The non-waiver trade deadline is set for 4pm ET on July 31 as rumours continue to swirl on who may be heading to a new team for the stretch run. Follow all the rumours here on TSN.ca. 

 

Drop In Price?

There's a good chance the Toronto Blue Jays will trade starting pitcher J.A. Happ before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and apparently they have dropped their asking price.

According to Andy Martino of SportsNet New York, Toronto was asking for a top three prospect from the New York Yankees and other teams a few weeks ago, but are now apparently asking for a return that is more realistic. 

Martino notes that Yankees prospects such as pitcher Justus Sheffield and outfielder Estevan Florial could of been the type of players the Jays were looking for originally. 

Happ, 35, is 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 114 innings pitched this season in Toronto. He played in his first All-Star game of his career earlier this month. 

The American will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Yankees are also interested in Baltimore Orioles pitcher Zach Britton, says Martino, but there are still plenty of clubs in contention for the closer's services.

 

Change Of Scenery? 

Over a half dozen team scouts came to watch Texas Rangers veteran pitcher Cole Hamels start against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks were the teams in attendance, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

Unfortunately for Hamels, he didn't have his best outing.

The 34-year-old lefty allowed nine hits and seven earned runs over just five innings as Texas got routed by the A's, 15-3. 

The 13-year MLB veteran has had a trying year in 2018, posting a 5-9 record with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.373 WHIP over 114.1 innings pitched. 

Hamels has one year left on his contract following this season worth $20 million. 

 

Interest in Sonny? 

Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports believes if New York Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray gets dealt, the Milwaukee Brewers would be a good destination  

The Brewers came close to acquiring Gray from Oakland last season and Milwaukee’s pitching coach Derek Johnson was his pitching coach at Vanderbilt University. 

However on Sunday, Heyman reported that the Yankees want to add to the rotation as opposed to subtracting from it. 

The 28-year-old is in his first full season with the Yanks and is 7-7 with a 5.34 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 96 innings. 

 

Plenty Of Interest?

The Chicago Cubs have been in contact with the Baltimore Orioles about the availability of starters Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman as well as closer Zach Britton, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. 

Rosenthal adds the Cubs are not as "engaged" on Britton as other clubs.

The 25-year-old Bundy is 6-9 with a 4.57 ERA and 116 strikeouts over 108.1 innings this season. 

Gausman, 27, is a native of Colorado and has a 4-8 record with a 4.54 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 117 innings this season.  

The lefty Britton is 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA and four saves over just 15.2 innings pitched in 2018, his eighth season with the O's. Britton has missed much of this season with a right Achilles injury. 

 

Trusting Their Guys?

According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Los Angeles Dodgers would "love" to add a shutdown relief pitcher to set up closer Kenley Jansen, but they will not overpay to get it. 

Relief pitchers Tony Cingrani, Pedro Baez and Josh Fields are all working their way back from the disabled list and could provide the help they're looking for. 

Los Angeles are 56-44 and hold a 1.5 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for first in the National League West.