Finding a Perfect Trade Fix for MLB Teams
It's never too early to start talking trade.
The MLB season is a little over a month old, but already there are clear areas of need cropping up for every team around the league.
So let's offer up some trade suggestions, shall we?
Obviously, not every team is a viable trade destination as rebuilding clubs are unlikely to abandon their long-term strategy and small-market teams still have financial limitations to contend with.
On the other end of the spectrum, slow starts from perceived contenders don't necessarily mean they won't be buyers in the long run.
At any rate, ahead is a look at one potential trade fix for each team that figures to be in a position to swing a deal when the time comes.
Rebuilding Teams, Likely Sellers and Non-Buyers
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A strong start from a rebuilding team doesn't mean that team is suddenly going to abandon the process and start flipping prospect for veteran talent. Teams like the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros have laid out the proper blueprint for a rebuild in recent years, and a key ingredient is patience.
So with that in mind, the following teams are unlikely to be scouring the trade market for any roster fixes this season:
- Atlanta Braves
- Chicago White Sox
- Cincinnati Reds
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Minnesota Twins
- Philadelphia Phillies
- San Diego Padres
Maybe they stand pat as opposed to being aggressive sellers if they keep winning and find themselves hovering around the .500 mark, but a complete strategic 180 is unlikely.
They've already committed to developing young talent and building from within.
Then we have the small-market teams that are off to slow starts and were unlikely to make a significant move from a buying standpoint even if they were in contention:
- Oakland Athletics
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Tampa Bay Rays
Predicting any significant trades for them simply isn't realistic, especially considering their current standing.
Then there's one more team to include here: Kansas City Royals.
While they have not necessarily begun rebuilding just yet, they were clearly approaching a crossroads this season with Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar all headed for free agency.
A rough start has all but solidified their standing as a likely seller come July.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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Biggest Need: No. 5 Starter
The Arizona Diamondbacks starting rotation has been vastly improved this season behind the foursome of Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker and Patrick Corbin.
However, with Shelby Miller undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery and Archie Bradley perhaps too important in his new role in the bullpen to return to starting, there's a hole at the back of the staff.
Zack Godley will take the ball on Wednesday in that spot and Braden Shipley also has MLB experience, but the team could opt to look outside the organization for a solution.
Ideal Target: Trevor Cahill, San Diego Padres
With one of the weakest farm systems in the majors, the D-backs don't have the prospects to swing a deal for a front-line arm.
Instead, a veteran like Trevor Cahill could be a realistic target.
The 29-year-old is 3-2 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 35.1 innings after signing a one-year, $1.75 million deal with the San Diego Padres during the offseason.
He's also no stranger to pitching in the desert, having turned in strong seasons as part of the Arizona rotation in 2012 and 2013, before unraveling and eventually revitalizing his career in a relief role with the Chicago Cubs last year.
The rebuilding Padres should be motivated to sell high.
Baltimore Orioles
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Biggest Need: Shortstop
To say veteran shortstop J.J. Hardy is struggling this season would an understatement and he knows it.
Here's what he had to say to Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun earlier this month:
"I'll tell you, the last probably couple of weeks has probably been one of the toughest stretches, defensively, offensively, for me in probably my whole career. I've got no excuse for it. I'm doing the same stuff I've done the last 12 years — preparing, working hard—and it's just one of those stretches. I'm going to continue preparing, continue working hard and, eventually, you've got to get out of this.
"
The 34-year-old is hitting .205/.239/.268 and his usually stellar defense has been substandard (-2 DRS, -9.3 UZR/150) at best.
Hardy has a $14 million option for next season that is looking less and less likely to be exercised, so moving on from the veteran now could make sense for the Baltimore Orioles.
Ideal Target: Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds
The Orioles don't have much in the way of high-end prospect talent, aside from catcher of the future Chance Sisco.
That could mean Zack Cozart is out of their price range, considering he's off to a .350/.442/.580 start with 15 extra-base hits in 120 plate appearances.
However, the lack of other teams in need of shortstop could mean the Reds wind up taking the only offer on the table for the free-agent-to-be and he lands in Baltimore.
Boston Red Sox
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Biggest Need: Third base
Trading Travis Shaw and Yoan Moncada during the offseason put the Boston Red Sox all-in on a bounce-back season from Pablo Sandoval at third base.
