Assessing Latest MLB Trade Rumors and Potential for Surprise Deadline Deals

The MLB trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Monday, August 3, and reports from baseball's top insiders have begun linking elite trade targets to potential new teams, beginning with two-time American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

What is the latest on the right-handed ace, whom might the surging Boston Red Sox have their eye on, and what ingredients are the league-leading Tampa Bay Rays looking to add to their World Series recipe?

Find out in this assesment of the latest from around the baseball rumor mill.

Brewers Expected to Be Buyers

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The Milwaukee Brewers are currently second in the National League, 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Central Division leaders are expected to be buyers at the deadline.

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported, "Given that success on the field, Brewers officials are prepared to adopt a more aggressive approach at the Trade Deadline compared to recent years, according to sources familiar with the club's thinking."

He added, specifically, "Yes, that means Milwaukee officials have touched base with Detroit about starter Tarik Skubal, and with San Diego about closer Mason Miller," but that both teams have to be willing to part with the elite arms.

Those two players, as well as other available pitchers, may have high price tags, but McCalvy also noted that the Brewers have placed high value on their top prospects and are not just willing to part with them to acquire another arm.

Whether that ultimately makes it tougher to get a deal done with a prospective trade partner remains to be seen. Still, the Brewers organization has a handful of elite prospects with plenty of team control who should be intriguing returns for teams like Detroit, San Diego, and even Toronto, should Milwaukee have interest in acquiring starter Kevin Gausman.

Looking to take advantage of the best team it has fielded in a string of them, look for the front office to make a splash by making one eye-opening deal for a pitcher at the deadline to help maximize its World Series potential alongside Cy Young candidate Jacob Misiorowski.

Rays Looking to Enhance Roster in Winnable AL

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Like the Brewers in the National League, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking to capitalize on a hot first half of the MLB season by making strategic deadline moves that enhance their ability to capture a pennant and compete for a World Series title.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported:

"The Rays, who have sent a scouting army out at every major-league ballpark, believing that if they land Skubal, and a bat like second baseman Luis Arraez, a catcher like Ryan Jeffers or an outfielder like Heliot Ramos, this could be the year they return to the World Series for the first time since 2008." 

One of the best surprises in baseball this season, the Rays have exploded into championship contention in 2026 and sit two games up on the New York Yankees for the division and league lead.

With the Yankees 7-3 in their last 10 games, even without defending AL MVP Aaron Judge due to injury, the team needs to continue to separate itself from its rival.

Nightengale wrote of the Skubal situation, "If you listen to GMs and executives throughout baseball, they believe the Tigers' front office wants to trade Skubal with the uncertainty of the value of that draft pick in the next collective bargaining agreement."

That sounds like the Tigers will not be nearly as stubborn when it comes to trading the defending two-time AL Cy Young winner, but it remains to be seen if Tampa has the prospects needed to get a deal done.

Acquiring another bat, like Arraez or Ramos from the hapless Giants, should be an easier deal to swing.

Boston Building Momentum, Looking for Pieces

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Nightengale reported that Tampa's other division rivals, the red-hot Boston Red Sox, are also looking to enhance their roster ahead of the deadline.

"They made attempts to acquire Angels center fielder Mike Trout in the past, and this time have their eyes on Angels shortstop Zach Neto or shortstop C.J. Abrams from the Washington Nationals. They also salivate over the idea of having Shea Langeliers behind the plate."

Trevor Story has seen limited playing time due to a hernia injury. When he has played, he has underwhelmed to the tune of a .206 average, three home runs, 19 RBI, and 34 hits.

The team needs an upgrade at shortstop. Either Neto or Abrams would certainly provide that. Neto is hitting .236 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI this season, while Abrams, an All-Star for the Nationals, has blasted 25 homers, driven in 79 runs, and hit for a .293 average.

Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic echoed the interest in Neto, writing, "The Sox, after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Angels shortstop last offseason, continue to view him as a strong fit, according to people briefed on their discussions but granted anonymity to speak freely."

Both Neto and Abrams have several years of team control left on their contracts, with the former slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2030 and the latter, one year sooner in 2029.

Either would be an incredible addition to a team that is fresh off a 15-game winning streak, is solidly in the Wild Card race, and could conceivably win the AL East when all is said and done.

As for Langeliers, the Red Sox would likely face tough competition in the form of their division rivals, the Yankees, who Jon Heyman reported made a call to the Athletics regarding the All-Star catcher and are known to be looking for an upgrade behind the plate (h/t MLB.com).