Connect with us

Uncategorized

MLB rumors: Braves interested in Justin Verlander; sixth year a sticking point for Atlanta, Freddie Freeman

Published

on


As we count down the days until the CBA expires on Dec. 1, we’ve got some action on the MLB rumor front. So now let’s have a quick stroll though those sun-dappled meadows of scuttlebutt… 

Braves in on Verlander

The champion Braves may be looking to add a veteran arm to their rotation, and a certain two-time Cy Young winner may be of interest: 

Verlander has pitched in one game in the last two seasons because of Tommy John surgery, and he’s not exactly a known quantity as a 39-year-old coming off a lengthy rehab process. All of that, though, means Verlander will likely wind up signing a short deal — one or two years, perhaps with a vesting option. Such a short-term commitment should be appealing to a win-now team like the Braves. Of note is that when Verlander last pitched a full season, in 2019, he won the AL Cy Young award. 

Advertisement

If this pairing comes to pass, then Verlander would join a Braves rotation that already includes Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, and, they hope, Mike Soroka by early summer. 

Sixth year sticking point with Freeman, Braves

Freddie Freeman, first baseman and warrior-poet of the world champion Atlanta Braves, is a free agent. While it’s widely expected that the Braves lifer will re-up there, it’s not a given, and there’s reportedly still a significant gap in talks between the two sides. More from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman: 

A six-year pact would lock up Freeman through his age-37 campaign. That would likely extend well into his decline phase, but that’s how these things go for current superstars on the free agent market — you get big production at the front end and pay for it on the back end. Freeman’s still at or near the peak of his skills at the plate and figures to be a difference-maker at the plate for at least the next handful of seasons. Given that the Braves are quite obviously in win-now mode, Freeman is a vital piece to them. And that’s to say nothing of his immense popularity with the fan base. Other teams are no doubt interested — including the Yankees — but the guess remains that the Braves and Freeman get something done. For now, though, nothing’s certain. 

Twins wary of trading Buxton

After a disappointing 2021 season, the Twins, who won the AL Central title in 2019 and 2020, may be looking to pivot. As part of any kind of such shift, trading away center fielder Byron Buxton, who’s going into his walk year in 2022, could be appealing to the team. However, that may not happen, largely because Twins fans might not stand for it. Here’s this from Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic

“Chairman Jim Pohlad, according to major-league sources, is reluctant to move Buxton, knowing such a decision potentially would upset a fan base tired of seeing the team part with homegrown stars. But the Twins have failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension with Buxton, their dynamic, yet oft-injured center fielder who is eligible for free agency after the 2022 season. And the chances of the team returning to contention in Buxton’s final year under club control appear slim without a single veteran starting pitcher returning to the club’s rotation.”

Buxton is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, and he’s an excellent base-runner. As well, he’s cultivated a potent power swing at the plate over the last few seasons. The issue with Buxton, however, is health. Just once, in 2017, has he managed to play at least 100 games in a major-league season. The upside remains real and tantalizing for the soon to be 28-year-old, but his inability to stay healthy is just as undeniable. 

Advertisement





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

6 + eighteen =

Uncategorized

Patriots Send QB Back To The Practice Squad

Published

on


(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

 

Nothing has gone right for the New England Patriots at the quarterback position ever since superstar Tom Brady decided to leave the franchise in favor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The storied franchise has found it incredibly tough to find Brady’s successor under center in New England, with Mac Jones having a decent rookie season but regressing every season since then.

Advertisement

In Week 13, the Patriots made the decision to go with Bailey Zappe as the team’s new starting quarterback, which didn’t really have much of an impact on the end result against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Even though the Patriots defense was able to contain Justin Herbert and company, holding them to only six points, New England’s offense failed to score, resulting in another loss.

Ahead of the showdown with the Chargers at Gillette Stadium, quarterback Malik Cunningham was thought to get involved in the offense in some form, but that didn’t happen, and now it appears he’s back on the practice squad, according to the team’s Twitter account.

At this point in time, the Patriots want the season to be over in order to stop the bleeding, as this has been the franchise’s worst season in recent memory, with no hope of turning things around during the 2023 campaign.

Advertisement

As a result of another disappointing season, New England will likely try to shake things up during the NFL offseason while hopefully making a considerable upgrade to the quarterback position because Jones and Zappe clearly aren’t the answer that Bill Belichick and company are looking for moving forward.

The post Patriots Send QB Back To The Practice Squad appeared first on The Cold Wire.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Skip Bayless Reacts To Latest Eagles Signing

Published

on


(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

 

After the Indianapolis Colts chose to surprisingly part ways with four-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard, the news surfaced that he would only give serious consideration to the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles in terms of the next team that he’d sign with.

Adding Leonard to arguably one of the best defenses in the league in Dallas was a scary prospect for any opponent of the Cowboys, while adding him to the Eagles’ stacked roster was equally intimidating, especially for teams hoping to make a Super Bowl run in the NFC.

Advertisement

Ultimately, after visiting with both NFC heavyweights, Leonard chose to sign with the Eagles, which is likely ideal timing after the team failed to contend the San Francisco 49ers offense at home at Lincoln Financial Field last Sunday.

The Eagles definitely need the boost defensively and will likely get it now that Leonard is in Philadelphia, but Skip Bayless of FOX Sports, who is openly a diehard Cowboys fan, argues that the Colts got rid of the veteran linebacker for a reason and have now won four straight games without him.

It’s not all that surprising that Bayless would make this take after Leonard chose not to sign with the Cowboys, as he’d likely have the opposite take had the veteran linebacker landed in Dallas.

Regardless of Bayless’ antics and opinion, it will be interesting to see if Leonard can help the Eagles defensively and if that proves to be the difference for this team to advance to the Super Bowl for a second straight season.

Advertisement

The post Skip Bayless Reacts To Latest Eagles Signing appeared first on The Cold Wire.





Source link

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Tyreek Hill Pays Respect To Fellow Record-Setting WR

Published

on


(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

 

The wide receiver position in the NFL is arguably the most talented it has ever been, with some top-tier players at the position all across the league, from young up-and-comers like Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson, to players hitting their prime like Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins, and seasoned veterans still going strong like Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Mike Evans.

In Week 13, the Buccaneers were able to get the best of the lowly division-rival Carolina Panthers in order to win their fifth game of the season and gain some ground on the division-leading Atlanta Falcons.

Advertisement

Although the win over the Panthers and getting closer to the Falcons was the most important thing for Tampa Bay, one of the team’s legendary players added to his legacy with another historic milestone.

Evans has been one of the most consistent wide receivers in the game, as he’s practically guaranteed to hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark every single season because now he’s done it for a decade straight while wearing a Buccaneers uniform, which earned high praise from Hill, who took to Twitter to call him a generational talent.

It seems that no matter who is passing him the ball, from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield, Evans is going to get his numbers and keep his reputation going as the most consistent wide receiver in the NFL.

The Buccaneers may not be a force to be reckoned with this season, but that hasn’t stopped Evans from making an impact, as he has caught 61 passes for 1,012 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Advertisement

The post Tyreek Hill Pays Respect To Fellow Record-Setting WR appeared first on The Cold Wire.





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending