arizona sends LHP Drew Smyly and PTBNL to the Angels for two minor-league pitchers
07/28: San Diego RHP Sergio Romo headed to Colorado for SS Garrett Hampson

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS SHIP O'HEARN, TWO OTHERS TO ARIZONA FOR PERALTA
Greenleaf, Royals' front office pulls off unexpected move
By artoodeetoo
07/29/2019

In a surprise few may have seen coming, the Royals have acquired outfielder David Peralta, along with cash considerations from Arizona according to Jeffrey Flanagan, who covers the Royals for MLB.com. In exchange, the Royals are sending Ryan O'Hearn and a pair of minor-leaguers -- Double-A outfielder Blake Perkins and rookie-ball lefty Marlin Willis. Also noted by Flanagan were several sources that wouldn't specify the amount of cash received, but that it was "significant".

There are a downside or two, but we'll get to that later. This trade is pretty solid for several reasons -- one, Peralta has been deadly against right-handed pitching. Not just this season, but career-wise. This is a guy who's hit .310/.364/.517 in his career against righties, and this year alone has a .347/.423/.538 slash against the opposite hand. He's a big upgrade over O'Hearn (.256/.353/.379) against righties; despite the idea that this was supposed to be O'Hearn's strength, and Peralta is six years older and will be a free agent after the season.

Secondly, it gets O'Hearn's high strikeout rate off the roster. Normally, you can deal with one or two high-volume strikeout machines at one time, but the Royals have a small handful of guys. The problem is, most of the others have another tool that carries the water for them, and O'Hearn's (power) just hasn't been there. There's also pretty solid evidence that O'Hearn's numbers are a mirage. Some of his peripherals are okay, like his wRC+ (105) and an OPS+ of 99, so he's right around league-average.

That said, his .384 BABIP is unsustainable over long periods of time, and an ISO of .154 is pretty poor for a guy that's been billed as a power hitter with 30-plus homerun potential. He doesn't even have the gap-to-gap power, with just eighteen other extra-base hits in all (15 2B, 3 3B). Even the lighter-hitting Adalberto Mondesi has more homeruns (10) and doubles (30) in just about fifty more plate appearances, so not a huge difference.

Chase Field is a smaller ballpark, and the thinner desert air may help O'Hearn hit a few more homeruns over the years, but chances are he is what he is at this point; a high-volume strikeout artist who will hit twenty homeruns in a decent year, while hitting .220-.230 at best. What Arizona is hoping for, I think, is the same rate of improvement from last year to this year in 2020.

Now, the downside -- the Royals have lost a couple of nice outfielders at this point with Jackson Lueck last week, and now Perkins, who was the centerpiece return for Kelvin Herrera last June. Willis was the team's 18th-round pick in 2017, and except for a brief stint with Burlington, hadn't managed to get out of rookie ball. He's a hard thrower who has a nice 3/4 delivery that will occasionally drop sidearm, but has limited command.

Perkins, on the other hand, was in the midst of his best professional season, hitting .279/.349/.425 with twenty-five doubles and eight homeruns for the Naturals, and was probably going to move up to Triple-A to begin 2020. Now, the Royals will get a look at Michael Gigliotti, whom the team took in 2017 in the fourth round out of Lipscomb (TN) University, with the Naturals in Double-A. Some in the organization see him as the starting centerfielder several years down the road.

Peralta did not play in yesterday's win over Detroit, as he did not arrive in Kansas City until several hours after the game. He is expected to be in the starting lineup when the Royals face Milwaukee on Tuesday.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB TRADE RUMORS: WEST DIVISIONS UPDATE
Fire sale underway in the desert
07/29/2019
By MLB.com Staff

Well, the stretch run of the non-waiver deadline is upon us. There are still a few teams in limbo as their likely courses of action will be decided over the next handful of games. The Royals bolstered their position with the big acquisition of David Peralta from Arizona, giving the Royals a bit more thump in the outfield, with some likely at-bats at the DH spot. Also, the Diamondbacks dealt fellow outfielder Steven Souza and southpaw Drew Smyly, so GM Mike Hazen is on a shopping spree for new prospects. New York finally got their man for the rotation in Cincinnati's Zack Godley, and King Felix has found a new kingdom in Shea Stadium.

DESERT ON FIRE: Arizona is officially conducting a fire sale, as they've now sold off Steven Souza (Mets), David Peralta (Royals), and Drew Smyly (Angels), in addition to Paul Goldschmidt and Joakim Soria to the Astros last week. GM Mike Hazen is on a prospect spree, and he may not be done yet -- contenders are beginning to smell blood in the water, and the next possible chips to move could be Taijuan Walker, or maybe even Zack Greinke. That said, the Diamondbacks didn't pick up much in the way of MLB-ready pitching, so Hazen would be playing a pretty risky game with next year's squad should he move one or both of the aforementioned. --Jason Frampton

