The Chicago Cubs look built to buy before the MLB trade deadline, and the New York Mets may have just handed Jed Hoyer the kind of opening he was waiting for.
Chicago entered the weekend 12 games above .500 and sitting atop the National League Wild Card picture, so the expectation is that the Cubs will be aggressive when the market starts moving. Hoyer and the front office have typically been patient rather than impulsive, but the Mets’ shifting stance could push them into action sooner rather than later.
Not long ago, New York was still resisting the idea of a full sell-off when it dealt David Peterson to the Cubs last month. That posture has changed. Multiple MLB insiders have now reported that the Mets are prepared to sell at the deadline and are open to moving just about anyone on the roster not named Juan Soto, along with some of their younger, controllable pieces.
SNY’s Chelsea Jane reported that relievers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter are likely to be dealt, while starting pitchers Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes are expected to draw plenty of interest.
That kind of inventory makes the Mets a natural trade partner for a Cubs team that needs pitching help. The two clubs have done business often in recent years, and another deal before the deadline feels well within reach.
The Cubs’ interest appears to be centered on Peralta, and the Mets could be trying to push the price higher in talks. One report said:
Sources: #Cubs have shown interest in both #Mets pitchers Freddy Peralta and Luke Weaver. The two teams have made a plethora of moves over the past few seasons including one already this year. Heard #Mets are seeking Hartshorn but #Cubs are not willing to part with him at this…
Josiah Hartshorn is the name Chicago is expected to protect in any rental deal, and that stance does not appear to be changing. Luke Weaver is under contract through the 2027 season, but Hartshorn is still likely off limits in negotiations.
Holmes is another name that fits the Cubs’ needs. The Mets converted him into a starter after signing him last season, and he has had success in that role.
There is a catch, though: Holmes is working his way back from a fractured fibula suffered earlier this season and is close to beginning a minor-league rehab assignment. He also has a player option for the 2027 season, though if he comes back healthy and performs well, he would likely choose free agency after the year.
With the Mets offering so many pitchers and the Cubs needing arms, it is difficult to picture these two teams not lining up on another move before August 3. The Peterson talks already showed there is familiarity between the front offices, and those conversations stretched six weeks.
In Other News...
Anthony Volpe Is Now Drawing A Trade Suitor Yankees Fans Will Notice
The Rays are once again in the mix as a team to watch at the trade deadline, and this time their search for lineup help has them linked to a name Yankees fans know well: Anthony Volpe. Contributors to The Athletic recently listed Tampa Bay as one of the better fits for the New York shortstop, a reminder that even a young player with real pedigree can find his name circulating when a season starts to drift from expectations.
Volpe is still under team control through 2028, so any conversation around him would be about fit, development and long-term value rather than a quick rental move. Tampa Bay has built a reputation for getting more out of players, which is part of what makes this pairing worth watching if the Rays decide to get aggressive and if the Yankees decide they need to listen. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Finally Got Injury News Fans Desperately Needed On Stanton And Fried
Giancarlo Stantons return has been one of the Yankees most closely watched injury stories since the slugger went down with a calf strain on April 24, and there is at least some forward movement now. Stanton has resumed a running progression, which is a meaningful step even if the club still has not put a firm timetable on when hell be back in a game.
Max Frieds path is a little clearer, and it matters just as much for a rotation that could use the help. The left-hander, sidelined since mid-May with a bone bruise in his elbow, is lined up for a 60-pitch rehab start on July 22, with the Yankees expecting him to rejoin the staff next week as they move into a series against the White Sox. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Finally Have A Real Catching Fix At A Cost
Shea Langeliers has started to look like one of the more practical catching targets on the market for a Yankees club that could use a clearer answer behind the plate. The Athletics have been open to listening, and the fit is obvious on paper: New York gets a catcher with real offensive upside, while Oakland gets the kind of pitching help it has been chasing as it tries to reshape the roster.
The catch, of course, is getting a deal to the finish line without emptying out the system in a way the Yankees will regret later. Any serious conversation is going to have to account for the Athletics' need for arms, which pushes the talks toward prospect-heavy packages and makes the price feel less like a simple upgrade and more like a calculated gamble on how much catching certainty is worth right now. [Read more 🡒]