With roughly two weeks until the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, it's not hard to find speculation about what your favorite team will (or won't) do. The thing is, the standings are in complete chaos at the moment. Maybe five teams are truly down for the count. Everyone kinda sorta thinks they still have a shot at the playoffs.
That could complicate the deadline process for buyers — and really benefit those who decide to sell. I never paid much attention in my econ class, to be frank, but market scarcity is a thing. That said, let's dive into the latest rumors from around the league.
Cubs are focused on adding pitching at the trade deadline
- Cubs are focused on pitching depth — not positional depth — ahead of the deadline
- Pitchers returning from the IL will not impact Jed Hoyer's aggression on the trade front
The Chicago Cubs are six games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central at this point, so the division crown feels slightly out of reach. The North Siders, however, are currently the top Wild Card team in the National League, with a half-game edge over the red-hot Phillies. The challenge will be keeping that edge.
Chicago has no shortage of offensive firepower and defensive brilliance these days, but the pitching staff is in dire straits. We've already seen the Cubs pick up David Peterson for pennies on the dollar, but that addition has not proven very helpful.
As Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told the Chicago Tribune, the plan is to focus on pitching upgrades at the deadline.
"Yeah, I mean we’ve put ourselves in a good position,” he said. “I’m not ruling out any kind of position-player transaction, but the expectation is that we’ll focus on the pitching staff."
Injuries have decimated the Cubs' pitching staff this season. Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele are all on the IL, not to mention breakout ace Cade Horton, whose season ended before it began due to Tommy John surgery. While the Cubs hope Taillon is back soon, better injury luck will not be used as an excuse to avoid trade additions.
"Any potential reinforcements off the IL for the pitching staff won’t affect what the Cubs do at the trade deadline, Hoyer said," writes Sean Hammond. "For a Cubs team that has dealt with all sorts of injuries to pitchers, Hoyer is maintaining his adage that a team can’t have too many arms."
Steele was initially slated for a midseason return, but he suffered a setback in his rehab from elbow surgery back in May. Chicago's top ace is no longer expected to start games this season. He could take on a bullpen role closer to October, but that's basically the best-case scenario at this point. Brown, Cabrera and Taillon were all on the 15-day IL heading into the All-Star break.
Padres could use Mason Miller as trojan horse to offload Xander Bogaerts' contract
- Padres 'have not ruled out anything' ahead of the deadline, including a Mason Miller trade
- San Diego could use Miller's appealing contract as a means to get off of Xander Bogaerts' $25 million salary
With the San Diego Padres in sharp decline, it's becoming more and more likely that A.J. Preller will sell at the deadline. The Padres "have not ruled out anything," reports Kevin Acee of the San Diego Tribune. That includes trading All-Star closer Mason Miller, whom San Diego sacrificed top-five MLB prospect Leo De Vries to acquire in 2025.
One major factor: the looming CBA negotiations. There's a chance the service time required to hit free agency is trimmed from six years to five years, which would mean Miller becomes a free agent after the 2028 season, rather than in 2029. That applies a bit more pressure on Preller to maximize his value, especially with San Diego in such a hopeless situation.
The Padres are basically the weakest offense in the National League. Now, their pitching staff is all sorts of beat up. It's hard to chart an encouraging path forward, especially with so much salary tied up in floundering stars. One potential path forward, per the Tribune: attaching Miller to the remaining seven years and $178.2 million on Xander Bogaerts' contract.
"One question being kicked around at Petco Park is whether moving Miller as part of a package that includes Bogaerts is a proposition too beneficial to pass up," Acee writes. "It is practically a foregone conclusion that the Padres will eventually find a way to get out from under a portion of the $25 million they owe their underperforming 33-year-old shortstop each of the next seven seasons."
While trading Bogaerts would dampen the prospect haul San Diego receives in exchange for Miller, it's a chance to improve their financial situation in 2027 and beyond. Preller is an aggressive GM by nature, but even his hands are tied by the amount of salary San Diego has tied up in older stars who simply are not meeting expectations. Between Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., it's hard for the Padres to chart a path forward to prosperity.
Miller, 27, has a 0.89 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 75 strikeouts in 40.2 innings. He's 25-for-25 in save situations. There is not a more dominant reliever in the sport. The opportunity to add him, even for 2.5 seasons, could entice a team to suffer the Bogaerts expense.
Steve Cohen says Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto are staying put
- Steve Cohen does not see Mets trading Francisco Lindor or Juan Soto
- Lindor rumors 'will persist' until he and Soto can repair their relationship
The New York Mets are second to last in the National League standings despite the second-highest payroll in MLB. There is no more high-profile failure in baseball right now. At the core of the issue: Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, the Mets' two superstars, don't seem to enjoy each other's company. It's unclear if their relationship is beyond repair.
Still, Mets owner Steve Cohen told The Athletic he does not anticipate either being involved in a trade at this stage.
"I don’t see them going anywhere."
Still, the rumors will persist, with the 25-year-old Soto firmly cemented as New York's North Star moving forward. Lindor, 32, has struggled at the plate amid injuries this season, with a .654 OPS and 82 OPS+. He certainly feels more vulnerable to a trade, should the locker room dynamic become too toxic.
"But speculation about Lindor will persist until he and Soto prove they can co-exist and the New York Mets snap out of a funk that now dates back more than a year," writes Ken Rosenthal.
Lindor's underlying metrics are strong and he figures to improve down the stretch, with five years remaining on his contract. A lot of teams would value Lindor's postseason experience and well-documented leadership qualities. He's an all-world talent at a premium infield position. If rival front offices sense an opportunity given how much the Mets invested in Soto — and how desperate GM David Stearns is to reset the organizational culture — don't be shocked if a godfather offer for Lindor crosses their desk.
More MLB news and analysis:
Add us as a preferred source on Google