It’s still early, but the trade deadline is fast approaching, and it’s about the time when we start seeing some clubs more willing to sell. The Braves will not be one of those clubs. They’ll be buying, as Alex Anthopoulos always loves to do this time of year, and they have several pretty significant holes to try and fill before the final two months of the season.
Most notably, the Braves absolutely have to trade for an outfielder, preferably multiple, which Ken Rosenthal says Alex Anthopoulos is already trying to do.
“President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos already is exploring the market for outfielders, engaging in preliminary discussions with clubs, according to sources briefed on his conversations,” Rosenthal writes in his latest piece for The Athletic.
The hope is that Michael Harris II will be ready to return soon after the All-Star break, but he’s really the only outfielder on the Braves roster that has proven consistently he can be an everyday player. Jarred Kelenic has been fantastic as of late, but even with him, there are some concerns about his track record and whether he’s better suited as a platoon option. That’s why Alex Anthopoulos could be looking to add at least two outfielders over the next several weeks, but the outfield is only one of the areas the Braves could bolster, as Rosenthal notes.
“But Charlie Morton is 40. Reynaldo López is starting for the first time since 2019. And Chris Sale has a long injury history. The Braves want to continue building in extra rest for their starters. They might need to supplement the current group, too.”
Adding another veteran starter as insurance is never a bad idea, but the Braves should be alright if everyone stays healthy. This has been one of the best rotations in baseball all season, and Spencer Schwellenbach is really beginning to establish himself while AJ Smith-Shawver and Ian Anderson are working their way back from injuries.
Rosenthal didn’t mention it, but shortstop is also a position that could be improved from a Braves trade. There won’t be many available options, but Orlando Arcia has been abysmal dating back to the second half of last year. The Braves could opt to give 21-year-old rising prospect Nacho Alvarez a shot, who is tearing the cover off the ball in Gwinnett, but that’s a risky proposition for a team with World Series aspirations.
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With just four days to go until the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline, it sounds like the St. Louis Cardinals have decided which direction they are going to go in. As the deadline has gotten closer, questions have popped up whether the Cardinals are going to buy, sell, or stand pat. Obviously, there aren't many options outside of these three, but everything has seemingly been on the table because the Cardinals are right around .500 and within range of a playoff spot, but also not guaranteed anything. The Cardinals' recent struggles have seemingly confirmed that the club is going to look to sell, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. "The Cardinals are preparing to sell," Rosenthal said. "The (San Francisco Giants), however, plan to buy, seeking a second baseman and starting pitcher. And the Reds are targeting a middle-of-the order bat and bullpen help." The Athletic's Katie Woo reported that the Cardinals have made Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz available. "As the St. Louis Cardinals teeter above .500, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has started to field calls regarding many of his players, not just pending free agents," Woo said. "Though the Cardinals have not publicly declared their intent to sell, Mozeliak has reached out to teams to inform them relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz are available, according to multiple league sources. All three pitchers will be free agents at the end of the season. Reliever JoJo Romero is also drawing interest from rival clubs, though he will not be a free agent until 2027." It doesn't sound like a complete firesale is imminent, but it does seem like St. Louis will look different come August 1st with a few subtractions potentially coming.
Sunday marked the last day of Week 1 of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. The next time the team takes the field, it will be with pads, on Tuesday. Before we get there, however, let's take a look at everything of note from day four of Steelers training camp practice in Latrobe... Offensive Takeaways LT Broderick Jones leaves 7 Shots after getting his lower body looked at. Sits out individual drills and is replaced by Dylan Cook for the rest of the practice Rookie TE/FB DJ Thomas-Jones injures ankle RT Troy Fautanu was yanked from 7 Shots after a false start WR Roman Wilson continues to work outside, opposed to the slot Rookie QB Will Howard receives first team reps in 7on7 What it means No one player will have a bigger impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense, and frankly, the team in general, than Broderick Jones. He needs not only to be urpight, but to be good. Mike Tomlin said both Jones and WR Montana Lemonious-Craig have soft tissue injuries, while DJ Thomas-Jones seems to have one that is a little more severe. Similar to what happened with Zach Frazier yesterday, the Steelers are proving they have no time for growing pains after pulling Troy Fautanu on Sunday. Fautanu and Frazier may only be second-year players, but the team needs them to perform like seasoned professionals. It's been interesting to see the alignment of the WRs in Pittsburgh through the first four days of practice, as Roman Wilson has dominated the outside role compared to Calvin Austin, who is playing the slot. After making some nice plays in practice yesterday, Will Howard took some first-team reps in the team's 7on7 period on Sunday. The arrow contimues to point up for the sixth rounder. Defensive Takeaways Defense wins 7 shots 4-3 Cole Holcomb and Ryan McCollum get into scrum and go to the ground Rookie Yayha Black has multiple pass breakups on Mason Rudolph What it means The first four practices in Pittsburgh were dominated by the defense. The same proved true on Sunday as the team won 7 Shots yet again. We'll see if that changes when the pads come on next week. While the real fights will probably start in the dog days of camp, the Steelers had their first big scrum in Latrobe on Sunday, and it featured Cole Holcomb and center Ryan McCollum. Continuing the trend of rookies making an impact, Yahya Black helped set that tone on Sunday with multiple pass breakups at the line of scrimmage against Mason Rudolph. Tough to ask for a better start to camp than what the Steelers' rookies put forth.
