TRADES
Following are many (but not all) of the non-Braves trades made this week leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline.
Rockies - Blue Jays
Blue Jays get: SS Troy Tulowitzki, RHP LaTroy Hawkins
Rockies get: SS Jose Reyes, RHP Miguel Castro (minors), RHP Jeff Hoffman (minors), RHP Jesus Tinoco (minors)
Tulowitzki will pick up a $2MM assignment bonus and a full no-trade clause by virtue of being dealt.
Stories and reactions: Purple Row / Bluebird Banter
Royals - Reds
Royals get: RHP Johnny Cueto
Reds get: LHP Brandon Finnegan, LHP John Lamb (minors), LHP Cody Reed (minors)
Stories and reactions: Royals Review / Red Reporter
Phillies - Rangers
Rangers get: LHP Cole Hamels, LHP Jake Diekman
Phillies get: LHP Matt Harrison, RHP Alec Asher (minors), RHP Jerad Eickhoff (minors), RHP Jake Thompson (minors), OF Nick Williams (minors), C Jorge Alfaro (minors)
Stories and reactions: The Good Phight / Lone Star Ball
Tigers - Blue Jays
Blue Jays get: LHP David Price
Tigers get: LHP Daniel Norris, LHP Jairo Labourt (minors), LHP Matt Boyd (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bless You Boys / Bluebird Banter
Yankees - Mariners
Yankees get: OF Dustin Ackley
Mariners get: OF Ramon Flores (minors), RHP Jose Ramirez (minors)
Stories and reactions: Pinstripe Alley / Lookout Landing
Blue Jays - Phillies
Blue Jays get: OF Ben Revere
Phillies get: RHP Jimmy Cordero (minors), RHP Alberto Tirado (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bluebird Banter / The Good Phight
Pirates - Tigers
Pirates get: RHP Joakim Soria
Tigers get: SS JaCoby Jones (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bucs Dugout / Bless You Boys
Mets - A's
Mets get: RHP Tyler Clippard
A's get: RHP Casey Meisner (minors)
Coming on the heels of this trade, Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia got busted AGAIN for PEDs three weeks after being reinstated, and for the same drug. He'll miss a full season's worth of games for a second offense.
Stories and reactions: Amazin' Avenue / Athletics Nation
Red Sox - Angels
Angels get: OF Shane Victorino
Red Sox get: IF Josh Rutledge (minors)
Stories and reactions: Halos Heaven / Over the Monster
Mets - Tigers
Mets get: OF Yoenis Cespedes
Tigers get: RHP Michael Fullmer (minors), RHP Luis Cessa (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bless You Boys / Amazin' Avenue
Phillies - Nationals
Nationals get: RHP Jonathan Papelbon
Phillies get: RHP Nick Pivetta (minors)
Stories and reactions: The Good Phight / Federal Baseball
Pirates - Mariners
Pirates get: LHP J.A. Happ
Mariners get: RHP Adrian Sampson (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bucs Dugout / Lookout Landing
Royals - A's
Royals get: UT Ben Zobrist
A's get: LHP Sean Manaea (minors), RHP Aaron Brooks (minors)
Stories and reactions: Royals Review / Athletics Nation
Angels - Rays
Angels get: OF David DeJesus
Rays get: RHP Eduar Lopez (minors)
Angels - Indians
Angels get: OF David Murphy
Indians get: SS Eric Stamets (minors)
These two trades happened literally minutes apart for the Angels. This gives them three new outfielders in 24 hours. Angels be like "GIVE US ALL YER VETERAN PRESENTZ!!"
