MLB Rumors: Even White Sox players don't want to be in Chicago anymore
The Chicago White Sox are currently sitting 31-41 in the AL Central, five games out of first place.
Being in arguably the most underachieving division in the MLB and still ranking third could mean the White Sox look to make some desperate moves at the trade deadline. How the next month plays out will determine whether Chicago chooses to sell or buy, with the latest potential shake-up stemming from a report that a few vets would "welcome" a trade come August.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote of the discontentment in the White Sox clubhouse:
Several veterans in the Chicago White Sox organization have privately expressed that they would welcome a trade, and considering the way they are playing, may soon get their wish.
None of the players, however, have formally asked the White Sox front office to trade them.
A former report by The Athletic stated that Chicago is only willing to trade rental players, assuming they become sellers. Again, the White Sox are only five games out of first place, so it's not immediately clear that the club will choose to rebuild this summer.
Nightengale doesn't name specifically which players have expressed their desire for a trade and lets the guessing game begin. Tim Anderson? Eloy Jimenez? Luis Robert? Or will the Chicago stick to its original statement of only shopping rental players?
MLB Rumors: Diamondbacks could have shocking trade deadline approach
Leading the NL West by four games, the Arizona Diamondbacks have put themselves firmly in the driver's seat as calm and collected buyers at the trade deadline. One MLB insider, however, believes Arizona may not necessarily go all-in or adopt an uber-aggressive approach in August.
The club simply can't afford it.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote in his latest column (subscription required):
So, might the Diamondbacks, leading the NL West by two games, take a more aggressive approach than they otherwise might at the deadline? Probably not. The Diamondbacks want to sustain success, and a major push would leave them no guarantee for the present and possibly compromise them in the future.
Per Rosenthal, the Diamondbacks are not a high-revenue team and therefore they don't just have extra money to throw around. They have to make prudent, calculated decisions with their future trades, so they may not end up adding that much talent.
D-backs general manager Mike Hazen appeared on the New York Post's baseball podcast "The Show" in early June and all but confirmed that Arizona would be buyers at the deadline, aiming to shore up nearly every position.
The D-backs' pitching rotation and bullpen could see the most changes this summer as Arizona looks to get Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly some extra help. While Arizona will probably add a few pieces, going all-in at the deadline may prove fatal for the club's long-term future. They still want to win, just not win at that high of a cost.
MLB Rumors: Pirates call up top prospect Henry Davis
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they were calling up 2021 first-overall pick Henry Davis on Monday, as reported by Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Davis could make his major league debut as soon as Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs, climbing the ladder from Triple-A to the MLB within the span of just a handful of games.
The Louisville native and highly touted catcher is considered a cornerstone franchise piece for the Pirates, and Pittsburgh apparently has seen enough from him to promote him to the big leagues. Davis slashed .286/.432/.514 in 45 plate appearances at Triple-A.
Davis' call-up raises several questions, the biggest of which is who on the Pirates' current roster will get pushed out. Austin Hedges and Jason Delay have split catching duties this season, but with Davis joining the roster on Monday, one of those guys will likely get sent down. Come the trade deadline, the Pirates may also think about shopping Delay or Hedges and see if they can boost their position in the NL Central in the final two months of the season.