Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Toronto Blue Jays traded for Jameson Taillon, which hints at another looming deal.
- The Houston Astros tried to trade for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, but failed to do so.
- The Los Angeles Angels rumored asking price for Zach Neto is out of this world.
The Houston Astros are first in the AL West and are no longer trade deadline sellers. It turns out that vetoing that Brayan Abreu deal may have been the right call by owner Jim Crane, as the Mariners and Rangers have floundered just enough for Houston to take advantage. That being said, the Astros have plenty of holes, and are weeks behind the competition in scouting possible trade assets.
The same can be said of the Blue Jays, but on the opposite front. Toronto entered the season as the biggest threat to the Dodgers in all of baseball after taking them to seven games and adding Dylan Cease, who has turned into an AL Cy Young candidate, to the starting rotation. Yet, over the last week, the Blue Jays have pivoted to sell mode. What else are they to do, especially at four games back and behind six teams in the race for the final playoff spot? In a postseason picture so wide open, rumors are tough to follow.
The Houston Astros tried to trade for Tarik Skubal
The Astros were one of the late teams to check in on Tarik Skubal. By then, the Tigers and Dodgers were deep in talks that would eventually send Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and more to Detroit in exchange for a two-time AL Cy Young winner with just months left on his contract. The Astros don't have much prospect capital left to deal, as their system and organization depth is almost certainly in rebuild mode itself. The MLB team, though, has plenty of capable talent in Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez, both of whom were floated in trade talks earlier this season.
Yet, Alvarez is an AL MVP frontrunner. Peña is one of the best two-way shortstops in baseball. Carlos Correa is trying to make a late-season comeback. All the Astros are lacking is frontline pitching, which is why Skubal would've been such a great addition had they been able to pull it off. Thankfully there are plenty of backup plans available for Houston, including Casey Mize of the Tigers and Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins.
The Angels are asking price for Zach Neto is out of this world
The Angels don't want to trade Zach Neto, their star shortstop who is signed through 2029, but John Mozeliak will for the right return package. Neto has .747 OPS and 19 home runs on the season. His 2.74 WAR is on pace to reach the 4 WAR mark, which he has surpassed each of the last three seasons. Thus, Neto is a reliable shortstop under team control for the next three years, and he has plenty of room to grow. That is the good news. The bad news for interested teams is that the Angels asking price is astronomical.
Per Red Sox beat writer Tim Healey, the asking price for Neto is Boston's No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias and then some. Arias is No. 7 overall per MLB Pipeline, and is expected to make his MLB debut in 2027. Arias comes in at No. 34 on FanSided's top prospects list after the All-Star Break, but that remains a tall price to pay for Neto, who has some question marks defensively in regards to his range, as well.
Cubs-Blue Jays deal could preview a Kevin Gausman trade
On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs traded Jameson Taillon to the Toronto Blue Jays. In a normal trade deadline, this deal wouldn't make waves, but it could have meaning for Toronto specifically. The Jays remain in play for an AL Wild Card spot, but would be foolish not to listen to offers on the likes of Kevin Gausman, who is in the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract. Gausman is a Jays fan favorite and received a standing ovation in his last start, with Toronto faithful expecting a trade by Monday afternoon.
Now, whether a trade occurs or not I do not know. However, the Jays are one step ahead just in case by adding Taillon, a veteran starting pitcher who could rebound with the right coaches around him. FanSided's Robert Murray forecasted a Gausman trade just last week:
"Gausman, 35, is expected to draw strong interest from rival teams, sources say. While his 4.38 ERA is the highest it's been since 2019, he’s been one of the most consistent innings-eaters in baseball. He’s pitched at least 31 games since 2021. His ERA has hovered anywhere from 2.81 to 3.83 in that stretch. And in a seller's market, Gausman will be a hot commodity," Murray wrote.
Given what Gausman could fetch in return, it's not a surprise the Blue Jays are shopping a star who could very well return to Toronto in free agency next winter.
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