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New York Times
13 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
A key piece in Cardinals bullpen, Phil Maton is prepared to be traded at deadline — again
ST. LOUIS — Phil Maton has done this drill before. He is no stranger to trade deadline deals. The 32-year-old has been traded three times in July throughout his nine-year career. With the St. Louis Cardinals expecting to shop their rental relievers, the odds of a fourth trade are high. If he had a choice, Maton would remain with the Cardinals. But he also knows his role as a high-leverage reliever often comes with the most turnover. It's an unfortunate reality of the business. Advertisement 'It's hard enough to be a big leaguer. It's even harder to stay in the big leagues,' Maton said. 'Especially as a reliever. It's hard to get contracts and constantly keep coming back and having teams want to pay you money over bringing up young talent.' It's no secret relievers are volatile; it's what makes them so valuable come the deadline. Maton's value is at a high. He entered play Monday with a 2.35 ERA over 40 appearances. He's dazzled in late relief for St. Louis, registering a whiff rate and strikeout rate both over 30 percent. He's done so with one of the slowest average velocities in the game, but one of the best spin rates. 'You think about where this team is without Phil,' manager Oli Marmol said over the weekend, 'it gets ugly real quick.' The Cardinals clubhouse has lauded Maton all year, with veterans admiring his demeanor on the mound and rookies crediting him for passing along his staunch preparation techniques. There is internal hope within the clubhouse that he'll remain with the club. But as Thursday's deadline trickles near, Maton is facing reality — and is again prepared to be on the move. 'You just have to try to look at it as a positive,' he said from the home dugout at Busch Stadium on Monday. 'It's not always what you want to do, but it's always something to learn. There's always an opportunity to improve and there's always different personnel where you go. So you just try to make the most of all those opportunities.' Phil Maton's 3Ks in the 11th…and Sword. ⚔️ — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 21, 2025 Not all trade scenarios are created equal. Maton was in Triple A when he was first traded from the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Guardians, a move he described as 'probably saving my career.' He began establishing himself over the next three seasons and was admittedly caught off guard when Cleveland dealt him and catcher Yainer Diaz to the Houston Astros in 2021 on the day of the trade deadline. Advertisement 'The Houston trade was very surprising to me,' Maton recalled. 'We were saying goodbye to other guys on the Cleveland team. I was heading out of my hotel room to go to the field and had to turn right back around and pack my stuff.' It was in Houston where Maton emerged as a durable arm, though. He missed the Astros' entire 2022 playoff run (and World Series championship) due to a broken finger he sustained punching a wall after the final game of the regular season. He elected free agency after the 2023 season, where he logged a 3.00 ERA over 68 appearances with a 10.1 strikeout-per-nine-innings rate. Maton signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, but struggled in the first half. With the Rays selling, he figured he'd be on the move. He was right. Maton was traded to the New York Mets in early July and became a pivotal member of the bullpen during the team's second-half run to the postseason. 'The trade last year wasn't all too surprising,' he said. 'The front office and people in Tampa are awesome people, they're very transparent. 'They don't like spending money. I wasn't throwing well. There was an opportunity to offload my salary, and they took the opportunity. We saw it coming, we knew it was going to happen.' Now Maton is back in familiar territory. He should be a coveted reliever this week. The trade deadline always favors the sellers, and while the Cardinals have not definitively declared themselves as such, their 55-53 record and place in the standings (nine games back in the National League Central, three games back in the wild-card) suggest they will be. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak is prepared to wait out contending teams as he fields interest in Maton, closer Ryan Helsley and set-up men Steven Matz and JoJo Romero. All but Romero will be free agents at the end of the year; he has one remaining year of team control. Maton is arguably the most ideal acquisition of the four pitchers, at least from a cost perspective. He signed a one-year, $2 million deal with St. Louis in March and is owed roughly $700,000 for the remainder of the season. But contending teams also will be intrigued by his veteran pedigree and extensive postseason experience. His performance this year won't hurt either. Advertisement There is some irony in being so highly desired after Maton spent the majority of the offseason unsigned, and that does play into why he would like to stay with the Cardinals. 