Will Brewers be aggressive? What's Mets' strategy? Your Trade Deadline questions answered

With the Trade Deadline less than one week away, teams around Major League Baseball are holding discussions with one another, trying to figure out the best moves to make for both the short and long term.

With one notable deal already in the books – the Red Sox dealt left-hander Connelly Early to the Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead – the action is underway, but with so many teams still trying to figure out whether to buy, sell or stand pat, there’s much more to come in the next six days.

To get the week started, I hosted a Reddit AMA session on Monday, answering your Deadline-related questions. Here’s a sampling.

(Some questions have been edited for length and clarity.)

Q: Are the Brewers really going to be aggressive? I’ve been hearing that but it doesn’t seem to fit with their overall strategy.

Feinsand: Everything I have heard backs up the idea of the Brewers being aggressive, and frankly, they should be. Milwaukee has been a marvel for a number of years, repeatedly reaching the postseason despite a payroll that doesn't compare to the NL's big spenders. But the Brewers still haven't been able to get over that hump to get to the World Series, so an aggressive Deadline could put them in position to finally topple the Dodgers or whoever else gets in their way. President of baseball operations Matt Arnold has been working the phones and has checked in on the likes of Tarik Skubal and Mason Miller, but players like that need to be made available for him to act. With so few sellers at the moment, the options aren't nearly that exciting. I think we'll see some more clarity and action the closer we get to next Monday, but with a deep farm system and the incentive to make moves, I think the Brewers will do whatever they can to bolster their roster by Aug. 3.

Q: How serious is the noise around CJ Abrams?

Feinsand: I think you used the perfect word: noise. I would be surprised if Abrams was moved, though I suppose anything can happen if a team decides to make a huge overpay for him. The Nationals are having a surprisingly good season and Abrams has been a major part of that turnaround. My guess is that he's still in Washington on Aug. 4.

Q: What is the likelihood that the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal but are buyers as well?

Feinsand: That would be a truly shocking development to me. The Tigers are the most interesting team to watch this week for obvious reasons. If they fall further behind in the Wild Card race, they may have no choice but to trade Skubal, who would be the crown jewel of the trade market. If they trade Skubal, there is no reason for them not to also move Casey Mize, Gleyber Torres, Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan, if not others. If they pull a little closer to a playoff spot, I can see a scenario in which they hold all of those guys and become buyers. Trading Skubal and also buying would seem to make little sense. The next 4-5 days should tell the entire story of which direction they choose.

Q: How do you see the Phillies’ Trade Deadline shaking out? Thinner farm system and lots of needs.

Feinsand: I think Dave Dombrowski will be his typically aggressive self. Unlike many of his peers, Dombrowski has never had an issue trading prospects if he thinks his team has a chance to get to the World Series, and given how the Phillies have rebounded from their 9-19 start, there's no reason to think they can't make a run in October. It feels like the Phillies are in the hunt for a right-handed-hitting outfielder every year, and this year is no different. I'm not sure who will ultimately become available, but I would be surprised if Dombrowski doesn't make a move or two to give his squad a better chance down the stretch.

Q: With the Royals definitely selling, what type of player (position/experience) are they valuing most for a return?

Feinsand: Pitching depth and more hitting are the areas I would expect the Royals to look for, and while I think they will certainly be sellers, I get the feeling they aren't planning on moving any controllable players such as Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha. Kansas City's season has been disappointing for sure, but the Royals don't plan on letting 2026 prompt them to go back into a full rebuild. They want to contend again next year, so I think they will be open to moving their expiring contracts to bring back some young talent, then give it another shot in 2027.

Q: What single move could the Blue Jays make to strengthen next year and forward? Trade for Reid Detmers?

Feinsand: Detmers or Jose Soriano are the exact types of players the Blue Jays tend to look for: controllable pitchers who can help them beyond this season. Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber will be free agents after the season, while José Berríos will still be rehabbing from elbow surgery. That leaves Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and Cody Ponce as the 2027 rotation, so I wouldn't be surprised if Ross Atkins tries to acquire a controllable starter this week like he did a few years ago with Berríos.

Q: Should the New York Mets enter a full rebuild around Juan Soto? Or are they closer to building a perennial contender than people think?

Feinsand: I don't think the Mets will ever enter a "full rebuild," because with their financial resources, they don't need to. I know there has been talk about trading Francisco Lindor, but I don't see him waiving his no-trade clause unless it's the perfect situation for him. Bo Bichette's salary and opt-outs make him difficult to move. I think the Mets will deal Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley and possibly Luke Weaver, but beyond that, their other players are either not available (Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Soto) or don't offer much trade value (Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, etc). They could move Francisco Alvarez, especially given that four or five teams are looking for catching help, but I don't see president of baseball operations David Stearns tearing it all down for a full-on rebuild. It's just not in owner Steve Cohen's DNA.

Q: With multiple teams reportedly eyeing the catcher market, how much do you think teams are going to have to overpay for that position? Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson are the two guys that look to be moved, and with Hunter Goodman being a potential trade target, I think it’s going to be a crazy bidding war

Feinsand: I totally agree – to some extent. The catchers that are made available should bring back strong returns, because the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, White Sox and possibly the Dodgers are all looking for catching help. But I don't see the Rockies moving Goodman unless they are completely overwhelmed, and as of this moment, the Twins are leaning toward buying, which could take away Jeffers as an option. Throw in Shea Langeliers' injury, and we're looking at Jonah Heim and Stephenson as potentially being the two best catchers available. It will be interesting to see if the lack of available catchers prompts another team to make its own catcher available.

Q: How likely is it that the Angels will trade controllable players?

Feinsand: That is a very good question. Owner Arte Moreno has never been much of a seller, but with interim GM John Mozeliak running baseball ops, it will be interesting to see if he can convince ownership that a rebuild is the best path and that moving players like Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano or Zach Neto is the best avenue to jump-starting such a rebuild. I honestly don't know how likely it is, but I'm sure those conversations are being had out in Anaheim.