How's ex-Red Sox prospect traded to Yankees for Carlos Narváez doing?
The AL East rivals don't often make trades with each other, although deals between the two sides have been more common this decade.
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Boston and New York traded with each other only twice from 1997-2020. But they have completed four trades since 2021. The latest came at the Winter Meetings in December when Boston acquired catcher Carlos Narváez for pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and $250,000 in international bonus pool space.
MassLive ran a feature Thursday on Narváez who discussed the Yankees being the only team to offer him a contract when he was an amateur catcher in Venezuela.
It initially looked like only a minor trade for a depth catcher who would compete to be the backup catcher on the 2025 Opening Day roster. Narváez not only won a spot on the Opening Day roster, but he's now overtaken Connor Wong as Boston's starting catcher.
The 26-year-old is hitting .288 with a .356 on-base percentage, .456 slugging percentage, .812 OPS, five home runs, 12 doubles, 19 RBIs, 24 runs, 17 walks and 43 strikeouts in 47 games (177 plate appearances).
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He's also been one of the league's top defenders behind the plate. He's in the 97th percentile in blocks above average (6), 94th percentile in framing (4) and 81st percentile in caught stealing above average (2).
It looks like the Yankees also did well in the trade. Rodriguez-Cruz, a 21-year-old righty who reaches the upper-90s with his fastball, has made nine starts for High-A Hudson Valley this season. He is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 57 strikeouts and 22 walks in 48 innings. He's held opponents to a .177 batting average.
Lefties are batting .140 against him while righties are hitting .213.
He had 19 swings and misses in a game April 25 against Asheville, leading all High-A pitchers in whiffs that day. He had 17 in a start against Wilmington on April 18.
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Boston initially drafted Rodriguez-Cruz in the fourth round (105th overall) out of Leadership Christian in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
Baseball America ranked him the Yankees' No. 16 overall prospect entering 2025.
Narváez said Wednesday, 'Super proud to wear this uniform now with Boston. At the same time, I always say that I'm super thankful for what they (the Yankees) did for me. I grew up with them. It was nine years with them. So I'm thankful for what they did for me but at the same time, I've got a new role with a new team. The amazing thing is it's Boston. So super pumped for this trip (to New York).'
BETTING: The total for Friday's Yankees versus Red Sox game is set at 9 over on Caesars. If you're a new sports bettor and want to learn how to bet, be sure to check out our Massachusetts sports betting guide.
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
MLB trade deadline: Putting all 30 teams into tiers from full buyers to full sellers
The 2025 MLB Trade Deadline is just over a week away. Calls and inquiries from contenders to pretenders, from buyers to sellers have already begun. This year's midseason transactional extravaganza is unique for a few reasons. Notably, the upcoming free-agent class is relatively light, and the biggest pieces currently play for contenders; the Cubs, for instance, aren't trading Kyle Tucker. This means buyers are going to need to get creative to upgrade their rosters; we might see more controllable contracts switching teams than usual. Below, we'll put all 30 teams into tiers based on their outlook ahead of the trade deadline. This massive list seeks to bucket similar teams together to paint a picture of how this year's deadline will go. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Jump to a team by clicking on the links below AL East: Blue Jays | Yankees | Red Sox | Rays | Orioles AL Central: Tigers | Guardians | Twins | Royals | White Sox AL West: Astros | Mariners | Rangers | Angels | Athletics NL East: Phillies | Mets | Marlins | Braves | Nationals NL Central: Cubs | Brewers | Reds | Cardinals | Pirates NL West: Dodgers | Padres | Giants | Diamondbacks | Rockies The Brewers and the Tigers Outstanding ballclubs with strong farm systems that should be all-in, but given their transactional track records and organizational DNA, it's unlikely that the chips go flying into the pot. Milwaukee Brewers Needs: Shortstop, pitching depth The Brewers, during this period of sustained success, have never pushed