[TuckerDuckson]

CURRENT: TRADE DEADLINE/ALL STAR GAME
NEXT: POSTSEASON

Promotions/Demotions:
Anthony DeSclafani (1-3 5.12 ER) (End of Liriano's DL stint) 1st Demotion
(Lost rotation spot to Cody Reed) (Traded)

RHP Keyvius Sampson (Trade) 1st promotion
C Roman Cabrera (Trade) 1st promotion

Trades:
30 yr old RF Jay Bruce (2.5* C) , 25 yr old LHP Amir Garnett (3* P), 24 yr old LHP Cody Reed (3* P), 30 yr old RF Franklin Gutierrez (1* C), and 25 yr old SS Eugenio Suarez (2* C) to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 21 yr old LF Alex Verdugo (2.5* C, 3.5*P) and 22 yr old RHP Walker Buehler (5* P)

With this trade, Robert Stephenson (3-1 5.18 ERA) reclaims a rotation spot after admirable work in the pen, Keyvius Sampson gets promoted to take Stephenson's spot in the pen. On the offensive side, Kyle M. Waldrop takes over RF, Yairo Munoz takes over SS duty with Roman Cabrera getting promoted for DH responsibility.

Reason:
Can you say block buster? The Reds used Bruce's hot streak to flip him for a consensus top 20 prospect in Buehler (#20), Verdugo is already MLB ready at 21 years of age and will slide into a temporary 4th outfielder. He has poor outfield ratings at all 3 positions though. We also dropped unnecessary rotational depth in Reed and Garnett.

32 yr old LHP Mike Dunn (3.5*), 27 yr old Anthony DeSclafani (1*) and 24 yr old RHP Rookie Davis (1*) to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 27 yr old LHP Andrew Chafin

Chafin gets Dunn's old bullpen spot

Reason:
While not the best on paper, Dunn requested a trade so i obliged getting an older and same handed thrower in Chafin who (eventually) may become our closer in the interim until Tynan Jackson takes it over. We also sheaded dead money in DeSclafani and expendable Rookie Davis.

Injuries:
C Tucker Barnhart (plantar fasciitis) 5-6 weeks DL
C Kyle Skipworth will move to catcher with DH Roman Cabrera moving in as an understudy, no injury promotion necessary.

LF Alex Verdugo (Knee contusion) 1-2 weeks no DL
No promotion

Notable News:
Jay Bruce Wins POM after batting .312 with a whopping 10 HR

Signings:
Undrafted SS Angel Germán (55 contact) to a minor league contract

ALL STARS:
None
(Jaso should have made it)

Top Player:
SS Yairo Munoz
Batting .289/.322/.481 with 14 HR so far this season

Team Dud:
Stephen Strasburg (5-11 4.20 ERA)
What a waste of money........

Team Record:
36-63 .364 18.5 GB 5th place