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It’s the first trade deadline since 2006 where Andrew Friedman isn’t running the Rays, but things don’t seem like they’re going to be much different with Matthew Silverman in charge of the roster instead. The president of baseball operations for the Rays, who is handling the general manager duties as well with Friedman now working for the Dodgers, doesn’t expect that Tampa Bay will need to make any kind of significant addition to the roster at the trade deadline. If they’re healthy, they’re in a good place, and if they aren’t healthy, well, then they might not be in a position to be adding, anyway.
It seems a bit odd for a team that’s just 3.5 games out of the division lead to claim they won’t be making any major changes before the trade deadline, but this is the Rays we’re talking about. Their Opening Day payroll was over $75 million, the second-highest in the organization’s history, so it’s not as if they have a whole lot of budget to play with, and they should be getting regular center fielder Desmond Jennings back in August, as well as left-handed starting pitcher Drew Smyly. Steven Souza is out with a lacerated finger, so it’s not like he’ll be gone forever, and starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi just made his final rehab start and is expected to rejoin the Rays this weekend.
So, they’re a game under .500 now, but close to a playoff spot nonetheless, and have some of their better players returning to action within the next month or so should be as good, if not better, than adding players at the deadline. The Rays’ normally small budget comes into play a bit, of course, as they won’t do anything if those players aren’t healthy like some other teams might, but the biggest thing is getting back the players they have had to be without. There is no clear, obvious titan to topple in the East, so getting healthy might be just what the Rays need to become that team.
- Statcast leaderboards are coming soon, but in the meantime, you can whet your appetite with the top 10 defensive plays of the first half, courtesy of Statcast.
- Baseball’s C.J. Wilson made fun of football’s C.J. Wilson for blowing his fingers off with fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend.
- We now know who is in the 2015 Home Run Derby, and sadly, none of the participants are Yoenis Cespedes. Now he can’t go for three Derby victories in a row and yet another hoisting of Adam Jones’ replica WWE championship belt.
- A.J. Burnett finally made his first MLB All-Star team, so who are the 10 best active players still waiting for their invitation?
- The Hartford Yard Goats don’t actually become a thing until the 2016 season, but they now have a logo as well as team gear you can buy.
- The Royals can’t afford to be without Alex Gordon for very long, but at least the All-Star break is coming up and he should be able to rest.
- Brett Gardner is bald, so A-Rod and Yankees manager Joe Girardi wore bald caps in an attempt to convince you to vote for Gardner as the Final Vote All-Star winner in the AL. Given Gordon’s injury, Gardner might not even need to be voted in.
- The Phillies reportedly backed out of a trade that would have sent Jonathan Papelbon to ... someone. It was likely the Rangers, Cubs, Dodgers or Blue Jays, so fans of all those teams should probably just get annoyed right about now.
- The Red Sox need a solution at first base with Mike Napoli unable to break out of his struggles, but don’t ask David Ortiz to be the guy. He’s aware he’s only a good spot option.
- With Josh Harrison out, the Pirates are likely going from a quiet deadline to finding a replacement. Harrison’s versatility should give them an array of options, at least.
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