MLB Trade Deadline: Mets Sell-Off Begins, Dodgers Eye Tarik Skubal, Red Sox Seek Infield Help
With the MLB trade deadline just days away, teams are scrambling to make deals before the Aug. 3 cutoff. The New York Mets have begun their sell-off by trading veteran lefty reliever A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for two prospects.
The 32-year-old Minter has enjoyed a standout season in 2026 and will immediately fortify the struggling Minnesota bullpen as they aim to secure a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2023. In return, the Mets receive a pair of infield prospects: 19-year-old Bruin Agbayani, the son of former Met Benny Agbayani, and 23-year-old Billy Amick, a former second-rounder with 23 home runs in 86 games at Double-A this season.
This trade marks the beginning of what figures to be a substantial sell-off for the last-place Mets and lead decision-maker David Stearns. According to reports, 40% of the current rotation is likely to be traded before the deadline, with veteran right-handers Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes being specific targets. Peralta is a pending free agent who has struggled this season but has a stronger recent track record, while Holmes is close to returning from a fractured fibula and has been a strong rotation piece since making the conversion from reliever prior to last season.
Other relievers who could follow Minter out of Queens include Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and Huascar Brazoban. The Dodgers are reportedly eyeing Holmes as a potential rotation depth piece, particularly if they’re unable to acquire Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. L.A. still has interest in Skubal, but the price may not be acceptable, and Detroit may choose not to trade him. If that’s the case, the Dodgers could pivot to Holmes or another rotation depth piece.
The Dodgers’ motivations for pursuing Skubal go beyond just filling their rotation void. According to reports, landing Skubal would also keep him away from their leading pennant rivals in the National League, including the Brewers, Braves, and Phillies, who all have varying degrees of interest in the decorated lefty.
Elsewhere, the Astros have been asking after Giants ace Logan Webb, but San Francisco continues to tell interested parties that Webb is not available in trade. The appeal of Webb is easy to see, with the 29-year-old right-hander being a three-time All-Star who has finished in the top six of the NL Cy Young vote on three occasions. This season has not been Webb’s strongest to date, but his track record remains appealing.
The Cardinals will promote left-handed starter Quinn Mathews in time to take the mound on Saturday against the Blue Jays. Mathews, 25, has thrived in recent weeks thanks in part to improved control, and he’s not far removed from a 2024 campaign in which he struck out more than 200 batters across four different minor-league levels. The promotion of Mathews hints at what is already known – that Dustin May is very likely to be traded before the deadline.
The Red Sox, who have surged back into contention with a stellar July, thought they had largely addressed their infield problems with the recent trade with the Nationals that landed them Curtis Mead. However, Mead suffered a wrist fracture in his first game with the Sox, and his absence is going to be a lengthy one. That may push the Sox back into the market for infield help leading up to the deadline. Possible Boston targets include Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards of the Marlins, Zach Neto of the Angels, and Gleyber Torres of the Tigers.
The coming days will be crucial for teams looking to make a splash before the trade deadline. With so many players potentially on the move, it’s anyone’s guess what deals will get done.
