Chicago Cubs second baseman Nick Madrigal will be getting his first day off of the season on Wednesday as the team faces Zach Thompson and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jonathan Villar is shifting over to cover second base in the game. It's been a slow start to the season for Madrigal. Over his first four games, he's gone just 1-for-15 at the plate with one walk and two strikeouts. Madrigal has elite contact-hitting abilities, but doesn't offer much else for fantasy purposes. He can remain on waivers in just about all fantasy formats for now.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nick Madrigal (leg) will appear in a minor-league Spring Training game on Sunday, according to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. The 25-year-old Madrigal experienced leg fatigue before Friday's Cactus League game and was held out for two straight contests. He has yet to play a game with the Cubs after being involved in a deadline deal last season while he was on the 60-day injured list. Before he was shelved, he hit .305 with two home runs, one stolen base, 30 runs, and 21 RBI over 54 games. He should be ready for the beginning of the season but might start the year as the designated hitter, barring any other ailments. According to Steamer, he's projected to slash .297/.349/.421 with six home runs, 52 runs, and 46 RBI across 113 games. Fantasy managers looking for batting average can draft the infielder at a very cheap cost (310 ADP).

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wore his 2019 World Series ring Friday as a reminder of the annual goal for his franchise. There won't be another one this season, with only a handful of players still left from that championship won less than two years ago. The Nationals this week traded eight players, and among those dealt to contenders were Max Scherzer, a two-time NL Cy Young winner in Washington, and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner. “It’s a difficult decision to make, but oftentimes a decision is made for you,” said Rizzo, whose team is now near the bottom of the NL East standings. “This year it was, and we recognized where we were and what work we had in front of us. We decided to begin a building process that will allow us to compete at the highest level.” The complete teardown of that title team from baseball's last full 162-game season came even swifter than that of the Chicago Cubs. In their own selloff before Friday's deadline, the Cubs traded away... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the crosstown Cubs on Friday, a move that should give the AL Central leaders a fearsome bullpen for their playoff push. The White Sox already had one of baseball's best closers in All-Star Liam Hendriks. Now the South Siders add Kimbrel, who has a 0.49 ERA and 23 saves in 25 opportunities for the Cubs this season and leads NL relievers in strikeout rate and opponents' batting average. Kimbrel ranks ninth with 371 career saves during his 12 years in the majors. White Sox manager Tony La Russa said he had a plan for how to use both closers, but was not ready to divulge specifics. “On any given day, one may be available, the other one may not be,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “It puts us in a position where we have a very dynamic and impactful bullpen regardless of the situation that arises in each game.” The White Sox paid quite a price to get Kimbrel: They sent second baseman Nick Madrigal, a budding star who is out... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the crosstown Cubs on Friday, a move that should give the AL Central leaders a fearsome bullpen for their playoff push. The White Sox already had one of baseball's best closers in All-Star Liam Hendriks. Now the South Siders add Kimbrel, who has a 0.49 ERA and 23 saves in 25 opportunities for the Cubs this season and leads NL relievers in strikeout rate and opponents' batting average. Kimbrel ranks ninth in history with 371 saves in his 12 years in the majors. The White Sox paid quite a price to get him: They sent second baseman Nick Madrigal, a budding star who is out for the season with a torn right hamstring, to the Cubs along with right-handed reliever Codi Heuer. “We viewed Craig as the premier relief pitcher available at this trade deadline, and so we knew the cost would be steep in terms of parting with young talent,” White sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “But we recognize the special opportunity... [More]

Updating an earlier report, the Chicago Cubs have acquired second baseman Nick Madrigal and relief pitcher Codi Heuer from the White Sox for relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Madrigal is out for the rest of the year with a torn hamstring, and over 54 games this year, he slashed .305/.349/.425 with two homers, one steal, 21 RBI and 30 runs scored. Heuer has made 40 appearances this season, going 4-1 with a 5.12 ERA, 1.422 WHIP and 23.5 percent strikeout rate across 38 2/3 innings of work. Heuer is unlikely to have any value outside of SV/HLD formats through the rest of this season. Meanwhile Madrigal now looks set to be the starting second baseman for the Cubs in 2022.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington — a move that signals the Indians are conceding the division. “We made the trade that we felt made the most sense for us and this is the direction we went,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. "Just as we tried to be realistic in assessing where we are, we’re going to continue to do our best to win as many games as possible. “But the reality is the White Sox are a number of games in front of us and we’re intent on improving. If they didn’t acquire Cesar, we were pretty confident they were going to acquire another talented player from another team.” The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington — a move that signals the Indians are conceding the division. “We made the trade that we felt made the most sense for us and this is the direction we went,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. "Just as we tried to be realistic in assessing where