Trade rumors: Red Sox's SS targets, Dodgers, Skubal, Detmers

The Trade Deadline is fast approaching -- six days to go and counting.

Here's a look at some of the latest topics swirling in the rumor mill, including the Red Sox's desire to add a shortstop, the market for Tarik Skubal heating up and a potential Windy City battle brewing for a starting pitcher.

Red Sox looking to upgrade at shortstop

The Red Sox already swung a trade for an infielder when they acquired Curtis Mead from the Nationals for pitcher Connelly Early on Saturday, but they apparently aren't done searching for help on that front.

According to reports from The Athletic, USA Today and ESPN in recent days, Boston is looking to upgrade at shortstop. The club reportedly has interest in the Angels’ Zach Neto, the Nationals’ CJ Abrams, the Astros’ Jeremy Peña and the Marlins' Otto Lopez. The Red Sox may be even more motivated to make a deal after Mead fractured his wrist when he was hit by a pitch in his Boston debut.

However, it could be difficult for the Red Sox to pry one of those trade targets loose.

The Angels are reportedly willing to listen on Neto, but they aren't going to be in a rush to trade away a 25-year-old with three-plus years of control left. According to MLB Network insider Joel Sherman (NY Post subscription required), executives who have dealt with the Angels sense that the club isn't closing the door on Neto but is prioritizing starters Reid Detmers and José Soriano in trade talks.

The Nationals are also reportedly open to considering offers for Abrams, but he's likely going to require an even larger return than Neto despite having one fewer year to go before free agency. Abrams has been one of MLB's best hitters this season, producing 27 homers, 82 RBIs and a .931 OPS to go with 19 stolen bases. That includes nine homers and a 1.186 OPS in July.

There's been some speculation that the Astros might be willing to move Peña, who will be eligible for free agency after 2027. But Houston is only two games out of first place in the AL West (despite a 54-55 record) and considers itself a buyer.

Lopez emerged as a trade target for Boston in a report from ESPN's Buster Olney on Tuesday afternoon, but he's another player who'd cost a lot as a 27-year-old with three-plus years of control remaining. The Marlins' Trade Deadline path is also unclear despite their recent 12-game losing streak.

With Tigers sliding, Skubal market set to heat up

According to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, some rival executives have refrained from calling the Tigers about Skubal, trying to be respectful as the club has fought to remain in contention. But after Detroit lost its third straight game on Monday, multiple teams were planning to reach out to president of baseball operations Scott Harris, including the Rays, Brewers, Braves, Yankees and Dodgers.

In particular, the Dodgers, Brewers and Rays are expected to be “really heavy in" on Skubal if the Tigers make him available, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand said Monday.

The Dodgers' interest in Skubal has been the subject of much debate this summer, and that's continued this week. The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that a Skubal blockbuster was not likely to be part of the Dodgers’ Trade Deadline plans. However, The Athletic's Katie Woo (subscription required) has heard otherwise, reporting that the club plans to “remain engaged” on Skubal.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman (NY Post subscription required), the Dodgers are telling people that they believe Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow will all be back in their rotation soon, and that they don’t need another top starter. But rival teams nonetheless have been fearing the possibility of L.A. landing Skubal.

Skubal's trade status also has been up in the air, as the Tigers haven’t given up on the hope of making a playoff run. Detroit’s three-game losing streak hasn’t helped in that regard -- the club’s playoff odds (per FanGraphs) dropped below 25% after Monday’s loss, down from 42.4% through Friday, and now sit at 30.2%. After Tuesday's win over the Orioles, they're 3 1/2 games out in the race for the third AL Wild Card spot at 51-57, with five teams in front of them.

Cubs’ pitching woes worsen as Taillon DFA’d

The Cubs were already expected to be in the market for pitching help prior to the Trade Deadline, and their needs have become even more acute in recent days. Chicago may have been hoping that Jameson Taillon’s return from a hamstring strain on July 20 would help its beleaguered rotation, but the veteran righty allowed 11 runs over 8 1/3 innings in two starts and was designated for assignment on Monday.

Edward Cabrera is due back at some point in August, but the Cubs' experience with Taillon exemplifies why teams can't rely too heavily on pitchers returning from the IL.

For the time being, the Cubs' rotation includes Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea and David Peterson, with Javier Assad the most likely option to fill Taillon's spot. Chicago has a clear need for another playoff-caliber starter, and the strength of its offense and defense provides a compelling case why the team needs to go get one.

However, as Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required) notes, it remains unclear just how aggressive the Cubs will be in their pursuit of pitching. The club’s front office is typically reticent about prioritizing short-term gains over long-term roster building. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has acknowledged how much the team values the first-round bye awarded to the top two teams in each league during the postseason and indicated the club would be more open to a major Deadline splash if that was in play. But the Cubs would need to overcome a six-game deficit to overtake the Brewers for the NL Central crown and have a shot at getting a bye.

Chicago has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Skubal, but if the Cubs are shopping in the rental market, they are more likely to go after a lower-cost option such as Robbie Ray of the Giants, Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes (opt-out) of the Mets or Kevin Gausman of the Blue Jays.

Detmers or Soriano, both of whom are controllable through 2028, could be a fit as well. The Athletic reported on July 23 that the Angels are interested in acquiring a young catcher, and the Cubs' No. 3 prospect, Owen Ayers, seemingly fits the bill. The Athletic's report also mentioned the Mariners' Emerson Hancock (controllable through 2030) as a potential option.

The Mariners are actively listening on Hancock and Luis Castillo, industry sources told MLB.com's Daniel Kramer. There’s a growing possibility that at least one of them will be moved before next Monday.

White Sox join Cubs in pursuit of Detmers

The Cubs aren't the only Windy City team showing interest in Detmers. Sources told Yahoo Sports that the White Sox are also in on the Angels left-hander.

The White Sox were not expected to contend this season after losing 100-plus games in each of the past three years, but they're currently in first place in the American League Central behind a much improved offense. Like the Cubs, though, their pitching needs work.

The White Sox haven't ruled out acquiring a rental starter -- they're "intrigued" by Holmes, per Yahoo -- but a controllable arm like Detmers might make more sense for a team whose contending window is just opening up.