all their chips in. Back at the 2021 deadline, Milwaukee had a stacked roster and 95% playoff odds and acquired ... John Curtiss and Daniel Norris. Given that track record, I'm not sure there's reason to expect anything different to happen with this year's club, which just won 11 straight and is tied with the Cubs for the best record in baseball. GM Matt Arnold will add some pieces — more bullpen depth, a versatile bench bat that can play short — but I'd be shocked if the Brewers pull off anything resembling a blockbuster. That's just not how they operate. Detroit Tigers Needs: Late-inning reliever, left-handed bat, playoff starter The Tigers, like the Brewers, are very good. Also like Milwaukee, Detroit has never shown unencumbered aggression under its current leadership group. To be fair, the Tigers have been competitive for a much shorter stretch than the Brewers, so the door's still open for president of baseball operations Scott Harris to plant his flag. His club has scuffled the past few weeks but still holds the best record in the American League. Last year, Detroit stampeded, improbably, into October behind a dominant bullpen of interchangeable parts. This year, however, that unit has been a weak link. Harris should use his deep farm system to pull off a deal for one of the many quality relievers on the market to solidify the back end of his 'pen. Full buy Teams with legitimate World Series aspirations, who, like all of us, could use a little bit of extra support. Los Angeles Dodgers Needs: Multiple high-leverage relievers, utility man While the Dodgers have questions in the rotation (injuries galore) and the lineup (Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández have been awful), it seems like they'll be focusing on bullpen upgrades at the deadline. That situation got even more dire this week, when big free-agent signee Tanner Scott headed to the IL after leaving an outing due to an arm issue. Los Angeles needs two, maybe three, more late-inning arms they trust in big spots. Thankfully, the market is flush with relievers. Also, a versatile utility guy to fill in while Kiké Hernández and Max Muncy are hurt would help. A blockbuster with the Twins for Jhoan Duran/Griffin Jax and Willi Castro feels like a no-brainer. Chicago Cubs Needs: Playoff-caliber starter, lefty-hitting infielder The surging Brewers have caught the Cubs in the NL Central, but Chicago is still tracking like a playoff club that desperately needs another frontline arm. Mitch Keller in Pittsburgh, Seth Lugo in Kansas City and Zac Gallen in Arizona feel like strong fits. Rookie third baseman Matt Shaw has been solid against lefties but looks overmatched against righties right now. Acquiring a platoon partner for Shaw could be a nice secondary maneuver for Chicago. Remember, Kyle Tucker is a free agent this winter, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is in a contract year. The Cubs simply cannot afford to crash and burn their way out of October. New York Yankees Needs: Third baseman, playoff starter, bullpen depth No contender has a more glaring positional hole than the Yanks do at the hot corner. Remove Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is once again New York's every-day second baseman, and Yankees third basemen have slashed a combined .175/.255/.252 with a .507 OPS that is far and away the lowest in MLB. Potential fixes include Arizona's Eugenio Suárez, Pittsburgh's Ke'Bryan Hayes, Kansas City's Maikel Garcia and Minnesota's Willi Castro. Also, Clarke Schmidt's season-ending injury means New York probably needs one more playoff starter behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. New York Mets Needs: Relievers, relievers, relievers It's easy to forget now, after New York's OMG October, but the Mets were relatively passive at the deadline last year. President of baseball operations David Stearns added a handful of bullpen arms and a bench bat in Jesse Winker but stayed away from any massive moves. Even though the Mets are in a stronger place this season, they'll probably stick to a similar strategy. Their bullpen, like Los Angeles', needs a boost. I'd guess they'll go for some of the bigger relievers available this time around. And it wouldn't be surprising to see Stearns rely on the position players returning from injury — Winker, Jose Siri, Starling Marte — as offensive reinforcements. Philadelphia Phillies Needs: Relievers, relievers, relievers Sound familiar? The Phillies failed to stabilize their 'pen last winter, and the unit has emerged as a real weak link. They recently acquired two potential October late-inning arms via untraditional avenues, signing free-agent veteran David Robertson to a deal and drafting Arkansas flamethrower Gage Wood with their first-round pick. But even if both of those guys are around and helpful come playoff time, the Phillies relief corps could still use new blood. 