O Palmeiras está prestes a negociar mais uma joia de sua categoria de base com o futebol europeu, e dessa vez será o jovem Luís Guilherme, de apenas 18 anos, que pode estar de malas prontas para atuar no West Ham, da Inglaterra.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasVeja qual pode ser o caminho do Palmeiras até a final da Libertadores 2024Palmeiras04/06/2024Fora de CampoEx-Seleção crava campeão da Libertadores e diz: ‘Palmeiras não passa do Botafogo’Fora de Campo04/06/2024PalmeirasEntenda o que deve mudar no Palmeiras até o confronto com o Botafogo na LibertadoresPalmeiras04/06/2024
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Uma das principais armas que Abel Ferreira tem no banco de reservas hoje, Luís Guilherme seria a sombra ideal para Raphael Veiga neste período pré-chegada de Felipe Anderson, e para muitos torcedores, a cria merecia até mais oportunidades como titular no lugar do camisa 23, que não vive uma boa fase.
Caso venda Luís Guilherme, Abel perderá uma importante peça que faz tanto a meia, como a ponta direita, e não terá mais uma boa opção pensando na reposição de Raphael Veiga.
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Os únicos jogadores dentro do elenco que podem atuar no lugar de Veiga são Jhon Jhon, que não atua há mais de três meses e Rômulo, que ainda não foi testado atuanto mais centralizado.
Fato é que a diretoria alviverde vai precisar contratar para o segundo semestre independente se a saída de Luís Guilherme for consumada.
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Além de um zagueiro, talvez Abel necessite de mais um meia e também um atacante de referência, para repor a saída de Endrick e a lesão de Bruno Rodrigues.
Australia are on the brink after taking six wickets in the final session, with England still trailing by 43
Tristan Lavalette06-Dec-20255:03
‘Neser has justified his selection ahead of Lyon’
Mitchell Starc continued his remarkable Ashes 2025-26 after stonewalling a weary England attack amid Brisbane’s stifling humidity before dismissing Joe Root under the lights as Australia finished day three on the brink of a comprehensive second Test victory.Just five days into this much-hyped series, England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes look forlorn although skipper Ben Stokes survived a tough period before stumps.The situation is grim for England after spending more than half a day wilting in the heat before losing six wickets under the lights in the final session. Quicks Scott Boland and Michael Neser, perhaps justifying his controversial selection over offspinner Nathan Lyon, had the pink ball zipping around on the Gabba surface.Related
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But the standout of the day was again Starc, who is submitting an Ashes series for the ages after he top-scored with 77 off 141 balls to help Australia secure a sizable 177-run first innings lead. It meant England’s second innings started late in the second session amid the dipping sun as the floodlights took over.Starc did look gassed after his batting effort as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett finally managed to survive the opening over for the first time in the series.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett added 45 runs in the first six overs of the second innings•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesDuckett was lucky on 6 after rifling back to Neser who couldn’t take a sharp return catch although he would soon get more opportunities. In what was England’s best passage of a tortuous day, Duckett and Crawley batted well and eased to 45 for 0 after just six overs.There was some concern over Starc who grabbed at his lower left side and he needed some painkillers. However, Australia’s dominance resumed in the final session with Boland rattling the stumps of Duckett with a delivery that was short of a length but didn’t get above shin height.Ollie Pope briefly defied Boland, who had his tail up, but did not look convincing as he edged nervously on several occasions. He did manage to get to 26 only to fall in tame fashion when he was caught and bowled by Neser after miscuing a drive. It was the third time in the series that Pope failed to kick on from a start with the pressure on his spot set to intensify once more. England’s increasingly slim hopes rested on Root, fresh off his first ton on Australian soil in the first innings.But he watched in horror as Crawley on 44 attempted to drive on the up only to miscue and chip back to a giddy Neser, who couldn’t believe his good fortune. All the pressure fell on Root but he could not back up his first day heroics after he fell caught behind on review having chopped down on a full and wide Starc delivery.Boland was almost unplayable and thought he had Harry Brook caught behind on 15, only for replays to show that he missed the ball by a mile. But on the next ball he had Brook nicking off in a decision that was overturned on review.Pushing through the pain barrier, the indefatigable Starc summoned a remarkable late spell that accounted for Jamie Smith as the match appears headed for an early finish on day four.Mitchell Starc left Ben Stokes exasperated•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesStarc had earlier played a major role in Australia’s supreme and complete effort with the bat, marked by six half-century partnerships and five individual fifties. It didn’t even matter that no one kicked on for a big score. For just the 12th time in Test cricket, every batter made it into double figures but no centuries were struck.Australia batted with controlled aggression – apart from a bizarre passage of play late on day two – much to the envy of England as they finished with a run rate of 4.34.Starc had the right template, leaving the ball well but swinging freely when the bowling missed its length which was quite often in a ragged England effort.Seamer Brydon Carse encapsulated their wildly inconsistent performance by taking four wickets, including Steven Smith and Cameron Green in the space of three extraordinary deliveries on day two, but he leaked 152 runs from 29 overs.England had started the day desperately needing a strong start after a slew of dropped chances proved costly under lights on day two. Australia resumed on 378 for 6 with the aim of not only scoring runs but stretching their innings through the daytime when batting has been at its best.Alex Carey quickly became the latest Australian to notch a half-century, crisply off 55 balls, before Stokes nicked off Neser with a perfect length delivery.Mitchell Starc acknowledges his half-century•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesStarc came out aggressively to dish up more pain to Carse, whose tame attempts at a short-ball barrage proved once again ineffective. The second new ball did seem to produce more inconsistent bounce off the surface, offering hope for England to wrap up the innings. They appeared to be closing in when the luckless Gus Atkinson finally took his first Ashes wicket after nicking off Carey for 63, ending 41 overs of toil without reward in the series.But England were made to endure the heat for a few more hours as Starc and Boland combined for the longest partnership of the series in terms of balls faced. Starc cleverly farmed the strike as their plan to keep batting until the sun set worked to perfection.England appeared on the brink of imploding with a flustered Stokes furious with Jofra Archer after some lackadaisical fielding allowed Boland to get off strike. A lionhearted Stokes tried to will his team by pushing his body through a long spell but to no avail as he finally turned to spinning allrounder Will Jacks who only bowled one over on day two in his return to the side.Jacks opened the second session with a delivery that fizzed and bounced past Starc’s bat, no doubt catching the eye of Lyon in the terraces. But a few deliveries later Starc smoked a boundary to notch his 12th Test half-century. In the process he became the first Australian to score a fifty and take a five-wicket haul in an Ashes match since Mitchell Johnson during his wondrous 2013-14 series.Starc moved past Stuart Broad for most career Test runs batting at No.9 as he inched closer to a maiden century having once made 99 in India. But after more than two hours in the middle, Starc started to feel the pinch as he called for medical assistance with his right elbow feeling sore. He didn’t last much longer after holing out to mid-off but England’s agony was prolonged by No.11 Brendan Doggett and Boland, who finished 21 not out in a career high Test score.Jacks finally ended Doggett’s resistance to claim the first wicket through spin in the series.
