PTI - MLB Trade Deadline Recap

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

Michael Wilbon and Frank Isola talk the biggest deals from the MLB trade deadline including who could be a World Series contender before talking if the Warriors should part ways with Kuminga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption. but I'm Mike Willaugh and has been a long time. This is Tony and I host it from the studio.

I wonder if anybody even goes there anymore. I'm Frank Isola. I do, and I had to dust the place up. Oops. I mean, Mike, you guys got to clean this place up. It's a mess. Come on now. There was a Diet Coke.

Half the bottle was still there. It was open. Ants walking around. It's 95 degrees there. 95% humidity, thunderstorms every day. Sorry. That's that time of year. I'll just stay here in the desert where it's 113 with no clouds.

The lovely east coast, northeast corridor, as we call it. Welcome to PTI. The old grump has the day off. So I am pleased to be joined by our great friend, the co-host of the starting lineup on Sirius XM, Mr. Frank I so. There we go. These guys need to clean up. Well, I know what's here. It sounds a room stronger than summer vacate.

Let's start, of course, with baseball's trade deadline. Among a flurry of deals to standout, the Mariners landed coveted third basement, Gino Suarez, from the Diamondbacks for three prospects. And the Astros got back All-Star shortstop, Carlos Correa, and the deal with the twins. This time, Korea is going to play third base back in Houston. Frank, which of these deals do you see being more immediately impactful? It's amazing.

I think one has something to do with the other. There was talk of Correa maybe going to the Yankees. They could use a little shortstop help there. I love what the Mariners did. In the span of a week, they got the corner infield of the Arizona Diamondbacks. You get Josh Naler, and then, of course, you make the trade for Swarys. He had him to align it with Julio Rodriguez and, of course, Cal Rale. So they got a powerful lineup.

I mean, he's got 36 home runs, 87 RBIs, Suarez does. So you have a powerful lineup. You got the pitching. You have the bullpen. And when you're the Mariners, and everyone is kind of going for it now, Mike, because the expanded playoffs, everyone believes, or half the league believes have a chance. But when you're the Mariners, forget about winning a World Series. It had ever been to the World Series.

The last time you're in the ALCS was 24 years ago. So you need to make moves like this. This fan base deserves it. That great stadium they have deserves it. And clearly, I like the move that they made. But remember, they're five games behind Houston. So Houston with all the injuries that they've had this year, I mean, they've been decimated.

The fact that they're five games up on Seattle says a lot. Yeah, listen, the natural tendency, I think, when you look at Suarez going there, as long as his finger is okay, he doesn't have to miss a lot of time, or he doesn't slump badly and move off the form that had him hitting a trillion home runs the first half of the season. The tendency is to say Seattle, but you know what? Frank, Houston just makes the right moves so frequently. whether it's development of minor league prospects or signing of free agents or trades. And the thing about bringing back Correa, look, I know it's been four years.

He wasn't even on the most recent championship team. He was on that team in 17. But Correa could walk in that clubhouse. And this is something only the executives and talking to their senior players, their vets on that team could understand. He could walk in that clubhouse and that place could really jump. You hear players all. the time talk about the boost and energy they often get at the trade deadline.

I don't want to underestimate that for Houston with Correa, even while we're looking at Suarez going, whoa, Seattle's lineup is loaded because it is loaded. But I want to see those two go back and forth a little bit now before we make up our minds on who won this pre-trade line deal. And again, Mike, Seattle has ground to make up. Right now, they're tied to that third wild card spot with Texas. They start a four-game series tonight, which will be big. One thing about Suarez going to the team with Cal Raleigh, it's only the second time in baseball history, as we know that's a long time,

we're entering August 1st, a team has had two guys with at least 35 home runs. The other time, you might remember this. Ruth and Garrick? Nope, 1961. Two guys by the name of Marison Mantle. How about that? I was close. Now, that's a stat.

Pretty good. Beyond Suarez, we had a number of notable names changing teams. Among them, get ready, folks. Pirates closer David Benar, heading to the Yankees, A's closer, Mason Miller going to the Padres, Nats closer, Kyle Finnington, to the Tigers, Guardian starter, Shane Bieber to the Blue Jays, that's a big deal. Twins, Harrison, Bader, and closer, Yohan, Duran,

heading to the Phillies and cards reliever. Here we go, Mets, Ryan Helsley, and Orioles center fielder, Cedric Mullins to Queens. Mike, which feels biggest to you? Wow, the Mets. Hellsley and Cedric Mullins. Yeah.