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Toronto Blue Jays Needs: Playoff starting pitcher The Jays have rocketed to the top of the AL East with an inspired run that has electrified the fan base. George Springer's renaissance to go along with the ascensions of Addison Barger and Ernie Clement have given Toronto's offense punch and stability. That rotation, meanwhile, could use a hand. Since June 1, the Jays are an AL-best 29-14, even though their starting pitchers have a combined 4.60 ERA, a mark that ranks 21st in MLB over that span. Finding another postseason-caliber arm to throw alongside José Berríos, Chris Bassit and Kevin Gausman will be priority No. 1 for Jays GM Ross Atkins. Seattle Mariners Needs: Third baseman, first baseman, bullpen depth Last deadline, the M's were aggressive, swinging a deal for outfielder Randy Arozarena. I expect them to try something similar this summer to enhance their offense. Baltimore bats Ryan O'Hearn and Ramón Laureano would both be good fits, as would a reunion with Arizona's Eugenio Suárez. On the mound, an uncharacteristic rash of pitching injuries (Bryce Miller, Collin Snider) and a bit of underperformance have left Seattle more in need of arms than you'd expect. It won't be anything world-changing, but they probably add a depth starter and a few 'pen pieces. Houston Astros Needs: Starting pitcher, position-player depth The first-place Astros are a bizarrely constructed, extremely injured ballclub. Four of their best position players — Isaac Paredes, Jeremy Peña, Jake Meyers and Yordan Alvarez — are on the IL, as are Opening Day rotation pieces Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco. The 'Stros could use reinvigoration in a lot of places, but acquiring a playoff-caliber starter feels like the most impactful and obvious use of resources for an organization with a substandard farm system. Keep an eye on lefty-hitting outfield bats such as Mike Tauchman in Chicago and Mike Yastrzemski in San Francisco as well. Stand pat/thread the needle Clubs likely to either sit on their hands or participate in a little buy/sell dribble-drabble. They're too good to full sell but not good enough to full buy, so they'll do neither or both. San Francisco Giants Needs: Starting pitcher, first basemanTradable big leaguers: Mike Yazstremski Since swinging that blockbuster for Rafael Devers, the Giants are (womp-womp) 12-18. Their offense, Devers included, has been a huge disappointment over that stretch. They're 1.5 games adrift of a wild-card spot, with playoff odds teetering around 30%. New president of baseball operations Buster Posey has been impressively aggressive in his short tenure, but the Giants don't have too much left in the farm system that (1) could bring back a difference-maker and (2) they'd be willing to part with. Nobody in San Francisco, in the wake of DeversMania, is going to be frustrated if the Giants don't make headlines at the deadline. As such, I expect Posey to play it safe and hope guys such as Devers, Willy Adames and Heliot Ramos pick it up down the stretch. Los Angeles Angels Needs: Relievers, outfield batsTradable big leaguers: Yoan Moncada, Tyler Anderson, Taylor Ward, Kenley Jansen The overperforming Halos — three games under .500, four games back of a playoff spot — are unlikely to act drastically in either direction. They don't have any can't-miss pieces to sell, but they aren't a good enough ballclub to justify going all-in. This team also intends to compete in 2026, which makes parting with a controllable bat such as Taylor Ward extremely unlikely. I think they'll be pretty quiet besides a fan-base-placating deal for a veteran reliever or a bench bat. Texas Rangers Needs: Designated hitter, first baseman, any sort of offensive impactTradable big leaguers: Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, Hoby Milner, Luke Jackson, Patrick Corbin, Adolis García, Kyle Higashioka The Rangers' 3.21 ERA is the lowest in baseball by a quarter of a run, but Texas' offense has been stuck in neutral all year. Besides a bunch of rental relievers, two injured starters and Patrick Corbin, they don't have a lot to offload. I think the Rangers end up standing pat, adding a bat or two, and hoping their lineup gets hot in the second half. But if they decide