MLB trade deadline rumors: Brewers add backup catcher; Tigers land starting pitcher as Twins start sale

The deadline is just days away

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is 6 p.m. ET this coming Thursday, July 31, and the action is beginning to pick up. This past weekend we saw Josh Naylor go to the Mariners and Ryan McMahon go to the Yankees, among others. Here now are Monday's deadline rumblings. 

Rays dealing Jansen to Brewers, acquiring Fortes

The Brewers are working on a deal to acquire Rays catcher Danny Jansen, ESPN reports. Jansen, 30, has slashed .204/.314/.389 (97 OPS+) with 11 home runs and 33 walks in 259 plate appearances this season. For his career, he owns an OPS+ of 99 across parts of eight MLB seasons. Jansen is owed the remainder of an $8.5 million salary for this season, and his contract includes a $12 million mutual option for 2026. The Brewers have William Contreras as their primary catcher, but Jansen figures to improve their depth at the position as they attempt to repeat as NL Central champions. The Rays will receive infield prospect Jadher Areinamo in the trade and will send cash to Milwaukee to pay down part of Jansen's remaining commitment, according to MLB.com. 

When it comes to replacing Jansen behind the plate, the Rays are in talks with the Marlins to acquire catcher Nick Fortes, The Athletic reports. Fortes, 28, has a career OPS+ of 70 across parts of five major-league seasons. He's not eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season. Outfielder Matthew Etzel will go back to Miami in the deal, per MLB.com.

Tigers land Paddack

The Tigers have acquired right-hander Chris Paddack from the Twins, reports The Athletic. Paddack is one of several rental Twins players expected to move before the deadline, with outfielder Harrison Bader and lefty Danny Coulombe the most notable. The AL Central leading Tigers have lost 12 times in their last 14 games, largely because their bullpen has struggled. Paddack is likely to step into the rotation. Detroit has had a revolving door in the No. 5 spot since Jackson Jobe went down with an elbow injury in May.

Mariners have more urgent need for bullpen help

Although they are pursuing former Mariner and current Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez, the Mariners have a more urgent need for bullpen help, according to the Seattle Times. GM Jerry Dipoto said he intends to be "aggressive" in pursuit of late-inning bullpen help prior to Thursday's deadline. Seattle is hardly the only contender seeking relief arms.

The Mariners have an excellent closer in Andrés Muñoz and a strong setup tandem in righty Matt Brash and lefty Gabe Speier. The bullpen thins out a bit after that, and manager Dan Wilson has leaned on his top three relievers heavily. There is no such thing as too many good relievers. In Seattle's case, they could also use one to lighten the load on Muñoz, et al.

Cortes a trade candidate

Veteran lefty Nestor Cortes is a trade candidate for the Brewers, according to the New York Post. Cortes made two starts in April and has been sidelined since with a flexor strain. He is currently on a minor-league rehab assignment and has a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings across four starts. Cortes is eligible to come off the injured list at any time. He will be a free agent after the season.

Milwaukee is one of the few contenders with rotation depth to spare. Jacob Misiorowski, Freddy Peralta, Quinn Priester, Jose Quintana, and Brandon Woodruff anchor the big-league staff while Logan Henderson, Tobias Myers, and Chad Patrick wait in the wings. Trading Cortes (or Quintana) would be a sensible way to add some prospects without sacrificing much depth.

Mets talking Vientos

The Mets are discussing third baseman Mark Vientos and interested teams believe they are willing to move him, reports SNY. New York is seeking pitching help for both the rotation and bullpen. Young infielders like Luisangel Acuña, Brett Baty, and Ronny Mauricio make it easier to deal Vientos, who was a huge part of the club's run to the NLCS last season.

Vientos, 25, authored a .266/.322/.516 line with 27 home runs last year, but has not come close to repeating that production this year. Also, his third base defense is rough, and it's likely he will wind up at first base long-term. The bat is the calling card here. If nothing else, Mets POBO David Stearns would not be doing his job if he didn't listen to offers for Vientos.

Yankees interested in Bird

With third base (Ryan McMahon) and the bench (Amed Rosario) addressed, the Yankees are now looking to improve their bullpen, with Rockies righty Jake Bird of particular interest, according to The Athletic. The Rockies are also receiving calls about relievers Seth Halvorsen and Victor Vodnik, as well as catcher Hunter Goodman and center fielder Brenton Doyle, reports MLB.com.

New York's bullpen ranks 26th in ERA and 29th in WAR since June 1, and is the single biggest reason for their recent tumble down the standings. Closer Devin Williams has turned his season around since a rough April. Lefty matchup guy Tim Hill has been reliable as well. Otherwise, the bullpen has been very shaky. The Yankees figure to add at least one reliever prior to Thursday's deadline, and likely more than one.

Mets eyeing center field help

The Mets are looking to add a center fielder prior to Thursday's trade deadline, reports ESPN. Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox and Cedric Mullins of the Orioles are on their radar. Mullins is a rental, while Robert's contract includes $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, though his performance this year means it is not a lock next year's option gets picked up.

Jose Siri has been out since April 12 with a fracture in his leg. New York has relied on Tyrone Taylor as their primary center fielder since then, and although he is a strong fielder, his bat leaves much to be desired. Jeff McNeil, normally an infielder, has also seen time in center. Mullins would fit nicely as a lefty complement to the righty-hitting Taylor. The Mets and O's hooked up for the Gregory Soto trade this past weekend.

Teams showing interest in Marte

Mets outfielder Starling Marte is generating trade interest, reports the New York Post. Marte, 36, is earning $19.5 million in the final year of his contract, and the Mets expressed a willingness to eat money to facilitate a trade over the winter. These days, Marte is a DH more than an outfielder. He's started 40 games at DH, four games in left field, and one game in right around an injury this year. Still, his strong on-base skills (.364 OBP) make him a solid enough option for a team looking to add lineup depth.

Braves trade for Carrasco

With every member of their Opening Day rotation on the 60-day injured list, the Braves picked up veteran righty Carlos Carrasco in a minor trade with the Yankees Monday, the team announced. Carrasco, 38, made six starts and two relief appearances for New York earlier this season. He has been with their Triple-A affiliate since May, where he's pitched to a 3.27 ERA in 52 ⅓ innings. Carrasco has completed seven innings in each of his last three starts. The Yankees will receive cash or a player to be named later in the deal.