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The Washington Nationals acquired right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter and outfielder Browm Martinez from the New York Yankees in exchange for infielder Amed Rosario on Saturday. Beeter has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. Nationals Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo made the announcement.
Beeter, 26, struck out 39 batters in 23.2 innings across 21 Minor League outings this season, his first as a full-time reliever. He went 1-1 with two saves, a 3.80 ERA and a .212 opponents' batting average between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Double-A Somerset and High-A Tampa. From May 23 through June 27, Beeter enjoyed his best stretch of the season, pitching to a 0.73 ERA (1 ER/12.1 IP) with 22 strikeouts and a .143 opponents’ average (6-for-42, 2B) in 11 outings with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
New York's No. 20 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and its No. 23 prospect, per Baseball America, Beeter made two appearances out of the Yankees' bullpen across two Major League stints this season, going 0-1 with a 14.73 ERA. He made New York's Opening Day roster in 2024 and made his Major League debut on March 29 of that year at Houston. He posted scoreless relief in three appearances, pitching to a 4.91 ERA with five strikeouts and one walk.
Selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Tech University, Beeter is 13-18 with a 3.67 ERA and 13.00 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and a .206 opponents' batting average in 113 Minor League outings. He represented the Yankees in the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and finished that season ranked second in New York’s system with a career-high 165 strikeouts and a .216 opponent’s batting average in 131.2 innings. Beeter was acquired by the Yankees from the Dodgers in exchange for Joey Gallo on Aug. 2, 2022.
Martinez, 18, is in his second professional season after signing with the Yankees as an international free agent on January 15, 2024. He's hit .320 with eight doubles, three homers, 35 RBI, 21 walks, 34 stolen bases and 42 runs scored in 56 games for the DSL Yankees over the last two seasons.
The Washington Nationals acquired left-handed pitcher Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for right-handed pitcher Luis Garcia and left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin on Wednesday. Eder has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester and right-handed pitcher Zach Brzykcy has been recalled from Triple-A Rochester. Nationals Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo made the announcements.
Eder, 26, is Los Angeles’ No. 24 prospect, according to Baseball America. He has appeared in eight Major League games for the Angels, posting a 4.91 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 18.1 innings pitched. In his last Major League outing on July 23 at New York (NL), he struck out seven batters and issued just one walk in 6.0 innings of work out of the Angels’ bullpen (7 H, 5 ER). He was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on July 24 and is 2-7 with a 6.11 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 13 Triple-A outings this season.
A starter at the Minor League level, Eder has recorded 10.3 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 66 career starts since being selected by Miami in the fourth round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University. He was acquired by the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Jake Burger on Aug. 1, 2023, and by the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash considerations on March 31, 2025. In 2024, he was tied for third among White Sox farmhands with 122 strikeouts.
Brown, 23, is in his second professional season after being selected by the Angels in the 12th round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Washington State University. He ranks among Angles Minor Leaguers in walks (T5th, 46), triples (T7th, 4) and on-base percentage (8th, .350). In 92 games for Double-A Rocket City, Brown is hitting .244 with 12 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 40 RBI, 46 walks, two stolen bases and 92 runs scored.
The left-handed hitting Brown has appeared at first base (183 G), designated hitter (31 G), right field (6 G) and left field (2 G) so far in his professional career.
The Washington Nationals acquired shortstop Ronny Cruz and outfielder Christian Franklin from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka on Wednesday. Nationals Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo made the announcement.
Cruz, 18, is Chicago’s No. 13 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and No. 17 prospect according to Baseball America. In his first professional season in 2025, he is hitting .270 with 10 doubles, six triples, two home runs, 21 RBI, 10 walks, 10 stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 48 games for the Arizona League Cubs.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to Florida for his final two years of high school, Cruz was selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Miami Christian School (Fla.).
Franklin, 25, the Cubs No. 14 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, led the Cubs Minor League system in walks (63) and ranked in runs (2nd, 61), triples (T3rd, 4), on-base percentage (5th, .393), doubles (5th, 20), extra-base hits (T7th, 32), OPS (7th, .820), hits (7th, 85), and slugging (8th, .427) in 86 games for Triple-A Iowa this season. He also hit .265 with eight home runs, 41 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 61 runs scored in 2025.
