Kansas City Royals has exchange this excellent all time essential player to…
With the Trade Deadline in the rearview mirror, questions about who’s buying and who’s selling have been answered. Now, as August gets underway, many other questions arise. Welcome to the stretch run.
How teams answer these latest questions could go a long way toward deciding not only how the rest of their 2024 season shakes out, but next season and beyond.
Here’s a look at each team’s biggest post-Deadline question, with help from all 30 MLB.com beat writers.
The Blue Jays don’t just need players to fill time next year, they need players who can help turn this organization around. Outfielder Joey Loperfido will need to be at the forefront of that, along with right-hander Jake Bloss and outfielder Jonatan Clase. Given how much this offense has struggled in 2024, it would be significant if Loperfido and Clase could cover an outfield spot going forward, which would free up some money for the Blue Jays to add another high-end bat in the offseason. — Keegan Matheson
General manager Mike Elias expressed confidence in Kimbrel on Wednesday, despite the 36-year-old closer’s recent struggles. Before throwing a scoreless eighth inning in Wednesday’s 10-4 win over the Blue Jays, Kimbrel had a 13.50 ERA with two blown saves and a loss over his previous five appearances. The veteran struggled during the Phillies’ 2023 National League Championship Series appearance (a 12.00 ERA in four outings). Can he be trusted in the second half/postseason this year by the O’s? The club added righty Seranthony Domínguez and lefty Gregory Soto from Philadelphia at the Trade Deadline, bolstering the back end of a bullpen that could shift around roles if Kimbrel’s issues become prolonged.
