MLB Trade Rumors: Updating the 50 Hottest Names That Could Be Dealt

As of the time of this writing, there will be less than seven days until the trade deadline of July 31. While some deals have already been made (Francisco Rodriguez to Milwaukee, Jeff Keppinger to San Francisco, Wilson Betemit to Detroit), there are a host of players who have been reported to be on the trading block who have yet to move.

The next seven days will certainly prove to be interesting in Major League Baseball, as teams jockeying for playoff positioning try to round out their rosters for the stretch drive.

Teams can still make trades after the July 31 deadline, but after that, players will have to clear waivers first, up until August 31.

Here at Bleacher Report, we have helped to provide extensive coverage of all players rumored to be on the move, and have updated the teams looking to buy potential key pieces.

We will continue to provide updates throughout the next week, and for now, we will update the 50 hottest names in MLB that could be dealt by the deadline.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

50. Jim Johnson: Baltimore Orioles

Relief pitcher Jim Johnson of the Baltimore Orioles has had an excellent season in an otherwise down year for the O’s, posting a 5-3 record and 2.64 ERA in 46 appearances.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the Cincinnati Reds have had internal discussions regarding acquiring a veteran reliever, and Johnson is definitely one currently on their radar screen.

49. Ivan Rodriguez: Washington Nationals

It seems like Washington Nationals backup catcher Ivan Rodriguez has been on the trading block for months, especially after the season-ending injury to Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants.

While no teams have recently been linked to Pudge, Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post last week that several teams have called to express interest in Rodriguez.

48. Edward Mujica: Florida Marlins

In his first season with the Florida Marlins, relief pitcher Edward Mujica has been outstanding out of the bullpen, posting an 8-3 record and 3.14 ERA in 44 appearances.

The Texas Rangers are at least one team rumored to have talked with the Marlins about Mujica to help bolster their bullpen for the defense of their AL pennant. However, if the Marlins instead trade closer Leo Nunez, MSNBC.com is reporting that Mujica would be the odds-on favorite to take over as Marlins closer.

47. Mike Gonzalez: Baltimore Orioles

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported last Tuesday on Twitter that the Orioles appear to be “open for business,” meaning they will clearly listen to offers for several of their players, one of them quite possibly being reliever Mike Gonzalez.

The St. Louis Cardinals are one team rumored to be looking for left-handed relief help, so Gonzalez could be a draw. Gonzalez has struggled, with a 1-2 record and 5.66 ERA in 37 appearances, and he would be owed approximately $2 million at the deadline, so the Cards may look at other options.

46. Rich Harden: Oakland Athletics

Starting pitcher Rich Harden returned from the 60-day disabled list earlier this month and has looked impressive, with two quality starts in three appearances, registering 17 strikeouts in 18 innings of work thus far.

Harden, who suffered a muscle injury in his throwing arm, is owed approximately $600K for the rest of the season, and the Boston Red Sox are one team who has been keeping an eye on Harden.

The Red Sox expect to get Jon Lester back on Monday and Clay Buchholz sometime within the next two weeks, however they are looking to build depth in their rotation.

45. Ramon Hernandez: Cincinnati Reds

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports revealed on Saturday in his weekly Full Count Video that the Reds have not received any offers for catcher Ramon Hernandez that they believe are worthy of his value.

The Reds do have prospect Devin Mesoraco waiting in the wings in Triple-A, but Rosenthal suggests that the Reds aren’t keen on bringing the youngster up in the middle of the pennant race.

Still, with Ryan Hanigan playing well for the Reds, GM Walt Jocketty will no doubt listen to offers for Hernandez and deal him if the return value is there.

44. Chad Qualls: San Diego Padres

On Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres reliever Chad Qualls had undoubtedly his worst performance of the season, giving up three home runs in the seventh inning to Ryan Howard, Michael Martinez and Chase Utley, blowing a 4-3 Padres lead.

