MLB Trade Rumors: Phillies going ‘expensive’, Blue Jays targets, Sean Murphy interest
We’re three weeks away from the July 31MLB trade deadline, and the rumor mill is churning as we inch closer to the cutoff point. News is spreading like wildfire, but one thing has become clear: Plenty of familiar faces will end up in new places.
The race to the 2025 World Series is heating up which dictates the action we may or may not see. Those in contention will be buyers, and those ready to wave the white flag this year will be sellers. Below, we discuss clubs on both sides of the spectrum and how they could operate
MLB Trade Rumors: Multiple teams want Braves’ Sean Murphy
There’s always an exception to the norm, and it’s the Atlanta Braves in this scenario. They don’t have plans to “rebuild” or “reboot,” as The Athletic’s Jim Bowden said during a recent appearance on the Foul Territory podcast. Nonetheless, if the team chose to pawn off veterans, there’s a market for catcher Sean Murphy.
Bowden mentioned the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays as suitors that “would like to pry” Murphy from the Braves. Atlanta’s postseason odds are slim to non-existent, and that shortlist Rookie of the Year candidate Drake Baldwin is their backstop of the future. Rival front offices recognize the situation and see it as a chance to add a solid defender and proven hitter with playoff experience.
Murphy’s ostensibly falling out of favor in Atlanta, considering he’s now on the wrong side of a platoon with Baldwin. However, the one-time All-Star is under team control through 2028 with a club option for 2029, so they could fetch a decent haul for him. His .225/.309/.478 isn’t great, but 13 home runs and an above-average .787 OPS paint a more opportunistic picture.
MLB Trade Rumors: Insider assesses Blue Jays’ potential options
A 10-game winning streak put the Toronto Blue Jays in position to claim their first American League East title since 2015. The impressive midseason turnaround leaves general manager Ross Atkins with little choice but to try improving the roster and snapping a decade-long divisional drought. He’s admitted they need pitching and a right-handed hitter, so Bowden’s colleague, Mitch Bannon, proposed four mock deals ($) to address those concerns.
We’re three weeks away from the July 31MLB trade deadline, and the rumor mill is churning as we inch closer to the cutoff point. News is spreading like wildfire, but one thing has become clear: Plenty of familiar faces will end up in new places.
The race to the 2025 World Series is heating up which dictates the action we may or may not see. Those in contention will be buyers, and those ready to wave the white flag this year will be sellers. Below, we discuss clubs on both sides of the spectrum and how they could operate
Murphy’s ostensibly falling out of favor in Atlanta, considering he’s now on the wrong side of a platoon with Baldwin. However, the one-time All-Star is under team control through 2028 with a club option for 2029, so they could fetch a decent haul for him. His .225/.309/.478 isn’t great, but 13 home runs and an above-average .787 OPS paint a more opportunistic picture.
MLB Trade Rumors: Insider assesses Blue Jays’ potential options
A 10-game winning streak put the Toronto Blue Jays in position to claim their first American League East title since 2015. The impressive midseason turnaround leaves general manager Ross Atkins with little choice but to try improving the roster and snapping a decade-long divisional drought. He’s admitted they need pitching and a right-handed hitter, so Bowden’s colleague, Mitch Bannon, proposed four mock deals ($) to address those concerns.
Bannon got creative, including swaps with the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels. Gregory Soto, Ramón Laureano, Seth Lugo, Joe Ryan and Reid Detmers were the names mentioned in hypothetical return packages for the Blue Jays. But a couple of the transactions require parting ways with talented youngsters, including Toronto’s top two prospects, shortstop Arjun Nimmala and right-hander Trey Yesavage.
As a former MLB general manager, Bowden gave his opinion on Bannon’s fake offers from the Blue Jays’ and their theoretical trade partners’ perspectives. Of them all, Lugo seemed to be the best value for Toronto, though the move left much to be desired for Kansas City. Acquiring Ryan from Minnesota for Nimmala and Yesavage was deemed a win-win idea for both sides, so maybe Bannon’s onto something.
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