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2019 MLB Trade Deadline Rumor Tracker

Was it whispered? Find it here.

By Andersen Pickard Updated

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Pittsburgh Pirates v Cincinnati Reds Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

With the trade deadline approaching, track the latest trade rumors from the three weeks leading up to the deadline right here in one spot — a handy tracker!

July 31

  • According to a source, the Angels are discussing Aaron Sanchez with the Blue Jays.
  • TRADE: Washington Nationals acquire LHP Roenis Elias from the Seattle Mariners.
  • Several teams are dicsussing starter/reliever Aaron Sanchez with the Blue Jays, per Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
  • TRADE: Washington Nationals acquire RHP Daniel Hudson from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Kyle Johnston.
  • TRADE: Chicago Cubs acquire UTIL Tony Kemp from the Houston Astros in exchange for catcher Martin Maldonado.
  • TRADE: Tampa Bay Rays acquire 1B Jesus Aguilar from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for RHP Jacob Faria.
  • TRADE: Texas Rangers acquire RHP Nate Jones, cash considerations, and $1M in international signing money from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHPs Joe Jarneski and Ray Castro.
  • The Tigers are expected to trade reliever Shane Greene, per Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
  • A pair of outfield trade candidates — Adam Jones of the Diamondbacks and Corey Dickerson of the Pirates — are not in their teams’ starting lineups today as the trade deadline approaches.
  • The Mets pulled Noah Syndergaard off the trade market last night, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. However, New York continues to discuss fellow starter Zack Wheeler with nine teams, per Sherman.
  • The Mets continue to ask for major-leaguers (rather than prospects) in Noah Syndergaard negotiations, but the starter is expected to stay in New York, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
  • The Giants are having sell conversations on their pitchers, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
  • The Brewers and Rangers are in on Mariners starter Mike Leake, who would likely waive his no-trade clause, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Texas’s interest in Leake is contingent on whether or not they trade Mike Minor, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
  • Per Amazin’ Pros’ Yehuda Schwartz, talks with the Mets surrounding Edwin Diaz and Noah Syndergaard have died down, but Todd Frazier and Zach Wheeler are still expected to be trade. Schwartz still expects the Astros to land Wheeler this afternoon.
  • Mariners starter Mike Leake said in his press conference following last night’s game (per Alyson Footer of MLB.com) that he was approached by the front office about potentially waiving his no-trade clause for a specific team that inquired but nothing came to fruition and Leake made his start. It appears Leake may stay with Seattle for the remainder of the season.
  • It’s unclear what the Padres will do with Kirby Yates as the trade deadline approaches. The Padres could hold on to him and sign him to an extension, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Times.

July 30

July 29

  • The Dodgers remain very interested in Pirates reliever Felipe Vazquez but Pittsburgh’s asking price is far off from what Los Angeles wants to part with, per Buster Olney of ESPN.
  • The Rays are looking into Mets reliever Edwin Diaz, hears Buster Olney of ESPN.
  • Per Buster Olney of ESPN, the Angels have received interest in outfielder Brian Goodwin.
  • With the uncertainty surrounding Nick Markakis, the Braves might explore adding an outfielder at the trade deadline, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
  • According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Giants have received interest in veteran southpaw Drew Pomeranz, who is struggling through his one-year deal and would be a good rental for teams like the Yankees or Phillies.
  • Per ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Red Sox and Mets have discussed a potential trade involving reliever Edwin Diaz.
  • TRADE: Philadelphia Phillies acquire LHP Jason Vargas and cash considerations from the New York Mets in exchange for C Austin Bossart.
  • TRADE: Milwaukee Brewers acquire RHP Jordan Lyles from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Cody Ponce.
  • TRADE: St. Louis Cardinals acquire LHP Zac Rosscup from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.

