Here's the latest on a smattering of MLB rumors as the trade deadline gets closer and closer.
Well, folks, we're within five days of the MLB trade deadline. Teams and players have their last full series this weekend to prove to front offices what moves they should, or shouldn't make for good.
Here is some of the latest of MLB rumors we know about what's happening around the league leading up to the oh-so-anticipated trade deadline.
Going in, it's expected to be a seller's market, with so many teams still in the running for one of the expanded Wild Card slots.
Other recent MLB rumors
- Max Scherzer requesting a meeting with Mets front office signaling possible trade
- Nolan Arenado's inclusion in Dodgers talks makes sense now
Here's when you should expect MLB trades to go through
One of the first questions you should have heading into the weekend is whether or not trades will happen on Saturday and Sunday, even though the trade deadline doesn't officially hit until Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.
The answer to that seems to be Monday, July 31st.
Here's what one executive told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand:
"I am expecting a flurry of activity on Monday," a National League executive said. "There are a lot of teams that are on the fence as to what to do, so we'll have to see how things go over the next three days. But I would expect a lot to happen at the end of the weekend and early next week."
Though some deals have already gone through, expect the biggest ones, and the lot of them, to go down Monday at some point. That same executive said he expects there to be plenty of moves, but that there will be far more buyers than sellers, as expected. He said that moving early may require teams to pay a premium — as the limited sellers will want to hold to the last second to get the highest possible deal — so buyers will need to convince them to tie a knot on things early to get it done.
We'll find out how things play out soon enough. But it looks as though this weekend is the last of the information gathering before the deals go through on Monday and Tuesday.
Two massive stars probably just got pulled off the trade market
I found myself on Friday night enjoying a board game at Guthrie's Tavern on Addison as the Cubs were wrapping up their electric victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. A massive roar went out from the patrons when Mike Tauchman snagged a near home run to end the game.
Chicago residents know what I'm getting at here. Cubs baseball is back, and there's excitement in the air all throughout Chicagoland to prove it.
There is lots of reporting to indicate the front office feels the same way and has seen enough to convince itself that selling, once viewed as a no-brainer for the Cubs, is not the way forward. Chicago is good enough that the best path forward is actually looking like standing pat. No buying, no selling. Just seeing what the magic of this roster has left in store.
Jon Greenberg was convinced as well, penning a column in The Athletic suggesting as much on Friday titled, "Why I think the Cubs aren't selling at the trade deadline anymore" (subscription required).
Jon Heyman also reported the Cubs are rethinking things, which is almost certain to pull two massive trade pieces off the market.
Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman are two of the best pieces available leaguewide. If the Cubs are firm on holding onto what they have, that makes an already limited market even smaller.
For Cubs fans, it's exciting. It lengthens the possibility of re-signing Marcus Stroman in the offseason, and perhaps even Bellinger, too. Bellinger is a straight-up free agent, and Stroman can enter the open market with a player opt-out which he's likely to exercise.
Braves star gives insight to clubhouse perspective ahead of MLB trade deadline
The Atlanta Braves are sitting pretty with the trade deadline coming up.
Best record in the NL East. Best record in the NL. Best record in baseball.
Who would want to leave this team? Likely, no one, unless it would put them in a better situation long-term for their career.
But at the same time, the Braves are not a perfect team, even if they may be the closest to such a concept in MLB this season. There could be adds for general manager Alex Anthopoulos to make that players want to see.
Matt Olson, speaking to media and transcribed by The Athletic, said that the general tone in the clubhouse is that they trust Anthopoulos to make the right moves (subscription required) for the team, whether that's making a deal or standing pat.
Olson leads the National League in home runs and RBI.
When you're sitting with the kind of lead the Braves have heading into August, the stress is minimal. The players get it: Add if you can, but do what you need to do. We'll be fine either way.
When the Braves last won a World Series in 2021, the team made several midseason additions that proved meaningful in the fall months. This year, it looks like such moves may not be necessary.