The former quick said Boland could seam it “off ice” and not having to wait could help the debutant
Matt Roller20-Nov-2025Brett Lee has encouraged Australia to give debutant Brendan Doggett the new ball on his Test debut against England on Friday, after Steven Smith declined to confirm who would open the bowling with Mitchell Starc.Doggett, a fast-medium outswing bowler, has been a prolific wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield and has generally been used as an opening bowler by South Australia. Boland also opens the bowling when he plays in the Shield for Victoria but has built a formidable record as a change bowler across his first 14 Tests, taking 62 wickets at 16.53.Related
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Smith: If the result doesn't go our way, we can turn it around
Smith, who will stand in as captain for the first Test in the absence of Pat Cummins, would not confirm who will share the new ball with Starc in Perth. “We’ll see in the morning – or hopefully, maybe two mornings,” he said on Thursday.But Lee, who took 310 Test wickets as an Australia tearaway between 1999 and 2008, suggested that Doggett should open the bowling to help calm any nerves on debut.”Maybe that’s the best thing for his nerves,” Lee said at a Fox Cricket event on Thursday. “If they lose the toss tomorrow and they’ve got to bowl first, then Steve Smith might go, ‘Alright mate, you haven’t got time to get the nerves. Take the brand new ball and shape a few away.'”It’s not like he’s just been picked out of the blue. He’s been around the squad now for a long, long time. He’s trained with the guys, he knows the guys very well personally. He’s had a couple of really good Sheffield Shield seasons back-to-back, so he’s done the work and he’s earned that opportunity.”But when you walk out there tomorrow at 10.20am, it doesn’t matter. All that hard work is now going to be transformed. Take that nervous energy, take that pressure, take that opportunity, and hopefully he gets a bag of wickets.Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett will make history for Australia, the first time they have field two Indigenous cricketers in a Test XI•Getty Images
“The thing with Scott Boland is that he can bowl anywhere: I reckon he’d get the ball to seam off ice, he’s so good.”Smith said that Doggett had impressed in Australia’s training sessions at Perth Stadium this week, earning him selection ahead of Michael Neser: “He gets the ball down at nice pace, stands the seam up,” he said. “Hopefully, whenever we bowl, he can get the ball in the areas we know that he can. If he does that, I’m sure he’s going to create plenty of chances.”Curator Isaac McDonald has promised a pitch with “pace and bounce” for the first-ever Ashes Test at the venue and Lee believes that fast bowlers will be rewarded for “patience” across the five days, encouraging them to settle into a fuller length than normal due to the extra carry.”You’ve got to bowl a lot fuller, that five-metre length, over here in Perth,” he said. “The teams that get excited when the ball flies through [to the keeper] generally get punished, because nothing goes on to hit the stumps. [Aim for the] top of off, and that means a fraction fuller if it’s a wicket that’s quite bouncy.”They have to attack, but you can attack and still be patient…. You’ve got to adjust your length in order to hit the top of off stump, which brings in the slips. We will see a lot of catches go through the slips region if there is pace. As a bowler, my form of wicket and dismissals over here is I want the ball to go behind to the keeper, first or second slip, or gully.”
