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The Yankees officially announced their signing of right-hander Luke Weaver Friday, with outfielder Bubba Thompson designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Thompson, 26 in June, has bounced around quite a bit in the past six months. Designated for assignment by the Rangers in August, he has since gone to the Royals, Reds and Yankees via waiver claims. That’s likely a reflection of his uneven profile, as he’s an excellent defender with elite speed, but poor hitting results thus far. That makes him enticing enough for clubs to take a shot on him but not enough for him to hang onto a roster spot.
He has 92 games of Major League experience to this point, all of it with the Rangers. In 241 plate appearances, he has hit .242/.286/.305 thus far in his big league career, production that translates to a wRC+ of 65. His Triple-A work is a bit better, as he’s hit .284/.347/.440 at that level since the start of 2022, but that production is still subpar with a wRC+ of 95.
But despite that tepid offense, he continues to appeal to clubs for other reasons, as mentioned. His sprint speed ranked third in the majors last year, with just Elly De La Cruz and Bobby Witt Jr. outpacing him on the Statcast rankings. That speed has surely helped him steal 22 bases in 27 tries to this point in his career while also allowing him to track down balls in the outfield.
The Yankees will now have a week to trade him or try to pass him through waivers. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he could stick in the organization as non-roster depth, but it’s also possible another club takes a chance on him. He still has two options and could be kept in the minors to work on his hitting by any club willing to give him a 40-man spot.
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Blue Jays aren't getting enough from their $500M man
Toronto Blue Jays fans don't have much to complain about. Despite losing 5-4 on Tuesday to the New York Yankees, their team leads the AL East by three games heading into play Wednesday against the Yankees. But not everything is perfect north of the U.S. border. Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com, echoed that sentiment during Tuesday night's loss to New York in a post shared on X. "The #BlueJays need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and I don't understand why that's only being whispered instead of said out loud," Matheson wrote. Matheson has been beating this drum recently, and he's spot-on. Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, $500M extension in April, hasn't produced superstar numbers. Through 99 games, Vladdy has a .283 average, 13 HRs and 48 RBI. Per ESPN, the 26-year-old is on pace for 21 HRs and 77 RBI, which would by far his lowest full-season totals in those categories since his rookie season in 2019. Although they have one of MLB's best records, the Blue Jays (59-42) lack pop in the lineup. Toronto ranks 20th in the majors in home runs with 105. If Vladdy finds his power stroke and turn it on in the final months of the regular season, the Blue Jays will go from being a playoff contender to a threat to win the World Series. If he doesn't, the Blue Jays aren't getting their money's worth.
Maple Leafs continue to play moneyball: Three big names in play
With Mitch Marner’s move to the Vegas Golden Knights closing a major chapter in Toronto, GM Brad Treliving made a series of moves to replace his production. He might not be done. Three may be even bolder moves on the horizon. We’ve heard the names Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf before. However, the Maple Leafs are actively fielding and exploring trade scenarios as they look to reshape their roster — and according to Nick Kypreos, a handful of intriguing names are emerging in trade chatter: Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, and former Leafs fan-favorite Nazem Kadri. The most surprising name still generating buzz is Rielly. Despite being a longtime cornerstone on Toronto’s blue line, his $7.5 million cap hit and no-move clause complicate matters. Yet with the team needing help up front, and possible interest in offensive defensemen like Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, Rielly could become part of a larger plan if he’s open to waiving. Also surprising is the talk surrounding Carlo. A recent addition to the Leafs’ defense corps, he is already being talked about behind the scenes as a potential trade piece. If he were made available, there is interest around the league, as the 6-foot-6 shutdown defender has a team-friendly cap hit and strong penalty-killing ability. Trading Carlo could get the Leafs a top-six forward. Finally, reports on the availability of Kadri remain conflicting. Some say he’s not available, while others suggest that the Calgary Flames would consider the idea. The former Maple Leaf would be a welcome addition back to Toronto, but there isn’t much of a reason for the Flames to trade him unless the return is outstanding. Kadri reportedly would consider waiving his no-move clause for a reunion. That said, getting a deal done won’t be easy, especially with Montreal also rumored to be on his short list. Whether any of these deals come to pass or are just pure speculation, one thing’s sure: the Maple Leafs aren’t standing still. Treliving is trying to get his roster to score more goals. He seems willing to entertain any idea and play Moneyball with the roster if it will help.
Golden State Warriors Predicted to Land $70 Million Sharpshooter in Jonathan Kuminga Trade
The Golden State Warriors have had an underwhelming offseason thus far and the main headline surrounding the franchise remains the future of young forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and after falling out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season, his role entering next season is up in the air. Due to this, many believe that Kuminga’s time in Golden State is set to come to an end this offseason but the young forward is still deciding on what his next move will be, which will also be reliant on the Warriors due to them likely having to move him in a sign-and-trade deal. With Kuminga’s time in Golden State likely nearing an end, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently came up with a three-team mock trade that would send Kuminga to the Phoenix Suns. In the trade, the Suns would receive Kuminga and Moses from the Warriors and they would send Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Golden State. The Atlanta Hawks are the third team in this mock trade and they would acquire Nick Richards from Phoenix. This would be an interesting move for the Warriors as they would not only be moving on from a young player in Kuminga, but Moses Moody as well. Despite this, adding a sharpshooting guard in Grayson Allen, who also excels on the defensive end, could be a massive boost that the Warriors need. O’Neal would also give the Warriors a solid scorer and defender at the forward position that would allow them to upgrade their bench. By making this move, the Warriors would get older as they would swap two young players for two veterans but the additions of Allen and O’Neal, along with potential free agent signings, could help them compete for a title next season with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler leading the way.
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
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