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Major League Baseball teams have less than 24 hours to finalize summer shopping. This year’s MLB trade deadline will be Tuesday, August 6th at 6pm ET. 2. After that time, teams will not be able to make trades until the offseason.
The deadline is usually July 31, but Commissioner Rob Manfred won the ability to set it any day between July 28 and August. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association. In short, this is why the deadline is August. 2, a few days later than usual.
Regardless of when the deadline passes, you may be wondering what the top storylines are playing out in the final days of the trade season. CBS Sports has you covered below with information and answers to eight frequently asked questions.
1. Who are the biggest 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 he ranked as buyers or sellers (note that the teams are listed in alphabetical order based on 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 team not listed above was considered something in the middle, meaning they could buy and sell, or they could tap, depending on how the negotiations went.
2. What notable actions have taken place so far?
The Mariners shook things up Friday by acquiring right-hander Luis Castillo from the Reds in exchange for four prospects, including infielders Novelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo. (You can read our in-depth analysis of it here.)
Things were relatively quiet until Monday, when several big moves took place. The Yankees acquired Frankie Montas and Lou Trevino from the A’s, and the Astros added slugger Trey Mancini from Baltimore. But the most surprising move at the deadline came when the Padres and Brewers reached a deal to send All-Star closer Josh Heather to San Diego. Read more here.
3. Will Soto be transferred?
Chief among those marquee names will be Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, who became available after declining a 15-year, $440 million extension offer earlier this month.
Soto is a 23-year-old on a Hall of Fame track with two more seasons under team control, making him one of the most sought-after trade targets in league history. CBS Sports identified the Cardinals as the best team for them based on their prospects and collection of young major league players, as well as their financial outlook and their front office’s history of making similar trades. but
The Nationals will be encouraged to move Soto before the deadline, as the franchise is expected to be bought by new owners this offseason. It seems the incoming owners will want their first big move to be trading the face of the franchise.
If and when Soto is traded, it’s worth noting that executives along with other teams fully expect veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin to step in as financial ballast.
4. How about Ohtani?
The Angels have reportedly heard offers for another young superstar in two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, but a trade seems less likely than in Soto’s case.
Ohtani is under team control for an additional season, yet the situation is more complicated. Industry types who spoke to CBS Sports noted that owner Art Moreno appears less inclined to greenlight a deal, and that the Angels will likely hold on to Ohtani until 2023. I will try again to win.
It’s fair to say that if Ohtani is to be traded, it will likely come this offseason — or, perhaps, the next deadline.
5. Who are the other top players out there?
Here are the top four available players based on our rankings that haven’t already been traded or mentioned in this piece:
We will note that Reynolds is unlikely to leave and that the Athletics could likewise decide to hold on to Murphy through the winter. The other two — Contreras and Happ — seem to have a better than 50/50 shot at moving on to Tuesday night.
6. Will the Yankees move Gallo?
One name you’ll find far down our rankings is Joey Gallo, the Yankees outfielder who has struggled since being acquired at the trade deadline. Gallo is an incoming free agent and increasingly a man who has no home on New York’s roster.
Naturally, the combination has fueled speculation that Gallo could be on his way out, with the Padres and Rangers, among others, standing as possible destinations.
Gallo is one of the more intriguing players at the deadline to watch, if only for the possibility that he could recapture his old form away from New York.