Kuzul

The New York Yankees (53-53) and New York Mets (55-51) split the first two games of the Subway Series at Citi Field and will play the next two at Yankee Stadium starting Wednesday.

The Mets bounced back from a 6-5 loss on Monday with a 7-1 victory against the Yankees on Tuesday, and they are listed as -125 road favorites (wager $125 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark with Steven Matz on the mound Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Matz (8-7, 3.35 ERA) is a veteran compared to his 25-year-old counterpart Chad Green (1-2, 4.56), who gets the call for the Yankees after making seven appearances during his rookie year, including four in relief and three starts.

The Mets have lost four of the past five games Matz has started, as he surrendered a season-high 10 hits and two runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies last time out at home on Friday with one walk and five strikeouts. Matz does have a winning record on the road, though, going 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA in nine starts.

Meanwhile, Green has not made a start since July 8 against the Cleveland Indians away from home. He gave up a career-worst seven runs and five hits, including four home runs, to the Indians in 4.1 innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

In his past three appearances, he has scattered just six hits over 8.1 scoreless innings of relief with three walks and seven strikeouts, dropping his ERA from 7.04 in the process.

The Yankees have won seven of the last 10 meetings overall after dropping six in a row to the Mets, according to the Odds Shark MLB Database. The over has cashed in three straight following an under run of 4-2-1 in the previous seven.

Yoenis Cespedes of the Mets is expected to be in the starting lineup as the designated hitter after getting a single in his lone pinch-hit at-bat Tuesday that also scored a run. Cespedes has been dealing with a quad injury that has limited him at times over the past month.

The newest member of the Mets, Jay Bruce, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his debut Tuesday following his arrival in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds.

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As one window shuts, another one opens.

While MLB‘s non-waiver trade deadline came and went at 4 p.m. ET on Monday, the opportunity to continue making deals exists thanks to the waiver trade period, which runs through Aug. 31.

There are multiple ways for players to switch teams—check out this handy guide that Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter did in 2015 for more details—but the gist of it is this: Team A places a player on waivers; Team B submits a claim; negotiations take place; and then the involved teams may agree to a trade. 

Of course, speculation about trades isn’t the only thing making noise in the rumor mill.

Will untimely injuries to a pair of All-Star shortstops force their respective teams to swing waiver trades? Has time run out for two of the game’s most polarizing figures? 

We’ll hit on all that and more in this week’s edition of Fact or Fiction.

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Although the MLB non-waiver trade deadline passed on Monday afternoon, the trading window hasn’t yet fully closed.

Teams can still arrange trades by placing players on revocable waivers. If someone clears, he’s eligible to get dealt in August. If a franchise doesn’t want to outright relinquish the rights to a claimed player, it can pull him back and negotiate with that team during a 48-hour window.

The process hinders stars from switching clubs, but contenders can still locate solid pieces for their playoff aspirations. Last year, waiver acquisition Addison Reed became a vital late-inning reliever during the New York Mets’ World Series run, and he boasts a 1.97 ERA as their setup man this season.

Danny Valencia, Mike Napoli, Chase Utley and Fernando Rodney also changed teams last August, so don’t turn off the hot stove just yet. While the majority of players waived will get yanked back, some interesting names could stir the pot. It’s not all for show, as a few veterans still have a strong chance of going elsewhere before September 1, when a player must be on a team to hold postseason eligibility.

Let’s sift through some predictions for a less eventful, yet still noteworthy waiver period.

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Monday’s MLB non-waiver trade deadline didn‘t disappoint, as 18 deals transpired on the final day.

Front offices once again treated the deadline the same way a college student treats a paper’s due date. Some trades slipped under the closing door right as all exchanges halted at 4 p.m. ET. Yet those who didn‘t complete their summer shopping still have an available back channel.

Waiver trades present a last-ditch hope in August. The process stifles blockbusters, but clubs can still maneuver players who go unclaimed. Or they can pull back a claimed player and negotiate an agreement with the franchise who staked a bid.

After procrastinating general managers conducted a swarm of activity right before the non-waiver deadline, let’s take a look at rumors floating around in the aftermath. 

