What we’re hearing about Cubs, White Sox, O’s, Yankees and more at MLB trade deadline

The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.

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Here’s a compilation of the latest reporting as of Saturday night from The Athletic’s team of reporters as Monday’s trade deadline approaches.

Pitching wanted in Chicago

White Sox not done

Even after adding right-hander Luis Castillo, the AL Central-leading White Sox remain open to bringing in another starting pitcher, said someone briefed on their plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss deliberations.

With Castillo under control through at least 2027 — the 33-year-old’s deal includes a vesting option for ’28 — the White Sox are willing to dip into the rental market if they add another starter.

That market is deep in options, and should start to move quickly now that the Detroit Tigers agreed to trade ace left-hander Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The White Sox acquired Castillo on Saturday night, absorbing the approximately $30 million he is guaranteed for the rest of this season and next. As part of the deal, they offloaded to the Seattle Mariners the $15.2 million owed to reliever Seranthony Domínguez.

As the White Sox demonstrated with the trade, payroll flexibility is not a major concern. Their payroll, now approximately $99 million, remains one of the game’s lowest. — Ken Rosenthal

Cubs still hope to add three arms

The Cubs anticipate a few pitchers will return from the injured list in the final two months of the season, starting with right-hander Edward Cabrera and closer Daniel Palencia. But they’ve dealt with so many pitching ailments this season, they are taking no chances.

Ideally, the Cubs will add three pitchers before Monday’s deadline, according to a source briefed on their thinking — two starters and a reliever or two relievers and a starter. That might not be possible, but the supply of both rotation and bullpen options is plentiful, creating numerous possibilities.

The supply of catchers and right-handed hitters, on the other hand, is minimal, creating the potential for interest in catcher Carson Kelly and right fielder Seiya Suzuki.

Both, however, are highly unlikely to be dealt, said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.

Suzuki, the Cubs’ No. 2 hitter, is probably too valuable to move. The Cubs might have envisioned a Michael Conforto-Matt Shaw platoon in right without him, but Shaw has been on the injured list since June 29 with a sprained left wrist.

Kelly, too, is part of the Cubs’ fabric, and trading him would affect the Cubs’ pitching staff and clubhouse morale. The Cubs would only consider it if a team bowled them over with an overwhelming offer, which is not out of the question.

The demand for catching is intense, and Colorado’s Hunter Goodman, Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers and Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman are all longshots to be dealt. And if the Cubs traded Kelly, they would need to find another catcher, too. — Patrick Mooney and Rosenthal

Yankees

Bats squandering golden opportunities

The Yankees’ need for a bat — any bat — before the trade deadline was on full display again Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Cubs.

Starting pitcher Max Fried gave them 5 1/3 innings, giving up just a run. And while the bullpen wasn’t great behind him, the Yankees scored two or fewer runs for the 16th time in 39 games since June 18 — the date their lineup really started taking a nosedive. They are averaging 3.33 runs a game since.

The Yankees’ starting pitching has been terrific, but the bats are letting the Yankees down. Going into tonight, Yankees starters had allowed one run or fewer in eight of their last 10 outings, including each of the last five games.

“We don’t have a lot of margin for error when you’re not putting a lot of points on the board,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We put some traffic out there. We probably had 10-plus base runners tonight. So those are little signs, hopefully, of the offense getting things going a little bit. But obviously we need to keep doing a little bit more.”

Time might be up for this collection of hitters to do more. The Yankees have their work cut out for them. — Brendan Kuty

Sánchez stays in Milwaukee

Naylor trade doesn’t impact current catching rotation

The Milwaukee Brewers are not looking to trade Gary Sánchez, who catches and sees time at designated hitter, after acquiring catcher Bo Naylor, said people briefed on their thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Milwaukee wanted Naylor as another layer of protection behind starting backstop William Contreras and backups Sánchez and Jeferson Quero.

That is because Quero is battling biceps soreness, which restricts him to DH duties for a couple of weeks. The Brewers’ tentative plan is for Quero to resume catching around Aug. 15. They don’t view his issue as major, but they’re proceeding cautiously given his injury history.

Sánchez, a right-handed batter in a market lacking such options, owns a .790 OPS with eight home runs. — Will Sammon and Rosenthal

Orioles

What’s next for Ward?

The Orioles’ Taylor Ward has been at or near the top of the shopping list for every team seeking a righty-hitting outfield bat since the market for players like him may never have been thinner.

It’s noteworthy, then, that the Yankees, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks and a delegation of Phillies scouts and executives already in town to watch their team and plot deadline strategy are in Baltimore for the Orioles’ series against Philadelphia.

That is far from a complete list of teams interested in Ward, though. Other clubs that have been linked to him include the Guardians, Pirates and Braves — the latter of which added righty-hitting outfielder Lane Thomas in a trade with the Kansas City Royals that also netted Triple-A starter Bailey Falter on Saturday night.

Everyone is awaiting word from the Orioles that they actually plan to trade him. The Orioles went into their Sunday matinee only 1 1/2 games out of the final American League wild-card spot. — Jayson Stark

Blue Jays

Toronto open for business

The Blue Jays have won three games in a row and six of their last nine. The hot stretch, though, is not expected to change Toronto’s trade deadline strategy, said league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss deadline plans. Toronto is still seven games under .500 and 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, with six teams to jump for the final AL Wild Card.

Their FanGraphs playoff odds aren’t zero, but at about 10 percent the postseason still appears out of reach. That’s why the Jays remain open to moving their expiring contracts, which includes those for starters Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber, DH George Springer and outfielder Daulton Varsho. Right-hander Jeff Hoffman, under contract through 2027, is likely one of the best relievers on the market and may also be traded.

The Jays hope to thread the needle with their moves, league sources said, but that was the plan even before this recent winning stretch. They may trade prospects for a big league piece with multiple years of control or take on a player with a significant contract who would bolster the MLB team.

The Jays, with the American League picture still so muddled, probably won’t be the only team trying to buy and sell. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias told reporters earlier this week that he planned to do both. — Mitch Bannon