STUCK BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE: Oakland is in a tough spot. They're just four games out of the wildcard race; and would like to add pieces, but have been getting tons of traffic regarding outfielder Khris Davis, and have long sought to get his salary number off the books for a couple of prospects. The next few days will be pretty telling, but manager Bob Melvin and GM David Forst have to feel like they're not out of this thing yet. Davis may be one of those players that get dealt off in a waiver deal, as his salary will be too big to get picked up over trade waivers. --David LoPietro

ROX GET WELL-TRAVELED ROMO: The Rockies continue to bolster their bullpen, as they have shipped infielder Garrett Hampson to San Diego for veteran righty Sergio Romo. The move marks the fourth NL West team that Romo will pitch for, as he's suited up for every NL West team not named Arizona in his career, spending most of his career in San Francisco. He'll give up his share of homeruns, but Romo can still miss bats even with a diminished fastball, thanks to his funky arm angle and constant changing of speeds. Meanwhile, San Diego may have picked up their starting shortstop for the next five to six seasons. He's not on the level of Brandon Rodgers, but Hampson has a higher ceiling than C.J. Hinojosa, who is miscast as a MLB shortstop and was shipped to the minors to make room for Hampson. --Evan Jones

END OF THE KING'S REIGN -- OR IS IT(?): It's the end of an era in Seattle -- King Felix was shipped yesterday to the Mets for three prospects -- minor-league RHP's Steve Nogosek and Tyler Bashlor, and minor-league third baseman Blake Tiberi, all A-ball or above players. Long and even short-term, this looks like it could be a great deal for Seattle. Tiberi is a bit old for Single-A (24), but has a nearly 1:1 BB/K ratio, and has displayed good strike zone discipline throughout the minors. Nogosek (24) and Bashlor (26) are guys that could help in the Mariners' pen right now. For the Mets, it's a pretty expensive rental. He's also dealing with a nagging shoulder issue, but obviously cleared a Mets' physical exam, as the trade has officially gone through in the league office. Don't rule out a return to Seattle in 2020 on a lesser deal -- he has a home there, and has been visible in the community for a decade. --David LoPietro

HALO HIJINKS: It's hard to make heads or tails of what the Angels are doing. Before the break, they traded for Mark Trumbo. Then on the 25th, they traded away their best reliever, Blake Parker, for a pair of prospects. Now, they're rumored to be interested in adding pitching. Frankly, they should be selling -- they have a boatload of assets, namely Kole Calhoun, Adam Jones, and Alex Meyer. Calhoun has struggled the past two seasons; so he'll be much more difficult to move, but there are a number of teams that could use Jones, who is only signed through next year. He would be cheaper than Khris Davis, who is making double the salary of Jones. GM Billy Eppler was extended through 2022, so his job appears to be safe (for now), but manager Mike Scioscia is definitely going to be on one of the hottest managerial seats heading into next season. --Jason Frampton

DODGERS PLAYING THE WAITING GAME: Clayton Kershaw is only going to miss the next week as he recovers from a back issue, so the Dodgers don't appear to be in any hurry to add talent. In fact, the Dodgers appear to have a surplus of players, especially in the bullpen. If the Dodgers have a weakness, it's definitely behind the plate, as the duo of Austin Barnes and rookie Keibert Ruiz has not been spectacular, and only Barnes is decent defensively. There aren't a huge amount of catching options out there, as Mike Zunino and Robinson Chirinos are already off the board, Miami has decided not to make All-Star J.T. Realmuto available, and other veterans like Salvador Perez and former Dodger Yasmani Grandal appear to be sticking with their teams (in Grandal's case, for now). Ross Stripling has been dangled as trade bait, according to the LA Times, and with his solid numbers (1.48 ERA in 30 1/3 IP, 10.4 K/9), could be part of a rare contender-to-contender deal. --Evan Jones

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

THE WEEK THAT WAS: JULY 22ND-28TH
Newly-acquired Peralta to join team later today
By artoodeetoo
07/29/2019

07/23/2019: OAKS TOSSES SECOND STRAIGHT COMPLETE GAME WIN

On July 23rd, Trevor Oaks notched his second straight complete game victory in an 8-1 victory over Chicago. It was Oaks' third complete game of the season, as he leads the American League in completed games (3), and shutouts (2). In this one, he only fanned two, but walked just two hitters and scattered three hits while allowing just one run.

07/27/2019: ROYALS PULL EVEN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH

For the first time since March 30th, the Royals pulled back to .500 with an 11-8 victory over Detroit. Cheslor Cuthbert hit his team-best 17th homerun and drove in four runs, while Danny Duffy won his second straight start after six straight starts without a victory (0-2 overall).

07/28/2019: ROYALS TRADE FOR ARIZONA'S PERALTA

After most thought the Royals were done in the trading market, they pulled off their second major deal of the last week in acquiring Arizona outfielder David Peralta and cash for two prospects (Blake Perkins, Marlin Willis). The Royals also said good-bye to Ryan O'Hearn, as he was shipped to the Diamondbacks as part of the deal.

Peralta didn't play in yesterday's game as he was en route from Arizona at the time, but will join the Royals in Kansas City today in anticipation of being in the starting lineup tomorrow against the Brewers.