Jacob Duffy, who had to wait until his 31st birthday for a Test debut earlier this year, claimed his second five-wicket haul of the series as West Indies folded tamely on the third day in Wellington. Bowled out for just 128, West Indies left New Zealand a target of 56, which was knocked off before tea for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with one game to go. It was New Zealand’s first win of the 2025-27 World Test Championships (WTC) cycle. West Indies, meanwhile, have now lost six of their seven outings in this cycle and remain winless.The collapse began with Brandon King’s run-out for 22 in the morning session. After a careful start with overnight partner Kavem Hodge (35), King set off for a risky single in the morning’s eighth over. Sent back and left stranded, he was gone once substitute Michael Bracewell’s sharp throw was relayed on to the stumps by debutant wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay.Shai Hope fell in the same over after closing the bat face in an attempt to work Michael Rae to the leg side, offering a simple return catch. Roston Chase, averaging under 16 as Test captain, then nicked a rising delivery from Duffy through to the keeper.Hodge and first-Test hero Justin Greaves (25) attempted to stabilising things, with Hodge unfurling crisp strokes through the covers and square leg. But in the 31st over, one of those well-struck pulls picked out substitute fielder Will Young, who held a superb rebound catch at midwicket.Michael Rae picked up six wickets on Test debut•Getty Images
At 88 for 6, with the lead still below 20, the match was effectively gone, and Duffy accelerated the finish. He trapped Greaves lbw with a full delivery that jagged in, a decision first turned down but later overturned on review. In his next over, Duffy drew Tevin Imlach into a loose drive away from his body for an edge to second slip. Rae added his third by removing Jayden Seales caught behind, before Duffy completed his five-for by going short to No. 11 Ojay Shields, who miscued a leg-side swipe to fine leg.Duffy walked off to applause with the innings ball raised, and openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway dashed away to pad up with an hour left before tea and a small target in front.The pair added 26 in seven overs before Latham got a leading edge off Anderson Phillip to third slip. Conway held fort, attacking with six fours in his unbeaten 22-ball 28. Kane Williamson, with 16 off 12 balls, wrapped up the match with back-to-back boundaries in the tenth over.Devon Conway made an unbeaten 22-ball 28 to wrap up New Zealand’s win•Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images
Earlier in the Test, Blair Tickner’s first-innings four-for and Rae’s three wickets dismissed West Indies for 205. New Zealand replied with a disappointing 278 for 9 declared, with Tickner unable to bat after picking up a shoulder injury. But half-centuries from Conway (61) and Hay (60) ensured a meaningful lead, which, combined with West Indies’ limp second-innings effort, set up a comfortable win.After the game, New Zealand captain Latham said they got “better and better” as the game progressed. “We took a little bit to get into the game, morning of day one, potentially some heavy legs. But we adjusted things and we bowled better and better in the second innings. And obviously Duffy on the back of that [five-wicket haul] and some of our substitutes coming on and getting on the board [was pleasing].”Mitch Hay played beautifully in the first innings coming under pressure. The way he played was pretty much the way he plays for Canterbury and that’s what we asked of him. And Michael Rae picked up some really important wickets on day one, trucked into the wind all week. All those efforts do not go unnoticed. We probably weren’t where we wanted to be with the bat but we can look into that over the rest of this week.”Chase said West Indies’ batters didn’t make the most of the conditions on offer: “Batting is a bit of a concern, after coming from the first Test, that beautiful second innings [in Christchurch]. But we came here and our batters never really capitalised. Initially we thought the pitch would be similar to Christchurch. But this pitch was a lot easier for batting. The scores didn’t reflect that. There is still one Test match left and we can still level the series. That can help motivate the guys further.”The third Test begins on December 18 in Mount Maunganui.
First Ruben Amorim came for Marcus Rashford but Manchester United fans did not speak out because they had also questioned his commitment and performances. Then he came for Alejandro Garnacho and still they did not speak out as the winger’s attitude had become unbearable. But then he came for Kobbie Mainoo and there was total uproar, enough to finally push the patient supporters over the edge.
In Amorim's very first interview as Manchester United manager with the club's website, he said the most important thing was not to get his players to adapt to his new formation but to go back to the basics of what it meant to play for the Red Devils.
"The most important thing is the feeling of belonging of the club. And we have history in that department," Amorim said after his first week working at Carrington.
"I think it's important because a lot of people now talk about the 3-4-3 and the 4-3-3 and all that stuff. But when I think as a player or as a team-mate of Manchester United, it is not a system or formation, it's like the character of the players, the way they see the club. The most important thing for me at this moment is to create the principles, the identity and the character that we had in the past."
Ask any United fan what the club's identity is and two themes will come up: bold, attacking football and young players, particularly homegrown young players. Amorim has given little priority to either principle.
While United fans have been remarkably patient with the coach that presided over their worst campaign in 51 years, continuing to sing that the Portuguese will "turn the Reds around" at matches, his sparse use of Mainoo, who is the only academy graduate in the squad with a first-team appearance to his name, is severely testing their faith…
Getty Images SportTwelve minutes per game
United’s fans’ feelings towards Mainoo could be seen in the rapturous applause he got when he came off the bench against Wolves on Monday. But the timing of his arrival said all about his lack of importance in the team. It was the 78th minute and United were already 3-1 up against the worst team in the league, perhaps in Premier League history.
It was hard not to think back to when Mainoo appeared at Molineux for the first time little more than two years ago, playing the whole game and scoring a last-gasp winner with a jinking run and low curled finish right into the bottom corner. There was tangible excitement about Mainoo then after scoring his first Premier League goal against Wolves, which he followed with a stunning curler against Liverpool and then finished off an incredible team goal which proved to be the winner in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
His rapid ascension into the England team to play six games at Euro 2024 seemed to cement his rise but his career is now at a crossroads as he is still waiting for his first Premier League start of the season. The most he has played was 45 minutes against Burnley in August when Mason Mount got injured. He is averaging 12 minutes per Premier League game.
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Amorim started Mainoo in eight of his first 13 Premier League games, mostly in the double midfield pivot alongside Manuel Ugarte. The most eye-brow-raising moment was when he started him as a false nine against Crystal Palace, a game United lost 2-0. He then suffered an injury in training which kept him out for two months and when he returned Casemiro had re-established his place in the midfield two, with Mainoo only starting when Amorim wanted to rest players for the Europa League knockout rounds.
Mainoo’s brilliant goal against Lyon kept United in the competition but he was not rewarded with a bigger role and in the final against Tottenham he was brought on in added time. But it was still a surprise to see him not start any of the team’s first three Premier League games and his continued absence from the line-up four months into the season has led to Amorim, understandably, being frequently asked why he has used Mainoo so little.
And when Mainoo’s name was mentioned in a press conference in the aftermath of the limp 1-1 draw at home to West Ham, Amorim let out a snigger, stunning journalists in the room and angering many fans watching online. To the coach, it would seem, Mainoo had become something of a joke.
