What happened
Ken Rosenthal published a new free-to-read notes column touching on a broad slate of MLB storylines. Items include Braves catcher Drake Baldwin potentially raising the bar for catcher salaries, no extension in the works for Reds' Brady Stewart, the Cardinals rising, why the Marlins might keep Sandy Alcantara, an outfield jam in Oakland, the White Sox's Colson Montgomery, and Dodgers notes on Will Smith and Hyeseong Kim.
Why it matters
Rosenthal's notes columns are a primary signal for around-the-league business intelligence: extension talk, trade-deadline framing, and roster construction. The Baldwin item in particular could reshape catcher comps if Atlanta moves early on a long-term deal, while the Marlins line on Alcantara reframes a name many rival clubs had penciled in as a deadline target.
What to watch
Watch for follow-up reporting on Baldwin extension framework and whether Miami's stance on Alcantara hardens into a formal 'not available' as the deadline approaches. Stewart's lack of extension talks puts him on the watchlist for trade chatter.