MLB
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MLB trade deadline rumors: Yankees eye OF help as Tarik Skubal watch continues
Steve GardnerUSA TODAY
Updated July 28, 2026, 12:30 p.m. ET
The expected MLB trade deadline frenzy got off to an unofficial start on Saturday, July 25, with the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals making a good, old-fashioned pitching-for-hitting swap
But as the clock ticks down to the Aug. 3 deadline, teams are getting even more anxious to make deals that could potentially help them win a 2026 World Series ring
First off, there are the most obvious trade candidates – players who are in the final year of their contracts and players who could benefit from a change of scenery
But there are also under-the-radar sleepers who could end up being the missing piece for any number of playoff contenders
Who will be dealt and who will stay put? We have six days to find out the answers
When is the MLB trade deadline?
Teams must have their trade details finalized and submitted to the league office by the deadline in order for any acquired players to be eligible for the playoffs. After that, players on 40-man rosters can’t be traded
- When: Monday, Aug. 3
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
Would Nationals consider trading CJ Abrams?
The Nationals may not be finished with their deadline dealing. Sitting just one game out of the NL’s third wild-card spot, the Nats − who finished 30 games under .500 last season − are bidding to return to the playoffs for the first time since they won it all in 2019
They have the highest-scoring offense in the majors at 5.48 runs per game, but their pitching staff has the fourth-worst ERA. Acquiring left-hander Connelly Early will help once he’s activated off the injured list. But there’s still work to be done
According to an unnameders for All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, who’s currently hitting .295 with 27 homers and a major league-leading 82 RBI
In his first year of arbitration, Abrams wouldn’t become a free agent until after the 2028 season. A 25-year-old star still under team control would likely bring back a significant haul, but can the Nationals find a fit?
Do the banged-up Dodgers need Skubal?
The Dodgers will have to decide whether their rotation’s health can coalesce for a deep playoff run and their third-straight World Series title, or if reinforcements are needed. Skubal had injury issues himself earlier this season, having missed about five weeks with an elbow injury. Skubal returned sooner than expected after undergoing a revolutionary procedure using the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0
Los Angeles is dealing with injuries in the rotation to Shohei Ohtani, who has inflammation and irritation in his left knee and might not return in August as originally hoped, plus Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell
Who could the Dodgers potentially trade? Find out here
Five teams ruining the MLB trade deadline – by winning too much
Are you tired of trade deadline gridlock? Well, the later date – Aug. 3 – has plenty to do with it, as every year the average fan forgets the most vigorous action occurs in the final 36 hours. There’s another culprit, though: Competitive balance, or, as some might cal it, mediocrity
And that’s kept nearly two dozen teams within whiff of a playoff berth. Several simply aren’t supposed to be here. And with that in mind, we present five teams ruining the trade deadline by daring to compete, starting with the Minnesota Twins
Read the full story and Gabe Lacques’ analysis
Rays in on Skubal sweepstakes
Tampa Bay enters Tuesday at 62-43 and the top team in the AL. So the Rays are naturally looking to add players for a deep run
According to MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided, that means Tarik Skubal
Rays starting pitchers have compiled the fourth-best ERA in the major leagues, with Nick Martinez (10-2, 2.45 ERA), Drew Rasmussen (9-5, 3.07) and Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09) leading the way
Murray also mentions Mets starter Freddy Peralta and Angels shortstop Zach Neto as possibilities for the Rays
Yankees badly need outfield help
Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury is the latest in the New York Yankees’ recent string of painful losses. They now have an entire outfield on the IL with Bellinger joining Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton
GM Brian Cashman is desperately in search of depth at the position, but complicating matters is the fact that two of the team’s best trade chips – Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez – are outfielders. And both are currently starting
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman suggests the Royals’ Lane Thomas, the Reds’ Spencer Steer, the Angels’ Jo Adell and Jorge Soler, and the Blue Jays’ George Springer could be possible trade targets
Steer, however, is currently on the injured list with a partially torn tendon in his right wrist. And Springer, a longtime Yankee nemesis, would seem an unlikely match coming from an AL East rival
The Yankees are also in search of catching help, which could take away re
What will Tigers do with ace Tarik Skubal?
Don’t expect a final answer to this question until the last possible moment
The Tigers have the talent to make the postseason. They’ve been playing much better since Skubal returned from elbow surgery in mid-June. But they’re not quite in playoff position just yet … and likely won’t be by the deadline
The question is how close do they need to be to keep the two-time defending Cy Young award winner. Or how far back do they need to be to sell. At 50-57, Detroit is currently four games out of the third AL wild-card spot
On the heels of a three-game losing streak, USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale writes the Tigers now “have no choice but to trade Skubal.” He also expects No. 2 starter Casey Mize to be dealt as well
