Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is August 2, so we’re heading into the early stages as teams decide whether they’re buyers, sellers or holders and approach some game-changing deals. landscape On Wednesday night, the Yankees made a deal for All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi. It wasn’t really a “first domino to fall” kind of move that will untangle the rest of the market, but it was good to see things moving here with less than a week to go.
There will be more soon. Let’s take a look at the latest MLB rumor mill.
Are you up front for Soto?
Obviously, the biggest name on the market is Nationals superstar Juan Soto. There’s smoke everywhere, and a dozen teams have reportedly consulted with the Nats. The favorite right now is debatable, but Buster Olney reports that “some opposing executives perceive the Padres” as the “front-runners” right now.
It’s a juicy rumor, that’s for sure. Think about the Padres adding Soto and getting Fernando Tatis, Jr. back. from injury to add to a lineup with Manny Machado is fun. They are 10 games over .500 and have survived Tatis’ injury mostly with great pitching.
Now, it should be noted that last year, there was a perception that the Padres were the frontrunners for Max Scherzer and it even came close enough that many thought the trade was happening. Then the Dodgers went in and got Scherzer and Trea Turner, so let’s just remember to avoid overreacting.
The Yankees have “strong” interest in Castillo
The Yankees have “expressed strong interest” and are “pushing hard” for Reds All-Star starting pitcher Luis Castillo, nj.com reports. The report further indicates that the Reds aren’t necessarily ready to deal Castillo just yet, but will likely hold him until much closer to the trade deadline. Reading between the lines, it appears the Reds are ready to enjoy a bidding war on deadline day.
They are also in a good position to do so. Castillo, 29, has a 2.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 85 innings this season. He’s a two-time All-Star who has shown the ability to pitch like a hitting ace and isn’t set to hit free agency until after next season. As such, if the offers aren’t to the Reds’ taste, they can simply hold on to him.
Almost every contender looking for starting pitching will be on Castillo. In fact, some teams on the fringes of contention looking to make a push next season could also be in the running, given Castillo’s contract status.
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Astros to move MLB SP for position player?
The Astros have one of the best teams in baseball as their window for World Series contention remains open. They also have a “good problem to have” with too much initial pitch. They are currently using a six-man rotation and Lance McCullers, Jr. he hopes to return soon from his forearm injury. Sure, they could take Odorizzi out of the rotation, but that would still mean six big league quality starters and they really don’t need to have that many.
Especially if they could shore up a weakness through trade. Ken Rosenthal reports that Jose Urquidy could be the man on the move, leaving behind Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and Cristian Javier among his talented, cost-controlled starters.
The report indicates the Astros will seek a big-league quality catcher or center fielder in return. A’s catcher Sean Murphy, Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds and Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins are mentioned. Rosenthal also reports that it’s possible the Astros could send Urquidy to a third party for prospects and use them to land Reynolds or Murphy.
Much interest in Bard; The Rockies could hold him anyway
According to mlb.com, Rockies shortstop Daniel Bard is drawing interest from “several teams.”
Bard, 37, is having arguably the best year of his career and at least his best since he was 25. He’s finished 21 of his 23 save opportunities with a 1.91 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 43 strikeouts against 18 walks in 37. 2/3 innings. Moving to a contender would likely mean moving to a setup role, but that’s where he thrived for the Red Sox early in his MLB career.
Of course, the Denver Post reports that the Rockies and Bard could end up reaching a contract extension. Such a move at Bard’s age would be a bit of a surprise, but if the trade packages on offer aren’t up to par and both parties want to continue the marriage, it might just work.