Baseball Wiretap

The Detroit Tigers understand the stakes ahead of MLB's Aug. 3 trade deadline as they must keep winning to retain All-Star pitcher Tarik Skubal. Manager A.J. Hinch addressed the pressure surrounding the team's late-July stretch before Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs.

"We've been playing Game 7 since May," said Hinch. "We know what's ahead. We know what the conversation around our team is. Tarik is in the news every single day because someone has a dream trade to make up, yet we have a game to win that night."

Skubal has posted a 2.97 ERA across seven starts since returning from a six-week elbow injury that coincided with a rough stretch for Detroit in May. The Tigers entered Monday 4.5 games back in the American League wild-card race, with six teams currently ahead of them in that chase.

Hinch said the team has embraced the ongoing trade speculation rather than letting it become a distraction.

"We're taking it with open arms, that it's part of our identity," said Hinch. "We've got to block out all the news of what's ahead the next few weeks and get to winning games."

Detroit may actually have a stronger path through the AL Central than the wild card, despite sitting 6.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox. FanGraphs gave the Tigers a 16 percent chance of winning the division entering Monday, notably higher than their wild-card odds, aided by the fact that Detroit has played the fewest games against divisional opponents so far this season.

"We're not naive that we need to win more games in order for us to maintain our trajectory," said Hinch.

Without a sufficient turnaround, Detroit risks a multiteam pursuit of Skubal that could net the Tigers a top-five prospect from a rival organization, an outcome the front office hopes to avoid. Getting healthier at the right moment could help that effort. Infielder Gleyber Torres was activated from the injured list Monday, and infielder/outfielder Javier Baez is set to begin a rehab assignment with Class-A Lakeland on Tuesday as he works back from an ankle injury.

Hinch indicated Torres would be brought back gradually.

"I'll ease him back in," said Hinch. "He may not play every single day for the next 10 days but a big boost for us."

Carlos Beltran said the New York Mets reached out to him about their managerial vacancy after firing Carlos Mendoza last month, though he ultimately declined to pursue the role at this time. Beltran addressed the conversation during a Zoom call with reporters Monday, days before his Hall of Fame induction in Cooperstown.

"Yes, I had conversations with a few people within the organization, and I don't know, I just didn't feel it was the right thing for me to do," said Beltran. "And I have to tell you that, having the opportunity to manage, I would say that that's probably in my bucket list."

Beltran currently serves as special assistant to Mets baseball operations president David Stearns, a role he said he values because of his close working relationship with the organization's decision-makers. Stearns has said interim manager Andy Green will return to his position as farm director after this season, potentially leaving the managerial job open again in the future.

Beltran stopped short of saying the timing was right for him to take on that role now.

"I understand that my name has been mentioned about being a manager and all that, and I'm proud of that," said Beltran. "But at the same time, I don't know, man, I've got to think deeply about what my next step is going to be."

Beltran previously served as Mets manager briefly in November 2019 before being fired the following January after MLB's investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scheme named him as the only player in its report. Beltran played for Houston's 2017 championship team but had already retired by the time of the investigation.

Beltran expressed continued frustration with how the situation unfolded.

"I feel like when you dig deep into the case and you dig deep into who I was as a player and how I behaved as a player throughout my career, I don't know, it created some red flags on the process," said Beltran. "It created red flags on the investigation. I gotta be honest, I gotta tell you how I feel, because sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I ended up in that position (as) the only player mentioned in the report."

Beltran noted that as a retired player at the time, he lacked union representation during the investigation, unlike active players and executives such as former Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, manager A.J. Hinch and coach Alex Cora, all of whom faced suspensions.

"They're going to allow Carlos Beltran to manage the Mets?" said Beltran. "I mean, that's impossible. So, you know, I feel like mentioning Carlos Beltran in the report, that was my suspension and that's how I feel."

Beltran also pushed back on the idea that he was solely responsible for the sign-stealing scheme, describing it as a collective effort within the organization.

