MLB Trade Ideas Based on Latest News, Rumors and Speculation
This is the time of year when the conversations around MLB are dominated by free agency. The chatter regarding the top players available is often so loud that those rumored to be on the trade block are often overlooked.
Well overlook no more. We are going to discuss some trade ideas based on the latest speculation around the game.
Here are five MLB trade scenarios based on actual need and published rumors from the last week. There will also be a mention of two men who could be dealt but likely won’t be for different reasons.
As a standard note, the following proposals are nothing more than postulation. The point here is to build a trade based on someone else's written or spoken word.
They are balanced deals that are fair for each team, though, and take into consideration each franchise's strengths and weaknesses.
Close, but No Deal on These Two
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Elvis Andrus
According to multiple reports, Elvis Andrus is available, and one team is said to be kicking the tires. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports Andrus “at least has the [New York] Yankees intrigued as they rev up their efforts to find Derek Jeter’s successor” at shortstop.
As Sherman points out, however, “Andrus’ eight-year, $120 million contract extension does not even begin until next season and runs through at least 2022." Unfortunately, his .272/.335/.345 slash line does not warrant the Yankees assuming a contract that size.
And at the risk of stating the obvious, if the Yankees can’t afford to assume a contract, no one else can.
Carlos Gonzalez
Not too long ago, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that along with Troy Tulowitzki (more on that in a minute), the Colorado Rockies “are keeping their ‘eyes and ears open’ for potential deals involving” Carlos Gonzalez.
There could be a problem with that. Coming off knee surgery and a season in which he compiled a .238/.292/.431 slash line with only 26 extra-base hits in 70 games, the return for Gonzalez is not going to be enough for Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich.
Adding to the unlikelihood that Gonzalez gets moved is the fact that Michael Cuddyer rejected the $15.3 million qualifying offer and signed a two-year, $21 million contract with the New York Mets, per CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. That limits the outfield options for the Rockies.
Los Angeles Dodgers Aquire Jeremy Hellickson
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Los Angeles Dodger Get: RHP Jeremy Hellickson
Tampa Bay Rays Get: OF Scott Schebler and a player to be named later
Overview
Word is that the Tampa Bay Rays are “moving closer to dealing Jeremy Hellickson to” a National League club, per the New York Post's Joel Sherman. Corroborating the news is MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo, who tweeted that “as many as 10 teams had shown interest in Hellickson” over the previous days.
With that many potential landing spots, it is hard to gauge where Hellickson could end up, but the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to make the most sense.
They need rotation depth following the retirement of Josh Beckett. Andrew Friedman drafted Hellickson in the fourth round of the 2005 first-year player draft. And boy, could the right-hander use a change of scenery.
We are not referring to the fact that he underwent elbow surgery last offseason either. Hellickson has always had a hard time in the American League.
Sure, he posted a 2.95 ERA in 2011 and a 3.10 ERA in 2012, but his FIP was 4.44 and 4.60 in each respective season. That tells us Hellickson had a propensity to get hit hard even when he was finding success.
In return for Hellickson, the Dodgers could send over any number of prospects. At the top of the list, however, would be Scott Schebler.
In 2013, “Schebler led the high Class A California League with 69 extra-base hits and 227 total bases last season, tapping into his raw power by becoming more aggressive at the plate,” per MLB.com’s Jim Callis. “Though his strikeout rate increased,” Mayo continued, “Schebler makes enough hard contact that he should be able to hit for a decent average.”
This past season, Schebler put up a solid .280/.365/.556 slash line with 23 doubles, 14 triples, 28 home runs and 73 RBI in 135 games at Double-A Chattanooga. Simply put, the kid can play, but with the Dodgers' outfield currently loaded with talent, he is expendable.
Adding value to what the left-handed hitter brings to the table is that the Rays have a farm system largely bereft of power. Schebler would bring an infusion of talent and slugging into the minor leagues.
With 2016 as a projected time of arrival at the major league level, he could work into the Rays’ long-term plan.
