New York Post | Dylan Svoboda: The Padres have inquired about Dax Kilby, the Yankees’ 2025 first-rounder and their number-two prospect behind George Lombard Jr., per The Post’s Joel Sherman. The Yankees also have a scout monitoring the Padres as rumors continue to swirl around Mason Miller, San Diego’s all-world closer who could be on the move. New York has also been linked to Adrian Morejon, a left-handed Padres reliever who would likely warrant a smaller return.
NBC Sports | Eric Samulski: Carlos Lagrange has begun throwing in his return from injury. The 6-foot-7 right-hander has been on the shelf since July 3rd with a capsular sprain in his right shoulder. The initial plan was that he’d be shut down for at least six weeks, so this update puts him nearly three weeks ahead of schedule. Lagrange, the Yankees’ number-two pitching prospect, was transitioned to the bullpen during the season in hopes he could help the big-league club in that capacity down the stretch. He wowed in spring training with his 100-mph fastball before starting the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) Ali Sánchez’s three-run homer Monday was his first in the big leagues, 2,179 days after making his debut with the Mets in 2020. The unheralded journeyman has carved out a role in New York, backing up Austin Wells. And, while Max Fried praised his “quality at-bats,” he’s drawn more admiration from the club for his work behind the plate, learning to work with a veteran staff midstream after his call-up last month. Sánchez’s run of play with the Yankees has come during a difficult time for his native Venezuela. The backstop has been wearing the letters “VZ” stitched into his cap to honor his homeland after devastating earthquakes on June 24th killed more than 5,000.
New Y ork Daily News | Gary Phillips: As the Yankees look to augment their catching corps ahead of the trade deadline, they signed veteran Christian Bethancourt to a minor-league deal. The right-handed hitter, who posted a .775 OPS in 206 at-bats with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate earlier this season, was cut loose a couple of weeks ago. He provides veteran depth as the team pursues a more high-profile upgrade. With Sánchez out of options, the Yankees would likely lose him if they add another catcher via trade, leaving them with only the left-handed J.C. Escarra as a viable option in wait at Triple-A.
The Athletic | Ken Rosenthal: ($) As Major League Baseball pushes for a salary cap under the guise of competitive imbalance, Rosenthal opines that the current season refutes their argument. With the Trade Deadline approaching, 21 of 30 teams sit within two games of a playoff spot while the big-market Mets, Giants, and Blue Jays are each at least 5.5 games out. This flies in the face of the league’s “Level the Playing Field” ad campaign, which Rosenthal decries as a “spurious” attempt to influence fans against the players and towards a cap with a potential lockout looming.
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