July 28

  • TRADE: Cleveland Indians acquire RHP Hunter Wood and INF Christian Arroyo from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for OF Ruben Cardenas and international signing money.
  • TRADE: New York Mets acquire RHP Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for LHP Anthony Kay and RHP Simeon Woods Richardson.
  • The Yankees and Tigers have discussed Shane Greene, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com. New York has also discussed Marcus Stroman with the Blue Jays, who want No. 1 prospect Deivi Garcia in return, per Morosi.
  • The Yankees, Cubs, Phillies and Braves sent scouts to watch Madison Bumgarner pitch today, per Scott Miller of MLB Network.
  • TRADE: Tampa Bay Rays acquire INF Eric Sogard from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for two players to be named later.
  • TRADE: Texas Rangers acquire RHP Ian Gibaut from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a player to be named later.
  • Blue Jays infielder Eric Sogard was scratched from today’s game and a deal is imminent, a source says.
  • The San Diego Padres have been getting calls on some of their top prospects. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal hears that there has been interest in infielder Luis Urias from teams who believe he can be an everyday shortstop. (He is blocked in San Diego by Fernando Tatis, Jr.
  • Should a Marcus Stroman deal go down between the Padres and Blue Jays, Toronto would be expected to push for bringing back pitching prospect Adrian Morejon from San Diego, per the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee.
  • The Blue Jays have received interest in right-handed reliever Joe Biagini, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
  • The Oakland Athletics have shown interest in Mets pitchers Noah Syndergaard and Zach Wheeler, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • The Astros have backed off in their pursuit for Noah Syndergaard because they are hesitant to trade prospect Kyle Tucker for the controllable starter, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
  • The Brewers would consider trading Yasmani Grandal or Mike Moustakas if in return they could land solid pitching, hears Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
  • In addition to Tanner Roark and Raisel Iglesias, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports the Reds could trade Scooter Gennett or Yasiel Puig.
  • Already connected to Marcus Stroman, the Mets are now interested in Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray, per Andy Martino of SNY.

July 27

  • According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers are looking into adding starting pitching and are believed to have Blue Jays ace Marcus Stroman on their radar.
  • The Twins and Rangers have discussed a Mike Minor trade, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
  • TRADE: Minnesota Twins acquire RHP Sergio Romo, RHP Chris Vallimont, and a PTBNL from the Miami Marlins in exchange for 1B Lewin Diaz
  • Per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, the Twins are interested in Diamondbacks pitcher Robbie Ray. Arizona is “focused intently” on selling, per Morosi.
  • The New York Mets are exploring various trade scenarios in the middle of a tough season, including one idea that would actually send Noah Syndergaard to San Diego in exchange for a prospect haul that could be sorted through in a trade that would bring Marcus Stroman to the Mets, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
  • TRADE: Oakland Athletics acquire LHP Jake Diekman from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for RHP Ismael Aquino and OF Dairon Blanco.
  • TRADE: Philadelphia Phillies acquire INF/OF Jose Pirela from the San Diego Padres in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of trade interest in Diamondbacks outfielder Jarrod Dyson, who is expected to have a new home come the trade deadline, reports MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
  • A source tells Craig Mish that the Twins are interested in Marlins reliever Sergio Romo.
  • Andy Martino of SNY.tv hears the Yankees haven’t been the most aggressive team after Stroman. However, Jon Morosi of MLB.com confirms New York and Toronto are still in contact.

July 26

July 25

  • The Twins are interested in essentially every pitcher. Here’s another one: Blue Jays reliever Daniel Hudson, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
  • MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand hears that the Giants will hang on to Madison Bumgarner, but the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman has been told that there has been no firm decision made and any conflicting reports are false.
  • The Padres and White Sox are interested in Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
  • TRADE: Minnesota Twins acquire LHP Jeremy Bleich from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations.
  • TRADE: Texas Rangers acquire RHP Shane Carle from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.
  • The Royals will not trade Whit Merrifield, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
  • The Mets are motivated and fully intent on their plans to trade Noah Syndergaard. After it seemed the rumors had quieted down, Buster Olney of ESPN makes it sound like it’s just a matter of time before Thor is on the move.
  • TRADE: Los Angeles Dodgers acquire INF Tyler White from the Houston Astros in exchange for RHP Andre Scrubb.
  • TRADE: New York Yankees acquire C Brian Navarreto from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations.