And when you get that center field and all he does is jump over walls and snatch back home runs. Look, the Mets, look, the Yankees, the Mets, the Blugees, the Phillies. I mean, those teams all are in there. But I'm going to go off script a little bit and say the San Diego Padres. How about AJ Prellor? How about the fact that he goes out and, you know, they got the best bullpen anyway. And he gets Mason Miller, you know, the former A's, now former A's closer, his closer. to come in and add to that bullpen.

And I like this for the Padres because, look, they're staring down the Dodgers. And the Dodgers seem to be teetering maybe more than a little bit. Maybe the Dodgers are teetering a lot. But if you're the Padres and you have both been eliminated by and eliminated the Dodgers in recent postseason play, and you've got to deal with that 140 miles or whatever it is and that rivalry. And Preller, who tends to go for it anyway, is going for.

I love that. I know all the attention will be, the East Coast teams and there is outside pressure on every one of those teams, maybe not Toronto as much to get it done. But I love what the Padres of Dutch, right? And the Padres just swept the Mets there. You know, they've won five in a row. They're only three back of L.A. No, we think of the Dodgers, the money that they invests are going to run away with everything. Well, they're only three up on the Padres. Absolutely. It's interesting. I remember thinking back it was about six years ago. And in the ESPN studio up in New York, we sat around on this day

waiting for the trade deadline. The last trade that came in, it was one. One of the few ones of that day was Zach Granky. And he was going from the Diamondbacks. I forget where I think it was to the Astros. And that was a starting pitcher. Think about the relievers and the closers we just rattled off. This is what the sport has become. It's really about, you know, the six, seventh, eighth.

And of course, those last three outs, which are the toughest three outs to get. I like what the Mets did because you still have Edwin Diaz, who's outstanding. But for the Phillies, 16 blown saves by five different pitchers. that's fourth most in the NL. They're going for it this year. You're adding a guy in Duran that number one comes out. He's got a great walk-up song. You think you're not the only one with a great walk-up song, Mike.

Duran has one too. He throws 102-mile-hour fastball, devastating curveball. What the Phillies did was important. So the Phillies and the Mets, neck and neck, both adding to their bullpen because that's what baseball has become. It's like home runs and bullpen. Yeah, yeah. Bullpen.

word that you know I was never in love with growing up. No. And now I've had to get used to it. Let's move to the drama between Jonathan Kaminga and the Golden State Warriors. The young vet scorer has reportedly rejected a two-year $45 million offer from the team because the second year is a team option and he would have to surrender his no trade clause. Sources tell Shams and Anthony Slater that those provisions see too much power to a team. that Cominga Fields has stunted and strung his career along for four seasons.

Ouch. Frank, what should happen here? You know, it's interesting with Jonathan Cominga, the Brooklyn Nets are going through it with Cam Thomas as well. This was not the year to be a restricted free agent because usually you might have eight, nine, ten teams with a lot of money. Your agent, you have a good agent, he gets you a big deal. And whether or not your existing team matches it or you move on, you're going to get

a big contract. and Jonathan Kaminga, who's still a young player. Now, he didn't play a lot this year. 22. And he talks about, you know, the Warriors stunting his growth. The Warriors are trying to win. They do have a veteran team. So if they felt they could contribute, I think he'd be playing more.

You are playing behind Draymond Green. So unless you're going to play Draymond at center for a few minutes a night, Caming is not going to play much. He's eventually going to get traded. And you know that the Warriors, they're the one team that has not made a move this off season. So I still think at some point, there'll be some kind of sign and trade. I look at Miami who's thinking that we could go for it in the Eastern Conference. So I expect Kaminga to be on the move.

The biggest problem that Kaminga had this year was that this was not the year to be a restricted free agent. Well, he's got that. And he also has the problem of Jimmy Butler coming in, taking minutes. I mean, that's even bigger than anything with Draymond was Jimmy. But you can see just the way he would sort of wilt body language. Frank, I remember being around the Warriors right when that happened. When Jimmy Butler got there, you think, oh, oh, Kaminga. And he's 22.

And there's certainly still some insecurity there, even though he has a championship ring. I, too, think the Warriors should just find a deal. There are too many teams out there in this wing-obsessed NBA culture that we live in who could use somebody like Kaminga, who now has to spend the next few years saying to everybody who will listen, particularly his old team, I'm going to show you. That ought to create some sort of bump for him. I think a one landing spot in Chicago, maybe. How about for Vooch?

Don't the Warriors need a big who can pass and shoot and rebound? And Vouch is that. He's worn out his time in Chicago, not that it is his fault, but I'll take Kaminga. I'll broker that deal. There's been talk about Vucevich, if they can't trade him, they would buy him out. So maybe that's a way to try to scare the Warriors maybe into trying to do something. But I think you're 100% right. What's interesting, too, about Kamingue, you think about him and Wiseman.