"I understand what you are saying – you love Kobbie, he started for England," he said. "But that doesn't mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn't put Kobbie [in], so it's my decision. I just want to win, I don't look who it is, I don't care about that, I'm just trying to put the best players on the pitch."
AFPAcademy culture war
Amorim, though, was missing a crucial point: it does matter that Mainoo is the only academy player left and he is barely part of the team any more. It led to heated conversation between the coach and BBC journalist Simon Stone, who suggested Amorim did not “trust” players from the academy. "Why?" was the coach’s tetchy response, only to be told "because you never pick any players from it". To sum up the dire situation, Amorim mentioned Mainoo as one academy player he does pick.
Mainoo’s lack of playing time has partly led to a large focus falling on Shea Lacey, the 18-year-old from Liverpool who has been named in the squad for the last four matches.
The mention of Lacey led to more incredulity from Amorim, who reasonably explained that Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo were more reliable options than the untested teenager. United fans are not really up in arms about Lacey’s lack of minutes. It is the absence of Mainoo, who started a European Championship final and scored in an FA Cup final, and who many believe could make his stop-start team better, that people find hard to understand.
And for all Amorim talks about wanting to win, his team are not doing it regularly enough.
In the coach’s defence, he has far fewer games in which to give opportunities to young players than last season, when Chido Obi, Toby Collyer, Tyler Fredricson and Harry Amass all got their chances. Mainoo, though, had already proven himself but is a victim of Amorim’s rigid system and his insistence on playing two midfielders. It means that he is directly competing with Bruno Fernandes, who just happens to be United’s most important player and someone who never gets injured.
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Getty Images Sport'Got to get out of there'
Amorim has been unable to give any assurances that Mainoo will play more when Mbeumo and Amad head to the AFCON. And while an obvious solution is to play Fernandes further forward to replace Mbeumo in attacking midfield and bring Mainoo back in, it is more likely that Mason Mount will get a greater run in the team and the 20-year-old will stay in the shadows.
For Mainoo to get his career going again, seeking a loan move in January is obligatory. The fact that he does not want to leave permanently, or at least not yet, shows that he is still committed to the club and does not want to jump ship, especially with Amorim’s long-term future at the club far from secure. But now prominent former United players are urging him to leave.
"If I think about it and put myself in Kobbie Mainoo’s shoes I’m out of there, I’ve got to," said Rio Ferdinand on his Youtube channel. "He has just wasted 18 months of his career now at Manchester United. He’s probably been there six months longer than he should’ve been. He should’ve just gone and I think his agent and more importantly his family around him have to protect him."
Chelsea’s ownership group has reportedly beaten Manchester United and Manchester City in the chase for Mohamed Zongo, one of Africa’s most exciting young footballers, with the Burkina Faso midfielder set to join Strasbourg in 2027 when he turns 18. The deal, agreed with Sporting Football des Cascades Tenakourou, marks the latest step in Chelsea’s long-term recruitment project, which has increasingly focused on identifying global talent years before they reach senior breakout status.
City and United left frustrated in youth recruitment battle
According to both Manchester clubs had made formal contact with the Tenakourou Academy as they intensified their efforts to secure Zongo. City, whose global scouting system spans every continent, regarded Zongo as a profile perfectly aligned with their multi-club model. United’s pursuit was equally vigorous. Under INEOS, the club has doubled down on youth-focused recruitment, with recent additions such as U17 World Cup standout Sekou Kone. Zongo’s ability to operate as a No. 10, an advanced wide creator or a roaming central midfielder made him an attractive fit for Ruben Amorim’s fluid, mobility-driven blueprint. His growing reputation as a "next-gen Yaya Toure" only amplified interest, with coaches noting his blend of physical maturity and technical composure.
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BlueCo beat their opponents to Zongo
Strasbourg, part of the BlueCo network, has been earmarked as the ideal environment to further Zongo’s development. The French side’s track record of transitioning young talents into senior football and their proximity to elite European competition have been deemed as key factors in edging out interest from both Manchester clubs. Zongo became one of the breakout stars of November’s Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where Burkina Faso reached the quarter-finals. The midfielder featured in all six matches, scoring twice and assisting three more. His tournament highlight came in the round-of-32 victory over Germany, having previously bagged a crucial strike against the Czech Republic in the group phase. Even in Burkina Faso’s narrow 1-0 elimination by eventual semi-finalists Italy, Zongo was at the heart of their threat, striking the woodwork twice.
Chelsea’s youth pipeline continues to grow
Zongo becomes the latest addition to Chelsea’s vast youth recruitment network, which has rapidly expanded under the club’s multi-club ownership model. The pipeline now includes upcoming arrivals such as Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda and striker Emanuel Emegha, who was signed via Strasbourg earlier this year. Further additions, including FC Kairat winger Dastan Satpayev and Corinthians left-back Denner Evangelista, are expected to join once they turn 18 next summer, while Ecuadorian defender Deinner Ordonez is scheduled to complete his switch in January 2028. Chelsea’s strategy is clear: acquire elite teenage talent early, develop them across a multi-club pathway and integrate only those who hit top-tier benchmarks into the first team. Zongo is viewed as a prospect with that level of potential.
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Chelsea’s Champions League setback casts shadow over busy run
Chelsea may be celebrating a major future signing off the field, but their evening in Italy ended in disappointment after a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League. Joao Pedro’s first-half strike gave them a deserved lead on Tuesday night, but a flat second-half showing proved costly as Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere turned the match on its head. For manager Enzo Maresca, the defeat was particularly painful, coming on his return to Italy. Chelsea, who produced a blistering display to dismantle Barcelona in their previous Champions League outing, looked well placed to back it up before their intensity faded dramatically in Bergamo.
