Phillies Top 15 Prospect Labeled as ‘Sell High’ Candidate Ahead of Trade Deadline..
The Philadelphia Phillies will look to add to their roster at the trade deadline in July, and the bullpen is a major area of need. Whether it is for a rental or someone with multiple years of team control, the Phillies will have to cough up prospects. Joel Reuter of Athlon Sports believes Aroon Escobar is a strong “sell high” candidate for the organization. “Similar to (George) Klassen and (Samuel) Aldegheri last year, infielder Aroon Escobar is in the midst of a breakout season that has sent his prospect stock soaring in the early stages of the 2025 season, and that could make him a prime candidate for the team to sell high on as part of a July deal,” wrote Reuter. Escobar has gotten off to an electric start this season as he’s hitting .342 with an OPS of 1.036 as of Friday evening. The 20-year-old corner infielder has.
already hit five home runs and collected 18 RBI. His production sets him up well to be shipped off in July, as the Phillies’ bullpen needs all the help it can get. “One way or another, the Phillies will need to find a way to improve a relief corps that currently ranks 26th in the majors with a 4.87 ERA and has nailed down just 9-of-17 save opportunities with little in the way of reliable options outside of José Alvarado and Matt Strahm,” wrote Reuter. Escobar is currently listed as the 12th-highest prospect in the Phillies farm system, and he is currently playing for Single-A Clearwater.
Walker Buehler Injury Will Reveal Rebuilt Red Sox Rotation’s Depth..
When the Boston Red Sox signed former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and World Series champion Walker Buehler, they hoped he’d be a key part of helping them get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
His contributions to that goal will be put on hold for a while, as Buehler has been placed on the 15-day IL with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Buehler underwent testing on Thursday, and it was decided the best course of action was to place him on the injured list.
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler
CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 26: Walker Buehler #0 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch during the first inning of game two of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April… More Nick Cammett/Getty Images
Buehler was putting together a nice season in Boston, as he had a 4-1 record with a bit of an elevated ERA of 4.28 across 33 2/3 innings. He had 29 strikeouts and just nine walks, and he was looking a bit like the pitcher he was in 2021 when he 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.
The Red Sox pitching staff ranks ninth in the AL with a 3.96 ERA and the depth of that staff will be tested with Buehler’s injury. Last season’s opening day starter Bryan Bello is now No. 4 in the starting rotation and 2021 eighth-round pick Hunter Dobbins is the No. 5 for Boston.
The Red Sox now have three pitchers in their starting rotation (Bello, Dobbins, and Lucas Giolito) who have combined for fewer innings this season (34 2/3) than both Garett Crochet (44) and Tanner Houck (36 2/3). Boston will have to rely heavily on Crochet and Houck due to the lack of innings pitched and lack of experience in the major leagues from especially Bello and Dobbins.
If the shoulder injury to Buehler is significant enough, Boston may need to look at external options and explore the trade market for a reliable and experienced starting pitcher.
Cubs Fans Get Promising Update Surrounding Kyle Tucker Extension..
The Chicago Cubs have long needed a superstar-caliber player to add into their lineup and be the face of the franchise for the next 8-10 years.
The team had that with the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, but those three have been gone since the middle of the 2021 season. In the offseason, Chicago went out and acquired the player that fans are hoping will be the next face of the franchise, and that player is right fielder Kyle Tucker.
Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 25: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs bats in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field on April 25, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Matt Dirksen/Getty Images
Tucker was acquired from the Houston Astros for a trio of players, and he is the superstar-level player that was missing from the Cubs lineup. He has showcased his greatness in the first month of the season and is a major reason why the Cubs are going to come out of April having played baseball’s hardest schedule and having a record that is over .500.
There is one very important question that not only Cubs fans, but fans of most teams, are already wondering. What team will Kyle Tucker be playing for next year and beyond?
Tucker is a free agent at the end of the season and if he makes it there before reaching an extension with Chicago, he will be the most coveted player on the market. All of the big market teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and the Dodgers, especially, will be hounding Tucker and looking to add him to their lineup.
Cub fans received good news on Monday during a podcast from ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan, who gave an update on the possibility of Tucker and the Cubs reaching an extension.
“I’m hearing that the Cubs have wrapped their brain around whatever it cost we’re paying it, and they want to extend Tucker.” said Kaplan when discussing the likelihood of an extension between the two sides.
It is no secret Tucker’s next contract will be somewhere around $450-500 million, and if the Cubs fork up the money, it will be well over double the largest contract in franchise history, which was Jason Heyward’s seven-year, $184 million deal prior to the 2016 season.
If the two sides are able to agree on an extension to keep Tucker in Chicago, it will signal that the Cubs are serious about contending in the NL for many years to come.
MLB Insider Lists Blue Jays Pitcher as Potential Trade Chip..
After the Toronto Blue Jays signed superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year contract extension worth $500 million, everything seemed to be trending upward in Toronto. Morale was high and folks knew their beloved first baseman was going to be in a Blue Jays uniform the rest of his career.
Things change quickly, though, and Toronto sits at 15-16 just over 30 games into the season and it’s questionable as to whether they will be able to compete with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees for a division championship. That is why MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger has listed starting pitcher Chris Bassitt as one of the nine best trade chips this season.
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 27: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the second inning against the New York Yankees during game two of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on… More Evan Bernstein/Getty Images
Bassitt is in the final year of his contract, which definitely makes him a prime trade candidate if Toronto is out of contention when the deadline rolls around. He is having a solid year, another important piece to the puzzle of him being shipped out of Toronto.
He has a 2-2 record with a 2.62 ERA and 39 strikeouts across six starts and 34 1/3 innings pitched. He’s allowed just 10 runs on the season, but eight of those 10 have come in his last two starts, in which he allowed four to both the Yankees and Houston Astros.
Bassitt’s first season with the Blue Jays was spectacular, as he went 16-8 with a 3.60 ERA and finished 10th in Cy Young voting. Last season didn’t go the same at all, as he went 10-14 with a 4.16 ERA and finished the year with a -0.1 WAR.
If he is indeed floated on the trade market, there will be plenty of suitors. The San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs are three that instantly come to mind.
It is unlikely the 36-year-old would net a huge prospect haul, but the Blue Jays would certainly be able to get one or two young, high-upside prospects in return. If Toronto finds itself out of contention when the calendar hits July, Bassitt is almost certain to be on the move and playing elsewhere for the remainder of the season
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