Tarik Skubal has been traded has been traded, but there’s still a lot left to sort out in the mere hours remaining before the Trade Deadline arrives at 6 p.m. ET on Monday.
Here’s a look at some of the latest topics swirling in the rumor mill, including the Mariners listening on multiple stars, the Rangers potentially selling, fallout from the Skubal blockbuster and more.
Rangers could sell after Sunday’s loss
Buy or sell? For the Rangers, Sunday’s result — a 7-3 loss to the Astros — may have provided the answer. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday morning that the Rangers were “not ruling anything out,” noting that if they lost Sunday they could consider selling, “perhaps even in a big way.”
The Rangers’ most likely trade chips are designated hitter Joc Pederson and reliever Jakob Junis, both of whom are on expiring contracts. Moving a headline player such as Seager or deGrom would be more difficult. The oft-injured Seager has a partial no-trade clause and is due $155 million from 2027-31. deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi have full no-trade clauses with significant money remaining on each of their contracts.
However, Rosenthal writes that it’s “not out of the question” that deGrom waives his clause to pitch for a team located closer to his Florida residence — like the Braves, perhaps.
The Rangers, who added catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth in a trade with the Angels on Wednesday, will be one of the many clubs scouring the market for bullpen help — if they do decide to buy.
Mariners listening on Arozarena, starting pitchers
The Mariners remain in playoff contention, but according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, they are listening on outfielder Randy Arozarena as they assess “whether it’s better to do a partial sell-off and take advantage of the need for right-handed hitting.” Arozarena, who is hitting .283 with 14 homers, 20 steals and an .834 OPS, can become a free agent at the end of this season.
What Angels want from Red Sox for Neto
The Red Sox’s pursuit of a shortstop continues, with Boston talking to the Angels about Zach Neto as of Sunday afternoon. According to the Boston Globe (subscription required), the Angels are asking for the Red Sox’s No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias to headline a package that would also include other prospects in exchange for Neto. The Globe reported earlier that Arias is not viewed as untouchable in trade talks. Arias, a 20-year-old shortstop, is MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall prospect in baseball.
Meanwhile, MassLive’s Sean McAdam reported Saturday that talks between the Red Sox and Marlins appeared “dead” due to the Marlins’ lofty asking price for Lopez, adding that Lopez was now “highly unlikely” to be moved. That leaves Neto as perhaps the Red Sox’s best chance to upgrade at shortstop before the Deadline.
What’s next for Yankees, Cubs and other Skubal suitors?
There could be only one winner, but there were at least seven clubs linked to Skubal in the hours and days leading up to Saturday’s big news. Here’s a rundown how each of those clubs could respond to missing out on the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Brewers: Milwaukee came up short in its efforts to pair Skubal with Jacob Misiorowski in its rotation. However, the Brewers still plan to be aggressive in addressing all areas of its roster before Monday’s Deadline. A source told Feinsand that the club “will push some chips into the center” and make acquisitions to try taking down the Dodgers.
What’s the Tigers’ next move?
With the Skubal deal done, the focus now shifts to some of the Tigers’ other trade candidates. That includes Mize, who was scratched from his scheduled start Friday as a precaution ahead of the Deadline. Interest in the right-hander is picking up, with the Rays, Cubs, Braves and Diamondbacks reportedly among the clubs keeping tabs on him. The 29-year-old Mize will reach free agency after this season and has pitched to a 2.70 ERA across 86 2/3 innings this year.
Starter Jack Flaherty and second baseman Gleyber Torres are also on expiring contracts and could be on the move as well. The Tigers could also unload relievers Kenley Jansen, Drew Anderson and Kyle Finnegan. Jansen ($12 million) and Anderson ($10 million) each carry a club option for next season. Finnegan has a mutual option for ’27.
That said, the Skubal trade wasn’t necessarily a signal that the Tigers are planning a full-blown sale, according to The Athletic. While Detroit continues to weigh offers for a number of its players, the club will try to “thread the needle” and continue to compete. So it remains possible that players like Mize and Torres will stay put.
— According to Rosenthal, the White Sox are open to bringing in another starting pitcher after acquiring Castillo on Saturday. Since Castillo is under contract through 2027 with a vesting option for 2028, Chicago is willing to look for a rental starter who may not require as much of a return. Available starting pitchers who will be free agents after this season include Gausman, Mize, Ray, the Reds’ Brady Singer, the Orioles’ Trevor Rogers and the Blue Jays’ Shane Bieber.