Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal

With the MLB trade deadline set for August 3 at 6 p.m. Eastern time, the sport's rumor mill has shifted into high gear as contending teams look to add reinforcements and struggling clubs weigh how aggressively to sell off veteran talent. Here is a roundup of five of the most notable trade storylines currently circulating around the league.

1. Tarik Skubal remains the deadline's biggest domino

Detroit Tigers ace and reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal continues to headline trade speculation as free agency looms for the left-hander. Skubal reminded the league of his ceiling with a dominant recent start against the New York Yankees, striking out nine batters without a walk while allowing just two runs, one earned, over six innings, his best outing since undergoing left elbow surgery in May. According to FanSided, the Los Angeles Dodgers are considered a logical fit for Skubal, though the Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers have also been mentioned as teams that could pursue a package to keep him away from Los Angeles. Skubal isn't Detroit's only starter drawing interest, as right-hander Casey Mize, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick, has also generated buzz after striking out 10 Yankees over seven scoreless, one-hit innings in a recent outing.

2. Mets appear headed toward a broader sell-off

The New York Mets, sitting 15 games under .500 and ranked among the five worst teams in baseball over the past calendar year, have already made one notable move this summer, trading left-hander David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs for first base prospect Cole Mathis. According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Mets said that deal did not represent the start of a broader sell-off, but the team has gone just 2-5 since completing the trade, and with limited high-end trade chips remaining on the roster, further moves before the deadline appear increasingly likely. Owner Steve Cohen has said he has no plans to overhaul the front office despite the disappointing season, which already resulted in a managerial change earlier this year.

3. Giants signal Logan Webb isn't going anywhere, but others could move

San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey firmly shut down speculation about trading ace Logan Webb, giving a direct "no" when asked about the possibility, according to the San Francisco Standard. Webb is signed affordably through 2028. Despite that declaration, Posey said the team will "leave all options on the table" at the deadline for other players. The Athletic has reported that the Giants, sitting well out of playoff position at 32-46 with a run differential of negative 51, fifth-worst in the sport, are open to moving their other highest-paid players, including Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee. Chapman and Devers have both improved considerably in recent weeks, while Lee is having a strong overall season, complicating the calculus for a team that FanGraphs currently projects to have just a 1.9 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.

4. Twins deny any plans to trade Byron Buxton

Speculation surrounding Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton has circulated throughout the early trade season, but both the team and the player have pushed back firmly against the rumors. Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters, including The Athletic, "We have no plans to trade Byron Buxton." Buxton addressed the speculation himself as well, saying, "I ain't said nothing about leaving, nor will I." Despite those denials, Buxton's name is expected to remain part of the broader trade conversation given his performance and contract situation as the deadline approaches.

5. Angels appear likely to stay buyers rather than sell

The Los Angeles Angels have continued to signal they do not intend to rebuild at this year's deadline, despite external speculation connecting several of their players to potential trades. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that the team has the resources to remain competitive, saying, "No. I don't think in this market you need to do that. This team has resources. Now it's just making sure we deploy them correctly." Left-hander Reid Detmers, who turned 27 on July 8 and is controllable through 2028, has been viewed as a significant trade asset given his recent dominant stretch, a 2.42 ERA with 51 strikeouts over his past seven starts. Right-hander José Soriano and outfielder Jo Adell have also drawn trade interest, though earlier reporting from USA Today's Bob Nightengale indicated that Angels owner Arte Moreno did not want to trade any of the three players, a stance that predates the club's recent front-office change and appears consistent with Mozeliak's more recent comments about the team's direction.

Beyond these five storylines, several other situations remain in motion around the league. The Tampa Bay Rays have emerged as one of the summer's biggest surprises, entering July atop the American League East with the sport's longest active winning streak at five games following a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Pittsburgh Pirates, meanwhile, face mounting pressure to turn their season around quickly or risk an uncomfortable set of deadline conversations about their long-term direction. Reliever Aroldis Chapman has emerged as one of the most likely Boston Red Sox players to be moved, given the demand for bullpen help across the league, while the Baltimore Orioles could look to sell low on left-hander Trevor Rogers' expiring contract as his season winds down.

With the amateur draft scheduled for July 11 and 12 expected to shift front-office attention back toward the trade market immediately afterward, league executives anticipate that the pace of significant trades will accelerate considerably in the weeks following the draft, as contenders finalize their targets and rebuilding clubs determine which veterans they are willing to move before the August 3 deadline arrives.

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