With the 2026 MLB trade deadline just around the corner, the hot stove is heating up, at least to a soft boil. This year’s deadline is set for Monday at 6 p.m., and it’s been slow-moving so far; Curtis Mead for Connelly Early remains the biggest trade of the summer. But that’s all (probably) going to change over the next 72 hours or so.
For now, here’s what we’re hearing:
Red Sox willing to move Duran
The Red Sox, clear buyers after a 15-game winning streak helped them surge back into the playoff race, are willing to trade outfielder Jarren Duran before Monday’s trade deadline, multiple sources told CBS Sports.
Duran has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season, slashing .195/.252/.337 with 13 home runs and a .589 OPS. His batting average ranks last in the majors, while his OPS ranks second-worst among qualified hitters.
“I suck,” Duran told reporters in Sacramento Thursday evening following his club’s series victory over the Athletics. “Of course I’m pissed at myself. I can’t do a job for this team.”
Compounding Duran’s lack of production have been repeated emotional outbursts, an issue that has followed him throughout his major-league career.
The latest example came during Thursday’s game. After lifting a shallow fly ball to left field, Duran became visibly upset when third base coach Chad Epperson held runner Willson Contreras at third rather than sending him home on the throw. Duran turned toward the third-base line and appeared to yell, “Run!” before adding, “Do your job!”
Contreras, meanwhile, would have been out by a wide margin.
Interim manager Chad Tracy defended Duran, saying, “He was just cursing himself. I didn’t really venture over there when he was upset to ask. But he was at the bat rack, just upset with himself for not getting the run in.”
However, a source confirmed that Duran’s frustration was, in fact, directed toward the third-base area, specifically Epperson more than Contreras.
Much of Duran’s past controversy has centered on his interactions with fans, at least publicly. This incident, however, has raised more eyebrows because his frustration was directed toward a coach and, to a lesser extent, a teammate, prompting one league executive to ask, “Is he really worth the headache anymore?”
That said, despite Duran’s struggles this season, he is still believed to have a market, though not nearly the one he would have commanded had Boston moved him at last year’s trade deadline.
The Padres, who have long been linked to Duran, remain in the market for a left-handed-hitting outfielder, making them a logical fit.
As one person put it, teams remain well aware of Duran’s talent, particularly after his breakout 2024 campaign, when he was one of the best players in baseball. Even if he never replicates that season, evaluators believe he can still be a valuable contributor on a contending club, offering a rare combination of speed and power that can be deployed in a variety of roles.
The Twins also pursued Duran at last year’s trade deadline, but the Red Sox were unwilling to move established major-league talent while they remained in the postseason race. They find themselves in a similar position this year after surging through June and July, though they are now weighing whether Duran has left them with much of a choice.
Ahead of Friday’s slate of games, the Red Sox sit in third place in the AL East, seven games behind the Rays, and hold the second wild-card berth in the American League.
Springer open to Red Sox trade
The Blue Jays are expected to be sellers at Monday’s deadline, at least when it comes to their expiring contracts, with Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber among the most notable names available. George Springer could be moved as well, though his limited no-trade clause allows him to block deals to certain clubs.
One destination that interests Springer, according to a source familiar with his thinking, is Boston.
The fit makes sense. Boston is looking for right-handed power, while Springer, a Connecticut native who grew up a Red Sox fan, has long enjoyed hitting at Fenway Park. In 51 career games there, he owns a .323/.400/.540 slash line with a .940 OPS and 10 home runs.
Boston could also offer Springer a full-time designated hitter role, one in which he has thrived during the latter stages of his career in Toronto while reducing the wear and tear of playing the outfield every day. Masataka Yoshida has taken most of those at-bats, but he can move back to the outfield as needed.
When Springer reached free agency after the 2020 season, he expected the Red Sox to pursue him. They never did.
“It’s crazy they didn’t make an offer,” one person said. “He loved hitting there.”
The Red Sox have interest, but only under the right circumstances. They kicked off the trade deadline by acquiring Curtis Mead from the Nationals, only to lose him to the IL the day of his debut after he was hit by a pitch and broke his wrist. Boston has said to still be interested in adding infield help as well.
The Blue Jays, who made it to Game 7 of the World Series before losing to the Dodgers last year, have been among the most disappointing teams in 2026. They currently sit in last place in the AL East at 50-59.
Nationals and Luis Garcia Jr.
The Nationals are actively looking for suitors for Luis Garcia Jr. While the club has indicated that CJ Abrams will not be traded at this deadline, Garcia, who has one year of team control remaining before free agency, has emerged as one of Washington’s most realistic trade candidates.
The 26-year-old first baseman is in the midst of a career season, batting .286 with a National League-leading .566 slugging percentage to go along with an .882 OPS and 23 home runs.
Paul Toboni, Washington’s head of baseball operations, recently sold high on Curtis Mead, trading him to Boston for Connelly Early, and the Nationals remain focused on the long term. Any deal involving Garcia would likely be made with the same objective in mind: adding to the organization’s prospect capital while continuing to strengthen its long-term core.
The Giants’ dilemma
The Giants, one of the worst teams in baseball this season, would like to move several of their long-term contracts, including third baseman Matt Chapman, first baseman/designated hitter Rafael Devers and shortstop Willy Adames. However, as the trade deadline approaches, they have found virtually no suitors for any of them, according to a source.
Collectively, the trio is owed roughly $481.4 million, and each has seen his value decline to varying degrees. Devers will enter his age-30 season next year. Adames, 30, has struggled defensively, posting a league-worst -12 Outs Above Average (OAA) among shortstops, making a move off the position appear increasingly likely. Chapman, meanwhile, is 33, has four years remaining on his contract and is currently on the injured list.
If San Francisco is unable to move any of those three contracts, the club is still expected to shop several other veterans, including Luis Arraez, arguably its most attractive trade chip, right-hander Tyler Mahle, left-hander Robbie Ray and multiple relievers.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey has also hinted at giving some of the organization’s top-performing prospects an opportunity in the majors, recently mentioning outfielder Scott Bandura as a candidate.
Bandura, 24, is enjoying the best season of his professional career, slashing .311/.402/.456 with an .858 OPS and eight home runs across Double-A and Triple-A. Since his promotion to Triple-A, he has become a steady offensive presence, showcasing elite bat-to-ball skills along with above-average speed, two areas in which the Giants’ major-league club has struggled.
