MLB Trade Deadline 2018: Latest Rumors Surrounding Top Targets

If you weren't following baseball Twitter every hour on Monday, the chances are you missed some notable news and rumors.

A host of transactions went down. Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Duvall is now an Atlanta Brave. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim second baseman Ian Kinsler joined the Boston Red Sox, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and The Athletic. Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna was traded to the Houston Astros, and Minnesota Twins starter Lance Lynn headed east to join the New York Yankees.

All of that news doesn't include the trade rumors that flew in on Monday. Here's a look at the latest surrounding some big names.

Bryce Harper

Per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, the Washington Nationals haven't closed the door on trading superstar right fielder Bryce Harper prior to the non-waiver trade deadline of Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET:

Marc Feinsand of MLB.com reported that Harper was "available":

Rosenthal also noted similar sentiments to Janes and Feinsand, and quoted an executive's take on the matter:

Finally, Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and the MLB Network named one team in talks regarding a Harper deal: "The [Cleveland] Indians and Nationals have communicated recently regarding a possible Bryce Harper trade, sources told MLB.com on Monday, but the discussions have yet to gather momentum."

Harper is set to become a free agent after the year is over, and it's possible the Nats look to move the six-time All-Star so they don't risk losing him for nothing in the offseason.

Furthermore, the Nats are 52-52 and in third place in the National League East. While Harper makes the team better, it's possible that Washington, which has lost in the National League Division Series four times this decade, could move the superstar in exchange for a package it can't refuse. Or the Nats can simply buckle down, push for the playoffs and hope to re-sign Harper in the offseason.

Regardless, Washington needs to make a decision quickly.

Andrew McCutchen

Andrew McCutchen's stay in San Francisco may not last long, as it looks like numerous teams are interested in the 2013 National League MVP. Per Jon Morosi, three teams could be in the mix:

McCutchen spent the first nine years of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Giants in January this year. He's had a decent year at the dish, hitting 10 home runs alongside 43 RBI and a .760 OPS.

He hasn't fared particularly well in the field during his career (-6.1 defensive WAR, per Baseball Reference), but teams would largely be getting him for his bat and remarkable durability (since his first full season in 2010, McCutchen has never missed more than 16 games).

San Francisco is below .500 and looking up at three teams in the NL West, so it might look to trade away some veterans for prospects that could help re-stock a farm system that Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked just 26th in June.

On the opposite side of a deal, the Cleveland Indians make the most sense out of the teams mentioned. The Tribe have a big need for an outfielder given the litany of injuries Cleveland outfielders have suffered during this season, so McCutchen could lock down a spot as the team enters the stretch run.

Chris Archer

The No. 1 starting pitcher left on the trading block is the Tampa Bay Rays' Chris Archer. While a host of teams are after him, it's unclear as to whether Tampa will deal him at this time. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has the latest:

"Chris Archer has been and will be the main topic of conversation, with the Rays sorting through interest from around a dozen teams and now asking for final offers, which they could spend all night reviewing.

"The Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Padres and Yankees are considered the most interested teams and would seem to have the young talent to match up. Other teams that have been mentioned include the A's, Astros, Brewers, Phillies and Pirates."

The 29-year-old Archer has a career 3.45 xFIP and 25.7 percent strikeout rate, per FanGraphs, so it's easy to see why he's so coveted. At his best, Archer can be a staff ace that anchors a rotation.

Given how many teams could be involved, this looks like a situation where the Rays could say deal or no deal in the final hour. It's also possible a team presses the panic button and gives Tampa Bay an offer it can't refuse. Some playoff contenders have had starting-pitching struggles this year, such as the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs.

The market to deal Archer is clearly there, but given his skill set plus the fact that he is under team control through 2021, it would likely take a sizable haul to land him.