MLB Trade Rumors and News: The Rays are expected to call up top pitching prospect Brendan McKay

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• The Rays find themselves right in the thick of the playoff hunt as they sit at 46-35 and currently leading the AL wild card race. It appears that they have reinforcements coming as one of their top prospects, pitcher Brendan McKay, is expected to make his major league debut on Saturday.
• It seems like each week, we are talking about a different Yankee hitting the injured list. It hasn’t bothered the team too much to this point of the season as they have one of the better records in baseball, but it is still fairly alarming. Now, it looks like the cycle is looping back around as Giancarlo Stanton is heading back to the injured list due to a PCL injury this time. A biceps strain cost him a month and a half or so of the season already.
• Adley Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft, has reached an agreement with the Orioles that includes an $8.1 million signing bonus, breaking the record for a draft pick that was previously set by Gerrit Cole in 2011. Rutschman made his first public appearance at Camden Yards on Tuesday, taking batting practice and getting introduced to media members and fans.
• The Cardinals’ Jordan Hicks has been lighting up radar guns since he got into the league with a fastball that routinely is in excess of 100 mph. Unfortunately, we were reminded that the laws of physics and the human body do not always get along as Hicks was diagnosed with a torn UCL on Monday.
• It is no secret that the Rays both have had real trouble drawing any meaningful crowds to their games (despite a strong product on the field) and that they are quite unhappy with their current stadium situation. However, an interesting wrinkle has developed as MLB has granted the Rays permission to explore a “two-city” model which would have the Rays call both Tampa AND Montreal home. Let’s get weird.
• Fan safety has been a hot topic of late, particular regarding foul balls that very often come screaming into crowds before anyone has time to react. While some would argue that this is long overdue, the Nationals and White Sox are joining a growing number of teams that are extending the netting along the foul lines.
• The Nationals have released reliever Trevor Rosenthal six months after signing him to a one-year, $7M deal. So if you think your ex has commitment issues, think again. Also, maybe consider if your ex was a full-blown dumpster fire while in a Nationals uniform and was not a return-to-the-mound-post-Tommy-John success story. So maybe this is a different situation.
• The 2019 MLB Draft has come and gone, but who are the teams that made out like bandits and who are the teams that, well, didn’t impress. Our own Matt Powers went through the National League and reviewed each team’s draft classes while highlighting the good, the bad, and the puzzling.
• The trade deadline will be here before you know it, and we are already starting to hear whispers of which teams are going to be buyers and sellers despite the actual deadline being over a month away. Andersen Pickard went ahead and picked five stars who could have new homes before the trade deadline passes.
• The Mets continue to be your drunk uncle who ruins family holidays, this time just with extra fighting. Both Jason Vargas and skipper Mickey Callaway had some heated words to say to a Mets beat writer for Newsday, with Vargas saying to the reporter, “I’ll knock you the f--- out.” The Mets have released an official statement and we can all guess at the one they’re drafting up next — Callaway’s walking papers.
• The Yankees have acquired slugger Edwin Encarnación from the Mariners in exchange for 19-year old pitching prospect Juan Then. Encarnación currently leads the American League in home runs and is well on track to have another 30+ home run season — his eighth, to be exact. Then (the player, that is) was ranked number 27 in the Yankees farm system and was due to pitch in the rookie league this summer. In other news, how do I get a reality show called: “Brian Cashman, Finesse My Life?” Because it feels necessary right now.
• The Rangers have acquired righty reliever Jake Petricka from the Brewers in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. The 31-year old has had six relief appearances this season with three strikeouts and a 3.38 ERA. He’s been assigned to the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville.
• Are you excited about the new, young future of baseball? Who isn’t? Our Andersen Pickard wants you to be even more excited as he breaks down one prospect worthy of making their MLB debut from every AL East team. Keep an eye out as Andersen takes on the other divisions next.
• David Ortiz is expected to make a full recovery after being shot in the lower back in the Dominican Republic.
• Not ready to let the draft go just yet? Worry not. Our 2019 MLB Draft First-round pick Signing Tracker will keep you in the loop of what picks will be headed to their teams and who may just pass it up.