Here are the latest deals and rumors from the MLB Hot Stove

It’s trade rumors SZN, and the hot stove is piping with deals and speculation about some of the biggest names in baseball.

Few periods of the baseball calendar are as bonkers as the on around the trade deadline. It’s Wall Street in stitched leather, with teams frantically buying and selling assets in an effort to make themselves as rich as possible. Some teams are buying to win a World Series this year, others are investing in futures by trading off top talent for key prospects.

Every year there are guys we hear about as the players every team needs. This year that seems to focus mostly on Manny Machado, but there are a handful of others — like Brad Hand, Eduardo Escobar, Jacob deGrom, etc — who could also be on the move.

In the name of convenience, we’ve compiled all the latest deals and rumors below. When a deal goes down, we’ll have instant analysis and reaction to it. Ditto with any rumors of significance that might surface ahead of the deadline.

Note: Because I don’t have a time machine to jump into the future, this is going to live as the latest rumors and deals are announced. Be sure to check back for all the latest.

July 17th

RUMOR: Dodgers are offering top prospects for Manny Machado

It’s starting to look like a done deal that Manny Machado’s final destination this season will be in Los Angeles. After reporting that the Dodgers are the leaders to land the third baseman as earlier as this week, Jon Heyman confirms that L.A. is offering its top outfield prospect in the deal.

RUMOR: Orioles have structure in place to trade Machado to ‘unknown team’

Momentum is picking up on a Manny Machado deal happening in the next 72-hours or sooner. According to Buster Olney, the Orioles have a deal in place to trade Machado to an unknown team, with both sides doing medicals to ensure a trade happens.

We don’t know who they mystery team is, but the latest reports seem to indicate it might be the Los Angeles Dodgers.

RUMOR: Dodgers expected to acquire Manny Machado this week 

This is the most fluid rumor of the year, and as we get closer to the trade deadline it’s only going to get weirder. After it was reported the Phillies were the clubhouse leader to land Manny Machado, Jon Heyman from Fancred reports the Dodgers are actually the favorites and could acquire the third baseman by the end of the week.

July 16th

RUMOR: Jacob deGrom basically asks for a trade

His future in New York is uncertain, but all Jacob deGrom is looking for is some clarity. In what amounts to a trade request but stops short of actually being that, deGrom’s agent told the Mets to either extend his client or figure out a trade before the deadline.

RUMOR: Cubs looking to trade for Zach Britton or Brad Hand

While everyone is obsessing over where Manny Machado will land, the Chicago Cubs are quietly doing work on acquiring a closer. Both Zach Britton and Brad Hand appear to be names that Chicago is interested in, both happen to be the top two relievers on the market.

It’s worth noting that when the Cubs traded for a closer at the deadline two years ago, they ended up winning the World Series.

July 15th

RUMOR: Mike Moustakas will have to wait until Manny Machado is traded

Everyone is obsessing over Manny Machado, rightfully so. He’s the hottest name on the trade market but he can only go to one team. That’s where Mike Moustakas comes into play, as he could be a viable consolation prize for anyone looking for corner infield help but don’t have a package good enough to land Machado.

RUMOR: Twins add Kyle Gibson to growing list of veterans for sale

Even though they’re in the middle of a 9-2 stretch, it still looks like the Twins will be sellers at the deadline. Joel Sherman notes that Kye Gibson is among the veteran players Minnesota is offering up to teams in potential trade talks.

RUMOR: Yankees looking at  Tyson Ross and Brad Hand

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees could be looking to pull off a two-for deal by landing a top pitching talent and a top reliever. Both Tyson Ross and Brad Hand are going to be commodities at the deadline, and New York could make a play for both to plug two holes in one move.

This seems even more likely if they end up missing out on Machado.

July 14th

RUMOR: Phillies have moved past Yankees with Machado offer

It’s been a slow burn, but signs are starting to point towards Manny Machado’s eventual landing spot being in Philly. Traction has been gaining as far as reports stating the Phillies are in the running, and we’ve reached the point where their offer is seemingly the best.

RUMOR: Giants offer Jeff Samardzija to Yankees

We’ve reached birth in reverse levels of weird, which means the rumor mill is only going to start spinning faster. While the Yankees are in need of pitching and calling teams about reliable starters, they’re the ones getting calls about guys who weren’t on our radar before. J.A. Happ has dominated the conversation, but the San Francisco Giants reportedly called up New York to offer Jeff Samardzija in a deal. Nothing else seems to be out there about what was discussed but it’s an interesting jumping off point for alternate options for Brian Cashman.