July 24

  • The Yankees will have a scout in attendance for Pirates pitcher Jordan Lyles’s start tonight, according to a source familiar with the situation.
  • Marlins left-hander Caleb Smith is drawing interest from rival teams, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. So too are right-handers Sergio Romo and Trevor Richards, reports Frisaro.
  • Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey discussed his club’s trade deadline approach in a recent appearance on Darren Wolfson’s The Scoop podcast. Falvey mentioned several things, including that fans need to be patient and wait until closer to the deadline for trades, the team will make pitching moves in perhaps an unorthodox fashion, and (of course) they are always looking for ways to improve.
  • Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors published A Buyer’s Guide To Stashing Depth At The Trade Deadline.
  • There are “numerous teams,” including the Braves, interested in members of the White Sox bullpen, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports. Arms of interest to Atlanta include those of Alex Colome and man Aaron Bummer.
  • The Tigers are poised to make “two more trades — perhaps more” in the coming days, reports MLB.com’s Jon Morosi.
  • The Phillies have checked in with the Diamondbacks regarding veteran starter Zack Greinke, but talks are not serious, hears Jon Morosi of MLB.com. Philadelphia has also discussed a potential Trevor Bauer trade with the Indians, reports Morosi.

July 23

July 22

July 21

  • According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, several teams have shown interest in veteran Blue Jays utilityman Eric Sogard.
  • MLB.com’s Jon Morosi hears that the Red Sox have active interest in Blue Jays reliever Ken Giles and Padres closer Kirby Yates. Boston also has interest in Toronto reliever Daniel Hudson, per Morosi.
  • Rangers utilityman Danny Santana is drawing interest from several clubs and could bring in a nice return for Texas, reports MLB.com’s Jon Morosi.
  • In a report that the Cubs have interest in Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News notes “this [rumor] has some teeth.” Meanwhile, NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan hears that Chicago also has interest in Tigers reliever Shane Greene.
  • TRADE: Seattle Mariners acquire RHP Matt Magill from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations.
  • The Cardinals are reportedly open to trading right-hander Carlos Martinez and outfielder Tyler O’Neill, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that the club is not aggressively shopping either of those two. Outfielder Harrison Bader is not being shopped, either. However, Goold does hear that they plan to “explore interest” in righty Michael Wacha.

July 20

July 19

  • According to a source, the Yankees and Twins both have a scout in attendance for Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman’s start tonight against the Tigers. In addition, Yankees special assistant to the general manager, Jim Hendry, is also in attendance, reports Kristie Ackert of NY Daily News. The Phillies have shown interest in Stroman, too, reports MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, so it is quite possible they have a scout in attendance tonight as well.
  • According to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, the Philadelphia Phillies have interest in Royals reliever Jake Diekman.
  • Mike Puma of the NY Post hears that interest in Mets catcher Wilson Ramos has been “scarce.”
  • It seemed like the Giants were still planning on selling despite a recent hot streak, but Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports there is a growing sense around the league that the Giants will stand pat, while SNY.tv’s Andy Martino hears Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith are both off-limits in trade talks.
  • The Twins and Red Sox both had top scouts in attendance for last night’s Giants vs. Mets game which featured Noah Syndergaard, Madison Bumgarner, and a few notable relievers, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Red Sox link, Twins link).
  • Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo joined SiriusXM Radio to discuss his team’s deadline plans, saying, “We’d like to improve ourselves this year but also for the future. When you’re giving away the assets that you have to give away at the trade deadline, you kind of like to get a little bit of control in the players that you acquire. Our priority is going to be on pitching... probably bullpen arms that could give us some veteran leadership and possibly shorten the game up for our starting rotation.”
  • The Twins have shown interest in Shane Greene, the reliever from the division-mate Tigers, reports MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Beyond the division, Morosi reports that the Dodgers are also interested in Greene.
  • Also per Morosi, the Padres have emerged as the “most serious suitor” for Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, but no deal is close and Cleveland would need to receive “immediate MLB talent in any Bauer trade.”
  • Angels general manager Billy Eppler tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he intends to acquire players controllable beyond this season.
  • The Mariners and pitcher Mike Leake are “ready to be done with each other,” but Seattle has struggled to stir up any interest in him since the trade with the Diamondbacks fell through, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.

July 18

  • MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that the Braves are “open to a reunion” with now-Rangers pitcher Mike Minor, but serious trade talks “have yet to begin.” The Phillies also continue to have interest in Minor, reports NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury.
  • The New York Post’s Joel Sherman suggests that if the Mets don't trade Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom, they might keep other veteran trade chips like Zack Wheeler, Todd Frazier, and Jason Vargas. “Why not just play this out, rather than performing a fan-angering salary dump for minimal prospect return?” Sherman asks.

