i like hoerner too...if so, then madrigal is a bench player by the time the cubs may challenge in 2024.

Wily is a rental. No one is trading a mlb ready prospect for a rental. They were damn lucky to get PCA for Baez but that was because he was hurt. The best they can do for Wily is probably going to be San Diego since they can include Hosmer and his contract and up the return. They got 2 MLB ready players from the Sox last year and we have all seen how that worked out.

The scouting seems to be quite a bit better. Most of the guys they got back last year from the core sell off have all done very well. They should be able to get some more quality prospects with all of the merchandise they have to sell.

The Yankees are set to acquire outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Royals, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network. Royals to get 3 minor leaguers in return.

Turning to the Royals return, they’ll bring in a trio of lower minors arms. Way, Sikkema and Champlain were each ranked among the Yankees top 30 prospects at Baseball America, with Way topping the group at #13 in the system. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN concurs that Way is the headliner of the return, tweeting that he looks like a possible mid-rotation starter.

A fourth-round pick in 2020, Way has spent this season at High-A Hudson Valley. He’s worked 72 1/3 innings of 3.73 ERA ball, striking out an above-average 27.6% of opposing hitters. The 22-year-old righty (23 next month) has posted strong ground-ball numbers throughout his early pro career, and he’s walking a career-low 9% of batters faced. Way’s control has previously been spotty, but BA credits him with a mid-90’s fastball and a promising sweeping slider.

Sikkema was the 38th overall pick in the 2019 draft. The canceled minor league season in 2020 wiped out his first full professional season, and he missed all of last year on the injured list. That confluence of factors means he’s made just 15 appearances as a professional, but he owns a 2.48 ERA with a huge 38% strikeout percentage and a strong 6.3% walk rate through 36 1/3 innings in High-A this year. BA praises his strike-throwing ability and suggests his lower arm slot adds some deception to his delivery. He’ll have to be added to the Royals 40-man roster at the end of the season or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft.

Champlain was a ninth-round draftee out of USC last season. The 23-year-old has spent the entire year with Low-A Tampa, posting a 4.30 ERA with a 30.5% strikeout rate against a 6.2% walk percentage in 16 outings against generally younger competition. Baseball America credits him with a mid-90s fastball and a promising slider.

it will be a successful deadline for them.

Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki will both be 28 6 days apart in August. You know what you have in Happ. SS looks like he won't be a total bust. But, his ceiling looks like it was overestimated. It may never exceed Happs. Also why is Happs high character & extensive charity work deemphasized? Also there seems a big media push on Contreras' leadership. Werent there rumblings that it was lacking in the past? Him telling Morel to take a breath was priceless bs. Apparently Ross told it to him in the ws.