Astros linked to the top two starting pitchers on trade market (reports)

We're keeping track of all the latest trade rumors right here.

July 31: Astros linked to Cease, Alcantara (reports)

The Astros have been "making a big push" to acquire Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, adding that Cease is Houston's "main target" ahead of the Trade Deadline. USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reported later that talks with San Diego regarding Cease had "cooled," and that the Astros are also engaged with the Marlins on a potential deal for former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.

Cease, who is scheduled to become a free agent after this season, has a 4.79 ERA this season but a 3.53 xERA and a 29.9% strikeout rate. He also has a strong track record, finishing among the top four in Cy Young Award voting twice over the past three seasons. Alcantara, meanwhile, returned to the mound this season after missing all of the 2024 campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery. While his 6.36 ERA (4.48 FIP) isn't appealing, his track record suggests he could make an impact down the stretch.

If the Astros were to land either Cease or Alcantara, it would potentially form a formidable triumvirate with right-hander Hunter Brown and left-hander Framber Valdez in the starting rotation for a club that sits atop the AL West with a record of 62-47.

July 31: Padres linked to trio of stars with Trade Deadline looming

Speculation surrounding the Padres has intensified with less than 24 hours remaining until the Trade Deadline. According to a report in The Athletic (subscription required), San Diego is "pushing" for flamethrowing closer Mason Miller of the A's, while also pursuing a potential deal to acquire an outfielder -- the report specifically mentions Jarren Duran of the Red Sox and the Guardians' Steven Kwan.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney, the Padres were still working on a number of possibilities as of Thursday morning, and some within the industry expect the Friars "to go big, in some fashion."

While the price for any of those three would surely be steep, the report indicates that Padres general manager A.J. Preller is "willing to at least discuss" some of the organization's top prospects, including No. 3 overall prospect Leo De Vries and No. 20 overall prospect Ethan Salas.

July 30: Guardians ‘trying to move’ Kwan, Bieber (source)

The Guardians appear determined to make a big splash as Trade Deadline sellers. A source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that Cleveland is “trying to move” both left fielder Steven Kwan and right-hander Shane Bieber.

Feinsand’s report comes two days after All-Star closer (and reported trade candidate) Emmanuel Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through Aug. 31 as part of an MLB investigation into sports betting.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that the loss of Clase not only eliminated any chance of the 53-54 Guardians becoming Trade Deadline buyers but also increased the possibility of the club dealing Kwan and Bieber.

Kwan in particular is drawing a “ton” of interest, with Rosenthal naming the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies and Padres among the teams believed to be in the mix. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman includes the Reds in that group as well.

At first glance, it might seem odd for a team that ranks near the bottom of the league in runs scored to consider moving one of its most reliable bats. But with Clase no longer available as a possible trade chip, the Guardians have been forced to consider other ways to reshape their roster -- including dealing Kwan.

Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner, hasn't pitched in a big league game since April 2024. However, he is nearing a return to the Majors after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He looked sharp in his latest rehab start on Tuesday, tossing four innings of one-run ball on 57 pitches.

During Wednesday's episode of the Baseball Tonight podcast, ESPN's Jeff Passan said he is hearing Bieber's name "more and more" in trade talks. He also wrote that the Cubs are an option for the 30-year-old right-hander. The Dodgers have spoken to the Guardians about Bieber, per MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi.

Bieber is earning $10 million this season and has a $16 million player option ($4 million buyout) for 2026. Kwan, meanwhile, is controllable through 2027 via salary arbitration.

July 30: What's next for the bullpen market after Duran and Helsley trades?

The Phillies swung a massive deal on Wednesday for Twins flamethrowing closer Jhoan Duran. Shortly after, the Mets traded for Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and Giants reliever Tyler Rogers. With some of the best relievers off the market, what's next before Thursday's Deadline?

Luckily for the rest of teams interested in impact relievers, there's apparently no shortage of top-shelf bullpen arms that could be moved. The A's are listening to offers on their closer, Mason Miller, according to an article in the New York Post (subscription required) by MLB Network insider Joel Sherman. Miller has some of the best stuff in all of baseball and is controllable through the 2029 season, which has reportedly made the asking price for him sky-high.

The Pirates' David Bednar could be the next big reliever moved after the Duran and Helsley deals. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the price tag for Bednar is now rising after those deals, with the Yankees, Tigers, Dodgers and Mariners all in the relief market. The 30-year-old Bednar has a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38 innings this season.

