Happy MLB Trade Deadline Eve! This year’s trade deadline is clearly a seller’s market as 24 of the 30 major-league teams entered Monday within 6 1/2 games or less of making the playoffs, with only the Blue Jays, Angels, A’s and White Sox further back in the American League and only the Marlins and Rockies worse off in the National League.
The trades began to pick up Thursday into Friday, led by the Rays, who dealt Randy Arozarena to the Mariners and Zach Eflin to the Orioles. The Phillies acquired Austin Hays in a “challenge trade” with Baltimore, the Diamondbacks landed A.J. Puk from the Marlins, and the Mariners added and subtracted relievers, netting Yimi García from the Blue Jays and dealing Ryne Stanek to the Mets. Saturday saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. traded to the Yankees, Carlos Estévez dealt to the Phillies, Danny Jansen sent to the Red Sox and Jesse Winker moved to the Mets, among other deals. There were fewer swaps on Sunday, but the Rays continued their selling ways, trading Isaac Paredes to the Cubs and Jason Adam to the Padres.
Now we wait for what should be an active and intriguing run-in to Tuesday’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. ET. Buckle up.
To set the stage, here is a primer on what you need to know including the top storylines to watch, the best-available players on the trade market, the teams that look likely to own this deadline, and the latest rumors and rumblings I’ve been hearing in conversations and texts with executives across the league.
**Top storylines**
**Will the White Sox deal Garrett Crochet or wait until the offseason to trade him?**
Will the Giants trade Blake Snell?
Update (Monday): The Giants are doing their due diligence to learn exactly what they could get in return for Snell, who is coming off a dominating 15-strikeout performance against the Rockies on Saturday. Many teams, including the Yankees, Orioles, Astros and Braves, are showing interest in Snell, who has posted a 0.75 ERA over four starts in July. However, the Giants have won four in a row and currently sit only 3 1/2 games out of wild-card position, which makes it easier to decide to keep him. Remember, though, it takes only one general manager with an offer that’s too good to turn down to potentially sway this type of decision and make San Francisco trade him. The Giants also continue to listen — with intent to upgrade, not downgrade — on Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores.
**When will the White Sox’s rebuilding fire sale start?**
The White Sox realize the fastest way they can rebuild is by being open to trading all of their major-league assets including their two best starting pitchers, Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde, and their star center fielder, Luis Robert Jr., among others. Crochet would bring back the biggest haul, but he and his agency, CAA, threw a curveball into trade talks earlier this week by expressing the lefty’s desire for a contract extension before he would agree to pitch in October. Sticking firm to that stance could take him off the trade market until the offseason, unless a team like the Dodgers is willing to commit to a long-term deal now. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday that while certain teams are now reluctant to move forward on a trade for Crochet, other clubs continue to pursue him, with the Dodgers and Padres believed to be among them.
Update (Monday): The White Sox continue to work on trades and Crochet is still in play to be moved even though the Sox believe they can get the same type of deal, or maybe even a better package, for the lefty in the offseason.
Meanwhile, in terms of other top starters who could be on the move, the Tigers have not received an offer that would tempt them to even think about trading Tarik Skubal, though of course that could change.
The Dodgers are looking for an impact arm and working to land one of the top three starters (Skubal, Snell and Crochet) if they can. It might not be a coincidence that the White Sox have been the quietest seller and the Dodgers one of the quietest buyers. Perhaps that pairing will deliver a blockbuster at the deadline.
**What about other available starting pitchers?**
Update (Monday): Several teams are waiting to see what will happen with Skubal, Snell and Crochet before moving on to the next level of available starting pitchers. However, it appears Erik Fedde, Yusei Kikuchi and Jack Flaherty all will be dealt as soon as the situations with the top three are flushed out.
**How much will the Marlins net for Tanner Scott?**
The Angels did extremely well in the Carlos Estévez trade, acquiring two potential future major-league starters from the Phillies. The deal once again showed the strength of this seller’s market. I expect the Marlins to get a similar return for closer Tanner Scott, especially since the Orioles, Yankees and Dodgers remain three of the teams in trade talks with them.
Update (Monday): The Marlins are sifting through the latest, improved offers on Scott and now might wait until deadline day before finalizing a deal. Scott has become the most sought-after player this trade deadline and the Marlins stand to get a very strong return.
The Nationals are asking for more for their closer, Kyle Finnegan, than the Angels got for Estévez, but are also taking the position that they don’t have to trade him. (Finnegan is under team control through the 2025 season.) So if a team wants him, it’s going to take an overpay, even more than what the Phillies paid for Estévez.
**Will the Rays take over the trade deadline?**
The Rays have already traded outfielder Randy Arozarena, Zach Eflin, Phil Maton and Aaron Civale — and they’re not done. Just by moving Arozarena and Eflin, the Rays shaved off roughly $30 million from next year’s payroll, receiving five prospects and a player to be named in return.