He hit .213/.269/.377 over 67 plate appearances before suffering a sprained knee, leaving the team scrambling with a mixture of Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, Josh Rutledge and Deven Marrero to man the hot corner.
Sandoval resumed baseball activities last weekend, but he didn't inspire much confidence that he could be even an average option prior to landing on the disabled list.
Top prospect Rafael Devers has a .938 OPS with six home runs with Double-A Portland. He's still just 20 years old, though, and rushing him into action would be less than ideal.
Ideal Target: Ryan Schimpf, San Diego Padres
The Red Sox acquired veteran Aaron Hill as a stopgap at third base last summer, and a similar acquisition makes more sense than going after a high-priced rental like Todd Frazier or Mike Moustakas.
Ryan Schimpf is a flawed player, but he has value.
The 29-year-old came out of nowhere to post an .869 OPS with 20 home runs last season, and he's flashed good pop once again with a .780 OPS and nine home runs through 119 plate appearances.
He's also made a smooth transition from second to third base, posting 4 DRS and a 2.0 UZR/150.
However, he's hitting just .167 and striking out at a 31.1 percent clip, so there are obvious holes in his game.
Trading Schimpf would allow the Padres to install Cory Spangenberg—a player who might actually have a long-term place on the roster—as the everyday third baseman.
Chicago Cubs
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Biggest Need: Lefty reliever
The Chicago Cubs have a spot to fill in the starting rotation with Brett Anderson on the disabled list with a back strain.
Former top prospect Eddie Butler is a candidate after pitching to a 1.17 ERA through 30.2 innings with Triple-A Iowa, though current reliever Mike Montgomery might still be the first choice.
Assuming it is Montgomery, that will leave a void in the bullpen, where he's been the team's primary lefty reliever.
Brian Duensing (12 G, 3.86 ERA) and rookie Rob Zastryzny (1 G, 6.75 ERA) are the other two lefties who have seen time out of the pen, so swinging a trade for a more reliable late-inning southpaw could soon climb to the top of the to-do list.
Ideal Target: T.J. House, Toronto Blue Jays
We're going outside the box a bit with this one.
T.J. House went 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 18 starts as a rookie with the Cleveland Indians in 2014, but he made just eight total appearances at the MLB level over the past two seasons.
The Toronto Blue Jays signed House to a minor league deal this offseason, and he's gone 4-1 with a 1.24 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in 29 innings as a starter with Triple-A Buffalo.
His ability to go multiple innings and the uptick in his strikeout rate make him an intriguing potential replacement for Montgomery.
Cleveland Indians
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Biggest Need: Outfielder
The surprising early demotion of Tyler Naquin and a subsequent back injury that will delay his return to the majors has left the Cleveland Indians with something of a hole in the outfield.
A healthy Michael Brantley is manning left field and Lonnie Chisenhall has shifted from right to center in place of the aforementioned Naquin, where he should platoon with Austin Jackson once he returns from the disabled list.
That leaves Abraham Almonte (.225 BA, .658 OPS) and Brandon Guyer (.163 BA, .492 OPS) as the team's remaining outfielders.
Guyer is a good defender with a solid track record of success against left-handed pitching, but it might be time to move on from Almonte or at least search for an upgrade.
Ideal Target: Rajai Davis, Oakland Athletics
Who doesn't like a good reunion?
The speedy Rajai Davis was a key cog for the Indians in their run to the World Series last season before joining the Oakland Athletics on a one-year, $6 million deal during the offseason.
The 36-year-old is not off to the best start with a .217/.275/.337 line, but perhaps a return to Cleveland, where he enjoyed some solid success a year ago, would jump-start his season.
As for Oakland, Billy Beane and Co. are always looking for ways to save a few bucks, and flipping his contract for a low-level prospect and an opportunity to give a younger guy some playing time could be an attractive move.
Colorado Rockies
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Biggest Need: Veteran starter
The Colorado Rockies are walking a tightrope with three rookies in the starting rotation, and eventually innings are going to become a concern.
Ideally, they could find a veteran starter capable of shouldering some of that load, which would allow them to be a bit more cautious with the likes of Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez.
Corner infield prospect Ryan McMahon is a redundant piece and would make for an attractive starting point in building a package for a quality middle-of-the-rotation arm.
However, the team could also aim a bit lower and simply look for a veteran capable of providing some low-cost innings at the back of the rotation.