Chicago Cubs Acquire Cole Hamels
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Chicago Cub Get: LHP Cole Hamels,
Philadelphia Phillies Get: Two top-six prospects and either outfielder Eloy Jimenez or RHP Paul Blackburn
Overview
It’s no secret the Chicago Cubs have legitimate interest in Cole Hamels.
After all, they claimed him off revocable waivers this past August. Now, Hamels was immediately pulled back by the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Cubs made it clear that the left-hander is somebody they were willing to acquire—for the right price, of course.
They appear to be making another run at acquiring the ace. From CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman:
"The Cubs, already connected heavily in speculative reports about top free-agent pitchers Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, are also interested in Cole Hamels, according to sources, and are expecting to talk to the Phillies about him.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Cubs will look into Hamels, who's comparable to the top two free-agent pitchers, and also available.
…
From a monetary standpoint, while Hamels is well paid, with $96 million due him over the next four seasons, he would come a lot cheaper than Scherzer, who turned down $144 million over six years from the Tigers in spring training, and presumably also Lester.
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So what type of package would it take for the Cubs to pull off a trade of this magnitude?
Well the fanbase may not want to hear it, but any trade for Hamels likely starts with at least two of a group that includes Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Albert Almora and C.J. Edwards. On top of that, the Cubs would also have to include a guy like Eloy Jimenez or Paul Blackburn, both of whom are a couple of years away from competing.
A package such as this fits right in with the notion that the Phillies “are looking for at least three top prospects, two that can play right now and another that isn’t far away,” per CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury. And make no mistake, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is going to have to be blown away to trade his ace.
It must be noted that the Phillies have J.P. Crawford at Single-A as the heir apparent once Jimmy Rollins departs, and Maikel Franco seems poised to make the full-time leap to the major leagues. But the talent the Cubs have to offer is far better than what the Phillies currently possess.
The question Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer must ask himself is whether the money he would save trading for Hamels is worth that much talent.
As far as the Phillies are concerned, this deal is in line with Amaro’s recent comments. “We’re looking to improve this year,” he said, according to a separate article by Salisbury, “but we’re more concerned with what we’re going to be doing down the road, improving down the road.”
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New York Yankees Acquire Troy Tulowitzki
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New York Yankees Get: Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Colorado Rockies Get: RHP Michael Pineda, RHP Shane Green, RHP Luis Severino and C Gary Sanchez
Overview
Before we get going, let’s set something straight: It is going to take a lot for the Colorado Rockies to part with Troy Tulowitzki.
With that as a launching point, what would the New York Yankees have to do to bring over Derek Jeter’s replacement? After all, they are one of two clubs that are believed to be preferred destinations for Tulowitzki should the Rockies secure a satisfactory deal, per CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman.
Considering that they desperately need help in the rotation and in the bullpen, how about a package with Shane Greene and Michael Pineda as the central pieces?
Pineda certainly satisfies the need to add a quality starter. In 13 starts for the Yankees in 2014, he went 5-5 with a 1.89 ERA, 2.71 FIP and a scant 0.825 WHIP. He was nothing short of dominant.
True, there was the pine-tar madness this past season, but before he was suspended and when he returned to the rotation, Pineda was just fabulous. The Yankees would be hard-pressed to replace him, of course, but then again, Tulowitzki is MLB's preeminent shortstop when healthy.
In Greene, the Rockies would be acquiring a pitcher with versatility. As a rookie, he made 14 starts but did make an appearance out of the bullpen, putting up a 3.78 ERA and a 1.398 WHIP over 78.2 innings pitched.
In addition to Pineda and Greene, the Yankees would have to include two of their top prospects. Guys like Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino will surely fit the bill.
It must be noted that the Yankees are focusing on pitching this offseason, per multiple reports. That makes a move like this one highly unlikely. But if general manager Brian Cashman was to seriously make a push to add Tulowitzki, it is a deal like this that could sway Rockies GM Jeff Bridich.
Seattle Mariners Acquire Evan Gattis from the Atlanta Braves
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Seattle Mariners Get: DH Evan Gattis
Atlanta Braves Get: Starting pitching
Overview
So the Seattle Mariners need a right-handed hitter in the lineup, according to Bob Dutton from The News Tribune. Joel Sherman from the New York Post noted that the Atlanta Braves are “pushing” to move Evan Gattis “hard” at the GM meetings in Phoenix.
