5 Potential Trade Deadline Deals That Could Change Playoff Races

The trade deadline is bound to shake up some playoff races.

The NL East is the lone division where the organization in first place is more than five games ahead of the team in second. If you don’t think teams are going to be pulling off trades with hopes of creating more separation or potentially overtaking the top team, you're nuts.

The Matt Garza trade is a perfect example.

Texas wasn't happy being in second place to Oakland, so the front office made a move to improve. Yes, the Rangers sent a lot of young talent to the Cubs, but the franchise is hoping Garza can help the team improve down the stretch and potentially take over the top spot in the AL West.

Many teams will be thinking like the Rangers in the coming days. The general managers and their assistants will be developing deals that give them better chances of making the postseason. That’s what the trade deadline is all about.

Here’s a look at five potential deals that could alter the current playoff picture.

All statistics in this article were obtained via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. All injury information was obtained via Baseball Prospectus, and all contract information was obtained via Cot’s Contracts.

Justin Morneau to Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates are going to need a bit of a boost in order to catch the Cardinals in the NL Central. Sure, Pittsburgh will likely be in the playoffs regardless of the moves it makes (or doesn't make) at the deadline, but adding a bat could be the difference between winning the division and having to play in the Wild Card Game.

Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness this season has been its production at first base, as the team is ranked 22nd in baseball in terms of WAR at the position, per FanGraphs. Gaby Sanchez is hitting .225/.345/.401 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. Garrett Jones is hitting .258/.309/.444 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI.

While Justin Morneau isn’t having the best year of his career, Jim Bowden of ESPN (subscription required) reports his time in Minnesota is coming to an end, and the Pirates are a potential destination. The left-handed hitting first baseman could use a change of scenery.

Through 92 games this season, Morneau is hitting .269/.329/.397 with seven home runs and 52 RBI. The 2006 AL MVP would be an upgrade at first base over the likes of Sanchez and Jones. He may not be as productive as he once was, but he would help the Pirates close the gap within the division.

Alex Rios to Texas Rangers

The Rangers may have just added Matt Garza to their starting rotation, but the team is still three games behind the A’s in the AL West and has lost seven of its last 10 games. The pitching staff may be better now, but the offense has still been average this season, as it ranks 16th in the game in WAR, per FanGraphs.

One of the key problems for Texas has been getting consistent production from left field and center field. David Murphy and Leonys Martin are the two main guys, but they've basically been platooning because of how poorly they've been playing. The Rangers need to find a way to improve quickly.

A possible solution is making a deal for Alex Rios of the White Sox. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports the Rangers are looking at a couple of options and that trading for Rios is a possibility. The scribe notes the team is seeking a right-handed bat who could play right field—but that’s where Nelson Cruz plays.

Landing Rios would be a big haul for the Rangers, as he’s pretty much a five-tool player. Through 96 games, the outfielder is hitting .274/.328/.436 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI. With him in the heart of the lineup, there’s no doubt the race for the AL West crown would get even tighter than it is right now.

Jeff Samardzija to Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks need to add a starter by the deadline in order to stay in the NL West hunt the rest of the season. The current rotation just doesn’t have the depth or talent to get the job done. Arizona’s starting rotation is the 17th best in baseball in 2013 in terms of WAR, according to FanGraphs.

Patrick Corbin (12-1, 2.31 ERA) has been outstanding, but he’s the only starter who has had a good amount of success this season. Brandon McCarthy has been limited to 11 starts due to injury. Trevor Cahill is 3-10 and is also injured at the moment. Ian Kennedy is 3-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 19 starts.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports wrote at the end of June that the Diamondbacks had interest in acquiring Yovani Gallardo and Jeff Samardzija. The scribe recently reiterated the team’s interest in the Cubs right-hander in a video of the latest buzz. There hasn't been any indication Samardzija is available, per Rosenthal’s video.

Samardzija is 6-9 on the season through 21 starts. He has a 3.94 ERA in 137 innings of work and is averaging 9.13 strikeouts and 3.42 walks per nine innings. It would likely take a lot to land him from Chicago, but it could be a move that pushes the Diamondbacks ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West.

Jake Peavy to Oakland Athletics

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Athletics acquire a starting pitcher in the next few days. Oakland got into talks with Chicago late about potentially landing Matt Garza, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but the club came up short in negotiations. Jake Peavy could be the next target, per Heyman.

The White Sox are still trying to figure out if they want to keep Peavy or deal him, but the team has had talks with other teams and received offers for him, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. The A’s don't really need to add another starter for the final stretch of the season, but it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Oakland has five solid starters at the moment, but Peavy would give the franchise more depth at the top of the rotation and would bring a veteran presence to the clubhouse. It would be smart to add him considering it’s still unclear what the future holds for Bartolo Colon, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Peavy has spent some time on the disabled list this season but is 7-4 on the year through 12 starts. He has a 4.19 ERA in 73 innings and is averaging 8.51 strikeouts and 1.85 walks per nine innings. He would help Oakland hold off Texas for the AL West crown in the final few weeks of the regular season.

Cliff Lee to Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox must land a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, or they're bound to fall from the top spot in the AL East. Boston only has a half-game lead over the surging Rays, and Tampa Bay could be in first place by the end of Thursday night. General manager Ben Cherington has to find someone to replace Clay Buchholz.

Buchholz hasn’t taken the mound for the Red Sox since June 8. It’s still unclear when the right-hander, who is 9-0 on the season, is going to return. Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston reports there is no timetable for the starter’s return. That doesn’t bode well for the team’s playoff hopes.

Boston did have interest in Matt Garza, per Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, but that’s not going to happen now that he’s a member of the Rangers. It still isn’t known if the Phillies are going to be sellers in the coming days, but there’s no question the Red Sox should be looking to acquire Cliff Lee.

Without Buchholz pitching every fifth day, the Red Sox lack an ace—which is going to be essential down the stretch. Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald recently wrote that without Buchholz, Boston has to go get Lee. With Lee in the rotation, the Red Sox would be locks to make the postseason.