White Sox Waiting for Winter to Shop Aces

The Chicago White Sox stayed relatively quiet before the deadline. While they traded left-handed reliever Zach Duke to the St. Louis Cardinals, they refrained from making any blockbuster moves.

Given the lack of impact starters available, teams would have lined up for the opportunity to acquire Chris Sale or Jose Quintana. Yet both All-Star southpaws will keep pitching in the Windy City until they can reassess the situation this winter.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the team believes suitors will intensify their efforts to land one of the aces during the offseason:

Earlier in the day, Nightengale reported growing discussions between the White Sox and Boston Red Sox, who have a loaded farm system but a barren rotation. Per MLB.com’s Phil Rogers, they were still reluctant to move blue-chip prospect Yoan Moncada.

It turns out Red Sox team president Dave Dombrowski was also hesitant to part with Andrew Benintendi, per the Boston Herald‘s Jason Mastrodonato:

This is the same man who traded four prospects for closer Craig Kimbrel last winter, so perhaps the White Sox are on to something. Besides, there’s no rush to trade either hurler. Due to multiple club options, as documented by Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the White Sox can retain Sale through 2019 and Quintana until 2020.

Sale, who started the Midsummer Classic, is undoubtedly the bigger name. The 27-year-old owns a career 2.95 ERA and 10.07 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), but those marks have regressed to 3.17 and 8.61 in 2016.

Nevertheless, his name wouldn’t have fervently frequented the rumor mill if not for him slashing the club’s uniforms last week.

Quintana, meanwhile, has quietly surpassed his teammate’s season with a 2.89 ERA and 3.6 WAR, per FanGraphs. He’s a legitimate American League Cy Young Award candidate as long as voters don’t foolishly place any significance into his 8-8 record.

They can keep Quintana over the next four years for $35.35 million, a major bargain for a premium starter. Regardless the time of year, he and Sale are highly valuable pitchers who will require huge returns.

Jim Johnson and Daniel Hudson Nearly Get Traded

Plenty of relievers changed homes over the past few days, but two sensible trade candidates stayed put for now.

According SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo, the Atlanta Braves’ Jim Johnson and Arizona Diamondbacks’ Daniel Hudson were both close to getting shipped out of town:

One would expect the worst team in baseball to barter spare parts for cheaper, younger minor leaguers with higher upside. Atlanta instead acquired Matt Kemp, an expensive veteran with eroding skills.

Per David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Braves general manager John Coppolella explained his decision to keep Johnson and other possible trade chips. 

“We spoke with multiple teams on multiple players,” Coppolella said. “We didn’t find the right type of value that we felt necessitated a move, so we were happy to hold. It’s important to us that we have a strong finish to this season.”

Johnson recently won National League Player of the Week honors for converting four saves, but the Braves couldn’t capitalize on the good will. The well-traveled ground-ball specialist has notched a 1.82 ERA since June 1, making him a sensible waiver trade candidate for a contender who needs bullpen depth.

Arizona might have a tougher time finding a taker for Hudson, whose ERA skyrocketed to 6.69 after relinquishing 25 runs over the past two months.

On Thursday, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert said the Diamondbacks were on the verge of trading Hudson. The following day, he allowed three runs without recording an out.

Hudson will have to string together some bounce-back outings for Arizona to orchestrate a waiver trade. At this rate, he’s in danger of getting waived outright.

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Unless you’re discovering baseball for the first time or have been stuck in a dark cave somewhere, you know Monday marked the passing of MLB‘s non-waiver trade deadline. But that doesn’t mean baseball’s trade season is over.

Teams can still swap talent with each other in August, but that talent has to be placed on waivers first. For a refresher—or to better understand how the whole process works—I direct your attention to this informative guide penned by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.

We’ve seen big names change hands while the waiver trade window was open in the past, and chances are we’ll see a few more join that list before Aug. 31 arrives. As you’d imagine, teams place players on waivers for a variety of reasons.

