Baseball Wiretap

JJ Wetherholt and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension. The deal secures one of the largest guarantees in franchise history for the National League Rookie of the Year favorite.

Wetherholt, the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2024, quickly advanced through the farm system and earned an Opening Day roster spot this season. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter ranks eighth among all position players in FanGraphs wins above replacement, splitting time mainly at second base while also playing shortstop.

Wetherholt and the Cardinals discussed an extension during spring training but could not finalize terms at the time. Fellow rookie shortstops Kevin McGonigle, Konnor Griffin, Colt Emerson and Cooper Pratt all signed extensions in the interim, establishing a framework Wetherholt later followed.

Unlike those four players, Wetherholt attended college, giving his contract a different structure. The deal contains no club options, runs from 2027 through 2034, and includes performance bonuses that could push its total value to $132 million. It buys out three years of free agency, with Wetherholt reaching the open market just after turning 32.

The extension marks another step in St. Louis' willingness to increase spending after several seasons of payroll reduction. Wetherholt is batting .267 with a .362 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage this season, pairing strong defense at second base with elite baserunning.

The contract's length and value closely mirror the seven-year, $100 million deal Albert Pujols signed with the Cardinals in 2004. Wetherholt slipped to St. Louis at seventh overall in the 2024 draft after Cleveland considered him with the No. 1 pick, then signed for $6.9 million following three seasons at West Virginia.

Wetherholt becomes the first player under contract for the Cardinals in 2027. Before this extension, the team's only committed 2027 payroll was $13 million owed to Boston to cover the contracts of Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.

Shohei Ohtani was scratched from his scheduled pitching start Friday because of continued irritation in his left knee, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced roughly six hours before first pitch. Ohtani will still serve as designated hitter for the weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ohtani will not join his teammates at the All-Star Game following the series. The Dodgers said in a statement that he will instead undergo interventions on his knee to prepare for the second half of the season.

A source told ESPN that Ohtani is expected to have the knee drained and likely receive an injection. He will not undergo surgery, according to the source.

Ohtani first left a June 11 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates early because of irritation in the same knee, which underwent surgery in September 2019 to address a congenital condition called bipartite patella. He has managed the issue since taking the following day off.

Ohtani, who turned 32 five days ago, had also dealt with a blister on his pitching hand and tightness in his right bicep earlier this season. Both issues have since subsided.

Ohtani is slashing .290/.405/.534 with 20 home runs and six stolen bases. He has gone 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts on the mound.

The Dodgers will use a bullpen game Friday in Ohtani's absence.

Bryce Harper will compete in the Home Run Derby for the first time in eight years, this time representing the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Harper announced the decision Thursday via social media, captioning his post, "Derby at home? Sure why not?"

Harper previously won the event in 2018 while playing for the Washington Nationals, launching 45 home runs at Nationals Park. He topped future teammate Kyle Schwarber in that final.

Harper made this year's All-Star Game as a legend selection. He becomes the sixth player to join the Derby field, alongside Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ben Rice of the New York Yankees, Willson Contreras of the Boston Red Sox, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jac Caglianone of the Kansas City Royals.

Harper and Caminero are the only two competitors with prior Derby experience. Harper remains the lone past champion in the group, with two spots still open in the eight-player field.

Only four players in Derby history have won at their home ballpark. Harper is aiming to become the first to accomplish that feat twice, and the first to do it with two different franchises.

A win would also place Harper among an exclusive group of multiple-time Derby champions that includes Prince Fielder, Yoenis Cespedes, Pete Alonso and Ken Griffey Jr.

The Home Run Derby takes place Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Aaron Judge will have his injured rib re-examined during the All-Star break, with the New York Yankees hoping the results show progress in his recovery. General manager Brian Cashman addressed the outfielder's status Thursday.

Judge has not played since May 31 and landed on the injured list June 5 with a stress fracture in his right rib. The diagnosis followed a CT scan, an MRI and a consultation with a specialist.

"I don't think we want to put him at risk of coming back while still injured," said Cashman. "He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose.

"If he's asymptomatic and not feeling anything and [medical images] are showing healing, then it's probably appropriate to get him going again. But we don't want to, because the schedule is what it is, put him in a position where we're putting him in jeopardy where it somehow gets worse."

