Welcome back to Top of the Order, where every Tuesday and Friday I'll be kicking off your baseball day with some news, notes, and thoughts about the game we love.
As we've mentioned in this column several times, the only way to get major league players from other teams until the end of the season is through waivers. We haven't seen an Angels-level dumping of impact players this season, but there has been some movement since the trade deadline. Let's take a look at some of the standout players who have switched teams recently, as well as some of the guys in DFA limbo who could claim a claim in the coming days.
Reds Want Amed Rosario From Dodgers
Amed Rosario is only 28 years old, but he may already be in the second game of his career, not only moving from team to team, but also from one position to another.
Shortstop has been Rosario's primary position throughout his career, but for the most part, he's been a terrible defender there (-39 DRS, -59 OAA at the position). So when the Rays signed him before the season, they decided to use him in a relief role. This season, he played over 100 innings at four different positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and right field. He's been a passive guy this year, but that flexibility is important.
It is surprising that he is now playing for his third team of the year. When the Rays fell to the brink of the playoff race, they traded him to the Dodgers at the deadline. However, they designated him for assignment after just five games because they didn't really have a place for him with Mookie Betts back on the injured list and Max Muncy and Tommy Edman not far behind. Rosario was the odd man out in Los Angeles, but he's a good fit for the Reds.
Rosario is having his best offensive season of his career (114 wRC+, 287 PA entering Monday), at least in part because he is being used systematically in favorable matchups. He's absolutely grinded, with a wRC+ of 134 against them compared to 102 against one-sided pitching, and 38% of his plate appearances have come against southpaws. With Rosario in the fold, the Reds now have three obvious platoons in their lineup; Jeimer Candelario, Jake Fraley, and Will Benson should start against righties, with Rosario, Santiago Espinal, and Stuart Fairchild playing lefties.
Rosario probably won't get a ton of opportunities to show anything outside of his offense — the Reds may end up using him as their regular DH against lefties — but since he's playing for a long time before hitting free agency again, he'll certainly be successful. he is looking to show enough to beat his 2024 salary of $1.5 million.
The Marlins claim Cristian Pache from the Orioles
Cristian Pache is one of the trio, but he has had a much smaller impact than Rosario this season. Pache, 25, is in his fifth major league team, and the Marlins are the latest club hoping his offense will turn around enough to make his top-flight defense play every day.
Last season, it looked like Pache had turned the corner in his first year with the Phillies, albeit in a small sample size, with a 99 wRC+ in 95 plate appearances. His performance this year proved that what we saw from him last season was a mess. Before the Phillies traded him and Seranthony Domínguez to the Orioles, Pache had a wRC+ of 60+ over 118 plate appearances.
Surprisingly, Pache didn't last long with the struggling Orioles, getting DFA'd after just three games and moving on to the rebuilding Marlins. It got even worse for Pache in his first 19 plate appearances with Miami; entering Monday his Marlins wRC+ was -1. He's also out of the minor league programs, so unless he starts hitting soon, he might not even make the postseason on Miami's 40-man roster.
Reliever Roundabout
Interrupters will be needed until the sun explodes, few reach their ceiling but all teams believe that they can help the interesting arm to get closer and closer to realizing their potential.
John McMillon's minor league career in the Royals system was plagued by control issues, but he finally put it all together last year, with a ridiculous 91 strikeouts against just 25 walks in 51 1/3 innings before getting his first call to the majors. . His four innings in the bigs were his best, as he recorded eight strikeouts and no walks. But a forearm strain ended his season early and he was back on the road this year, leading to his DFA and the Marlins' offer. Things are far from their peak, with his fastball velocity down more than two to two feet from last year, and he'll likely be used in lower-rated spots for a while, even in the Marlins' new bullpen.
The Yankees acquired Enel De Los Santos at the deadline, hoping to shore up the bottom half of their bullpen. Spoiler: He didn't. He allowed 13 hits (including three homers) and 10 runs in 6 1/3 innings against New York, culminating in a seven-run, five-strikeout performance against the White Sox last week. After getting DFA'd, he was claimed by – wait for it – the White Sox, where he would be high on the depth chart. It's a no-brainer acquisition for the South Siders, who could have De Los Santos for up to two more years before being offered on a free transfer if they can resolve his issues.
New Angel Brock Burke has the best result of the three in this category. He is a lefty who can throw 99 mph and has been brilliant the past two years, striking out 90 in 82 1/3 innings to go along with a 1.97 ERA. After taking a step back in 2023, allowing 13 homers in 59 2/3 innings, Burke has been terrific with the Rangers this year, allowing 14 runs in 13 2/3 innings. innings. He also spent time in IL with a broken hand that doesn't turn (yes, he hit a wall) in the middle of it all. His first two appearances with the Angels went well (3 2/3 IP, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 BB, 5 K), and he has been moving up their depth chart, especially for the upcoming season. Like De Los Santos, Burke is not a free agent until after the 2026 season.
It's On The Phone
Before we go, let's go over a few other players who were recently DFA'd but not yet claimed or cleared on waivers:
Former star player Brent Honeywell Jr. he has a 2.28 ERA in 23 2/3 innings with the Pirates and Dodgers, but hasn't been able to stick with either team. It would be surprising to see him leave, and if he is taken, he will be joining his sixth team in his third major league season.
Dominic Smith has performed admirably in place of Triston Casas, with a 95 wRC+, including 122 since the start of July. But having another lefty playing only first base on the roster would be a no-brainer, so Smith was a tough decision. He's probably nothing more than a good bench prospect for a true contender, and he's unlikely to be sought out by a non-drafter since he's a free agent at the end of the year anyway, so he's probably finding his way back to Boston.
There will be a number of players who will hit the wire between now and the end of the month, anyone who is required before September 1 to be eligible to play. We'll circle back later in August for another look.
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