The aftermath carried its own drama. De Ketelaere could not resist aiming a playful jab at Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho, who had admitted before the match that he "hadn’t watched much of Atalanta recently." Speaking to Sky Italia, De Ketelaere smirked: "Now he knows who we are. For us, it's not possible to play games like Saturday's against Verona and then maybe win a match like today. We need to improve our consistency. We were coming off three wins and then there was this bad defeat, but we know we have great quality, and we proved it today."
There is little time for Chelsea to dwell on the loss. They host Everton on Saturday before travelling to Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup, followed by a daunting Premier League run featuring Newcastle, Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Manchester City.
The July 31 trade deadline is almost here, and there are still plenty of teams yet to emerge as buyers or sellers. When we released our initial trade candidate rankings and predictions a month ago, there were only six teams more than seven games outside of a wild-card spot. Now, there are … seven.
Even so, since then there seems to be more teams that have internally admitted they aren’t going to win the World Series in 2025, adding some more players to the rumor mill to boost what had been quite a barren trade market. We’re still waiting for our first game-changing deal of July, however—and it seems more than likely Rafael Devers will be the most talented player traded this season.
Still, there are plenty of intriguing players available. We’ve updated last month’s initial rankings of the 25 best players who seem most likely to be traded, with six new entries making their debut. We’ve identified each player’s most logical landing spots, and offer predictions for where (or if) they’ll be dealt.
1. Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins SP
2025 stats: 10–4, 2.63 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 0.90 WHIP, 132 K, 23 BB, 2.9 fWAR in 116 1/3 IP
Best fits: Cubs, Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Astros
Ryan has put everything together this season, flashing masterful control with a five-pitch mix that keeps hitters guessing. He’s a legitimate ace who just turned 29 and carries two more years of team control beyond 2025. The Twins will rightly demand a massive return for the righthander, but if he’s moved, it’s difficult to foresee a better player changing teams over the next week.
Prediction: Not traded
2. Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox LF
2025 stats: .257/.323/.433, 9 HR, 10 3B, 25 2B, 54 R, 51 RBI, 1.7 fWAR in 101 games
Best fits: Padres, Braves, Royals, Dodgers, Phillies, Guardians
Duran ranked fourth in the AL in WAR last season—directly above Juan Soto and José Ramirez—while leading the majors in doubles and triples. The 28-year-old has fallen off quite a bit this season, but he’s under team control through 2028 and still profiles as an above-average leadoff hitter for the next several years. The Red Sox would have to be blown away by an offer to consider trading another building block so soon after the Rafael Devers deal, especially after their recent surge that has them right in the thick of the playoff race, though they do possess a surplus of outfielders and Duran has been the name most frequently popping up in rumors.
Prediction: Not traded
3. Eugenio Suárez, Arizona Diamondbacks 3B
2025 stats: .257/.328/.605, 36 HR, 18 2B, 64 R, 86 RBI, 3.4 fWAR in 99 games
Best fits: Yankees, Cubs, Tigers, Mariners, Brewers, Royals, Twins
Suárez is a streaky power hitter who’s had a terrific first half—the 33-year-old leads the majors in RBIs and with 36 home runs is on pace to top his previous career high of 49 homers set during the 2019 juiced-ball season. He also hit the 300th home run of his career last month and will likely be the best bat moved before the deadline. D-Backs GM Mike Hazen has thus far indicated an unwillingness to sell, but top prospect Jordan Lawlar is waiting in the wings, Suárez is a pending free agent and Arizona may not have the pitching to keep up in the playoff race following season-ending injuries to ace Corbin Burnes, starter Jordan Montgomery and closers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk.
Prediction: Traded to Yankees Update: Suárez was traded to the Mariners.
Best fits: Cubs, Phillies, Tigers, Dodgers, Rangers, Rays
Durán has taken his game to new heights in his fourth big-league season, blowing hitters away with a four-seamer that sits 100.3 mph and a devastating knuckle curve that’s generated a 42.6% whiff rate. He’s posted a staggering 67.8% ground ball rate and has allowed just one home run. Should the Twins decide to capitalize on what is likely to be Durán’s peak value, there should be no shortage of contending teams lining up to add a game-changing closer to the back of their bullpen.
Prediction: Traded to Cubs Update: The Phillies acquired Durán for starting pitcher Mick Abel and catching prospect Eduardo Tait.
Dylan Cease has pitched better this season than his ERA indicates. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images5. Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres SP
2025 stats: 3–9, 4.64 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 139 K, 39 BB, 2.2 fWAR in 108 2/3 IP
Best fits: Cubs, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays, Mets
Most teams currently in playoff position such as the Padres wouldn’t consider trading a player like Cease, who has two top-four Cy Young finishes in the last three seasons. But most teams aren’t run by A.J. Preller. San Diego is reportedly listening to offers for Cease to potentially augment other parts of their roster. Cease is averaging double-digit strikeouts per nine innings for the fifth consecutive year, though hitters have been doing much more damage against his breaking pitches than usual. Still, the pending free agent has the potential to be a superb rental despite his discouraging 14.85 ERA in three career playoff starts.
Best fits: Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies, Tigers, Diamondbacks, Rangers
Bautista’s stuff hasn’t quite returned to its pre-Tommy John surgery level of dominance—his sinker is a couple ticks slower and doesn’t generate whiffs as frequently. He’s also walking batters at a 16.2% rate—second-highest out of over 350 pitchers with at least 30 innings this season. None of that has stopped him from putting up strong results, with a .158 expected batting average against that ranks as the second-best among qualified pitchers.
