MLB Bullets is looking to deal

We’re in the awkward news cycle of the baseball season where everyone is writing about trades that haven’t happened yet and may never happen. But we’ve got to talk about something, right?

• Michael Baumann starts out out with a “trade deadline primer,” which is really just a pretty comprehensive catalog of all the players likely to be available for trade.
• Bob Nightengale has ten top questions for the deadline.
• Ken Rosenthal has 12 big questions for the trade deadline. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Anthony Castrovince has 15 players under contract for longer than just the end of the year who could bring back a lot in trade.
• Jesse Yomtov has five deals he’d like to see done by the deadline.
• David Schoenfield has one player from each team that they should either trade for or trade away.
• Buster Olney debates the pros and cons of the Pirates trading away closer Felipe Vazquez. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
• Jon Paul Morosi notes that the Reds are not actively trying to deal Luis Castillo, but if someone wants to make them a ridiculously good offer . . .
• Michael Shapiro has six players whose trade value has changed over the past month or so.
• One of those players is Mets starter Zack Wheeler, who’s trip to the injured list couldn’t be timed worse. Jay Jaffe looks at what’s up with Wheeler this year and where the Mets trade deadline plans stand now.
• Remember the talk that the Nationals might deal pitcher Max Scherzer if they fell out of the race? It’s not happening. Eddie Matz writes about what the Nats might do.
• The Royals have already traded away Homer Bailey and Martin Maldonado (you may have heard about that second one), and the Royals intend to keep dealing away players.
• One last transaction news is that the Blue Jays have designated pitcher Edwin Jackson for assignment. Hey, he’s got 16 more teams to play for before he retires.
• The Blue Jays top prospect Bo Bichette is wondering why he’s still in the minor leagues. Because his dad isn’t in Cooperstown and never will be, probably.
• Here’s news that is going to upset a lot of you. There’s a report that advertising patches on MLB uniforms is “inevitable” sometimes in the next three season. If it’s any consolation, the article quotes an anonymous marketing executive saying that the Cubs, Red Sox and Yankees will likely resist this. (h/t Hardball Talk)
• The Phillies are struggling at the moment and Philadelphia fans aren’t happy. They want to see more fire out of their team. But under-fire manager Gabe Kapler said that “I’m not frickin’ Dallas Green and I never will be” except that he didn’t say “frickin’.
• Rian Watt examines Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta and why he’s not (and may never) live up to expectations.
• Angels outfielder Mike Trout is now only the second baseball player (after Ken Griffey Jr.) to get his own signature Nike shoe.
• Josh Schafer profiles Padres catcher Austin Hedges, the best pitch framer in the game.
• Jon Tayler wonders why Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts isn’t a household name.
• White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez was injured after an odd outfield collision. Get well soon, Eloy. It’s not your fault you were traded to the White Sox.
• Roberto Salvador Klapisch profiles Mariano Rivera before his induction into Cooperstown.
• The Royals will extend the netting at Kauffman Stadium to the foul poles.
• It was revealed that a few years ago, Kirk Gibson apologized to Dennis Eckersley for celebrating that famous home run as he rounded the bases in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Eckersley told him he had nothing to apologize for.
• The Giants were beating the Rockies 13-0 on Monday, so the Colorado broadcasters just scribbled over the score box.
• Milwaukee Bucks basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo is really, really bad at baseball. Sounds like he picked the right sport.
• Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon got MLBers to say some pretty ridiculous things in interviews before the All-Star Game.
• And finally, here’s something you don’t see very often. Pirates outfielder Starling Marte was told by home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman to go to first base after getting hit by a pitch. Marte argued that the ball had hit the bat instead and that he should still keep batting. Funny enough, Marte won the argument and he eventually grounded into a fielder’s choice. (And the replays does look like it hit the handle and not his hand, so perhaps Marte is just the most honest man in the game.)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.