A team could be looking to rid itself of a burdensome contract and hope that an untimely injury forces another team to submit a claim. Others may want to continue shopping a trade chip that remains unplayed or gauge the market for interest in a potential offseason deal.

Then you have the teams that looked like contenders on Monday but find themselves in a completely different situation next week, forcing them to rethink their strategy.

Here’s a look at six players who could be wearing a new uniform when rosters expand in September.

Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Braun can still hit (.321 BA, .898 OPS) and probably still has a couple of productive years left in him. But that production is unlikely to extend all the way through the five-year, $105 million extension that kicked in this season, as injuries are a legitimate concern for the 32-year-old outfielder.

If you can get past all that, there’s the whole pesky performance-enhancing-drug scandal, tainted MVP award and Braun’s 23-team no-trade clause that stand in the way of a potential deal. Further complicating things—Milwaukee isn’t looking to just dump salary, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (h/t MLB Trade Rumors); the Brewers want real prospects in return.

That said, Braun remains the biggest game-changing bat available, one that could be the difference between making a deep run into the playoffs and missing out on the postseason altogether.

Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

That Hellickson remains a member of Philadelphia’s rotation might be the most surprising thing we saw on deadline day. It was widely expected that the 29-year-old would be making his next start for a contending club.

Per CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak told reporters that he didn’t find a deal that “made sense for this organization at this time” with regard to why he didn’t trade Hellickson (or anyone else).

Still, it’s hard to envision the Phillies are thrilled about the prospect of paying Hellickson $17 million next season, and it’s even harder to envision Hellickson will turn down that qualifying offer.

While the club isn’t going to give him away—and Hellickson assuredly would be claimed on waivers—there’s a deal to be struck that would put the former AL Rookie of the Year in the middle of a contender’s rotation for the stretch run.

Brian McCann, C, New York Yankees

As Joel Sherman of the New York Post pointed out Saturday, there are obstacles to overcome for the Yankees to unload McCann: his no-trade clause; his salary ($34 million from 2017-18), which the team doesn’t want to eat any of; and the Yankees’ desire to receive real prospects in a deal.

But prospect Gary Sanchez has nothing left to prove in the minors, and as the club looks toward the future, eating some of that salary to facilitate a deal makes sense.

McCann might be willing to waive his no-trade clause to return to Atlanta, where he lives during the offseason and where his career began. Not only would his leadership be a welcome addition in the Braves clubhouse, but the fan favorite might help draw a crowd to the team’s new ballpark next season.

Kendrys Morales, DH, Kansas City Royals

The Royals are unlikely to pick up the $11 million team option they hold on Morales for 2017, so it was a bit of a surprise that we didn’t see the veteran slugger traded before the non-waiver trade deadline.

That said, for a contender that needs a veteran bat but isn’t interested (or able) to take on a long-term deal (like those belonging to Braun and McCann), Morales might be its least expensive option. An acquiring team would only be on the hook for what’s left of his 2016 salary (roughly $3 million) and a $1.5 million buyout of his option.

Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Puig did not show up at Dodger Stadium on Monday after being told he was either being traded or sent to the minors. Given that Josh Reddick’s arrival has pushed Puig further down the organizational depth chart, the time has come for him and the Dodgers to part ways.

Questions about his maturity will surely scare off some teams, but the 25-year-old remains a dynamic talent and is due roughly $20 million combined through the 2018 season. Considering his upside, that’s enough of a potential bargain for another team to take a chance on.

James Shields, SP, Chicago White Sox

Even though San Diego is picking up half of the $44 million left on Shields’ contract, which runs through 2018, the veteran starter would clear waivers without issue, freeing the White Sox to strike a deal with any team.

While the 34-year-old’s numbers with Chicago are unsightly (5.17 ERA, 1.55 WHIP), they’re also skewed by a trio of horrendous starts upon his arrival at U.S. Cellular Field. Since then, Shields has been one of the better pitchers in baseball.

For a contender in need of rotation help, Shields could be an option, especially if said contender believes he can continue to pitch at his current level.

Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and are current through games of Aug. 1. All contract information courtesy of Cot’s Contracts (via Baseball Prospectus).

