The 2016 non-waiver trade deadline is less than two weeks away now. We've already seen a handful of trades go down in recent weeks, most notably involving James Shields and Drew Pomeranz, and you can be sure many more moves are on the way.
To help you keep track of all the rumors and rumblings, we'll log the day's buzz right here, so make sure you check back often for the latest updates. Here's a look at Monday's trade chatter.
Tribe in outfield market?
Update: 7:47 pm ET
The Indians got some troubling news on rehabbing outfielder Michael Brantley on Tuesday. Brantley's trying to work his way back from offseason shoulder surgery, and now he's slated for an MRI after possibly suffering a setback.
This is concerning because Brantley is currently on his second DL stint of the season for this very issue. He underwent surgery in November of last year, and the Indians activated him on April 25. By May 14, though, he was back on the disabled list with inflammation in that surgically repaired shoulder. He's logged just 43 plate appearances on the season. Brantley's been outstanding over the last two seasons, so he's missed by the Indians, even as they pace the AL Central.
Obviously, the results of the MRI could show no evidence of a setback, and it's worth noting that Brantley was showing good progress before this latest wrinkle. However, there's no doubt that his recovery from surgery has been anything but smooth.
Cleveland has fared just fine so far, but moving forward, Rajai Davis and Tyler Naquin are regression candidates. As well, Marlon Byrd was of course suspended for 162 games in early June.
If the news is not good on Brantley, then perhaps an outfielder will be added to Cleveland's deadline to-do list. There's not much in the way of specific scuttle on this front, but outfield trade candidates commonly bandied about include Jay Bruce, Josh Reddick, Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon, Melvin Upton, and Ryan Braun. It's always possible, of course, that the Indians' front office will opt to go status quo in the outfield and focus on bolstering the bullpen.
Twins, Red Sox talked trade
Update: 4:04pm ET
The Twins and Red Sox have talked trades in recent weeks but "aren't a great match at this point," reports Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. There had been chatter in recent weeks that the BoSox could pursue Ervin Santana, though the Drew Pomeranz pickup lessens their need for rotation help. The Red Sox are clearly buyers while the last place Twins figure to look to trade away veterans at the deadline. Minnesota fired GM Terry Ryan on Monday.
Indians willing to make big move?
Update: 3:59pm ET
Rival teams believe the Indians are more open to making a blockbuster trade now than they have been in previous years, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. We buy this rumor, for what it's worth. The first place Indians are looking for a shutdown lefty reliever and have been connected to Andrew Miller. They certainly have the prospects and the motivation to made a big trade; Cleveland has been to the postseason once since 2007, and that was a Wild Card game loss in 2013.
Rangers scouting Yankees
Update: 2:20pm ET
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers are scouting several Yankees players in advance of the trade deadline, including Ivan Nova, Nathan Eovaldi, and even CC Sabathia. They've reportedly expressed interest in Andrew Miller as well. Grant says everyone is asking the Rangers for either Joey Gallo or Jurickson Profar, and while they're not untouchable, they come with a high price tag.
Yanks going 'full bore' into market
Update: 2:16pm ET
The Yankees are going "full bore" into shaping trades for Aroldis Chapman and others prior to the trade deadline, reports ESPN's Buster Olney. Team ownership is reportedly still on the fence about selling off veterans -- the Yankees have won two straight but are still five games back of a Wild Card spot -- but the baseball operations department is putting themselves in position to swing some deals should they get the green light.
Yanks scouting Indians' prospects
Update: 1:20pm ET
According to ESPN's Keith Law, the Yankees had two scouts on hand to see left-hander and top Indians pitching prospect Justus Sheffield pitch Tuesday afternoon. He struck out eight in 6 2/3 scoreless innings (box score). Cleveland is said to have interest in Andrew Miller, so it makes sense that the Yankees would be scouting their High Class-A affiliate. The Indians have many top prospects there even aside from Sheffield.
Indians reluctant to trade for catcher
Update: 12:01pm ET
Despite losing catcher Yan Gomes to a shoulder injury for 1-2 months, the Indians are reluctant to trade for a catcher, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. The team plans to go with Chris Gimenez and Roberto Perez behind the plate for the time being. It had been speculated the Indians could pursue Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy even before Gomes got hurt.
Marlins working to add a starter
Update: 11:50am ET
The Marlins are working to add a starting pitcher before the deadline, reports MLB.com's Jon Morosi. Among their targets are Phillies righty Jeremy Hellickson, Padres righty Andrew Cashner, and Yankees righty Michael Pineda. Hellickson and Cashner are rentals while Pineda would remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player in 2017. The Marlins have a one-game lead over the Mets for the second Wild Card spot at the moment.
Nats interested in Blackmon
Update: 11:29am ET
According to MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the Nationals are showing interest in Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon. They're looking for an upgrade over Ben Revere in both center field and the leadoff spot. Blackmon, 30, is one of the game's most consistently underrated players. He's hitting .305/.368/.481 (108 OPS+) with 12 homers and 10 steals in 2016, and owns a 106 OPS+ since becoming a regular in 2013. That said, Blackmon has been way better at home in Coors Field (.916 OPS) than on the road (.790) this year.
Rangers getting calls about Profar
Update: 11:22am ET
The Rangers are receiving a "ton of calls" about infielder Jurickson Profar, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The Rays are among the teams showing the most interest. Profar, who is still only 23, is hitting .318/.366/.455 (114 OPS+) with four homers in 40 games as a supersub this season. He missed the entire 2014-15 seasons with shoulder trouble. Profar was the best prospect in baseball a few years ago, and given his age, it's no surprise teams hope to acquire his talent despite the shoulder woes.
Cashner drawing interest
Update: 10:14am ET
Padres righty Andrew Cashner is "drawing trade interest (from) a surprising number of clubs," reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. One of those clubs is the Rangers. Cashner, 29, is 4-7 with a 5.05 ERA (78 OPS+) in 14 starts and 67 2/3 innings around hamstring and neck injuries this year. His underlying stats (5.12 FIP) aren't any better. Cashner will be a free agent after the season, so he's a pure rental.
Pirates doing due diligence
Update: 10:14am ET
Pirates GM Neal Huntington told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he is doing his "due diligence" for all parts of the roster, but acknowledged the pitching staff needs the most help. "We're doing due diligence on all fronts, but the pitching is what seems to need the most help at this point unless we're willing to go with what we've got internally," said Huntington.
Dodgers open to trading Puig
Update: 10:06am ET
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Dodgers are open to trading outfielder Yasiel Puig. We buy this rumor. Puig, who is still only 25, is hitting .257/.321/.379 (91 OPS+) with seven homers in 75 games around a hamstring injury this year. It's by far his worst MLB season to date on a rate basis.
