MLB Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Surrounding J.A. Happ, Chris Archer and More

As the calendar gets closer to August, the trade deadline looms over MLB and will continue to do so through July 31.

Contending teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox have already made significant moves, but no general manager can ever feel confident that enough has been done. That won't be determined until the last out of the World Series is completed.

There are non-contending teams that are clearly in a sell mode as the season hits the far turn on MLB's version of the racetrack. The Toronto Blue Jays may have started the season with hopes of becoming a wild-card team, but they have been a streaky team with more downturns than upswings this season.

As a result, they are willing to move several pitchers. Toronto would like to trade starter J.A. Happ and relievers Tyler Clippard and John Axford, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Happ made the American League All-Star team, but he has been somewhat inconsistent. He has a 10-6 record with a 4.18 earned-run average and 130 strikeouts in 114.0 innings.

The 33-year-old Clippard is a well-traveled veteran, and he has a 4-3 record with a 3.54 ERA and seven saves in 13 opportunities. Axford has pitched 48.0 innings with a 4-1 record and a 4.69 ERA.

The Chicago Cubs are looking to add to their pitching staff, and Chicago baseball insider Bruce Levine of radio station WSCR reported that they are looking at Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays, Danny Duffy of the Kansas City Royals and Dylan Bundy of the Baltimore Orioles.

The Cubs also had interest in reliever Zach Britton of the Orioles before he was traded Tuesday to the New York Yankees.

Levine reported that Chicago has turned its attention to American League hurlers because that league has more non-contending teams, and that means a greater volume of players may be available.

The Cubs don't necessarily want to make a deal involving key players on their 25-man roster, and that may be the reason they were unable to complete deals for Britton or former New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia, who was traded to the Oakland A's.

The Boston Red Sox made a big deal Wednesday when they acquired pitcher Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays for Jalen Beeks, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox and The Athletic.

The Red Sox have suffered some injuries to their starting staff, as Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez are both on the disabled list. The right-handed Eovaldi also gives the Red Sox more balance in their starting staff since Chris Sale, David Price and Rodriguez are left-handed.

Eovaldi has a 3-4 record with a 4.26 ERA with 48 strikeouts and just eight walks in 57.0 innings.

"We feel very comfortable with him," manager Alex Cora said, per Zachary Silver of MLB.com. "We feel he's going to be good for us."

The Red Sox may also be looking at Texas Rangers pitcher Jake Diekman, as well as pitchers Zach Duke and Fernando Rodney of the Minnesota Twins, per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

There are five more days to go before the deadline, and quite a bit of talking and perhaps several deals will be completed before the end of July.