Hit me up on Twitter to talk the waiver trade window and all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR.

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The New York Yankees (52-52) will be trying to end a four-game losing streak Monday when they visit the New York Mets (54-50) in an interleague matchup. The Yankees have the more experienced starting pitcher going to the mound and are listed at -110 (bet $110 to win $100) on the odds for the game at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

CC Sabathia (6-8, 3.95 ERA) is coming off his first victory since June 16 as he toes the rubber for the Yanks, giving up two runs and four hits in 6.2 innings of a 6-3 road win against the Houston Astros last Tuesday with two walks and five strikeouts.

That was the last time the team won a game, falling to the Astros in the finale of that series before getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend. The 36-year-old southpaw had gone 0-4 in his previous six starts, with his ERA rising more than a full run.

Meanwhile, Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.12) has gone even longer since earning a victory for the Mets, who last won with him on the mound back on April 26 in one of his 18 relief appearances. Verrett has started just nine games this season, winning his first one this year on April 19 versus the Philadelphia Phillies following six scoreless innings.

In Verrett‘s last 20 appearances, the Mets have won only four times dating back to the start of May.

The 26-year-old Verrett has been a much better pitcher at home in 2016, going 2-3 with a 3.29 ERA as opposing batters hit only .220 against him. On the road, he is 1-3 with a 5.00 ERA. However, Sabathia is also in a favorable spot situationally, going 5-3 away from home with a 3.28 ERA.

The Yankees have won six of the past eight meetings overall as well, according to the Odds Shark MLB Database, after losing six straight in this Subway Series with the Mets.

The under is 6-1 in the last seven games between the teams at Citi Field, with the lone over during that stretch coming in the most recent matchup last September. The Yankees won that game 11-2, and the previous six there all saw six runs or less scored.

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Several star players have already switched teams ahead of MLB‘s trade deadline, but as the Aug. 1 cutoff continues to approach, rumors are still swirling around some pieces who could potentially make a huge impact down the stretch.

While quality starting pitching is difficult to come by, top-notch relievers are still available, and there is no shortage of big bats on the market. The price could be steep in many instances, but contenders have the ability to load up for a deep playoff run.

With trade possibilities coming down to the wire, here is a look at some of the top players on the market and the latest rumors and speculation regarding their status.

Jay Bruce

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce is in the midst of a resurgent season, as he made his first All-Star team since 2012.

Bruce entered play Sunday hitting .265, which is his best batting average since 2010, along with 25 home runs and a National League-leading 80 RBI.

The 29-year-old veteran brings big-time power from the left side of the plate and is the type of player who several playoff contenders could use in the middle of the lineup.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the New York Mets are among the teams that have been in talks to acquire Bruce, but a deal was “not close” as of Saturday.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network added that a few more teams are in the hunt for Bruce, although the Baltimore Orioles aren’t among them:

Despite Bruce’s production, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported that the Reds aren’t necessarily looking for top-notch prospects as a return:

That may have something to do with the fact that Bruce can become a free agent following the season. Per Spotrac.com, the Texas native has a $13 million club option for 2017 with a buyout of just $1 million.

Bruce’s up-and-down play in the two years prior to 2016 may give the team that acquires him some pause in terms of exercising the option, but he is an ideal rental based on how he is performing.

The Mets are in need of an offensive boost in particular, and if they don’t make a move for someone of Bruce’s ilk, the reigning National League champions could be on the golf course come October.

Brian McCann

Brian McCann has long been one of Major League Baseball’s best offensive catchers, but with the New York Yankees hovering around .500 and B-Mac suffering through a tough season, he could be on the move.

According to Heyman, the Yanks have spoken to the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves regarding McCann, but no deal appears imminent.

McCann would be a significant addition for a Texas team that has had question marks behind the plate all season long, while a deal with Atlanta would send the seven-time All-Star back to the team he began his career with.

Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, however, there is a disconnect between what the Yankees and Braves want to get out of the deal:

Atlanta seemingly wants McCann back in the fold at a discounted price without having to give up much, which wouldn’t necessarily make a ton of sense for a Yankees team that doesn’t need to accumulate dead salary.

