MLB Rumors: Yankees have backup plans for Cody Bellinger trade

It's been a pretty poorly-kept secret amid the trade buzz that the New York Yankees would ideally be able to add former NL MVP Cody Bellinger at the deadline. That, however, is fully contingent upon the Cubs selling. And even just a week out from Aug. 1, that's still not a certainty.

All reports have indicated that the Cubs' decision on buying or selling could come down to the last possible minute. Just as crucially for the Yankees, Bellinger figures to be the most-coveted bat on the trade market, meaning that other contenders also looking for a left-handed outfielder — of which there are many — could simply offer Chicago more for Bellinger.

So what would the Yankees do then in order to try and provide the lineup with more offense?

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez noted that the Yankees indeed prefer a lefty bat to add to the lineup at the trade deadline, but aren't completely closed-off to a right-handed hitter if Brian Cashman and the New York brass are convinced that the acquisition would noticeably improve the offense. He also mentioned Mets outfielders Mark Canha and Tommy Pham, Rockies trade chip Randal Grichuk, Nationals standout Lane Thomas, and Cardinals outfielder Tyler O'Neill as options.

Dylan Carlson, a switch-hitting 24-year-old outfielder for St. Louis, was also mentioned with a note that he's been far better on the right side of the plate this season.

The point is, though, that upgrading the offense isn't Bellinger or bust for the Yankees. Though he remains the top target, if circumstances dictate a pivot, New York appears capable and ready to do so in order to still upgrade at the deadline.

MLB Rumors: Proposed Orioles trade package for Shohei Ohtani

Having overtaken the Rays in the AL East race, we could see the Baltimore Orioles take on an unfamiliar role at the trade deadline as one of the contenders buying aggressively. And no team is better off to make such moves than the O's, an organization that has constructed the best farm system in baseball, a major reason for their success in the 2023 season, it should be said.

But what if they went after the white whale of the trade deadline, one Shohei Ohtani? MLB.com's Jon Morosi reported on Monday that the Orioles have checked in on Ohtani's trade availability already, along with the Diamondbacks and some others,but also noted that the Angels remain wholly undecided on what to do with Ohtani or as buyers or sellers at the deadline.

So that begs the question of what Baltimore's trade package for Ohtani would look like. Jake Rill of MLB.com floated a five-prospect package that included INF Joey Ortiz, INF/OF Connor Norby , LHP DL Hall , OF Dylan Beavers, OF Kyle Stowers. That's four of the Orioles' Top 10 prospects, including two Top 100 prospects in MLB in Ortiz and Norby.

At the same time, though, Rill noted that the Orioles could keep their top prospects — Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg and Heston Kjerstad — off of the table since they'd be looking at a rental of Ohtani.

With that being said, a player of Ohtani's caliber has never been even conceivably on the trade block (or perhaps in baseball, period), so how much does that rental cost? Would the O's have to add one of their Top 4 prospects, though Holliday seems still farfetched as baseball's overall top prospect? It's quite possible, especially given a bevy of buyers inquiring about the two-way star.

Having said that, no organization has the farm system depth and flexibility to win those negotiations like the Orioles, so if they are indeed in and, most importantly, the Angels end up willing to sell, Ohtani and Baltimore, as wild as that would've sounded just a year ago, could be a reality.

MLB Rumors: Dodgers' haul of prospects could budge Cardinals on Arenado trade

Throughout the plethora of trade rumors stating clearly that the St. Louis Cardinals will sell at the Aug. 1 deadline, the club has maintained that All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado is not on the trade block.

And why would he be? Even with the dismal season emanating from Busch Stadium, Arenado is signed through 2027 at 32 years old currently and has maintained his status as one of the best hitting and best fielding players at the position in baseball. Moreover, with the Cardinals' stated intention of competing again in the 2024 season, trading one of the franchise's current cornerstones wouldnot fit into that.

Yet, there might be one team that could get St. Louis to budge: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As FanSided's Kevin Henry mentioned, the Dodgers are "enamored" by Arenado with the trade deadline a week away. However, the further report from ESPN's Alden Gonzalez critically states that LA might be the one team that has the prospect haul to send to the Cardinals that could sway them to move Arenado.

The Dodgers have the second-ranked farm system after the MLB Draft, per Bleacher Report, including a seemingly MLB-ready (or close to it) pitching talent like Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, Ryan Pepiot, and others. Withe Cardinals' top priority being upgrading the controllable pitching in their own system for 2024 and beyond, the Dodgers could answer that if the Red Bird were to show any willingness to move Arenado.

That, of course, doesn't mean it'll happen. However, if there's one team that could get the Cardinals to budge from their hard-line stance on the All-Star, then it would undoubtedly be the Dodgers.