Prediction: Not traded
7. Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians RP
2025 stats: 5–2, 2.86 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 21 SV, 44 K, 10 BB, 1.2 fWAR in 44 IP
Best fits: Tigers, Cubs, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers
The typically dominant Clase struggled to begin 2025, posting a 6.75 ERA through the end of April. He’s regained his form since then and would certainly cost quite a bit for a team to acquire sometime in the next week. Clase is owed $6 million in ‘26, followed by $10 million club options for ‘27 and ‘28, so a club that trades for the three-time All-Star would be getting its closer for the next three seasons.
Prediction: Not traded Update: Clase has been put on leave amid a sports betting investigation.
8. Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals SP
2025 stats: 6–5, 2.94 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 93 K, 31 BB, 1.0 fWAR in 107 IP
Best fits: Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals, Angels, Padres
Lugo doesn’t strike out a ton of hitters, but he hasn’t posted an ERA above 3.60 since 2020 and quietly finished second in AL Cy Young voting last year while winning a Gold Glove to boot. The 35-year-old also fared well in two playoff starts last season. The converted reliever would improve just about any postseason rotation and the Royals may feel obliged to deal Lugo ahead of his looming free agency to either improve the AL’s lowest-scoring offense or retool for next year.
Prediction: Traded to Blue Jays Update: Lugo and the Royals have agreed to a two-year extension.
9. Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates SP
2025 stats: 3–10, 3.48 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 92 K, 27 BB, 2.6 fWAR in 119 IP
Best fits: Cubs, Blue Jays, Mets
Like his teammate Paul Skenes, Keller too has a lopsided win-loss record despite quality work this season thanks to the Pirates’ woeful offense. Keller doesn’t blow hitters away like Skenes, but his six-pitch mix and pinpoint command make him effective. The 29-year-old has made 112 starts since 2022—ninth-most during that span—and is under contract through 2028, so Pittsburgh ought to get some serious interest from the many pitching-needy teams looking to buy.
Prediction: Traded to Mets
10. Josh Naylor, Arizona Diamondbacks 1B
2025 stats: .293/.362/.452, 11 HR, 11 SB, 49 R, 58 RBI, 1.5 fWAR in 91 games
Best fits: Mariners, Rangers, Reds, Red Sox, Twins, Royals
A 2024 All-Star with the Cleveland Guardians, Naylor is enjoying his fourth straight above-average offensive season following an offseason trade to Arizona and its hitter-friendly confines, where his OPS is more than 100 points higher than on the road. Still, he’s one of just 12 qualified players batting at least .290 with an OPS over .800. Naylor, like Suárez, is set to be a free agent this offseason and a number of teams in need of a bat could sway the D-Backs into selling.
Prediction: Traded to Red Sox Update: Naylor was traded to the Mariners for prospects Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi.
The Braves have indicated they intend to hang onto Sean Murphy, but he could fetch a monster return on a typically thin catching market. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images11. Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves C
2025 stats: .240/.331/.514, 16 HR, 27 R, 38 RBI, 2.4 fWAR in 64 games
Best fits: Padres, Giants, Guardians, Rangers
Catchers are rarely traded midseason, especially those as talented as Murphy. And the Braves have indicated they won’t deal the 2023 All-Star they have under contract through 2028. But with Drake Baldwin emerging as a Rookie of the Year contender and this season looking like a lost one for Atlanta, Murphy could fetch a monster haul for a team short on organizational depth.
Prediction: Not traded
12. Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks SP
2025 stats: 9–5, 3.32 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 1.06 WHIP, 118 K, 37 BB, 2.2 fWAR in 122 IP
Best fits: Cardinals, Cubs, Blue Jays, Twins, Red Sox, Angels
Kelly has never made an All-Star team or garnered Cy Young votes, but he’s been one of the league’s most solid starters since coming over from the KBO in 2019. His 3.76 ERA over that span ranks 16th (min. 800 IP), ahead of hurlers like Dylan Cease and Aaron Nola. He also showed during Arizona’s 2023 World Series run that he can be counted on in the playoffs, recording a 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts. The 36-year-old could make for a sneakily good hired arm amid one of his best seasons before he enters free agency in the winter if the D-Backs elect to move him.
Prediction: Traded to Astros
13. Ryan O’Hearn, Baltimore Orioles 1B
2025 stats: .278/.373/.451, 12 HR, 40 R, 36 RBI, 2.1 fWAR in 86 games
Best fits: Mariners, Royals, Giants, Rangers
O’Hearn has been among the few bright spots in what’s been a dismal season in Baltimore. After posting a respectable 119 wRC+ from 2023 to ‘24, his 134 mark to start the year ranks as the sixth-highest in the American League. O’Hearn can passably play first base and the corner outfield, and has improved against lefties to the point where he’s not automatically relegated to the bench against southpaws. He’s a free agent after this season, so likely wouldn’t cost much to acquire, and could be a middle-of-the-order bat to boost a contending team’s lineup.
Prediction: Traded to Mariners
14. Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins SP
2025 stats: 4–9, 7.14 ERA, 4.66 FIP, 1.49 WHIP, 73 K, 39 BB, 0.5 fWAR in 97 IP
Best fits: Cubs, Blue Jays, Astros, Tigers, Dodgers, Mets
The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner has been on a winding path to rediscover his form after making his return from Tommy John surgery. Through the first two months of the season, that form seemed a long way off. Alcantara went 2–7 with an 8.47 ERA through his first 11 starts, with 29 walks and just 40 strikeouts in 51 innings. He looked improved throughout June, but July brought more struggles until Wednesday’s stellar outing against the Padres. The righthander clearly still has it in him to dominate, but finding consistency has been a challenge. That he’s under club control through 2027 makes him more attractive.
