MLB trade deadline primer: Top storylines, rumblings, best-available players

Happy MLB Trade Deadline Eve!

This year’s trade deadline is clearly a seller’s market as 24 of the 30 major-league teams entered Monday within 6 1/2 games or less of making the playoffs, with only the Blue Jays, Angels, A’s and White Sox further back in the American League and only the Marlins and Rockies worse off in the National League.

The trades began to pick up Thursday into Friday, led by the Rays, who dealt Randy Arozarena to the Mariners and Zach Eflin to the Orioles. The Phillies acquired Austin Hays in a “challenge trade” with Baltimore, the Diamondbacks landed A.J. Puk from the Marlins, and the Mariners added and subtracted relievers, netting Yimi García from the Blue Jays and dealing Ryne Stanek to the Mets. Saturday saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. traded to the Yankees, Carlos Estévez dealt to the Phillies, Danny Jansen sent to the Red Sox and Jesse Winker moved to the Mets, among other deals. There were fewer swaps on Sunday, but the Rays continued their selling ways, trading Isaac Paredes to the Cubs and Jason Adam to the Padres.

Now we wait for what should be an active and intriguing run-in to Tuesday’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. ET. Buckle up.

To set the stage, here is a primer on what you need to know including the top storylines to watch, the best-available players on the trade market, the teams that look likely to own this deadline, and the latest rumors and rumblings I’ve been hearing in conversations and texts with executives across the league.

Note: Check back Monday as we will continue to update this story, which was originally published Sunday, with fresh analysis, the latest intel and links to new stories.

---

Top storylines

Will the Giants trade Blake Snell?

Update (Monday): The Giants are doing their due diligence to learn exactly what they could get in return for Snell, who is coming off a dominating 15-strikeout performance against the Rockies on Saturday. Many teams, including the Yankees, Orioles, Astros and Braves, are showing interest in Snell, who has posted a 0.75 ERA over four starts in July. However, the Giants have won four in a row and currently sit only 3 1/2 games out of wild-card position, which makes it easier to decide to keep him. Remember, though, it takes only one general manager with an offer that’s too good to turn down to potentially sway this type of decision and make San Francisco trade him. The Giants also continue to listen — with intent to upgrade, not downgrade — on Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores.

When will the White Sox’s rebuilding fire sale start?

The White Sox realize the fastest way they can rebuild is by being open to trading all of their major-league assets including their two best starting pitchers, Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde, and their star center fielder, Luis Robert Jr., among others. Crochet would bring back the biggest haul, but he and his agency, CAA, threw a curveball into trade talks earlier this week by expressing the lefty’s desire for a contract extension before he would agree to pitch in October. Sticking firm to that stance could take him off the trade market until the offseason, unless a team like the Dodgers is willing to commit to a long-term deal now. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday that while certain teams are now reluctant to move forward on a trade for Crochet, other clubs continue to pursue him, with the Dodgers and Padres believed to be among them.

Update (Monday morning): The White Sox continue to work on trades and Crochet is still in play to be moved even though the Sox believe they can get the same type of deal, or maybe even a better package, for the lefty in the offseason.

On Monday, the Braves emerged as one of the teams engaged with the White Sox on Crochet.

Meanwhile, in terms of other top starters who could be on the move, the Tigers have not received an offer that would tempt them to even think about trading Tarik Skubal, though of course that could change.

The Dodgers are looking for an impact arm and working to land one of the top three starters (Skubal, Snell and Crochet) if they can. It might not be a coincidence that the White Sox have been the quietest seller and the Dodgers one of the quietest buyers. Perhaps that pairing will deliver a blockbuster at the deadline.

Update (Monday afternoon): The Orioles remain everywhere in the market, chasing the best pitchers available including Blake Snell, Tanner Scott and Jack Flaherty.

What about the other available starting pitchers? 

Update (Monday morning): Several teams are waiting to see what will happen with Skubal, Snell and Crochet before moving on to the next level of available starting pitchers. However, it appears Erik Fedde, Yusei Kikuchi and Jack Flaherty all will be dealt as soon as the situations with the top three are flushed out.

