The San Diego Padres have acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals in one of baseball’s biggest deals at the trade deadline. The Padres vaulted their postseason chances by adding one of the game’s best young hitters. The Padres also obtained first baseman Josh Bell while sending a haul of players to Washington that included left-handed rookie MacKenzie Gore, first baseman/DH Luke Voit and prospects James Wood, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana.Voit was a late addition to the trade and was scratched from the lineup shortly before the first game of a day-night doubleheder.
The sweet-swinging Soto, still just 23 years old, joins Manny Machado in the middle of the Padres’ order, and Fernando Tatis Jr. is on his way back after being sidelined by a broken left wrist.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox swooped in to grab Eric Hosmer when the Padres first baseman vetoed a move to the Nationals as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade. The Red Sox obtained Hosmer, a 2016 All-Star, along with two minor leaguers and cash in exchange for minor league left-hander Jay Groome. The addition of the four-time Gold Glove winner helps fill one of the team’s biggest holes so far this season. Red Sox first basemen have batted .224 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. The team also has 10 errors at first base, tied for most in the majors.
The Yankees acquired Gold Glove-winning center fielder Harrison Bader from the St. Louis Cardinals for left-hander Jordan Montgomery ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, a surprising deal aimed at improving defense. A speedy 28-year-old from Bronxville, New York, Bader has not played since June 26 because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. When he returns, he likely would play center field in a move that would put Aaron Judge back in right and see Aaron Hicks in left, with Giancarlo Stanton as the designated hitter. Montgomery was 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 21 starts. His departure came one day after Frankie Montas was acquired from Oakland to join Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Jameson Taillon in the rotation.
The first-place New York Mets acquired designated hitter Darin Ruf and reliever Mychal Givens in separate deals ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. New York bolstered its bullpen by landing Givens from the Chicago Cubs for minor league pitcher Saúl González. Givens, a 32-year-old right-hander, was 6-2 with two saves and a 2.66 ERA in 40 games for the Cubs this season. Earlier in the day, Ruf was obtained from the San Francisco Giants for J.D. Davis and three pitching prospects in an exchange of right-handed bats. Left-handers Thomas Szapucki and Nick Zwack also went to the Giants along with right-hander Carson Seymour. Ruf has hammered left-handed pitching this season and throughout his career, something Davis was unable to do in his part-time role primarily at DH this year.
On the diamond, Jacob deGrom allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in five innings in his season debut before a bullpen meltdown cost the New York Mets in a 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. DeGrom was pitching for the Mets for the first time in almost 13 months. He received a standing ovation from a crowd full of New York fans hours after the Nationals traded superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The 34-year-old two-time NL Cy Young Award winner threw 46 of his 59 pitches for strikes in his first meaningful action since July 7, 2021. Cory Abbott won his first start of the season for Washington.
Elsewhere, the Braves crushed the Phillies 13-1.
The Seattle Mariners downed the New York Yankees 8-6.
And the Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 2-1.
Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, whose dulcet tones provided the soundtrack of summer while entertaining and informing Dodgers fans in Brooklyn and Los Angeles for 67 years, died Tuesday night. He was 94. The Dodgers say family members informed them that Scully died at his home in the Hidden Hills section of Los Angeles. As the longest tenured broadcaster with a single team in pro sports history, Scully saw it all and called it all. He began in the 1950s era of Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson and went through to 2016, when he retired.
NFL
The NFL has suspended Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5 million for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton following a six-month investigation stemming from Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit against the league. The league’s investigation found the Dolphins did not intentionally lose games during the 2019 season but the team had impermissible communication with Brady and his agent, Don Yee. The Dolphins will forfeit a first-round selection in the 2023 draft and third-round selection in the 2024 draft. Ross is suspended through Oct. 17. He may not be present at the team’s facility and may not represent the club at any team or NFL event.
Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension will stand only if the NFL allows it. The punishment given to the Cleveland Browns quarterback by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy fell far short of the one-year suspension the league wanted. But because of the collective bargaining agreement, the league can appeal Robinson’s decision and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or a person he designates could then increase the suspension and impose a substantial fine. The league has three days to file an appeal and is mulling its options. Still, the NFL Players Association could then try to challenge Goodell’s ruling on an appeal in federal court.