MLB trade season is here. The clock is ticking as executives try to get their teams ready for the stretch ahead of the 6pm deadline on Tuesday 2 August. After days of speculation, the biggest domino fell on Tuesday.
The Washington Nationals traded Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres for a slew of prospects.
With the biggest piece on the market, teams that missed out on Soto could be desperate to add help before Tuesday’s 6pm ET deadline. Check back for updates as the madness unfolds. Surprisingly, some of the biggest names available that came to cable stayed. The Chicago Cubs declined to move Willson Contreras and Ian Happ, while the Giants and Marlins held off on pitchers Carlos Rodon and Pablo Lopez.
Parents grapple with Juan Soto trade at deadline
Rumors Tuesday morning focused on the San Diego Padres pursuit of Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals. The deal eventually went through, but there was concern that the Los Angeles Dodgers might make a late move for Soto.
It created a sequel to last year’s deadline drama. In 2021, the Nationals took the main piece on the pitching side, Max Scherzer. He was a free agency rental at the end of the season, so the price was lower, but the intrigue was just as intense. After it looked like the Padres had gotten a deal done for him, the Dodgers swooped in and landed both Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner.
Today, the Nationals again have two major trade chips in Soto and Bell, a first baseman who has hit the switch with a monster season. And again, the dynamic business duo of the NL West once again faced off for the most talented player on the market. This time, it was the Padres who made the deal.
It wasn’t without some drama. First baseman Eric Hosmer was originally in the deal, but vetoed his inclusion through his no-trade clause. He was eventually sent to Boston, while Luke Voit was added to the Nationals’ carry.
Nationals, Cubs on the clock when deadline day arrives
As of midnight on deadline day, August 2nd, Juan Soto remains with the Washington Nationals. So does Josh Bell, the power-hitting first baseman who is also expected to make the move at 6 p.m. With the Soto sweep clogging up the batting market, the other major seller who still has key pieces is the Chicago Cubs.
The story continues
Chicago has versatile All-Star outfielder Ian Happ hanging on the trade block, with some suitors seeing him as a backup plan for Soto. Closer David Robertson remains with the Cubs, though he might be the most notable reliever dealt at the deadline.
Beyond that, other key names to watch Tuesday include Marlins starter Pablo Lopez, who has drawn interest from the Dodgers, and Yankees shortstop Joey Gallo, who will likely end a disastrous tenure in the Bronx.
The Astros get a catcher in Christian Vázquez
The Houston Astros have reportedly filled a hole at catcher by dealing Boston Red Sox lefty Christian Vazquez. A strong defender, Vázquez is also in the midst of another strong offensive season. He’s hitting .282 with eight homers, and his park-adjusted OPS is better than average for the third time in four years.
While he’s not the same offensive force as the Cubs’ Willson Contreras, one of the biggest names on the trade market, he’s a more touted defender who is expected to more easily handle the duties of handling a playoff-bound pitching staff. He has plenty of experience in October, having piloted the 2018 Red Sox to a World Series win.
Astros catchers are hitting a league-worst .159/.228/.297, so that counts as a major improvement. They were reportedly hesitant to shake up the catching corps too much because of Martin Maldonado’s stellar defense and leadership.
Add a quirk to this deal? The fact that the Red Sox are in Houston, so Vazquez’s post-trade trip will involve walking to the other club.
The 31-year-old had played with the Red Sox his entire career, having originally been drafted by the club in 2008. He will hit free agency at the end of the year.
Dealing Vazquez wasn’t Boston’s only move on Monday. They also flipped reliever Jake Diekman to the White Sox for catcher Reese McGuire, a player to be named later, and cash. Meanwhile, they reportedly reached a deal for Reds outfielder Tommy Pham to bolster the major league club. It seems like a clear case of buying and selling a team that has fallen into the basement of the AL East but still has a shot at the playoffs.
