New York Mets corner infielder Mark Vientos is in the midst of a disappointing season, one in which he's failed to build on last year's momentum. Predictably, Vientos has found himself the subject of recent trade rumors leading up to the July 31 deadline -- a dynamic he opted to talk about with reporters on Monday.

The New York Mets wasted little time making their first trade deadline move, acquiring Gregory Soto in a deal with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. Returns thus

To set the stage for the sprint to the deadline, here's a primer based on what I'm hearing from front office executives across the league.

Major League Baseball's trade deadline is scheduled for next Thursday (July 31), meaning that teams have less than a week to get their midsummer shopping done. The Mariners made the first notable transaction of the mad season on Thursday night,

The New York Mets have been linked to some trade rumors recently, some even indicating they could cut ties with young star Mark Vientos.

This time of year, nearly all Major League Baseball discourse revolves around the Trade Deadline. For contenders like the Mets, most of that discussion is about the areas they can improve.

The Mets made their first trade of the year by landing Gregory Soto for their bullpen. Here's what else David Stearns could be up to prior to July 31st.

Rumors suggest the New York Mets are targeting center fielders Harrison Bader and Cedrick Mullins as potential trade targets.