A Ray of Hope for the Braves, a Puzzle for Jazz Chisholm, a Card Contest

The trade deadline is just over 48 hours away, which means the league front offices are hard at work finalizing rosters before the final stretch. This deadline was billed as quiet, with the market squeezed by the high volume of buyers relative to sellers. And yet, we’ve already seen plenty of activity, and several notable names remain involved in the conversations.

Here are the latest MLB rumors from this beautiful Sunday morning.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work at The Baseball Insiders Podcastand join the Discord for insider info as we approach the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

The St. Louis Cardinals are an obvious place to land several of the top pitchers available at the trade deadline. One of the most commonly cited targets is Chicago White Sox ace Erick Fedde, whose affordable contract and remarkable production make him an attractive option for the Cardinals, who are sorely short on pitching.

St. Louis is indeed in the mix, according to Ken Rosenthal of The AthleticThe 31-year-old pitched for the White Sox on Saturday, allowing six hits and three earned runs in four innings. This season, Fedde has a 3.11 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 21 starts (121.2 innings).

More subtle than powerful, Fedde tends to encourage ground balls with a devastating sinker, which is the highlight of his four-pitch arsenal. The Cardinals are familiar with Fedde-type pitchers, and his presence — or the presence of a generally talented ace — is desperately needed in the St. Louis rotation. Sonny Gray has been as profitable as expected, but the Cardinals are seriously lacking depth.

The Cardinals shouldn’t lack motivation to make a Fedde trade, but there will be competition. Rosenthal’s report points to the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis’ division rivals, as another suitor for Fedde. Yahoo’s Russell Dorsey, meanwhile, sees the Houston Astros as a potential obstacle on the Fedde front.

Again, there are more buyers than usual, which means the market is inherently competitive. The Cardinals would be well-advised to add Fedde to their roster in a tight race for the Wild Card, but there’s no guarantee St. Louis will come out on top.

The New York Yankees made their first big move at the 2024 trade deadline on Saturday, adding CF-2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Miami Marlins in exchange for several top prospects. At 26, Chisholm is a gifted athlete with positional versatility and real hitting potential. For a Yankees team in need of bats and speed, Chisholm was always a logical fit.

Chisholm is expected to be the leadoff hitter and provide a much-needed boost to the Yankees’ lineup. It’s unclear where Chisholm will play in the field. He could slot in between Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in the outfield, or the Yankees could turn to him in place of Gleyber Torres at second base. Both are weak spots in the lineup, which is probably why they selected Chisholm in the first place. He can address several weaknesses.

For now, though, we don’t really know where Chisholm will start his Yankees career. Because, quite simply, we don’t know what the Yankees’ roster will look like after 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Their trade deadline isn’t over yet, according to YES’ Jack Curry.

Curry believes New York is still negotiating deals, but he expects Chisholm will inevitably be roped into playing both second base and center field. He could also, directly or indirectly, address the current issues at third base. While it’s unlikely Chisholm will be thrust into a new position right away — especially one as difficult to defend as third base — the Yankees could slide Torres to third base, clearing the way for Chisholm at second base and ending the DJ LaMahieu conundrum.

There are several options on the table, essentially, depending on Aaron Boone’s creativity. Versatility has been a real selling point for Chisholm and he should have a profound impact on the Yankees’ lineup no matter where he is on the field. After struggling to lead off the season, the Yanks now have a .730 OPS hitter ahead of Soto and Judge. He’s also a heck of a baserunner, which should add to the excitement for New York fans.

The Atlanta Braves haven’t been in their best shape lately. Before Saturday’s win over the New York Mets, Atlanta had lost six straight games. Once considered the top contender in the National League, the Braves are now locked in a fierce battle with New York for the top wild-card spot. Even in the midst of their own struggles, the Philadelphia Phillies appear to have all but secured the top spot. If there’s a serious threat right now, it’s probably the Mets, not the Braves. Imagine saying that before the season starts.

Alex Anthopoulos has a tough task ahead of him to improve his roster before Tuesday’s deadline. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña, arguably the Braves’ two most influential and impactful players, are sidelined for the remainder of the season. It’s hard to overcome the number of injuries Atlanta has suffered this season, but Anthopoulos has resurrected teams before at the deadline.

The Braves got what could be described as a ray of sunshine in Saturday’s gloomy, overcast skies. Atlanta beat the Mets 4-0 on the road, thanks to a dominant performance on the mound from rookie Spencer Schwellenbach.

Atlanta has struggled to field a reliable fifth starter this season with Strider recovering from an injury. The only reason the Braves are still afloat is their excellent starting pitching. Chris Sale is currently the Cy Young favorite, while Max Fried and Reynaldo Lopez are both All-Stars. Charlie Morton, who is approaching his 41st birthday, has been remarkably consistent in his production. And yet, that boring No. 5 spot has presented all sorts of problems for the Braves.

Schwellenbach received the most He has 10 starts and 57.2 innings under his belt with the major league team. Saturday’s two-hit, zero-run masterpiece dropped his ERA to 4.06 for the season, with a 1.06 WHIP and 60 strikeouts. That’s dangerously acceptable. Has Atlanta finally found its fifth starter?

It’s entirely possible. Schwellenbach’s highs have been undeniably impressive, and he’s improving with every start at age 24. Still, the Braves shouldn’t let confidence in the rookie discourage them from making significant upgrades at the trade deadline. Atlanta’s competitive schedule is underway, and it’s unclear how long that will last. If the Braves can get a more reliable, proven option, Anthopoulos should pull the trigger. There’s no harm in having too many quality pitchers, especially after the way last season ended for the Braves — with a lack of pitching depth leading to Bryce Elder’s departure in the NLDS.

The Braves have the potential to significantly improve their roster in the coming days. Schwellenbach is a great long-term investment, but he can’t keep Atlanta’s management from operating with the aggression it needs.