Let's take a look at some of the latest MLB rumors swirling, including notes on the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.
We begin our MLB rumors roundup in Florida, where MLB insiders are trying to figure out exactly which players might be a good fit for the Tampa Bay Rays as they look to continue with their stranglehold on the top of the American League East.
MLB rumors: Could this All-Star be a fit for Tampa Bay Rays?
MLB insider Jim Bowden wrote in this piece for The Athletic (subscription required) that Kansas City Royals catcher/designated hitter Salvador Perez coming over in a trade to Tampa "would be a game-changer for the Rays."
Tampa Bay is currently ranked 24th out of MLB's 30 teams in bWAR at the catching position, so adding someone like Perez and his .246/.289/.435 slash line that he has produced this season would certainly be a plus.
However, Perez told me personally during the recent All-Star Game's media availability that he is "100 percent" happy to be in Kansas City and a part of the direction the franchise is moving. Bowden even admits in his article that, "Perez has full no-trade protection as a player with 10 years of service, five consecutive with the same club, and the Kansas City front office doesn't appear to want to entertain offers for him."
While Perez may be a good fit for the Rays (and many other teams), don't expect to see him moved at the MLB trade deadline.
MLB rumors: Trade between Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers possible?
With the White Sox almost certain to be sellers and the Dodgers looking for pitching help after numerous injuries this season, Lucas Giolito could be in the crosshairs for Los Angeles at the trade deadline as a big-name target.
Sure, there is the hometown connection, but Giolito would immediately add a lot of talent into the Dodgers rotation, one that saw Clayton Kershaw go on the injured list just before the All-Star break.
Los Angeles did get Julio Urias back from injury before the Midsummer Classic, so that's a positive inside Chavez Ravine. However, it's clear the Dodgers will have to improve in both the rotation and bullpen to not only potentially win the National League West, but also have any chance at a deep run in the postseason.
MLB rumors: St. Louis Cardinals looking to trade with Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees?
With St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations, John Mozeliak, stating that "we're going to trade people," the task leading up to the MLB trade deadline becomes which players will the Cardinals send away as well as which ones will they target for a rebuild ahead of the 2024 campaign?
According to Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, there are two players that are rumored to be acquisition targets for the Cardinals. The first in Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert, a 26-year-old right-hander who has posted a 3.66 ERA/3.47 FIP/0.978 WHIP in 18 starts (108.1 innings) this season. Gilbert isn't scheduled to become a free agent until the 2028 campaign, so he would fill a need to controllable starting pitching for the Cardinals.
Another name mentioned by Goold is Clayton Beeter, a right-hander at the Triple-A level for the New York Yankees who has 83 strikeouts in 14 starts (71.2 innings) this season. Selected to the recent Futures Game, the 24-year-old right-hander came to the Yankees in the trade that sent Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers and has yet to make his MLB debut.
While it's unclear exactly what it would cost the Cardinals to land either of these starting pitching targets, it is clear that St. Louis knows it needs to address its rotation for the long term at the trade deadline.