Update (Monday afternoon):  The Cardinals are acquiring starting pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham from the White Sox as part of a three-way trade with the Dodgers, multiple league sources tell The Athletic. The Dodgers will receive utility player Tommy Edman from the Cardinals and pitcher Michael Kopech from the White Sox, while prospects Miguel Vargas, Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus are being sent to Chicago.

In his latest What I’m Hearing column, Ken Rosenthal reports on the market for starting pitching:

At least 10 teams continue to have some level of interest in starters: the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros in the AL; the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL.

How much will the Marlins net for Tanner Scott?

The Angels did extremely well in the Carlos Estévez trade, acquiring two potential future major-league starters from the Phillies. The deal once again showed the strength of this seller’s market. I expect the Marlins to get a similar return for closer Tanner Scott, especially since the Orioles, Yankees and Dodgers remain three of the teams in trade talks with them.

Update (Monday): The Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox and Royals are leading the mix of teams interested in acquiring closer Tanner Scott from the Marlins but other teams remain engaged with Miami, according to major-league sources.  The Marlins are sifting through the latest, improved offers on Scott and now might wait until deadline day before finalizing a deal. Scott has become the most sought-after player this trade deadline and the Marlins stand to get a very strong return.

Meanwhile, the Nationals are asking for more for their closer, Kyle Finnegan, than the Angels got for Estévez, but are also taking the position that they don’t have to trade him. (Finnegan is under team control through the 2025 season.) So if a team wants him, it’s going to take an overpay, even more than what the Phillies paid for Estévez.

Will the Rays continue to dominate the trade deadline?

Update (Monday): The Rays have already made six trades — and they’re not done. It’s likely first baseman Yandy Díaz will be dealt to the Mariners, Pirates or Astros before the deadline. Closer Pete Fairbanks and second baseman Brandon Lowe also could be on the move. As detailed by Ken Rosenthal in his column on the Rays, here’s the scoreboard through Sunday:

• Six deals (Isaac Paredes, Jason Adam, Zach Eflin, Randy Arozarena, Phil Maton and Aaron Civale).
•  Savings of approximately $12 million in 2024, additional millions in seven future years of arbitration and Eflin’s $18 million salary for 2025.
•  Fourteen prospects added, including two players to be named. Nine of those players entered the team’s top 30 according to MLBPipeline.com, between Nos. 5 and 29.

Are the Cubs really going to sell? 

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer says he’s going to make moves to improve the team for 2025 and beyond. The Cubs entered Sunday six games out of the third NL wild-card spot and would have to pass six teams to get there. That’s a steep climb, but if they improved the bullpen and added a couple of bats, I think they could still make the playoffs. Starter Jameson Taillon and relievers Mark Leiter Jr. and Hector Neris are among the players being targeted by contending teams. Even though the Cubs just traded for right-hander Nate Pearson, I’m told that acquisition was more about future years than this season and it’s likely that both Taillon and Leiter will get traded before the deadline.

Update: Consistent with his declaration that the Cubs would focus on 2025 and beyond, Hoyer on Sunday acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Rays for third baseman Christopher Morel, pitching prospect Ty Johnson and reliever Hunter Bigge.

Paredes, 27, is an average defender at third but an improvement defensively over Morel and he also has a better hit tool. He has a .355 on-base percentage and a 127 OPS+ with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs. Paredes was an All-Star this year, is eligible for arbitration next year and is under team control through 2027. He solves third base for the Cubs for the foreseeable future.

Morel, 25, is an exciting player due to his power/speed combination. He’s batting only .199 this season but with 18 home runs. His OPS+ is only 90 and he’s been a negative-WAR player this year, according to Baseball Reference, because of his poor defense. However, unlike Paredes, he is not arbitration-eligible until 2026 and not eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season. The Rays can move Morel to DH or the outfield because this trade opens up third base for them to promote their top prospect, Junior Caminero, whom they think is major-league-ready now.

Johnson, 22, has posted a 3.54 ERA this year over 10 starts and eight relief appearances between Low A and High A. Bigge, 26, is a depth major-league reliever who has made four appearances for the Cubs this season.

