The next notable date on MLB's calendar is the July 30 trade deadline, and given the proximity of that date rumors are abundant right about now. Because we are of, for, and by the People, we're here to round up the notable scuttlebutt for Monday. Let us do that now -- i.e., round up the notable scuttlebutt for Monday.
On Sunday, we learned that the Miami Marlins and veteran fly-catcher Starling Marte aren't likely to come to an agreement on a contract extension. As such, the Marlins are likely to shop Marte in advance of the deadline. That brings us to this recent note from MLB Network's Jon Heyman regarding which contenders might be interested in his services:
Marte for the Astros would constitute an upgrade over Myles Straw in center field, and with the Phillies he'd also address a weakness at that same position. The Yankees, however, may be the most desperate for outfield help. They've gotten generally poor production in the outfield, with Aaron Judge as the exception. Judge, however, is presently on the injured list after testing positive for COVID-19 and does not yet have a clear timetable for his return.
As for Marte, who's in his walk year, in his age-32 season he's batting .285/.387/.444 (128 OPS+) with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases in 56 games. For his career he owns an OPS+ of 115 while typically grading out as a defensive asset in center. Given Marte's broad base of skills, he figures to be a coveted name as the deadline approaches.
It's not yet certain whether the Texas Rangers will shop slugging outfielder Joey Gallo before July 30, but he's been the subject to many a rumor to that end. Speaking of which Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently examined that and other deadline matters in a wide-ranging piece. Gallo continues to be linked to the Yankees, at least informally, and now a Rosenthal speculates on another potential fit:
At least one other club, though, is practically panting for Gallo — the Padres, who are run by the sport's most fearless deal-maker, A.J. Preller.
'"I think Gallo is the one guy A.J. might unload for," said one official who has been in touch with the Padres.
The Padres are very much in contending mode and have legitimate designs on winning the tough NL West. As for Gallo, right now he's sitting on 24 home runs and an MLB-leading 72 walks through 87 games. In addition to providing an abundance of power and patience at the plate, Gallo is also a plus fielder in right. Teams are typically always on the lookout for left-handed power, but the fit in San Diego is potentially an awkward one. The Padres this season have gotten strong production from all three outfield positions. Maybe, though, they're willing to make it work for a talent like Gallo.
