MLB Rumors: Braves-Arcia replacement, Red Sox mistake, Astros-Cardinals battles

With little more than a week until the trade deadline, the MLB rumors are flying at record speed. This has been billed as a quiet deadline, with far more buyers than sellers, but several noteworthy names are still popping up in reports. When the AL's leading Cy Young candidate in on the block and the league's biggest spenders are in panic mode, it's hard not to get your hopes up for an eventful, transformative week.

Here's the latest news and almost-news worthy of your attention on this fine Monday afternoon.

MLB Rumors: Cardinals, Astros battling over several trade candidates

The stage is set for a proper trade deadline showdown between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros. Both teams need starting pitching, but neither team is expected to pursue the crème de la crème at the position. Garrett Crochet and Tarik Skubal are out of their price range, but St. Louis and Houston are bound to target the best available rentals.

Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic ranked 50 potential trade deadline movers, with a variety of starting pitchers connected to both Houston and St. Louis. Among those mentioned are Nathan Eovaldi, Yusei Kikuchi, Erick Fedde, and Zach Eflin.

There is obviously a spectrum here. Eovaldi is a two-time All-Star and two-time champ with a vested option for next season. Kikuchi is a more traditional deadline rental, offering mixed but relatively solid results and the potential to operate as the third starter in a shortened postseason rotation.

It's a bit shocking to see St. Louis and Houston propped up as buyers after how the season began for both clubs. The Astros appeared on the verge of a meltdown a couple months into the season, while the Cards were a laughing stock in the National League out of the gate. Two teams, built around past-prime stars, with expensive payrolls that weren't panning out.

Now, the Astros are first in the AL Central after a torrid June and July, while the Cards are second place in the NL Central and only 5.0 games behind a slipping Milwaukee Brewers team. The right trade deadline addition could launch both teams into contention. As such, expect their respective front offices to operate aggressively in a tight, competitive marketplace.

MLB Rumors: Red Sox connected to Marlins OF/IF Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Boston Red Sox are within seven games of the first-place Baltimore Orioles in an increasingly tight AL East. For a while, it felt like the O's and the New York Yankees were locked in a two-horse race, but the Red Sox are determined to crash the party. Jarren Duran even won All-Star Game MVP, a nice capstone for Boston's first-half surge in momentum.

As Boston approaches the trade deadline, there is one clear need offensively — a powerful right-handed bat to balance out the lineup around their assortment of dangerous lefties. Rafael Devers, Dominic Smith, Masataka Yoshida, and Duran all swing the bat left-handed, leaving Boston a bit vulnerable when southpaws take the mound.

There are other needs, of course. Boston needs outfield depth, ideally on a cost-controlled, long-term contract with a bit of upside. That is where Miami Marlins 26-year-old Jazz Chisholm Jr. enters the conversation. He is connected to Boston in The Athletic trade deadline rankings, and he would bring an immediate influx of power, speed, and defensive versatility to the Red Sox lineup.

Of course, Chisholm is a lefty. That will naturally cause unrest in the fanbase. He's a tremendous addition in a vacuum — an All-Star on his resumé, tons of natural talent, and a real joy for the game — but as Boston looks to plug holes at the deadline, it's fair to wonder if Chisholm is the best allocation of premium assets.

It's worth noting that Chisholm has actually faired better against left-handed pitchers (.258) than right-handed pitchers (.247) this season, although that comes on significantly less volume and is not indicative of his career as a whole. Maybe Chisholm can buck the trends associated with left-handed hitters — Boston doesn't really care which side of the plate Chisholm stands on, so long as he wallops left-handed pitching — but it's unwise to invest in such a short sample size, especially when it's out of wack with the broader data points.

That's not to say Chisholm doesn't make the Red Sox better. He can oscillate between positions in the outfield and the middle infielder, which is especially useful for depth purposes, and there's considerable untapped upside for Boston to potentially unlock. If we were to construct the perfect Red Sox trade target in a lab, however, Chisholm doesn't quite fit the bill.

MLB Rumors: Braves could replace Orlando Arcia with Bo Bichette trade

The Atlanta Braves are focused on addressing needs in the bullpen and in right field, where Ronald Acuña's absence hangs over the franchise like a lead balloon. Still, there are other problems to solve ahead of the trade deadline. Ozzie Albies is slated to miss several weeks at second base and Orlando Arica has not been up to par in his follow-up to last season's surprise All-Star campaign. Slashing .212/.246/.331, Arcia's contract is small enough to not dissuade Atlanta from targeting his replacement if the right option becomes available.

As it so happens, an All-Star shortstop is rather prominently involved in trade rumors these days. The Toronto Blue Jays' season from hell continues and Bo Bichette is actively telling friends that he welcomes a trade, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. That will be hard for Toronto (and interested teams) to ignore over the next week. Public discontent is a distraction the Blue Jays don't need.

On the surface, this is a strange time to trade Bichette. He's on the IL with days left until the trade deadline and his health status could come down to the wire. He's 26 with one year of team control left, but he has been hurt at various points throughout the season and his production is suffering. Slashing .223/.273/.321 with four home runs in 305 ABs, Bichette's WAR (-0.2) actually clocks in below that of Arcia (-0.1). That is not to say Bichette isn't better, by a lot, but the 26-year-old has not performed up to his usual standards this season.

Still, the Blue Jays' bed is made for them in this instance. The likelihood of a Bichette trade is not deemed particularly high according to The Athletic deadline rankings, but the Braves are mentioned as a logical destination and he is listed as the No. 4 overall player available, despite his struggles. Controllable 26-year-olds with multuple All-Stars under their belt are hard to come by, and Bichette has always had such a disciplined and effective approach at the plate. This feels like a temporary slump for for talented shortstop, so if the Braves are confident in their ability to extend him, this could be a move that pushes Atlanta back into the contenders circle.