Cashman said the injury has limited Judge's ability to train his upper body, since he cannot place stress on his rib cage. New imaging will offer a clearer picture of where he stands in his rehab process.

The Yankees have gone 15-19 without Judge in the lineup, including a 12-4 win over the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

Cashman also provided an update on Giancarlo Stanton, who has been sidelined since April 24 with a right calf injury. Stanton suffered a new strain to the same calf, setting back his timeline, though he has resumed running.

The Chicago White Sox remain undecided among three players for the No. 1 overall pick in Saturday's MLB draft, according to vice president of amateur scouting Mike Shirley.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey and Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson are the finalists under consideration, Shirley said Wednesday.

"It's still a bit of an open book, but I think we all know who the candidates are here, and we're working extremely hard," said Shirley. "The Cholowsky/Emerson conversation, the Vahn Lackey conversation, these are real. They are happening. They're happening up to the minute."

Shirley outlined strengths for each prospect. Emerson has significantly closed the gap on Cholowsky during his senior year of high school, while Cholowsky maintained his standing during his junior college season, batting .320 with 21 home runs. Lackey, meanwhile, profiles as a potential elite defensive catcher.

"It's not about what they are today," said Shirley. "It's about what they're going to be two to three years from now when they show up here at the major league level."

Shirley echoed general manager Chris Getz's approach to the selection process, emphasizing that talent alone will determine the pick.

"It's not about the major league team. It's not about the money," said Shirley. "It's about who is the best player."

The team is also disregarding potential future changes to the league's draft rules, including a proposal that could eliminate high school players from future drafts.

Shirley acknowledged growing concerns around NIL money influencing player decisions, noting some prospects are forgoing the draft entirely to remain in college.

"I think Roch Cholowsky turned down a substantial amount of money to leave UCLA last year," said Shirley. "If you don't think the players are being offered a lot of money to leave, it's real."

Chicago enters Saturday's draft in first place, a dramatic turnaround following three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including an MLB-record 121 losses in 2024.

Dylan Cease carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants before Heliot Ramos broke it up with a line-drive single to center field.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider allowed Cease to push past his typical pitch limits in pursuit of the milestone. Cease threw a career-high 118 pitches, striking out 11 to extend his American League-leading strikeout total to 148.

"Dylan came in after the sixth inning and said, 'I've got 120,'" said Schneider. "I said, 'OK.' And then after the seventh, he said, 'I've got 130.'"

Cease received a standing ovation from the San Francisco crowd after exiting the game. Tyler Rogers closed out the final three outs as Toronto won 10-0.

Schneider explained his decision to let Cease continue pursuing the no-hitter despite the elevated pitch count.

"I'm a fan of baseball," said Schneider. "I think if a guy has a chance to throw a no-hitter, I think you let him do it and I think you make adjustments after that."

Cease previously threw a no-hitter for the San Diego Padres in July 2024. He said Wednesday's outing felt even sharper than that performance.

"I was really commanding the ball well, mixing the ball well," said Cease. "I'm just happy it wasn't Luis Arraez that broke it up again."

Arraez, now with San Francisco, previously ended a Cease no-hit bid in 2022 while playing for Minnesota. He batted directly after Ramos in Wednesday's lineup.

Toronto's defense preserved the bid with two standout plays, including a diving stop by second baseman Ernie Clement and a running catch by center fielder Daulton Varsho at the wall.

Ramos praised Cease's performance following the game.

"I think he's Cy Young-caliber," said Ramos.

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe pushed back Wednesday against a since-retracted report claiming he refused to play second base during a minor league assignment earlier this season.

YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay initially shared the report Tuesday on his ESPN radio show, citing anonymous sources. Kay retracted the claim Wednesday afternoon, saying additional calls contradicted his original information.

"I had two people tell me, and I heard rumors," said Kay. "I was wrong. Somebody called me and said that's not right. I made further calls, and they said no, that he had never refused to play second base. I retracted. I plan to talk to him and apologize."

Volpe said he learned of the report through his trainer and strongly denied its accuracy.

"It definitely caught me off guard," said Volpe. "It's confusing because it's just not true. It couldn't be further from the truth. I hope my teammates in here, I've played for them for three-plus years, I hope they know my character and that I'd literally do anything to help the team win."