The right-handed hitting Franklin ranks 10th in all of Minor League Baseball over the last two seasons with 134 walks. He has hit .261 with 53 doubles, 10 triples, 26 home runs, 143 RBI, 208 walks, 63 stolen bases, and 208 runs scored in 307 career Minor League games over five seasons, while playing 122 games in center field, 79 games in right field and 74 games in left field.
The Orioles today announced that they have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher TWINE PALMER from the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder RAMÓN URÍAS and cash considerations.
Palmer, 20, went 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA (10 ER/42.1 IP) on 26 hits, 14 total runs allowed, 22 walks, two hit batters, and 44 strikeouts in 13 appearances (8 GS) with Single-A Fayetteville. The McAlester, Okla. native made his professional debut with the Woodpeckers last season, and pitched in two games after being selected by Houston in the 19th round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Connors State College (OK).
Urías, 31, hit .248/.300/.388 (64-for-258) with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 27 runs, 34 RBI, and 21 walks in 77 games with the Orioles this season. He made his MLB debut with Baltimore in 2020 and went on to play 506 games with the club, batting .259/.324/.404 (410-for-1580) with 76 doubles, six triples, 47 home runs, 197 runs scored, 205 RBI, and 131 walks. In 2022, he won the American League Gold Glove Award at third base to become the third Oriole in team history to do so, joining National Baseball Hall of Famer and Orioles legend BROOKS ROBINSON (16x) and MANNY MACHADO (2x).
Interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t know yesterday morning whether certain players would make it through the series finale against the Blue Jays. Whether he’d hear from the front office, alerting him to a trade, or at least the possibility of one.
Former manager Brandon Hyde knew the drill during the rebuild period. Mansolino is getting his first experience with it.
“There’s always things kind of cooking with that,” he said. “For a couple days, we’ve gotten a phone call during the game, essentially like, ‘Hey, heads up in these scenarios.’ So I think that’s pretty normal this time of the year if you’re a team that’s kind of selling.”
Or full-in, without-question selling.
The Orioles aren’t straddling the fence. They traded relievers Bryan Baker, Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez and infielder Ramón Urías and are receiving offers on numerous other players. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn and center fielder Cedric Mullins are high on the list, with the Reds among the teams tracking Mullins. The Cubs are a possible match for Zach Eflin based on their interest level, but the Orioles also could move Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano.
In 24 hours, the Orioles’ roster could look very different.
The front office is realistic about where Baltimore finds itself in the standings. Despite a great homestand with incredible performances from the likes of Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn, the Orioles would have to leapfrog seven American League teams to make the playoffs.
The reality of the situation wasn’t lost on the fans at Camden Yards, nor the players in the clubhouse, a few of which have already changed jerseys.
Ahead of today’s deadline, the Orioles have already sent Gregory Soto to the Mets and Seranthony Domínguez to the Blue Jays in exchange for some high-upside arms.
In exchange for Soto, the O’s received RHP Wellington Aracena and RHP Cameron Foster from New York. Foster didn’t enter Baltimore’s top 30 according to MLB Pipeline, nor was he a top-30 prospect in the Mets system according to Baseball America. But Aracena is ranked by both outlets.
It’s hard to imagine any trade deadline that approaches the Nationals’ 2021 trade deadline in terms of both volume and significant names. Over those wild 36 hours, former general manager Mike Rizzo made six deals involving eight veterans in exchange for 12 prospects, kickstarting an organizational rebuild that still continues to this day.
Mike DeBartolo probably won’t match his predecessor, but as Major League Baseball’s official deadline day arrives, the interim GM is already showing a willingness to be exceptionally active.
It began Saturday night when the Nationals dealt infielder Amed Rosario to the Yankees for minor leaguers Clayton Beeter and Browm Martinez. It continued Wednesday afternoon when they sent relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia together to the Angels for left-hander Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown. And it didn’t let up Wednesday night when (with the team still en route home from Houston to D.C.) Michael Soroka was traded to the Cubs for infielder Ronny Cruz and outfielder Christian Franklin (both top-15-ranked prospects in Chicago’s farm system).
All this before the actual deadline day, which figures to be plenty active in its own right.
DeBartolo has now dealt four of the team’s seven veterans on expiring contracts. He’s still got Kyle Finnegan, Josh Bell and Paul DeJong on the docket before the 6 p.m. deadline.
The Orioles are willing to move more than expiring contracts at the deadline.
