MLB Trade Deadline 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers Continue To Break Baseball.
Whiskey’s Garage
Sports Talk
Volume 10
05/08/2026
MLB Trade Deadline 2026
MLB
The MLB Trade Deadline has come to a close, and there were some massive moves this year. The most notable trade was for 2x Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Tarik Skubal, who was sent from the Detroit Tigers to the back-to-back World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. Skubal was dealt in exchange for 3 prospects: right-handed starting pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith, and outfielder Zyhir Hope. The Dodgers, who are currently second overall in the League and massive favourites to win the World Series again, added another ace to their already dominant starting rotation. Skubal will now play alongside 4x MVP superstar Shohei Ohtani, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, All-Star Justin Wrobleski, Roki Sasaki, and Eric Lauer. 2x Cy Young Award-winner Blake Snell and All-Star Tyler Glasnow are currently on the injured list. Trades like this continue to raise the conversation about introducing a salary cap within the MLB. Superteams with large payrolls, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, continue to add star players to their roster and dominate the League year after year. When you have a payroll of roughly $400 million, like the Dodgers, you will clearly find more success than a franchise with a payroll of around $80 million, such as the Miami Marlins. Many argue that being able to “buy” a team full of superstars removes the competitive aspect of baseball, making it unenjoyable to watch, less about the management of rosters, and more about the size of wallets.
Aside from the Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays made a few key moves at the deadline as well. The Jays moved on from longtime veteran Kevin Gausman. Gausman was sent to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 2 Minor-League prospects, 2B/SS Ty Southisene, and CF Brett Bateman. Gausman spent nearly 5 seasons with the Blue Jays, becoming a Cy Young Award finalist and earning his 2nd career All-Star selection. Toronto also traded center fielder Daulton Varsho and closing pitcher Jeff Hoffman away at the deadline. Varsho, who won a Gold Glove Award with the Jays in 2024, was sent to the Houston Astros in exchange for right-handed starter Spencer Arrighetti. Varsho spent 4 seasons in Toronto and was a key defensive piece to their roster. Jeff Hoffman, the Blue Jays' primary closer, was sent to the Minnesota Twins along with cash considerations, in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Dasan Hill, right-handed starter John Klein, 2B prospect Dameury Pena, and International signing bonus pool space (International signing bonus pool is essentially a “salary cap” for international prospects, the amount of money a team can give in signing bonuses to players outside of Canada, United States, and Puerto Rico). Hoffman had been struggling in Toronto this season, with an ERA of 3.94 and 4 blown saves through 48 innings pitched. Hoffman did, however, have 75 strikeouts this season for the Jays, but hasn’t seemed to have the confidence since last season's World Series loss. Toronto lastly acquired José Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. A right-handed starter with an ERA of 3.29 and 127 strikeouts through 123 innings pitched this season. The main concern for the Jays will be that Soriano has 57 walks this season, tied for 3rd most across the League.
The Boston Red Sox made a blockbuster move for 3x All-Star and Silver Slugger Award-winning catcher Adley Rutschman. Rutschman was the 1st overall pick in the 2019 Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles received 2 RHP’s, an outfielder, and a Catcher in return from Boston. The full trade package is as follows.
BOSTON RED SOX RECEIVE: C Adley Rutschman & C Jake Rogers.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES RECEIVE: RHP Anthony Eyanson, RHP Kyson Witherspoon, OF Enddy Azocar, C Carlos Narváez & a player to be named later.
The Seattle Mariners dealt 3x All-Star pitcher Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for relief pitcher Seranthony Domínguez, Outfielder Nolan Jones, and Catcher Boston Smith. The MLB trade deadline has officially closed for the season.
NFL
Football is back! Although it’s just preseason, the NFL is returning this Thursday, August 6th, with the Carolina Panthers taking on the Arizona Cardinals. Week 1 of the 2026-2027 NFL season will return on September 9th, with a Super Bowl 60 rematch in which the defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks, will host the New England Patriots. The Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers in the 2nd game of the season, down in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, September 10th. The 49ers will be without wide receiver Ricky Pearsell, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp. Pearsell will undergo surgery to repair his PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in his right knee. During the 2025-26 season, Pearsell was forced to sit out 8 games due to a PCL sprain. It seems as though it hasn’t healed and will now go under the knife after reaggravating the injury. Ricky Pearsell’s short career has been plagued by injuries and misfortune thus far. Before the start of his rookie season in 2024, Pearsell was forced to sit out 6 games after being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt in San Francisco. He was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition, where he received the treatment he needed. The gunshot wound went through his chest, exiting out his back but missing all his vital organs, allowing him to be released shortly after and back to the game he loves, after just 6 weeks of healing up. Unfortunately, Ricky Pearsell’s 2026-27 season has come to an end before taking a single snap. Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a minor injury in training camp, aggravating something in his lower body. Gardner-Johnson was seen leaving the field with 2 arms around the training staff, but later walking on his own and was carted back to the locker room. The former Super Bowl Champion Strong Safety signed a 1-year deal with the Buffalo Bills back in March of this year, where he will play alongside Free Safety Cole Bishop and be backed up by Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin.
