Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, scheduled for July 31, is now just a week away. In other words, it’s that blessed (or cursed, depending on your perspective) time of the year when rumors and transactions dominate our coverage. As such, below CBS Sports has gathered all the latest murmurs and moves below in one convenient place.
Yankees have talked Cruz with Pirates
The New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates have had at least cursory discussions about outfielder/infielder Oneil Cruz, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports. However, the ask for Cruz is of course high, according to Heyman.
Oneil Cruz
This season, Cruz has a .739 OPS with 16 home runs and an MLB-leading 33 stolen bases in 91 games. This is his first season as a primary center fielder, and he’s been a mixed bag defensively at his new position. Cruz, 26, isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season, so there’s no real urgency on the part of Pittsburgh to move him.
Latest on Suárez market as D-backs admit they’re sellers
Count the Cincinnati Reds among the teams to talk with the Arizona Diamondbacks about third baseman Eugenio Suárez, arguably the most sought-after bat on the trade market. Suárez, of course, spent seven seasons with the Reds, meaning that this would be a reunion.
Alas, don’t put up the “welcome back” banner just yet: MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, however, spoke with sources who categorized the chances of the two sides agreeing to a deal involving Suárez as “a long shot.”
Elsewhere, the D-backs are said to be scouting both the New York Yankees and New York Mets farm systems, according to SNY.
Eugenio Suárez
Suárez, a 34-year-old impending free agent, enters Thursday hitting .252/.325/.593 with 36 home runs and 18 additional extra-base hits. His contributions had been worth an estimated 3.4 Wins Above Replacement as of Wednesday, according to the calculations housed at Baseball Reference.
The Diamondbacks, for their part, seem willing to enter the deadline as a seller despite being 5 ½ games out of a wild-card spot. Arizona has a slew of impending free agents who could be on the move over the coming week, including right-handers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen and first baseman Josh Naylor, among others.
Speaking of Suárez, the M’s are in
The Seattle Mariners remain interested in reuniting with the slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez, and that’s the case even after they acquired Suárez’s erstwhile teammate, Josh Naylor, via trade on Thursday. MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer reports that Suárez is Seattle’s “top priority” leading up to the deadline as the club attempts to hold on to wild-card position and chip away at the Astros’ lead in the AL West. Seattle has struggled badly to get adequate production from third base this season.
Yankees getting hits on Rice
The Yankees have received inquiries on Ben Rice, with some teams intrigued by the possibility of using him behind the plate, according to the New York Post.
Ben Rice
Rice, 26, has appeared in 12 games this season as a catcher, starting five of them. At the dish, he’s hit .232/.323/.468 (118 OPS+) with 15 home runs and 19 additional extra-base hits over 320 plate appearances. The Yankees currently have more hitters than slots, with manager Aaron Boone mixing and matching a group that includes Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and Cody Bellinger between first base, left and center field, and the designated hitter role.
