MLB Rumors: Sandy Alcantara favorite, Red Sox extension, Orioles trade looming

The MLB season might've just begun, but crazy things have already happened. The New York Yankees scored 20 runs in a game. The Los Angeles Dodgers look unbeatable with a 5-0 record. The two worst teams in the league as of this writing are two clubs that made the 2024 postseason, the Atlanta Braves and the Detroit Tigers, who are both 0-3.

While games just began, the rumor mill is never truly quiet. After all, we saw a blockbuster trade just over one month into the 2024 campaign. With that in mind, here are the latest MLB rumors for your consumption.

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MLB Rumors: A Ryan Mountcastle trade could be coming

The Baltimore Orioles made a somewhat controversial decision when they chose to send Coby Mayo down to the minor leagues ahead of Opening Day. On one hand, it made sense for Baltimore to make that move, given their abundance of infield depth and Mayo's struggles in spring training. On the other hand, Mayo is considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball and has proven all he possibly can at the Triple-A level. It makes too much sense for the Orioles to give him extended run at the MLB level to see what he can do.

For the Orioles to consider giving him the playing time he needs to stick around, they're going to have to trade some of their depth. With that in mind, it isn't surprising to hear that the Orioles have made Ryan Mountcastle, their first baseman, available on the trade block according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

"The Baltimore Orioles are letting teams know that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is available in a potential trade to clear a spot for Coby Mayo."

This is a bittersweet rumor for Orioles fans. Making a move to get Mayo some well-deserved consistent playing time in the majors makes sense, but Mountcastle, a player who has spent his entire six-year career in Baltimore, would be a tough loss for O's fans. Mountcastle is far from a star, and he has had his ups and downs offensively, but with the Orioles moving the left field wall in, the fan base wanted to see how the 28-year-old would perform. This is a player who has hit as many as 33 home runs in a single season, by the way. Given this rumor, though, he might not have much time in Baltimore left.

MLB Rumors: Red Sox deep in talks with Kristian Campbell on an extension

The Boston Red Sox took a bit of a risk by including Kristian Campbell on their Opening Day roster. Campbell is one of the top prospects in the league, but he struggled in spring training and had only 19 games of experience at the Triple-A level.

So far, that risk has paid off in a big way. Campbell has five hits in his first 10 at-bats and has reached base in seven of his first 12 trips to the plate. Adding to that, Campbell launched his first major league home run on Saturday.

Now, after seeing their risk start to pay off, the Red Sox are reportedly considering taking another gamble by engaging in talks with the second baseman on a contract extension according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

The two sides being deep in talks doesn't mean that a deal will come to fruition, but it certainly feels as if one is trending that way. It's safe to assume that an extension would cover Campbell's six years of club control and potentially some of his free agency years as well. We've seen the Red Sox extend both Ceddanne Rafaela and Brayan Bello in recent years, so it would not be shocking to see them seal the deal with Campbell as well.

By extending him, the Red Sox would be committing to him as a key member of their long-term core. It's a gamble, but if Campbell ends up being the star that the Red Sox expect him to, it'd be more than worth Craig Breslow's while.

MLB Rumors: Cubs should emerge as Sandy Alcantara favorites

It feels as if every recognizable Miami Marlins player has been traded over the past year to the point where Sandy Alcantara is really all that's left. With the team in the midst of a full-blown rebuild, it feels as if it's a matter of when and where, not if, he's traded.

As for when, the answer is probably by the time that July's trade deadline rolls around. As for where, well, that's anyone's best guess. Virtually every contending team could use starting pitching help, so it's just a matter of which team has the most to offer and is willing to make a big trade.

Based on the Chicago Cubs' recent activity, there's reason to believe they'll be right in the thick of the Alcantara sweepstakes, and they should be viewed as one of, if not the favorites to land him.

The Cubs were constantly in rumors involving big-name starting pitchers on the trade market over the offseason like Garrett Crochet and Dylan Cease, but their big trade wound up being for Kyle Tucker. Even after trading for Tucker, they have more than enough prospect capital to get a deal done for Alcantara. With how winnable their division is and their need for one more rotation arm, they should be eager to get a deal done.

Top prospect Matt Shaw is probably off the table, but the Cubs have seven top 100 prospects on MLB Pipeline's top 100 list, tying them for the most in the majors with the Seattle Mariners. They have more than enough firepower in their farm system to get a move done, and getting an arm like Alcantara can get them closer to legitimately contending in a stacked National League.