July 17

  • The Arizona Diamondbacks are shopping outfielder Adam Jones, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.
  • TRADE: Cincinnati Reds acquire RHP Justin Grimm from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.
  • According to a source, the Reds and Dodgers completed a “small deal” that sends minor-league reliever Justin Grimm to Cincinnati. It’s expected to be cash considerations going to Los Angeles; once that’s official, it will be listed in this tracker.
  • TRADE: Toronto Blue Jays acquire INF Yeltsin Gudino from the Toronto Blue Jays. Return TBA.
  • MLBTR’s Connor Byrne wrote about the top five relief trade candidates based on K/BB ratios.
  • Pirates right-hander Jordan Lyles is believed to be available in a trade, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Also mentioned by Heyman: outfielders Melky Cabrera and Corey Dickerson. A source confirms Dickerson could be moved for the right price.
  • TRADE: New York Yankees acquire OF Terrance Gore from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Despite their recent hot streak, the San Francisco Giants are still expected to be sellers as the trade deadline approaches, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
  • Recently designated for assignment, Royals outfielder Terrance Gore went unclaimed on waivers. He is a candidate to be traded.
  • TRADE: Toronto Blue Jays acquire RHP Wilmer Font from the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Not along ago a candidate to be traded, Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco had his rehab assignment halted, according to reporters at today’s Pirates press conference.
  • Anything can happen with Jerry Dipoto at the helm. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mariners will listen to calls regarding outfielder Domingo Santana. They’ve also received interest in reliever Roenis Elias, per Rosenthal.
  • The Cubs are always busy in the trade market, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein tells The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney that “it would take a special deal to sacrifice the very top of the farm system.”
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams “known to be interested” in Royals left-handed reliever Jake Diekman, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.
  • Brewers general manager David Stearns told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy the team is unsurprisingly going to pursue help from outside the club in the form of trades. He added that the team is lucky to be in the position they currently are in after playing poor baseball lately.
  • “I think we’re at a different point organizationally, like we were in the offseason, where a lot more of our guys are maturing on their contracts and so, regardless of our competitive position, you explore different things than you otherwise would have,” Cleveland Indians general manager Mike Chernoff told The Athletic’s Zack Meisel. Chernoff acknowledged the need for “creative” ways to help the organization and a possible “continuation of the offseason plan.”

July 16

  • The Cardinals are believed to be at least considering trades that would force them to part with talented right-handed pitcher Carlos Martinez, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. A source also tells Rosenthal that a pair of St. Louis outfielders — Tyler O’Neill and Lane Thomas — are potential trade pieces.
  • Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors previews the 2019-20 free agent class, many of whom could be good half-season rentals for contending teams. Also over at MLBTR, Connor Byrne explored the top five starting pitching trade candidates, ranked by their K/BB ratios.
  • In addition to the aforementioned Astros and Phillies, the Yankees (per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman) and Brewers (per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi) are monitoring the market for Diamondbacks pitcher Robbie Ray.
  • When discussing his team’s trade deadline approach, Twins owner Jim Pohlad told Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, “I don’t really think — especially in these trade deadline deals — that money is the issue. It’s what you have to give up, really, and it’s not what you have to give up in terms of money, it’s what you have to give up in terms of players.” Pohlad has faith in his front office: “I have said nobody is a magician, but they are just assembling the right team and that is in their baseball operations department and in the dugout with the manager and the coaches. I think the coaches, as a group, including the manager, are totally on the same page about what has to be done to develop players and get the most out of them.”
  • Mets starter Zach Wheeler is currently on the injured list, but the trade candidate is being pursued by the Rays and the two sides could hammer out a deal if Wheeler returns before the trade deadline, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. With Tyler Glasnow done for the year, adding starting pitching help would be a big priority for Tampa Bay.