we are, we’re going to continue to do our best to win as many games as possible. “But the reality is the White Sox are a number of games in front of us and we’re intent on improving. If they didn’t acquire Cesar, we were pretty confident they were going to acquire another talented player from another team.” The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington. The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a season-ending hamstring tear June 10. In Hernandez, Chicago is getting a Gold Glove defender who can bat leadoff and drive in runs for manager Tony La Russa. The 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .231 in his second season with the Indians with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 96 games. "Cesar Hernández provides our club with a valuable combination of a power bat in the middle infield and Gold-Glove quality defense,” Chicago general manager Rick Hahn said. “Adding a player like Cesar gives Tony a strong and proven option at second base for the stretch run of the season and hopefully... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday in return for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington. The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them on Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a season-ending hamstring tear on June 10. In Hernandez, Chicago is getting a Gold Glove defender who can bat leadoff and drive in runs. The 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .231 in his second season with the Indians with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 96 games. Hernandez has always been viewed as the player most likely to be dealt before Friday's deadline because of the Indians' depth with middle infielders. Andrés Giménez, who was acquired from the Mets in the offseason as part of the Francisco Lindor deal, is ready at Triple-A and Owen Miller, Tyler Freeman and... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians are finalizing a trade that will send second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The Indians are getting minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington from the White Sox, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams are still working through details. The left-hander has pitched in Double-A this season. ESPN was first to report the agreement. The trading deadline is Friday, when Cleveland opens a three-game series in Chicago. The decision to deal the 31-year-old Hernandez to their division rival signals a concession by the Indians, who have managed to stay around .500 despite a slew of injuries. They're currently without reigning Cy Young winner Shane Bieber because of a shoulder issue and starter Aaron Civale, who was leading the league in wins earlier this season before hurting his finger in a start against the Cubs. Hernandez... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Chicago White Sox designated outfielder Adam Eaton for assignment Wednesday to make room for the return from the injured list of outfielder Adam Engel. The 32-year-old Eaton, in his 10th major league season, batted .201 with a career-low .642 OPS in 58 games. He had five homers and 28 RBIs in his second stint with the White Sox, whom he played for from 2014-16. Eaton spent the previous four years with the Washington Nationals, winning a World Series with them in 2019. Manager Tony LaRussa said dumping Eaton was “a very difficult decision for the organization,” prompted by the emergence of rookies Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn. “A veteran sitting around and not playing, it kind of goes against why he was brought here. It's just the reality of the development of some of our young guys,” LaRussa said, adding: “Too many good players. It's a good problem to have.” Engel was reinstated from his second injured list stint of the season with a strained right hamstring, but... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Catcher Yasmani Grandal was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday by the Chicago White Sox with a torn tendon in his left knee. Grandal was injured during an at-bat in Monday's loss in Minnesota. Chicago estimated Grandal will be out approximately four to six weeks. “It was a twist that he made as he made his swing," White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Something got caught. It didn’t free up to make a turn on it. It got caught and something popped. I’m anxious to get a full diagnosis. He’s on his way to Chicago, maybe in Chicago already, and we’ll know more tomorrow.” Grandal was hitting just .188 as Chicago's starting catcher, but he had a .388 on-base percentage in 63 games to go with 14 home runs and 38 RBIs. Seby Zavala, 27, was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte and was with the team for Tuesday's game in Minnesota. Zack Collins started Tuesday at catcher. “He was as productive as any position player we have for the last month or so," La Russa said of Grandal.... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Chicago White Sox demoted slumping slugger Yermín Mercedes on Friday and recalled Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte, putting the infielder in the majors after two Achilles tendon injuries and a stint with a local Missouri league. The AL Central-leading White Sox also reinstated outfielder Adam Eaton from the 10-day injured list and optioned right-hander Zack Burdi to their top farm club. Eaton had been sidelined by a strained right hamstring. Mercedes, 28, was one of baseball's biggest surprises early in the season, batting .415 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 22 games in April. In May, Mercedes angered manager Tony La Russa by homering on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning of a game the White Sox led 15-4. The rookie has struggled of late, hitting .150 (16 for 107) over his last 31 games. “We fully expect we will see him again at some point,” La Russa said. “He left here dedicated to getting his bat back on track.” The 25-year-old Burger was selected by Chicago with the... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Chicago White Sox demoted slumping slugger Yermín Mercedes on Friday and recalled Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte, putting the infielder in the majors after two Achilles tendon injuries and a stint with a local Missouri league. The AL Central-leading White Sox also reinstated outfielder Adam Eaton from the 10-day injured list and optioned right-hander Zack Burdi to their top farm club. Eaton had been sidelined by a strained right hamstring. Mercedes, 28, was one of baseball's biggest surprises early in the season, batting .415 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 22 games in April. In May, Mercedes angered manager Tony La Russa by homering on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning of a game the White Sox led 15-4. The rookie has struggled of late, hitting .150 (16 for 107) over his last 31 games. The 25-year-old Burger was selected by Chicago with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft out of Missouri State. He hit .322 with 10 homers and 36 RBIs in 42 games with Triple-A... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — For Yuli Gurriel and the Houston Astros, the fight is on when the count gets to two strikes. There is nothing complicated about their success, either. "You got to have pride,” manager Dusty Baker said. “You got to have pride in it, like when you were a kid playing strikeout with your little brother. They say strikeouts aren’t important, but you see how many games that we won just by putting the ball in play.” The Astros are on top of the AL West, and their two-strike approach is a key part of one of baseball's best lineups. Gurriel leads the majors with a .291 batting average with two strikes heading into play on Wednesday, and teammates Michael Brantley (.267) and Yordan Alvarez (.252) rank among the top six on the list. Baker's club has a big league-best .205 team batting average with two strikes — easily clearing the MLB average of .161. While strikeouts, spin rates and sticky substances have been the talk of baseball this year, Gurriel and Co. are among a group of hitters... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ ENDLESS ROAD The beleaguered Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped 21 straight on the road, one short of the major league record. Arizona can match a dubious mark shared by the 1963 New York Mets and 1943 Philadelphia Athletics when it plays the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Merrill Kelly (2-6, 5.14 ERA) pitches for the Diamondbacks against Anthony DeSclafani (6-2, 3.09), who tossed a two-hit shutout versus Washington last Friday. Arizona hasn’t won on the road since April 25 at Atlanta. “It wears you down,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “At some point we’re going to understand why we’re walking through this. I don’t want things to creep into the guys' heads about feeling sorry for themselves." The Diamondbacks blew a seven-run lead Tuesday night in San Francisco and lost 9-8 when Mike Yastrzemski hit a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning. They've dropped 12 in a row overall. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles will... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday: ___ GET A GRIP Now that Major League Baseball has detailed the coming crackdown on illegal substances, pitchers must get prepared to command their stuff without the same sort of tacky aides. The commissioner’s office announced that pitchers will be ejected and suspended 10 games for using illicit sticky stuff to better their grip on the baseball. Increased enforcement begins Monday. Responding to record strikeouts and a league batting average at a more than half-century low, MLB said Tuesday that major and minor league umpires will start regular checks of all pitchers, even if opposing managers don’t request inspections. While suspensions would be with pay, repeat offenders would receive progressive discipline, and teams and club employees would be subject to discipline for failure to comply. “After an extensive process of repeated warnings without effect, gathering information from current and former players and others across the... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday: ___ GET A GRIP Now that Major League Baseball has detailed the coming crackdown on illegal substances, pitchers must get prepared to command their stuff without the same sort of tacky aides. The commissioner’s office announced that pitchers will be ejected and suspended 10 games for using illicit sticky stuff to better their grip on the baseball. Increased enforcement begins Monday. Responding to record strikeouts and a league batting average at a more than half-century low, MLB said Tuesday that major and minor league umpires will start regular checks of all pitchers, even if opposing managers don’t request inspections. While suspensions would be with pay, repeat offenders would receive progressive discipline, and teams and club employees would be subject to discipline for failure to comply. “After an extensive process of repeated warnings without effect, gathering information from current and former players and others across the... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair tears in his right hamstring. The AL Central leaders, who have already overcome significant injuries this season, said Madrigal was expected to be fully recovered by next spring. Madrigal was hurt last week trying to beat out a grounder. Chicago had put him on the 60-day injured list and held out hope he might recover to play again this year. The 24-year-old rookie had been a sparkplug for the White Sox, hitting .305 while scoring 30 runs and driving in 21 over 54 games. He was tied for the AL lead with four triples. Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa had frequently praised Madrigal for his aggressive, scrappy style. “The surgery went well,” La Russa said. "To have the surgery, I think in the long term for him and for us, it clears away some uncertainty,' he said. “This way he can take his time and make sure he's 100%," he said. Danny Mendick, who started Tuesday... [More]