MLB trade deadline live updates: Latest news, analysis, rumors as teams tweak rosters

Here we are, arriving at that magical time of the season: the Major League Baseball trade deadline.

For baseball junkies, this is one of the most exciting times of the year – the day teams on the fence have to decide whether they’re in or out if they want to contend for one of this season’s coveted playoff spots.

USA TODAY Sports will provide all the latest news, rumors, analysis and more in the frenzied run-up to the deadline. Follow along.

When is the MLB trade deadline 2023?

The MLB trade deadline this year is 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 1. All deals have to be finalized and submitted to the commissioner’s office by then.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: MLB player salaries and payrolls for every major league team

MLB trade deadline tracker

USA TODAY Sports has been on top of all the deals that have gone down so far this season, providing details and analysis of what each trade means. Check it out.

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Potential Rays trade deadline moves

What they need: Starting pitcher

What to know: For a moment, this was the year the Rays weren’t just a whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts squad. And then the pitchers started dropping. Time to retool. Oh, the Rays could use help in a lot of places, but since they’re already, per usual, heavy on platoons and line-shifting within games (and, like everyone, could use another reliever), one bat won’t greatly remake the club’s dynamic. It’s probably more sensible to get back to their roots, and find another guy to take down effective innings.

Can’t help but wonder if the Rays are big fans of Padres opponents this next week, thus shifting San Diego fully into sell mode. That would put Blake Snell, pending free agent and Rays legend, on the block. Snell’s comfort level was sky-high in Tampa Bay, and reuniting with old pitching coach Kyle Snyder would probably return the Rays greater value than any other club acquiring him.

Names to watch: Rays SP Blake Snell, Cubs SP Marcus Stroman

Can the Diamondbacks capitalize on their opening to win the NL West?

This may be the Arizona Diamondbacks’ greatest opportunity in a while to win an NL West title. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been tormented by injuries. The San Diego Padres have imploded. And the San Francisco Giants are trying to thread the needle between winning and building.

The D-backs are in desperate need of pitching. They have only two veteran starters they can count on with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. They don’t have a true closer. And they could use another setup man.

The D-backs, who just lost their $75 million TV deal, will be aggressive but not reckless, coming away with least one veteran starter, and perhaps a reliever or two. They’re certainly not about to throw away a valuable piece of the future when they’re already in prime position to secure at least a wild-card berth. — Bob Nightengale

Will the Padres wave the white flag at the trade deadline?

The San Diego Padres still seem delusional thinking they will get back into the race. They have been a mediocre team all season, and nothing is going to magically change in the second half.

They should swallow their pride and trade All-Star outfielder Juan Soto, getting back at least some of the value in the prospects they traded away in the first place to land him from the Washington Nationals. Yet, there has been no hint that he’s available. They instead are likely to shop All-Star closer Josh Hader and starter Blake Snell, barring a sudden and dramatic winning streak. — Bob Nightengale

Which MLB team will be next to make a big trade?

Here’s a look at the contenders who stand to gain the most with moves at the deadline, from USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already made a pair of moves to shore up their infield, but a big bat or a bullpen arm would help even more.
The Baltimore Orioles recently took over first place in the AL East. They will be shopping for a starting pitcher, maybe two.
The Tampa Bay Rays need a starter as well with Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen out for the season with injuries.
The Philadelphia Phillies recently got Bryce Harper back, and his ability to play first base opens up the opportunity to add a left fielder.
And the defending champion Houston Astros have seen their starting rotation depleted by injuries. They’ll be looking for an upgrade there as well.

Cardinals may not yet be done dealing

The St. Louis Cardinals, no matter how much the fan base may scream, or their players complain, are still open for business and trading away assets that don’t figure to be around next season.

They sent left-hander Jordan Montgomery to the Los Angeles Angels and closer Jordan Hicks to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday night, and there may be more deals in the works.

Starter Jack Flaherty, eligible for free agency in November, and perhaps injured reliever Ryan Helsley could be gone. Infielders Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong could be dealt, too, and outfielders Dylan Carlson and Tyler O’Neill better not send out their laundry, either.

The Cardinals will keep infield cornerstones Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, and outfielders Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar, try to build around them this winter, and hope that they are back to the Cardinal Way in 2024. — Bob Nightengale

MLB pitchers at the trade deadline: Who could be on the move?

You’ve got Marcus Stroman and Kyle Hendricks from the Cubs, Mike Clevinger from the White Sox, Flaherty in St. Louis, perhaps Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana in New York, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Lorenzen in Detroit, Paul Blackburn of the Oakland A’s, and maybe Josh Hader and Blake Snell in San Diego.

Former Guardians Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, who was supposed to be on the block for offensive help, now is staying put, sidelined until sometime in August with elbow inflammation.

The best of the starters may be Snell, who’s pitched to a 0.73 ERA over his last 13 starts but has battled control issues recently. Stroman may be the second-best, but he has yielded a 7.99 ERA in five outings this month.

Hader, the five-time All-Star closer, is easily the best reliever available. — Bob Nightengale

Will the Orioles go all-in at trade deadline?

Baltimore GM Mike Elias didn’t launch this massive rebuild, tearing down the organization to its bare studs, to suddenly reverse course, and trade prized prospects for rentals. The Orioles know their time has arrived, but just like the Astros did with Elias as their assistant GM under Jeff Luhnow, they are looking to build a franchise with sustained success.

They will not only be good this year, but perhaps will be haunting the Yankees and Red Sox for the next decade. — Bob Nightengale

Angels put Shohei Ohtani trade rumors to rest

Just in case anyone believed the zany and reckless rumors that the Los Angeles Angels were remotely considering trading Shohei Ohtani, they put it all to rest with several major trade acquisitions over the past week in an attempt to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Last Wednesday, the Angels acquired starter Lucas Giolito and reliever Reynaldo Lopez from the Chicago White Sox for minor-league catcher Edgar Quero and pitcher Ky Bush, their No. 2 and No. 3 prospects. (Giolito took the loss in his Angels debut on Friday.)

Then on Sunday, they brought back two of their former first-round draft picks in a deal with the Colorado Rockies.

First baseman C.J. Cron (17th overall, 2011 draft) and outfielder Randal Grichuk (24th overall, 2009) were acquired from the Rockies for minor league pitchers Mason Albright and Jake Madden.

Cron played his first four major league seasons in Anaheim, while the Angels traded Grichuk to the St. Louis Cardinals before he ever made his MLB debut.

Rangers, Blue Jays bolster pitching staffs on Sunday

It has been more than 20 years since the St. Louis Cardinals have been sellers at the trade deadline, and as much as they may dread it, they sure are taking full advantage of being a bullseye in a seller’s market.

The Cardinals traded closer Jordan Hicks to the Toronto Blue Jays and starter Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton to the Texas Rangers on Sunday and came away with a slew of prized prospects.

In Texas, Montgomery joins the prize of the trade deadline so far, three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer, as the Rangers look to maintain their lead in the AL West division.

Toronto was in need of a big arm at the back of the bullpen after All-Star closer Jordan Romano had to go on the injured list Sunday with lower back inflammation.

New York Mets trade pitcher Max Scherzer to Texas Rangers

The Mets began taking a sledgehammer to the team on Saturday by trading three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers for prized prospect Luisangel Acuña. (They have also opened trade talks with the Astros to send Justin Verlander back to Houston.) The blockbuster deal, with the Mets covering all but $22.5 million owed to Scherzer, became official when Scherzer waived his no-trade clause Sunday and agreed to exercise his $43.3 million player option in 2024.