to pull the plug, García should garner a lot of interest. Cincinnati Reds Needs: Third baseman, outfielder, bullpen depthTradable big leaguers: Nick Martinez, Taylor Rogers, Emilio Pagán, Austin Hays The Reds have been pretty passive at the deadline in recent years as they linger — perpetually, it seems — on the fringes of the NL playoff picture. Cincy's rotation, buoyed by Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo in the absence of Hunter Greene, has kept the Reds in it. They have the farm system to be aggressive, but it's hard to envision this front office going all-in at this point. If they do buy, they'll shop for corner bats. If they sell, it'll be a bullpen sell-off. Keep an eye on Austin Hays; he has been battling through injuries but has raked when healthy. Tampa Bay Rays Needs: Bullpen armsTradable big leaguers: Pete Fairbanks, Brandon Lowe, Danny Jansen, Zack Littell Last deadline, the Rays were within shouting distance of a playoff spot and decided to sell. They're in a bit better position this year, but given the stadium situation, their upcoming road-heavy schedule and the impending ownership change, I think the Rays lean toward selling once again. They could very well thread the needle, trying to buy and sell at the same time, but this analytically inclined, risk-averse front office isn't going to push the chips in for a team with roughly 35% playoff odds. How they operate might depend on how the next week of games plays out. The Boston Red Sox Given the roller coaster that has been their season thus far, the Boston Red Sox exist in their own tier. Needs: Positional clarity, first baseman, pitching depthTradable big leaguers: Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Abraham Toro What the hottest baseball soap opera of 2025 will do at the deadline is anyone's guess. Even after trading away Rafael Devers, the Sox have a crowded hodgepodge of outfielders and not enough playing time to go around. Dealing one of Duran or Abreu for big-league pitching makes a lot of sense, as the Red Sox's pre-break surge has them in playoff position. A passive deadline would probably lead to a volcanic uproar from the fan base, which, in the wake of Devers' departure, was promised a more active approach to trade season. Any move they make would, unlike the Devers deal, be a win-now maneuver. The teams with the keys Clubs that, if they decide to pull the plug, have enviable assets to sell. How they perform over the next eight days will likely determine their course of action at the deadline. Arizona Diamondbacks Notable impending free agents: Eugenio Suárez, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Josh Naylor, Shelby Miller, James McCann, Randal Grichuk Quite simply, the Diamondbacks will define this deadline if they choose to trade their expiring contracts. Suárez and Naylor are the two best rental bats available, while Gallen and Kelly are both capable of starting a playoff game. With Arizona's playoff odds around 15% and Corbin Burnes out for the season, selling is probably the most prudent course of action. But if the Snakes get hot over the next few days, they could switch gears, upgrade their rickety bullpen and throw caution to the wind. Minnesota Twins Notable impending free agents: Willi Castro, Danny Coulombe, Ty France, Harrison Bader, Chris PaddackOther interesting pieces: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Joe Ryan The Twins, four games back in the wild-card hunt with playoff odds around 15%, are the Diamondbacks of the American League. The major difference is that most of Minnesota's interesting pieces are under team control beyond this year. People around the game are increasingly skeptical that All-Star Joe Ryan will get moved but believe Duran and Jax could go. Castro is one of the more underrated players of the deadline: a switch-hitting utility man on an expiring contract. That versatility makes him a valuable piece and a potential upgrade to every contender's roster. St. Louis Cardinals Notable impending free agents: Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, Steven Matz, Erick Fedde, Miles MikolasOther interesting pieces: Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray The Cards are in an interesting spot. This is a transition year in St. Louis, with longtime head honcho John Mozeliak giving way to POBO-in-waiting Chaim Bloom at season's end. The consensus around the game is that the Cardinals will be minor players at the deadline, selling off some expiring contracts while maintaining their offensive core. I'm a bit skeptical, however, that