RUMOR:  Billy Beane thinks the A’s will be deadline buyers

You can’t blame him either. With Oakland in the thick of the AL Wild Card hunt, and Seattle suffering the loss of James Paxton, buying at the deadline is very much in Beane’s interest. According to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, the A’s are expected to be buyers at the deadline, and that comes directly from the man in charge of whether or not that will happen.

July 13th

RUMOR: Reds pulling Scooter Gennett off trade market

When a struggling team has a valuable asset at the trade deadline, it’s rare for that team to pull said asset off the market. That appears to be what the Cincinnati Reds are doing with Scooter Gennett.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports, the Reds have told Gennett that he’s part of the long-term plan for the club and won’t be traded at the deadline. We’ll see how good that word ends up being.

RUMOR: Phillies the new front-runner for Manny Machado? 

Perhaps the Dodgers or Yankees will end up with Manny Machado when the trade dust settles, but it won’t be before the Philadelphia Phillies make their case. According to Ken Rosenthal and others, the Phillies have stepped up their offer in a big way, showing their hand as serious players to land the infielder.

It’s been the Year of Philly Sports, and what better way to chase a Super Bowl championship and the Process evolving than landing one of the best infielders in baseball?

July 12th

RUMOR: Astros interested in Wilson Ramos

A lot has been made about the Washington Nationals need for a catcher, ditto for the Boston Red Sox. Count the Houston Astros among teams sniffing around the trade market for a potential add behind the plate. Specifically, Wilson Ramos has piqued the interest of Astros management.

RUMOR: Phillies are in on Zach Britton 

Everyone’s attention is laser-focused on what will happen with Orioles infielder Manny Machado, but there’s another player in Baltimore drawing heavy interest.

According to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Phillies are among the teams in need of late-inning help that have show an interest in Zach Britton. Add Philadelphia to a list that includes Boston, Cleveland, and potentially St. Louis.

July 11th

RUMOR: Dodgers, Brewers are still very much in on  Machado

Ken Rosenthal passed along what he’s been hearing about Manny Machado, and indicates that despite the strong offer from New York there are still a handful of teams in the running. Los Angeles and Milwaukee — two teams right up there as far as being real landing spots for Machado – remain in the mix.

RUMOR: Yankees have a ‘strong’ offer to Orioles for Manny Machado 

Perhaps the most stunning part about this rumor is that Justus Sheffield is not part of the offer. It was believed that he’d be needed in a package to make a Machado deal happen for New York.

RUMOR: Indians priority is bullpen help, not Manny Machado

Bullpen phone snafu aside, the Cleveland Indians need late-inning help. It seems like ages ago that Cleveland had a bullpen so good that Terry Francona rode it to a World Series appearance. That year saw the acquisition of Andrew Miller, who became a superstar reliever in the postseason. In need of another boost in the pen, it sounds like the Indians priority is less on offense and more on finding another Miller-esque trade.

Potental targets could include Zach Britton, who the Red Sox are high on, as well as Brad Hand and Sergio Romo.

RUMOR: Brewers and Twins discussing possible Brian Dozier trade

Even though they’ve been winning recently, there’s no reason to believe the Minnesota Twins will be anything other than sellers at the deadline. Two of their most valuable assets are Brian Dozer and Eduardo Escobar.

It appears the Milwaukee Brewers are interested in both.

Of course, that’s not a report that a deal is imminent. But the fact that they’re talking is very notable as we approach the 11th hour.

RUMOR: Boston wants some bullpen help

While it might not be in the Manny Machado market, all indications continue to point towards Boston trading for relief pitching. According to a report from Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com,late-inning relief is specifically what Boston is looking for. Brad Hand is a hot name among teams (like Cleveland and St. Louis) that need bullpen help. There’s also Zach Britton, who the Red Sox have been linked to for quite a while now.

July 10th

RUMOR: Red Sox are sniffing around on Britton and Machado

It seems everyone is testing the Manny Machado waters as the deadline approaches. Count the Boston Red Sox among the teams doing due diligence, but don’t include them as a team doing anything more than that.

Despite rumblings of interest, there’s nothing to substantially say Boston is a big player on the Machado market. The real interest, it seems, is in Orioles closer Zach Britton.

RUMOR: Yankees unlikely to trade for deGrom or Syndergaard

It should shock no one that the Yankees are looking at the starting pitching market. Even less shocking is the fact that crosstown aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are not on their wish list.

Someone who is: J.A. Happ. That’s not a new rumor, which seems to suggest something might happen.

July 9th

TRADE: Giants Dump Some Salary

Analysis: This was a salary dump, there’s no other way to put it. San Francisco looked at the deals Gearrin and Jackson had and decided to get it off the books. This is a trade not about what was dealt but about what it means for the future. The Giants seem to be gearing up for another big deal and are clearing both cap and roster space in the process.