[majormet]

The AL West leading Utah Saints were able to unload the lofty contract of Frank Killen who has underperformed this year to the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers for Roger Wolff and 4 other low level prospects. Killen won 22 games in 2023 for the Boston Red Sox but came here with large fanfare and has struggled. Ed Brandt had been pitching well in AAA and it enables Utah to use him in the rotation while Wolff will work out of the pen. Milwaukee hears the footsteps of the 2nd place Cincinnati Reds and are taking a gamble that Killen finds his form.

The 2nd place AL Atlantic Tampa Bay Rays lost their ace pitcher Happy Townsend for the year with a broken elbow. Townsend suffered the injury in an 8-7 win over the Portland Lions. Townsend has been the ace of a pitching poor rotation as the Rays are a high octane offense team in 2024. The Rays are 4 games back of the San Juan Storm. They have recalled 26 year old rookie Cisco Carlos to take Townsend's place in the rotation. First year manager Mario Saabedra commented "It is a tough blow we will need Ricky Romero and Pat Zachry to step up in a big way if we want to catch San Juan"

Season ending injury to rookie starting pitcher Jack Easton for the Sacramento Bees will hurt in a major way. The Bees sit in second place in the NL Pacific, 3 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Easton tore his rotator cuff in a 4-3 win over the Las Vegas Snake Eyes. Easton got his 6th win of the year in the game, but had to leave and knew it was not good. Sacramento has promoted Chappie McFarland back into the rotation where he struggled earlier this year McFarland won 17 games in 2023.