Notre Dame’s quarterback battle is one of the more compelling storylines entering the 2025 college football season. With Steve Angeli transferring after spring practice, the competition is down to two names: Kenny Minchey and five-star freshman CJ Carr. ESPN’s Rece Davis believes Carr is the favorite to win the job, though he emphasized it’s just speculation based on public perception. “I think most believe it will be Carr, ultimately,” Davis said. “That’s not Pete Thamel news breaking it... I’m just saying the outside perception for those of us who watch think it will probably be Carr.” Carr, the son of former Michigan QB Jason Carr and grandson of ex-Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr, made headlines after a strong showing in the spring game. But ESPN insider Pete Thamel added some nuance to the situation, revealing that those inside the program have been impressed with Minchey throughout the offseason. “Everyone saw Carr crush the spring game, and I think that’s where sentiment and perception came from,” Thamel said. “But Minchey is an impressive guy, and he hits better with what Mike Denbrock has done.” Minchey, a redshirt freshman, brings more mobility to the table, something Denbrock has used to his advantage in past offenses with Jayden Daniels at LSU and Riley Leonard at Duke. Carr, meanwhile, is a polished passer who fits the mold of a traditional pro-style quarterback. Denbrock previously coached at Notre Dame twice (2002 to 2004 and 2010 to 2016). Notre Dame's new offensive coordinator may influence the final decision, but the schedule adds pressure. Freeman and the Fighting Irish open the season at Miami, in what could prove to be their toughest opponent during the regular season. Davis says nothing’s off the table: “I asked Marcus that. His response... was ‘I will do whatever it takes to help this team win football games.’” Whether that means a two-quarterback system or not, Notre Dame needs a clear leader at the helm if it wants to stay in the playoff hunt.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been easing their way into training camp ahead of the 2025 season. The players have just been wearing helmets and shorts, and the pads will come on soon. Pittsburgh's training camp is always known as being one of the most intense in the league, and that is because Head Coach Mike Tomlin has his team go full contact, which is something other coaches around the NFL try to avoid. The pads will come on on Tuesday, and fans should expect to see some skirmishes as emotions rise throughout the rest of camp. Practices in just helmets and shorts are difficult for the big guys in the trenches. It is essentially impossible to simulate blocking without pads on, so the defenders and offensive linemen are itching for when the team gets to go full contact. Second-year offensive lineman Troy Fautanu spoke to the media on Sunday, and he shared how things have been going at practice, while also noting that the two sides of the ball have been going at it. "You know, there's a lot of banter going on between the offense and the defense right now." Fautanu said. "As you guys could tell yesterday, things got a little rowdy. I mean, that's something that's normal. I'm super excited just to finally be able to play real football, because as an offensive lineman it's the worst thing to play football in shorts and t-shirts." Fautanu is probably itching to get back to full contact more than others after missing nearly all of his rookie season in 2024. He played in one game in Week 2 before suffering a knee injury that kept him out for the rest of the year. Tuesday will be the first time he gets to put the pads on and get truly physical in nearly a year. The way he described things, it sounds like there will probably be some confrontations as the offense and defense have already been going at it. Training camp is going to be a true test for Fautanu. He is the team's starting right tackle going into the season, and the organization is relying on the offensive line to take a step forward. He needs to try to live up to his first-round label, and he is going to have to do so while blocking TJ Watt in every practice. Watt is going to be moving around the defensive formation more often than usual, but most of his snaps will come when he is lined up over the right tackle. Fautanu is going to be tested on every snap, and if he can handle Watt, he can handle anyone in the league. Having to go up against Watt every day in practice is good for Fautanu in the long run. Practicing against the best is only going to make him better, and he won't have to block anyone during the 2025 regular season that is as good of a pass rusher as Watt. Steelers' Fautanu Could Solidify 2024 Draft For Pittsburgh It is already looking like the Steelers made a ton of right decisions during the 2024 NFL Draft. Zach Frazier had a spectacular rookie season in 2024, and he is looking like he could be one of the best centers in the league. Mason McCormick was a pleasant surprise at right tackle when he was thrust into the starting lineup, and it seems he has gotten considerably better over the course of the 2025 offseason. If Fautanu can prove he is the starting right tackle of the future for the Steelers, then the organization would have nailed three cornerstones of the franchise in just one draft. All contenders have solid offensive lines, and it looks like the Steelers might have one that could be great in the near future.
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