MLB Trade Deadline Live Updates: A's Clear World Series Favorite

Today’s Major League Baseball trade deadline is shaping up to be an arms race with a number of World Series contenders stocking their cupboards in preparation of the stretch run.

Before we get into all the trades and analysis, first check out Sports Interaction’s World Series odds.

Oakland Athletics   +450

Detroit Tigers   +600

Los Angeles Dodgers   +650

Los Angeles Angels   +750

Washington Nationals   +1000

St Louis Cardinals   +1100

San Francisco Giants   +1100

Toronto Blue Jays   +1200

Milwaukee Brewers   +1400

Baltimore Orioles   +1600

Atlanta Braves   +1800

New York Yankees   +2200

Seattle Mariners   +2800

Cincinnati Reds   +3000

Oakland comes out swinging

The A’s made the first big splash of the day by landing Jon Lester and Johnny Gomes from Boston in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes. This move, along with the trade that brought Jeff Samardzija, gives the Athletics arguably one of the best starting rotations in the bigs. Oakland already has the fourth-best team ERA in the majors and ranks first in scoring five runs per game. Now the A’s are ready to make a deep run in the playoffs.

 Cardinals settle for Lackey

St. Louis missed out on the Lester sweepstakes, but still solidified their rotation by acquiring John Lackey from the Red Sox for Joe Kelly and Allen Craig. Lackey is 11-7 with a 3.60 ERA this year and gives the Cards another reliable starter just a day after the club landed Justin Masterson from Cleveland.