Stories and reactions: Halos Heaven / DRaysBay / Let's Go Tribe
Cardinals - Brewers
Cardinals get: RHP Jonathan Broxton
Brewers get: OF Malik Collymore (minors)
Stories and reactions: Viva El Birdos / Brew Crew Ball
Cubs - Marlins
Cubs get: RHP Dan Haren
Marlins get: SS Elliot Soto (minors), RHP Ivan Pineyro (minors)
Stories and reactions: Bleed Cubbie Blue / Fish Stripes
Giants - Reds
Giants get: RHP Mike Leake
Reds get: RHP Keury Mella (minors), IF/OF Adam Duvall (minors)
Stories and reactions: McCovey Chronicles / Red Reporter
Orioles - Brewers
Orioles get: OF Gerardo Parra
Brewers get: RHP Zach Davies (minors)
Stories and reactions: Brew Crew Ball / Camden Chat
Cardinals - Indians
Cardinals get: 1B/OF Brandon Moss
Indians get: LHP Rob Kaminsky (minors)
Stories and reactions: Viva El Birdos / Let's Go Tribe
Astros - Brewers
Astros get: OF Carlos Gomez, RHP Mike Fiers
Brewers get: OF Brett Phillips (minors), OF Domingo Santana (minors), RHP Adrian Houser (minors), LHP Josh Hader (minors)
Carlos Gomez had originally been reported to have been traded to the Mets along with Wilmer Flores, but that deal fell through.
Stories and reactions: Brew Crew Ball / Crawfish Boxes
Cubs - Orioles
Cubs get: RHP Tommy Hunter
Orioles get: OF Junior Lake
Stories and reactions: Bleed Cubbie Blue / Camden Chat
Marlins - Dodgers
Dodgers get: RHP Mat Latos, 1B/OF Michael Morse
Marlins get: RHP Jeff Brigham (minors), RHP Victor Araujo (minors), RHP Kevin Guzman (minors)
The Dodgers DFA'd Morse as expected, just like they did with Eric Stults.
NOTE: This does not include the Braves part of the three-team deal, which is discussed in detail here.
Stories and reactions: True Blue LA / Fish Stripes
Dodgers - Pirates
Pirates get: 1B/OF Michael Morse
Dodgers get: OF Jose Tabata
Stories and reactions: Bucs Dugout / True Blue LA
Marlins - Rangers
Rangers get: RHP Sam Dyson
Marlins get: C Tomas Telis (minors), LHP Cody Ege (minors)
Stories and reactions: Fish Stripes / Lone Star Ball
Padres - Indians
Padres get: LHP Marc Rzepczynski
Indians get: OF Abraham Almonte
A lot of people expected the Padres to be sellers with Justin Upton and Craig Kimbrel being tossed around as potential trade candidates, but no. This is all they get.
Stories and reactions: Let's Go Tribe / Gaslamp Ball
NON-TRADE NEWS
Smoltz and Co. officially inducted into Hall of Fame
John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, Craig Biggio, and Randy Johnson were all officially inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday. Smoltz was the second to talk after Biggio, and donned a wig to take a crack at his fellow Hall teammates Maddux and Glavine.
John Smoltz magically grows hair, talks memories of Glavine and Maddux. #SmoltzHOF WATCH: http://t.co/amUcHnbWKf pic.twitter.com/tN25fNbR1t
— #SmoltzHOF (@Braves) July 26, 2015
Here's an interesting tidbit about Smoltz's speech.
Smoltz's speech went 29 minutes and 29 seconds. You can't make this stuff up.
— Ben Ingram (@IngramRadio) July 26, 2015
Congrats, Smoltzie. You earned it. :)
David Ross pitches, then hits a homer
As if David Ross couldn't be any more awesome...
.@Cubs catcher @D_Ross3 is 1st reliever to homer in more than 5 years: http://t.co/6gz4lo8xjG Yep. #PitchersWhoRake pic.twitter.com/gfVlntZK0A
— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2015
This also gives me a reason to use this again! It's been three years already.
Tim Hudson beats A's to complete rare feat
Entering this year, Tim Hudson had wins against all but two MLB teams: the Braves and the A's. He had beaten the Braves earlier this year, but on Sunday finally topped the A's to become the 15th pitcher to beat all 30 major-league teams. A.J. Burnett and Dan Haren are two active pitchers who have also accomplished the feat.