MLB Teams That Would Benefit Most from Ian Desmond Trade
Meet Ian Desmond, the best shortstop in baseball who doesn't need a disclaimer in front of his name.
Unlike Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki, who we must preface anything we say or write about with "When he's healthy," Desmond needs no such introduction, having played in at least 150 games in all but one of his five full major league seasons.
Since 2012, it's Desmond who has been the most productive shortstop in baseball not named Tulowitzki or Hanley Ramirez based on FanGraphs' wRC+ metric, which measures a player's offensive value by runs created—and arguably the best if you're a fan of WAR (Wins Above Replacement).
That he provides that kind of production from the right side of the plate only makes him all the more valuable, given the dearth of quality right-handed power available (San Diego has cornered the market on that commodity, in case you didn't notice.)
Simply put, Desmond is the kind of dynamic player every team in baseball would benefit from adding to its lineup.
Which teams stand to benefit the most from making a move to acquire him?
Let's take a look.
Why Would Washington Trade Desmond?
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Hold on a second: If Ian Desmond is so good, why is Washington, a team that is expected to contend once again in 2015, open to moving him?
The Nationals have tried—unsuccessfully—to work out a long-term extension with the 29-year-old, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. With Desmond only one of the team's many key pieces heading into the final year of a contract (a list that includes Doug Fister and Jordan Zimmermann) the Nationals know that they probably can't afford to keep them all.
It was no fluke or stroke of dumb luck that the club went out and acquired shortstop prospect Trea Turner from San Diego as part of the three-team deal that saw Tampa Bay trade 2013 American League Rookie of the Year Wil Myers to the Padres.
General manager Mike Rizzo identified a player he believes can take over for Desmond in the not-so-distant future and brought him into the fold, ensuring (he hopes) a continued high level of production from the position in a potential post-Desmond era.
If he can obtain more than a compensatory draft pick for Desmond, adding controllable, young talent to help carry the organization into the latter half of the decade, it's a move that he'll be hard-pressed not to make.
With that out of the way, let's take a look at the clubs that would benefit the most from—and have the pieces it would take—to acquire the slugging shortstop from Washington.
Cincinnati Reds
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Why He Makes Sense For the Reds
Since taking over as Cincinnati's starting shortstop in 2012, Zack Cozart has developed into one of the game's premier defenders, ranking fourth in UZR/150 (10.1) and third in DRS (36) among qualified shortstops.
Unfortunately for both Cozart and the Reds, he's been a major liability whenever he steps to the plate. Only two shortstops, Miami's Adeiny Hechavarria (.601) and the New York Mets' Ruben Tejada (.640), have posted a lower OPS than Cozart's .643 mark over his three full seasons on the job.
Desmond would be nothing more than a one-year rental for the Reds, however, as the team's top priority is going to be working out a long-term extension with staff ace Johnny Cueto, who like Desmond is eligible to become a free agent after the season and will likely command a deal in excess of $100 million.
But the Reds sit on shaky ground within the NL Central, and with an improved Chicago club breathing down their necks, they have to do something if they hope to avoid their first last-place finish since 1983. Adding Desmond to the mix would go a long way toward making sure that doesn't happen.
Could A Deal Be Struck?
It could, simply because the Reds have enough intriguing young arms down on the farm to pique Washington's interest. From former top prospects like Daniel Corcino and David Holmberg to a current crop that includes Michael Lorenzen and Robert Stephenson, there's talent on the hill.
That said, the odds are against it simply because of the fact that it's strictly a short-term deal for the Reds, who could be faced with having to replace Cueto and Mike Leake in their 2016 rotation.
New York Mets
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Why He Makes Sense For the Mets
The Mets have so much confidence in the likes of Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada that they continue to check in with Colorado about a potential trade for Tulowitzki, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
When healthy, Tulo is an elite talent, but he's due a boatload of cash, isn't likely to become more durable as he ages and is going to cost far more in terms of talent than Desmond would.
Desmond may not be the Triple Crown threat that Tulo is but would represent a significant upgrade at the position for the Mets, who desperately need to add another impact bat to their lineup if they hope to contend with the likes of the Marlins and Nationals in 2015.
While many players have struggled to hit for power at Citi Field, Desmond has not, going deep nine times in Flushing—his highest total away from Nationals Park.
Could A Deal Be Struck?
