MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Intel on Cliff Lee and More Players as Deadline Nears

Don’t get your hopes up. Cliff Lee isn’t going anywhere.

Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro has let teams know who is and isn’t available as Major League Baseball’s July 31 trade deadline approaches, and the left-handed ace is staying put, according to Buster Olney of ESPN:

This comes just a few days after Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reported the Phillies were going to listen to offers for Lee. Despite the team dropping its last eight games and sitting well out of the current playoff picture, Philadelphia seems set on keeping the best pitcher in the organization.

Lee is 10-4 on the season with a 3.05 ERA through 20 starts. The left-hander has struck out 131 batters and walked just 22 in 144.2 innings of work. Being one of the top lefties in the game, many teams were bound to call Amaro’s office with hopes of landing Lee—for what would’ve been quite the price, needless to say.

Part of the decision to keep Lee going forward may have been the signing of Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, who recently inked a deal, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. The addition of Gonzalez, who looks poised to be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter, would give the team a good rotation for 2014.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports thinks so:

So, don’t expect to see Lee in a Red Sox, Rangers or Orioles jersey—or any jersey other than a Phillies one—this season. It appears Amaro is going to keep his prized possession in town a little longer and hope for the best in 2014. With Lee now off the market, here’s a look at two players who could still be on the move.

Carlos Quentin, San Diego Padres

The Orioles may actually have money to spend this summer—which wasn’t originally thought to be the case—and may use it to make a major splash, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Olney reports Baltimore may be looking to land Carlos Quentin from the Padres, who’s owed quite a bit of money in the coming years.

Quentin is hitting .267/.327/.401 with eight home runs and 53 RBI through 95 games this season. His name has been all over the Internet this year but not for a good reason. He was suspended for eight games earlier in the season after a brawl in which he injured Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke, per MLB.com.

Aside from Quentin’s temper tantrum that night, he wouldn’t be a bad addition for the Orioles. Baltimore doesn’t really have a hole in its outfield, so one would presume he’d likely be the team’s designated hitter. That’s one of the team’s weaknesses this season, without a doubt.

Baltimore has the third-worst designated hitter spot in the American League in terms of WAR, according to FanGraphs. The Orioles would be greatly upgrading their offense, which has already been great this season. Quentin to the Orioles would boost the team’s playoff hopes for sure.

Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins

The Justin Morneau era in Minnesota was bound to end eventually. While it could conclude at the end of the year when his contract expires, it appears his time with the Twins could be over within the next few days. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports the Blue Jays are one of teams interested in him.

Whether or not Morneau is traded, there’s no doubt this isn’t the same first baseman who won the AL MVP back in 2006. Through 95 games this season, he’s hitting .267/.327/.401 with eight home runs and 53 RBI. He still has some value, but, for the most part, he’s well past his prime.

It’s a little surprising Toronto of all teams would be interested in landing the left-handed bat. The Blue Jays are currently in the cellar of the AL East and don’t look to have enough talent or momentum to make a late run for the playoffs. The Blue Jays also doesn’t really have a spot in the lineup for Morneau.

For the moment, Edwin Encarnacion is the team’s first baseman. He could switch over to third base, but that would mean Brett Lawrie would have to go somewhere else. Adam Lind is the team’s designated hitter, and Morneau wouldn’t be an upgrade over him. Morneau might be dealt, but Toronto isn’t a good fit.

All statistics in this article were obtained via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted and are current through July 27. All contract information was obtained via Cot’s Contract and all injury information was obtained via Baseball Prospectus.