New York loses some bargaining power in that it boasts strong catching depth with Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez, so teams across the league are well aware that the Yankees would like to create more playing time for them.

McCann isn’t having a great year entering Sunday with a .235 batting average, 15 home runs and 41 RBI, but he hit a career-high 26 home runs last year and has been among the best run-producing catchers in baseball for more than a decade.

The Yankees may not get much in return, but if they can orchestrate a trade that allows them to get out from under the bulk of his remaining contract, it would be a major step in the right direction as it relates to their retooling efforts.

Rich Hill

Oakland Athletics lefty Rich Hill has been among the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball this season when healthy, but injury issues have clouded his status ahead of the trade deadline.

Hill is on the disabled list due to a blister on his pitching hand, but Heyman reported there is still significant interest in him.

Per ESPN’s Jim Bowden, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons confirmed that his team is keeping tabs on Hill as well as every other starter who is available via trade.

Hill is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.09 WHIP this season to go along with 90 strikeouts in 76 innings. The 36-year-old boasts a dominant breaking ball, which has made him a valuable commodity after years of toiling in bullpens across the majors.

The Boston native had four great starts for the Boston Red Sox late last season and parlayed it into a rotation spot with the A’s, and he may have a chance to pitch in the playoffs if he gets healthy and a team takes a risk on him.

While giving up anything for a pitcher with blister issues is a gamble, Hill will be a free agent at the end of the season, which means the monetary and term investment would be minimal.

Hill has had ace-type stuff for the majority of the season when healthy, and if his injury allows him to be had for a discounted price, he could prove to be the biggest steal of the deadline.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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As Monday’s MLB trade deadline approaches, a frantic hot stove led to some transactions while setting up intense action during the final hours.

The Washington Nationals started the weekend by announcing the acquisition of closer Mark Melancon, who has notched a 1.80 ERA since joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013. Days after the Chicago Cubs paid a premium for Aroldis Chapman, Washington snagged an All-Star reliever at a far more reasonable price.

Later in the day, a team 25 games behind in the National League East standings oddly acquired an expensive veteran. Made official late Saturday night, the Atlanta Braves will receive Matt Kemp from the San Diego Padres for Hector Olivera.

Plenty of players—including one attached to another NL East competitor—continue to frequent the rumor mill. With less than 48 hours remaining to strike a deal, let’s take a look at the latest trade chatter.

Jay Bruce

Like Kemp, Jay Bruce is drawing interest for his power bat in spite of poor defense and a career-low 6.8 walk percentage. Yet the Cincinnati Reds slugger has already belted 25 homers with a .559 slugging percentage, and whoever obtains him can exercise a $13 million club option for 2017.

On Friday, ESPN’s Jayson Stark floated the possibility of a three-team deal sending Bruce to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who rank in the bottom 10 of team slugging percentage. While Stark later squashed the three-team blockbuster, he and Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi both kept the door open for Bruce joining the Dodgers:

The market has intensified after the 29-year-old homered in five straight games, increasing the chances of the Reds receiving a satisfactory offer. On Thursday, per the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Zach Buchanan, general manager Walt Jocketty said he won’t move Bruce just to look busy. 

“If the value isn’t there for a player, it just doesn’t make sense to trade a guy for the purpose of trading him,” Jocketty said. “Financially, we can hold on to him.”

Per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, the New York Mets have also emerged as a serious candidate:

At this time last year, the Mets nearly landed Bruce for starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, who has yet to return from Tommy John surgery. They instead acquired Yoenis Cespedes, who has since hit 39 homers in 149 games, but they don’t have as much minor league depth to leverage this year. Down 7.5 games in the NL East, they’re also likely fighting for a wild-card spot at best.

Further complicating matters, Bruce is an odd fit on a Mets roster already featuring two left-handed corner outfielders (Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson) and no true center fielder. He makes much more sense for a Dodgers outfield ravaged by injuries, and they have plenty of young talent to spare.