Sounds like a perfect match.
After all, Gattis would fill the hole the M’s have at designated hitter. True, he doesn’t get on base often enough, but he did improve his on-base percentage to .317 in 2014 while simultaneously increasing his slugging percentage from .480 to .493.
Each of those numbers far exceeds what the designated hitters did last season for manager Lloyd McClendon. In fact, those numbers make for one of the better DHs in general.
To make this happen, the M’s will need to be aggressive, but the Braves would be wise to strike a “significant deal like that could help address the glaring need to strengthen a weak farm system and replenish a thin crop of Major League-ready pitchers,” according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.
And that is where the Mariners happen to have a lot of options.
They have Edwin Diaz, Tyler Pike and Victor Sanchez in the minor leagues. They have Taijuan Walker and James Paxton in the major leagues. The bottom line is that they have the talent to acquire Gattis.
Now trading Walker or Paxton is certainly one of the last things that Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik wants to do, but Gattis isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2016 and isn’t a free agent until 2019. That is four years of team control for a hitter who could mean the difference between reaching the postseason and staying home.
And while perhaps not as ideal as keeping Walker or Paxton, the Mariners could go out and sign a second-tier pitcher on the open market like Francisco Liriano or Brandon McCarthy for three years and significantly less money that the premier position players available.
One thing to keep in mind here is that the Mariners are rumored to be interested in Hanley Ramirez and Victor Martinez, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. If Zduriencik is indeed going to shell out nine figures for Ramirez or upward of $60-$70 million for Martinez, then you can take this proposal off the board.
This deal is also a no-go if Braves president of baseball operations John Hart maintains his current position. “We are coming in with the idea that we don’t have to trade anybody,” Hart said, according to David O’Brien from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Chicago White Sox Acquire Andre Ethier from the Los Angeles Dodgers
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Chicago White Sox Get: OF Andre Ethier and cash
Los Angeles Dodgers Get: LHP John Danks
Overview
According to multiple sources, including Jon Heyman from CBSSports.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers are actively shopping Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford.
One club that could conceivable take one of the three is the Chicago White Sox.
First off, the White Sox need help in the outfield and are ready to get aggressive. To that end, executive vice president Kenny Williams said his club will “go down every avenue, overturn every rock to find what’s out there” to improve the team, via CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes.
There could also be a fit from a talent perspective. As MLB.com’s Phil Rogers noted, should the Dodgers be agreeable to pick up a sizeable chunk of monies owed, “John Danks could put” general manager Rick Hahn’s team in the running for one of the veterans.
Most likely, the White Sox would go after Ethier, whose contract isn’t as extravagant as either of the other two.
He can also play all three outfield positions, providing incredible flexibility. True, he would need to be in the lineup on a daily basis, but he would not be confined to a corner spot the way Dayan Viciedo is.
And that’s the other thing. Trading for Ethier would not only relieve the White Sox of Danks’ production, but it could be the impetuous for trading Viciedo.
For the Dodgers, the addition of a guy like Danks will address the need for depth in the starting rotation. And a change of scenery, specifically a move to the National League, could do wonders for Danks’ overall output.
The departure of Ethier will also clear up some room in a crowded outfield. It would necessitate a reversion of sorts with Kemp going back to left field (where he does not enjoy playing) and Yasiel Puig moving back to right field while Joc Pederson assumes the everyday role in center field. But room has to be made somehow.
Financial matters will have to be worked out, of course.
After all, Ethier is owed $53.5 million through 2017 with a $17.5 million vesting option ($2.5 million buyout) for 2018. Meanwhile, Danks is due $28.5 million through 2016. In other words, there is a $27.5 million gap when we include the buyout that the Dodgers must address in some way for this deal to work.
If, however, Dodger general manager Farhan Zaidi can get creative and find a way to offset the costs for the White Sox, this is a deal that has some legs.
Unless otherwise noted, all traditional, team and advanced statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference. Contract information pulled from Cots Contracts. Transaction, injury and game information are courtesy of MLB.com.
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