MLB trade deadline matchmaker: Skubal, Miller lead CBS Sports fits

The MLB trade deadline matchmaker board is getting spicy with less than a week to go before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET cutoff, and CBS Sports writer Mike Axisa has laid out 10 player-team pairings he says would fit the moment.

Axisa stressed that the list is not a set of predictions. It is a rundown of hypothetical deals he would like to see, framed around a deadline that has been slow so far. According to CBS Sports, the only notable trade to this point has been the Connelly Early-for-Curtis Mead swap, while tight standings have made it harder to sort clear buyers from clear sellers.

Which MLB trade deadline matches did CBS Sports name?

The splashiest suggestion sends Detroit ace Tarik Skubal to the Brewers. Axisa noted Milwaukee has been one of baseball’s better clubs in recent seasons without making the kind of deadline move that screams World Series push. Skubal, listed by CBS Sports with a 2.70 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 90 innings, was cast as the type of arm who can change a postseason series.

CBS Sports also paired Mason Miller with the White Sox, arguing Chicago’s young position-player core and strong farm system make a controllable late-inning weapon appealing. Miller’s profile in the piece is loud: 0.81 ERA, 16.7 strikeouts per nine innings, 27 saves and no blown saves. Axisa wrote that Miller and Grant Taylor could give Chicago a severe late-game bullpen combo, while Miller’s three more years of team control would help beyond 2026.

For the Cubs, Axisa picked Mets pitcher Clay Holmes rather than Freddy Peralta, even while acknowledging Peralta’s history with Cubs manager Craig Counsell in Milwaukee. Holmes has not pitched in the majors since a comebacker broke his leg on May 15, according to CBS Sports, but he made a closely watched minor-league rehab start Tuesday and could be ready soon.

The Yankees’ match was Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, a right-handed hitter Axisa said fits a clear New York need. Jeffers is a rental, and CBS Sports noted Minnesota has carried three catchers since his July 10 return from the injured list, with Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson also on the roster.

Where do Arraez, Mize and the bats fit?

Luis Arraez to the Rays was described as one of the more obvious fits because Tampa Bay has not had much offense from second base and emphasizes contact. Arraez, now with San Francisco in the CBS Sports listing, is batting .325 with four homers, 41 RBIs and nine steals.

Axisa matched Casey Mize with the Braves, writing that if Detroit moves Skubal, it could also deal Mize because he is another rental. Mize is on the injured list with a groin issue for the third time this season, according to CBS Sports, but the piece says he has been strong when available.

The Phillies were tied to Lane Thomas, with CBS Sports pointing to Philadelphia’s problems in right field and its weak production from right-handed hitters by OPS. Thomas was presented as a practical fit who can help with offense, defense and baserunning.

For Cleveland, Axisa proposed George Springer, calling him a lower-cost right-handed bat who could help lengthen the Guardians’ lineup. CBS Sports noted the Blue Jays and Guardians have made several trades over roughly the past 18 months, involving Shane Bieber, Andrés Giménez and Myles Straw.

The Mariners’ suggested target was Heliot Ramos, a right-handed hitter who can serve as a designated hitter and play a corner outfield spot. CBS Sports wrote that Ramos has averaged 24 homers per 162 games since 2024 while playing at Oracle Park and comes with three more years of control.

The most sentimental fit was Max Scherzer going back to the Nationals. Axisa wrote that Scherzer has not announced retirement plans and has indicated he wants to keep pitching, though injuries have piled up. Washington, CBS Sports noted, is still near the wild-card race and could use another rotation option.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.