Prediction: Not traded
15. Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins SP
2025 stats: 3–4, 3.61 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 86 K, 30 BB, 1.2 fWAR in 82 1/3 IP
Best fits: Dodgers, Cubs, Orioles, Blue Jays
Cabrera has long been an intriguing yet inconsistent talent, capable of dominating one outing then looking erratic the next. He’s put together an impressively stable stretch here after a rocky April, posting a 2.47 ERA and 2.99 FIP with a 25.7% strikeout rate in 13 starts since the beginning of May. Cabrera is still only 27 and under team control through 2028, so Miami is likely to want to hang onto him—though offers for one of the few impact starters on the market could entice them to part ways.
Prediction: Traded to Dodgers
16. Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves DH
2025 stats: .235/.361/.390, 13 HR, 11 2B, 37 R, 42 RBI, 0.8 fWAR in 92 games
Best fits: Tigers, Mariners, Royals, Yankees, Twins
After mashing 79 homers over the last two seasons and finishing fourth in NL MVP voting last year, Ozuna’s power has significantly fallen off in his age-34 season, though he’s partially compensated by trailing only Juan Soto in walk rate (16.2%). The Braves have just about run out of time to get hot and Ozuna is one of their only two pending free agents along with reliever Raisel Iglesias, who after quietly unleashing a 16-outing scoreless streak allowed four runs to the Yankees to take his sixth loss of the season on Saturday.
Prediction: Traded to Tigers
17. Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks SP
2025 stats: 7–11, 5.58 ERA, 4.86 FIP, 1.37 WHIP, 116 K, 46 BB, 0.0 fWAR in 121 IP
Best fits: Astros, Blue Jays, Angels, Padres, Twins
Gallen has finished in the top 10 of NL Cy Young voting three times this decade, but the 29-year-old has picked an awful time for a down season. With his team desperately needing quality arms and himself months away from free agency, Gallen ranks 294th out of 300 qualified pitchers in run value and leads the NL in home runs allowed (23). None of his five pitches are working for him as practically all of his batted-ball metrics have trended in the wrong direction. He even gave up 12 combined earned runs in back-to-back June starts against the Rockies and White Sox. It all makes for a somber outlook, and while his track record may convince a contender to try and squeeze some quality innings out of him down the stretch, it also will make it hard for two teams to agree on his value.
Prediction: Not traded
Taylor Ward is in the midst of his best season from a power-hitting perspective. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images18. Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels OF
2025 stats: .233/.305/.492, 23 HR, 56 R, 76 RBI, 1.9 fWAR in 98 games
Best fits: Dodgers, Padres, Phillies, Guardians, Mariners, Royals
Ward is putting up the best power numbers of his career, on pace to soar past last season’s career-high 25 home runs any day now. That’s come at the expense of his results on balls in play, with his .261 BABIP the product of an extreme fly ball approach. Under team control through 2026, Ward could be of use to teams with corner outfield holes and add some extra thump to the middle of the lineup. The Angels are hovering on the periphery of the wild-card race and have demonstrated a reluctance to sell in years past, so the team could opt to keep him around to better its chances of contending next season.
Prediction: Not traded
19. Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles CF
2025 stats: .216/.297/.401, 13 HR, 14 SB, 38 R, 42 RBI, 0.7 fWAR in 83 games
Best fits: Phillies, Mets, Guardians, Royals
A lack of starting caliber center fielders drives much of Mullins’s trade value. At his peak, he was a legitimate difference maker with speed and power, posting a 30–30 season in 2021 and averaging 16 homers and 28 stolen bases from ‘22 to ‘24. This year, Mullins’s offensive production has dipped to career lows in batting average and on-base percentage, though he’s still tracking for over 20 home runs. A sub-par defensive center fielder (ranking last at the position in defensive runs saved), he’s a free agent after this season, and likely not a part of the Orioles’ long-term plans.
Prediction: Traded to Guardians
20. Griffin Jax, Minnesota Twins RP
2025 stats: 1–4, 3.83 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 67 K, 10 BB, 1.5 fWAR in 42 1/3 IP
Best fits: Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, Tigers, Rays
Jax doesn’t have a save this season and his ERA is near 4.00, but don’t let that fool you—he has the stuff to be one of the most dominant late-inning relief pitchers in the league. His K-BB% (32.2%) is the second-highest in the league behind Aroldis Chapman, and no pitcher induces swings at pitches outside the strike zone at a higher rate than Jax does. He’s also under club control through 2027.
Prediction: Traded to Dodgers
21. David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates RP
2025 stats: 2–5, 2.38 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 14 SV, 46 K, 9 BB, 1.1 fWAR in 34 IP
Best fits: Phillies, Cubs, Tigers, Blue Jays
The Pirates actually demoted Bednar to the minors early this season after three rough outings in which the two-time All-Star retired only three of the nine batters he faced. He returned in mid-April and has been dominant since, rescuing his trade value for the last-place Buccos. Bednar is making a reasonable $5.9 million this season and has one year left before reaching free agency, so teams would be getting more than just a rental to fortify the back end of their bullpen.
Prediction: Traded to Phillies Update: Bednar was traded to the Yankees.
22. Ramón Laureano, Baltimore Orioles OF
2025 stats: .280/.343/.511, 12 HR, 4 SB, 36 R, 40 RBI, 1.8 fWAR in 72 games
Best fits: Dodgers, Padres, Phillies, Guardians, Mariners, Royals
After forcing his way into playing time down the stretch in Atlanta last year, Laureano has done the same in a crowded Orioles outfield this season and has in fact been Baltimore’s second-most valuable player, per bWAR, behind only Gunnar Henderson. The 30-year-old still boasts a cannon of an arm and can play either outfield corner, with his reverse splits this season (.926 OPS vs. RHP, .734 OPS vs. LHP) indicating he can continue to start if needed. The O’s do hold a $6.5 million team option on Laureano for 2026, but it may behoove them to sell high on him.
