Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today's games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Thanks for being here. With the Trade Deadline just two days away (Thursday, 6 p.m. ET), rumors are swirling around a pair of All-Star outfielders: Steven Kwan of the Guardians and Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox. Kwan wasn't viewed as a likely trade candidate at the start of the week, but that may be starting to change as Cleveland shifts its Deadline approach. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Kwan is drawing significant interest, with the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies and Padres among the teams said to be in the mix. Robert's market has also heated up along with his bat. Per Rosenthal, the Mets, Phillies and Padres are in on Robert, who had a .584 OPS when he came off his latest IL stint on July 8 but has slashed .318/.412/.545 with three homers and four steals in July. While Kwan and Robert are both appealing trade targets for clubs in need of outfield help, the two come with starkly different profiles. Both are well regarded as defenders, though Kwan has spent almost his entire career in left field, while Robert has never played another position besides center field. Kwan doesn't offer much power, but he is one of MLB's best contact hitters, ranking in the 100th percentile in whiff rate and the 99th percentile in strikeout rate this year while slashing .287/.351/.411 (111 OPS+) with nine homers and 20 doubles over 100 games. Robert, meanwhile, is on the other end of the contact spectrum and also has a lengthy injury history, making him more of a boom-or-bust proposition. But, as our own Mike Petriello detailed here, his combination of power, speed and defense remains eminently intriguing, especially when he has a 38-homer, 20-steal season on his résumé. And while both Kwan and Robert are controllable through 2027, they differ in the financial arena as well. Kwan is earning $4.175 million this season and has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining. Robert's 2025 salary is $15 million, and his contract includes a pair of $20 million club options. -- Thomas Harrigan |
The baseball world lost one of its finest with the passing of Ryne Sandberg last night. The 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glover and seven-time Silver Slugger burst onto the scene as the young star of a 1984 Cubs team that snapped a 39-year postseason drought. He won the NL MVP that season, propelled by his epic performance on national TV in what became known simply as The Sandberg Game.
He was a Chi-town hero for a generation of fans, captivating the city with not only his play, but also his presence. Kind and generous off the field, the soft-spoken second baseman from Spokane, Wash., was much more than a baseball player, and his time with the Cubs contained much more than a singular, sun-soaked afternoon at Wrigley. In remembrance of the Hall of Famer's life and legacy, you can dive into his playing days with this look at the best moments from Sandberg's storied career.
-- Ismail Soyugenc |
These next 48 hours or so are about as pressure packed as it gets for MLB front offices. The clock is ticking, and executives across the league are reaching for their coffee mugs (and probably their antacids, too.) But of course, that pressure is more intense on some teams than others. As our Will Leitch writes, some clubs should be feeling a particular urgency to be aggressive, whether it's to bolster their chances to reach October or to fortify their roster for a title run. Let's focus on one contender apiece from those two categories: The playoff hopeful: Reds Since sweeping the Dodgers in the 1995 NL Division Series, this franchise has won just two postseason games and may want to seize any opportunity to make a run at it. And there is a clear opportunity here: The Reds enter Tuesday just two games out of the last NL Wild Card spot, with no other teams between them and the Padres (44-46 since a 14-3 start). Manager Terry Francona could use at least one power bat and at least one power arm for the back of his bullpen. The all-in title contender: Phillies FanGraphs had Philly's postseason odds at 94.4% entering Tuesday, but an NL East title, top-two NL seed and first-round playoff bye remain up for grabs. More to the point, this team's time is now, after three straight agonizing October exits and with a core made up mostly of stars in their early-to-mid 30s.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has never been shy about making deals, even ones that involve parting with major prospects. How many chips is he willing to push in this time around, perhaps for a difference-making center fielder, corner infielder or shutdown closer?
-- Andrew Simon |
MLB.TV FREE DEADLINE PREVIEW |
There has already been a flurry of activity leading up to the Trade Deadline on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, with Ryan McMahon going to the Yankees, Josh Naylor moving to Seattle and Chris Paddack switching teams within the AL Central. How will those moves translate for contenders or for teams looking to restock for the future? The best way to find out is on MLB.TV. Starting today through Thursday, fans can watch every out-of-market game for free during the Trade Deadline Free Preview (blackout and other restrictions apply). No credit card is required. All you need is an MLB.com account. Until the next move is made, why not sit back and enjoy The Show? |
NOW YOU CAN TAKE YOUR CUTS AT BRISTOL |
One of the best things about MLB The Show is the feeling that you are actually playing in a big league stadium. The developers painstakingly recreate even the smallest nuances for each park, bringing them to life on your screen.
Even with a record crowd expected at the MLB Speedway Classic, not everyone will be able to attend in person on Saturday, but gamers from around the globe can now put themselves in the center of all of the action at the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway.
As of today, MLB The Show 25 has a live update to add "Last Great Colosseum" as its newest playable ballpark, plus plenty of other new Speedway Classic-related features. Check out all of the details here.
-- Ed Eagle
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