Trade

Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is shaping up to be one of the most active in recent memory, with the clock ticking toward Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. ET — moved later than the traditional July 31 date for the first time in years — and contenders scrambling to lock down the final pieces of their playoff pushes. The Biggest Name on the Board All eyes remain on Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner who can hit free agency after this season. The Tigers are reportedly weighing a middle-path approach — trading Skubal for a package that includes both a controllable rotation piece and long-term prospects — while also considering simply keeping their ace and pushing for the postseason themselves. Elsewhere, hard-throwing Athletics right-hander Mason Miller, who carries a minuscule 0.86 ERA with 78 strikeouts in just 41 2/3 innings this season, is drawing interest from the Mariners, Pirates, and Yankees, though he remains under club control through 2029 and wouldn’t be a rental for whoever lands him. Deals Already in Motion The Red Sox struck early, acquiring infielder Curtis Mead from the Nationals in exchange for rookie left-hander Connelly Early, a former Top 100 prospect with a 3.24 ERA through his first 21 big-league starts. The Pirates and White Sox also swapped pieces, with Pittsburgh sending Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert to Chicago. Buyers and Sellers Taking Shape With the Dodgers, Brewers, Cubs, Braves, Yankees, Rays, and Phillies all eyeing deep playoff runs, expect a busy final week of dealing. On the seller side, the Giants and Angels both have productive right-handed bats to dangle — San Francisco’s Heliot Ramos, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman among them — while the Mets’ Luis Robert Jr. and starter Freddy Peralta are drawing looks from multiple contenders as New York’s season slips away. The Reds and Marlins, meanwhile, appear headed toward selling as their seasons unravel, giving contenders even more options to fortify their rosters before the deadline hits. This story is developing.