Mozeliak, in his final season, is going to be content sitting on his hands when the Cards are just three games out of a wild-card spot. If they do buy, they could use a right fielder and some rotation help. If they sell, expect them to offload Helsley in return for some young, high-ceiling arms. Kansas City Royals Notable impending free agents: Seth LugoOther interesting pieces: Jonathan India, Maikel García, Vinnie Pasquantino, Kris Bubic Playoff-quality starting pitchers are difficult to come by around the deadline, which makes Lugo a very valuable commodity. He has a $15 million player option for next year, but it's more likely that he opts to hit free agency. The likeliest path forward for Kansas City is to hold on to its controllable bats, try to upgrade its feeble offense in the offseason and go for it again in 2026. That said, considering the dearth of big bats available at this deadline, there's a small chance somebody overpays for García or Pasquantino, both of whom are years away from free agency. Cleveland Guardians Notable impending free agents: Carlos Santana, Jakob JunisOther interesting pieces: Shane Bieber, Emmanuel Clase, Steven Kwan Cleveland's playoff odds have been hovering between 10 and 20% for a while now. Unless the Guards catch fire over the next week, I don't expect this hyper-rational front office will cling to pipedreams. What does that mean for Clase, who has scuffled this year after putting up an all-time relief season in '24? Well, it depends on the offers. Contenders need relievers, and Clase is a damn good one. I think the Guards are way more likely to part with a bullpen arm than a core position player such as Kwan, but if Cleveland can get great value for Clase, they'll move him. Light sell You can't have an estate sale with an empty house. These subpar teams simply don't have many expiring contracts to trade and would prefer to hold on to anybody who can help them in 2026. Atlanta Braves Notable impending free agents: Marcell Ozuna, Raisel Iglesias, Rafael Montero, Pierce JohnsonOther interesting pieces: Sean Murphy As much as it will pain president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves have to sell. And they will, at least with the expiring contracts. Ozuna was a top-10 hitter in baseball last year, but he has been awful the past two months while playing through a hip issue. A contender with bad DH production, such as San Diego or Texas or Houston, might take a flyer. Given the controllable talent still on Atlanta's roster, I doubt Anthopoulos is going to trade away anybody he thinks can help the 2026 team. Murphy, who is splitting time with breakout rookie backstop Drake Baldwin, is the one exception, but starting catchers rarely get dealt at the deadline. Miami Marlins Notable impending free agents: Cal QuantrillOther interesting pieces: Edward Cabrera, Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Sánchez, Anthony Bender Last summer, the Marlins went full firesale, trading practically anything of value. I think their deadline looks different this year. Most importantly, they aren't that bad anymore! The Fish are just one game under .500 since May 1. A few shrewd offseason moves, and they could be a sneaky dark horse next season, so don't expect anybody not listed above to move. Given the low supply of impact rotation arms on the market, I think the Marlins get an enticing package for one of Cabrera or Alcantara and hang on to the other. But remember, they don't need to trade either of those guys and could wait to get a similar haul in the winter. Athletics Notable impending free agents: Luis Urías, Sean Newcomb, Miguel AndujarOther interesting pieces: Mason Miller, Luis Severino Not much here. The A's have a good lineup full of exciting, controllable, young players they aren't going to trade. I'm sure they'd love to deal Severino, who (fairly) trashed the team's temporary stadium setup earlier this year, but he hasn't been quite good enough to warrant the return they'd want. I also don't think they'll deal Mason Miller; he's under contract through 2029. Urías is a decent utility man, and Newcomb is an inoffensive, low-leverage bullpen arm. Colorado Rockies Notable impending free agents: Germán MárquezOther interesting pieces: Ryan McMahon, Antonio Senzatela, Mickey Moniak The isolationist Rockies, notoriously difficult to trade with, cannot be evaluated as a rational actor. Even when they have interesting deadline pieces, they often hang on to them for no reason other than loyalty and vibes. McMahon will draw interest, but I'd be shocked if Colorado parts with him. A team