An industry source confirmed tonight that the Orioles are trading infielder Ramón Urías to the Astros.
Urías doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2026 season. He’s batting .248/.300/.388 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 77 games.
Urías has made 66 starts at third base, where he won a Gold Glove in 2022.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias swings a deal with his former organization, and he parts with a player claimed on waivers from the Cardinals on Feb. 11, 2020 – an under-the-radar move which turned out nicely for the Orioles.
Ryan O’Hearn swung, stood and tossed his bat. He watched José Berríos’ fastball land on the flag court in right field, began to jog up the line and pointed at the dugout.
The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone.
O’Hearn might have played his last game with the Orioles, who failed to complete their sweep today with a 9-8 loss to the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. The same goes for Cedric Mullins, who made another leaping catch at the fence to rob a home run and preserve the lead. Moments that fed the hopeless baseball romantics.
The trade deadline is approaching the 24-hour mark and both players are generating heat.
The entire team was getting hot with five wins in a row, but reliever Yennier Cano, tasked with holding a 5-4 lead, allowed five runs in the seventh inning. They answered with three in the bottom half but fell to 50-59.
HOUSTON – The Nationals’ final ballgame before the 2025 trade deadline offered a stark reminder why they’re in full-scale sell mode for the fifth straight year.
Despite the presence of their ace on the mound and an unaccomplished rookie starting for the opposition, the Nats were roughed up by the Astros during a 9-1 blowout loss that saw MacKenzie Gore’s recent struggles continue and interim manager Miguel Cairo get ejected for the first time.
Gore, whose name has emerged as a potential trade candidate – more so by contenders interested in acquiring an All-Star lefty with two-plus years of club control than by the Nationals themselves – this month, endured through his third consecutive shaky outing, this one bringing out some negative emotions from the 26-year-old.
Gore was charged with six runs in 5 1/3 innings, surrendering a pair of homers while also seeing his command go awry at times. He has now allowed 15 runs while walking 10 batters over his last 12 2/3 innings, during which time his ERA has jumped from 3.02 to 3.80.
Whether any potentially interested contenders view these recent struggles as reason to reduce their offers to interim general manager Mike DeBartolo in advance of Thursday night’s trade deadline remains to be seen. Either way, Gore unquestionably is now mired in the worst stretch of an otherwise fantastic season.
HOUSTON – The Nationals traded two more veterans on one-year deals prior to today’s series finale against the Astros, sending relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García together to the Angels in exchange for two minor leaguers.
The trade, which was officially announced minutes before today’s game, sends two experienced bullpen arms acquired in-season to an Angels club trying to get into the American League wild card race and brings minor league left-hander Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown to the Nationals organization.
With roughly 28 hours to go until Thursday’s 6 p.m. Eastern trade deadline, interim general manager Mike DeBartolo is expected to be busy. He already dealt infielder Amed Rosario to the Yankees following Saturday night’s game in Minnesota, and he’s still shopping three more veterans on expiring contracts in Kyle Finnegan, Josh Bell and Paul DeJong. DeBartolo also appears willing to listen to offers for players who remain under club control beyond this season, including first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and staff ace MacKenzie Gore, who starts this afternoon against Houston.
Chafin and García both were mid-season pickups by the Nationals, who desperately needed bullpen help at the time. Chafin, 35, joined the club in early May and wound up posting a 2.70 ERA in 26 appearances facing mostly left-handed hitters. García, 38, just joined the club three weeks ago as DeBartolo’s first official acquisition after replacing longtime GM Mike Rizzo and immediately paid dividends with only one run allowed in 10 appearances.
Given their rental status, Chafin and García did not bring back a significant haul, but both Eder and Brown give the Nats young players who could ultimately develop into big leaguers.
HOUSTON – We have reached the final day of this road trip and the final game before the trade deadline. As things currently stand, the Nationals have made only one move this week, sending Amed Rosario to the Yankees after Saturday night’s game in Minnesota. Be prepared for a lot more activity between now and 6 p.m. Thursday.
In the meantime, there’s a game to be played this afternoon against the Astros, and the Nats have a chance to win their third straight series if they can beat the Astros. They’ve got their ace on the mound for what should be a fascinating start. Is this MacKenzie Gore’s final outing before a trade? How will Miguel Cairo manage this start with that in mind, pulling him early to avoid risk of injury or struggles or letting him go to give everything he’s got? Where is Gore’s mind right now as he prepares to take the mound?