'After dealing with all the teams in the offseason and their disinterest, I would prefer to stay here,' Maton said. 'This is where we signed our contract for, and where we committed our summer to. But we weren't really negotiating from any place of leverage this offseason, from a no-trade clause standpoint or anything, so whatever they do, it is what it is. But I've enjoyed my time here.' Maton, however, has been in this game long enough and understands how the business operates. His wife, Katelynn, has started packing their apartment in St. Louis — just in case. The Cardinals, who hold the leverage here, are in no rush to part with any of their players. Maton knows the next few days could be grueling as traction starts to pick up, but similar to how he pitches, he'll do his best to block out the noise. 'Regardless of what happens, we'll be ready to stay here or go,' he said. 'I'm just trying to keep my mind off it as much as possible.' (Top photo of Phil Maton pitching: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Should the Giants trade Camilo Doval? Rival execs think it's a disservice not to consider it
SAN FRANCISCO — Teams like the San Francisco Giants, firmly in the playoff race and just one month removed from acquiring star Rafael Devers, do not trade their closers. Once Thursday's deadline passes, right-hander Camilo Doval is indeed expected to remain a part of the team's bullpen. But are the Giants missing an opportunity? Advertisement Rival executives wonder if the Giants should entertain offers for Doval given San Francisco's needs elsewhere and the general state of the reliever market. It's not too crazy of an idea. High-end relievers are in demand. But the teams dangling those pitchers such as the Minnesota Twins (Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax) and Cleveland Guardians (Cade Smith, Emmanuel Clase), to name a couple, are notoriously hard to strike deals with, executives say. An opportunistic team might be able to take advantage. The Giants are at least positioned to do so. Their bullpen has been such a team strength all season that they could afford to subtract from a group that ranks second in the majors in bullpen ERA (3.23, behind only the San Diego Padres), third in opponent's OPS (.643, behind only the Padres and Boston Red Sox) and first in WHIP (1.16). Doval, 28, is under club control through the 2027 season, making him all the more valuable. Although Doval regained the closer role in late May, supplanting struggling right-hander Ryan Walker, All-Star Randy Rodríguez, another righty, would appear primed to step into the ninth inning. Rodríguez has emerged as not only the Giants' best reliever but one of the best in the major leagues. Before giving up solo home runs to the Mets' Ronny Mauricio and Juan Soto during a 5-3 loss on Sunday, Rodríguez had been scoreless in 40 of his 43 appearances, with a 0.82 ERA, along with 59 strikeouts and eight walks in 43 2/3 innings. He had allowed just one home run all season – to the Padres' Xander Bogaerts on April 29. Doval, an All-Star in 2023, has rebounded nicely following a disastrous 2024 season in which he was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento in August and finished with a 4.88 ERA. He's also made improvements that two coaching staffs spent years coaxing him to address, slide stepping to control the running game and reducing issues with the pitch clock. His arm talent continues to be undeniable — his cutter averages 98.1 mph — but it's fair to wonder if Giants management would feel ultra-confident watching him pitch in October with a season on the line. Subtracting from the bullpen could allow the Giants to address other pressing roster weaknesses, potentially down the stretch and in future seasons if they can acquire an athletic position player with years of club control. The Giants' immediate need is for rotation filler behind All-Stars Logan Webb and Robbie Ray; over the past week, they placed right-hander Landen Roupp on the injured list with elbow inflammation and sent erratic right-hander Hayden Birdsong to work on his control issues in Sacramento. Advertisement But a lack of offensive dynamism continues to be their most persistent issue. The Giants went 0-for-23 with runners in scoring position while getting swept in three home games by the Mets over the weekend. They have finished 29th and 30th in the majors in stolen bases in each of the last two seasons, literally getting passed by following rule changes that MLB implemented to incentivize risk taking on the basepaths. They hoped for a more athletic lineup this season but center fielder Jung Hoo Lee hasn't attempted to run much and speedy Opening Day second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald didn't hit enough to stay in the big leagues. Incredibly, the Giants have attempted just two stolen bases in July. (The cynical upshot: they haven't been caught stealing since June 25.) Despite losing 9 of their last 11 games, the industry views the Giants as a buyer. They are 54-52 and just three games back for the final wild card spot. It is highly likely that the only way they would even consider trading off their major-league roster is if they get major-league talent in return that makes them a stronger overall club. The way some rival executives see it, if dangling Doval can achieve that goal, the Giants would be doing themselves a disservice to ignore it.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Twins' Griffin Jax 'emotionally torn' on prospect of potential trade
