Another day, another batch of fresh rumors as the clock continues to tick towards the MLB trade deadline on Thursday evening. With apologies to Josh Naylor and Ryan McMahon, we've yet to see this market really take off just yet, likely due to a group of players who all come with at least some warts and buyers and sellers both trying to drive a hard bargain with days still left to negotiate.
That could all change in an instant, though. All it takes is one domino to fall for the rest to start toppling, one team to decide to pull the trigger on a deal. When might that happen, and who figures to be involved? Let's dive into the latest news from around the league, including Eugenio Suarez's price point, the ongoing Luis Robert Jr. saga and a sneaky rotation upgrade with a Cy Young on his resume.
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MLB trade rumors: D-backs asking price for Eugenio Suarez remains 'exorbitant'
After (hopefully) surviving another hit-by-pitch on Monday night, Eugenio Suarez remains the clear top bat on the market this summer. And you'd think that a second injury scare in as many weeks would leave the Arizona Diamondbacks extra-motivated to finally pull the trigger on a deal.
But that seems to be the opposite of the case right now, at least according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, who cites an anonymous executive calling the D-backs' price for Suarez "exorbitant". We still don't know exactly what Arizona wants in return for the third baseman, but given his spectacular production so far this season and the lack of other impact hitters available, it's fair to assume they'd start negotiations at something like one young big-leaguer (or a Minor Leaguer who's almost big league-ready) plus another highly regarded prospect.
Will a team eventually meet that price? That remains to be seen. But you can't blame Arizona for driving a hard bargain until the final moments; there are still some 48 hours to go until the deadline arrives, and they're in the driver's seat.
MLB trade rumors: White Sox have priorities all wrong when it comes to Luis Robert
Chicago's will-they, won't-they dance with their mercurial center fielder has taken yet another turn in recent days, as Luis Robert Jr. has been hitting the cover off the ball and slashing .316/.422/.500 since returning from the IL earlier this month. At this point, it seems like the White Sox will need to be paid like they're giving up a star-caliber player, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writing that the team is afraid "they would look ridiculous" if they sold low on Robert at this point.
That apparently means "at least one of a trade partner’s top 10 prospects," according to Rosenthal, which is obviously more than what Robert's play has warranted over the past couple of seasons. It also raises the possibility that GM Chris Getz is letting his ego and the sunk-cost fallacy get in the way of doing what's best for his organization. This isn't about how Chicago will or won't look to the outside world; this is about getting value for the future, and while there's of course a possibility that Robert will take off and reach his All-Star ceiling once he leaves the South Side behind, the White Sox can't worry about any of that.
The fact remains that picking up his $20 million option for next year and kicking this can further down the road still won't make Chicago closer to being competitive at any point during Robert's current deal. All it will do is introduce the chance for another injury, or another slump, and less team control to dangle in front of prospective suitors. Amid this current hot streak, it sure feels like it's time to bite the bullet rather than fret over your reputation.
MLB trade rumors: Several contenders eying Shane Bieber
Among the many names bandied about for contenders looking for pitching help at the deadline, one has flown very much under the radar: Cleveland Guardians righty Shane Bieber, who's yet to pitch in the Majors this season as he recovers from last year's Tommy John surgery.
But Bieber is now nearing his return, with a rehab start for Double-A Akron scheduled for Tuesday night. And he looked like his old Cy Young self before going down with injury last April. He's in his final year of guaranteed club control, with a 2026 player option that Rosenthal thinks he might turn down if he closes the 2025 season strong. With Cleveland in utter chaos at the moment, they could be looking to trade anything that moves, and especially anything that isn't cost-controlled for the foreseeable future.
That makes Bieber an awfully interesting alternative to the likes of Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Sandy Alcantara, Mitch Keller and the other starters on the market right now. There's obviously plenty of risk here with a pitcher coming off of major surgery, but Bieber is battle-tested and still just 30 years old. Plus, his price should be relatively reasonable compared to the other options teams are facing right now.