Ideal Target: Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres
If there's one thing that jumps off the page when it comes to the recent performance of left-hander Clayton Richard, it's his ability to keep the ball on the ground.
That bodes well when talking about a potential move to Coors Field.
The 33-year-old posted a 65.1 percent ground-ball rate over 67.2 innings last season, and this season's rate stands at an equally impressive 62.2 percent.
After signing a one-year, $1.75 million deal to stay in San Diego during the offseason, he's gone 2-4 with a 4.87 ERA over his first seven starts.
Impressive numbers? Not particularly, but good enough to plug into the back of the rotation and lighten the load on some of those young arms.
Detroit Tigers
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Biggest Need: Center fielder
After a strong start, Tyler Collins is hitting .196/.293/.314 in his last 58 plate appearances, and the center field position as a whole has produced a .224/.303/.383 line for the Detroit Tigers.
JaCoby Jones is back in the minors working on his offensive game, Andrew Romine is better served as a utility infielder and Mikie Mahtook has also provided next to nothing at the plate.
The Tigers don't have the farm system to make a run at someone like Lorenzo Cain or really anyone of significance, so they'll need to think outside the box a bit.
Ideal Target: Rafael Ortega, San Diego Padres
If the name Rafael Ortega sounds mildly familiar, it's because he saw extended action with the Los Angeles Angels a year ago.
The 25-year-old hit .232/.283/.292 with nine extra-base hits in 202 plate appearances en route to a minus-0.2 WAR.
Not exactly an inspiring performance, but bear with me.
He graded out as a slightly above-average defensive outfielder (0 DRS, 5.2 UZR/150) and he's off to a hot start this season playing with the San Diego Padres' Triple-A affiliate.
Ortega is hitting .319/.381/.489 with seven doubles and three home runs, and the Padres would no doubt love to flip him, given their crowded outfield situation and the fact that he was acquired for nothing as a minor league free agent.
It's not a flashy addition by any means, but it would be a cheap one capable of providing some decent value.
Houston Astros
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Biggest Need: Lefty reliever
Despite employing an eight-man bullpen, the Houston Astros have just one left-hander—and he hasn't been particularly effective.
Veteran Tony Sipp was lights out in 2015 when he posted a 1.99 ERA and 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings over 60 appearances, earning a three-year, $18 million deal in the process.
However, his ERA spiked to 4.95 a year ago and so far this season he's pitched to a 4.05 ERA with more walks (seven) than strikeouts (six) over 6.2 innings of work.
Ashur Tolliver and Reymin Guduan are the only other southpaws on the 40-man roster, and neither looks like the answer.
Ideal Target: Mike Minor, Kansas City Royals
In his first MLB action since 2014 following a series of shoulder ailments, Mike Minor has enjoyed some solid success out of the Kansas City Royals bullpen.
The 29-year-old former starter sports a 2.50 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with an 18-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 18 innings of work.
What's more, he's gone more than one inning in four of his 12 appearances and he's held opposing lefties to a .136 average with just one extra-base hit.
The Royals would no doubt welcome the opportunity to recoup some of his $4 million salary for this season, and his contract also features a $10 million mutual option for next year that carries a $1.25 million buyout.
And for the Astros, he'd become their top lefty option out of the pen as well as potential starting pitching depth in a pinch.
Los Angeles Angels
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Biggest Need: Starting pitcher
Replacing Danny Espinosa at second base might wind up being priority No. 1 for the Los Angeles Angels if he doesn't improve on his .142/.214/.255 line and 35 percent strikeout rate so far.
However, they have an intriguing internal option there in former top prospect Kaleb Cowart, who is hitting .283/.396/.400 with eight extra-base hits in Triple-A.
Instead, we'll focus on a starting rotation that is without Garrett Richards (strained biceps) and Tyler Skaggs (strained oblique) for the foreseeable future.
JC Ramirez has held his own since joining the rotation and Alex Meyer will get a look in the other vacant spot, but adding a veteran starter to the mix might quickly turn into a necessity.
Ideal Target: Matt Garza, Milwaukee Brewers
Given their complete lack of prospect talent, the Angels might instead have to settle for taking on some salary in order to land a viable rotation option.
Matt Garza fits the bill there with a $12.5 million salary, making him the second-highest-paid player on the rebuilding Milwaukee Brewers.
