Deal or No Deal: MLB Trade Predictions 2 Weeks from the Deadline

The Chicago Cubs kickstarted the 2017 MLB trade season Thursday when they sent a package including their top two prospects to the Chicago White Sox for coveted left-hander Jose Quintana.

What other seismic deals will and won't be consummated before the July 31 non-waiver cutoff?

We won't know until the deadline dust settles, but here are six educated guesses based on the latest rumblings, rumors and a dash of gut feeling.

Deal: The Boston Red Sox Will Acquire Todd Frazier

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The Boston Red Sox need a third baseman. Pablo Sandoval has been an injury-plagued disappointment once again, and the internal options haven't filled the void.

"It goes without saying we're examining the third base situation very closely," team president Sam Kennedy told the Ordway, Merloni & Fauria radio show (h/t CSNNE.com).

There are multiple options, but the most obvious candidate is the White Sox's Todd Frazier.

The 31-year-old is hitting just .213, but his 16 home runs would be a welcome injection of power in Beantown. As a rental, he wouldn't gut a farm system already decimated by swap-happy president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

The Red Sox, in other words, could bolster the position and hang on to third baseman of the future Rafael Devers.

No Deal: The Texas Rangers Won't Trade Yu Darvish or Cole Hamels

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According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Texas Rangers could entertain offers for co-aces Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels "if [the] team doesn't pick up its play" before the deadline.

Texas is 43-45, 16.5 games back of the in-state rival Houston Astros in the American League West and on the fringe of the postseason picture.

The Rangers are lurking in the wild-card chase. A disastrous week-plus could push them into sell mode.

But with their first seven games out of the break coming against sub-.500 clubs, it says here they'll win enough to keep their chips and try to ascend the October stage for a third straight season.

Deal: The Los Angeles Dodgers Will Get Zach Britton

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Last season, the Cleveland Indians rode the late-inning duo of Andrew Miller and Cody Allen to an AL pennant. In 2015, the Kansas City Royals hoisted a Commissioner's Trophy behind their shutdown pen.

Could the Los Angeles Dodgers replicate the formula?

Possibly, according to FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman, who reported the Dodgers were interested in acquiring Baltimore Orioles left-hander Zach Britton to pair with righty closer Kenley Jansen.

Jansen, for one, endorsed the notion.

"Man, that would be awesome," Jansen said, per Heyman. "You just gave me goosebumps."

This deal would require the Orioles to become sellers and the Dodgers to part with a top prospect or two.

Both of those things could happen. Baltimore is barely hanging on in a crowded AL East, while L.A. is chasing its first title since 1988.

Britton may be the missing ingredient, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman may be willing to make it happen.

No Deal: Justin Verlander Will Remain in Detroit

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The Detroit Tigers are 39-48 coming out of the All-Star break, buried in fourth place in the American League Central. A sell-off is coming in the Motor City.

Predictably, right-hander Justin Verlander's name has churned through the rumor mill. The 34-year-old, however, owns a 4.73 ERA in 104.2 innings and has issued an AL-leading 51 walks.

Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Detroit isn't "actively shopping" its ostensible ace, despite the persistent whispers.

He's owed $28 million in 2018 and 2019, with a $22 million vesting option for 2020. Unless the Tigers are willing to swallow a ton of cash, Verlander will stay put.

Deal: The Houston Astros Will Land Sonny Gray

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After the Cubs snatched up Quintana, the pool of available aces got shallower. 

The Houston Astros don't need to dive in. They boast the best record in the Junior Circuit at 60-29 and the biggest division lead in baseball at 16.5 games.

Still, with stud southpaw Dallas Keuchel on his way back from a neck injury, the 'Stros could use reinforcements in the rotation.

The Oakland Athletics' Sonny Gray makes sense and "should command a lesser package than did Quintana," per Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. 

The 27-year-old is under team control for two more seasons and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2015. After stumbling out of the gate this season, he's pitched more like his old self in June and July.

Houston would have to cash in a blue chip or two, but this feels like the season for the Astros to go all-in.

No Deal: The Miami Marlins Won't Move Giancarlo Stanton

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The Miami Marlins might blow up their roster. In other news, the sky is blue and water is wet.

The Marlins' history is littered with vertigo-inducing rebuilds, especially under the thumb of polarizing owner Jeffrey Loria.

Now, with Loria's protracted sale moving forward, per Mike Ozanian of Forbes, the Fish are shopping their top assets, including mashing right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.

Stanton has crushed an NL-leading 26 home runs and, at age 27, he is one of the game's elite sluggers.

On the other hand, he's owed a minimum of $77 million through 2020, when he can opt out of the 13-year, $325 million pact he signed in November 2014.

The list of squads who would love to add Stanton is long. The list who would shoulder that financial burden, especially given Stanton's injury history and the franchise's uncertainty, is much shorter.

"They've told us that they're prepared to dump," an unnamed executive said of the Fish, per Bleacher Report's Scott Miller. "They're working on it and talking to clubs. But the conversations always end with one caveat, that they don't know that the owner won't bail at the last minute."

Stanton will change uniforms at some point, but it won't be this summer.

All statistics current as of Thursday and courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball-Reference.