Still at 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA in 49 appearances, Qualls still has value for contending teams looking for relief help. One drawback however, Qualls has been significantly better at spacious Petco Park, with a 2.28 ERA at home compared to a 4.68 ERA on the road.

43. David DeJesus: Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are in a downward spiral right now, 13 games under .500 and with an offense that is incapable of mounting significant surges to turn things around.

Many of the A’s will reportedly be on the trading block, including outfielder David DeJesus.

The first season in Oakland has not gone well for DeJesus, hitting just .232 with five HR and 25 RBI. However, with a career .285 average and just 31 years old, combined with the fact that DeJesus is in the final year of his contract and will only cost around $2 million for the rest of the season, he will clearly draw interest as the trade deadline nears.

Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted on Thursday that the Pittsburgh Pirates have shown interest in DeJesus, and the Cincinnati Reds and several other teams have been actively scouting the A’s as well.

42. Jeff Francis: Kansas City Royals

Like the Oakland A’s, several current members of the Kansas City Royals are also rumored to be on the trading block.

Earlier this week on MLB Network Radio, GM Dayton Moore told Jim Bowden that it’s quite possible the Royals will move either Jeff Francis or Bruce Chen by the trade deadline.

In his first year with the Royals, Francis has been abysmal, posting a 3-11 record and 4.65 ERA. Still, with a favorable contract (owed approximately $700K) and the fact he’s a lefty, Francis will continue to draw interest.

41. Aaron Harang: San Diego Padres

When Aaron Harang was signed by the San Diego Padres during the offseason, he was coming off a dismal three-year stretch in Cincinnati during which he posted a combined record of 18-38 with a 4.71 ERA.

Still, the Padres thought enough of Harang to extend a one-year, $3.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2012.

Harang has been outstanding for the Padres, posting an 8-2 record, a 3.29 ERA and giving up just 94 hits in 98.1 innings. Harang was on the disabled list for much of June with a foot injury but now appears to be completely healthy once again.

According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, Harang is one of the players that the Padres will focus on dealing before the deadline, and the Cleveland Indians have targeted Harang as one of the starters they are focusing on.

40. Koji Uehara: Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles reliever Koji Uehara has been simply outstanding this season for the O’s in a year that has not gone well otherwise for the AL East cellar-dwelling team.

Uehara has posted a 1.80 ERA in 41 appearances, striking out a phenomenal 59 batters in 45 innings.

The Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates have all been rumored to have Uehara high on their list of priorities.

Uehara does have a vesting option for the 2012 once he passes 55 appearances this season, but considering his dominance thus far, that should not be a stumbling block for teams who are interested.

39. Jack Wilson: Seattle Mariners

With the promotion of Dustin Ackley and with Brendan Ryan at shortstop, Jack Wilson clearly appears to be a man headed out of town in Seattle.

Given the fact that the Mariners are on a team-record 14-game losing streak, it almost now seems like a given that GM Jack Zduriencik will be moving veterans.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports believes that Zduriencik will certainly listen to offers for Wilson, who is hitting just .229 in 50 games for the M’s and is in the final year of his contract and owed approximately $1.7 million for the rest of the season.

38. Kevin Slowey: Minnesota Twins

The 2011 season has been disastrous for Minnesota Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey. After making 28 starts last year with a 13-6 record and 4.45 ERA, Slowey was in the Twins’ bullpen to start this season and after just three appearances landed on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis.

Slowey came back from that injury, only to make three more appearances before landing back on the DL with an abdominal strain. Now back at Triple-A Rochester, Slowey has been stretched back out as a starter again, and appears to be available as a trade option for the Twins.

FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi tweeted on Thursday that the Toronto Blue Jays scouted Slowey’s start for Rochester on Wednesday and that they’re still very interested in acquiring Slowey.

37. Doug Fister: Seattle Mariners

As the Seattle Mariners continue their downward spiral—currently on a team-record 14-game losing streak leading into Sunday’s games—it appears more and more likely that they will be listening to offers on several of their players.

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported last week that the M’s would listen to offers for starting pitcher Doug Fister, currently 3-11 but with a very respectable 3.30 ERA.

