The MLB Trade Deadline Days Are Here
The first half of the MLB season is over, and that means it’s time for the best part of the baseball season; front offices will be going berserk trying to improve their roster for the stretch run. I’m talking about the MLB Trade Deadline and it’s right around the corner.
In baseball, the trade deadline can give a team the spark it needs to take them all the way to the World Series. Typically, the teams who have a chance to make a run into October become “buyers” while those likely to be left out of the playoffs become “sellers.” Let’s take a look at the buyer’s market as we approach the deadline.
(If your team isn’t on here, don’t get your feelings hurt, there’s always next year).
NL East
Nationals
Recap: No shock they’re leading the division with the deepest starting rotation in the league. They also still have arguably the best player in the NL on their team.
Oh, his name is not Bryce Harper…it’s second baseman Daniel Murphy (.348/.387/.985).
Needs & Possible Players to watch: Bullpen piece. Adding a Tyler Clippard of last year to help bridge the gap to Papelbon would be perfect here, but they don’t need to go crazy and grab another dude with a big ego, we saw how badly that turned out last year. Miller or Chapman of the Yankees would be the big splash, but even a lower profile player like Daniel Hudson or a return of the aforementioned Tyler Clippard from the D-backs would be perfect for the Nationals’ Bullpen.
Mets
Recap: The defending National League champs have had an up and down first half of the season. Injuries are starting to pile up and their offense is looking like last year’s pre-Cespedes debacle. With a six-game deficit to the Nats in the division staring them down as the second half gets underway, they need that spark again.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: At or near the top of the list should be an upgrade at catcher. They’ve gotten next to nothing from the combination of Travis d’Arnaud and Rene Rivera. The Mets should also debate on a back-end starter because I’m not sure how much longer Bartolo Colon and Logan Verrett can hold if Harvey doesn’t come back from injury. The Mets don’t seem like a team that would be willing to give up the prospects it would take to get Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy, but they should definitely inquire on Rockies C Nick Hundley. While they’re on the phone with Colorado maybe try and grab Jorge De La Rosa for some innings eating fun.
Marlins
Recap: The Marlins are the surprise of the NL so far. It looks like the Marlins have finally found the magic formula of youngsters to put around the slumping Giancarlo Stanton (who was showing signs of rounding into form near the end of the first half) between C J.T. Realmuto (.317), CF Marcel Ozuna (.307), LF Christian Yelich (.317) and back up 2B Derek Dietrich (.303). The Marlins will eventually get Dee Gordon back too after he completes his 80-game suspension for PED’s. The Marlins could be a dangerous team in the stretch run.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Marlins clearly have put together the offense, now its time to do the same with the pitching. Their closer AJ Ramos has been fantastic (2.25 ERA, 27/28 in saves), and they’ve already acquired the setup man in Fernando Rodney. A starter to follow up Jose Fernandez is what could be the difference in securing a Wild Card spot. Marlins have options, anywhere from a back of the line starter buying low on Tyson Ross or Andrew Cashner from the Padres. Another possibility is staying in the state and inquiring on Matt Moore of the Rays.
NL Central
Cubs
Recap: Not much has gone wrong for the Cubs this season. Theo Epstein has his Cubs poised to break the infamous Billy Goat Curse and has a top 2 offense to pair with the best starting rotation era in the majors with an ERA of 3.09.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The Cubs don’t exactly have any big names coming out of their bullpen, and it’s definitely the weakest part of the team. They could use an experienced veteran in the back end of the bullpen. The Cubs certainly have the prospects to get whoever they want, and if they truly want to be seriously about winning a world championship adding an Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees is where they should look. If they aren’t willing to part with the gems in their system, Fernado Salas of the Los Angeles Angels wouldn’t be a bad idea as a more affordable option.
Cardinals
Recap: Despite being only 7 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central, the Cardinals can’t help but feel disappointed with their season so far. They are just 19–26 at home and 11–23 in 2 run games which easily qualifies as the most un-Cardinal thing ever.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The Cardinals’ needs are some of the trickiest to pinpoint. There is not a glaring weakness on the team; they just need to win more close games, which should even out in the second half. If I had to pick a position for the cardinals to look to upgrade in the next few weeks, starting pitching comes to mind. Hector Santiago of the Angels would be a solid option or they could be a team to go after a Padres starter like Ross or Cashner.
Pirates
Recap: The Pirates have the most exciting, productive and athletic outfield in the league between Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen. The big problem for the Pirates is their starting — their starters own a 4.86 ERA in the first half.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Unfortunately the Pirates have one of the smallest payrolls in baseball, so it keeps them from making a move that brings too much salary in. Look for them to stick to the strategy of a few minor moves that can hopefully bring them over the hump and into a divisional series. If the Pirates decide to be buyers (sitting only 2.5 games back in the NL Wild Card) a cheap back-end starter is probably on the menu. Most importantly, any move for starting pitching will force Jeff Locke to the bullpen. An Angels starting pitcher might be perfect for the pirates, Hector Santiago or Jhoulys Chacin would be a good fit in Pittsburgh.
