MLB Rumors: Trade deadline sellers will cash in big time

The Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline is right around the corner, which means teams are essentially deciding between three potential options: buy, sell, or stand pat.

Teams who have underperformed are looking to get off bad money and reset for next season. Teams in and around the contenders' circle are either keeping their crew together or looking to make moves to improve.

MORE MLB RUMORS ROUNDUPS FROM TODAY:

• Cubs pull star off trade market, Yankees-Cardinals trade talk, Rangers secret weapon for Scherzer
• Cardinals trade gaining steam, Braves chatter, Astros reunion, more

Houston Astros GM Dana Brown spoke to reporters and provided insight into the current dynamics of the deadline market.

This is Economics 101, folks. Low supply and high demand creates a difficult market for buyers and a fruitful market for sellers. Just ask the Mets, who already received a top-50 prospect for 38-year-old Max Scherzer.

With a number of teams right on the postseason fringe, the number of potential sellers is dwindling by the hour. The Chicago Cubs were initially expected to clean house but now appear committed to improving for the stretch run. The Los Angeles Angels were once expected to sell on arguably the greatest player of all time. Not anymore. Teams are being aggressive and jockeying for limited postseason spots.

That is, of course, great for the competitive spirit of the game. It also increases the intrigue around the trades that do get made, as teams will have to truly give something to get something. We should expect a few eye-popping packages before all is said and done.

MLB Rumors: Mariners decide to sell at trade deadline

The Seattle Mariners continue to slip in the AL West standings, now 6.5 games behind first-place Texas with both the Angels and the Astros surging. While it's not impossible for Seattle to claw its way back into the wild card race, GM Justin Hollander and the front office appear to have their minds made up.

The Mariners have made CP Paul Sewald, OF Teoscar Hernandez, and 1B Ty France available in trades, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh offered up his opinion on the looming deadline:

"Something's going to happen, we just don't know what it is. It's out of our control. We want to be in this thing. We don't want to be giving anybody away. We want to be adding, not subtracting."

Unfortunately for Raleigh, his goals don't seem to line up with management's goals at the moment. Seattle has a relatively low payroll and could look to position itself for a splashy summer. As many have pointed out, the Mariners theoretically check every box on Shohei Ohtani's free agent wishlist.

Sewald is an impactful arm in the bullpen and could fetch a high price given the demand for relievers across the league. He's the big name to watch here, while Hernandez could appeal to teams in need of another bat with pop (16 home runs with .239 average).

MLB Rumors: White Sox prepare for busy trade deadline

Buckle in, White Sox fans. It could get bumpy.

Chicago is 21.0 games below .500 and, laughably, only 11.0 games out of first place in the universally unimpressive NL Central. That won't cut it, of course, which sets the White Sox up to sell quite a few pieces before the bell tolls on Aug. 1.

From Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

"The Chicago White Sox are telling teams that ace Dylan Cease and left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer are off limits, but they would be willing to trade reliever Keynan Middleton.

They would listen for offers for shortstop Tim Anderson and will give away catcher Yasmani Grandal."

The White Sox are setting clear boundaries, which is a telltale sign of a team looking to siphon off contracts and build toward the future. While key pieces remain off limits, the Sox are willing to part with two lineup staples in Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal.

Anderson is the flashiest name here. His season has been largely disappointing, but his numbers have perked back up after the All-Star break. A number of contenders around the MLB would love to take a chance on the shortstop who is flexible enough to move to second base if needed.

Chicago already shipped pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels. The White Sox are unafraid of splashy moves and have a clear organizational mandate to flesh out the farm system as the big-league team bottoms out. We could see several more moves before all is said and done.

MLB Rumors: Brian Cashman holding up Yankees-Mariners trade

The New York Yankees have fallen to 55-49, dead last in the AL East and eight games out of first place. With postseason hopes fading, the Yankees are widely expected to spend big at the deadline to address their lack of offensive production. That is, unless New York decides to take the opposite approach.

As Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media notes, the cross-town Mets have already pulled the plug on 2023. The Mets owned the MLB's highest salary sheet before the Scherzer trade; the Yankees are the second most expensive team in the league. If Brian Cashman and the front office decide the Yankees are better off pivoting toward next season, the Mariners have interest in one specific trade target: 2B Gleyber Torres.

From Miller:

"According to the source, the Marlins have been pushing hard for Torres, but the Yankees' asking price has been too steep for their liking — two 25-year-old starting pitchers, right-hander Edward Cabrera and lefty Braxton Garrett, plus two prospects."

The Mariners' recent decision to sell could impact their pursuit of Torres, but the Yankees' second baseman has been a target of Seattle for two years now. He's a player that the organization covets and the Yankees could look to milk the Mariners' farm system.

That said, the reported asking price from Cashman is borderline absurd. Torres is a talented bat with two All-Stars on his résumé, but 16 homers and 44 RBIs on .258/.323/.426 splits probably doesn't warrant two quality starters on the mound and two prospects.

Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett are both highly regarded in Seattle and the Mariners won't want to empty out their treasure trove of assets if the goal is to think long term. Torres can be retained via arbitration next season but he hits unrestricted free agency in 2025.