Tuesday was the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to make trades to help them down the stretch drive of “The Dog Days of August” as they are trying to make a playoff push.
The first such “blockbuster” deal happened Thursday when the Seattle Mariners acquired Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, which came after the Mariners designated Ty France for assignment earlier in the week. France was then picked up Monday by the Cincinnati Reds.
Also on Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in an attempt to repeat as National League champions and make their second straight World Series appearance, acquired Miami Marlins relief pitcher A.J. Puk. Then over the weekend, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles, who acquired Tampa Bay pitcher Zac Eflin.
The Los Angeles Dodgers sent pitcher James Paxton to the Boston Red Sox, a team he once played for earlier in his career.
The New York Mets acquired Seattle relief Ryne Stanek, who the Mariners replaced thanks to a trade for Toronto reliever Yimi Garcia.
The New York Yankees traded for Miami outfielder/infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
The Phillies also acquired Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer Carlos Estevez on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, the New York Mets got Washington Nationals outfielder Jesse Winkler.
On Monday, the Kansas City Royals acquired Texas Rangers pitcher Michael Lorenzen.
If any more “blockbuster” trades happened by Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline, I’ll share them in next week’s column.
••• The Miami Dolphins solidified their quarterback situation for a while as they extended QB Tua Tagovailoa’s contract four years as the two parties reached a four-year, $212.4-million extension.
Now, the key will be can the former Alabama quarterback have as much success with the Dolphins as he did with the Crimson Tide.
••• Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Clippers sent former Oklahoma City Thunder player Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in a signand-trade deal for point guard Kris Dunn.
Then, on July 20, the Jazz announced they had waived the nine-time National Basketball Association All-Star Westbrook, who was signed by the Denver Nuggets this past weekend.
••• If there are any sports camps taking place this summer, please let me know.
We will run the briefs about them in our editions, then I will come out for action shots for later publications.
Also, this is just a reminder to you coaches about letting me know if any of your senior athletes will be signing letters of intent in the near future.
I would prefer to have two-day notice, but oneday notice is sufficient, to let me know where and when the signing will take place because if I’m notified, I will be there to catch the moment.
My contact information is at the end of this column.
••• I will be sending you high school softball fastpitch softball coaches as well as all you cross country coaches your respective questionnaires to fill out and return to me as well as letting me know when a good date will be for a photograph day to take team and individual photographs.
Along the same time, I’ll be asking you high school football coaches about when your respective team’s photograph day shoots will be — or if I can possibly get them scheduled.
Some of you coaches already have scheduled your photography days, and truly thank you.
••• Seeley is the sports editor of The Eastern Times-Register. He can be reached by telephone at (918) 775-4433, Ext. 139 or by e-mail at davids@ cookson.news.