The Cubs are still listening to offers as sellers for starting pitcher Jameson Taillon and reliever Mark Leiter Jr., but also are potential buyers as they’re one of the teams engaged with the Giants on Blake Snell. The Rays are still shopping first baseman Yandy Díaz, second baseman Brandon Lowe and closer Pete Fairbanks.

What’s next for the Yankees? 

The Yankees got the bat they wanted in Jazz Chisholm Jr., who gives them 20-home run, 30-stolen base type production the rest of the way, along with positional flexibility. Next on the agenda: Acquire one or two power relievers with swing-and-miss stuff. I’ll be shocked if general manager Brian Cashman doesn’t land at least one impact reliever of that ilk.

The Blue Jays are selling … but will they make a big move?

The Blue Jays have already traded away Danny Jansen, Yimi García and Nate Pearson. However, several opposing front offices say the Jays are not looking to rebuild at the deadline and instead will look to mostly trade players who will be eligible for free agency, then try to regroup in the offseason and run it back. That would mean holding on to both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, who is currently on the injured list. But what happens if a team like the Mariners or Astros suddenly makes an overwhelming offer for Guerrero, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season — are the Blue Jays, who haven’t been able to extend him, really not going to consider it? This storyline won’t go away until the deadline passes.

Update (Monday afternoon): The Blue Jays are trading Justin Turner to the Mariners, a league source told Ken Rosenthal.

What pitchers and outfielder will the Dodgers acquire?

The Dodgers’ rotation has been plagued with injuries and underperformance all season and it appears they’re going to need to add another starter as well as a reliever. They are also trying to add another bat for the outfield. The Dodgers have been shopping at the top of the starting pitching market, including Garrett Crochet and Tarik Skubal, and have at least inquired about Luis Robert Jr., Tommy Pham and Bryan De La Cruz.

Update: The Dodgers are in discussions with the Cardinals on a deal to acquire utilityman Tommy Edman, league sources told The Athletic. The Yankees also have an interest in Edman. No trade had been completed as of Sunday evening.

Update (Monday afternoon):  The Cardinals are acquiring starting pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham from the White Sox as part of a three-way trade with the Dodgers, multiple league sources tell The Athletic. The Dodgers will receive utility player Tommy Edman from the Cardinals and pitcher Michael Kopech from the White Sox, while prospects Miguel Vargas, Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus are being sent to Chicago.

After losing Senga, do the surging Mets add a starter? 

The Mets’ focus at the trade deadline was to improve their bullpen depth, which they accomplished with the trades for relievers Nick Maton and Ryne Stanek. However, their plans changed Saturday when Kodai Senga was diagnosed with a calf strain that is expected to keep him out the rest of the regular season. Now they will pivot and try to trade for a starter such as Jack Flaherty of the Tigers or Yusei Kikuchi of the Blue Jays.

Will the Diamondbacks and Rangers just count on activating players from the IL or bolster their rosters with more trades?

What will last year’s World Series teams do? The Diamondbacks are expected to get back injured starters Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez sometime in August, which would put them in a strong position for another playoff run. The Rangers are expected to get back Tyler Mahle and Jacob deGrom from the IL at some point after the deadline. Will those “additions” be sufficient or will both teams look to do more? (On Thursday, the Diamondbacks started to answer this question by acquiring lefty reliever A.J. Puk in a trade with the Marlins.)

Update: On Sunday, the Rangers acquired C Carson Kelly in a trade with the Tigers for C Liam Hicks and RHP Tyler Owens.

Update: On Monday, the Rangers traded RHP Michael Lorenzen to the Royals for LHP Walter Pennington.

Will the Phillies look to land a center fielder?

Are the Phillies done addressing the outfield? They made a trade with Baltimore to add Austin Hays, a right-handed bat who boosts their outfield options. On Saturday, manager Rob Thomson said for now Hays will get an opportunity to be the everyday left fielder with Brandon Marsh moving over to center, cutting into Johan Rojas’ time. Marsh, who crushes righties, and Hays ultimately could platoon in left depending on how things shake out. I still wonder if the Phillies will try to trade for an everyday center fielder. Wouldn’t Luis Robert Jr. look phenomenal in this lineup?

---

Best-available players

Starting pitchers (Top 12)

Stats are updated through Saturday’s games unless otherwise noted. 

1. Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers — The Tigers are not necessarily going to trade Skubal, a top AL Cy Young Award candidate this year who is under team control through 2026, but they’ve listened to offers. If a team blows them away with a package, they could agree to trade their 27-year-old ace in a deal that would certainly shake up the playoff picture while also expediting their timeline for becoming legitimate contenders.

2. Garrett Crochet, LHP, White Sox  — Crochet is now unlikely to be dealt after he and his agents at CAA said that he would not pitch in October if traded unless he received a contract extension. The situation could change, but short of a team like the Dodgers or Padres deciding to do that, he probably won’t get traded by Tuesday and instead will be dealt in the offseason.

3. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Tigers — Flaherty has the best swing-and-miss rate of any starting pitcher in baseball and could end up being the best trade value on the market, in terms of what it takes to land him, since he’ll be a free agent after this season. He’s a front-runner for AL Comeback Player of the Year and contending teams are lined up bidding for his services.

4. Blake Snell, LHP, Giants — Snell is finally healthy and coming off three dominant starts, including a 15-strikeout outing Saturday against the Rockies, just in time for the deadline. With a fresh arm, the two-time Cy Young Award winner could be a difference-maker down the stretch for teams like the Orioles and Astros who have serious interest.

5. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Cubs — Despite the Cubs being within striking distance of a wild-card spot, they’ve told teams they are selling and have offered up Taillon. They are looking to improve both their overall offense and bullpen for next year and beyond. A return to the Yankees is possible for the 32-year-old righty.

6. Erick Fedde, RHP, White Sox — Fedde was one of the best value free-agent signings of last offseason and now the White Sox are ready to cash in on their deft move. He’s pitched to a 3.11 ERA over 21 starts, has another year of team control and is on an affordable salary, so the White Sox are asking for a strong prospect package in return.

Update: Fedde was traded to St. Louis

7. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Blue Jays — The Blue Jays aren’t shopping Bassitt, who has a limited no-trade clause, but they’re listening to offers because it’s a seller’s market and almost everyone wants more starting pitching. The Jays need to improve their everyday players and if they can land a top position player prospect, they’ll move Bassitt. He is signed through next year and will again make $22 million in 2025.

8. Tyler Anderson, LHP, Angels — The Angels are listening on Anderson, who is signed through next year. They don’t have to trade the 34-year-old but would like to take advantage of his strong season (2.96 ERA in 21 starts) and turn him into a couple of prospects to help them in the future.

9. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP, Blue Jays — Kikuchi is the most likely remaining Blue Jays pitcher to be dealt because he is an impending free agent. Several teams have shown interest in him, including the Twins, Cardinals and Brewers.

10. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Rockies — The Rockies plan to be active at the deadline and are ready to move Quantrill but also understand that because of where he is on the available starter pecking order, they’ll probably have to wait until Tuesday to find the right offer.

11. Griffin Canning, RHP, Angels — While it was rumored the Angels would move starter Reid Detmers, that isn’t likely, but they have been shopping Canning as well as Anderson to teams in need of starting pitchers.

12. Austin Gomber, LHP, Rockies — Gomber has actually pitched better this season at Coors Field (3.83 ERA) than he has on the road (5.61). The 30-year-old is under team control through 2025.

Relief pitchers (Top 11)

Stats are updated through Saturday’s games unless otherwise noted. 

1. Tanner Scott, LHP, Marlins — Scott is the best left-handed closer available on the trade market and he will be dealt over the next 24 hours, according to major-league sources. He could end up in the AL East, as the Yankees, Orioles and Red Sox have all been pursuing him, along with other contenders.

2. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals — The Nationals control Finnegan for another year and will trade him only if they get a strong offer, which in a seller’s market is possible as we’ve already seen in their trade of reliever Hunter Harvey to the Royals and the Carlos Estévez trade.

3. Dylan Floro, RHP, Nationals — The Nationals have received a lot of interest in Floro, an impending free agent who has a 1.94 ERA over 50 appearances. He could end up in the NL West via a trade to the Dodgers or Padres.

4. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays — Fairbanks has posted a 3.19 ERA and 1.200 WHIP over 37 appearances this season. He has 19 saves in 21 opportunities. His slider has been a true wipeout pitch this year with opposing batters hitting just .156 against it in 70 plate appearances. He’s under team control through 2026.

5. Chad Green, RHP, Blue Jays — The Yankees would love a reunion with Green if they can make it happen, but the competition is stiff as he’s pitched well lately and appears to be fully healthy.

6. Héctor Neris, RHP, Cubs — The Cubs shouldn’t be selling in my view, and if they trade Neris, they’ll be telling everyone they’ve thrown in the towel while still in range of a playoff spot. They need more bullpen help, not less.

7. Lucas Erceg, RHP, A’s — Everyone has called the A’s about their rookie closer, Mason Miller, and though they’ve listened, it appears they’re set on keeping him (and now he’s on the IL). They have offered Erceg to the teams asking for Miller and have a steep asking price for him too, because of the 29-year-old’s raw stuff and many years of team control. (Like Miller, he won’t be a free agent until after the 2029 season.) It’s more likely Erceg stays than goes, but who knows.

8. Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox — Evaluators love his power arm and potential, but he’s never had the production to match. If Kopech is traded, he needs to go to a team with a strong pitching coach and analytics department, like the Rangers or Diamondbacks, to fulfill his potential.

Update: Kopech was traded to the Dodgers

9. Luis Garcia, RHP, Angels — The Angels have a trade in place for Garcia that they like. It’s just a matter of when they want to close the deal and make the announcement, but he’s gone.

10. Austin Adams, RHP, A’s — Like Erceg, Adams is a reliever the A’s will move if they find the right match. His stuff is much better than his stats and he’s affordable with an $800,000 salary this year.

11. Mark Leiter Jr., RHP, Cubs — If the Cubs really do sell, as they’re telling everyone they will, then Leiter will probably get moved.

Position players (Top 14)

Stats are updated through Saturday’s games unless otherwise noted. 

1. Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox — It’s 50/50 whether the White Sox actually trade Robert, their best position player. The Mariners and Phillies are the teams that need him the most and it will come down to how much of a haul those teams (or others) are willing to pay in prospects to convince White Sox GM Chris Getz to move him now.

2. Isaac Paredes, 3B, Rays — Paredes is the Rays’ best overall position player and he made his first All-Star team this year. He has a .355 on-base percentage and a 127 OPS+ and he leads the Rays in homers (16) and RBIs (55). He’s close to an average defender at third base but also can play first and second base. Although the Rays don’t want to trade him, they have to listen in case they receive an overwhelming offer that could improve their long-term future. If Paredes is traded, top prospect Junior Caminero is ready to be promoted to play third base. Paredes is under team control through the 2027 season.

Update: Paredes was traded to the Cubs

3. Yandy Díaz, 1B, Rays — The Astros and Mariners are involved in trade talks with the Rays to acquire the 32-year-old first baseman. Díaz is under team control through 2026, with the final year a $12 million team option. Entering Saturday, Díaz was hitting .272 with eight home runs, 46 RBIs and a 107 OPS+.

4. Brent Rooker, OF/DH, A’s — Rooker was an All-Star last year and he’s having an even better season this year, slashing .294/.369/.585 with 25 home runs and 72 RBIs. The Pirates, Mariners and Red Sox have shown interest in him. He’s under team control through 2027. The A’s have to be overwhelmed to trade him.

5. Luis Rengifo, 2B, Angels — The Angels aren’t looking to move Rengifo but are listening to teams that call. Entering Saturday, the underrated veteran was slashing .308/.352/.432 with a 118 OPS+. He’s been worth 1.7 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. His ability to play all over the infield and his additional year of team control increase his trade value.

6. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles — The Orioles would prefer to trade Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins to get another starting pitcher rather than having to part with any of their top prospects. That approach would mean they can’t get a Skubal or Crochet and instead would likely end up with a No. 3 or No. 4 type starter to go with Zach Eflin, whom they landed from the Rays. Mountcastle has a .745 OPS and can certainly help teams looking for right-handed power. He’s under team control through 2026.

