Major League Baseball teams have just a few more days to wrap up their summer shopping, as this year’s trade deadline will pass at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 2. After that point, teams will no longer be able to execute deals until the offseason. .
The deadline is usually July 31, but commissioner Rob Manfred was given the option to set it any day between July 28 and August 3 as part of the new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the ‘MLB Players Association. Therefore, in short, the deadline is August 2, a few days later than usual.
Regardless of when the deadline rolls around, you might be wondering what the top stories are heading into the final days of the trade season. CBS Sports explains below, with information and answers to eight frequently asked questions.
1. Who are the main buyers and sellers?
Our Dayn Perry recently ranked each of the 30 teams as buyers, sellers or something in between. While taking Perry seriously is always a risk, it’s one we’ve chosen to take. Here’s a look at who ranked as buyers or sellers (note that teams are listed alphabetically based on their city name):
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The buyers: Braves, White Sox, Rangers, Astros, Dodgers, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays.
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Sellers: Diamondbacks, Cubs, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Athletics, Pirates, Nationals.
Any equipment not listed above was considered something in between, meaning it could be bought or sold, or it could be held, depending on how the negotiations went.
2. What notable moves have happened so far?
The biggest trade at the deadline so far was the Mariners acquiring 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 of this one here.)
Most of the other big dominoes haven’t fallen yet, meaning the next tier of big non-Spanish trades includes outfielders heading to the American League East: Andrew Benintendi linking up with the Yankees and David Peralta joining the Rays. Hey, we said there are plenty of other marquee names that could be moving sooner rather than later.
3. Will Soto move?
The biggest of those brand names would be Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, who became available earlier this month after turning down a 15-year, $440 million extension offer.
Soto is a 23-year-old on a Hall of Fame track who is under team control for two more seasons after this one, making him one of the most sought-after trade targets in league history. CBS Sports identified the Cardinals as the most suitable team to land him based on their mix of young big league prospects and players, as well as their financial outlook and their front office’s history of making similar trades .
The Nationals appear incentivized to move Soto before the deadline, as new owners are expected to shop the franchise this offseason. It seems unlikely that the incoming owners will want their first big move to be changing the franchise.
If a Soto trade happens, it’s worth noting that other teams’ executives fully expect veteran lefty Patrick Corbin to step in as financial ballast.
4. What about Ohtani?
The Angels have reportedly heard offers from another young superstar in two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, but a trade seems far less likely than in Soto’s case.
Ohtani is under team control for one more season, but the situation is more complicated. Industry insiders who spoke to CBS Sports noted that owner Arte Moreno appears less inclined to greenlight a deal and that the Angels will presumably keep Ohtani and try to win one more time in 2023.
It would be fair to say that if Ohtani is to be traded, it will likely come this offseason or, perhaps, the upcoming deadline.
5. Who are the other major players out there?
Here are the top five available players according to our rankings who have not yet been traded or mentioned in this piece:
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No. 3 Frankie Montas, RHP, Athletics
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No. 4 Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pirates
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No. 5 Sean Murphy, C, Athletics
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No. 6 Willson Contreras, C, Cubs
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No. 7 Ian Happ, OF, Cubs
We’ll note that Reynolds seems unlikely to go, and the Athletics could also decide to hold on to Murphy through the winter. The other three, Montas, Contreras and Happ, appear to have a better chance of being moved by Tuesday night.
6. Will the Yankees move Gallo?
One name you’ll find much lower in our rankings is Joey Gallo, the Yankees outfielder who has struggled since being acquired at the trade deadline. Gallo is an impending 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 the way out, with the Padres and Rangers, among others, standing out as potential destinations.
Gallo is one of the more intriguing players at the deadline worth watching, if only for the possibility that he can recapture his old form away from New York.
7. Could the Astros deal from deep?
It’s not often you see a clear division favorite trade players from the big league roster, but rumor has it that the Astros are weighing deals that would send a starting pitcher and possibly an outfielder.
The Astros currently have a six-pitcher rotation that includes the likes of Jake Odorizzi and José Urquidy. On the outfield side, the Astros have received calls to Jose Siri, who has fallen out of the center field timeshare.
The Astros have expressed interest in catchers and Nationals first baseman Josh Bell, but it’s unclear whether the aforementioned players would be involved in those deals.
8. Can the Braves conjure up the magic of the 2021 deadline?
We’ll finish by noting that the Braves, the defending World Series champions, positioned themselves to win the trophy last July when they acquired Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson and Adam Duvall in undisclosed deals.
Can the Braves pull off similar miracles over the next few days?
The Braves will likely be in the market for another bat, likely of the right-handed variety. Likewise, you can count on them checking in on the pitching market, both starters and relievers, as is customary for contenders.
We’ll find out whether or not the Braves can better position themselves to repeat soon.
