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Commanders WR Terry McLaurin said he’s disappointed with contract extension talks. “I’ve been pretty frustrated, not gonna lie,” McLaurin told reporters Tuesday. “Everything that has transpired has been pretty disappointing. I want to continue my career here, I’ve created my life here, so I want to be here.” With Washington’s training camp scheduled to start on July 22, McLaurin seems unlikely to suit up without major progress on the contract front over the next week. McLaurin, who was 15th in receiver receptions and 12th in receiving yards in 2024, is entering his age-30 season. The Commanders might be hesitant to commit long term to their de facto WR1.
Giants released OF Vaun Brown.
Brown, a 10th-round pick in 2021, had a fantastic debut that summer and in hitting .346/.437/.623 with 23 homers and 44 steals in A-ball in 2022, but he never has managed to conquer Double-A since. He was hitting .247/.347/.282 in 32 games there this season.
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo suggests that Mets RHP Nolan McLean “could play a key role in the upcoming pennant race.”
DiComo didn’t mention what role McLean would play, but with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea coming off the injured list last week, it’s more likely McLean would help the Mets out of the bullpen. The 23-year-old has a 2.52 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 65/26 K/BB ratio in 60 2/3 innings at Triple-A Syracuse since being promoted after just five starts at Double-A to begin the season.
The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports that free agent RHP David Robertson is throwing for interested teams “within the next week.”
Robertson pitched for the Rangers last season, posting a 3.00 ERA in 72 innings with a 99/27 K/BB ratio. From 2022-24, the 40-year-old averaged 63 appearances per season with a 2.82 ERA, so he has proven that he still can be a quality reliever at the big league level. While many teams were interested in Robertson earlier in the season, the veteran held firm to his contract demands and, as Sammon reports, “clubs failed to meet his asking price.” With the season nearing a close, Robertson’s salary demands are likely to be more acceptable to contenders, so it would not be a surprise to see him sign with a team by the end of the month.
Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) is starting a rehab assignment on Tuesday in the Florida Complex League.
The outfielder had his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Durham back on May 24th and then experienced a setback a few days later. It seems that the 27-year-old feels healthy enough the get back into game action. It will likely take a few weeks for him to get his rhythm and timing back, but with Jake Mangum, Josh Lowe, and Chandler Simpson all playing well, and both Jose Caballero and Christopher Morel filling in the outfield as well, it’s unclear what kind of role DeLuca might return to.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports that the Jazz have no plans to trade Lauri Markkanen this offseason.
With the Jazz in the midst of a rebuild, there have been questions regarding Markkanen’s future with the franchise. However, while John Collins and Collin Sexton were traded this offseason and Jordan Clarkson’s contract was bought out, the team reportedly does not plan to move Markkanen. “It would be too much to describe Markkanen as untouchable, but the Jazz still project the All-Star forward as a key player in their future core,” MacMahon wrote. In addition to how he’s viewed within the franchise, Markkanen’s contract may deter some teams. Last August, he agreed to a five-year extension worth $238 million. Utah still needs some veterans to lead the way for their young roster, which is why Markkanen remains so valuable to the franchise.