The post Twins' Griffin Jax 'emotionally torn' on prospect of potential trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. Minnesota Twins reliever Griffin Jax is among the names swirling in trade rumors ahead of the MLB deadline. As a high-leverage arm, Jax understands the business side of the game, and now that reality is hitting close to home. With the Twins exploring moves involving several key players, Jax finds himself at the center of speculation. Yet even as his name circulates in trade talks, his heart remains firmly rooted in Minneapolis. 'Odds are I'm not going to finish my career here,' Jax admitted, reflecting on the looming uncertainty. 'That's just kind of like the trajectory of a lot of high-end relievers. That's typically the path.' Griffin Jax's loyalty to the Twins, who drafted him in 2016, makes his situation especially gut-wrenching. 'I'm emotionally torn because a huge part of me wants nothing to do but to spend the rest of my career here,' he said. 'This is basically all they've known. But at the same time, it's exciting to see.' Jax, 30, has quietly become a cornerstone of the Twins bullpen, posting a 3.74 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 43.1 innings this season. He's arbitration-eligible and under Twins control through 2026, which makes him both valuable and vulnerable as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Minnesota's front office, reportedly influenced by ownership uncertainty and financial recalibration, is weighing potential deals for controllable assets, including Jax. The Twins aren't in full teardown mode, yet. Playoff hopes are slipping, and a sale of the team is expected soon. As a result, the front office is shaping its decisions with an eye on both the future and the present. Jax, along with starters Joe Ryan and reliever Jhoan Duran, is drawing interest from contenders. For now, he remains in uniform and in limbo, preparing for another high-leverage moment. Griffin Jax doesn't know if it will come in a Twins jersey or somewhere else. If this is indeed the end of the road in Minnesota, Jax is doing his best to savor every moment. He has openly cherished his time with the Twins and promises his feelings for the organization will stay the same, no matter what comes next. Related: MLB rumors: Mariners linked to Twins trade as Eugenio Suarez backup plan Related: Twins rumors: The sneaky factor behind potential trade deadline fire sale
New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Large contingent of arbitration-eligible Twins weigh trade possibilities: ‘Emotionally torn'
LOS ANGELES — He's on a small-market club with a long list of arbitration-eligible players about to receive significant pay raises. Seeing as the club appears to be a seller, Twins reliever Griffin Jax almost expects he'll be traded before the July 31 trade deadline. Along with All-Star starting pitcher Joe Ryan and closer Jhoan Duran, Jax, who has two-plus seasons of team control remaining, promises to be one of the most discussed Twins over the next week and would certainly bring a windfall if he were traded. Even though the front office intends to listen to offers on the trio, as well as any of the team's eight other arb-eligible players, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports uncertainty surrounding the sale of the team could result in the group staying put. Advertisement Either way, Jax and some of his fellow arb-eligible teammates aren't sure a long-term future with the Twins is in the cards. Jax cited the Twins' 2022 trade of Taylor Rogers and similar deals made by the Milwaukee Brewers, who surrendered Josh Hader and Devin Williams, as reasons he thinks his time in Twins Territory is limited. 'Odds are I'm not going to finish my career here,' Jax said. 'That's just kind of like the trajectory of a lot of high-end relievers. That's typically the path. I'm emotionally torn because a huge part of me wants nothing to do but to spend the rest of my career here. This is basically all they've known. But at the same time, it's exciting to see.' Unless their fortunes turn around quickly, the Twins are likely to deal most of a group of six impending free agents before July 31. Those players earn approximately $34.5 million combined this season. But even with that money coming off the books, the budget will be tight because of an estimated $50 million owed to an arb-eligible group, which includes: Bailey Ober, Ryan Jeffers, Cole Sands, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Brock Stewart, Justin Topa and Michael Tonkin. 