with good pitching development probably thinks Marquez is salvageable, but that's a better free-agency play. Washington Nationals Major impending free agents: Michael Soroka, Josh Bell, Kyle FinneganOther interesting pieces: MacKenzie Gore, Nathaniel Lowe The Nats are in 'light sell' just because they don't have many expiring contracts to trade. I'm skeptical that interim GM Mike DeBartolo will deal away anyone who could help the 2026 team challenge for a wild card. Finnegan will get some nibbles, but teams are skittish about the outrageous workload he has carried for the Nats over the years. Soroka could eat innings down the stretch and move to the 'pen in October, a role in which he shined last season. Obvious full sell Anything and everything must and will go. Baltimore Orioles Major impending free agents: Ryan O'Hearn, Cedric Mullins, Zach Eflin, Gregory Soto, Seranthony DominguezOther interesting pieces: Ramón Laureano, Félix Bautista, Trevor Rogers, Ryan Mountcastle, Ramón Urías It has been a disastrously disappointing season in Birdland, so bad that the O's are a stone-cold lock to sell. They'll try to trade the guys on expiring contracts, but will GM Mike Elias go further and part with players who have multiple years of control left? Given how difficult it has been for Baltimore to develop impact pitching, I think they'll keep the arms and deal the bats. Pittsburgh Pirates Major impending free agents: Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Ferguson, Andrew Heaney, Tommy PhamOther interesting pieces: David Bednar, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Mitch Keller Yet another deadline of vaguely gesturing to the future in Pittsburgh. The Buccos are in a similar position to the Orioles — impending free agents should be gone, but the more compelling pieces have more control — except without the foundation of young talent. How and if the potential end to GM Ben Cherrington's tenure — there have been rumblings he'll be on the chopping block this winter — impacts the deadline is a storyline to watch. Chicago White Sox Major impending free agents: Adrian Houser, Luis Robert Jr., Aaron Civale, Austin SlaterOther interesting pieces: Mike Tauchman, Steven Wilson, Dan Altavilla The worst team in the American League, predictably, is open for business. After a catastrophic start to 2025, Robert has been a .779 OPS hitter since June 1. 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Newsweek
20 minutes ago
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Jarren Duran Tabbed 'Best Fit' In Trade To Struggling NL Contender
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37 minutes ago
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Misiorowski is a spectacle to behold, though he is an outlier on the Brewers' obscure, superstar-starved roster. They do not have a player who ranks in the top 40 in FanGraphs' version of wins above replacement. They do not have a player with 20 home runs. They do not have a player who ranks in the top 20 in jersey sales, and they do not have a player with an .800+ OPS. They let Willy Adames, their 2024 home run and RBI leader, sign a nine-figure deal with the Giants in December. Days later, they traded star closer Devin Williams to the Yankees. This all came a year after trading away their ace, Corbin Burnes. They do not spend money to backfill those departures, and yet, they continue to make it work by extracting the most out of their talent and upside. They have won 35 of their last 48 games after starting the year 25-28. 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The moniker bestowed upon the club by Murphy, a former college coach who seems to be the perfect fit to guide this youthful group, is not an entirely accurate description. His players are, it seems, a bunch of well-above-Average Joes. While Murphy believes the top of his lineup "hasn't scratched the surface" of what it is capable of yet, the Brewers still have seven regulars who are above league-average hitters this year. Only two teams have more. "Good teams, the lower half of the lineup contributes," Murphy said. "I think those guys are contributing." One of those contributors was the lesser-known acquisition from the Williams trade. In addition to starter Nestor Cortes, the Brewers also received a 5-foot-7-inch prospect who was drafted in the 14th round in 2021 out of Washington University in St. Louis. That player, Caleb Durbin, personifies the identity of his new club. Durbin made his MLB debut on April 18. The speedy, contact-first infielder is now among eight position players on the team