MLB trade deadline rumors: biggest questions ahead
Bob Nightengale breaks down the biggest trade deadline questions as contenders and sellers weigh their next moves.
The San Diego Padres got two starting pitchers on Monday. The first one was a bargain. This one hurt.
A few hours after picking up Robbie Ray for a couple of prospects nobody had ranked, Padres GM A.J. Preller went back and spent for Casey Mize and Gage Workman. This time he had to give up Kash Mayfield. That’s the 25th overall pick in the 2024 draft, a $3.4 million bonus and one of the few arms left in a Padres farm system that Preller has spent a decade spending down. MLB.com noted last week that Mayfield was among the last interesting pitchers in a top 10 that’s been picked pretty clean.
Trade details
- San Diego receives: RHP Casey Mize, INF Gage Workman
- Detroit receives: LHP Kash Mayfield, LHP Jackson Wolf
Padres: B
It’s the right player, it fills a real need. Mize was arguably the best rental left on the board Monday afternoon. He has a 2.70 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, a No.1 overall pedigree and less than $2 million owed the rest of the way. Behind Michael King, the Padres rotation has been thin. Ray and Mize give them a solid front line that can win a series in October.
But it cost a lot for two months and no certainty they are going to get that shot in October.
Workman is a nice throw-in. He’s 26, a third baseman hitting .305 with 11 homers and 51 RBI and 20 steals in Triple-A.
Tigers: A-minus
Scott Harris needed this. He traded Tarik Skubal on Saturday night and immediately rival executives were calling it loser for the Tigers GM. Detroit spent all day Sunday taking it on the chin. Now, he’s turned a two-month rental into a first-round lefty with a plus changeup and the kind of command that gets pitchers to the big leagues. Holding on until the deadline, Harris made the Braves, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Rays and Yankees all bid.
Mayfield was named to the Futures Game last month, but he was scratched from his last start with a right hamstring issue. He dealt with a shoulder issue in 2025.
MLB schedule today
Here is the full Major League Baseball schedule for Aug. 3 and how to watch all the games. Or see our sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
Watch MLB games all season long with Fubo
All times Eastern and accurate as of Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, at 5:11 a.m.
- Nationals at Phillies, 6:40 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Cardinals at Yankees, 7:05 p.m., Cardinals.TV
- Pirates at Brewers, 7:40 p.m., Brewers.TV
- Giants at Rangers, 8:05 p.m., ESPN
- Dodgers at Cubs, 8:05 p.m., Marquee Sports Network
- Blue Jays at Astros, 8:10 p.m., Space City Home Network
- Rays at Rockies, 8:40 p.m., Rockies.TV
- Padres at Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m., DBACKS.TV
Watch MLB games all season long with Fubo (free trial)