MLB Trade Deadline 2023: Date, End Time, Hottest Rumors, Predictions and More
As the 2023 MLB trade deadline approaches, baseball's top teams are looking to take one last swing at improving their rosters. The cellar-dwellers, meanwhile, are likely looking to acquire prospects for the future and/or shed salary and expiring contracts.
This year's deadline will arrive at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 1, and that day could bring a few last-minute blockbusters. Last year's big trade that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres occurred on deadline day.
While we may not see a deal of that caliber take place in 2023, some notable names will likely be on the move. Here, you'll find a look at the latest buzz and a few predictions ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
Soto represented the biggest prize of the 2022 trade deadline, and Shohei Ohtani has long been viewed as the biggest prize of 2023. The Los Angeles Angels pitcher/slugger has dominated the rumor mill virtually all season, but it now appears that he won't be swapping teams.
Before we get into the latest rumors and predictions, here's a quick recap of Ohtani's situation.
The Angels obviously want to keep who is arguably the best baseball player in recent history. However, Ohtani is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. This means that by keeping him, the Angels risk losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Los Angeles is willing to take that risk.
"After fielding various trade offers for two-way player Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels have taken him off the trade market, according to multiple reports," The Athletic's Sam Blum wrote on Wednesday. "Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci was first to report the news."
Trading Ohtani would undoubtedly bring a massive return, and with Los Angeles not looking like a 2023 title contender, prolific trade packages could be attractive. Though it's a gamble, keeping Ohtani is all about the long-term play, and the Angels will now simply hope that they can re-sign him in free agency.
The Miami Marlins are well behind in the NL East race, but they're also well above .500 and still firmly in the wild-card picture. Adding to their pitching staff could help the Marlins get a little closer to the postseason.
Detroit Tigers All-Star pitcher Michael Lorenzen appears to be on Miami's radar. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, the Miami Marlins have shown interest in the right-handed pitcher.
However, the Marlins appear to have competition for Lorenzen on the trade market. MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported on Thursday that the Baltimore Orioles have also kicked the tires on Lorenzen.
It's also unclear whether Detroit is actually willing to move the 31-year-old and at what cost.
The prediction here is that Detroit will be willing to move Lorenzen. The Tigers are more than a half-dozen games back in the AL Central race, and Lorenzen is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
The question is whether the Marlins can outbid teams like Baltimore to get a deal done. The Orioles are leading the AL East for now, but it's a hotly contested division in which every team is over .500.
My guess is that Baltimore will be a little more eager to stay on top than Miami is to merely have a shot at the postseason.
Prediction: Lorenzen is traded to Baltimore
Though they just signed Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86.7 million contract in the offseason, the New York Mets could be open to moving the 40-year-old at the trade deadline.
"According to two Major League executives, there is a belief within the industry that the Mets could very well move the three-time American League Cy Young winner and former AL Most Valuable Player in the coming days," Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote.
The front-runner in the Verlander sweepstakes, according to Feinsand, is the Texas Rangers. Per Feinsand, the Houston Astros are also interested.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported earlier in the month that the San Francisco Giants are "among the teams evaluating" Verlander.
The question is whether Verlander is willing to leave. His contract came with a full no-trade clause, and the aging star appears happy to play out his deal in New York.
"I remain committed to trying to win a championship here," Verlander told The Athletic's Will Sammon.
According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets "have not come close" to asking Verlander to waive his no-trade clause. This could certainly change if New York receives an overwhelming offer, but according to Martino, Verlander has only generated "moderate" interest.
Prediction: Verlander remains a Met past the trade deadline.
Could Soto be on the move again, only a year after he landed in San Diego? According to Heyman, it's possible but unlikely.
"A trade of Soto remains unlikely, even more unlikely than deals involving free agents to be Snell and Hader, but everything is being considered for MLB's unluckiest team," Heyman wrote.
Soto has been good for the Padres this season—he recently made his third-consecutive All-Star team—but the season has not been kind to San Diego. The Padres were nine games out of first in the NL West entering the weekend.
According to Heyman, the Padres are still interested in buying at the deadline instead of selling, which makes a Soto deal appear extremely unlikely. If San Diego changes its stance last-minute, it will be more interested in moving starting pitcher Blake Snell or closer Josh Hader than Soto.
That's logical, since, as Heyman noted, Snell and Hader will be free agents in the offseason. Soto has another year left on his current contract, and if the Padres believe they can reload and contend in 2024, moving him now simply wouldn't be logical.
It would likely take a massive offer to pry Soto away from San Diego just a year after his arrival. With pitching being the hot commodity at this year's deadline, an acceptable offer appears unlikely.
Prediction: Padres don't even engage in serious Soto trade talks.
*Contract information via Spotrac.
