With are a month and change away from the MLB trade deadline, which means rumors are starting to percolate. It's impossible to know the full competitive landscape at this point in the season, but we know which teams are hopeless and ready to sell. Conversely, we know which teams are looking to go all-in on their current World Series window.
We've seen plenty of trades on the margins already, but the real blockbusters are still a few weeks away. In his latest tell-all for USA Today, MLB insider Bob Nightengale unleashed a barrage of trade nuggets and other relevant rumors.
Here are a few that demand your attention.
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White Sox won the Aaron Civale trade, but will not keep him around long
The Milwaukee Brewers dealt Aaron Civale to the Chicago White Sox this week after a public trade request, receiving first baseman Andrew Vaughn in return. The White Sox are thrilled with the deal, per USA Today, but there's no expectation that Civale sticks around the South Side for long. He'll be right back on the trade block in the coming weeks.
"They plan to trade (Civale) at the July 31 deadline, believing they could get at least a couple of mid-tier prospects in return," Nightengale writes.
Civale probably did not envision this particular outcome when he asked out of Milwaukee. While Civale might put a couple solid starts under his belt in a White Sox uniform, it seems likely that he will wear a third uniform this season.
In five starts before the trade, Civale posted a 4.91 ERA and 1.36 WHIP for the Brewers, stacking 19 strikeouts in 22.0 innings pitched. That earned him a demotion to the bullpen. Now, he's stuck in trade limbo for another month.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler plans to retire after 2027 season and focus on fatherhood
The Philadelphia Phillies are in the thick of contention in the National League, in no small part due to a dominant starting rotation. Zack Wheeler leads the charge, of course, as a perennial Cy Young candidate and arguably the most dependable, clutch ace in MLB. Through 13 starts this season, Wheels has a 2.85 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 101 strikeouts in 82.0 innings pitched. At 35 years old, the hard-throwing righty has aged like a fine wine.
And yet, the clock is ticking, per USA Today. Wheeler famously goes off the grid in the offseason to spend time with his family and focus on fatherhood. He's the rare MLB star who doesn't work overtime in the gym or commit to a crazy training regimen in the offseason. And, he's approaching the end of the road, broadcasting his intent to retire after his contract expires in 2027.
"Kudos to Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, who is already telling everyone that he plans to retire after the 2027 season to spend time with his family," Nightengale writes.
Look, we can't criticize someone for wanting to spend time with family. Wheeler has put together an incredible career and the Phillies have him under contract for 2.5 more years. That gives Dave Dombrowski a concentrated window of contention to operate within.
Dodgers among the likely suitors for Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara
Sigh...
The Miami Marlins are expected to trade former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcántara before the July 31 deadline. After coming out of the gate slow this season, Alcántara has begun to look more like his old self of late, pitching six scoreless innings with only three hits and one walk allowed against the Pittsburgh Pirates last week.
His 7.41 ERA and 1.49 WHIP this season are probably misleading, as we know Alcántara can reach rare heights when he's operating at full strength. Recovery from Tommy John surgery is never a simple process. It takes time for guys to warm up and settle into a groove again. That appears to be finally happening for Alcántara.
Among the potential suitors, per USA Today, are the Los Angeles Dodgers. Because of course they are.
"Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara is starting to look like himself again after undergoing Tommy John surgery, with his fastball (97.6-mph) and command returning just in time to get traded," Nightengale writes. "Alcantara, who’s yielding a 1.50 ERA in his last two starts compared to 8.47 in his first 11 starts, should be the No. 1 trade piece on the market. The Dodgers, who have plenty of prospects, are one of the teams lurking."
Few contending teams need starting pitching more than the Dodgers, who are suffering through prolonged absences from Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Rōki Sasaki. Shohei Ohtani is expected to take the mound again after the All-Star break, but depth behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a real issue right now. Alcántara is more than a depth piece, which is why other NL teams should work overtime to keep him away from the City of Angels.