MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Giancarlo Stanton, Jake Peavy and More

The MLB trade market has been busy with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline on the horizon, and plenty more trades are likely to go down in the coming days. There are so many fringe contenders still clinging to life that this could very well be one of the busiest deadlines in recent memory, particularly with five playoff teams per league.

With so many rumors floating around, it's nearly impossible to determine what is realistic and what isn't. It seems like essentially anything could happen, which means that the bottom-of-the-barrel teams are in a great spot, as organizations will basically be bidding on their available players.

Here is the latest buzz surrounding Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy and much more as teams continue to strike deals with the deadline closing in.

Giancarlo Stanton

The one star-level player who survived the Miami Marlins' offseason purge was outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. Despite Stanton's displeasure with Miami's fire sale, Miami decided to keep him in the fold and build around him.

Stanton has struggled this season, hitting just .240 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI, but injuries have something to do with that. From a big-picture perspective, he is a 23-year-old outfielder with out-of-this-world power, as he bashed a total of 71 homers in the two seasons prior to this one.

Because of that and the Marlins' penchant for dealing away talent, it isn't particularly surprising that some teams have taken an interest in Stanton. After all, he is arbitration eligible next season and doesn't become a free agent until 2017, so he is under team control for quite some time. With that said, Stanton is going to get paid sooner or later, whether it's by the Marlins or by someone else.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates are two teams that inquire about Stanton often:

To this point, it doesn't appear as though a deal is imminent. If the Marlins trade Stanton, then they will be left with absolutely nothing offensively. It makes sense that the Rangers and Pirates have been throwing out feelers, though. The Rangers could use Stanton to replace Josh Hamilton after the slugger signed with the Los Angeles Angels this past offseason. Also, there is a feeling that Pittsburgh's current pace is unsustainable, but adding a power bat like Stanton would totally change the complexion of the team.

Jake Peavy

With Matt Garza now in Texas, Chicago White Sox righty Jake Peavy is suddenly the top starting pitcher on the market. Peavy missed a significant chunk of the season with a rib injury, but he is now back in action. His numbers are solid, as he's 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, but he could command more trade value than his stats suggest he should.

It's nearly impossible to find top-level starting pitchers this time of year, so Peavy will be in high demand. One team in particular that may have interest is the Atlanta Braves, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Braves don't seem like a pitching-needy team, but veteran starter Tim Hudson fractured his ankle on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. With that in mind, the Braves are suddenly in the market for a starter.

The Braves don't really need an option beyond this season, but Peavy is signed through 2014 and has a 2015 player option, so it's possible that such a commitment could deter the Braves' front office. If the goal is to win the World Series, though, he would be a great addition.

Peavy has had success in the National League before, as he was a two-time All-Star with the San Diego Padres and won the NL Cy Young Award in 2007. He has great stuff, but durability has always been a question mark for him. Peavy has started more than 18 games in a season just once over the past five years due to injury. That means Atlanta could be taking a big risk if it goes after him.

If Peavy is healthy, though, he could be a driving force behind a deep playoff run.

Bud Norris

If the Peavy chase doesn't end well for the Braves, it appears as though they have at least one quality backup plan in place. According to Sherman, they have been interested in Houston Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris for a while, but the injury to Hudson means that they now like him even more.

Norris is an interesting pitcher because it's tough to say how good he is and how good he could ultimately be. He has a record of just 6-9 this season, but that's actually quite impressive on a team as bad as the Astros. Norris also sports a 3.93 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. He has worked his way out of trouble effectively at times this year, but his xFIP of 4.50 suggests that a rude awakening could be in order.

On the other side of the coin, a move back to the NL would be advantageous, as Norris would get to face opposing pitchers as well as generally weaker lineups.

Also, he would get significantly more run support from the Braves' powerful lineup.

Norris may be worth banking on, as he would likely cost less than Peavy. In addition to that, he is arbitration eligible next year and doesn't become a free agent until 2016. Norris is just entering his prime at 28 years of age, so he could be a good long-term investment for Atlanta. He wouldn't be more than a No. 4 starter in all likelihood, but he could still contribute to a winning effort.

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