The Braves are already circling the pitching market, and Sonny Gray has emerged as a name to watch.
According to The Athletic, Atlanta is among the clubs showing interest in the Red Sox starter. Gray does have a full no-trade clause, but there’s at least one detail that could matter here: he makes his home in Nashville, which could make a move to Atlanta more appealing.
Boston, meanwhile, has suddenly played its way back into the picture. The Red Sox have won five in a row and 10 of their last 12, moving to within three games of the third wild card spot, so the idea of them selling is no longer a sure thing.
Gray, 36, is putting together a strong season, and the Cardinals are covering $20 million of his $35 million salary this year. His deal also includes a $30 million club option for 2027, which could be part of the appeal for Atlanta.
With pitching injuries piling up and some performance slipping, the Braves are viewed as a near lock to add arms before the deadline. If it isn’t Gray, it’ll be somebody else.
Houston, on the other hand, has already made one thing crystal clear: Yordan Alvarez is not going anywhere.
The Astros have told the All-Star slugger and MVP candidate that he won’t be traded, and Alvarez said as much to The Athletic, explaining that Houston’s front office "told me they weren't going to trade me no matter what happened." That’s hardly a shock. Alvarez, 29, is on a bargain contract that pays him $26 million in both 2027 and 2028, and he remains one of the game’s elite hitters.
There’s also a deadline context here. Earlier this week, it was reported that Houston is looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder to pair with Alvarez, who has accounted for roughly 45% of the team’s lefty plate appearances this season. The Astros have the AL’s best record since May 22 and have climbed to within 1 ½ games of a wild card spot, so they are not expected to be sellers.
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Astros May Have A Real Deadline Answer They Cant Miss
The Astros have spent much of the season looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder, and the trade market may have given them a clean fit if they decide to act. Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho has emerged as a name to watch, with ESPNs Jeff Passan pointing to him as a possible deadline target for Houston, and the appeal is obvious: he brings defensive value in center field and enough offensive production to matter in a lineup that could use balance.
Torontos problem is that its deadline path is still unsettled, which is what makes this one tricky for Houston. The Blue Jays are hanging around the Wild Card race, close enough to keep thinking about a push, but also in a spot where a move could tilt them toward selling if the right offer lands, and Varshos free agent-to-be status only adds to the pressure. For the Astros, the question is whether this is the kind of opportunity they can afford to let pass if the price stays manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Astros First Round Record Raises One Big Question About The Future
The Astros recent first-round draft history has been a mixed bag, and it helps explain why the organizations next wave of talent matters so much. Korey Lee helped on the 2022 World Series club before moving on, Drew Gilbert never got a chance to play in Houston, Walker Janek has shown some promise in the minors, and 19-year-old Xavier Neyens is still early in his development. Brice Matthews is the one name from that group who has already reached the majors and given Houston something tangible to evaluate.
Even so, Matthews is still more of a question than an answer, which leaves the Astros waiting for one of these picks to become a true lineup fixture. Lee is gone, Gilbert is gone, and the others are still in various stages of proving they can hold up against big league expectations. For a team that has spent years trying to stay on top, the bigger issue now is whether this stretch of first-round picks eventually turns into a foundation or just a reminder of how hard it is to keep drafting your way into the future. [Read more 🡒]