More recently, the Cincinnati Reds scouted Fister while the Mariners were in Toronto.

36. Coco Crisp: Oakland Athletics

If recent rumors are true, pretty much everyone in the Oakland Athletics’ outfield could be up for grabs.

Center fielder Coco Crisp would be particularly intriguing for several teams. Hitting .268 with 27 stolen bases, Crisp would cost a contending team around $1.85 million for the rest of the season, and given his speed that can be offered at the top of the batting order, he will be an attractive option.

35. Wandy Rodriguez: Houston Astros

At 33-67 as of Sunday morning, the Houston Astros have the worst record in the majors, have a new owner (Jim Crane) coming in who will be looking to trim payroll and a GM (Ed Wade) who could be in flux with the ownership shift.

Recently, there have been indications that the Astros will entertain offers for left-handed starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez. At 6-7 with a 3.60 ERA, Rodriguez has drawn interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds, however a trade with the Reds is less likely, considering he would stay in the same division.

ESPN’s Buster Olney noted in his Weekly Insider-only blog post that the Astros will be asking for a lot in return for Rodriguez, who is under contract through 2013 (three years, $34 million) with an option for 2014, the first year Rodriguez is eligible for free agency.

34. Kosuke Fukudome: Chicago Cubs

Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reported on Sunday that at least four teams are interested in Chicago Cubs right fielder Kosuke Fukudome, with the Cleveland Indians apparently at the head of the list.

Fukudome understands the rumors, and is content on just playing baseball no matter where it is. "It really doesn't bother me," Fukudome told Levine through an interpreter.

"As long as I'm a player and people are interested in me, I take it as a compliment."

33. Jonny Gomes: Cincinnati Reds

While Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jonny Gomes may only be hitting .213 with 11 HR and 31 RBI, teams are still enamored with his potential power, including the Atlanta Braves.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the Braves have been discussing Gomes internally, as well as the need for bullpen help.

Gomes is a very cheap option with a $1.75 million contract for 2011, meaning whatever team that does vie for his services will only have to pony up about $600K for the rest of the season.

32. Jason Frasor: Toronto Blue Jays

As has been reported multiple times, the Toronto Blue Jays have a cadre of relievers who they could potentially use for trade bait who also have very team-friendly contracts. Jason Frasor is certainly one of those pitchers who has been discussed frequently.

According to the most recent rumors, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Arizona Diamondbacks are most interested in Frasor, who has a 2.98 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 44 appearances for the Blue Jays.

31. Bruce Chen: Kansas City Royals

Like his rotation mate Jeff Francis, Royals’ starter Bruce Chen has drawn interest from teams. Chen has played for 10 teams in his 13 seasons, so moving once again won’t be an unfamiliar task for the left-hander.

Early last week, Royals’ GM Dayton Moore told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio that it’s very likely the Royals will move either Chen or Francis.

30. Josh Willingham: Oakland Athletics

Last Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports talked about how teams may be frustrated in vying for the services of Oakland Athletics outfielder Josh Willingham and the asking price that A’s GM Billy Beane will be asking for.

However, that won’t necessarily stop teams from considering trading for Willingham, who has arguably been one of the more productive players for the A’s, with 13 HR and 49 RBI.

Willingham will cost about $2 million for the rest of the season before he becomes a free agent.

29. Jeff Francoeur: Kansas City Royals

Kansas City Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur has been linked to several teams in trade rumors, most recently by Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, who reported on Friday that the Red Sox have had exploratory conversations with the Royals about Francoeur.

Francoeur has stated his desire to stay in Kansas City, telling Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he would love to stay put and work out a long-term deal.

Francoeur has a mutual option in his contract that would pay him $4 million in 2012 if the Royals elect to keep him and exercise the option.

28. Conor Jackson: Oakland Athletics

First baseman/outfielder Conor Jackson of the Oakland A’s is currently hitting .253 with three HR and 28 RBI. While that may not seem like a productive line, teams are still interested in Jackson because of his versatility in the field.

