HOUSTON — Let's take a look at some of the latest MLB rumors, including the draft strategy for the Houston Astros, a noticeable injury for the Chicago White Sox and which pitcher the Boston Red Sox should extend now.
We will start here in the Lone Star State where the Astros have won four in a row and seven of their last eight and eight of their last 10 coming into a Thursday night AL West matchup against the Seattle Mariners.
MLB Rumors: What the MLB draft strategy could look like for the Houston Astros
As Houston was taking care of the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday afternoon (despite losing Jose Altuve to an injury), general manager Dana Brown spoke to the media about what he sees happening in the MLB draft on Sunday as part of All-Star Game festivities in Seattle. With Houston owning the 28th pick, some of the bigger names may be off the board by the time the Astros pick, but Brown knows that a successful draft will keep his team as a contender for years to come.
"I'm passionate about the draft," Brown said on Wednesday afternoon. "It's all about nailing the draft. The draft is the future of the organization and, at the end of the day, you have to take good players. There's just no excuse."
So what does "nailing the draft" look like in Brown's eyes? It's all about the talent, he said.
"Nailing the draft is getting at least four major-league players in every draft and also adding some extra players with different picks," Brown said. "The average is usually two, but I like to double the average. We were able to do it in Atlanta and I expect to do it here."
Brown added that the Astros are "always going to take the best player," wanting to bolster the minor league depth. Don't be surprised if Houston doesn't go with pitching with its first few picks, as Brown mentioned the need for pitchers often during his presser.
MLB Rumors: Chicago White Sox get Joe Kelly injury news at a tough time
With the White Sox placing reliever Joe Kelly on the 15-day injured list prior to Chicago hosting the Toronto Blue Jays in a doubleheader on Thursday, the team may have seen some potential trade value in the 35-year-old right-hander evaporate.
Dealing with inflammation in his right elbow, Kelly has had an up-and-down season on the South Side. In his final six appearances in June, Kelly allowed just three hits over 6.0 scoreless innings. However, with three walks issued in those outings and a FIP of 3.29 during that stretch, Kelly also benefited from some good luck and fortunate outs during the process as well.
That luck ran out when the calendar hit July, however. He has had back-to-back outings where he has allowed two runs in an inning pitched, causing his ERA to spike to 4.82.
While Kelly may not have the numbers this season, his past experience with the Cardinals, Red Sox and Dodgers (40 postseason appearances) could draw interest from other teams (along with a 2024 team option that could be friendly for other squads as well). However, this injury may have teams rethinking a Kelly acquisition at the trade deadline, a problem for a White Sox team that should be a seller after the All-Star break.
MLB Rumors: Could Brayan Bello be a Boston Red Sox extension candidate?
There is little doubt that Brayan Bello has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season, going 6-5 with a 3.04 ERA/3.78 FIP/1.188 WHIP over 14 starts (80.0 innings). The 24-year-old right-hander isn't scheduled to be a free agent until the 2029 campaign, so there's no reason for the Red Sox to rush to sign him to an extension.
However, in this article from NESN.com, there are some good arguments for exactly why Boston could pursue something with Bello and why now is an excellent time to make it happen.
Recalling that the Atlanta Braves locked up Spencer Strider (six years, $75 million) and the Cincinnati Reds did the same with Hunter Greene (six years, $53 million), there are some frameworks in place on exactly what it would cost Boston to make a Bello extension happen.
It's certainly a gamble as Bello (or any other pitcher) could endure an injury that would make an extension a sunk investment. However, if Boston believes Bello is a big part of their future on the mound, coming to an agreement now would also erase any arbitration issues that could come up in the future between the two sides.
As Mike Cole writes in the NESN article, "Perhaps the conversation is still a little premature, but the Sox only have $149 million committed to next year's roster and less than $95 million in 2025. There's certainly financial flexibility to get something done, and if Bello continues on this track, a new deal could look like an even bigger bargain when it's all said and done."
