Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Wednesday, highlighted by the Astros hitting a home run at the trade deadline by acquiring former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.
Come along as we take a look at which MLB players were traded and which big names stayed put and we’ll also dig in to see why Tom Brady decided to bulk up this offseason.
All this and more as we kick off the month of August and get you up to speed with the sports world on this Thursday!
Trade Deadline Stunner: Astros Swoop in to Make Last Minute Splash, Land Zack Greinke
With 15 minutes remaining until the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline on Wednesday, it looked like it would be one of the most uneventful in recent MLB history. That is until the Houston Astros rose to the forefront and made a move that sent shockwaves around the league and instantly made them one of the teams to beat in October.
The Astros landed former American League Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke in a seismic deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The trade came at a high cost for the Astros, as they gave up four prospects, including three of their top five, and $53 million towards the remaining money owed on Greinke’s contract.
The six-time All-Star Greinke went 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA for the Diamondbacks and now joins a loaded Houston rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley.
Astros rotation:
Verlander 14-4, 2.73 ERA
Cole 12-5, 2.95 ERA
Greinke 10-4, 2.87 ERA
Miley 9-4, 3.06 ERA
The American League West-leading Astros were the most active team on Wednesday, making four deals. They acquired starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, reliever Joe Biagini and a minor league outfielder, Cal Stevenson, from a deal with the Blue Jays and also picked up catcher Martin Maldonado in a swap with the Cubs for Tony Kemp.
Zack. Greinke.
In other moves around the league, the Atlanta Braves added two relievers to bolster their bullpen, acquiring Mark Melancon from the San Francisco Giants and Shane Greene from the Detroit Tigers.
.@Braves reportedly to acquire All-Star RHP Shane Greene from @Tigers, per @Ken_Rosenthal. t.co/XuEysd7KOD #MLBOnTheMove
The Oakland Athletics picked up right-handed starter Tanner Roark in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers landed left-handed starter Drew Pomeranz in a trade with the Giants, as both the Athletics and Brewers fortified their starting rotations as they push for the postseason.
The marquee pitchers that were rumored to potentially be on the move – Noah Syndergaard, Madison Bumgarner and Zack Wheeler – all stayed put as prospective deals never panned out.
Unlike in previous years, Wednesday’s deadline was the final one for the MLB season, as there will no longer be a waiver period in August.
See a full list of notable trades that were made from the start of the season through Wednesday’s deadline, here.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? Tom Brady Bulks Up Entering Training Camp
Entering his 20th season in the league, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has bulked up and added strength this offseason.
“I wanted to get a little bigger this year and put on a few more pounds and try to absorb the hits a little bit more,” the 41-year-old told reporters at training camp on Wednesday.
Brady, who will be celebrating his 42nd birthday this Saturday, will be shooting to become the first quarterback to start all 16 games of an NFL regular season at that age.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Sports Headlines
- Michael Thomas reaches 5-year, $100 million extension with New Orleans Saints, becoming NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver
- Atlético Madrid beats MLS All-Stars 3-0 in Major League Soccer All-Star Game
- Baker Mayfield calls out receivers; his leadership unquestioned with Browns
- Six-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix signs with Athleta after dispute with Nike over maternity policy
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD
Julio Aguilar/Getty ImagesThe Atlanta Falcons and the Denver Broncos kick the NFL preseason off with the Hall of Fame Game tonight from Canton, Ohio.
NFL PRESEASON: Hall of Fame Game, Denver vs. Atlanta
Football is back — well, kind of. Backups will get the majority of reps as the Broncos and Falcons take the field in Canton, Ohio for the annual preseason contest. The rest of the league kickoff preseason play on Aug. 8.
WHEN: Tonight, 8 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
MLB: Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
Tied once again atop the National League Central, the division rivals face-off in the rubber game of their three-game set to decide first place.
WHEN: Tonight, 7:15 p.m. ET
TV: MLB Network (Out-of-market only)
Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here for it.
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Your Must-See Sports Headlines for Today, August 1