A Nationals lineup that has struck out a whopping 33 times through the first two games of this series will look to make more contact today against Houston starter Ryan Gusto. The 26-year-old rookie has bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen, making 13 starts and 10 relief appearances and compiling a 5.18 ERA and 1.475 WHIP. He was roughed up by the Athletics last time out to the tune of eight runs in only 3 1/3 innings.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Paul DeJong
RF Daylen Lile
C Drew Millas
CF Jacob Young
The Orioles will go for the four-game sweep this afternoon, in the final game before the trade deadline, with Adley Rutschman serving as designated hitter and cleanup hitter, and Dylan Carlson in right field.
Tyler O’Neill and Ramón Laureano are on the bench.
Dean Kremer allowed five runs in six innings against the Rockies in his last start after surrendering one run over 14 innings in his two previous outings. His first start came in Toronto on March 29 and he allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Kremer owns a 5.14 ERA and 1.516 WHIP in 12 career games (11 starts) against the Blue Jays. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 11-for-31 with two doubles and five home runs.
The Orioles have won five games in a row and six out of seven, but they remain seven back for the last Wild Card with seven teams ahead of them.
Yennier Cano left his seat in the Orioles’ dugout after the bottom of the third inning and began his stroll to the home bullpen. He’s already said his goodbyes to Bryan Baker, Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez. Just part of the business. And it creates major complications for those left standing, and walking, who want to keep winning.
Rookie Brandon Young, recalled today as the 27th man in Game 2, hadn’t completed the fifth inning in six of his seven starts. Interim manager Tony Mansolino probably spent part of his afternoon introducing himself to his new relievers and wondering how he’d piece together nine frames. And whether everyone in the room was ready for the possibility of high-leverage work.
Young retired the side in order in the fifth and earned the chance to keep going, getting through the sixth and leaving with the score tied and a quality start on his resume. That was one worry put to bed.
Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman hit back-to-back doubles off Jeff Hoffman in the eighth and Corbin Martin earned his first career save in the Orioles’ 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays before an announced crowd of 14,929 at Camden Yards. The bullpen logged three scoreless innings, and the Orioles won their fifth game in a row and sixth out of seven.
Oh, these silly sellers.
The swing and the sound were vintage Tyler O’Neill. A positive perfect storm creating a loud clap of thunder and putting more runs on the scoreboard.
This is the version of Tyler O’Neill that the Orioles anticipated for the 2025 season and perhaps beyond, depending on the opt-out clause in his three-year, $49.5 million free-agent contract.
His health didn’t allow it, whether keeping him off the field or out of the batting cages, but O’Neill is teasing again – just like he did in March with three hits on Opening Day, including another home run, and four on the 31st in Boston.
O’Neill homered in four consecutive games and almost made it five last night in the nightcap of a doubleheader, his drive to deep left field in the fifth inning so close to sneaking inside the pole that the Orioles challenged the call. The at-bats are much better, much more competitive.
For example, O’Neill saw 19 pitches in his first three plate appearances in Game 1, running the count full each time and producing a sacrifice fly, a walk and single after falling behind 0-2. O’Neill changed his approach and homered on a first-pitch slider in the sixth, and he struck out on six pitches in the seventh.
HOUSTON – Michael Soroka took the mound tonight knowing there was a good chance it would be his final start for the Nationals, knowing the better he pitched, the more attractive he might make himself to any interested contenders.
He then found out that’s easier said than done, especially when the opposing lineup makes you work as much as the Astros did.
Unable to complete four innings for the first time this season due to a high pitch count, Soroka didn’t figure in the decision in the Nats’ eventual 7-4 loss. The bullpen was charged with the final five runs, turning a once-tied game into a relatively comfortable victory for Houston.
But the spotlight tonight was squarely on Soroka, who took the mound less than 48 hours before the trade deadline and once again turned in a start that included a combination of positive and negative developments.
Houston’s hitters put up a massive fight from the get-go, battling tough pitches and prolonging at-bats. Their first four batters saw a combined 28 pitches, and a whopping 13 of those were fouled off. Cam Smith then got a pitch he could do something with and sent it down the right field line for an RBI double and a 1-0 lead.
