NFL

Browns CB Martin Emerson out for season with torn Achilles tendon

Emerson’s play was curiously poor last season, leading to questions as the 24-year-old entered the final year of his rookie contract. Those inquiries will have to wait. Missing a whole season is difficult; it’s even worse when the player is an impending free agent.

For the Browns, some scrambling must be done in the cornerbacks room. Greg Newsome should move from the slot to the outside as a result of this injury, so Cleveland will need to identify a new slot corner. Candidates include Cameron Mitchell, Nik Needham and Tony Brown, though none of them can match Emerson’s ability.

Dolphins CB Kader Kohou out for season with knee injury

Another day, another lost Dolphins cornerback. This one will sting especially hard, as Kohou was the last member standing from the Dolphins’ starting secondary in 2024. Miami recently inked Mike Hilton and Jack Jones to deals, but they were free agents in late July for a reason.

Cam Smith, Jason Marshall and Storm Duck are among the contenders to replace Kohou in the lineup. There’s a chance the Dolphins sign yet another veteran corner, too.

MLB

Pirates receive:
RP Taylor Rogers
SS Sammy Stafura

Reds receive:
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes

Pittsburgh has spent the past few weeks trying to deal Hayes — and the remainder of his contract. That alone should’ve scared off prospective buyers. Cincinnati, however, took the bait, hook, line and sinker.

Criticism aside, Cincinnati is getting an upgrade at third base with Hayes, arguably the best defender in all of MLB. The 28-year-old’s bat has practically disappeared over time, though. Slashing a paltry .236/.279/.290 this year, Hayes’ offense must improve to justify the Reds agreeing to this trade. Perhaps the conditions at Great American Ball Park will aid a bounce back for the third baseman.

The Pirates, surprisingly enough, are receiving a nice haul for Hayes. Rogers is a solid receiver, though his salary is rather pricey. He’s surely part of the cost for Cincinnati taking on Hayes. Stafura, on the other hand, is a genuine asset. A now top-eight prospect in the Pirates system, the 20-year-old offers tremendous upside.

Pittsburgh can fairly be considered parsimonious for wanting to offload Hayes, but it’s hard to criticize the end result. This was a consequential trade between division rivals.

Pirates Grade: B+

Reds Grade: B

Angels receive:
RP Andrew Chafin
RP Luis Garcia

Nationals receive:
RP Jake Eder
1B Sam Brown

The Angels, even with the odds stacked against them, love to buy at the deadline. Los Angeles made several win-now moves in 2023, and it resulted in a 73-89 finish. Will history repeat itself? Maybe.

Even if the Angels shouldn’t be trading prospects, at least the cost here is minimal. Eder is 26 and has struggled to catch on in the majors, while Brown is outside of Los Angeles’ top-30 prospects. For two solid relievers, that’s a doable price.

In the midst of another disappointing season, the Nationals are offloading Chafin and Garcia. Neither relief pitcher will be a part of the club’s future, so Washington can hardly be faulted for selling. The problem with this trade, though, is that the Nationals should’ve gotten more in return.

Angels Grade: C+

Nationals Grade: D+

White Sox receive:
SP Gage Ziehl

Yankees receive:
LF Austin Slater

Despite a sluggish July, the Yankees are still being aggressive, making their third trade for a position player in the last week. That’s to be expected in a wide-open AL, a league in which New York has as good a chance as anybody to win. Opportunism is good, and the Yankees are snatching it.

Slater is who he is, a versatile outfielder that thrives against left-handed pitching. For the Yankees, he should serve as a perfect compliment to Jasson Dominguez in left field. The price, Ziehl, is moderate for what Slater should provide.

The White Sox have slightly overachieved this season, but selling on Slater, a free agent this winter, is apt. Ziehl is a nice return, too, as he profiles as potential big-league starter in the future.

White Sox Grade: A-

Yankees Grade: B