The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported last week that the Red Sox are talking to the A’s, among other teams, about hitters and "inquiring about anyone who may make an appreciable difference to the team," in Cafardo’s words.

27. Aramis Ramirez: Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez remains one of the more intriguing names on the block.

Paul Kinzer, the agent for Ramirez, told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Ramirez will likely invoke his right to refuse any trade—for this month.

In August however, Ramirez’ family moves back to the Dominican Republic so that his children can start the new school year, and Ramirez’ stance may soften at that point regarding other teams.

Ramirez would also want the $16 million option on his 2012 contract dropped as well before agreeing to a trade.

26. Edwin Jackson: Chicago White Sox

Seeing Edwin Jackson’s name on the trading block shouldn’t be a surprise. Jackson has been involved, and in fact has been dealt, three times in less than three years.

On Sunday, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Dispatch reported that the St. Louis Cardinals have been in discussions with the White Sox in a deal that could send Jackson to the Cardinals for outfielder Colby Rasmus. Strauss also indicated that a third team could become involved to facilitate the trade.

Jackson evened his season record at 7-7 with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday, lowering his ERA to 3.92.

25. Jason Marquis: Washington Nationals

One of the biggest problems with many trades that are bandied about in baseball is the fact that many GM’s overvalue players when it comes to evaluating deals.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reported on Saturday that could be the case with Nationals’ pitcher Jason Marquis. Kilgore noted that one major league executive told him that the Nationals’ perception of the value of Marquis is higher than what the league believes and will hurt the chances of the Nats’ wish to unload Marquis.

Marquis lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, lowering his record to 8-5 with a 3.95 ERA.

24. Melky Cabrera: Kansas City Royals

There is no doubt that center fielder Melky Cabrera has been a pleasant surprise for the Kansas City Royals, hitting .294 with 12 HR and 57 RBI.

According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, the Phillies have had discussions with the Royals about Cabrera, who is arbitration eligible next season. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported the discussions as well.

23. Reed Johnson: Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs utility outfielder Reed Johnson has had an excellent season in a limited role, hitting .328 with four homers and 23 RBI in only 150 at-bats.

Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted on Saturday that while Johnson may be attractive to contending teams, the Cubs won’t get very much value in return.

22. Alfonso Soriano: Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano is still owed a bit over $60 million on his eight-year, $136 million contract, and the Cubs would absolutely love to unload his salary in any way they can.

Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reported last week that the Cubs would be willing to absorb a good chunk of the rest of his salary if a team were looking to acquire Soriano.

For many teams however, the thought of Soriano and his declining defensive skills for another three years will not be a strong selling point.

21. Leo Nunez: Florida Marlins

The trade rumors surrounding Florida Marlins closer Leo Nunez have increased significantly in the past few days. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweeted last Tuesday that the Philadelphia Phillies are one team who has expressed interest.

However, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com believes that the Marlins will hold on to quite a few of their players that have been discussed in trade rumors, believing that with their move to their new stadium and with the addition of a third baseman and pitching, they could be strong contenders next season.

20. Jamey Carroll: Los Angeles Dodgers

Utility infielder Jamey Carroll, 37,  of the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to draw plenty of interest from contending teams. Carroll continues to contribute for the Dodgers, hitting .285 while playing second base after filling in for Rafael Furcal earlier in the season at shortstop.

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on Saturday that the Indians may have interest, although with the callup of Jason Kipnis, the Indians may not be as keen.

The Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers have also shown interest in the veteran utility infielder.

19. Craig Breslow: Oakland Athletics

In 43 appearances for the Oakland A’s this season, reliever Craig Breslow has been impressive, posting a 3.28 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 35 innings. However, against left-handed hitters, Breslow has not been effective at all, allowing a .390 average against lefties overall.

However, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported in his weekly notes column that Breslow has drawn interest from two AL East teams—the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

18. Chris Iannetta: Colorado Rockies

Up until the last week or so, Colorado Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta did not appear to be on the radar in terms of trade talks. Iannetta is under contract through 2012 with a team option for 2013 and is currently hitting .219 with 10 HR and 36 RBI.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians have both inquired about Iannetta, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, however the Rockies have not been actively shopping Iannetta.

17. Vladimir Guerrero: Baltimore Orioles

Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero’s name has come up often in trade talks over the summer, however it’s believed that both Guerrero and Derrek Lee would pass through waivers, meaning the Orioles wouldn’t have to deal either Guerrero or Lee until Aug. 31.

Guerrero’s power numbers have diminished significantly (seven HR, 31 RBI, .385 slugging percentage), so his value has also dropped considerably.

16. Ricky Nolasco: Florida Marlins

Depending on who you listen to, Florida Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco is either untouchable or the Marlins are shopping him.

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported that Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez and Josh Johnson are all untouchable, and that the Marlins are looking to add starters, not subtract. However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has indicated the Marlins will listen to offers for Nolasco if they hover around the .500 mark or lower.

Pick your poison.

15. James Shields: Tampa Bay Rays

James Shields is having a career year thus far, registering a 2.53 ERA, seven complete games and 151 strikeouts in 156.1 innings. His 9-8 records speaks more to lack of run support than anything else. Shields is under contract this season for $4.25 million with team options for the next three seasons.

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweeted on Sunday that the Rays are telling teams that Shields is not available. The New York Yankees were one team who had already expressed interest.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated also said that despite the Rays telling the Yankees that Shields was untouchable, many teams “remained hopeful.”

14. Tyler Clippard: Washington Nationals

Count reliever Tyler Clippard as another pitcher having a career year. In 45 appearances, the All-Star setup man has a 1.73 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 57.1 innings.

In his weekly notes column on Sunday, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported that the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have all made inquiries into Clippard’s availability.

Clippard is arbitration eligible next year, and doesn’t reach free agent status until 2016, so the Nationals will no doubt be asking for a high value return.

13. Randy Choate: Florida Marlins

Reliever Randy Choate remains one of the high-profile relievers on the market. He is deadly against left-handed hitters, and while the Florida Marlins are intent on retaining their core players, Choate could be had.

Buster Olney of ESPN has reported that the Marlins are receiving calls on Choate, but the Fish are playing things very close to the vest in regards to their trade deadline plans.

12. Brandon League: Seattle Mariners

With the Seattle Mariners on a current team-record 15-game losing streak, closer Brandon League obviously hasn't had many opportunities to add to his save total. Still, League has 23 saves with a 3.35 ERA, and the 2011 All-Star has a 1.088 WHIP.

Both Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports spoke with major league executives who believe that the Mariners will listen to trade offers on all their players with the exception of Felix Hernandez, Dustin Ackley and Michael Pineda.

The Mariners have taken calls regarding League's status, and the Texas Rangers are definitely interested in bullpen help, although trading within their own division would be tricky at best.

11. B.J. Upton: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays believe they have a center fielder in waiting in prospect Desmond Jennings, who was just celled up over the weekend. While Jennings will play mostly left field with incumbent B.J. Upton in left, that may not last for long.

The Washington Nationals have indicated that they will "offer the moon" to acquire Upton, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports also believe that Upton would be a more attractive trade option than Carlos Beltran for several teams, including the San Francisco Giants.

10. Ryan Ludwick: San Diego Padres

While Carlos Beltran and B.J. Upton may lead the pack in terms of outfielders available on the trade market, San Diego Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick remains high on several team's list of priorities.

According to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cleveland Indians aren't close to working out a deal with the Padres for Ludwick.

The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are also interested in Ludwick, but with the Padres intent on getting prospects in return, especially pitching, the Phillies would have the edge.

9. Jeremy Guthrie: Baltimore Orioles

Despite his 4-14 record, leading the American League in losses, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie remains one of the more sought after starters on the market.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers appear to be the frontrunners in terms of vying for Guthrie's services. Guthrie is under contract this season and is arbitration eligible.

