The 2023 MLB trade deadline is Aug. 1 this year. Only one week and five days away. The trade activity began Wednesday with the Orioles picking up hard-throwing Shintaro Fujinami from the Athletics. The trade floodgates could soon open. Here are Thursday's trade deadline rumors.
Angels not close to Ohtani decision
After sweeping the Yankees, the Angels are not close to a decision about trading Shohei Ohtani, reports MLB.com. The Halos are 4.5 games behind the third and final wild-card spot and are expected to give themselves as much time as possible to get into the race and avoid an Ohtani trade, something they don't want to do. They want to keep him and get to the postseason.
Also, Ohtani has a chance to hit 60 home runs and challenge Aaron Judge's American League single-season record of 62 homers. Even if the Angels fall out of the postseason race, Ohtani's home run chase is going to put a lot of butts in the seats. Angels owner Arte Moreno is all about big names and trading Ohtani in the middle of chasing Judge's record may not sit well with him.
Yankees may try to avoid top CBT penalties
The Yankees may try to get under the $297 million third competitive balance tax threshold at the deadline, according to The Athletic. FanGraphs estimates New York's CBT payroll at $294.1 million. Because CBT "hits" are prorated in-season, the Yankees will have to shed about $3.3 million at the deadline to get under $293 million, and more than that to have room for call ups down the stretch.
The CBT includes four penalty levels ($233 million, $253 million, $273 million, $293 million) each with increasing tax rates and some with non-monetary penalties. The Yankees incurred all the non-monetary penalties at the $273 million third threshold, including pushing their 2024 first-round pick back 10 spots. Getting under $293 million would just save the team some money.
Mets getting calls about Canha
Teams are calling the Mets about outfielder Mark Canha, reports ESPN. Tommy Pham's strong season has pushed Canha into a part-time role -- Canha has started only 10 of the team's last 23 games -- though he's good enough to play regularly as an on-base guy who will put a mistake in the seats, steal a base, and play solid defense in left and right fields as well as at first base.
Canha, 34, is owed the remainder of his $10.5 million salary this season, and his contract includes an affordable $11.5 million club option for 2025. The $2 million buyout makes it a $9.5 million decision. The Mets ate money (a lot of it) in the Eduardo Escobar and Trevor Gott trades, and could pay down Canha's salary to get a better return, or at least facilitate a trade.
D-Backs could be aggressive at deadline
The Diamondbacks enter play Wednesday with a 54-42 record. They sit in the top wild-card spot, 1.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, and two games up on a postseason berth in general. Arizona figures to add at the deadline and could be aggressive, though GM Mike Hazen cautioned the team will not be reckless.
"There's a difference between being aggressive and reckless," Hazen told the Arizona Republic recently. "We're not going to be reckless. We'll be aggressive, even ultra-aggressive, but I feel like being reckless does not serve anyone's interests, this year's team or in the future."
The D-Backs could certainly use another starting pitcher, preferably someone with control beyond 2024. Bullpen help and possibly another bat, likely at third base or in the outfield, could also be in the cards. Arizona is set up well to contend in the future, though the current team needs reinforcements. There's a way for Hazen to buy now without damaging that future.