One of the most commonly discussed trade candidates isn‘t a lock to leave Cincinnati, but now is the perfect time for the Reds to convert Bruce into a premium prospect or two.

Derek Norris

The Padres, who have already flipped Kemp, Melvin Upton Jr., Fernando Rodney, Drew Pomeranz and Andrew Cashner, now have their sights set on shipping Derek Norris out of San Diego.

According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the starting catcher should start packing his bags:

In his second season with the Padres, the 27-year-old is hitting .193/.253/.360 with an atrocious 63 weighted runs created plus (wRC+), which grades an average offensive contributor at 100. As Norris dives deeper into an offensive tailspin, Austin Hedges is annihilating Triple-A pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Norris’ once-double-digit walk rate has mysteriously vanished, and his strikeout rate has soared to an unflattering 29.6 percent. Yet despite his struggles, Norris’ glove makes him a desirable target for the Texas Rangers and other clubs who miss out on Jonathan Lucroy.

The backstop will also spend the next two years in arbitration, a process that typically doesn‘t properly compensate defense, so he’s an intriguing buy-low candidate. Although the Padres have Hedges waiting and backup Christian Bethancourt as another alternative, the Padres shouldn’t give a young, cheap catcher away for cheap.

Sonny Gray

As the Oakland Athletics fight for fourth place in the American League West, they look poised to sell more aggressively than anyone at the deadline. Yet aside from officially shipping speedy outfielder Billy Burns to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, they have not yet leveraged their trading chips into a fresh start.

Josh Reddick, Danny Valencia, Rich Hill and Ryan Madson remain top names to watch until Monday afternoon. Oakland could still move those veterans, but starter Sonny Gray is “going nowhere,” according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball.

A year removed from posting a 2.73 ERA, the 26-year-old righty has nearly doubled that mark at 5.43. While he continues to spawn strikeouts and ground balls at similar levels, he has already matched last year’s 17 home runs allowed in nearly 100 fewer innings. 

His hard-hit rate has fattened from 25.1 to a career-worst 34.1 percent, and he’s missing fewer bats with a subpar 8.0 swinging-strike percentage. This version of Gray is far from a franchise ace, and that’s precisely why Oakland won’t entertain any low-ball offers.

The San Francisco Chronicle‘s Susan Slusser also claimed that there’s no merit to any speculation of a blockbuster leading up to the deadline:

If the Athletics were ever to trade Gray, they should have entertained the thought when his value peaked last year. Behind his stellar ERA lurked a less-outstanding 7.31 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.45 fielding independent pitching (FIP).

He probably won’t factor prominently in another Cy Young Award race, but Gray remains too valuable of a young, cost-controlled starter to abandon during his first rough patch.

All advanced statistics courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Salary information obtained from Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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July 31’s falling on a Sunday has proven good fortune for MLB general managers, as it’s given them an extra 24 hours to jostle for moves on a trade deadline that seems destined to either shift the sport’s paradigm or go out with a whimper.

What’s clear is that there isn’t a lack of rumors. Teams on the outskirts of contention are floating star-level players, while the desperate need for pitching and power has contenders walking around with sore feet from kicking tires. 

There hasn’t been all that much movement yet. 

Aroldis Chapman is the biggest name to get sent packing, and his departure from the New York Yankees was seemingly preordained from his arrival. Looking elsewhere, you’ll find names like Andrew Cashner, Bud Norris and Melvin Upton Jr.—fine players who are not going to decide what happens in October.

That all could change over the next two days. The rumor mill is not lacking for difference-makers nearing Chapman’s level, so let’s take a look at a few of the biggest names making headlines.

Dodgers-Reds 3-Way Deal Is Dead

Twitter was buzzing Friday when ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reported on a potential three-team trade that would send Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speculation was rampant about the mystery third team, and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the Dodgers were at one point including Yasiel Puig in talks.

Welp. That’s just about over.

Stark reported Saturday that the discussed three-way deal isn’t happening. The Dodgers and Reds are still discussing a potential Bruce trade, but nothing appears close at the moment.

Bruce, 29, is in the midst of a surprising bounce-back season. He’s hitting .268/.319/.566 with 25 home runs and 80 runs batted in.