NL West
Giants
Recap: What year is it? 2016 — an even year. It’s time for the Giants to be relevant again and they have lived up to the hype with delivering the best record in baseball through the first half. Enough said right?
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Don’t look for the Giants to be big movers this deadline. Needs are hard to identify with their rock-solid lineup, stellar starting rotation and clean bullpen. A minor tweak or two to give the roster some depth will probably come, but they don’t need much more than that. The Giants could go back to their Reds (where they got Mike Leake at the deadline last year) and call for reliever Blake Wood (5–1 3.12 era), to give some depth to the bullpen.
Dodgers
Recap: The Dodgers, although hit by the injury bug, find themselves up 2.5 games up in the Wild Card and just 5.5 games back of San Fransisco for the NL West lead. Even with the major injuries to their pitching staff, including the loss of Clayton Kershaw, they still have the 5th best team era in baseball at 3.76.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Even though they are in a great position in the playoff race, the Dodgers need to make a move. They could use an outfielder to take some pressure off their young inconsistent players like Trayce Thompson and Joc Pederson. A starter might also be in the works because Scott Kazmir has fallen off the last two years in the second half of the season. Even though they’d be rentals and expensive, Jay Bruce or Carlos Beltran could be a massive addition in slotting them in left field. It would give the Dodgers a consistent RBI bat to protect Adrian Gonzalez in the lineup.
Los Angeles could also be a destination for starters Rich Hill from Oakland or Jeremy Hellickson of Philly.
AL East
Orioles
Recap: The surprise of the AL has to be the Orioles. While their power lineup grabs all the headlines, their pitching has been better than anyone could have expected. Their bullpen has been spectacular with Zach Britton leading the charge with a stunning .68 ERA and perfect in all 29 save opportunities.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: That being said, the Orioles need to watch the rear-view mirror as the Red Sox and Blue Jays will inevitably make a run a some point. As unexpectedly good as their pitching has been, they’d be smart to fortify their rotation with another starter. The Orioles could find themselves in the race for Cashner or Ross of San Diego. Other options could be Rich Hill from Oakland or Ervin Santana from Minnesota.
Red Sox
Recap: The Red Sox have one of the deepest lineups in baseball, and have had 3 different players with at least 20 game hit streaks. They could easily have the best record in the AL if their pitching staff (excluding Steven Wright and Rick Porcello) wasn’t maybe the most disappointing group in the majors.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The Red Sox are one of the smartest teams in baseball. They see a need and they fill it without waiting right before the deadline. Before I even finished writing this piece, the Sox already acquired three players to address said needs. First they acquired Aaron Hill to be their veteran super utility guy. Right before their closer Craig Kimbrel went on the disabled list, they went back to Arizona and acquired their closer Brad Ziegler. Lastly, they traded for Padres all-star Drew Pomeranz to reinforce their rotation. I think their work here is done.
Blue Jays
Recap: The Blue Jays continue to have one of the most entertaining lineups in the league. They have flirted with .500 for most of the year until their late first half surge put them in the lead for the wildcard.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The Blue Jays really need another bullpen guy to act as a set-up man to closer Roberto Osuna in the late innings. Offseason acquisition Drew Storen has not been the answer. The Blue Jays could be one of many teams in the market for Oakland lefy Marc Rzepczynski or the lefty from Minnesota Fernando Abad. Boone Logan from Colorado might also be in the cards if they want to make another deal with Colorado.
AL Central
Indians
Recap: The Indians have finally arrived. Their vaunted potential is finally translating into production to the tune of a 6.5 game lead over the Tigers in the division. They have the most electric, deepest rotation in the majors — none of their regular starters have an era over 3.61.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The Indians need a bat and it could come from the catcher position because everyday starter Yan Gomes seems to be the only one not on fire (.162/.196/.504). Adding a reliever might also be in the mix, but it should be far lower on the list than adding a bat. If the Indians want to carry their momentum into the playoffs, Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy would be the perfect fit. Although it would be costly, it could be the move to make them the favorites to come of out the American League.
Tigers
Recap: The Tigers are fortunate to be just 3 games back of the Wild Card because they haven’t exactly hit on all cylinders yet. Their pitching staff has been carried by the duo of rookie of the year candidate Michael Fulmer (9–2 2.26) and Francisco Rodriguez (2.84 era 25/27 in saves). They are still waiting on the San Diego Justin Upton(.233 average and 112 strike outs) to arrive.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Even though Justin Upton hasn’t catapulted the Tigers on where they would like to be on offense, it’s still good enough to be win games. What the Tigers really need is pitching whether out of the bullpen or in the rotation. Detroit would also be another great landing spot for Rich Hill or Jeremy Hellickson. If they are looking for someone with team control maybe Ervin Santana of the rival Twins might be a solution.