8. Michael Cuddyer: Minnesota Twins

Last week, Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune cited a team source as saying that the Minnesota Twins would not trade veteran utility star Michael Cuddyer.

While Cuddyer got off to a slow start in the 2011 season, he has picked it up, hitting .297 with 14 HR and 48 RBI, and has been invaluable to the Twins while Jason Kubel was on the disabled list and Justin Morneau still unavailable.

However, that has not stopped teams from at least inquiring or being interested in Cuddyer. The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants are still interested, with the Giants indicating Cuddyer could be used at second base, even after the trade that brought Jeff Keppinger to the Bay Area.

7. Heath Bell: San Diego Padres

With the San Diego Padres front office saying that they would need to be overwhelmed to entertain a trade offer for Mike Adams, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported on Sunday that the St. Louis Cardinals are "hotter" for Heath Bell than Adams.

Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times also reported that the Los Angeles Angels are eagerly courting Bell as well.

On Friday, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweeted that there is no current frontrunner for the services of Bell, so several teams are still in play, including the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals.

6. Ubaldo Jimenez: Colorado Rockies

It's hard to tell whether or not any of the trade talks surrounding Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez are actually serious or not.

Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman tweeted on Thursday that teams think that Jimenez is being dangled by the Rockies as a "trial balloon."

Rockies' GM Dan O'Dowd told Woody Paige of the Denver Post that the Rockies would have to be "blown away" by a trade offer in order to deal Jimenez. The Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds are two teams who have kicked the tires on Jimenez.

5. Hiroki Kuroda: Los Angeles Dodgers

At this point, Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda remains the highest profile starter on the market, despite his 6-12 record. Kuroda still carries a low 3.19 ERA, indicating poor run support by the Dodgers.

The Tigers, Indians, Yankees, Rangers and Red Sox are all interested in Kuroda, however the Dodgers have yet to talk to Kuroda about waiving his no-trade clause.

4. Michael Bourn: Houston Astros

At 28 years of age, Houston Astros outfielder Michael Bourn has developed into the prototypical leadoff hitter, with a .301 average, 37 stolen bases, 24 doubles and seven triples.

Peter Gammons of MLB.com has said that the Washington Nationals have been hotly pursuing Bourn, while Houston Astros Examiner Stephen Goff stated on Thursday that while no teams have specifically mentioned Bourn, many writers continue offering fodder on Bourn's status.

Bourn would likely nab a very nifty return for the Astros, considering he is under team control next season as well.

3. Jose Reyes: New York Mets

The hamstring injury that recently landed New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes appears to be completely healed. Reyes still leads the National League with a .353 batting average, runs (73), hits (134) and triples (16).

Both Buster Olney from ESPN and Jon Heyman from Sports Illustrated stated on Wednesday that Reyes is off the trading block, and that relations between Reyes and the Mets appear to be less strained after owner Fred Wilpon's comments earlier in the season regarding Reyes' upcoming contract negotiations.

So, while it appears Reyes is now off the market, it still hasn't stopped the massive amounts of media fodder regarding his availability.

2. Hunter Pence: Houston Astros

Similar to his outfield teammate Michael Bourn, Houston Astros star Hunter Pence continues to garner much attention from teams vying for his services.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe cited a team source in his weekly notes column in saying that Pence isn't going anywhere at the deadline, however could be dealt during the offseason.

The Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia have both inquired about Pence, but in the case of Philly, outfielder Domonic Brown would almost certainly have to be included in the package of return players and prospects.

1. Carlos Beltran: New York Mets

With the news that Jose Reyes is likely staying put in New York, Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran is almost certainly on his way out of Gotham.

Beltran has all but ruled out going to the American League, preferring not to be used as a designated hitter. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reported on Sunday that Beltran gave the Mets a list of seven NL teams he would consider.

The Giants remain high on the list of teams interested in Beltran, and Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweeted that the Giants, Braves and Phillies are the most likely candidates.