Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- With just over a week until the MLB trade deadline, several high-impact players are generating significant buzz among contenders.
- The Boston Red Sox is weighing a major move that could reshape their playoff hopes while also securing future assets.
- Meanwhile, the White Sox are preparing to boost its rotation without sacrificing its most valuable young talent.
With a little over a week until the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the rumor mill is thick with smoke. Several marquee names could end up on new teams in the coming days, from Cy Young winners like Tarik Skubal and Sandy Alcántara, to cornerstone bats in their primes, like Zach Neto, Hunter Goodman and Adley Rutschman.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped his usual intel bomb on Sunday. Here are the latest rumblings in MLB circles that are worthy of your attention:
Red Sox want another right-handed bat, with Zach Neto and Jeremy Peña mentioned
- Red Sox are in 'dire need of a right-handed bat'
- Boston would 'love' to acquire Houston's Jeremy Peña or L.A.'s Zach Neto
The Boston Red Sox made the first splash of the deadline, acquiring third baseman Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals in exchange for southpaw Connelly Early. It was a bold and surprising move. Early, 24, is among the most promising young arms in MLB. Mead, 25, was DFA'd by the White Sox last season, but caught fire with the Nats in 2026, posting an .852 OPS with 17 homers prior to the move.
Still, the Red Sox are after another right-handed infield bat, per Nightengale. Two names on their radar: shortstops Jeremy Peña of the Houston Astros and Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels.
Peña, 28, feels like the preferable outcome, as he's hitting .315 with an .848 OPS and eight stolen bases on the season. An incredibly refined hitter with barn-burning speed on the bases, Peña checks the most boxes.
Neto is a similarly dynamic athlete with a bit more raw power, up to 19 homers and 13 stolen bases with a .771 OPS. Neto, however, has an unwieldy 31.5 percent strikeout rate and is a less reliable defender up the middle. Frequent comparisons to Trevor Story have probably tainted his perception in the Red Sox fandom, but in reality, adding either to this lineup would improve what is already the hottest team in the American League.
Rival GM believes Tigers 'want to move' Tarik Skubal despite Wild Card push
- Rival GMs believe the Tigers will trade Tarik Skubal despite trying to secure Wild Card spot
- Tigers could attempt to 'thread the needle' and trade Skubal while convincing fans and players they aren't throwing in the towel
No name has generated more speculation ahead of the MLB trade deadline than Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. The two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner hasn't missed a beat since returning from midseason elbow surgery, with a 2.70 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across 15 starts and 90.0 innings. He has 21 strikeouts across 14.1 innings, with only one earned run allowed, in his last two appearances.
Skubal would be a rental for any inquiring team, but the Tigers can still expect a premium return. Since he's almost certain to walk out the door in free agency, trading him is the only way to recoup significant long-term value. Detroit can extend the qualifying offer and nab a Competitve Balance pick when Skubal signs elsewhere, but a trade could return multiple established prospects worth more than a late first-round selection.
Detroit is 50-55, but somehow just 5.0 games behind first-place Chicago in the AL Central and 3.5 games behind Cleveland for the third and final Wild Card spot. The Tigers probably don't consider themselves true World Series contenders, however, which makes it easier to stomach a Skubal trade. If Detroit can add an MLB-ready pitcher (or two) in their return package, there's still a chance to scrap their way into October.
Rival executives believe Detroit will tempt the fates and put Skubal on the block, even if the postseason remains within reach, per Nightengale. As one GM told USA Today: "If they didn’t [want to trade Skubal], then why haven’t they shut down the rumors?"
White Sox to target starting pitching at deadline, but won't trade top-10 prospects
- White Sox 'badly want' starting pitching at the trade deadline
- Chicago won't trade its top-10 prospects, but is willing to increase payroll
The Chicago White Sox are leading the AL Central as we approach August, which nobody expected coming into the year. The Southsiders are MLB's great surprise, and the front office is prepared to capitalize on this positive momentum at the deadline.
Chicago "badly wants" to upgrade its starting pitching, per Nightengale. However, the White Sox are also "telling teams that they will not trade any of their top 10 prospects." Instead, Chicago is willing to increase payroll and assume the full salary of an expensive veteran, which could allow them to add an impactful pitcher without trading from the top of their farm system.
This is an understandable approach for the White Sox, a young team still in the early stages of contention. Nobody believes Chicago can win the World Series this season, even if their path to the finale is more legible than anyone would've anticipated a few months ago. The American League certainly is weak enough for a surprise contender to break through. Whether or not Chicago can beat L.A., Milwaukee or whomever wins the National League is another matter entirely.
Still, the White Sox are prioritizing the future while still trying to improve in the short term. That's probably the right mindset, even if a hungry fanbase might prefer the more aggressive approach as an immediate dopamine hit.
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