'It's gonna get interesting,' Jeffers said. The internal belief is a large group of suitors would pursue Duran, who was the American League reliever of the month for May, and Jax. Ryan should be extremely popular, too. But Twins are unlikely to move any of the trio unless the return makes a meaningful impact in quick order. Whether pitching-hungry contenders would meet the Twins' excessive price remains to be seen. Of course, none of this would be necessary if the Twins simply played better. 'If we're winning, I think they're going to figure out how to keep all of us in place,' Jeffers said. 'If we are not winning, then maybe they look at ways to reshuffle what's in the locker room. When you're a team that is kind of in a spot to potentially start selling, (trade talk) creeps on your mind more.' Advertisement Twins president Derek Falvey rarely tells opposing teams he won't listen to offers. Listening provides information on players who may be available and can lead to trades down the road. Falvey always notes how the Pablo López trade was the result of talks with the Miami Marlins which occurred ahead of the January 2023 deal. 'We're open to being creative,' Falvey said in December. 'We can't rule anything out before we hear it, no matter who the player is. We'll just be respectful of their process, what they are going through and trying to kick some creative ideas around.' Knowing the realities facing the Twins, Jax is open to entertaining the idea of being traded. Not only would he like to receive a long-term deal, Jax wants to win. Hard as being traded from his only organization would be, securing multiple desires wouldn't bother Jax. 'We know that there's going to be a lot of pieces moved at different times,' Jax said. 'They add and subtract at all times to help boost the major-league roster. … It's a compliment to know that there's other teams out there that really think that I could help push them forward. It's sad, but at the same time, it's exciting.' Three big innings from the offense and an all-out effort by the pitching staff propelled the Twins to a big victory on Tuesday. Christian Vázquez and Royce Lewis each drove in three runs, Carlos Correa scored four times and the Twins received enough from seven pitchers to top the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 at Dodger Stadium. Ty France also scored three runs for the Twins, who gained a game in the wild-card race and leap frogged one team in the standings. With the victory, the Twins moved back to within four games of the third-place Boston Red Sox, one of five teams ahead of them for the final wild-card spot. Advertisement 'That's the type of quality winning baseball we need,' pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson said. 'Sometimes it takes everybody to grab an oar and get in the boat together and paddle. Great team win.' Working lengthy, patient plate appearances, the Twins jumped on All-Star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the second inning. Correa singled and France walked, which led to an RBI fielder's choice by Lewis. One out later, Vázquez hit a booming double to drive in two runs and make it 3-0. Though they didn't score again versus Yamamoto, the Twins drove up his pitch count and he exited after five innings. The Twins then took advantage of a wild and beat-up Dodgers bullpen, scoring seven runs over the final four innings. They tagged Los Angeles relievers Ben Casparius and Will Klein for three runs each after each walked three batters. Lewis forced in a run with a walk in the sixth inning and Vázquez singled in another as the Twins grabbed a 6-3 lead. They stretched the lead to 9-5 in the seventh when Edgardo Henriquez fielded Lewis's bases-loaded nubber and threw it away, which cleared the bases. TWINS CAPITALIZE!!! — (@twinstv) July 23, 2025 Correa and France each doubled in the ninth inning, which led to another run. 'We stayed very disciplined,' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'We tried to just force them into the zone. I think our guys were watching the game, paying attention to other guys' at-bats, and then taking those thoughts to the plate themselves. And when we did get some pitches, we hit pitches good too. … There was a lot of nodding and approval in the dugout.' The sixth of seven Twins pitchers, reliever Anthony Misiewicz tweaked his pectoral muscle in the eighth inning. Working with a four-run lead, Misiewicz walked the first batter he faced and was removed after Baldelli spotted him react poorly to a warmup pitch during an instant replay challenge. Advertisement The injury resulted in Jhoan Duran closing out the contest with two innings pitched. Duran surrendered a homer to Shohei Ohtani, the first he'd yielded since June 21, 2024. Luke Keaschall started at designated hitter for a fourth straight game, finishing 1-for-4 on Tuesday in Triple-A St. Paul's loss. Keaschall is 4-for-16 with three walks during his rehab assignment. … Ober threw a bullpen session Tuesday and will make another rehab start with St. Paul on Friday. (Photo of Griffin Jax: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers put Tanner Scott on IL, but hopeful he returns this season