The Yankees had initially planned for Volpe to see time at second base during a rehab assignment following shoulder surgery. Injuries to Jose Caballero altered those plans, leading to Volpe's recall and increased playing time at shortstop instead.

Volpe said he practiced at second base during pregame routines on days he didn't start at shortstop, despite never appearing there in an MLB game.

"I'd literally do whatever the team needed, and that's the truth behind the story," said Volpe.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team currently views Volpe strictly as its shortstop, praising his defensive performance this season.

"He's been our shortstop, and he got hurt and had surgery over the winter," said Boone. "I hate to break it to everyone, but he's been a damn good shortstop."

Volpe won a Gold Glove in 2023 and has ranked among the league's top defensive shortstops this season, though his offensive production has drawn frequent criticism since his 2023 debut.

Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that he will retire following the 2026 season, closing out a 21-year career with the Detroit Tigers, the organization where he began his journey to a likely Hall of Fame induction.

"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," wrote Verlander in a social media statement. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.

"Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come. While I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I've decided this will be my last."

Verlander, the 2011 American League MVP and a two-time World Series champion, also earned his 10th All-Star selection Wednesday as a "Legend Pick" from commissioner Rob Manfred. The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year, $13 million contract with Detroit this offseason, returning to the franchise where he spent his first 13 major league seasons.

Injuries have limited Verlander to just one start this year. The right-hander landed on the 60-day injured list with a left hip issue before later suffering a left hamstring injury in June that further delayed his return.

"It's fitting that I get to finish where it all started, with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity," wrote Verlander. "Baseball has given me more than I could have imagined. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of continuing to adapt and evolve."

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the hamstring injury would sideline Verlander for an extended period. According to the team's latest medical update, Verlander is playing catch and completing daily rehab work, though he has not yet resumed throwing off a mound.

Verlander currently has a 266-159 career record and a 3.33 ERA across 21 seasons.

Shohei Ohtani reached a career milestone Tuesday, launching his 300th career home run during the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the Colorado Rockies. The blast made him the first Japanese-born player to reach the mark.

Ohtani led off the game with a line-drive shot to center field, needing just three pitches from Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen. The home run came one night after he recorded his 299th, and two days after his 32nd birthday.

The ball left Ohtani's bat at 112.2 mph and traveled 409 feet, according to statcast data.

"It was quite the homer," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts following the team's 4-3 home loss. "It was squared up, got out in a hurry. Three hundred, he got there pretty quickly for us. I just marvel at him every day."

Ohtani has hit 129 of his 300 career homers with the Dodgers. He becomes one of 18 active major leaguers to reach 300 home runs, joining teammates Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts as the only Dodgers to hit the mark.

Playing in his 1,102nd career game, Ohtani ranks as the fifth-fastest player in MLB history to reach 300 homers. Only Aaron Judge, Ralph Kiner, Ryan Howard and Juan Gonzalez accomplished the feat in fewer games.

Roberts expressed confidence that Ohtani could eventually reach 500 career home runs.

Ohtani is hitting .294 with a .950 OPS this season while also posting a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts as a two-way player, drawing early National League Cy Young consideration.

Fans selected Ohtani as the NL's starting designated hitter for next Tuesday's All-Star Game. Roberts said he expects Ohtani to receive at least one at-bat in the exhibition contest.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin will miss eight to 10 weeks with a left ring finger injury, the team's senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told reporters Tuesday, deepening the club's growing injury concerns.

Griffin had rejoined the Pirates just two weeks earlier following a monthlong absence caused by a right elbow strain. The rookie sustained damage to the sagittal band in his finger, which Tomczyk described as thick fibers that support and reinforce the extensor tendon.

Tomczyk said Griffin will wear a splint for six weeks before doctors reassess his recovery timeline.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony has dealt with a separate finger tendon injury since early May, though Tomczyk noted the cases are not directly comparable. Former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson offers a closer parallel, having suffered a similar sagittal band injury in 2022 that sidelined him for roughly six weeks.

Griffin has hit .276 with a .736 OPS, 10 doubles and five home runs across 59 games since making his major league debut in early April.

Pittsburgh selected Griffin ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract extension with the organization in April.

The setback adds to a lengthy injury list for the Pirates (46-45), who currently sit in fourth place in the National League Central and three games behind a wild-card spot. Outfielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz remain sidelined with fractured fingers and a hamstring strain, respectively.