This year’s trade deadline is Monday, Aug. 3, which means it is only two weeks and two days away. Now that the amateur draft is in the rear-view mirror, front offices have shifted their focus to the deadline.
Expect the trades to start soon. Until then, here are Saturday’s deadline rumors.
Yankees have shown interest in Goodman
The Yankees have shown interest in Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman in the past, reports ESPN. The two teams have not spoken recently, however. New York’s catchers have been simply dreadful this season. They rank 29th in batting average (.175) and on-base percentage (.250), 30th in slugging percentage (.269), and 26th with 0.2 WAR.
Goodman, 26, leads all catchers with 27 home runs this season, and he’s been better on the road (18 HR and .964 OPS) than at Coors Field (9 HR and .729 OPS). On the downside, he does not rate well defensively and has one of the highest strikeout rates in baseball. Still, Goodman would be a huge upgrade for the Yankees, and he’ll remain under team control through 2029.
Braves focused on adding offense
Despite all their pitching injuries, the Braves are currently focused on adding offense, according to The Athletic. As a team, the Braves are hitting .231/.298/.378 since June 1. Ronald Acuña Jr. could return from his hamstring strain at some point during the team’s current homestand. Even then, there is still room to add a bat, particularly at shortstop or DH.
The Braves are currently without Martín Pérez (forearm), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow bone spur surgery), AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery), Spencer Strider (elbow inflammation), and Robert Suarez (elbow inflammation). All are expected back in the coming weeks. Atlanta has pitching reinforcements coming. Other than Acuña, that isn’t true on offense.
Nationals getting calls about García
Multiple teams have asked the Nationals about slugging first baseman Luis García Jr., reports The Athletic. García, 26, shifted from second base to first base this season, and he’s hit 15 of his 20 home runs in his last 33 games. He is a left-handed hitter who has been heavily platooned, plus he’s not great defensively. That said, García’s extra year of control is meaningful.
The Diamondbacks and Padres stand out as clubs in the postseason race (both are currently on the outside looking in) that need an upgrade at first base. García’s extra year of control means that, even if they don’t reach the postseason this year, it would still be a worthwhile move for Arizona or San Diego because he could help in 2027. (Those two teams are just my speculation.)