Royals
Recap: Rumor has it the only bug more feared in Kansas City than the Zika mosquito is the injury bug, and the Royals may have an epidemic on their hands. The defending champs seemed deep enough to tread water until they get healthy, but it finally started to catch up with them right before the break as they’ve fallen to third place in the Central. Keeping them afloat has been all-star Eric Hosmer along with organizational depth of Whit Merrifield and Cheslor Cutberth producing at a high level: batting .285 10 HRs and 46 rbis between them.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: Even though the Royals have gotten more than they bargained for with Ian Kennedy, they could really use another frontline starter. Consistent starting pitching still continues to elude the royals as Edinson Volquez, Chris Young and Yordano Ventura are inconsistent. The question here is will the royals go big at the deadline like last year and target a Matt Moore or Chris Archer of Tampa, or be in the running for a Jeremy Hellickson or even a Padres Starter?
White Sox
Recap: So far this season the White Sox have gone from leader in the Central to now fourth place flirting with .500. With the two-headed monster of starters Chris Sale and Jose Quintana and their 21 wins and a combined 3.30 era they could be a dark horse out of the AL with a big move at the deadline.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The White Sox are in need of another bat in the outfield and could use an upgrade at center field. They could use some help on offense as they rank 24th in runs scored. A return call to San Diego is where the ChiSox could go seeking a boost from Jon Jay or wildcard Melvin Upton Jr. Anther way to go is if they feel comfortable that Adam Eaton could return to CF and pick up slugger Josh Reddick from A’s.
AL West
Rangers
Recap: For a six-week stretch of the season the Rangers were the scariest team in baseball. That run put them 10 games ahead in the AL West. Since June 29th, they’ve hit a slide where they’ve lost 9 of 12 games. With a run differential of +10 (by far the worst of any division leader) they may want to retool before the law of averages affects their 27–16 record in two-run games.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: It begins with getting healthy. At one point the Rangers had 3/5 of the their starting rotation on the disabled list. When healthy, this is an extremely dangerous team as they showed in early June. That being said, look for the Rangers to go revamp their overused, exhausted bullpen just like last year ranking second worst in majors with a 5.06 ERA. If the Rangers are going to stop their slide they need to repeat what they did last year and use those prospects to completely remake their bullpen. I could see them going hard for the starter bullpen piece of Julio Teheran and Arodys Viscano of the Braves, an expensive but effective combo deal.
Astros
Recap: After starting the season 17–28 — a record that had Astros fans remembering the not-too-distant past — the Astros have the best record in baseball since May 24th at 32–13. The reasons for this turnaround are simple. Their starting pitching is more consistent as they are third in the AL in team ERA at 3.84.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: After signing Cuban superstar Yulieski Gurriel and the inevitable promotion of the No. 1 prospect in baseball Alex Bregman (who owns a .347/.385/1.119 slash line with 6 HR in 12 AAA games), a bat isn’t on the list anymore. The Astros’ biggest need is another way to get left-handed batters out. Lone bullpen lefty Tony Sipp simply is not getting it done. Don’t be surprised if they went after a starter in an effort to deepen the rotation. There should be plenty of left-handed options out there: Rockies’ Boone Logan, A’s Rzepczynski, or Angels’ Fernando Salas. Starters might range from Tyson Rossb(they’ve liked him in the past) or Jake Ordorizzi. The Astros like guys with team control.
Mariners
Recap: The Mariners finally looked like they were ready to be contenders until Felix Hernandez hit the DL and all of a sudden their top notch offense couldn’t keep up with all the runs they were giving up. The Mariners may have a gem in Dae-ho Lee (.288 with 12 HR 37 RBI) to add to their great offense. Despite some struggles, Seattle finds themselves just 5 games back of the Wild Card.
Needs & Player(s) to watch: The most glaring need of these Mariners is the bullpen. They lead the majors in blown saves with 16. Their closer Steve Cishek has been solid with an ERA at 3.15 and 1.05 WHIP but is only 21/26 in save opportunities. The Mariners bullpen has given up the 5th most homers this year with 40. Seattle needs closer really badly, and they could either try to address the need in house with their flamethrowing prospect Edwin Diaz or go to the market. Alex Colome of the Rays has a 1.69 era could be a name the Mariners go after. Randall Delgado or Tyler Clippard of the Diamondbacks could be some other solid options for the Mariners.
