8 Hypothetical MLB Trades Target Skubal, Trout and De La Cruz

Q: As Yordan Alvarez chases the Triple Crown, could the struggling Astros actually trade their MVP candidate before the deadline?

No — despite Yordan Alvarez’s MVP-level season and Houston’s poor record, the evidence points strongly against the Astros trading him before the deadline. Alvarez is exactly the kind of player teams build around, not move in midseason. He is under contract through 2028 on a deal widely viewed as team-friendly for a hitter of his caliber, and he is producing like one of the best bats in baseball. As of June 8, he is hitting .316 with 22 home runs and 48 RBIs, putting him in the Triple Crown conversation and near the top of the AL MVP race. That combination of elite production, years of control and reasonable salary makes him enormously valuable — but also makes a trade harder, not easier. Multiple reports say there is little chance Houston would move him, and one rival general manager told ESPN’s Buster Olney that Alvarez “is not being traded” this season. For Houston, dealing Alvarez would signal more than a deadline adjustment; it would amount to a franchise reset. That does not fit owner Jim Crane’s long-standing preference to keep the Astros competitive rather than launch a full rebuild. It also would be difficult to justify for a club still close enough in a mediocre American League to talk itself into contention. The only way this changes is if another team offers a Soto-level haul of premium young talent. Short of that, Alvarez remains far more likely to stay in Houston than become the deadline’s biggest shock.

Q: Will Mike Trout's loyalty to the Angels outweigh his desire to chase a championship with his hometown Phillies?

Yes. The available evidence strongly suggests Trout’s loyalty to the Angels still outweighs any pull toward a championship run with Philadelphia. The biggest reason is control: Trout has a full no-trade clause, and multiple insiders say he has shown no sign of wanting to use it. Jon Heyman has put the odds of a Trout trade at only about 5%, and other reporting has been even firmer, saying he has “zero interest” in waiving the clause. Trout himself has publicly downplayed trade talk and continued to project comfort in Anaheim. The practical barriers are just as significant. Trout is owed roughly $37 million annually through 2030, making any deal difficult unless the Angels absorb major money, something they are not believed eager to do. Owner Arte Moreno has also long resisted moving franchise stars and is said to prefer Trout finishing his career with the Angels. The Phillies are an obvious emotional fit. Trout is from southern New Jersey, grew up a Phillies fan, and Philadelphia offers what Anaheim has not: a realistic path to October. The hypothetical package of Gage Wood and Justin Crawford reflects that logic, especially with the Phillies seeking outfield help. But the reporting still points one way: unless Trout personally decides that chasing a title now matters more than legacy, comfort, and loyalty, a move remains highly unlikely. At this point, the Angels side of that equation is still winning.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Jun 9

Eight proposed blockbuster MLB trades center on stars including Tarik Skubal, Mike Trout, Yordan Alvarez and Elly De La Cruz, framed as bold but at least somewhat realistic deadline scenarios.
Skubal to Pittsburgh is cast as the splashiest fit because his $9.4 million prorated salary could be manageable, potentially pairing the reigning Cy Young winner with Paul Skenes in the Pirates' rotation.
Trout to Philadelphia and De La Cruz to the Yankees are presented as the biggest name-driven shocks, hinging on Trout waiving his no-trade clause and Cincinnati reconsidering control of De La Cruz through 2029.
Other ideas include Joe Ryan to the Dodgers, Yordan Alvarez to Arizona, Rafael Devers to Washington, Freddy Peralta back to Milwaukee and Seth Lugo plus Michael Wacha to the Cubs.
The package is explicitly speculative rather than sourced reporting, aiming to map which deadline moves would create the biggest reaction if struggling or all-in clubs change course.