Rumors

July is the month when the tension starts to ratchet up in the daily drama of big league baseball. The approaching trade deadline is an important notch in the season-long arc. The teams who are in it to win it collect whatever extra weapons and spare parts they can garner, while the also-rans pack up and start talking about next year.  

Cubs Looking For Arms

As we approach the season's halfway point, MLB teams are now aware of what they need in order to contend for a title. Those who want to add pitching will have quite a few options on the open market.

With the Oakland Athletics owning the American League's worst record, they can start going into sell mode as trading season picks up. Utilityman Ben Zobrist is one of their best trade chips and is starting to attract attention around the league.   

Continue for updates. 

Veteran relief pitcher Rafael Soriano has been sitting on the sideline so far in 2015, waiting to find the right team and opportunity before he pitches in the big leagues. The 35-year-old appears to be narrowing his choices down.   

Continue for updates. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers may sit atop the National League West, but that's not preventing their front office from exploring trade options. Juan Uribe, who is in the final year of his current deal, was reportedly traded to the Atlanta Braves. 

Continue for updates.   

Cuban players have enjoyed a great deal of success in Major League Baseball in recent years, and the next potential star from Cuba could be on the verge of joining the league in the form of pitcher Norge Luis Ruiz.

Continue for updates.  

Buoyed by an offseason spending spree that included a long-term agreement with star Giancarlo Stanton, most expected the Miami Marlins to compete for an NL East title. A disappointing 3-10 start apparently has management reconsidering the status of manager Mike Redmond.  

Continue for updates.

Rumor turned to report when the MLB offseason's first blockbuster trade unfolded Monday.

Following constant buzz about the Atlanta Braves shopping Jason Heyward, they dealt him and relief pitcher Jordan Walden to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. MLB's Twitter page pounced on the news:

It's been a big offseason for starting pitchers on the move.

After months of speculation, Cliff Lee signed a five-year, $120 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in the free-agent frenzy of the winter. The Milwaukee Brewers emptied their farm system for trade-market equivalent Zack Greinke and the Chicago Cubs then gave up an arguably better package of prospects for the good-not-great Matt Garza.

If there is a starter on the free agent market with a questionable injury history the Yankees are apparently in on him.

Well they are supposedly “stepping up their pursuit” of one questionable starter, former A’s starter Justin Duchscherer according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.

Duchscherer, 33, has suffered a myriad of injuries and even clinical depression that has derailed a once promising career.