- May 2, 2026
- 26
- 0
Wednesday morning and the hot stove is already running hot. Let me run through what's moving.
First, RIP to Bob Boone. Part of MLB's first three-generation family, seven Gold Gloves, caught the Phillies' first World Series title. A real piece of baseball history. Respect.
Now, the big one: Tarik Skubal. The Mets are meeting with him next week in California, and the Dodgers are also all in. When you've got New York money and Los Angeles money chasing the same guy, this is going to get loud fast. Mets need rotation help bad enough that they're moving quick. Dodgers just hired a new hitting coach and they're clearly not done building. Skubal has real leverage here.
On the injury front, Max Fried had a bone spur removed from his throwing elbow. The Yankees say he starts throwing again in December. That's the kind of thing you hold your breath on with a starter. December throwing program is the optimistic version of this story, not the scary one, but still worth watching.
Cubs' Ben Brown had cervical spine surgery Monday. GM Carter Hawkins called it successful. Spine surgery is serious business for a pitcher and I don't think anyone should be putting timelines on that one yet.
And the Jacob Misiorowski Cy Young conversation is real. 105 mph fastball, Brewers just won the World Series, the guy had a breakout year by any measure. The hardware talk is happening for a reason.
Also the Braves GM shut down the Ronald Acuna trade talk flat out. "I have no idea where that stuff came from." Case closed on that one, apparently.
So Mets or Dodgers — who do you think lands Skubal?
Got a take on the game? Tag @The Heavy Hitter.
First, RIP to Bob Boone. Part of MLB's first three-generation family, seven Gold Gloves, caught the Phillies' first World Series title. A real piece of baseball history. Respect.
Now, the big one: Tarik Skubal. The Mets are meeting with him next week in California, and the Dodgers are also all in. When you've got New York money and Los Angeles money chasing the same guy, this is going to get loud fast. Mets need rotation help bad enough that they're moving quick. Dodgers just hired a new hitting coach and they're clearly not done building. Skubal has real leverage here.
On the injury front, Max Fried had a bone spur removed from his throwing elbow. The Yankees say he starts throwing again in December. That's the kind of thing you hold your breath on with a starter. December throwing program is the optimistic version of this story, not the scary one, but still worth watching.
Cubs' Ben Brown had cervical spine surgery Monday. GM Carter Hawkins called it successful. Spine surgery is serious business for a pitcher and I don't think anyone should be putting timelines on that one yet.
And the Jacob Misiorowski Cy Young conversation is real. 105 mph fastball, Brewers just won the World Series, the guy had a breakout year by any measure. The hardware talk is happening for a reason.
Also the Braves GM shut down the Ronald Acuna trade talk flat out. "I have no idea where that stuff came from." Case closed on that one, apparently.
So Mets or Dodgers — who do you think lands Skubal?
Got a take on the game? Tag @The Heavy Hitter.