The 2016 non-waiver trade deadline falls on August 1 this year, meaning it's less than two weeks away now. We've already seen a handful of trades go down in recent weeks, most notably involving James Shields and Drew Pomeranz, and you can be sure many more moves are on the way.
To help you keep track of all the rumors and rumblings, we'll log the day's buzz right here, so make sure you check back often for the latest updates. Here's a look at Friday's trade chatter.
Update: 11:05pm ET
The Yankees are telling teams they're close to trading Aroldis Chapman and will hang onto Andrew Miller, according to a Fox Sports report. It's unclear where Chapman may be heading. The Nationals have been most connected to him these last few weeks. Needless to say, any contender would love to add his power arm to their bullpen.
Update: 10:01pm ET
According to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox are not done making trades prior to the deadline. "Dave will go for at least one (or) two more (pieces)," said one of Drellich's sources, referring to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. The Red Sox have already added Aaron Hill, Brad Ziegler, and Drew Pomeranz. They could still use more pitching help, especially in the bullpen given all the injuries they've suffered recently.
Update: 9:58pm ET
The Nationals have checked in on Royals closer Wade Davis, reports Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball. Needless to say, the price is rather high. Davis, 30, has a 21 saves and a 1.14 ERA in 31 2/3 innings around a minor forearm injury this year. He owns a 1.00 ERA (417 ERA+ in 171 innings since moving to the bullpen full-time two years ago. Davis' contract includes a $10 million club option for 2017.
Update: 9:52pm ET
The Twins are not inclined to trade Ervin Santana unless they're blown away with an offer, reports MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. Santana, 33, is 3-8 despite a rock solid 3.93 ERA (108 ERA+) in 105 1/3 innings. He's owed $13.5 million in 2016 and again in 2017. Clubs could look at Santana as a short-term buy given the weak upcoming free agent pitching class.
Update: 9:48pm ET
The Rangers are focused on starting pitching and are not pursuing Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Texas had been speculated as a possible landing spot for Lucroy. Their catching situation is not terrible, but Lucroy would be a clear upgrade behind the plate, as he would be for most teams.
Update: 9:31pm ET
The Rangers have been talking trade with both the Rays and White Sox on Sunday, reports MLB.com T.R. Sullivan. There is "nothing yet" done, however.
Sullivan adds that the Rangers are reluctant to part with Nomar Mazara in a Chris Sale deal but are "being flexible" with top prospect Joey Gallo and infielder Jurickson Profar, as well as some of their pitching prospects.
For the Rays, Sullivan reports they'd be looking to land Profar in any deal for Jake Odorizzi or Matt Moore, but that the Rays are unwilling to part with Chris Archer.
Update: 6:31pm ET
Interestingly, the White Sox have scratchedChris Sale from Saturday's scheduled start. It's not because he's ill, as was originally reported. It's not because he's been traded either. The White Sox say Sale was sent home after being involved in a "non-physical" incident in the clubhouse. It sounds as though Sale was involved in a heated argument with a teammate or someone on the coaching staff or in the front office.
Update: 5:20pm ET
All along is has seemed unlikely that the Rays would deal Chris Archer due mostly to him having such a down season. Why sell low?
Well, it looks like if the Rays do move him, it'll be a very steep price. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that it would take pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows to pry Archer from the Rays. Both are top-10 prospects in all of baseball, per Baseball America.
So, let this be an illustration of what it would take for other teams to have a shot at Archer. It's just that most teams don't have two top-10 prospects. Thus, the hunch remains that Archer doesn't go anywhere.
Update: 3:45pm ET
If the White Sox do move All-Star Game starting pitcher Chris Sale, it'll cost the acquiring team an utterly jaw-dropping package. We already figured that to be the case, but Jon Heyman spells out that it'll take five prospects. That's the type of deal that could be franchise-altering, both for the White Sox and the team that coughs up the prospects -- it just depends on how wisely each side chooses in negotiating those prospects.
Not only is Sale awesome, but he's only 27 and is set to make $12 million next season before a $12.5 million club option in 2018 and a $13.5 million option in 2019. The value there is off the charts due to three factors: the low value compared to other aces, the team control on the options, and that it's not too long-term.
Update: 3:35pm ET
As the Rangers continue to look for starting pitching, they are engaged in talks with the Rays. The two sides definitely make sense, as the Rays need to build up other areas of their roster and have some starters that would be attractive on the open market while the Rangers' rotation has been ravaged by injuries.
Of course, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the two sides are locked in a "staring contest," as the Rays want Jurickson Profar and the Rangers won't give him up.
Update: 3:25pm ET
The last-place Twins will be taking a back seat as the rumor mill continues to turn. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that they are a "backup plan" as the "first-tier trade targets" are still on the table. So it looks like things will go down the wire for someone like Ervin Santana or even All-Star Eduardo Nunez.
Update: 3:10pm ET
One might recall that last July the Mets made a huge splash in acquiring Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers, and it helped spur the offense to be one of baseball's most prolific the rest of the way. This time around, don't expect something similar.
Per Mike Puma of the New York Post:
This time, neither Alderson nor his lieutenants seem to view the possibility of adding another significant lineup piece -- think Todd Frazier- or Ryan Braun-level -- as realistic, given what the cost would be in terms of prospects in what has become a shallow pool.
Obviously the Mets would still be open to adding depth pieces, but it sounds like Mets fans shouldn't expect more much than moves on the periphery.
Update: 2:15pm ET
Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman is thought to be the jewel of the relief pitching trade market, but Jon Heyman notes that Wade Davis could be available and has a higher price tag than Chapman.
The latter part of that isn't in the least bit surprising. Chapman is a free agent after the season and has the offseason baggage that got him suspended for 30 days. Davis has a $10 million option for the 2017 season that will surely be picked up by the Royals or any team to which he's traded. The righty has 21 saves in 23 chances with a 1.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings this season. He's been an elite reliever in each of the past three seasons.
Update: 1:05pm ET
Andrew Cashner is the most talked about high-4 ERA pitcher ever, apparently, because Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Marlins can be added to the list of suitors.
Update: 11:26am ET
Apparently Andrew Cashner is the hot name of the day, because Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Giants have also taken a look. Of course, Heyman also reports that the Giants are more focused on relievers. He also throws out there that the Dodgers are "aiming ever higher" and mentions Rays starters and ... Chris Sale.
I'm still not buying Sale being traded (the wording there sounds hilarious given his name, by the way), but it's interesting to see his name bandied about.
Update: 10:56am ET
We heard Friday that the Orioles were discussing a trade with the Padres that would send outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to Baltimore for Ubaldo Jimenez, and now Ken Rosenthal of Fox reports that the two clubs are also discussing Andrew Cashner, adding that the two discussions are mutually exclusive. The hard-throwing righty has looked good in his last two starts but overall has a 4.79 ERA this season. He's a free agent this coming offseason.