MLB rumors: Dodgers may be out on Skubal, who’s scouting Foster Griffin, Mets could be in for deeper teardown

The trade deadline in Major League Baseball is now just one week away, as it is set for Monday, Aug. 3. Some jockeying still needs to be done by then, of course, as the overwhelming majority of teams are still technically in the playoff race. On that front, we’ll see some action this week, but much of the maneuvering will happen next Monday. 

In the meantime, let’s get to the rumors from today. 

Dodgers unlikely to add Skubal

We aren’t even sure if the Tigers are sellers or not, given that they enter Monday 3 ½ games out of a playoff spot. If they do end up as sellers, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will be the big deadline prize. The two-time defending-champion Dodgers, at least for now, aren’t expected to pursue Skubal should he become available. Per the LA Times:

With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.  

Things can change, obviously. The Dodgers are always lurking with their deep pockets and fruitful farm system. Even if they don’t necessarily need starting pitching, the move here would be to prevent other teams from getting the ace lefty. 

Also, keep in mind that Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are injured and Shohei Ohtani has been shut down from pitching indefinitely. The hunch here is, if Skubal becomes available, the Dodgers are lying in the proverbial weeds. 

Astros are buyers

Astros general manager Dana Brown continues to make it clear that the Astros are planning to buy in the hopes of making the playoffs in the final year of his contract. 

“The division is wide open,” he said (via The Athletic). “The wild card is wide open. There’s some parity there. There’s a lot of teams bunched up,” Brown said on the Astros pregame radio show Sunday. “I think the team that gets hot is going to be the team that takes the run. We would anticipate that we’re going to be buyers.”

The Astros are two games out in the AL West and from the third American League wild-card race. 

As for what the Astros would like to add, a big bat in the outfield appears to be the priority. 

“We’re looking for some type of offensive bat that can play the outfield,” Brown said. “If it’s a left-handed bat, great, but any type of offensive upgrade that can help lengthen the lineup would be our focus.”

Phillies, Rays watching All-Star pitcher

The Nationals are only one game away from the last National League wild-card spot right now, but the organization is in the midst of a retooling and has shown a willingness to deal from the big-league club. Lefty All-Star Foster Griffin (12-2, 2.76) is on a one-year deal and, accordingly, is drawing a ton of interest. 

The Phillies and Rays both had a scout watching Griffin in his start on Saturday, per The Athletic. The big takeaway here isn’t necessarily that those teams are hotter on Griffin than others, but instead that he’s a major trade chip here during his breakout season.

The expectation should be that every contender looking for starting pitching will be involved.

From Japan to potential trade deadline gem: Nationals’ Foster Griffin is one of MLB’s biggest success stories

Mike Axisa

Mets have a high bar for players under control past this season

The Mets will be one of the biggest sellers at the deadline this season, and their lineup boasts a number of players set to hit free agency after this season. As for players under control past 2026, president of baseball operations David Stearns will set a high bar on any return in order to make a deal, according to the New York Post. He’s open to moving such players, as long as the price is met. 

Mets players hitting free agency after this season: Luis Robert Jr. (team option for next season), Clay Holmes (player option), Tyrone Taylor, A.J. Minter, Freddy Peralta, Brooks Raley

Mets players controlled through 2027: Luke Weaver, Jorge Polanco, Huascar Brazobán

Needless to say, we’ll be talking about the Mets a lot this coming week, regarding the trade market.

Reds place trade candidate on IL

Bad timing here. The Reds have placed utility power hitter Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list due to a right wrist sprain. The expectation was that Steer would be on the move here in front of the deadline (and president of baseball operations Nick Krall conceded that was likely), so the wrist injury complicates things. Keep in mind, though, that it isn’t unheard of for an injured player to be traded. The Dodgers added Tommy Edman in 2024, for example, and he didn’t return until Aug. 19 that season before being a regular starter in the playoffs en route to a World Series title. 

Steer, 28, is hitting .238/.319/.421 (101 OPS+) with 16 home runs this season. He’s under team control through 2028.

White Sox add Urquidy

The White Sox have acquired right-handed pitcher José Urquidy, the team announced late Sunday.

Once a productive starter, Urquidy posted an 8.53 ERA in 6 ⅓ innings for the Pirates earlier this season and a 7.71 ERA in 2 ⅓ innings last season for the Tigers. He’s clearly a flier for the White Sox here, as they could use the organizational depth with starting pitching.