"I know that as a team we got together to do what we did, but I've got to tell you that this was not like one player's idea," said Beltran. "This was a team being together, from top to bottom, to do something that we felt was going to help us win."

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a five-year, $90 million extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish. 

Bradish, 29, emerged as a potential star in 2023, finishing fourth in American League Cy Young voting during his second major-league season. Injuries limited him to just 14 combined starts over the following two seasons, but he has rebounded this year with a 3.61 ERA across 19 starts, leading Baltimore's pitching staff with 1.7 bWAR.

The extension follows a similar move by the Cincinnati Reds, who recently signed All-Star Chase Burns to a seven-year, $105 million deal. Baltimore has now locked up two starting pitchers to long-term extensions this year, having signed right-hander Shane Baz to a five-year, $68 million contract in March.

Bradish's new deal buys out two years of arbitration and keeps him under team control through the 2031 season. The Orioles entered Saturday at 47-51, sitting two games back of the Boston Red Sox for the American League's third wild-card spot.

The Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with catcher Vahn Lackey, the No. 3 overall pick in last weekend's MLB draft.

The projected slot value for the third pick this year was $9.74 million. Lackey becomes Minnesota's highest draft selection since taking Royce Lewis first overall in 2017, a pick that carried a franchise-record $6.725 million signing bonus at the time.

Lackey batted .397 with a .519 on-base percentage and .772 slugging percentage across 283 plate appearances for Georgia Tech this past season. Twins assistant general manager and scouting director Sean Johnson praised the catcher's all-around game.

"He's hard to take your eyes off when you see him play," said Johnson. "He can really throw. He's athletic. He blocks. He does all the little things that you want to see a catcher do. He can take charge on the field. You can't take your eyes off him when he's out there. His presence is really good. All the things you want to see, the intangibles, he has them."

Lackey marks the highest catcher drafted by Minnesota since selecting Hall of Famer Joe Mauer first overall in 2001. He climbed draft boards significantly after a breakout junior season, improving his home run total from six as a sophomore to 20 as a junior after focusing on adding launch angle to his swing.

Aaron Judge's fractured rib showed healing in new imaging this week, hough not enough progress for the three-time MVP to resume baseball activities. The New York Yankees said Judge will continue rehab and undergo further imaging as he works toward a return.

Judge and manager Aaron Boone both expressed confidence he'll play again this season, speaking ahead of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Yeah, definitely," said Judge. "I don't see why not."

"I feel good about the fact that he'll be back," said Boone. "It's just a matter of when."

With the Yankees opening their post-All-Star break schedule and the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaching, Judge's timeline remains uncertain. He said he is waiting to hear back from Dr. Gregory Pearl, a Texas-based vascular surgeon reviewing his imaging, after being referred by Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. His most recent imaging took place Monday.

Judge acknowledged frustration with the pace of his recovery despite feeling significantly better.

"That was my big complaint," said Judge. "If I'm feeling better, how about we start moving? But I think they just don't want to start adding baseball activities and other stuff and all of a sudden we have a setback and it pushes everything back. So I think they just want to be sure that it's healing up the right way so that we can get back as soon as we can."

Judge, 34, has not played since May 31. He believes he suffered the stress fracture during an April 26 game in Houston while attempting a diving catch to avoid colliding with second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. He tried to continue playing through the injury before the pain became unmanageable during a series in Sacramento, California.

Since landing on the injured list June 5, Judge has paused most workouts, though he has recently begun some lower-body exercises. He described the experience of missing games as difficult.

"It's been the worst," said Judge. "I want to play. That's why I'm here. That's why I get paid, to play big games for the Yankees. Especially with the team we have, how special it is, and how special the group is. I want to be a part of everything."

Judge has appeared in 59 games this season, batting .248 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .907 OPS, though his production dropped sharply after May 7. Over his final 22 games before landing on the injured list, he hit just .207 with two home runs.

Judge previously suffered the same rib injury in September 2019 on a similar diving play. The Yankees have gone 18-19 without him in the lineup this season and entered Friday three games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt remain the only regular Yankees hitters posting above-average offensive numbers during Judge's absence.

