MLB Rumors: Astros in-house rotation options, Pedro Grifol out, Brewers buzz

MLB Rumors: Brewers linked to pair of dream trade candidates

It looked as if 2024 was finally going to be the year that the Milwaukee Brewers took a step back. Not only did Craig Counsell leave, but he joined a division rival with a better roster on paper in the Chicago Cubs. They traded Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. They traded other impactful veterans like Mark Canha, Adrian Houser, and Tyrone Taylor as well. They were already without Brandon Woodruff for the season.

Despite all of that, not only are the Brewers playing well, but they have a commanding 6.0-game lead in the NL Central and the third-best record in the NL at 36-25. They've been able to sustain a high level of play despite a bevy of starting pitching injuries. Right now, their rotation consists of Freddy Peralta, Robert Gasser, and not much else. For Milwaukee to seriously compete, they'd benefit from adding a high-end arm.

Fortunately, ESPN's ($) Jeff Passan links them to a pair of starting pitchers who'd both be great fits.

Garrett Crochet certainly fits and is what they hope DL Hall -- whom they got in a deal forCorbin Burnes, the sort of ace they really could use now -- can be: a lefty with obscene stuff who can head a rotation. Same goes for Jesus Luzardo. Milwaukee has the system to land one of them.

Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox and Jesus Luzardo of the Miami Marlins are both frontline rotation arms and both come with several years of control. Luzardo is a bit more established, but Crochet has broken out in a big way in his first full season as a starter. It'd cost a ton, but as Passan says, they have enough to get one of these guys.

MLB Rumors: Pedro Grifol running out of time with White Sox

The Chicago White Sox were expected to be one of the worst teams in baseball this season, but somehow, things have been even worse than anyone could've anticipated.

After yet another heartbreaking loss, this time at the hands of their crosstown rivals, the White Sox sit at 15-46 on the year. They have the worst record in the majors and are six games back of the Marlins who have the second-worst record. They've lost 12 in a row, several of those coming in heartbreaking fashion.

Second-year manager Pedro Grifol put himself on the hot seat when he called out virtually his entire team in late May, and the White Sox have not won a game since. This miserable year has The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal ($) wondering not if, but when a change is made in their dugout.

"Grifol probably would have been in trouble even if he had not criticized his players. The White Sox, then and now, had the worst record in the majors. Their first-year general manager Chris Getz inherited Grifol from the previous regime. All of the pieces are in place for a managerial change. The only question is when it will happen."

Grifol is not to blame for this season getting out of hand. The White Sox made it clear that they were not trying to win by trading Dylan Cease before the season began. Injuries to key players like Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada haven't helped. He was put in a position to fail, and the fact that new GM Chris Getz didn't inherit him makes it even more obvious that Grifol's time to be let go is coming. The only question is when.

MLB Rumors: Should the Astros stick with their in-house rotation options?

The Houston Astros have had a miserable 2024 season thus far. They're 28-34 entering play on Wednesday, sitting 7.0 games out of first place in the AL West and 6.0 games out of the third and final Wild Card spot in the AL. Their postseason hopes aren't dead, but they certainly face an uphill battle.

That battle just got a lot tougher with news that both Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy will need elbow surgeries that will end their seasons prematurely. The Astros have been dealing with rotation injuries all year, but these two injuries are the worst of them all.

Despite the losses of Javier and Urquidy, Houston has most of its rotation set. Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, and Hunter Brown take up the first four spots, but the No. 5 spot is where things fall apart. Spencer Arrighetti has made ten starts but has a 5.79 ERA in those appearances. Relying on him to take the ball every fifth day might not work out in Houston's favor.

Unfortunately, things get rather thin after Arrighetti on the depth chart. They have Eric Lauer on a minor league deal, but he's not on their 40-man roster. Depth arms like J.P. France, Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia might be able to return at some point this season, but when that is remains to be seen.

If things work out perfectly Houston might have enough organizational depth to get by, but that's if no other starting pitcher gets hurt. With that in mind, they'd be wise to go out and try to land another starter before falling further out of the playoff race.