Making him a slightly more attractive target is a $13 million vesting option for next season that turns into a more reasonable $5 million team option if it doesn't vest—which appears likely.
After starting the season on the disabled list, the 33-year-old has gone 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA in his first three starts.
A willingness to absorb the rest of the salary for this year could give the Angels a passable middle-of-the-rotation option and a cheap depth piece for next year.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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Biggest Need: Lefty reliever
The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been better than expected this season.
A strong performance from Josh Fields alongside the late-inning duo of Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen has helped lead the relief corps to a 3.02 ERA—good for seventh in the majors.
However, they are lacking a reliable lefty setup option.
Luis Avilan is really more of a specialist, while Grant Dayton and Adam Liberatore have not enjoyed the same level of success they did a year ago.
While they have internal options to fill potential holes in the outfield and to deal with any injuries that might pop up in the starting rotation, they may need to go outside the organization to address the need for another southpaw in the pen.
Ideal Target: Craig Breslow, Minnesota Twins
Pairing resurgent veteran Craig Breslow with offseason throwing partner Rich Hill just seems like too good of an idea to ignore.
Breslow spent the offseason reworking his mechanics in an effort to improve his spin rate and emerged as one of the more intriguing free agents on the market.
He landed in Minnesota, where he won a bullpen spot as a non-roster invitee, and so far he's posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 13 appearances.
The 36-year-old has held lefties to an .083 average, but he's deceptive enough to be a legitimate late-inning setup option for a Dodgers team that was relying on Dayton to fill that role.
Miami Marlins
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Biggest Need: Starting pitcher
The Miami Marlins set out to improve an already solid relief corps this offseason, hoping that turning the bullpen into a juggernaut would help prop up a suspect starting staff.
That was not a great plan.
The bullpen has been solid, but not nearly good enough to offset a starting rotation that has pitched to a 4.94 ERA (27th in MLB) and tallied just 10 quality starts (29th in MLB).
Now Edinson Volquez is dealing with a blister, Wei-Yin Chen is on the DL with arm fatigue and Adam Conley has already been demoted to Triple-A.
The Marlins are 13-19 in fourth place in the NL East, but with the Mets scuffling and both the Phillies and Braves still in the process of rebuilding, it's not time to wave the white flag just yet.
Ideal Target: Jeremy Hellickson, Philadelphia Phillies
In order for Jeremy Hellickson to be a viable target for the Marlins, they'll first need to climb back into the playoff race.
The 30-year-old figures to be among the most sought-after arms on the trade market, and since the Phillies can't extend him another qualifying offer under the new CBA, they should be more motivated to move him than they were a year ago.
The Marlins were among the teams showing interest last summer, and understandably so, as Hellickson went 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in in six starts against the Marlins.
He's 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in seven starts and he'd immediately become the ace of the Miami staff.
New York Mets
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Biggest Need: Starting pitching
Between injuries to Noah Syndergaard (strained lat) and Steven Matz (elbow inflammation) and the still unfolding Matt Harvey saga, the New York Mets are in bad shape on the starting pitching side of things.
For a team with a suspect offense that was relying on the starting staff to shoulder the load, that could prove to be a death sentence.
Don't expect them to simply roll over, though.
Tommy Milone and Robert Gsellman have stepped into the starting rotation for the time being and Rafael Montero is a potential option as well, but the team is already considering outside additions.
"We have looked at that possibility, I would say yes, that this probably accelerates that process," general manager Sandy Alderson told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News on the team potentially searching for pitching help.
Ideal Target: Hector Santiago, Minnesota Twins
While the Mets have the prospects to swing a significant trade, they probably won't be looking for anything beyond rental options, assuming the staff will eventually return to full strength.
Minnesota Twins lefty Hector Santiago fits the bill as he's earning $8 million in his final year of arbitration before reaching free agency for the first time this coming offseason.
The 29-year-old is 4-1 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over his first seven starts, though he is pitching over his head a bit as evidenced by the 3.82 FIP that accompanies that ERA.
Still, he'd be a welcome addition to the staff with a strong track record as a middle-of-the-rotation arm in the American League.
New York Yankees
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Biggest Need: First base
The New York Yankees have gotten a dismal .162/.279/.265 line and just six RBI from the first base position this year.
Spring standout and injury returnee Greg Bird struggled mightily before landing back on the disabled list with an ankle injury, while free-agent addition Chris Carter is hitting under .200 without the usual power to offset it.
