Major League Baseball’s trade deadline will pass at 6 p.m. ET on July 31, leaving teams with just over two days to complete their summer shopping. Some clubs have already been active swappers: the Yankees have obtained two infielders (Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario), while the Mariners grabbed Josh Naylor to secure first base. Who will be the next player sent packing to a new home? Below, CBS Sports has gathered all of Tuesday’s most notable news and moves in one convenient spot.
Are the Astros and Cease a match?
Padres All-Star starting pitcher Dylan Cease is “at the top of the Astros’ wish list,” according to The Athletic. And there have been whispers that the Padres would deal Cease — a free agent at season’s end — as long as they could improve their major-league roster as a result. The question, then, would be if the Astros had enough offensive depth to put together a deal with MLB-caliber talent that the Padres would take in return for Cease.
The Padres could use a big bat at DH and would probably want more than just one player for Cease.
The Astros have been cursed with a litany of rotation injuries, including Lance McCullers Jr., Ronel Blanco, Spencer Arrighetti, J.P. France, Luis Garcia and Cristian Javier. They are expecting returns from several of them in the coming weeks, but the prospect of putting Cease with Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez in the playoff rotation might be enough to make the Astros bite here.
Blue Jays add arm
The Blue Jays are acquiring right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez and cash from the Orioles in exchange for pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, according to Sportsnet.
Domínguez, 30, is an impending free agent who has compiled a 3.24 ERA (122 ERA+) and a 2.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 41 innings so far this season.
Watts-Brown, 23, was a third-round pick in 2023. He’s tallied a 3.54 ERA and a 3.03 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 19 starts split between High- and Double-A.
The Blue Jays remain intrigued by Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, suggesting that Domínguez may be the first but perhaps not the last bullpen addition they make this week.
Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies in on closer
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley said last week that he expects to be traded ahead of the deadline. If that proves to be the case, then expect him to land on a heavy hitter. Among the teams showing interest are the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, and Blue Jays, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
“It’s a little bit different this time,” Helsley said recently. “The likelihood is probably as great as it’s ever been for me to get traded.” He added: “I would say it’s 90% I go, 10% I stay.”
Helsley, an impending free agent, has a 3.00 ERA and a 2.93 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 36 innings to date.
It’s to be seen if and how much the Rays sell this deadline, but both the Mets and Astros have shown interest in second baseman Brandon Lowe, according to the New York Post.
Lowe, 31, is currently on the injured list on account of foot/ankle tendinitis, though he is expected to return as soon as Wednesday. In 86 games this season, he’s hit .269/.320/.480 (121 OPS+) with 19 home runs and three stolen bases. His contributions have been worth an estimated 1.2 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball Reference.
Lowe is technically controllable through next season, thanks to a club option in his contract. It’s perhaps worth noting that, while he’s played outfield in the past, he’s almost exclusively been stationed at the keystone the last few seasons.
Dodgers manager says Rushing won’t be dealt
Although Dodgers rookie backstop Dalton Rushing has had his name surface in trade rumors as of late, manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that he doesn’t foresee a deal occurring.
“I haven’t talked to Dalton,” Roberts told The Orange County Register. “I just don’t see a world in which he’s moved anyway, and I think he’s smart enough to realize that.”
Rushing, 24, entered the season ranked by CBS Sports as the 22nd-best prospect in the sport. He made his big-league debut on May 15, though he’s seldom played since, appearing just 29 times and posting a .545 OPS while serving as Will Smith’s backup.
Nevertheless, the Dodgers don’t seem inclined to trade Rushing — at least not if their manager is to be believed.
Dodgers, Blue Jays interested in Kwan
How much the Guardians’ deadline plans are (or aren’t) impacted by closer Emmanuel Clase’s placement on paid leave while MLB investigates potential gambling misdeeds, but both the Dodgers and Blue Jays are interested in outfielder Steven Kwan if he is made available, according to The Athletic.
Kwan, 27, has hit .287/.351/.411 (111 OPS+) with nine home runs and 11 stolen bases in 100 games to date. His contributions have been worth an estimated 3.3 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference. Kwan is technically under team control through the 2027 season, meaning that the Guardians do not necessarily have to move him.
Rather, the Guardians could hold onto Kwan and attempt to make the playoffs themselves. They’re four games back of a spot, yet they stand to benefit from one of the weakest remaining schedules in the majors.
Count the Brewers among the teams with interest in Orioles first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, according to The Athletic. The Brewers were, reportedly, also one of the clubs who tried for Josh Naylor before he was sent to Seattle.
O’Hearn, 32, is one of the best remaining bats on the trade market. In 92 games to date, he’s hit .284/.375/.452 (134 OPS+) with 12 home runs. He’s by and large been used in a platoon role during his time with the Orioles, which helps explain how he’s reduced his strikeout rate and transformed from a seeming Quad-A slugger to a legitimate platoon ace — all after aging out of his presumed statistical prime.
O’Hearn is an impending free agent.