July 15

  • Reds general manager Nick Krall spoke to Jon Heyman and Josh Lewin of the Big Time Baseball Poodcast about the team’s trade deadline plans, and while he echoed what president of baseball operations Dick Williams said earlier, he added some new comments. Krall noted the team falls into the buying category but intends to build on their future — not just this season. “[The Reds will] figure out how we want to improve it for the long run,” he said. “Not just for the next two months.” Additionally, Krall said, “If you can add somebody to bolster your team to help you make a run, that would be awesome. I think we’d love to do something like that and we’ve got to just keep figuring out what the deals are and where we stand and keep moving.” Krall said he “would love to be able to buy this year, but “we’ve got a couple more weeks of games before we get to the actual deadline … you want to see if we can get some consistency.”
  • Recently, Diamondbacks pitcher Robbie Ray has been reviving an increasingly greater amount of interest from contenders, and we finally have more information on who they are. As MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports, the Phillies and Astros are among teams with interest in Ray.
  • TRADE: Chicago Cubs acquire C Martín Maldonado from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for LHP Mike Montgomery.
  • TRADE: Los Angeles Angels acquire C Anthony Bemboom from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Stepping away from a buying aspect and temporarily entering as sellers, the Cubs are shopping left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery, as ESPN’s Jesse Rogers explains in his employer’s rumor tracker.
  • According to MASN’s Roch Kubatko, Orioles reliever Mychal Givens could be on his way out as the next player to be traded from Baltimore. The Phillies, who have interest in Givens and other O’s arms, are expected to have a heavy scout presence in Baltimore as the trade deadline approaches.
  • In somewhat of a shocking development, the Mets placed starting pitcher Zach Wheeler on the 10-day injured list retroactive to July 13. With the ability to return on July 23 at the latest, Wheeler seems to be staying in New York just days after being one of this summer’s top trade chips.
  • The Brewers and Giants have had preliminary negotiations surrounding a potential deal involving San Francisco reliever Will Smith, per The Athletic’s Robert Murray, who adds that the Giants would pursue infield prospect Mauricio Dubon if anything comes to fruition.
  • As Michael Lewis of The Athletic reports, the Royals are expected to find a suitor for outfielder Terrance Gore, who is currently in DFA limbo, even if he goes unclaimed on waivers. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Royals writer Jeffrey Flanagan spoke with outfielder Billy Hamilton — who could be traded this deadline — and discussed his future, which the speedster is very optimistic about.
  • MLB Trade Rumors’ Connor Byrne explores the Top 5 trade candidates based on xwOBA.

July 14

  • TRADE: Oakland Athletics acquire RHP Homer Bailey from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for INF Kevin Merrell.
  • MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams does a terrific job compiling all the latest Cubs trade rumors and links in one piece.
  • Yesterday, it was reported that then Red Sox might stand pat at the trade deadline after acquiring Andrew Cashner from the Orioles. It was said that the recent activation of knuckleballer Steven Wright was part of the reason why the Sox may not look to add a reliever at the deadline. But yesterday evening, Wright exited the game against the Dodgers after being hit by a Max Muncy comebacker. X-rays were negative and the pitcher was diagnosed with a right foot contusion, but his status will need to be monitored as the Red Sox continue to assess their deadline approach.
  • The Rays are scouring the market for upgrades and are indeed in buying position, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, who spoke with Rays executive Chaim Bloom. “What we think of this group and the way they’ve played so far it certainly motivates us to want to help them out however we can,” Bloom said. “We want to make sure we do that responsibly, that we’re staying true to our goal of competing sustainably and be able to do this consistently over a number of years. Anything we can do to help them out is something we’re certainly going to look at.”