The New York Mets are considered unlikely to trade away Francisco Lindor at the trade deadline, sources tell The Athletic. While the Mets are open to discussing nearly all of their players, Lindor represents a high bar for any interested team.

Lindor, 32, holds trade veto power as a 10-year veteran who has spent the past five consecutive seasons with the same club. He is owed more than $160 million through 2031, and sources with knowledge of the situation said New York has no particular interest in absorbing money in a potential deal, viewing him as a player who can still help the team win next season.

Lindor declined to comment when The Athletic raised the subject of his no-trade protection in a recent conversation. A person close to him said he has no desire to leave New York and remains comfortable with the organization and city.

The Mets, sitting at 41-57, are fielding calls as sellers in a thin trade market. According to SNY, the team is not expected to engage in trade discussions involving Juan Soto, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, A.J. Ewing or Carson Benge.

Lindor's situation stands apart given his track record, though he is enduring a difficult individual season. He has committed uncharacteristic defensive lapses and posted below-average defensive metrics despite his reputation for reliability. Offensively, he is batting just .210 with a .654 OPS.

Injuries have limited Lindor to 41 games and 175 plate appearances this season. A hamate bone surgery disrupted his spring training, and a calf injury sidelined him for two months before he returned from the injured list on June 24.

Optimism for a labor deal between MLB and the MLBPA has largely disappeared halfway through the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Conversations with more than two dozen league and union officials and players at the All-Star Game revealed little confidence that a deal will emerge before the current collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1.

Multiple sources said the two sides may not exchange any further core economics proposals before the deadline, given how far apart their positions remain. MLB continues pushing for a salary cap system, while the union remains firmly opposed to abandoning the current uncapped structure.

Sources close to the situation expect a real bargaining push to emerge closer to March, when the threat of lost games becomes more tangible. Players speaking anonymously said they would be willing to miss games rather than accept a cap, while sources indicated owners are similarly prepared to cancel games if the union's stance doesn't shift.

One longtime official downplayed the urgency of the current standoff given the calendar.

"It's still July. And it's not real yet," said the official. "They still have the rest of this season, the postseason. This isn't gonna get real until they're gearing up for spring training. Then various light bulbs will go on. I think that's frankly true on both sides."

MLB's push for cost control stems from the growing payroll gap between large- and small-market teams, an imbalance the league argues has concentrated postseason success among high-spending franchises. The union points to this year's standings, where 23 of 30 teams entered the second half in playoff position or within four games of one, along with several low-payroll success stories, as evidence that competitive balance already exists without a cap.

MLB's proposal includes a $245.3 million hard cap, a $171.2 million floor, a five-year limit and a $202 million maximum on free agent contracts. The plan would establish a 50-50 revenue split using a definition similar to those used by the NFL, NBA and NHL, excluding ancillary business revenue tied to teams.

Players have expressed frustration that such a system would simply redistribute money within a fixed pool rather than grow their overall earnings. One player from a small-market team acknowledged frustration with payroll disparities but said it pales in comparison to a capped system with no room to negotiate.

MLB has promoted its position publicly through a "Level the Playing Field" campaign advocating for a salary cap, a campaign MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer has called "perverse." Public polling has shown fan support for a capped system, a position President Donald Trump also voiced support for in June, adding a layer of political uncertainty to the negotiations.

Players have also raised objections to MLB's amateur draft proposals, which would eliminate high school players from draft eligibility, delay college player eligibility until age 20, and implement an international draft that pushes the signing age back from 16 to 18. Concerns also remain over a proposed escrow system that could leave portions of player salaries unguaranteed if league revenue falls short of projections.

Multiple players described MLB's approach using similar language, characterizing the league as operating "like a private equity firm." The league maintains that revenue growth in other capped sports leagues supports its argument that a capped system would ultimately benefit players more than the current structure, a claim the union rejects.

