More to come soon. Let’s take a look at the latest from the MLB rumor mill.

Padres ahead for Soto?

Obviously, the biggest name on the market is Nationals superstar Juan Soto. There’s smoke everywhere and about a dozen teams have reportedly inquired about the Nats. The favorite right now is debatable, but Buster Olney reports that “some opposing executives perceive the Padres” as the “champion” right now. It’s a juicy rumor, that’s for sure. It’s fun to think that the Padres will add Soto and have Fernando Tatis, Jr. back. from injury to add him to the lineup with Manny Machado. They are 10 games over .500 and have survived the Tatis injury mostly with great pitching. Now, it should be noted that last year, there was a perception that the Padres were the frontrunners for Max Scherzer and it even came close enough that many believed the trade was happening. Then the Dodgers swooped in and grabbed Scherzer and Trea Turner — so let’s remember to avoid overreacting.

Would the Angels actually trade Ohtani?

There is a report that the Angels will at least listen to trade offers on Shohei Ohtani. He says a deal is still highly unlikely, but not completely out of the question. Full story and analysis here.

The Yankees have “intense” interest in Castillo

The Yankees have “expressed strong interest” and are “pushing hard” for Reds All-Star shortstop Luis Castillo, nj.com reports. The report further indicates that the Reds aren’t necessarily ready to trade Castillo just yet, instead likely holding onto Castillo until much closer to the trade deadline. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Reds are set to enjoy a bidding war on deadline day. They are also in a good position to do so. Castillo, 29, has a 2.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 85 innings this season. He’s a two-time All-Star who has shown the ability to throw like an ace for blowouts and won’t hit free agency until after next season. Therefore, if the Reds don’t like the offers, they can simply keep him. Almost every prospect looking for starting pitching will be on Castillo. In fact, some teams on the fringes of contention looking to make a push next season may also be involved, given Castillo’s contract. Check the opt-in box to confirm you want to join.

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Astros move MLB SP for position player?

The Astros have one of the best teams in baseball as the window for World Series contention remains wide open. They also have a “good problem to have” with too much starting pitching. They currently use a six-man rotation and Lance McCullers, Jr. looks set to return soon from his forearm injury. Sure, they could start Odorizzi out of the rotation, but that would still mean six high-quality starters, and they don’t need to have that many. Especially if they could cover a weakness through trade. Ken Rosenthal reports that Jose Urquidy could be the man on the move, leaving behind Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and Cristian Javier among their talented and controlled spending. The report indicates the Astros would be looking for a quality catcher or center fielder in return. A’s catcher Sean Murphy, Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds and Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins are listed. Rosenthal also reports that it’s possible the Astros could send Urquidy to a third party for prospects and use those prospects to acquire Reynolds or Murphy.

Great interest in Bard; The Rockies could keep him anyway

Rockies closer Daniel Bard is drawing interest from “multiple teams,” according to mlb.com. Bard, 37, is having arguably the best year of his career, and at least his best since he was 25. He shut out 21 of 23 opportunities with a 1.91 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 43 strikeouts against 18 unforced walks in 37 2/3 innings. Moving to a prospect would probably mean moving to a setup role, but he thrived there for the Red Sox early in his MLB career. Of course, the Denver Post reports that the Rockies and Bard could reach a contract extension. Such a move at Bard’s age would be somewhat of a surprise, but if the trade packages offered aren’t up to scratch and both sides want to continue the marriage, it’s likely to work.