Ohtani buzz dominates MLB trade deadline, even if smaller deals are more likely

By DAVID BRANDT
AP Baseball Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — MLB’s trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Aug. 1 and with less than a week remaining, it’s sometimes hard to figure out which teams are the buyers and which are the sellers. Could two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani be on the move from the Angels? Could the Mets and Padres — two hugely disappointing teams with the some of the game’s highest payrolls — really turn into sellers? Few scenarios seem too far-fetched. The sport’s expanded 12-team playoff bracket, which was introduced last season, means that at least 20 teams have legitimate playoff aspirations more than halfway through the season.