Next up could be closer Pete Fairbanks and perhaps position players such as Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe and Isaac Paredes.
Update: On Sunday, the Rays traded reliever Jason Adam to the Padres for right-handed pitcher Dylan Lesko, outfielder Homer Bush and catcher J.D. Gonzalez.
Update (Monday): The Rays are not done and it’s likely first baseman Yandy Díaz is dealt to the Mariners, Pirates or Astros.
**Are the Cubs really going to sell?**
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer says he’s going to sell and make moves to improve the team for 2025 and beyond. The Cubs entered Sunday six games out of the third NL wild-card spot and would have to pass six teams to get there. That’s a steep climb, but if they improved the bullpen and added a couple of bats, I think they could still make the playoffs. Starter Jameson Taillon and relievers Mark Leiter Jr. and Hector Neris are among the players being targeted by contending teams. Even though the Cubs just traded for right-hander Nate Pearson, I’m told that acquisition was more about future years than this season and it’s likely that both Taillon and Leiter will get traded before the deadline.
Update: Consistent with his declaration that the Cubs would focus on 2025 and beyond, Hoyer on Sunday acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Rays for third baseman Christopher Morel, pitching prospect Ty Johnson and reliever Hunter Bigge.
**Best-available players**
Starting pitchers (Top 12)
1. Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers
2. Garrett Crochet, LHP, White Sox
3. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Tigers
4. Blake Snell, LHP, Giants
5. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Cubs
6. Erick Fedde, RHP, White Sox
7. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Blue Jays
8. Tyler Anderson, LHP, Angels
9. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP, Blue Jays
10. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Rockies
11. Griffin Canning, RHP, Angels
12. Austin Gomber, LHP, Rockies
Relief pitchers (Top 11)
1. Tanner Scott, LHP, Marlins
2. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals
3. Dylan Floro, RHP, Nationals
4. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays
5. Chad Green, RHP, Blue Jays
6. Héctor Neris, RHP, Cubs
7. Lucas Erceg, RHP, A’s
8. Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox
9. Luis Garcia, RHP, Angels
10. Austin Adams, RHP, A’s
11. Mark Leiter Jr., RHP, Cubs
Position players (Top 14)
1. Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox
2. Isaac Paredes, 3B, Rays
3. Yandy Díaz, 1B, Rays
4. Brent Rooker, OF/DH, A’s
5. Luis Rengifo, 2B, Angels
6. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles
7. Jonathan India, 2B, Reds
8. Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays
9. Elias Díaz, C, Rockies
10. Taylor Ward, RF, Angels
11. Lane Thomas, RF, Nationals
12. Josh Bell, 1B, Marlins
13. Mark Canha, 1B/DH, Tigers
14. Brandon Drury, INF, Angels
**Rumors, rumblings and industry talk**
– Many teams, including the Yankees, Orioles, Astros and Braves, are showing interest in Giants starter Blake Snell.
– The Astros are in talks to land Jack Flaherty of the Tigers and Yandy Díaz of the Rays, among many other discussions they’re having with teams as they try to add a starting pitcher and first baseman at the deadline.
– The White Sox are more likely to move Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech than they are Luis Robert Jr. or Garrett Crochet unless something significantly changes between now and Tuesday.
– The Dodgers are in discussions with the Cardinals on a deal to acquire utilityman Tommy Edman, league sources told The Athletic. The Yankees also have an interest in Edman.
– The Angels have a deal in place that they like for reliever Luis Garcia. After trading closer Carlos Estévez to the Phillies, they are listening on deals for players including outfielder Taylor Ward, infielder Luis Rengifo and pitchers Tyler Andersen and Griffin Canning.
– The Marlins are close to moving lefty closer Tanner Scott and are listening to teams who are interested in first baseman Josh Bell.
– The Orioles want to add a reliever, preferably left-handed; a right-handed hitting outfielder to replace Austin Hays and maybe another starting pitcher, Ken Rosenthal reports. They are open to acquiring a rental starter.
– The Cubs are expected to trade right-handed starter Jameson Taillon. The Astros, Yankees and Padres are among the teams that have shown interest in him.
– The Royals are targeting one of three right-handed bats — Lane Thomas, Taylor Ward or Luis Rengifo, sources tell The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. A trade for another reliever also is possible.
– The Dodgers are everywhere in the market, trying to add pitching and another outfield bat.
– The Nationals continue to listen on closer Kyle Finnegan, reliever Dylan Floro and outfielder Lane Thomas.
– The Braves are still trying to acquire another outfielder and a starting pitcher.
– The Twins are trying to add a veteran starting pitcher.
Stay tuned as the trade deadline approaches for more updates, deals, and rumors. It’s shaping up to be an exciting and eventful deadline!