The Orioles today announced that they have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher JUARON WATTS-BROWN from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher SERANTHONY DOMÍNGUEZ and cash considerations.
Watts-Brown, 23, is 2-5 with a 3.54 ERA (35 ER/89.0 IP) with 70 hits (6 HR), 38 total runs allowed, 38 walks, six hit batters, and 115 strikeouts in 19 games, all starts, between Double-A New Hampshire and High-A Vancouver this season. His 115 punchouts rank fifth among minor league pitchers, while his 30.5 percent strikeout rate is seventh in the minors (min. 80.0 IP) in 2025. In two professional seasons, he is 6-16 with a 4.17 ERA (89 ER/192.0 IP) and 246 strikeouts in 40 appearances, all starts. Watts-Brown is currently ranked Toronto’s No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 14 by Baseball America. The Visalia, Calif. native was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the third round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University.
Domínguez, 30, made 68 relief appearances in parts of two seasons with the Orioles, going 2-5 with 12 saves and a 3.50 ERA (25 ER/64.1 IP). In 43 appearances this year, he went 2-3 with two saves and a 3.24 ERA (15 ER/41.2 IP). He was acquired by Baltimore from the Philadelphia Phillies on July 26, 2024, along with outfielder Cristian Pache, in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays. The seven-year veteran is 21-22 with 40 saves and a 3.54 ERA (112 ER/285.0 IP) in 298 career appearances.
The Orioles won the first game of today’s doubleheader and traded another high-leverage reliever. And he can make a short walk down the hallway at Camden Yards to join his new team.
Right-hander Seranthony Domínguez was dealt to the Blue Jays for pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, according to an industry source. Toronto is in Baltimore for a four-game series.
Domínguez is the third reliever traded by the Orioles this month after Bryan Baker (Rays) and Gregory Soto (Mets).
MLB Pipeline ranked Watts-Brown, 23, as the Jays’ No. 10 prospect. They drafted him in the third round in 2023 out of Oklahoma State and he’s registered a 4.17 ERA and 1.328 WHIP in 40 starts. He’s struck out 246 batters and walked 98 over 192 innings.
Watts-Brown was in the Eastern League with Double-A New Hampshire, where he made 11 starts and posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in 11 outings with 26 walks, 53 strikeouts and only four home runs surrendered over 51 2/3 innings. He also started eight games with High-A Vancouver and posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.179 WHIP with 12 walks, 62 strikeouts and two homers in 37 1/3 innings.
HOUSTON – The Nationals (gulp) are currently on a winning streak. Three in a row. The first time they’ve done that since that trip to Seattle and Arizona two months ago. (Or maybe it was a lifetime ago.) And tonight they’ll look to make it four in a row against an Astros club that’s hanging onto first place in the American League West but is currently teetering, having lost five games in a row (the first four to the Athletics).
This very well may be Michael Soroka’s final start for the Nats. The 27-year-old right-hander has proven to be a solid addition to the team, his 4.85 ERA not really in concert with how well he’s pitched (1.128 WHIP, 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings). The right-hander has been good of late, with only four runs allowed over his last 14 2/3 innings. You have to think some team out there is willing to make Mike DeBartolo a reasonable offer for him before Thursday’s trade deadline, but it would help if he pitches well again tonight.
A Nationals lineup that scored two runs and won Monday night despite striking out 19 times faces a bit less imposing opposing starter than Framber Valdez in Jason Alexander. The 32-year-old right-hander (who is NOT the actor who played George Costanza on "Seinfeld") makes only his third big league start of the season, only his 14th career start, having been roughed up by the A’s last time out to the tune of five runs and 11 hits in six innings. Maybe he’d be better off pursuing his other dream of pretending to be an architect …
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young
Kade Strowd was hesitant to talk about it. The 96 mph sinker last night that crashed into the side of George Springer’s batting helmet in the ninth inning. The collective gasp from fans and the silence as Springer stayed face-down in the dirt.
Strowd eventually told the media this morning that he would speak about the incident, but it still shook him.
Springer is OK. Strowd has to move on but remains impacted by it.
“The one pitch, lost control,” he said. “It was my first sinker of the day. Just lost that one up and in. Part of the game but you hate to see somebody, especially like George, go down like that, so hope he’s all right.”
Strowd walked toward Springer and later crouched at the mound.
