The hot stove is heating up around major league baseball. With just one week until the trade deadline, TSN.ca takes a look at some of the latest news, rumours and rumblings from around the league.

Only compelling situations for Bautista

The market for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is still unclear six days ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline, but what appears clear is Bautista is likely to exercise his right to stay in Toronto. Talking to Dave Naylor and Steve Simmons on TSN 1050 Tuesday morning, ESPN's Buster Olney said it would take a very good situation for Bautista to consider waiving his no movement clause.

 

 

"I have not asked (Bautista) directly whether or not he would waive (his no trade clause)," Olney said. "I have talked to folks who know him, and they think unless it’s a really, really compelling situation … besides that, in talking with folks around him, it doesn’t sound like he’s that interested in doing that. He loves playing in Toronto."

Olney listed the Houston Astros as an example, should injuries strike and they need another bat in their lineup.

Bautista is batting just .222 this season, but does have a .332 on-base percentage, 16 home runs, and 43 RBIs in 98 games this season.

The 36-year-old is signed through the end of this season with a mutual option for 2018.

More Jays notes

Starting pitchers Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano have struggled for the Jays this season, but that doesn't mean the two pending free agents won't still get moved, even if it takes until August to do so.

Olney told Naylor and Simmons on TSN 1050 if either pitcher strings together a couple of good starts in a row, that could be enough for a contending team to bite.

"They will clear waivers," Olney said of Estrada and Liriano. "And then the Blue Jays will be in a position to market them and also, this time of year, small sample size means everything. So Estrada, Liriano go out and have back-to-back really great starts, some contender is going to go, ‘okay, we’ll take him. You take most of the money, but we’ll bring him over here for a few starts.’"

Estrada's third season with the Jays has been his worst. Through 20 starts this season, the 34-year-old has a 4-7 record, 5.52 earned run average, and 118 strikeouts in 109.1 innings pitched. Liriano, in his second season in Toronto, is 6-5 with a 5.99 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 76.2 innings through 17 starts this season.

Both Estrada and Liriano are free agents after this season. 

Rangers keeping Darvish?

Potentially one of the most sought after trade targets leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline could be off the market.

According to a report from MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, the Texas Rangers are currently leaning towards keeping starting pitcher Yu Darvish.

Sullivan added that could all change if the Rangers receive an overwhelming offer, and that's where the Los Angeles Dodgers potentially come in.

"Every general manager in baseball understands there is at least a remote possibility the Rangers could trade Darvish, and to not reach out to (Rangers GM Jon) Daniels at some point would probably qualify as gross negligence," Sullivan wrote. "That the Dodgers have lost Clayton Kershaw for 4-6 weeks with a back injury will only increase speculation."

The other factor to consider, as Sullivan wrote, is that the Rangers are still only 3.5 games out of a wildcard spot.

Through 21 starts for the Rangers this season, Darvish has a 6-8 record, 3.44 earned run average, and 143 strikeouts in 133.1 innings. The 25-year-old was named to his fourth All-Star team this season.

Yankees frontrunners for Gray

It's likely the Oakland Athletics will move starting pitcher Sonny Gray ahead of the trade deadline, and with six days to go the New York Yankees appear to be the frontrunner for the veteran's services.

Olney told TSN 1050 he thinks the Yankees are the top contenders to land Gray because they are looking for players that can help the team beyond this season.

There’s been some surprise within the industry that the A’s didn’t move faster with Sonny Gray. Because it does feel like his market has been muddied by the emergence of guys like Yu Darvish," Olney said. "If I had to bet today, where is Sonny Gray going to be a week from today? I think it’s going to be the Yankees, because the Yankees are focusing on players who can help them beyond this year. So I think they’re less interested in a rental like Yu Darvish and more interested in acquiring someone who can help their rotation moving forward."

Gray's contract runs only through this season but is under team control until 2020.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post also believes Gray is a possibility for the Yankees, because the Yankees feel they are better than their 51-46 record indicates.

"The Blue Jays were just 50-51 when they made the first of two huge deadline deals in 2015, obtaining Troy Tulowitzki from the Rockies three days before they landed David Price from the Tigers. Toronto was looking at underlying numbers, however, that suggested it could (and probably would) play much better," Sherman wrote.

"The Yankees are sitting in a similar situation. It is one big reason they tried so hard to land their Price (Jose Quintana), did add Todd Frazier, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson, and probably are not through, with Sonny Gray still a possibility."

Through 15 starts for the A's this season, the 27-year-old Gray has a 6-4 record with 3.66 earned run average and 85 strikeouts in 91 innings.

As a footnote in the Gray trade chase, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal said the Milwaukee Brewers appear to be fading in the race.

Two deals to come

The New York Mets expect to be active ahead of the trade deadline, with two deals almost certain to happen.

Mike Puma of the New York Post reported the Mets are confident they will move closer Addison Reed and second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera by July 31. But players like Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda, and Curtis Granderson are less likely to be moved.

"As it stands, team officials are relatively confident in finding matches that would move Addison Reed and Asdrubal Cabrera by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline," Puma wrote. "But there is less optimism that deals involving Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson, among others, will be consummated, according to major league sources."

Puma wrote the market is the most robust for Reed, who lists the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Washingotn Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Chicago Cubs among the teams interested.

Puma added their is interest in Cabrera as well, with the veteran linked to the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians at least.

Reed has 17 saves in 46 appearances as the Mets' closer filling in for Jeurys Familia this season. The 28-year-old is a free agent this season.

The 31-year-old Cabrera is batting .257 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs in 74 games for the Mets this season. Cabrera too will be a free agent after this season.

Gray in the District?

The Washington Nationals are another team that will be keeping their eye on Sonny Gray when he starts in Toronto on Tuesday.  According to Jon Morosi on MLB.com, the A's and Nationals have remained in contact after completing an earlier trade that sent to relievers to the American capital.

The Nationals interest could hinge on the health of Stephen Strasburg, who was pulled from his most recent start with forearm stiffness.

Morosi says in the report that the A's are interested in young outfielders and the Nationals have two that could be used in the deal: Victor Robles, the fifth ranked prospect in all of baseball and Juan Soto.