Major League Baseball’s teams only have a few more days to finalize their summer purchases, as this year’s trading deadline ends Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. ET. After that point, teams will no longer be able to execute deals until the off-season. ,
The deadline typically passes on July 31, but Commissioner Rob Manfred gained the ability to set it to any day between July 28 and August 3 as part of the new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association. Which is why, in essence, the deadline is on August 2nd, which is a few days later than usual.
As the deadline passes, you may be wondering what the top story is in the final days of the trading season. CBS Sports has you covered below with information and answers to eight frequently asked questions.
1. Who are the top buyers and sellers?
Our Dayn Perry recently classified each of the 30 teams as either buyer, seller, or something in between. While it’s always a risk to take Perry seriously, it’s one we’ve chosen to take. Here’s a look at who they classified as buyers or sellers (note that the teams are listed alphabetically by their city name):
-
buyer: Braves, White Sox, Guardians, Astros, Dodgers, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays.
-
sellers: Diamondbacks, Cubs, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Athletics, Pirates, Nationals.
Any of the teams not listed above were considered something in the middle, meaning they could buy or sell, or they could pounce, depending on how the conversation developed.
2. What are the notable steps taken so far?
By far the largest trade of the time frame saw the Mariners acquire right-hander Luis Castillo from the Reds in exchange for four prospects, including infielders Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo. (You can read our in-depth analysis here.)
Most of the other big dominoes haven’t fallen yet, meaning the next level of big non-Castillo trades include outfielders heading to the American League East: Andrew Benintendi joining the Yankees and David Peralta joining the Rays. Huh. Hey, we said there are a lot of other major names that could be moved soon.
3. Will Soto be transferred?
The biggest among those marquee names will be National outfielder Juan Soto, who became available earlier this month after rejecting a 15-year, $440 million extension offer.
Soto is the 23-year-old on the Hall-of-Fame track, then in control of the team for two more seasons, making him one of the most sought-after trading targets in league history. CBS Sports has identified the Cardinals as the team best suited to land them based on a combination of their potential and young big-league players, as well as their financial outlook and their front office trading history. is applicable.
The Nationals will be encouraged to move to Soto before the deadline, as the franchise is expected to be bought by the new owners this season. It doesn’t seem like the visiting owners want their first big move to be trading in the face of the franchise.
If and when a Soto trade happens, it’s worth noting that executives from other teams fully expect veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin to join as financial ballast.
4. What about Ohtani?
The Angels have reportedly heard of offers from another young superstar in the two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, but the prospect of a trade is far less likely than in Soto’s case.
Ohtani remains in control of the team for an additional season, yet the situation is more complicated. Industry types who have spoken to CBS Sports have noted that owner Arte Moreno is less inclined to flag a deal, and that the Angels will likely hold on to Ohtani and try to win once again in 2023. .
It’s fair to point out that if Ohtani is to be traded, it will most likely come this off-season — or, perhaps, the next deadline.
5. Who are the other top players?
Here are the top five available players based on our ranking that haven’t already been traded or mentioned in this piece:
-
No. 3 Frankie Montas, RHP, Athletics
-
No. 4 Brian Reynolds, Off, Pirates
-
No. 5 Sean Murphy, C, Athletics
-
No. 6 Wilson Contreras, C, Cubs
-
No. 7 Ian Happ, Off, Cubs
We’ll note that Reynolds is unlikely to leave and the Athletics may likewise decide to hold onto Murphy until winter. The other three – Montas, Contreras and Hap – look better shots 50/50 when moved by Tuesday night.
6. Will the Yankees pursue Gallo?
One name you’ll find very rarely in our rankings is Yankees outfielder Joey Gallo, who has struggled since securing a trade in the final deadline. Gallo is a sedentary free agent and increasingly a man without a home on New York’s roster.
Naturally, that combination has fueled speculation that Gallo could be on his way, with the Padres and Rangers, standing out as potential destinations.
Gallo is one of the most interesting players of the time frame which is worth watching, if only because of the possibility that he could regain his old form as he moves away from New York.
7. Can Astros Deal Deeply?
It’s not often that you see a clear division favorite trading away players from a big-league roster, but the rumor mill has Astros weighing deals that would send a starting pitcher and possibly an outfielder.
The Astros currently have a six-pitch rotation that includes the likes of Jake Odorizzi and Jose Urquidi. On the outskirts of things, the Astros have reportedly received calls on Jose Siri, who has been kicked out of their center-field timeshare.
The Astros have expressed interest in catchers and Nationals first baseman Josh Bell, but it’s unclear whether the aforementioned players will be involved in those deals.
8. Can the Braves spell the 2021 deadline?
We’ll conclude by pointing out that the Braves, the defending World Series champions, positioned themselves to win the trophy last July when they acquired Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, Jock Pedersen and Adam Duvall in unheld deals .
Will Bahadur be able to perform similar miracles in the next few days?
The Braves will likely be in the market for another bat, likely a right-handed variety. Likewise, you can count on them, in the pitching market, both as starters and relievers, as is the custom for contenders.
We’ll find out if the Braves will be able to position themselves better for a repeat soon.