ESPN's Buster Olney echoes a similar statement as Nightengale and also lists another potential reliever that could be moved: the Rays' Pete Fairbanks. Olney reports that some executives believe that the Rays will move Fairbanks, given the current bull market for relievers.

Griffin Jax, another elite Twins reliever, has also been featured heavily in trade rumors for the last month. According to Feinsand, however, the Duran trade makes trading Jax less likely for the Twins, unless the right offer comes along.

July 30: Will Twins go through with major sale after Duran trade?

After trading star closer Jhoan Duran to the Phillies on Wednesday, will the Twins continue making bold moves or will they settle for smaller trades involving rental players?

Minnesota is expected to move more of its rental players after dealing Chris Paddack to the Tigers on Monday, with utility man Willi Castro, center fielder Harrison Bader, left-hander Danny Coulombe all likely to go. Even after moving Duran, the Twins have a pair of players that could yield a ton in a trade. The Twins have signaled a willingness to listen on controllable assets such as Joe Ryan and Griffin Jax, and while its asking price for each of those players is believed to be sky high, that's not stopping other teams from trying.

According to Feinsand, the Duran trade makes trading Jax less likely for the Twins, unless the right offer comes along. Ryan might be even less likely, considering how good the 2025 All-Star has been this season and the fact that he's under control through 2027.

July 30: Padres discussing Suarez in trade talks (report)

Could the Padres trade their All-Star closer in the midst of a postseason race? It’s something the team is considering, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, who reports that San Diego has been discussing Robert Suarez in trade talks.

The Padres have multiple needs to address before the Trade Deadline, but given the club’s limited payroll flexibility and thinned-out farm system, some of San Diego’s higher-priced players who aren’t controllable beyond 2025 -- like pending free agent Dylan Cease and now Suarez, who can opt out of his contract at the end of this season -- have emerged as trade chips as general manager A.J. Preller looks to reallocate resources.

With MLB’s best bullpen, the Padres would be dealing from a position of strength if they move Suarez, the Major League leader in saves (30).

As usual, there’s widespread demand for relief pitching, but the price tag for many of the top arms available, including the Pirates’ David Bednar and the Athletics’ Mason Miller, is said to be exorbitant. That could give the Padres an opportunity to capitalize on the market.

July 30: The A's are listening on Miller (reports)

The Athletics have softened their stance on Mason Miller a bit and are now willing to listen on the flamethrowing closer, according to MLB Network insider Joel Sherman. According to a report in The Athletic (subscription required), the Padres are "pushing" to acquire the right-hander. However, the asking price for Miller is understandably high.

Per Sherman, the A's are looking for a package headlined by a top 25 overall prospect. More specifically, the A's are eyeing high-end pitching, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. More >

July 30: Red Sox interested in D-backs' Gallen, Kelly (report)

The Red Sox have shown interest in Diamondbacks starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.

With four starting pitchers on the injured list, the Red Sox are looking for reliable options behind Cy Young contender Garrett Crochet, who leads baseball with 141 1/3 innings pitched and 175 strikeouts. More >

July 30: Injury-plagued Astros targeting wide range of stars (reports)

With their injuries piling up, it appears the Astros aren’t resting on their laurels as the Trade Deadline approaches. In recent days, Houston has been linked to a number of big names on the trade market (including a familiar face).

• Twins shortstop Carlos Correa: A source told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart that Houston’s interest in a reunion with Correa, who spent his first seven seasons with the Astros, is real. That said, sources from both teams downplayed the likelihood of a trade, according to a report from The Athletic (subscription required).

• Padres starter Dylan Cease: The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that Cease "is at the top of the Astros’ wish list."

• Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado: According to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, the Astros have circled back on Arenado after the veteran third baseman previously exercised his no-trade clause to block a deal to Houston in December.

• Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn: O’Hearn isn’t an ideal defensive fit for a team that has Christian Walker at first base and will eventually get DH Yordan Alvarez back from the IL, but general manager Dana Brown recently said the team would like to add a left-handed bat. There aren’t many of those left on the market after Ryan McMahon and Josh Naylor were dealt.

July 30: Giants reportedly willing to trade Verlander

In the midst of a free fall, the Giants have pivoted toward selling, starting with their move to send reliever Tyler Rogers (a pending free agent) to the Mets on Wednesday.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi, San Francisco has made Justin Verlander available as well. Verlander, another Giants player on an expiring contract, has pitched to a 4.53 ERA over 18 starts this season. That said, he has allowed only one run in 10 innings across his past two outings, and he obviously has plenty of big-game experience. So it's certainly possible the 42-year-old could draw interest from a contending team in need of back-end rotation help.

