This Pirates star is a hot commodity ahead of the trade deadline

With the July 31 MLB trade deadline looming, rumors are starting to fly. The expanded postseason bracket has more teams believing that they're still in the mix, which makes it hard to identify which teams are buying or selling. 

However, one team that certainly won’t be making the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Pirates (42-61). Some of the Pirates' veteran players have been floating around in trade talks over recent weeks, though one name that emerged on Wednesday is the most interesting of them all. 

According to beat writer Noah Hiles of the Post-Gazette, star outfielder Oneil Cruz has been drawing significant interest leading up to the deadline.

"Sources told the Post-Gazette the Pirates have received many calls on Cruz, who boasts three years of remaining club control after 2025 and is arbitration eligible starting next season. It’s worth noting the Pirates are not actively shopping Cruz but are listening to what other teams are willing to offer. There have been no teams connected to Cruz as of the time of this writing,” Hiles wrote.