MLB Trade Rumors: Tim Lincecum, Michael Young and Latest Pre-Deadline Discussion

There haven't been a ton of huge moves made at the MLB trade deadline over the past few years, but it certainly seems as though that could change this season. With so many teams still in contention and so few out of it, teams will be willing to pay through the nose in order to make big additions that could potentially lead to a World Series championship.

It remains to be seen which rumors have legs and which don't, but there are plenty of big names seemingly on the open market right now. If those players are ultimately dealt, they could make a huge impact on the playoff races in both leagues. There are definitely some game changers to be had.

Here is the latest pre-deadline discussion regarding players such as San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Michael Young and more.

Tim Lincecum

Lincecum is the talk of baseball right now following his incredible, 148-pitch no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on Saturday, but that hasn't stopped his name from turning up in trade talks. The defending World Series champion Giants are struggling to the tune of a 43-51 record this season, and Lincecum's numbers were nothing to get excited about prior to his no-no. With that in mind, "The Freak" could potentially be on the move.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, there are teams interested in trading for Lincecum with the intention of making him a reliever. Chief among them is the Detroit Tigers. Since the Tigers already have a stacked rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister, such a move would make a lot of sense. Detroit has had its fair share of bullpen struggles, and it may be the one thing holding it back from winning the World Series.

The Giants have a big decision to make regarding Lincecum, as the 29-year-old hurler still shows flashes of past greatness like he did on Saturday night. There are far too many lapses, though, and he is set to become a free agent at the end of the season anyway. Unless the Giants truly believe that Lincecum is back and that they can re-sign him at a much lower price than the $22 million he is making this season, dealing him may be San Fran's best bet.

Michael Young

Although Young is no longer the All-Star-caliber player or MVP candidate that baseball fans have grown accustomed to, there is no question that he can still be a productive player as well as a major asset to a winning team. The Phillies are hanging in there at 6.5 games out in the NL East and 5.5 games out of a playoff spot, but with Young set to become a free agent at the end of the year, Philadelphia could be compelled to send him elsewhere.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Phils won't have much of an issue finding a trading partner. There are several teams with interest in Young, including AL East rivals in the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Even though Young's numbers this season aren't eye-popping at .288 with six home runs and 28 RBI, his experience and versatility make him an ideal addition for any team that is looking to make a playoff run.

Young acts primarily as a third baseman right now, but he can also play first as well as second. Young is even capable of playing shortstop in a pinch, so it's no surprise that teams are lining up to potentially make a run at him. The Phillies aren't out of it yet as one hot streak can get them within striking distance, but it's more important for them to position themselves for the future at this point, so dealing Young is probably a good idea.

Matt Garza

Perhaps no player has been involved in more trade discussions than Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza. The red-hot righty has been pitching extremely well as of late, but since his contract expires after the season and the Cubbies have been unable to re-sign him, it seems very likely that he will be traded. In fact, Jim Bowden of ESPN is reporting that there is an 80 percent chance that Garza will be traded before his next start, which means the deal would go down this week.

The Cubs don't necessarily have to hurry the process along, though, because they are in the driver's seat. Garza is easily the best starter on the open market, so Chicago can ask for a king's ransom in return, and it will probably receive exactly that. The best part of this entire situation for the Cubs is that there are so many teams competing for Garza's services. According to Bowden, no less than six teams have shown interest in acquiring Garza.

That means Chicago can afford to ask for the moon, and it can also play teams against each other in order to get the best package possible in return. With a 6-1 record to go along with a 3.17 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 71 innings, Garza would be an ideal No. 2 starter and potentially even a No. 1 starter for some teams. Pitchers like that are rarely readily available at the deadline, so the Garza situation is definitely worth keeping tabs on.

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