July 13

  • After acquiring Andrew Cashner from Baltimore, could the Red Sox be done? “We might (stand pat),” general manager Dave Dombrowski told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo). “We like how our club looks, but we’ve liked how our club looks for a long time.” Cotillo also notes that starter Nathan Eovaldi is expected to return from his injury in about a week, when he will slide into the closer role in the bullpen.
  • Several scouts were in attendance for the Mets-Marlins game, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. While it’s worth noting the Mets had Noah Syndergaard on the mount, Frisaro believes most of the scouts were in attendance with an interest in observing several Miami relievers.
  • During the pre-game broadcast of the Dodgers vs. Red Sox game, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that the Nationals, all of a sudden in contention but in clear need of bullpen help, are “considering” Royals left-hander Jake Diekman and other bullpen arms.
  • The Padres have been interested in more than half a dozen star pitches, including Noah Syndergaard, Corey Kluber, Matthew Boyd, and Trevor Bauer. But as MLB.com’s A.J. Cassavell points out, it “seems unlikely” the team will make a “push” for Syndergaard or Boyd, or the others. Padres general manager A.J. Preller will explore adding a controllable starter, but he’s not “committed” to doing so, reports Cassavell.
  • TRADE: Boston Red Sox acquire RHP Andrew Cashner and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Elio Prado and infielder Noelberth Romero.
  • Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors published the site’s updated list of Top 60 Trade Candidates At The All-Star Break.
  • TRADE: Texas Rangers acquire INF Nick Solak from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Peter Fairbanks.

July 12

  • The Phillies might not be too aggressive when it comes to adding to their squad this month. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail spoke about the Philllies’ status with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com and other reporters, admitting he and his team “don’t believe” the roster is just one magical trade away from turning into a World Series winner. Although an impressive run could sway his approach, as of now MacPhail is expecting “to be a little judicious and careful about what talent’s walking out the door” in trades. While not looking to unload top prospects, Zolecki points out that the Phillies could improve without breaking the farm system by taking on a large contract and giving up “lesser talent.”
  • Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen had a juicy conversation with the press, talking about the team’s deadline approach, which can be found in terrific recaps here by Deesha Thosar of New York Daily News, Mike Puma of the New York Post, and MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. Van Wagenen confirmed Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard trades would take an unforeseen prospect haul for the Mets to have interest.
  • “Our ownership has been pretty clear, and they’ve demonstrated by their actions, that salary is not something that is going to be … it has to make some sense, but that’s not going to be something that’s going to hold us back,” MacPhail said.
  • The NL Central is an interesting division, and the Reds are in it to win it. President of baseball operations Dick Williams chatted with C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic and confirmed the team intends to be buyers as the trade deadline approaches. “We’re going to look around to see what we can do to make us better, which would put us in the buyer category,” says Williams. “We feel like we’re in the thick of the race so we think it’s important to see what we can do to improve the club.”
  • TRADE: Cleveland Indians acquire RHP Phil Maton from the San Diego Padres in exchange for international bonus pool space.
  • Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told reporters he doesn’t want to trade starter Mike Minor, but the team can’t rule out anything in July.
  • TRADE: Los Angeles Angels acquire LHP Adam McCreery and C Josh Thole from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Yankees general manager Brian Cashman (h/t Sirius XM) spoke candidly about his team’s trade deadline plans. “We’re going to target starting pitching, and then if not, continue to try to reinforce the bullpen,” said Cashman. “But the bottom line is just trying to add quality to what we already have. ... Houston’s going to get better. Tampa’s going to get better. Boston’s going to get better. Minnesota’s going to get better. Oakland’s going to get better. … They’re going to add to their area [of need]. A lot of the players in the mix are in the similar category of quality, so there’s going to be a number of choices out there.” Young pitching prospect Deivi Garcia has sped through the farm system and is “pushing himself into the mix” for a spot in the majors, Cashman added.
  • MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams considers Mariners reliever Roenis Elias as a potential trade candidate.