Prediction: Traded to Padres
Harrison Bader is a well-rounded center fielder if not a massive difference maker. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images23. Harrison Bader, Minnesota Twins CF
2025 stats: .249/.330/.438, 12 HR, 8 SB, 36 RBI, 1.8 fWAR in 88 games
Best fits: Rays, Phillies, Mets
Bader has been a boon for the Twins after signing a one-year, $6.25 million contract this winter. Though he’s spent most of his time in left field, he still provides elite defense in center and is putting up a full-season career-best 113 wRC+. He’ll be a rental for whoever acquires him, but should still command a decent price as a starting-caliber center fielder.
Prediction: Traded to Phillies Update: Bader was traded to the Phillies.
24. Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies 3B
2025 stats: .222/.324/.404, 12 HR, 12 2B, 32 R, 25 RBI, 1.3 fWAR in 78 games
Best fits: Brewers, Mariners, Royals, Yankees
McMahon is on pace to hit 20 homers for the sixth straight full season, an impressive accomplishment that’s somewhat lessened by playing half of his games at Coors Field—despite that fact, he’s never registered as an above-average bat by wRC+. His 125 strikeouts are the most in the NL and his OPS this season is nearly 300 points higher in Colorado (.868) compared to road games (.589). The 30-year-old is also set to make $16 million in each of the next two seasons, meaning the Rockies would likely have to pay part of his contract if they want to acquire a meaningful prospect package in a trade. Still, McMahon’s season statistics are about as consistent as they can get, and he could fill multiple spots around the infield for some playoff team.
Prediction: Traded to Brewers Update: McMahon was traded to the Yankees for minor-league pitchers Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz.
25. Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox CF
2025 stats: .206/.292/.344, 10 HR, 25 SB, 35 R, 40 RBI, 0.6 fWAR in 83 games
Best fits: Mets, Guardians, Phillies, Padres, Rangers
Robert’s production at the plate has rapidly diminished since winning a Silver Slugger in 2023 to the point where he’s barely valued as a replacement-level player even with his stellar baserunning and glovework in center field. A pair of $20 million club options for 2026 and ’27 that were once seen as potential bargains are now highly unlikely to be exercised. His walk rate (10.5%) and chase rate (32.7%) have never been better, indicating an improvement in his plate discipline, and he’s suddenly posted a 1.023 OPS in July to partially repair his trade value. Still, his abysmal squared-up rate (18.5%, first percentile in MLB) indicates there’s more work for him to do. The White Sox don’t have much to gain by holding onto Robert, but it’s hard to tell if their valuation on him will come down enough by the deadline for another team to take a swing on the 27-year-old.
Prediction: Traded to Mets
Dropped out: Red Sox RP Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox SP Walker Buehler, Rangers SP Tyler Mahle, Pirates RP Dennis Santana, Marlins OF Jesús Sánchez, Rockies RP Jake Bird, Nationals RP Kyle Finnegan
The Boston Red Sox locked up one of their top young talents on Wednesday afternoon, agreeing to an eight-year, $130 million contract with rookie Roman Anthony. In his first game since putting pen to paper, he looks to have already earned the respect of one of MLB's most accomplished veterans.
As the 21-year-old outfielder—already batting leadoff for his Boston squad—approached the plate at Fenway Park, catcher Salvador Perez seemingly congratulated him with a pat on the back. Anthony responded with a "thank you" to the nine-time All-Star before giving him a wave and stepping into the box.
Take a look at the awesome moment here:
Classy stuff.
Anthony is slashing .282/.400/.428 throughout his rookie campaign with two home runs and 19 RBIs while his Red Sox, winners of an MLB-best seven straight games, sit at 64-51 atop the American League wild-card standings.
Kade Anderson's beginning to his MLB career was a bit more unusual than most draft prospects, largely because he didn't know where the city he was drafted to was located.
Anderson was the third player taken off the board in this year's draft, getting selected by the Mariners. The LSU product was the first lefty and the second pitcher taken in the draft, and is heralded as one of the most exciting prospects in his class.
After growing up in Louisiana and playing his college ball for the Tigers, Anderson is already experiencing a bit of culture shock with the move out to the Pacific Northwest. In fact, the 21-year-old admitted to reporters that he wasn't even aware of where Seattle was when the Mariners drafted him.
"I knew, kind of, a little bit of where it was, but had to really make sure. It's really shocked me how nice it is here. Super excited to get to learn the area… excited to just venture. I got to go to the fish market and do all of the cool Seattle things and learn what Seattle's all about," said Anderson.
While the weather in Seattle has been beautiful this summer, hopefully Anderson doesn't become disillusioned about the volume of rain that's to come. Still, he seems to have been thoroughly enjoying his time in the Pacific Northwest and seemed plenty eager to learn about his new surroundings.
Anderson was dominant at LSU, recording a 3.18 ERA with 180 strikeouts and 35 walks in 119 innings. Now, he becomes the latest arm in a Mariners organization that already boasts a grade-A pitching staff.
With six days before the MLB trade deadline, the New York Mets have landed on the board by trading for relief pitcher Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, SNY's Andy Martinio reported. ESPN's Jeff Passan confirmed the news.
Acquiring a relief pitcher was high on the list for the Mets' needs ahead of the deadline. Since the All-Star break, three of New York's relief pitchers—Max Kranick, Dedniel Nunez and Brandon Waddell—all landed on the injured list. Kranick and Waddell are on the 15-day IL, while Nunez is on the 60-day IL.
In order to hold on to their close NL East lead in the second half of the season, the Mets needed strong relief pitching. The Mets' 59–44 record puts them 0.5 games ahead of the Phillies as of Friday.
Soto has appeared in 45 games so far this season for the Orioles, posting a 3.96 ERA in that span. He's pitched 36.1 innings and struck out 44 batters. He's had 29 hits, 16 earned runs and two home runs hit on him.