The 2023 MLB trade deadline is Tuesday, August 1 at 6 p.m. ET – two hours later than its usual time. If it seems like there are more contenders and fewer sellers than usual this year, it’s because there are. There are 20 teams this season that are .500 or better. That would match the most ever entering August (also 20 in 2010).
Notable Updates/Completed MLB Deals
July 30
Rangers acquire SP Jordan Montgomery and RHP Chris Stratton from the Cardinals in exchange for minor leaguers IF Thomas Saggese, RHP Tekoah Roby and LHP John King.
Blue Jays acquire RHP Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Sem Robberse and RHP Adam Kloffenstein.
Angels acquire OF Randal Grichuk and 1B C.J. Cron from the Rockies in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Jake Madden and LHP Mason Albright.
July 29
Rangers acquire SP Max Scherzer and cash considerations from Mets in exchange for minor league INF/OF Luisangel Acuña.
July 28
Dodgers acquire SP Lance Lynn and RHP Joe Kelly from White Sox in exchange for OF Trayce Thompson, minor league starter Nick Nastrini and minor league reliever Jordan Leasure.
Astros acquire RHP Kendall Graveman from White Sox in exchange for Triple-A catcher Korey Lee.
Marlins acquire closer David Robertson from the Mets in exchange for two rookie league teenagers.
July 27
Brewers acquire 1B Carlos Santana from Pirates in exchange for 18-year-old shortstop Jhonny Severino, who signed with Milwaukee for $1.23 million last year and is currently playing in the Arizona Complex League.
July 26
Angels acquire SP Lucas Giolito and RHP Reynaldo López from the White Sox in exchange for catcher Edgar Quero and left-hander Ky Bush.
Teams to Watch
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels enter Monday 4 games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot in the AL. The Angels are 10-5 (.667) since the All-Star break, the 2nd-best record in MLB (LINK). But the Angels face an uphill climb to the playoffs as they have the toughest schedule in baseball in August (.548 opponent win percentage).
The Angels haven’t made the playoffs since 2014. That’s tied with the Tigers for the longest active playoff drought in MLB. They are one of two teams without a playoff win since 2010. The other team is the Twins.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are hoping Lance Lynn can help a starting rotation that has combined for a 4.76 ERA this season, on pace to be the worst ERA by their starters since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958 (LINK). That being said, Lynn is pitching to a career-worst 6.47 ERA this season, the worst mark in MLB among qualified starters.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are an MLB-best 15-7 (.682) in July and find themselves just 2.5 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot. Their offense ranks sixth in MLB in scoring at 4.99 runs per game (LINK), but the team could look to improve its starting rotation.
Boston starters have combined for a 4.73 ERA this season, 22nd in MLB. The Red Sox are one of three teams, alongside the Dodgers and Reds to not have at least one pitcher with 100+ IP.
New York Yankees Are In Trouble
The Yankees reinstated Aaron Judge from the IL Friday. The Yankees captain had been out since tearing a ligament in his right big toe on June 3 when he crashed into the right-field fence while making a catch at Dodger Stadium. New York went 19-23 (.453) over that stretch — the 9th-worst record in MLB.
The Yankees are in last place in the AL East through games on July 30th, the latest day they’ve been in last since August 23, 1992 and the first time since 1990 that they’ve been in first place entering August.
More on this during Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.
