The MLB trade deadline is looming, set for Aug. 3, less than two weeks away. With such muddied standings, it's hard to know who's buying and who's selling -- and maybe who's doing a bit of both -- but teams are hard at work devising plans to improve their rosters and their playoff chances. Others, meanwhile, are ready to shed players and reinforce their farm systems with an eye on the future.
So who goes where? That's for agents and general managers to figure out. As for your CBS Sports experts? Let the guessing games begin.
Tarik Skubal
Mike Axisa: Lazy and unoriginal pick? Maybe, but the Dodgers are motivated to three-peat, they have rotation injuries, and they have one of the deepest farm systems in the game. What are they supposed to do with all those outfield prospects, exactly? You can roster only so many. Using one or two to rent Skubal in an effort to win a third straight World Series seems pretty smart to me. I think the Braves are the biggest competition, but ultimately, the Dodgers will win out because they have a much deeper system.
Dayn Perry: The bar for contention in the AL Central and the AL wild-card race is such that the Tigers, who've been much better since the start of June and undershot their run differential by a wide margin, won't be able to justify trading away their ace. They'll keep Skubal, make the playoffs, and then tag him with the qualifying offer as he heads into free agency.
Matt Snyder: He's not going anywhere. The Tigers are playing good baseball and are ready to make a late run at the AL Central title. More importantly, they're holding out hope they can win the World Series before letting Skubal walk. Things could easily change with a losing streak forcing their hand, but my prediction is that he stays put.
Freddy Peralta
Mike Axisa: There's the Craig Counsell connection and also the fact that the Cubs badly need pitching, including someone who can start in October. If the Mets sell as aggressively as it looks like they will, Chicago could bring in multiple Mets pitchers. Peralta, Clay Holmes, Huascar Brazoban, A.J. Minter ... they could use all those guys. But yeah, Peralta to the Cubs is my prediction.
Dayn Perry: Why not the Brewers? Peralta's former team has been hit with rotation injuries lately, and they could use an innings guy like their old friend in the mix. That's especially the case as Jacob Misiorowski's innings pile up down the stretch. There's obviously deep familiarity on both sides.
Matt Snyder: The Cubs need a frontline starter, and while Peralta hasn't fit the bill this season, he has in multiple seasons in the past, including last year. The change of scenery with better defense will certainly help and it's possible the reunion with Craig Counsell helps as well. I wouldn't worry much about him not being much more than a five-inning pitcher, as the Cubs (when healthy) have some good piggyback options (Colin Rea, Javier Assad).
Taylor Ward
Mike Axisa: It makes too much sense. The Phillies need an outfielder and they need a right-handed hitter, and Ward is both of those things. He won't go back to last year's 36-homer pace, but Citizens Bank Park should help Ward find the seats more often than he has in Camden Yards.
Dayn Perry: They've got a lineup that's a bit too left-handed, and Ward is the perfect righty complement to mix in at the outfield corners and at DH.
Matt Snyder: The Phillies could use a right-handed power-hitting outfielder and Ward matches that description, even if his power went on hiatus for a good portion of this season. He's perked up a bit lately, though, and remember, he hit 36 last season.
Luis Arraez
Mike Axisa: I predict Arraez stays with the Giants and they extend him. Nonsensical? Yeah, probably, but my guess is that most front offices still don't love the offensive skill set and aren't fully buying into the defensive improvement. To put it another way, I don't think the Giants will love the offers that are out there and decide they're better off keeping Arraez and trying to win with him next year.
Dayn Perry: With Marcelo Mayer out with injury (and playing poorly before the injury) and Anthony Seigler probably best suited to a reserve role, Arraez is a good fit for the surging Red Sox at second base. Additionally, since he's on a one-year deal, he won't block Mayer or anyone else in 2027.
Matt Snyder: In the span of two weeks, the Red Sox have moved from firm seller to possible buyer, and this isn't a fan base that would tolerate doing anything half-hearted. Grabbing Arraez to play second base and hit leadoff would help solidify things and also improve their depth and versatility elsewhere, freeing up Anthony Siegler and Andruw Monasterio for more utility work.
Aroldis Chapman
Mike Axisa: The Red Sox are scorching hot and back in the postseason race. Teams in their position don't trade their All-Star closer.
Dayn Perry: Boston is very much back in the playoff race and may even wind up as a threat in the division. As such, the guess here is that they're not trading their All-Star closer, who's once again been a force in save situations.
Matt Snyder: The Red Sox aren't selling after this streak. No way.