7. Jonathan India, 2B, Reds — The Reds are hopeful second baseman Matt McLain will return from the injured list this season and they know India will get more expensive between now and 2026, the final season before he reaches free agency. They have dangled India to teams looking for infield help, but as of this morning, they have no traction on a potential trade

8. Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays — Lowe has team options for 2025 and 2026 at $10.5 million and $11.5 million, respectively, and the Rays don’t plan to exercise either one. Therefore, it’s time to trade him. Teams looking for left-handed power at second base and in the outfield should have interest. Lowe had a 143 OPS+ entering Saturday.

9. Elias Díaz, C, Rockies — An impending free agent, Díaz has batted .275/.324/.389 (95 OPS+). The Cubs had interest in him earlier in the year, but that seemed to diminish after they acquired Thomas Nido in June.

10. Taylor Ward, RF, Angels — The Angels don’t have to trade Ward, who has hit 15 home runs with 47 RBIs, but they have listened when teams like the Braves and Mariners have texted them. Ward has slashed only .154/.230/.218 in July. He’s under team control through 2026.

11. Lane Thomas, RF, Nationals — Thomas crushes left-handed pitching (.932 OPS) but struggles against right-handers (.217 average, .642 OPS). Defensively, he comes in on the ball very well, but struggles going back on balls. His best role would be in a platoon. The Nationals don’t have to trade him but will for the right price. He’s under team control through 2025.

12. Josh Bell, 1B, Marlins — He’s getting traded. Why? Because he’s gotten hot at the right time, and he always seems to get traded at the deadline. This would be the third year in a row, after being dealt from the Nationals to the Padres (as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster) at the 2022 deadline and from the Guardians to the Marlins last year. A trade to Boston, Seattle or Pittsburgh, where he started his career, is possible.

13. Mark Canha, 1B/DH, Tigers — Teams looking for a right-handed hitter to come off the bench or platoon have called the Tigers on Canha because of his professional at-bats and ability to draw walks and hit homers. He’d be a nice fit in Boston or Seattle.

14. Brandon Drury, INF, Angels — Drury’s ability to play first, second and third base would make him a solid addition for teams looking for bench depth, like the Padres, who acquired him at the 2022 deadline.

Rumors, rumblings and industry talk

• Many teams, including the Yankees, Orioles, Astros and Braves, are showing interest in Giants starter Blake Snell. The Giants also continue to listen — with intent to upgrade, not downgrade — on Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores.

• The Rays are expected to trade Yandy Díaz. The Mariners, Pirates or Astros could land the veteran first baseman.

• The Astros are in talks to land Jack Flaherty of the Tigers and Yandy Díaz of the Rays, among many other discussions they’re having with teams as they try to add a starting pitcher and first baseman at the deadline.

• The Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox and Royals are leading the mix of teams interested in acquiring closer Tanner Scott from the Marlins but other teams remain engaged with Miami, according to major-league sources.

• The Braves are still trying to acquire another outfielder and a starting pitcher. On Monday, the Braves emerged as one of the teams engaged with the White Sox on Crochet.

• The Angels have a deal in place that they like for reliever Luis Garcia. After trading closer Carlos Estévez to the Phillies, they are listening on deals for players including outfielder Taylor Ward, infielder Luis Rengifo and pitchers Tyler Andersen and Griffin Canning.

• A’s reliever Lucas Erceg is drawing significant interest, according to Ken Rosenthal’s latest What I’m hearing column.

• The Phillies continue to search for additional relief help, Rosenthal reports.

• The Orioles want to add a reliever, preferably left-handed; a right-handed hitting outfielder to replace Austin Hays and maybe another starting pitcher, Rosenthal reports. They are open to acquiring a rental starter.

• The Cubs are expected to trade right-handed starter Jameson Taillon. The Astros, Yankees and Padres are among the teams that have shown interest in him.

• The Royals are targeting one of three right-handed bats — Lane Thomas, Taylor Ward or Luis Rengifo, sources tell The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. A trade for another reliever also is possible.

• The Nationals continue to listen on closer Kyle Finnegan, reliever Dylan Floro and outfielder Lane Thomas.

• The Twins are trying to add a veteran starting pitcher.

(Top photo of Blake Snell: Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)