Mets arms draw Cubs and White Sox interest before MLB deadline

The trade deadline clock is ticking toward 6 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 3, and starting pitching is already the hottest aisle in baseball’s rumor market.

With so many clubs still hanging around the postseason race, the seller pool is thin. CBS Sports reported that, entering Sunday, only three American League teams and four National League teams were more than 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. That leaves 23 teams with realistic playoff hopes and only seven obvious sellers.

That squeeze has put pitchers from the Mets and Angels in the middle of the chatter, with contenders looking for rotation help and a small group of clubs holding the inventory.

Cubs linked to Freddy Peralta

The Cubs have interest in Mets starter Freddy Peralta, according to the New York Post. Chicago is chasing the Brewers in the NL Central and appears to be looking at a familiar arm for manager Craig Counsell, who spent six seasons with Peralta in Milwaukee.

Peralta can become a free agent after the season. His current numbers are not as sharp as his reputation: CBS Sports listed him at 5-8 with a 4.66 ERA and a 90 ERA+ this year. Last season, though, he finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting.

The Cubs reportedly believe the Mets’ defense has played a role in Peralta’s dip. CBS Sports noted that Chicago ranks second in MLB in defensive efficiency and first in fielding run value by a wide margin, while the Mets rank 22nd in both categories.

That makes the fit easy to understand. A pitcher with recent high-end results, a manager who knows him, and a defense built to convert balls in play into outs is a tidy deadline recipe.

White Sox checked on Clay Holmes

The White Sox are also sniffing around Mets pitching. USA Today reported that Chicago sent a special assistant to see Clay Holmes during his rehab assignment.

Holmes did not make his scheduled High-A start Saturday because of bad weather, according to CBS Sports, and instead threw a private bullpen session. He has been sidelined since May 15 with a broken fibula but is nearing a major league return.

Before the injury, Holmes was effective for New York. CBS Sports listed him at 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA, a 175 ERA+ and 45 strikeouts over 52 2/3 innings.

The White Sox entered Sunday in a virtual tie for first place in the AL Central and need rotation help, according to CBS Sports. Holmes would give them an experienced option near the top of a group that includes Davis Martin and Sean Burke.

Angels expected to listen on two starters

The Angels are expected to make José Soriano and Reid Detmers available on the trade market, according to the New York Post.

Soriano, a right-hander, opened the season in electric form. CBS Sports reported that he had a 0.24 ERA through his first six starts. His results have cooled since then, including a 6.00 ERA over his last five outings, but his overall line still sits at 8-6 with a 3.49 ERA. He is under team control through 2028.

Detmers, a left-hander, has also shown flashes between rough patches. CBS Sports listed him at 3-6 with a 4.16 ERA. From May 24 through June 16, he posted a 1.36 ERA across 33 innings, then followed with a 7.40 ERA over four starts. In his most recent outing, he threw six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Detmers is also under team control through 2028.

With deadline buyers crowding the room and few teams clearly ready to sell, controllable starters could become especially valuable before Aug. 3.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.