Rosenthal: What I’m hearing ahead of the MLB trade deadline

It’s A.J. Preller’s world, and the rest of the baseball industry is just living in it.

OK, maybe that’s an overstatement. But true to form, Preller is pursuing a dizzying number of deals and seems virtually certain to make at least one major move before Tuesday’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. ET.

Will it be with the Nationals for right fielder Juan Soto? The Cubs for catcher Willson Contreras, left fielder Ian Happ and perhaps even reliever David Robertson? The Athletics for righty Frankie Montas and perhaps catcher Sean Murphy or outfielder Chad Pinder, all of whom played for Padres manager Bob Melvin in Oakland?

At this point, probably not even Preller knows. To some degree, he is exploring each of the above possibilities, according to major-league sources. He also has made a run at the Angels for Shohei Ohtani, not that anyone in the industry expects the two-way star to move.

Other GMs keep their pulse on the entire market, but few are as creative and aggressive as Preller. Some teams might act first on players in whom he has interest and close off certain options for the Padres. New avenues might open for certain clubs depending upon the course Preller pursues.

Preller has prospects to trade, shortstop C.J. Abrams and outfielder Robert Hassell III for starters, but also two high-ceiling players from the 2021 draft, shortstop Jackson Merrill and outfielder James Wood, both of whom are from Maryland, making them relative locals for the Nationals. Preller also has contracts he would like to move, most notably that of Eric Hosmer, who is owed the balance of his $20 million salary this season and $39 million from 2023 to 2025.

The Padres and Cubs have spoken about different concepts for the last 12 months, including one last summer that would have sent first baseman Hosmer and a top prospect to Chicago for an unspecified return.  If the Padres land Contreras, it might compel the Mets to move on a J.D. Martinez-Christian Vázquez package from the Red Sox. The Mets, though, are exploring numerous other possibilities, sources said.

Besides the Padres, Montas is a target for the Twins, Yankees and Blue Jays (MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi first noted the Jays’ interest). The Astros, seeking a catcher, are among several clubs reporting a high price on Contreras. According to one source, they are focusing more on Vázquez.

The final hours will be intense. And Preller, as always, figures to be in the middle of the action.

Mookie, Trea, Freddie … And Soto, too?

Freddie Freeman and Juan Soto (Geoff Burke / USA Today)

Don’t rule out the Dodgers on Soto. They have been in contact with the Nationals, and if the Padres make a splash somewhere else, it might create the opening L.A. needs to pull off another deadline stunner.

All this assumes that Preller is willing to concede on Soto (unlikely, particularly if he fears the Dodgers are in the mix) and the Nationals indeed are willing to trade him (something no one will know until 6 p.m. Tuesday).

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman keeps tabs on every big name, a routine he followed even during his days with the budget-minded Rays. A year ago, the Dodgers came…