So the Warriors had these high picks. Have they really panned out? It kind of reminds you a little bit of darko in Detroit where, you know, not that bad. Well, I mean, when you're picking that high, you want to hit. They didn't hit with Wiseman, that's for sure. No. But if they trade Kaminga, they have a chance to be just as old as the clippers.

I mean, how about some of those teams out in California? They think everyone's getting younger. They're getting older. Exactly. This is a take back, Vooch. Yep. I'm stumping for that deal. Let's take a break for coming up.

The Chargers and Lions kick off preseason football tonight. Should we be more bullish on Jim Harbaugh or Dan Campbell this coming season? And Darrell Morris stirring it up is he right that the Lakers' bubble title deserves an asterisk. What do you think, Mike? You northwestern guys, stirring it up. Causing issues. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by McDonald's. Time to spank Franken toss up.

First. Toss up, they face off in tonight's Hall of Fame game. Which coach are you more bullish on this season? Jim Harbaugh or Dan Campbell? This is pretty fascinating, Frank, and I'm not a big preseason football fan. You know, the Chargers is just not like you're going to look out there and see Justin Herbert starting. They're going to start Tray Lance, and the Lions don't start their starters in these games, in these preseason games. Dan Campbell, of course, is losing or has lost Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, all right, to the Bears and Jets, respectively. Harbaugh, though, it looks like this is on Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. I know Ladd McConkey's a fresh face from last year as a rookie.

Omarian Hampton is a beast of a draft pick running back that you might look up and say, whoa, this guy's having a hell of a rookie year because Harbaugh wants to run the ball. He's a powerful guy, powerful back from North Carolina. I think I'm going to say Harbaugh, and I'm not hating on a division. rival, even though I could hate on a division rival of my bears. I just think Harbaugh was 11 and 6 last year. Justin Herbert, it's time. They're moving on up.

Yeah, and that 11 and 6 record, think about it. Only the Chiefs, the Bills, and the Ravens had more wins in the AFC. So the charges, and I'm not worried about Harbaugh. He's already proven what he could do on both levels. Went to the Super Bowl with the 49ers. So you mentioned, you know, the coordinator's gone from Detroit now with Kelvin Shepard, replacing Aaron Glenn and John Morton replaces Ben Johnson.

You have that dynamic there. And they led the league in points per game. They averaged 33 points Detroit did. But if you're Dan Campbell and you love them, you'd love to play for them, there's a lot to like. But a couple of years ago, they should have beaten the 49ers in the NFC championship game. But you want to give them a pass? Oh, they're finally in the NFC championship game.

You don't expect Detroit to be there. Then last year, look at what happened. They lose at home to Washington. And you have homefield advantage. throughout the playoffs. So a lot more pressure on Detroit. It's almost as if the Chargers get a little bit of a pass because they're in the same division as the Chief. So you're almost willing to give them another year.

But Detroit, it's like win now for that team. Right now. Yep. It is. Frank. I'll agree with you real quickly. That division in the AFC West, you got Denver coming. You got Kansas City.

You got Pete Carroll and the Raiders. That's right. Look, even if they're 8 and 9 team, they're going to bother you. and they can steal some division games. So both of those are pretty good. Let's not get crazy with the preseason result from tonight. What's next? Toss up the Lakers bubble title.

Asterisk or no asterisk? You know, this comes from Darrell Mory's saying yesterday, we talked about this briefly, Frank, that executives, he wasn't saying this himself necessarily, but executives throughout the league, and you know, we both talk to a ton of people. They look at this, say, the bubble championship.

Come on now. Look, I don't think it deserves an asterisk. I don't. I think it was so difficult. It was difficult in a different way. I mean, people can say, oh, you didn't have to go on the road and win. Well, you didn't get any home games either. And I just think it's nitpicking.

They all had the same conditions. The conditions were never more identical for a team. People forget just how hard it was to grind through that whole. whole season with COVID, all the real, the serious concerns people had in their personal and professional lives. No, no asterisk to me, if anything, I remember thinking at the time, I want to give these guys an extra hug just for getting this thing done in extraordinary circumstances. Yeah, it's hard to believe it was five years ago already. You know, I think, I think Darrell Moore is putting that Northwestern education a good use there. He's being very

passive, aggressive, because he's right. He would have said, no, it's legitimate. What I always found interesting about that championship. And I think with LeBron, because, you know, he gets judged probably a lot harshly than a lot of other players do. And it's always a comparison to Michael Jordan. So when everyone's trying to dismiss that championship, he would come out and say, it's the hardest one I ever had to win. It's like LeBron. You were once down 3-1 to the team that won the most regular season games in history, the Golden State Wars. Coming back and winning that, having to win a game five on the road and a game seven is bigger than winning a bubble championship. I know I've mocked the bubble. championship. I've had Jeannie Bus want to chop my head off for doing that. But you're right. Every team could have won it. Every team had a shit. It was weird. It was unique. I get it. But it's still a championship, 20, 30 years. Remember Greg Popovich, you know, he and Phil Jack used to go back and forth because Phil said the same thing about the 99 championship that San Antonio won in the lockout short and season. Yes. In the year without Jordan. Nah, I'm not, I'm not siding with my man, Daryl.

