MLB Rumors: Padres strike out on Crochet, Dodgers trade talks, Jazz Chisholm favorite

The first half of the MLB season is officially over as the All-Star break is here. This week will be one for MLB fans to enjoy marquee events such as the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game.

Those events will be fun to watch, but it's hard not to think ahead. The All-Star break being here means that the MLB trade deadline is just weeks away. We saw a trade go down on Saturday with Hunter Harvey headed to the Kansas City Royals, and more moves will certainly be coming down in the next 15 days or so.

For now, let's get you caught up on the latest MLB rumors. There certainly are many with the deadline rapidly approaching.

MLB Rumors: Favorite in Jazz Chisholm Jr. sweepstakes revealed

The Miami Marlins are one of the few known sellers as of now. The question is how far will they be willing to go? The fact that they traded their best hitter, Luis Arraez, who came with additional team control, in May, suggests that they'll be willing to go far. That means a guy like Jazz Chisholm Jr. can be had for the right price.

Chisholm hasn't quite lived up to the star potential many believe he has, but he's still a quality player. The 26-year-old has slashed .251/.320/.410 in 90 games this season, launching 12 home runs and stealing 18 bases. He's played center field in the last couple of years, but came up as a second baseman and could be a fit at the keystone for other interested teams.

He hasn't quite hit his ceiling yet, but it's easy to believe that if he stays healthy, Chisholm can hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season with ease. He'd come with two full seasons of club control after this one, making him a very valuable asset.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today revealed a favorite in the Chisholm sweepstakes, and it was not the New York Yankees, a team Chisholm has been linked to on several occasions.

"The Miami Marlins have been hoping they could trade center fielder Jazz Chisholm all season, with the Seattle Mariners emerging as the favorites to land him. The Kansas City Royals also have expressed interest in Chisholm, but the Philadelphia Phillies have zero interest in him."

This makes too much sense. The Seattle Mariners, a team starved for offense, absolutely should be all-in on a big bat like Chisholm. He won't play center field with Julio Rodriguez in the mix, but it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him back on the infield dirt regularly.

MLB Rumors: Dodgers trade deadline plans

The Los Angeles Dodgers limped to the finish in the first half, losing seven of their last 10 including two of three in Detroit. With the amount of injuries that they're currently dealing with, a small skid like this is understandable.

Even with their slump to end the half, the Dodgers are a team everyone expects to be in the mix for the World Series in October. Once some of their injured players return, it wouldn't be shocking at all to see them go on a run, and they can use the trade deadline to get even scarier. Jon Morosi of MLB Network gave some insight into what the Dodgers are planning as of now.

Their focus is on the rotation, and it's hard to argue with that. Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsollin, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all on the IL. Most of those pitchers are expected to return sometime in the second half, with Kershaw and Glasnow maybe even coming back by the end of July, but durability and depth are major concerns right now, and this isn't even including Bobby Miller who struggled so mightily to the point where he was sent down.

Whether they go and add a big fish like Garrett Crochet or look to go for a depth arm, making at least one trade feels necessary for the Dodgers if they want to make a deep run.

MLB Rumors: Padres fall short in recent Crochet pursuit

As has become tradition around deadline time, A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres are connected to the big names, with Garrett Crochet front and center. Crochet makes a lot of sense for a Padres team that has high-end prospects they can trade and a need in their rotation.

The Padres made a trade with the Chicago White Sox for Dylan Cease over the offseason, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see these two teams come to another agreement. In fact, Preller has already tried to get Crochet according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

"The San Diego Padres recently made an offer for Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, but it was quickly dismissed."

Obviously it's discouraging any time a rejection is leaked, but one offer being rejected does not mean that the Padres are out on Crochet at all. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to see Preller get even more aggressive in his pursuit of the left-hander.

The White Sox have absolutely no reason to trade Crochet weeks before the deadline without an offer that blows them away. We saw the Nationals trade Hunter Harvey only for a package that blew them away. We saw the Marlins do the same for Luis Arraez with Preller's Padres.

There's every reason to expect that if the White Sox want to trade Crochet, he'll get dealt. There's also every reason to believe that if the White Sox trade Crochet, one of the most aggressive GMs in the league with a ton of high-end prospect capital will be in the mix.