MLB trade rumors: Tyler Clippard deal 'expected soon', reports Ken Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal tweets that a deal for Oakland Athletics reliever Tyler Clippard is "expected soon."

#Mets making progress on trade for #Athletics’ Clippard, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. Other teams still in play. Deal expected soon.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2015

The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reported Sunday evening that a deal for Tyler Clippard could come "as soon as Monday, with the Nationals, Mets and Yankees all possibilities, according to sources." The Yankees appear to have dropped out of the running, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

mets definitely in on clippard. nats have been, too. not yanks to this point. @Ken_Rosenthal says mets making progress

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 27, 2015

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News adds a tidbit to the Ben Zobrist rumors pile in light of this Clippard rumor:

Mets have been willing to trade Montero to #Athletics for Zobrist, per sources. So Re Clippard, teams already have spent time talking pieces

— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) July 27, 2015

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that Ben Zobrist is not a part of these talks:

Source: Mets, A's indeed making progress on Tyler Clippard deal, as @ken_rosenthal said. No Ben Zobrist involvement in these talks.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2015

Matthew Pouliot of NBC's HardballTalk speculates that the A's might prefer to trade with the Mets given New York's admitted money woes. Clippard has a little under $3 million left on his $8.3 million final arbitration contract:

A's might prefer to deal Clippard to the Mets, since they can get one prospect for him and one more in exchange for covering his salary.

— Matthew Pouliot (@matthewpouliot) July 27, 2015

Joel Sherman of the New York Post says a minor league pitcher is the main bait for any deal:

Can confirm @kenrosenthal report. was told #Mets working "real hard" to close deal for Clippard. Minor league P again is main bait.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 27, 2015

USA TODAY's Howard Megdal thinks the Mets would be an ideal fit for Clippard given the circumstances surrounding the Mets bullpen:

Why you'd add Clippard if you're the Mets: Mejia's postseason ban, Parnell likely non-linear recovery from TJS. Great idea.

— Howard Megdal (@howardmegdal) July 27, 2015

Thing that would scare me if I'm Mets is Dan Kantrovitz over in Oakland part of decision-making process on selecting return for Clippard.

— Howard Megdal (@howardmegdal) July 27, 2015

This is a developing story.