MLB Trade Deadline 2023: End Date and Fresh Rumors

With Major League Baseball's August 1 trade deadline rapidly approaching, teams are homing in on the moves they hope to make.

There are myriad reasons that teams engage in trades at the deadline—some are looking to get better immediately, some are eyeing prospects for the long-term play, and others may be simply looking to shed salary and/or expiring contracts.

Fans should expect a fair amount of activity this year. Though we may not see a true blockbuster like last summer's stunner involving Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Luke Volt, there should be an active market.

Let's dive into some of the latest rumors that have the baseball world buzzing with the deadline just over a week away.

The defending-champion Houston Astros are hoping to get another chance in the postseason. However, they still trail the Texas Rangers in the AL West, and they're no locks to win a heated wild-card race.

Injuries have been an issue for Houston, though the team appears to be trending in a positive direction. Jose Altuve resumed batting practice this week, and Yordan Álvarez could be back as early as Monday.

While a healthier lineup would aid the Astros offensively, the front office is reportedly considering ways to bolster the pitching staff.

Last Sunday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that Houston had checked in on Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman. However, the Astros may be more keen to land another pitcher from the Windy City.

Appearing on MLB Network's Inside Corner, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Astros would "love" to land Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease. Of course, Heyman noted that several teams would love to get Cease and that Chicago isn't coming off of the 27-year-old cheaply.

"Close to untouchable," Heyman said. "So, they'd have to pay a big price to add Dylan Cease."

Heyman also noted that the Astros are looking at Stroman, though he appears to be a Plan B behind Cease. Heyman called Cease Houston's "dram acquisition."

While the Cubs aren't completely out of the playoff race, they're a distant third in the NL Central and probably should be motivated to sell at the deadline.

According to The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, "Scouts seem split as to whether Marcus Stroman or Cody Bellinger, arguably the two best players who are seen as likely to get traded, would fetch more for the Cubs."

Stroman, who is 10-7 with a 3.09 ERA, might interest the Tampa Bay Rays if he's ultimately the player Chicago is eager to move. According to Sharma, Tampa has "been focused" on its pitching, as have teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.

The Rays have been holding steady at or near the top of the AL East, so a win-now move like dealing for Stroman would be logical. The question is whether Tampa could make an enticing offer without significantly altering its lineup.

The answer might be found in the Rays' prospect pool.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi recently called infielder Jonathan Aranda "the trade candidate we're not talking about enough."

Aranda, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Durham, has made a couple of appearances for the Rays but hasn't gotten much major-league run because Tampa already has a strong infield lineup.

There's a chance that Aranda's call-ups have been in an effort to showcase him to other teams. Aranda came into Saturday batting .343 with 95 hits and 17 home runs for Durham.

Pitchers seem to be drawing the most interest ahead of the deadline, and New York Mets standout Justin Verlander has begun to create some buzz as well.

According to Morosi, the San Francisco Giants are "among the teams evaluating" the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

Adding Verlander would be a huge move by the Giants, who are only a handful of games out of first in the NL West. However, there are several obstacles that could prevent them from making the move.

The first is that New York might not view itself as a seller ahead of the deadline. Despite spending big on players like Verlander over the winter, the Mets have to seriously consider whether a playoff push is realistic.

"For the better part of a month, the drumbeat in Queens has justifiably been to sell. The Mets have played better in July but still not good enough to make up for their moribund June," The Athletic's Tim Britton wrote.

There's a lot of season left, and if New York believes it can turn things around in a hurry—or at least, put together a strong 2024 roster—it may not look to offload its centerpieces.

The other problem for teams like San Francisco is that Verlander's two-year, $86.7 million contract came with a full no-trade clause. If the 40-year-old doesn't want to leave, he won't, and he has publicly expressed his desire to remain a Met.

"I remain committed to trying to win a championship here," Verlander told The Athletic's Will Sammon.

The right offer and the right opportunity, however, could change everything, so Verlander will remain a player to watch.

*Contract information via Spotrac.