Sam Fuld staying in Philadelphia, NL East roundup

No NL East teams took the field yesterday, but there was still movement behind the scenes. The Philadelphia Phillies secured continuity atop their baseball operations department, while a report shed light on how far the Atlanta Braves were willing to go in their push for starting pitching at the trade deadline.

Sam Fuld turns down A’s, stays with Phillies

According to ESPN, Phillies president of baseball operations Sam Fuld has turned down the Athletics’ offer to become Oakland’s new president of baseball operations. Jeff Passan reports that Fuld, whose name had surfaced for the job earlier in the week, has now taken himself out of the running.

For the Phillies, who sit at 88-74 in the NL East standings, that decision preserves stability in the front office. On a day without games, Fuld’s choice stands out as the key piece of news around Philadelphia as the organization continues its planning with the same leadership structure in place.

Report details Braves’ pursuit of Tarik Skubal

MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Braves were among the clubs trying to acquire Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline. Citing The Athletic, the site notes that Atlanta “never got close” to a deal, even though the Braves made virtually all of their young players available in talks.

Per MLB Trade Rumors, one key sticking point was young player Didier Fuentes, whom the Braves were not willing to include in an offer. With Atlanta leading the division at 94-68, the report offers a window into how the organization values its top talent when it explores impact trades.

Marlins tangentially back in the Stanton conversation

The Miami Marlins (80-82) were indirectly pulled into the news cycle through a look at Giancarlo Stanton’s situation with the Yankees. MLB Trade Rumors examines whether New York could move on from Stanton and recalls that the slugger was acquired from the Marlins in December 2017 in a three-player trade package, and that he is now in his ninth season in the Bronx.

As MLB Trade Rumors also points out, only Aaron Judge and Clarke Schmidt have been in the Yankees’ organization longer than Stanton among current players. Even though the current debate centers on Stanton’s future in New York, it inevitably brings back the Marlins’ role as the club that originally dealt him.

For the New York Mets (74-88) and Washington Nationals (77-85), it was a quiet day with no major headlines. Around the NL East, the main action for now remains in the front offices rather than on the diamond.