The 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline is going to be here before you know it.
It's scheduled for August 3 and there have already been some intriguing rumors out there. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara is viewed as the "hottest commodity" around the league right now ahead of the deadline. Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran was another name he mentioned.
"The hottest commodity at the trade deadline is expected to be Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara and the Boston Red Sox could trade left-handed hitting outfielder Jarren Duran before the Aug. 3 deadline."
If either Alcantara or Duran is moved, they surely would be headline-grabbing, blockbuster deals. Alcantara is a former Cy Young Award winner and Boston fans know what Duran can do when he's at his best.
They aren't the only big-name guys around the league who have had their names in trade rumors already. The Athletic's Jim Bowden shared a column centered around the top pitchers who could get traded. Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets arguably was the most interesting name on his list.
"Freddy Peralta, RHP, New York Mets," Bowden wrote. "Contract status: Impending free agent. After eight seasons with the Brewers, Peralta, 29, was traded to the Mets this offseason in a deal that was supposed to put New York in position to contend for a World Series title. Nothing has gone according to plan for the Mets thus far, though Peralta hasn’t been the reason for the team’s poor start. While he hasn’t been quite as good as he was last year with Milwaukee, he’s pitched to his career norms and has given the Mets reliable innings every five days."
It's early, but there already are some intriguing names out there, to say the least.