Astros acquire Trey Mancini from Orioles in 3-team deal
Longtime Orioles first baseman and DH Trey Mancini is headed to Houston in a three-team trade that will send outfielder Jose Siri to the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-handed slugging Mancini fits the Astros’ preference for hitters who hit below average and still make pop.
Mancini, who was taken by the Orioles in the eighth round of the 2013 MLB draft, is hitting .268/.347/.404 with 10 homers, 16 doubles and 35 walks. If anything, he might be hitting even better than he looks; his power numbers have taken a hit due to the new wall setup at Camden Yards. That likely takes Houston out of the market for Josh Bell, the national first baseman who should join a contender’s lineup soon.
The Astros are always in the market for solid players like Mancini, but with the Orioles looking ahead of schedule in their rebuild (they’re just three games out of the last wild-card spot with a 51-51 record), some thought the Orioles could hang onto him so they can make a serious playoff push this year.
Instead, it appears the Orioles will at least move on from one player ready to enter free agency and acquire some young arms: Rays prospect Seth Johnson and Astros prospect Chayce McDermott. The Astros will also have Rays pitching prospect Jayden Murray, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Yankees trade for relief reliever Frankie Montas from Oakland
The New York Yankees are dealing with Oakland A’s starting pitcher Frankie Montas and reliever Lou Trivino, according to YES Network’s Jack Curry. Montas, 29, has a 3.18 ERA this season and was probably the best starter left on the board after the Seattle Mariners took Luis Castillo.
Since the start of 2021, Montas has a stellar 3.30 ERA in 291 2/3 innings. The sustained success has come along with an increased emphasis on his fantastic splitter, which sports 96 mph heat that he can throw as a four-seam or two-seam machine. In return, the Yankees will send back their top pitching prospect, lefty Ken Waldichuk, along with pitching prospects JP Sears and Luis Medina and second base prospect Cooper Bowman. It’s a significant return that clearly compares to the Luis Castillo trade. The Yankees have been adamant about not trading shortstop prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, and this move was accomplished without those youngsters.
Montas was one of the few marquee pieces the A’s kept after a winter fire sale. He will remain under team control through 2023, giving the Yankees a No. 2-caliber starter to bolster an already strong rotation.
With his team on a 108-game winning streak, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is being aggressive. He already added rookie Scott Effross of the Cubs in stellar relief on Monday.
Padres acquire Josh Hader from Brewers in surprising closer trade
The San Diego Padres are adding one of the best closers in the game, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. The Padres are sending shortstop Taylor Rogers to the Milwaukee Brewers alongside a host of young players from dominant lefty Josh Hader.
The Brewers, who can make Rogers their closer or elevate their own big man Devin Williams, have heard Hader offers since Williams burst onto the scene.
The deal, according to Passan’s report, adds other talented players, including Esteury Ruiz, a young outfielder who could factor into their lineup immediately. The Brewers currently lead the NL Central by three games over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rumors of Juan Soto: Could a generational talent be on the move?
Are you ready for the seismic movement that would be a Juan Soto trade? The latest whispers say the Nationals have three suitors for Soto that are more likely than the rest: the San Diego Padres, the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres and Dodgers, NL West foes, engaged in a bidding war a year ago for a different Nationals superstar: Max Scherzer. The Dodgers eventually pulled off a surprise blockbuster that secured both Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner.
Stay up to date on the potential for a deal with Soto with all of our coverage so far.
Washington Nationals star Juan Soto is the center of attention at the trade deadline. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Shohei Ohtani will probably stay put
The Shohei Ohtani situation was never as pressing as the Soto talks, but the Los Angeles Angels at least gauged the market as they spiraled toward another losing season despite employing Mike Trout and Ohtani. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday afternoon, however, that Ohtani will stay this season.
The two-way sensation, in contention for his first Cy Young and a second shot at AL MVP, can become a free agent after 2023 and has expressed his desire to play for a winning team. As the Angels scramble to surround him with opposing pieces, they may have to consider trading him this winter.