July 11

  • As the Marlins approach the trade deadline as heavy sellers, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald notes that veteran reliever Sergio Romo, a 12-year MLB veteran and three-time World Series champion who has served as the Marlins’ closer this season, “could fill any reliever spot for a contending team, from opener to setup man to closer.” Additionally, a pair of veterans, infielder Neil Walker and outfielder Curtis Granderson, highlight two other potential trade chips on the Marlins’ youth-laden roster; both are on one-year contracts and will be enticing to rival teams.
  • It doesn’t appear that Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos is going to get an extension before the July 31 trade deadline, which means he will likely be traded in the coming weeks. Castellanos said in March, a few weeks before the season started, that he and the Tigers hadn’t yet begun extension talks. However, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News notes that the two sides thought of a new contract as “likely” a few months ago. Now, as the impending free agent finds himself with just a few weeks left in a Tigers uniform, it’s time for Detroit to find a suitor in a trade. may have been true at the time, but it turns out the two sides regarded a new contract as “likely” for a short period in the spring.
  • The Cardinals pursued Will Smith over the offseason, and they are poised to do so again. According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the Cardinals have a potential acquisition of the Giants reliever “on their radar.” St. Louis joins the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves, and Rangers on the list of teams believed to have interest in Smith.
  • The Twins are expected to be very active in both the starting and relief pitching markets over the next few weeks, but in a development that could see Twins’ fans hopes at getting a top name diminish, LaVelle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that three prospects are “off limits” in trade talks: shortstop Royce Lewis, outfielder Alex Kirilloff and right-hander Brusdar Graterol.
  • You can add three more teams to the list of clubs interested in Matthew Boyd, bringing the list to at least seven. According to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, the Dodgers, Braves, and Rays join the Padres, Cubs, Red Sox and Astros in the sweepstakes for the Tigers starter.
  • There are more than half a dozen teams interested in Mets’ starter Noah Syndergaard, and likely several others intrigued by starter Steven Matz. But Mike Puma of the NY Post hears that the Mets would need to be “overwhelmed by a trade proposal” to deal either of those pitchers. Rather, it seems Zach Wheeler is the main trade chip on the Mets as of now.
  • It appears the Padres may be leaning towards buying. Over the past six months, they have continued to show strong interest in top starters Marcus Stroman, Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, and Noah Syndergaard. Now, Jon Morosi of MLB.com says you can add Matthew Boyd to that list, as the Friars are showing significant interest in Detroit’s top hurler.
  • The Marlins are obviously selling, and a veterans who has received some interest from rival teams is Starlin Castro, according to the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson. Castro has been a trade chip ever since he was dealt to Miami in the Giancarlo Stanton trade, and in what is likely the final year of his contract (his large $16 million option for 2020 will likely be bought out for $1 million), he could be on the move again as he serves as a valuable half-year veteran infield rental.
  • While they focused heavily on position-player additions during the offseason, the Phillies’ lack of focus on the rotation is now shaping out to be a big mistake, writes the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber. Pitching depth has now become a serious issue with Jake Arrieta’s injury concerns. The Phillies’ farm system can't handle a massive starting pitcher trade, so any deal involving a starter would likely have to feature a No. 3 or 4 pitcher in the rotation and not an ace like Bumgarner or Stroman. (Wheeler was already out of the question with the Mets and Phils in the same division.)
  • MLB Network’s Jon Heyman hears there’s been no talk to this point between the Braves and Blue Jays involving starter Marcus Stroman. “Total fabrication,” Heyman has been told. While the Braves would be a top landing spot for Stroman given for their need of starting pitching and the ace’s connection with former Jays and now Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos, they could target Mets starter Zach Wheeler, Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, or someone else altogether.
  • Orioles general manager Mike Elias chatted with Dan Connolly of The Athletic. The two discussed the upcoming trade deadline. Elias says that trade chatter is “already very high,” and that deadline work is “really the main thing that the front office staff and I are spending our time on now in the month of July.” He suggested the Orioles put a high value on reliever Mychal Givens, saying “he’s striking out more people than ever and is throwing really hard.” As for Trey Mancini, Elias reiterated that he is “a very big part of the future of this team” and confirmed that the team is “in a position in our competitive cycle where we need to be open to anything that comes our way.” Most likely to be dealt is pitcher Andrew Cashner, but there’s some confusion and concern that Cashner would reject a trade despite lacking trade protection. Said Elias, “I don’t read too much into it. It’s not anything that we’ve discussed.”

July 10

  • According to Tim Healey of Newsday, there are six teams interested in a potential trade for Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard. While it’d likely take a large haul to get the Mets to part with one of their top starters, anything is possible. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi adds that the Brewers, Astros, and Padres are three of the teams checking in on Syndergaard.
  • Hovering just around .500, the Diamondbacks face a tough decision as to whether they are going to buy or sell. “We’re going to have to make a complicated decision,” general manager Mike Hazen told Nick Piecoro of Arizona Republic. “It just doesn’t appear that it’s going to be an easily defined decision.” As Piecoro adds, “Hazen seemed to think there were two possible directions – buying or selling – with the possibility of doing both simultaneously. He did not seem to think standing pat was a likely outcome.”

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