Mr. Wildcat on this. We're both purple, but we're going to part company of that opinion. That's it. We're going to take one last break. Still to come, Jaden Daniels says something that should make Washington fans smile. And Lionel Messi delivers more magic in the opening of the League's Cup last night in Miami. Two pretty good goals. LeBron's got a lot of titles to have to defend.

I know. I mean, defend later. You know, coming back from three one down is pretty good. Ray Allen. You know, there's a lot of, you know, You know. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by Popeyes. Love That Chicken from Popeyes.

Time to get happy, people. Happy 39th birthday, you have Guinea Malkin. Malkin is perhaps the most overlooked star of the past 20 seasons, playing in the shadow of Sid Crosby, of course. In 19 seasons with the Penguins, Malkin has scored 514 goals, won three Stanley Cubs, led the NHL in scoring twice, and took home the Hart Trophy as MVP in 2012. He recently decided to return to Pittsburgh for a 20th season,

though the team is not expected to offer him a deal beyond that. Malkin has said multiple times Pittsburgh is the only franchise he wants to play for in his NHL career. You know, those 514 goals second among Russian players that have played in the NHL. Obviously, Ovetchen is first. I was in Pittsburgh in May, and over the last 15 years, years, all the great players that they've had, only two guys with their number retired. Lemieux, Yager, one day, Yerne Malkin. His number will be up there.

One day Malkin. Absolutely. Has to be. Happy anniversary, Dick Allen. This is posthous. But on this day, 53 years ago, the then-White-South star hit not one but two inside the park home runs against Bert Blyde-11 of the twins. Allen would go on to win ALMVP that year, eight seasons after winning NL rookie

of the year with the Phillies. he was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame Sunday. His widow told the story of a 16-year-old asking Alan for an autograph once, but Alan said he'd prefer to shake the kid's hand. They stayed friends, and that teenager are now 70 years old, was in attendance at the induction. Yeah, that was a great story. I always think about that era.

He feels like he was one of the most underrated players from that era. And the two inside the park home runs, Mike, it's only happened one time since. Final day of the regular season, Greg Gagne, of the Minnesota Twins. You got twins. The winning pitcher? Burk Blyleven. How about that?

Trying to bring it all connection. All the fame. Happy trails to last night's game for Atlas, the Liga MX team was tied at one with Inter Miami in last night's Leagues Cup match. When Leonel Messi engineered a beautiful goal with seconds left and stoppage time, eventually setting up Marcello Wigan for the game winner.

Messi now is scored or assisted on 21 of Inners' last 27 goals. It was Messi's first game since the MLS suspended him for skipping the All-Star game. And he said afterward, quote, even if rest seems better, for me it's worse because I need to compete. You know what? I actually watched this game last night. The two goals were amazing. So his teammate from Argentina, Rodrigo DePaul, made his debut. He was playing in Spain.

So he's got all his buddies there. And everything that these guys have won, they're playing in a tournament that was invented a year ago. You're not believe how excited they were after the game. So it's not only that Messi plays great. Emotionally, he's really into it. He's enthuis. We're right out of the show, Frank. We've got to get to the big finish.

No more soccer talk. Shoah Atani. Sorry. Left last night start early in the third due to cramping in his right hip. Your thoughts, sir. As long as not elbow, shoulder, I'm okay with it. He stayed in the game. He went over five.

The day before, struck out. four times. Washington quarterback, Dayton Daniels, says there's a night and day difference in his game from last year's training camp to this year. Does that make sense? I don't want to hear any training camp promises. I don't want to hear August promises. The season will tell. The Bengals signed former Seahawks tied in Noah Fant. Is that significant? Yes, because Joe Burroughs going to be throwing the ball on every Cubs player will wear number 23 on Saturday in honor of Ryan Sandberg. Your thoughts? I think you ought to wear the rest of the season. Maybe next season. John Samberg. Last one, Almein, Yomal scored twice as Barcelona's win over FC Seoul. I know you're impressed.

18 days ago, he turned 18, and he's one of the best players in the world. We're out of time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isola. I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads. Tony Greggs, thank you for 17 years. I'm making Tony and me look good. Thank you so much. Congratulations, Tony.