Busy trading deadline
Did Red Sox make out the best?/Yankees demote Volpe
Good morning, all and happy Tuesday!
It was a busy trade deadline for MLB, although some of the big names predicted to go did not. Zach Neto is still a Los Angeles Angel. Hunter Goodman is still with the Colorado Rockies. Luis Robert Jr. remains a New York Met. Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells stay anchored with the New York Yankees. Rafael Devers is still a San Francisco Giant.
That said it was an active trade mart, right up until the deadline last night at 6:00 ET. And IMHO, the Boston Red Sox made out as well as anybody with the acquisition of catcher Adley Rutschman from their division rivals the Baltimore Orioles and reliever Erik Miller from the San Francisco Giants. I know everyone is giving the blue ribbon to the Los Angeles Dodgers for landing Tarik Skubal, but the Red Sox are a better team now than yesterday.
What the Red Sox have done is not only a remarkable story this season but one of the most amazing baseball stories in my lifetime. To go from 14 games under .500 to 60-51 with a lineup essentially made up of substitutes, replacing injured starters, is beyond explanation.
The Red Sox have been nearly unbeatable for six weeks, going 28-5. That they went 6-1 on their latest road trip, including a sweep of the two-time defending Dodgers in LA, is stupendous. Now they have fortified themselves in two areas that needed addressing, catching and the bullpen.
To be fair, the acquisition of Rutschman, for whom they paid dearly, is risky. The three-time All-Star has had an injury-prone career, including now, where he is on the IL with an inflamed wrist. Trading the oft-injured Marcelo Mayer for Giants reliever Erik Miller, is not as risky. Mayer has been a bust, despite his potential upside, because he is always hurt. The Giants are rolling the dice on this one, for which they have nothing to lose, seeing this once glorious franchise is buried in the standings.
Everyone keeps talking about Tampa Bay - also active in the trade mart - and the Yankees - who added to their offense with Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos - as being the teams fighting for the AL East Division crown. At the risk of sounding repetitive, do not rule out the Red Sox. This is a close team made up of players who cannot wait to get to the ballpark everyday.
Also do not forget of the three division contenders, the schedule favors Boston. They have one series outside of the eastern time zone - in Texas - the rest of the season. Tampa Bay still has one trip out west and the Yankees two. The Red Sox could very well win the division and go on to the World Series.
With so many trades made yesterday, here is the best link for a recap: mlbtraderumors.com.
Yankees demote Volpe
After last night’s pounding at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals, 13-7, the New York Yankees announced major roster changes on top of the two trades they made (see above story). Former number one draft pick Anthony Volpe was demoted to AAA and George Lombard Jr. was promoted. He is expected to be in the starting lineup for tonight’s game against St. Louis.
Also, outfielder Jasson Dominguez and reliever Angel Chivilli were farmed out to AAA. Chivilli, the former Hartford Yard Goat with the high octane fastball, had pitched well, until last night. Entering in the eighth inning with a 0.62 ERA, he gave away the Yankees comeback from a 6-0 deficit, by getting pounded by the Cards, allowing six runs, including three home runs.
As for Volpe, who had a promising start to his career, winning a Gold Glove in his rookie season (2023), it has been downhill since for the New Jersey native, who grew up a Derek Jeter fan.
Having broadcast numerous games involving both players, Lombard, who was the Yankees first round selection in 2023 and whose dad coaches for the Detroit Tigers, is a better defender and hitter. I also had a well-respected scout tell me in May Lombard would be the Yankees shortstop by late season, that’s how well he scored in his evaluation. Lombard’s name would always come up in trade negotiations and was told his name was off the table.
Why didn’t the Yankees try to trade Volpe and/or Dominguez? Perhaps they did and found no takers.
It’s possible they might have Volpe learn second base in the minors. Current second baseman Jazz Chisholm is a free agent at season’s end, whose on field demeanor has worn thin. Besides, Volpe has always been a favorite of GM Brian Cashman.
As for Dominguez, it would appear the once highly-touted international free agent’s days as a Yankee are over. Look, however, for Chivilli to return. He has an electric arm with a nasty changeup. It’s just that his changeup betrayed him last night. It happens and the Yankees have no more room for experimentation at this juncture. Once in first place with a 14-game edge in the loss column over the rival Red Sox, New York has slid into second place, while the oncharging Red Sox now trail them by one game on the all important loss side.
With Cashman and manager Aaron Boone both feeling the heat, last night’s roster shake up should not be a surprise.
Good for Notre Dame-USC
I am so happy to see that Notre Dame and USC have renewed their football rivalry. Except for the pandemic year, the two schools met each season from 1946-2025. When USC joined the Big Ten in 2024, they made a point of stating they did not want to play non-conference games after September. Their game with Notre Dame was always in October or November.
Both sides realized it was smart to continue the rivalry, so it will resume, starting in 2030. Four games have been scheduled, beginning that year. The two teams will play in Los Angeles on Aug. 31, 2030 and in South Bend on Aug. 30, 2031. The 2032 and 2033 games will be scheduled in the first three weeks of the season.
I had the thrill of going to the 1984 game at the LA Coliseum in November of that year and remember it like yesterday. The atmosphere was electric and being in that historic venue sent chills up my spine.
That both schools had the presence of mind to renew one of college football’s great rivalries is a good thing for the sport. Bring it on!
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you so much for being a subscriber and have a terrific Tuesday!
DAN