While Bruce is still a dreadful defensive player who would be far better suited for the American League, the Dodgers could really use his bat. Their outfield, once seemingly overrun with talent, has become a surprising weak spot due to Puig‘s struggles, Andre Ethier’s injury issues and the inconsistency of Trayce Thompson and Joc Pederson.

Moving Puig as part of any package for Bruce might also be helpful in giving the fallen star a change of scenery. Puig has been relegated to pinch-hitting duty for more than a week due to a hamstring injury and is in the midst of his worst MLB season. The 25-year-old’s play has fallen off a cliff the last two seasons after breaking out as a star in 2013 and 2014.

A Puig-Bruce swap might give the Dodgers a little too much left-handedness—they’re already batting Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez, Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Yasmani Grandal from that side—but it’s a major offensive upgrade.

Josh Reddick Joins List of OFs Who Could Move

Over the last five seasons, Josh Reddick has become one of the few mainstays on an always-shuffling Oakland Athletics roster. He’s reveled in quiet consistency, never making an All-Star team but producing at least 2.5 wins above replacement in each of his four years in Oakland.

Injury issues have put that streak in jeopardy—Reddick‘s appeared in just 66 games and has struggled defensively—and it appears the A’s may be willing to sell low(ish). Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com reported the Chicago Cubs have expressed interest in adding Reddick to the mix.

The Cubs have added Chapman and Mike Montgomery to their bullpen and are now looking for outfield production they wish they were getting from Jason Heyward.

ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported the Cubs may have competition in the Dodgers, who have discussed adding Reddick and pitcher Rich Hill. The 36-year-old Hill has been a revelation this season, compiling a 9-3 record with a 2.25 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. It’s an out-of-nowhere performance given Hill hadn’t started more than 10 games in a season since 2009.

Adding Hill and Reddick would give the Dodgers a leg up in the proverbial arms race in the NL. The Cubs have leveled off since their historic start, and right now it realistically feels like any of the five current playoff teams could win it all.

Reddick is a good enough player—and might be cheap enough prospect-wise—to be a more worthwhile bet than Bruce.

Rangers Targeting Vince Velasquez

Last summer, the Texas Rangers raided their deep prospect coffers to acquire Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies. A year later, it appears the Rangers and Phillies are preparing for a similar deal for Vince Velasquez.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reported the two teams are “pretty deep” in discussions for the 24-year-old righty. In his first full major league season, Velasquez has compiled an 8-3 record with a 3.32 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He has struck out 108 batters in 97.2 innings. Acquired as part of the deal that sent Ken Giles to the Houston Astros last December, Velasquez has been a surprise star for a Philly team that’s well out of contention.

The Phillies are going to want a significant haul in return if they wind up moving Velasquez. He isn’t even arbitration-eligible until 2019 and is locked in to team control for the foreseeable future. It’s not too often 24-year-olds who are in the midst of breakout campaigns are traded; the Rangers are going to have to dip deep into their farm system.

The Phillies made a similar move in trading Giles, who has been inconsistent in his set-up role for the Astros. With Velasquez having a massive history of injury issues, Philly might be smart to sell high here before anything happens.

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The 2016 MLB non-waiver trade deadline is just two days away, and as the rumors continue to pour in, we are starting to get a better idea of who will be on the move.

Predicting how things will play out and where potential trade chips will land is generally an exercise in futility, but that’s never stopped us from trying.

We created odds for all the notable names being thrown around this year to establish who may be moving. To make it easier to digest, we broke the odds into six different tiers:

• 100-1: It would be downright shocking if these guys were traded.
• 25-1: It would be surprising if these guys were traded.
• 2-1: The smart money is on these guys staying put, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they were traded.
• 1-1: It’s a coin flip whether or not these guys will be traded.
• 1-2: The smart money is on these guys being traded, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they stay put.
• 1-10: These guys can pack their bags; they’re as good as gone.

We highlighted a couple players within each tier and then provided a full list of players also in that odds range.

We’ll find out Monday evening how everything played out.

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