MLB (Non Phillies) News and Discussion 2025 Season

[Lucky_Beagle]

2 per team....offensive team or defensive team or combined? It would seem you almost tell your team no one can use one until the 8th inning unless its a crucial called strike 3...why ever take one before strike 3?
Guess I will go read the article to see if it makes any more sense to me.

[zambonir]

It's a slow roll-out. They've done both two and three in the minors. It was two in ST no? I don't think they believe more than three is ever going to be necessary because you keep them if you are right, and they don't want 10-12 stoppages a game (which you could have if there were four per team).

[andyb]

For me the question is whether you have 2 seconds to challenge or 10 (when someone watching video in the clubhouse would have time to relay a signal).

In general I am just for using the automated system 100% of the time. Pitch framing should not be a skill that is prized because it is essentially trying to cheat. If there is a bad ump missing pitches all the time do we really think it is fair to tell players to save the challenge for later innings?

[zambonir]

A little comfort

Braves blow 6-run lead in 9th, call up Kimbrel after sweep: ‘We’re not playing...

[bkox]

Breaking: The White Sox announce they have entered into a long term investment agreement with billionaire Justin Ishbia: "The agreement provides that, from 2029–2033, Reinsdorf will have the option to sell the controlling interest to Ishbia. After the 2034 season, Ishbia will have the option to acquire the controlling interest. In the event of any such future transaction, all limited partners of the Sox would have the opportunity to sell to Ishbia at that time."…

— Jesse Rogers ( @JesseRogersESPN ) June 5, 2025

[mdougherty12]

Corbin Burnes to have Tommy John surgery:

https://www.mlb.com/news/corbin-burnes-tommy-john-surgery

[EDmuch]

With Harper now out due to a problem with his wrist. I think the Phils need to make a move. Send Wilson, Kepler, whoever they can to Allentown and bring up Otto Kemp. Move Bohm to first base and put Kemp at third base.See what he can do with a few games. Putting Sosa at third just adds another weak offensive player.

[owaistabish]

They heard you!!

[andyb]

And Kimbrel already DFA.

Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

He did not pitch though by the timing I am guessing they had to call him up and they really just wanted to trade him (no announcement on that yet but I expect it).

[zambonir]

I thought they were only obligated to call him up if another team wanted him. I wonder if it was a team the Braves preferred to keep him away from (maybe even the Phillies) and they figure another team might jump ahead in line via DFA?

Kimbrel did pitch. And apparently was ready to get called up a couple of weeks ago but I don't see that he had an opt-out. Will be interesting to see. Possibly Braves are trading for someone?

https://www.mlb.com/braves/video/craig-kimbrel-returns-throws-scoreless-outing

[zambonir]

More from MLBTR (same link as andy's post, now expanded)

Kimbrel’s minors deal with the Braves had a distinctive “rolling opt-out” clause that would’ve allowed Kimbrel to exit the deal at any point if another team offered him a spot on their Major League roster. News of this clause surfaced only a few days before Atlanta selected Kimbrel to its active roster, but obviously none of other 29 clubs felt compelled to try and lure the right-hander away beforehand.

Now that Kimbrel is on waivers, a claim might not happen due to financial reasons. Kimbrel’s minor league contract called for a prorated $2MM salary if he was called up the active roster, so the Braves will now be on the hook for that remaining salary (roughly $1.26MM). If Kimbrel clears waivers and is released, a new team would only have to pay Kimbrel the prorated portion of the Major League minimum salary, with that number subtracted from the Braves’ approximate $1.26MM in owed salary.

[andyb]

So the Braves are trying to save about $700K in pro-rated additional salary (they'll have to pay the minimum to somebody else no matter what). Clearly the performance (even with decent AAA stats) was not good enough for the Braves to think he'd be decent in the majors.

[zambonir]

Yeah but what could they have possibly learned from that one inning that wasn't already clear in AAA? I mean, he's just another guy now. MLBTR also points out he could accept the assignment, the $ sort of makes him a back-door optionable player if he does, but it sounds like he was really pushing to get called up several weeks ago.

Maybe they're acquiring Jose Ruiz.

[andyb]

Doubt they learned anything from the inning. Just maybe that another team showed interest.

[zambonir]

But if another team showed interest they could have just let him leave instead of triggering the prorated $2 million. And it's not like the Braves are free-spending.

[andyb]

If he is available for the minimum then likely multiple teams will want him.

Braves will get something back from a team that wants to guarantee they get Kimbrel. Probably cash and/or a really low level prospect. The team that wants him may be pretty bad and Kimbrel would not have signed with them at this stage in his career where he can elect free agency versus any trip to the minors. Hello Colorado or Chicago (South Side version).

[zambonir]

But if a team trades for him they have to pay the full prorated $2 million not the minimum. That salary wouldn't have been triggered by the opt-out, he just would have been released.

But sure, he would also have to agree to sign with the team trying to get him, so any number of reasons why he might not, ranging from quality of team to location to how much they would pay him.

It kind of sounds like he was pushing for the call-up, but not so badly that he was wiling to leave, and now they have kind of put him in his place.

[andyb]

$1.2 million in pro-rated money is not that much. Reporters make WAY too much of small figures like that. Every team in baseball can afford contracts like that. Even really low salaried teams. MLB teams are generally not losing money. They have budgets, but those budgets really dictate how much profit they want.

[zambonir]

I mean sure that is money they Phillies have spent just to move a couple of guys onto the 60. But the Braves are much thriftier.

And they did in fact claim Jose Ruiz, lol.

[zambonir]

The stories I have read tonight suggest that Kimbrel’s deal was not guaranteed. A split deal perhaps? That would make more sense.