worth between 1-3 fWAR. "These guys have been told they can't do it their whole lives, most of them," Murphy said. "So, it's good to have that." The Brewers rank last in barrel rate, 23rd in home runs and 22nd in slugging, but they excel in most other areas. They have the third-lowest chase rate, the fifth-lowest whiff rate and the seventh-fewest strikeouts in MLB. They rank in the top 10 in both on-base percentage and walks, and they cause havoc on the basepaths, stealing more bases than any team in the National League. "We're just really fortunate that these guys are jelling and coming together and playing hungry," Murphy said. "Play hungry, and anything's possible." By working counts, putting the ball in play and taking extra bases, the Brewers can wear opponents down. They also defend well, ranking second in outs above average to assist a pitching staff that is the primary reason for their success. Milwaukee's pitchers rank ninth in strikeouts and are adept at avoiding barrels, boasting the second-lowest hard-hit rate in MLB. The Brewers have three All-Stars on the mound in Freddy Peralta, Misiorowski — whose fastball averages 99.3 mph — and closer Trevor Megill. But it is their depth on both sides of the ball, built in part from the discards of other clubs, that has allowed them to sustain success. "The belief is there," outfielder Isaac Collins said. "Everyone's playing free." Murphy describes Collins, who was selected by the Brewers in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 draft and made the Opening Day roster after an injury to outfielder Blake Perkins, as the team's "silent hero." The 28-year-old, who now hits in the middle of the order, ranks fourth in fWAR and fifth in OPS among all MLB rookies with at least 200 plate appearances. There are similar surprises littered throughout the roster. Quinn Priester, a 2019 first-round pick of the Pirates, had a 6.46 ERA in Pittsburgh before getting traded to Boston last July and then to Milwaukee this April. The former top pitching prospect has a 3.33 ERA in 18 appearances (13 starts) with the Brewers and struck out 10 Dodgers batters in six scoreless innings on Friday in Los Angeles. First baseman Andrew Vaughn, another 2019 first-round pick, was unable to fulfill his tremendous potential with the White Sox, where he was a below-replacement level player over parts of five seasons. The 27-year-old was at Triple-A Charlotte when the Brewers offered him a fresh start, dealing from their pitching surplus when Aaron Civale requested a trade. Like Priester, Vaughn has run with the opportunity. He was called up on July 7 and homered in his first game. The Brewers have lost just once since, and he has a .943 OPS with his new club. "A kid like Vaughn, he was in the proverbial cooler in baseball," Murphy said. "He's on a team that's not going to contend, and then all of a sudden he's in Triple-A like, 'What's going on?' … Then to have that opportunity to be resurrected and respond the way he did speaks to who he is." The Brewers, who rank sixth in ERA overall and tied for second in starters' ERA, continue to churn out more arms than they can use, which should give them plenty of ammunition to add at the deadline. There is so much solid Brewers pitching, in fact, that Chad Patrick, an early contender for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, had to be optioned to Triple-A to make room for Brandon Woodruff, a two-time All-Star and the longest-tenured Brewer, whose return from a lengthy, arduous shoulder rehab has coincided with the club's winning streak. Milwaukee was 49-40 and four games back in the NL Central on July 6 when Woodruff made his first start since September 2023. He struck out eight batters and allowed one run in six innings of a 3-1 win. Two weeks later, the Brewers are 60-41 and tied for the lead in the NL Central with the Cubs, whose manager, Craig Counsell, left Milwaukee a year ago for seemingly greener pastures. That opened the door for Murphy, who was part of Counsell's staff, to take over as Milwaukee's skipper. In Murphy's first year at the helm, the Brewers exceeded expectations and won 93 games, finishing 10 games ahead of the Cubs and Cardinals. Murphy was named NL Manager of the Year, but Milwaukee's season fizzled out in the wild-card round for the second straight year. Now, this unheralded group is defying what many thought possible once again. "They remember the kind of year they had last year, a lot of them, and how it ended," Murphy said. "I think that they're still hungry." Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