MLB released its 2027 schedule Thursday, with Opening Day set for March 25. Whether that date holds will depend on negotiations over the next eight months, as both sides continue talks with little indication of imminent progress.

The Detroit Tigers are unlikely to commit to trading ace Tarik Skubal ahead of the deadline given their favorable upcoming schedule. Detroit faces the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles, a slate that gives the Tigers little incentive to sell.

Should Detroit reconsider, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays all represent teams worth monitoring in a potential Skubal market. The Dodgers don't necessarily need Skubal to remain favorites for a third straight championship, but their deep farm system and financial resources mean they face fewer roadblocks than most rivals in pursuing him.

Detroit has gone 22-14 since the start of June, a stretch equivalent to a 99-win pace. That trend has left rival executives skeptical the Tigers will move Skubal or fellow starter Casey Mize.

"They went in big on this year, making the decision to keep Skubal, and then they signed Framber Valdez," said one official. "They're making up ground on the leaders, and now they might trade [Skubal]? I don't see it, unless they lose a bunch of games [coming out of the All-Star break]."

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris is regarded around the league as objective in his evaluations, according to peers, and would consider moving Skubal if he believed Detroit could no longer contend for a postseason spot. With Skubal set to reach free agency after this season, the coming weeks could represent the Tigers' last chance to win with the two-time Cy Young Award winner on their roster.

Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game averaged 8.79 million viewers across FOX and Fox Deportes, marking the largest audience for the event since 2017. The broadcast benefited from an indirect lead-in tied to the FIFA World Cup between Spain and France, with FOX's standalone audience reaching its highest mark since 2018.

The American League's shutout win peaked at 10.19 million viewers during the 8:45 p.m. ET quarter-hour, representing a 21 percent increase from last year's audience of 7.185 million. The game once again ranked as the most-watched All-Star Game of the year, narrowly edging an Olympics-fueled NBA All-Star Game on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock by less than one percentage point.

The comparison came with a notable distinction in lead-in timing. The NBA benefited from a direct Olympics lead-in, while more than two hours separated the end of the World Cup match and first pitch of the baseball game. The All-Star pregame show saw an even sharper increase, averaging 4.10 million viewers, up 56 percent from last year's 2.63 million.

This marked the first year since 2019 in which two All-Star games each drew at least 8 million viewers, following comparisons to that year's Pro Bowl and MLB All-Star Game. This year's Pro Bowl Games drew just 2.0 million viewers on ESPN.

The Home Run Derby, however, averaged 5.3 million viewers on Netflix, down 8 percent from last year's ESPN broadcast of 5.73 million and marking the event's smallest audience since 2003. The Derby still ranked as the second-largest MLB audience of the season, trailing only the All-Star Game itself.

The Derby remained a strong performer by streaming standards, trailing only a Cavaliers-Pistons playoff game on Prime Video, which averaged 6.53 million viewers, among all NBA games streamed this past season. Netflix said the broadcast drew its highest ratings among adults 18-34 and 18-49 since 2021, with a median viewer age of 44.3, the youngest for the event since 2014.

Jordan Walker's Derby victory marked just the second MLB event to air on Netflix, following a Yankees-Giants Opening Night broadcast in March that drew 3.0 million viewers. The streamer has one additional MLB event scheduled this season, next month's Field of Dreams Game in Iowa, ahead of Opening Night coverage returning in March 2027.

The Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Chase Burns have agreed to a seven-year, $105 million contract, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. MLB Network's Jon Morosi first reported the deal.

The contract contains no options or deferrals and stands as the largest ever given to a pitcher with less than four years of major-league service time, according to the source.

Burns, 23, earned All-Star honors this season in his second year in the majors. He is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA across 18 starts in 2026 after making 13 appearances as a rookie last season.

The extension buys out several years of team control, as Burns was not previously scheduled to reach free agency until 2032. Cincinnati selected him second overall in the 2024 draft out of Wake Forest.

Burns previously set a signing bonus record after the draft, earning $9.25 million, which broke the mark set by Paul Skenes out of LSU with the Pittsburgh Pirates the year before.