5 MLB Trade Predictions Involving Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Brewers Ahead of Monday’s Deadline

With the weekend rapidly approaching, the Major League Baseball trade deadline is officially four days away, and it’s time to start thinking about the blockbuster deals that will shape MLB over the next two months.

There have already been a few impactful moves across the league, including the Boston Red Sox acquiring Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals, and on Wednesday night, the Angels and Rangers linked up on a deal that sent Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth to Texas.

That being said, I’ve been monitoring the market very closely (as well as producing several trade pieces over the last several months), so here are my top 5 trade predictions across MLB. Here are the rules (set by me): It has to be a contender involved in the trade, the trade prediction has to make sense (nothing super far-fetched), and no doubling up on certain teams, i.e. the Dodgers featured in two trade predictions.

So, here we go, from 5 to 1: these are five MLB trade predictions I believe will happen before 6 p.m. ET on Monday, August third.

5. New York Yankees Trade for Ryan Jeffers

Let’s start with the most obvious one of the bunch, which, honestly, if the Yankees don’t trade for Ryan Jeffers, it might be more surprising that he doesn’t get moved than it is that the Minnesota Twins actually want to trade him.

The Twins, of course, still have MLB playoff aspirations, and Ryan Jeffers has been a great hitter this season. With that being said, Minnesota was without him for so long, and the New York Yankees‘ need for a catcher outgrows the Twins’ need to hold onto Jeffers, who is an impending free agent and more than likely going to depart in free agency anyway.

MLBTR.com’s Anthony Franco wrote (about Jeffers’ 2026 season):

“The righty-hitting Jeffers missed around seven weeks between May and July after suffering a left hamate fracture that required surgery. He has picked up where he left off, hitting .286 with two homers and doubles apiece in nine games since returning. Jeffers has a robust .293/.395/.535 line with nine longballs on the season.”

4. Casey Mize Lands with Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are at the forefront of all the biggest MLB trade rumors, which makes sense when you consider their need for a frontline starter. While Atlanta has also been linked to Tarik Skubal, I believe they ultimately land a big-time starter from the Detroit Tigers, but it comes in the form of Casey Mize, who is having a stellar season thus far.

Across 16 starts, Mize has a 2.70 ERA over 86.2 innings pitched with a WHIP of 0.992.

He is also an impending free agent, and along with Skubal, Mize figures to be a lock to be moved if the Tigers begin their fire sale. Atlanta will lock in their No.2 starter for the MLB playoffs, and it will come at much less of a price than Tarik Skubal.

3. Chicago Cubs Trade for Emerson Hancock

Emerson Hancock is another starter where it feels like he’s more likely to be traded than not traded ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Reports have already suggested that the Seattle Mariners are shopping him, and the SP-needy Chicago Cubs stand out as a quality option to land the breakout starter. Hancock has an ERA of 3.26 this season over 20 starts with 102 strikeouts.

Chicago figures to be engaged in all of the top trade conversations regarding starting pitchers, and that includes Tarik Skubal, but would they be willing to offload one of their top 3 prospects to land Skubal? That’s unclear, and Hancock (even though he comes with several years of team control) would come at a much lower price.

2. Boston Red Sox Land Zach Neto

Here we go with some of the truly blockbuster deals.

Expect the Boston Red Sox to be uber aggressive this trade deadline, especially after the news of their newly acquired infielder Curtis Mead injuring his wrist.

Also, the Angels may have already signed their upcoming fire sale by moving on from two players at the price of one *struggling* minor league prospect. If Craig Breslow is okay with offloading top prospects, which everything over the past year indicates that is the case, keep an eye on the Red Sox as a top player for top shortstop Zach Neto.

All the reports point to the Red Sox targeting A. a shortstop, and B. a top right-handed slugger. Zach Neto checks both boxes, and Boston is suddenly all-in this trade deadline after winning 15 straight games in July.

1. Milwaukee Brewers Land Tarik Skubal

Yep, the finale prediction on this list is the Milwaukee Brewers linking up with their Midwest friends (the Detroit Tigers) to land the biggest fish on the market, Tarik Skubal.

Look, the Brewers are enjoying another franchise-type season, and they have to be scarred from last year’s NLCS with the Dodgers. Well, the only way to resurrect that pain is to beat the Dodgers at their own game, which would mean landing Tarik Skubal. No doubt it will cost a lot, but Milwaukee has the farm system status to pull off the deal, and goodness, the Jacob Misiorwski-Tarik Skubal 1-2 punch in the starting rotation just might be enough to stave off the reigning, defending World Series champions.

Tarik Skubal’s 2026 stats: 16 starts, 2.79 ERA, 96.2 IP, 116 SO, WHIP: 0.910.

Yeah, Skubal is back, and these next four days are certain to be filled with mayhem regarding his sweepstakes.

Well, there you have it: my top 5 trade predictions ahead of MLB’s trade deadline (Monday, Aug. 3).

Stay updated to see how I do, and how many of these I get correct (hoping for at least one).

Let me know how I did in the comments below.

More MLB on Heavy: Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Blake Snell Decision Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

More MLB on Heavy: Houston Astros Demote 24-Year-Old Player in Latest Roster Move Before Angels Game

More MLB on Heavy: Chicago Cubs Announce Dansby Swanson Decision Before Cardinals Game

 

Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post 5 MLB Trade Predictions Involving Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Brewers Ahead of Monday’s Deadline appeared first on HEAVY.