While Bird remains the long-term option, finding a short-term solution to provide some needed production at a premium position is a must for a contending Yankees team.
Ideal Target: Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
After bouncing around on waivers all offseason, Christian Walker finally landed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Not exactly an ideal situation, considering he's blocked by one of the game's best in Paul Goldschmidt.
However, he's making a strong case for big league playing time, and it might not be long before teams come calling on the trade market.
The 26-year-old is hitting .289/.371/.579 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 34 RBI in 31 games for Triple-A Reno, and he's shown some intriguing pop throughout his time in the minors.
Walker has hit 62 home runs over the past three seasons and he added left field to his defensive repertoire last year, so he also provides some additional versatility over the aforementioned Carter.
This boils down to whether the Yankees are willing to eat the $3.5 million they gave the all-or-nothing slugger in the offseason in favor of a potential upgrade.
San Francisco Giants
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Biggest Need: Bullpen depth
So much for the San Francisco Giants plugging their biggest roster hole with a retooled bullpen.
They rank 21st in the majors with a 4.42 ERA and they've converted just seven of 13 save chances on the year.
Mark Melancon is locked into the closer's role and both Hunter Strickland and Derek Law provide some intriguing upside, but there's plenty of room to add more quality veteran depth to the mix as the final two spots in the bullpen have been a bit of a revolving door.
Scouring other team's Triple-A rosters for proven veteran talent would be a similar approach to what they employed this offseason when they added a bevy of players on minor league deals.
Ideal Target: Al Alburquerque, Kansas City Royals
Al Alburquerque made a combined 192 appearances with the Detroit Tigers from 2013 to 2015, posting a 3.74 ERA and 10.2 K/9 with 35 holds.
However, he made just two appearances at the MLB level last year while spending the bulk of the season pitching for the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A affiliate.
The 30-year-old is now pitching in the Kansas City Royals system, where he has a 2.63 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 11 appearances for Triple-A Omaha.
He won't cost much and the Royals would welcome any prospect talent they can add to a thin system.
Seattle Mariners
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Biggest Need: Catcher
Recently demoted Mike Zunino and veterans Carlos Ruiz and Tuffy Gosewisch have hit a combined .150/.242/.206 with three RBI at the catcher position for the Seattle Mariners this season.
While Ruiz provides strong veteran leadership, he's best served as a seldom-used backup at this point in his career, and finding a legitimate starting backstop should be atop the team's to-do list.
The hope is that Zunino can iron things out in Triple-A and make a quick return.
"He hasn't had a whole lot of at-bats, but the way the big-league team started off, they needed production right away, and you can't wait for another 120, 130, 140 at-bats. You've got to get production. So we're here to get him right as quick as we can," Triple-A manager Pat Listach told Christian Caple of the Tacoma News Tribune.
Still, the team may need to find a contingency plan in the meantime.
Ideal Target: Curt Casali, Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays added Wilson Ramos, Derek Norris and Jesus Sucre at the catcher position this offseason, leaving incumbent Curt Casali as the odd man out.
The 28-year-old posted a .698 OPS with 18 home runs in 369 plate appearances over the past two seasons, and he graded out as a plus pitch-framer last season, per StatCorner.
He's hitting .313/.380/.373 for Triple-A Durham and could immediately step into the role filled by the light-hitting Sucre, potentially pushing Ruiz for the starting role if he continues to hit.
It's not the most exciting solution, but it does look like an upgrade.
St. Louis Cardinals
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Biggest Need: Bullpen depth
The return of Trevor Rosenthal has plugged what was a glaring hole in the eighth inning for the St. Louis Cardinals early in the season.
However, the bullpen could still use some further depth.
Brett Cecil (18 G, 4.85 ERA), Kevin Siegrist (14 G, 5.11 ERA), Jonathan Broxton (11 G, 6.52 ERA) and Miguel Socolovich (11 G, 6.75 ERA) have all struggled.
They currently rank 20th in the majors with a 4.31 bullpen ERA, and adding another proven late-inning arm to join Rosenthal and closer Seung Hwan Oh looks like the most pressing need on the roster.
Ideal Target: Joaquin Benoit, Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies signed Joaquin Benoit to a one-year, $7.5 million deal during the offseason and they'll almost certainly be looking to flip him this summer.