Were the Mets and Nationals in different divisions, New York would be in prime position to swing a deal. With a plethora of young, controllable starting pitching—both in the big league rotation and down on the farm—the Mets have more than enough pieces to facilitate a deal.
The club also has the financial ability to ink Desmond to a long-term deal.
But this is a deal that will never happen, because neither club wants to help a division rival—or risk having one of the players they traded come back to haunt them multiple times a year.
New York Yankees
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Why He Makes Sense For the Yankees
The Yankees are hoping that Didi Gregorius is up to the task of replacing Derek Jeter as the team's starting shortstop, but success is anything but assured.
There's little doubt about Gregorius' glove, a part of his game that Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin praised during a recent conversation with Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.
“Certainly, when I had a chance to work with him (in Cincinnati), there was a lot of talent there,” Larkin said. “Good kid. Good player. Great glove. Strong arm. Offensively, I didn’t spend much time with him.”
Questions about Gregorius' ability to hit major league pitching consistently have yet to be answered, but the Yankees believe he's got more to offer than the .243/.313/.366 slash line he's posted over parts of three major league seasons.
“We believe there’s more gas in that tank,” general manager Brian Cashman told McCarron, “in terms of his development on the offensive side.”
Those questions don't exist when it comes to Desmond, whose right-handed bat would help to balance a lineup that, as it stands now, has only one true right-handed bat: second baseman Robert Refsnyder, who has never taken a major league at-bat.
Could A Deal Be Struck?
Probably, but the Yankees have finally embraced the concept of building from within, avoiding the highest-priced talent on the free-agent market and allowing closer David Robertson to depart so that they could land a compensatory draft pick.
The likes of Ian Clarkin, Eric Jagielo, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino—many of which Washington would be asking for in exchange for Desmond—aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
As for being able to afford giving Desmond the extension he seeks, come on: These are the Yankees we're talking about. If and when they decide that they really want something, money is no obstacle.
San Diego Padres
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Why He Makes Sense For the Padres
Why not? The Padres have traded for nearly every other impact, right-handed bat that was available this winter, so what's one more deal?
While the club could use a left-handed bat (or two) to balance out the lineup, San Diego is in need of an everyday shortstop. Former All-Star Everth Cabrera was released, while top prospect Trea Turner was traded to Washington as part of the Wil Myers deal.
That leaves the Padres with Alexi Amarista as their starting shortstop, a less-than-ideal scenario. The 25-year-old has struggled to hit over parts of four seasons, owning a career .234/.279/.336 slash line, and is most valuable to the club as a utility player off the bench, capable of playing both the infield and outfield.
Could A Deal Be Struck?
Absolutely.
For all of the trades new GM A.J. Preller has made, the Padres still have plenty of assets to move, including top pitching prospects Casey Kelly, Keyvius Sampson and Matt Wisler and catching prospect Austin Hedges, among others.
They also have young, controllable arms with major league experience in Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, both of whom have been the subject of trade speculation at one point or another during the offseason.
Seattle Mariners
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Why He Makes Sense For the Mariners
They're only team with which Washington is known to have discussed a potential Ian Desmond trade. The biggest obstacle for the two sides to get over is Washington's insistence—and Seattle's reluctance—to include either James Paxton or Taijuan Walker in the deal, according to ESPN's Jim Bowden.
But the Mariners have been looking for another impact, right-handed bat to stick into their lineup, preferably in right field. With all due respect to the newly acquired Justin Ruggiano, he's not that guy.
While he doesn't play the outfield, Desmond could. While incumbent Brad Miller is a superior defender, he took a major step in the wrong direction at the plate in 2014 and simply doesn't offer the kind of run production that Desmond is capable of providing.
Over the past 10 seasons, only the Kansas City Royals have gotten less production from the position than the Mariners. The list of players they've sent out to short during that span is lengthy, one that includes Yuniesky Betancourt, Brad Miller, Mike Morse (yes, that Mike Morse), Brendan Ryan and Josh Wilson.
Acquiring Desmond would officially bring a decade of mediocrity at short in Seattle to an abrupt end.
Could A Deal Be Struck?
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that the Mariners turned down a two-for-two swap that would have landed them Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann in exchange for Walker and Miller, so the team's resolve to hold on to its top pitching prospects is as strong as it possibly could be.
That said, the Mariners have enough young, controllable arms in their system, including those with major league experience (Roenis Elias and Erasmo Ramirez), that Washington could use to fill its future rotation in the event that both Fister and Zimmermann depart via free agency at the end of the year.
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