Infielder Wilmer Flores and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski could also be put on the trade block with free agency looming and the Giants planning for 2026.

July 30: Yankees add another bat; pitching next?

The Yankees acquired outfielder Austin Slater from the White Sox for right-hander Gage Ziehl (New York's No. 18 prospect per MLB Pipeline) on Wednesday morning. Slater becomes the third bat the Yankees have acquired leading up to the Trade Deadline, joining Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario.

With their position-player group shored up, the Yankees will likely focus on upgrading their pitching staff. They've been linked to targets on a wide variety of teams, including the Marlins (Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera), the D-backs (Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly), the Pirates (Mitch Keller, David Bednar, Dennis Santana, Andrew Heaney) and the Padres (Dylan Cease).

July 30: Mets set to land reliever Rogers from Giants; CF next?

The Mets have made another move to bolster their bullpen, landing right-handed submariner Tyler Rogers from the Giants on Wednesday after previously acquiring lefty Gregory Soto from the Orioles. New York also has been linked to some of the higher-profile relief targets on the market, but with Rogers and Soto in the fold, the club could be freed up to focus on addressing center field, a position that has produced a .607 OPS this season for New York entering Wednesday's games.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the Mets are considering Luis Robert Jr. and Cedric Mullins as options in center field. More >

July 30: After acquiring multiple relievers, the Angels 'are going for it'

The Angels have a handful of players who appear to be worthwhile trade candidates. That group includes closer Kenley Jansen and starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, who are slated to hit free agency after this season. Outfielders Taylor Ward and Jo Adell have also been also mentioned in rumors and would ostensibly fetch an even larger return since they are both under club control beyond this year.

But it now appears that none of them may change teams before Thursday's Trade Deadline. On Wednesday, the Halos acquired a couple of relievers -- left-hander Andrew Chafin and right-hander Luis García from the Nationals.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wrote that the Angels "are going for it" in an effort to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014. The club entered Wednesday with a 53-55 record and the fifth-worst run differential in the big leagues (-63). They sit four games out of a Wild Card spot.

July 30: Reds acquire Hayes from Pirates

The Reds have acquired third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes in a trade with the Pirates. Cincinnati was also a suitor for D-backs third baseman Eugenio Suárez, the top rental bat on the trade market, but the club opted to go in a much different direction with Hayes, a glove-first player under contract through 2029 (with a ’30 club option). Noelvi Marte has been starting at third base for the Reds and owns an .829 OPS this season, but he has recorded -15 Outs Above Average at the hot corner in his career. Hayes, meanwhile, leads all third basemen with +73 OAA since his debut season in 2020.

Next on the Reds’ checklist? Pitching. Cincinnati acquired right-hander Zack Littell from the Rays, and the Reds could potentially add more.

As for the Pirates, this could be the first of many moves, with Mitch Keller, David Bednar, Oneil Cruz, Andrew Heaney and Dennis Santana all drawing trade interest.

July 29: Alcantara’s chances of being traded are increasing (reports)

Is Sandy Alcantara going to be wearing a new uniform soon? According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, industry sources now think there is a "real chance" Alcantara will be traded before Thursday's Deadline, with his market "picking up drastically."

Bowden’s report comes two days after USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote that teams had become convinced that the Marlins will trade the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, whose trade stock is on the rise after a couple of bounce-back starts.

Alcantara has just a 6.36 ERA on the year in his return from Tommy John surgery, but with the lack of frontline starting pitching available, interested clubs might be willing to talk themselves into Alcantara’s upside, especially in light of his last two outings, over which he allowed one unearned run across 12 innings against the Padres (7 IP) and Cardinals (5 IP).

The Cubs, Blue Jays, Padres, Red Sox and Mets all have been linked to Alcantara in recent reports.

Of course, the Marlins don’t need to rush to trade the 29-year-old, who is owed $17 million in 2026 and has a $21 million club option for ’27. If Miami doesn’t get an offer to its liking, it can always revisit trade talks in the offseason or at next year’s Trade Deadline.

The Marlins are also shopping Edward Cabrera, who has pitched to a 2.39 ERA and a 3.18 FIP over his past 14 starts. Cabrera, 27, is controllable through 2028.