The Dodgers still want, and need, to acquire a reliever in the next nine days. But, at some point after July 31 trade deadline, they are hopeful of adding Tanner Scott back into the bullpen mix too. In what could be the latest bullet the Dodgers have dodged on the injury front recently, Scott was put on the injured list Tuesday with what was initially described as 'elbow inflammation' — preserving hope that his season might not be over after exiting Monday's game with a 'stinging sensation' in his forearm. As of Tuesday afternoon, manager Dave Roberts and general manager Brandon Gomes said the club was awaiting its medical staff to fully review the results of an MRI exam that Scott had earlier in the day. But both noted that Scott, who turned 31 on Tuesday, reported improvement in his elbow compared to how he felt Monday, when he walked off the mound flexing his throwing arm after spiking a slider in the dirt during the ninth inning of the Dodgers' series-opening win over the Minnesota Twins. Read more: Tanner Scott injury overshadows big nights from Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith in Dodgers win 'Tanner came in feeling pretty good,' Gomes said, 'so we'll wait to see the full report and go from there." 'I'm still hopeful that we'll get Tanner back at some point,' Roberts added. Scott has underwhelmed in the first season of his four-year, $72-million contract with the team, posting a 4.14 ERA in 47 outings with only 19 saves in 26 opportunities. However, losing him for the season would have been a significant blow to a Dodgers team that has already seen key reliever Evan Phillips undergo Tommy John surgery, and navigated around long-term injuries to Blake Treinen (who is nearing the completion of a rehab assignment), Michael Kopech (who is hopeful of returning from the 60-day IL when eligible in late August) and Brusdar Graterol (who is still expected back from an offseason shoulder surgery that has sidelined him all year). 'He's not throwing the baseball as well as he's gonna be throwing the baseball,' Roberts said, maintaining hope not only that Scott will return but also flash improved form down the stretch this year. 'But just to have somebody that's there, that takes the baseball, has been huge.' Of course, Scott's troubles (along with similar scuffles from fellow offseason signing Kirby Yates) have highlighted the need for the Dodgers to target another high-leverage reliever at this year's deadline and bolster a bullpen that ranks 24th in ERA and a far-and-away first in innings pitched. Before Scott's injury Monday, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said 'any time a needle-moving player is available, we're gonna get involved,' when asked how aggressive the team will be in addressing its bullpen need. To that end, there should be no shortage of attractive options, with as many as nine top relievers expected to be available to some degree — from Minnesota Twins flamethrower Jhoan Durán, to multi-time All-Stars such as Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates, to established veteran closers such as the Tampa Bay Rays' Pete Fairbanks and Baltimore Orioles' Félix Bautista, and maybe even young Athletics star Mason Miller. Outside of St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Ryan Helsley, however, almost all of this year's biggest relief targets are under team control beyond this season. Read more: The simple adjustment the Dodgers hope will get closer Tanner Scott back on track That means acquisition costs will be high, at least in the eyes of a Dodgers' front office that has long been wary of overspending on relievers at the deadline. "The prices are always crazy come the deadline,' Gomes said. 'That's why we did everything we could this offseason to not have to be in the position to buy.' The Dodgers do have internal depth they like. This week, the team called up Edgardo Henriquez, a hard-throwing right-hander who missed the start of the year with a broken foot, and Alexis Diaz, the former All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds. Friedman also suggested that, with Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki working toward returns from injury, there could be surplus starting pitchers who eventually get moved into the bullpen later this year. 'We feel like we're gonna get to a place where we're not gonna have enough starting pitcher spots for our starting pitching,' Friedman said. 'So there could be some spillover of that into the bullpen.' However, adding another high-leverage arm to the back end of the group remains a priority. Had Scott been lost for the year, that burden only would've grown. 'Once we get Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache's take on it, we'll obviously have more clarity,' said Roberts, who plans to go closer-by-committee in Scott's absence. 'But right now, him talking to the training staff, we feel good about it.' Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
