With the trade deadline fast approaching, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Red Sox infield logjam coming to a head:
Red Sox infielder Pablo Reyes has been on the injured list for just over a month due to an abdominal strain, and most of that time has been spent on a rehab assignment. That rehab assignment is set to expire today, meaning the club will be forced to either roster or DFA Reyes, who is out of options, by the start of tomorrow’s game. That will create a logjam of middle infielders who can’t be optioned on the roster, with Enrique Hernandez, Yu Chang, and Christian Arroyo all also fitting that description.
While this logjam would seemingly create a situation where the Red Sox must trade or DFA a player in that group, MLB.com’s Ian Browne indicated yesterday that Arroyo is dealing with a jammed right thumb. If Arroyo, who hasn’t played since July 18, were to require a trip to the 10-day injured list, that would kick the can down the road for Boston until after the trade deadline on August 1, allowing them to keep all four players in the organization for longer and preserve leverage in trade negotiations.
2. Wainwright to return:
The Cardinals are turning to veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright to start today’s game against the Diamondbacks, as manager Oli Marmol told reporters (including Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). It’s been a disastrous season for Wainwright to this point, as the 41-year-old hurler posted a ghastly 7.66 ERA with a strikeout rate of just 11% against a 7.5% walk rate in 11 starts before going on the injured list with a shoulder strain earlier this month. Upon returning, Wainwright will look to rebound as he sits just two victories away from the 200th win of his enduring 18-year major league career.
3. Series Preview: Reds @ Brewers:
The Reds head to American Family Field in Milwaukee today for a three-game set against the Brewers with the NL Central lead on the line. In back-to-back three-game sets separated by the All-Star break, Cincinnati has ceded significant ground to Milwaukee by losing five of six. Outside of those games against the Brewers, however, the Reds have gone 10-3 in the month of July and are currently riding a five-game win streak. That success has allowed them to stay just half a game back of Milwaukee headed into the coming series.
Tonight’s game will feature young right-hander Graham Ashcraft (5.77 ERA) facing off against journeyman Colin Rea (4.64 ERA), while tomorrow’s game will offer a pitching duel between rookie Andrew Abbott (2.10 ERA) and ace Corbin Burnes (3.48 ERA). The series will wrap with Brewers hurler Freddy Peralta (4.72 ERA) taking the mound against Reds righty Ben Lively (3.88 ERA). The series kicks off this evening at 7:10pm CT.