RIP to the Ryno. Plus, Clase and Harper headline news around the league that can distract you from our team’s futility.
Game Recaps
Don’t blame Torey Lovullo for Eugenio Suarez getting hit by pitch by Nick Piecoro [AZ Central]
The front office may have quit on the season, but that doesn’t mean Louvllo or anyone in that clubhouse has to go along with management’s plans.
It’s each of their jobs to show Hazen and everyone else that they can still rally for a deep playoff run that validates what they did in 2023. By the way, that “everyone else” includes me. I’d start trading, guys, too, if I were Hazen.
Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez exits loss to Tigers after getting hit by another pitch by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]
Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters postgame that Suarez was going in for an X-ray. Suarez then told reporters that the X-ray on his right index finger came back negative and he’ll undergo more testing.
Lifeless Diamondbacks look depleted in Tigers defeat by Ben Bliklen [Burn City Sports]
The Diamondbacks’ offense has become stagnant and has little to no resemblance to what this team has produced in the past. In the last four games, the D-Backs have only been able to score two runs. The, “Answerbacks”, don’t seem to have the answers, the chaos is not being embraced, and the Snakes do not look alive. Arizona will look to right the ship with a win tomorrow against the Tigers on Tuesday afternoon.
Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks Asked Yankees for Massive Eugenio Suarez Trade Haul by Alex D’Agostino [SI]
In fact, it was reported by insider Mark Feinsand that if teams did not meet Hazen’s asking price, Arizona might end up holding on to Suárez and attempting to re-sign him instead.
Hazen himself was quite clear that, while he’s open to any offers, he doesn’t intend to force a trade, or make a move that doesn’t ultimately weigh against the value of keeping a player or recouping a compensation draft pick if that player is given a Qualifying Offer.
Did Seth Lugo Just Set the Market for Merrill Kelly? by Michael McDermott [D-backs Under Review]
Lugo’s deal now raises the ante for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It effectively sets the market for Merrill Kelly, who is set to become a free agent after seven seasons in Arizona. Kelly is considered one of the top starting pitching trade candidates, but the D-backs can feel more comfortable being more judicious about potential offers. It also puts the decision of extending the qualifying offer in play, since it’s quite possible Kelly could land a $20 million per year offer in free agency.
Around the League
Gambling Investigation Sidelines Emmanuel Clase by Michael Baumann [FanGraphs]
The specific reason for Clase’s removal from the clubhouse is not yet public knowledge, but whatever comes of the investigation, whether Clase is implicated or exonerated, this news will have a major impact on a trade deadline that was already expected to be closer-heavy. These effects are of secondary importance to the integrity of the game, but they are time-sensitive, so I’ll dispense with those first.
Clase, 27, is not only one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, he’s on a team-friendly contract that pays just $4.9 million this year and $6.4 million in 2026, the last guaranteed year of the contract. That’s followed by a pair of $10 million club options for 2027 and 2028. I think relievers are so volatile that it’s foolish to count on anyone short of Billy Wagner three years into the future, but this is hardly a universal viewpoint. If not for this gambling investigation, there’s every likelihood that Clase would’ve brought back the biggest return of any player this week.
Sources: Phillies’ Bryce Harper cussed out Rob Manfred in meeting by Jeff Passan [ESPN]
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper stood nose to nose with Rob Manfred during a meeting between the Major League Baseball commissioner and the team last week, telling him to “get the f— out of our clubhouse” if Manfred wanted to talk about the potential implementation of a salary cap, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Ryne Sandberg, Cubs icon and Hall of Famer, passes away at 65 by Jordan Bastian [MLB]
An iconic player who helped redefine the second base position and authored one of the great singular performances in the long, storied history of the Chicago Cubs, Ryne Sandberg died on Monday after battling cancer. He was 65 years old.
Sandberg left behind a legacy of a quiet superstar who may have been reluctant to find the spotlight, but demanded it with a blend of power, speed and defense that made him one of baseball’s all-time greats. He spent the majority of his brilliant 16-year career with the Cubs, earning induction into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
Kris Bubic to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season with Rotator Cuff Strain by Leo Morgenstern [MLB Trade Rumors] {Ed. Note: The Royals have already struck one deal with Hazen this season, maybe now the Royals would be interested in a half Gallen for their playoff push?}
By trading for Adam Frazier and Randal Grichuk earlier this month, and by extending a potential trade chip in Lugo, the Royals signalled that they would be buying rather than selling ahead of this Thursday’s trade deadline. However, their chances of leapfrogging the four teams ahead of them for a Wild Card berth are significantly lower without Bubic. Kansas City is down to four healthy starting pitchers now, and one of them is 45-year-old Rich Hill. In addition to Ragans and Bubic, Michael Lorenzen and Alec Marsh are also on the IL. The Royals have averaged fewer runs per game than any other team in the AL, and it’s starting to look like they just won’t have enough healthy pitching to compensate for their pitiful offense.
Question of the Day