The 39-year-old has been one of the game's most reliable setup relievers throughout his career, posting a 2.41 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 10.0 K/9 in 453 appearances since the start of the 2010 season.
That includes a 2.63 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 9.2 K/9 in 14 games this season.
The Cardinals have made a point of targeting proven late-inning arms in recent years with the additions of Broxton, Steve Cishek, John Axford and Octavio Dotel, among others.
Benoit would appear to be a good fit in the same mold.
Texas Rangers
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Biggest Need: Starting pitcher
The starting rotation has been a surprising strength for the Texas Rangers this season as they are tied for the MLB lead with a 3.36 starters' ERA.
However, losing Cole Hamels for two months to a strained oblique was a significant blow.
It's also fair to question how long A.J. Griffin (5 GS, 4-0, 2.45 ERA, 3.66 FIP) and Andrew Cashner (5 GS, 0-3, 2.63 ERA, 5.17 FIP) can maintain their current level of play.
The eventual return of Tyson Ross provides an intriguing in-house addition. However, if they hope to climb back into the AL West race, adding another starter could become a necessity.
Ideal Target: Scott Feldman, Cincinnati Reds
Scott Feldman spent the first eight seasons of his career pitching for the Texas Rangers, including a 17-8 record and a career-high 189.2 innings during the 2009 season.
In the five seasons since he left, he's gone 34-36 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.27 WHIP as a reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter and occasional swingman for the Cubs, Orioles, Astros, Blue Jays and Reds.
He inked a one-year, $2.3 million deal with Cincinnati during the offseason and he's gone 2-3 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in seven starts, including a four-hit shutout in his most recent start.
The Reds were wise to target a pitcher like Feldman to eat innings as they continue to rebuild and they'd be equally wise to sell high and flip him to a contender as long as he's pitching well.
Feldman isn't quite the flashy acquisition we've seen from the Rangers in recent years with Hamels and Jonathan Lucroy, but he'd be a welcome addition to the staff.
Toronto Blue Jays
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Biggest Need: Starting pitching
The starting rotation was a major strength for the Toronto Blue Jays last season when they posted an AL-best 3.64 starters' ERA and tied for the MLB lead with 100 quality starts.
J.A. Happ (elbow inflammation) and Aaron Sanchez (split fingernail) are both on the disabled list, leaving the team turning first to Casey Lawrence and Mat Latos and now to Joe Biagini and Mike Bolsinger to fill out the staff.
Biagini was an important bullpen arm and that creates a new hole, so ideally the team would find a veteran capable of stepping into his spot in the rotation.
Ideal Target: Justin Masterson, Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Masterson hasn't pitched in the majors since 2015 and he hasn't been an above-average starting option since he tossed three shutouts and made the AL All-Star team in 2013.
The Los Angeles Dodgers scooped him up on a minor league deal this spring, and he's showing some intriguing upside for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
In five starts and one relief appearance, he's gone 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 30.2 innings of work.
The Dodgers are contenders but have enough starting pitching depth that they may be willing to deal him if the Blue Jays offer up an intriguing enough prospect.
Washington Nationals
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Biggest Need: Closer
It's no secret the Washington Nationals need bullpen help.
Blake Treinen has already been yanked from the closer's role and hard-throwing rookie Koda Glover is on the disabled list, leaving veteran Shawn Kelley slotted in the ninth inning by default.
The relief corps as a whole ranks 28th in the majors with a 5.47 ERA and it has converted just 10 of 16 save chances on the year.
Jim Bowden of ESPN reported last month that the Nationals were already touching base with the Rays and White Sox about potential trades for Alex Colome and David Robertson, respectively.
One way or another, expect something to be done to address the glaring hole on a team that looks like a bona fide contender.
Ideal Target: David Robertson, Chicago White Sox
After shipping out so much prospect talent to acquire Adam Eaton, the Nationals might not be willing to pay the price it will take to acquire Colome and his team control through the 2020 season.
However, they should be able to land Robertson at a significantly lower price.
The 32-year-old is on the books for $12 million this season and $13 million next year and the rebuilding White Sox have no need for a high-priced closer.
He's converted five of six save chances with a 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 12.7 K/9 this season, and he'd ideally provide a solution similar to what the Nationals landed in Mark Melancon at the deadline last year.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, while contract information comes via Spotrac.
