MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Rumblings on Ryan Howard and More
Football fans may have their fill of action during the winter, but baseball fans are glued to the hot stove with next year’s standings hanging in the balance with every personnel move.
While most of the moves will come via free agency, there are a handful of trade candidates on the market. Some teams see the writing on the wall and understand that rebuilding is the way to go for 2015, which means they could give up some veterans with an eye on young assets.
The Philadelphia Phillies certainly fit that mold, and Ryan Howard may be on the way out sooner rather than later. With that in mind, read on to get the latest surrounding Howard and the rest of the league.
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Ryan Howard
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times noted that the Phillies may be trading their long-time first baseman:
“Worth noting with the Rays looking to upgrade offense: continuing chatter that the Phillies will eat much of the money to move 1B Ryan Howard, and former Rays/now Dodgers chief Andrew Friedman acknowledging they'll trade an outfielder, also likely to be at a discount.”
The Tampa Bay Rays were 27th in the league in runs last year and could certainly use some more pop in the lineup.
Howard, who hit 23 home runs last year and drove in 95 runs, would instantly improve that offense. Yes, he will be 35 years old this season, so his prime is in the rear-view mirror, but if he joins the American League, he can prolong his career at designated hitter instead of being stuck at first base. Even an aging veteran can come out of the dugout a few times a game to hit without having to worry about fielding.
Howard and the Rays seem like a perfect match.
Cleveland Indians
Jim Bowden of ESPN noted that the Cleveland Indians and general manager Chris Antonetti are in the trade market:
If the Indians are going to make some moves, they could be for a starting pitcher or two. The rotation has one superstar in American League Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, but it needs some depth behind him. In fact, the rotation as a whole finished 25th in the majors in quality starts, which is unacceptable for a group that included the AL’s best starter.
Outside of pitching, the Indians need some more pop in their lineup to compete with the likes of the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in 2015. Cleveland scored three or fewer runs in exactly half of their games, which is not a recipe for a postseason run in a deep division.
Antonetti discussed a potential trade, via Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com:
"We have the depth in our farm system now to make a trade if there's the right trade there. It's an area where we've made steady progress over the last three years and we want to continue on that path and be in a better spot a year from now than we are in today. We have the players in our farm system to make a meaningful trade if that's the direction we decide to go.
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Don’t be surprised if that is the direction Cleveland decides to go.
Chicago Cubs
Joel Sherman of the New York Post passed along an update on the Chicago Cubs’ potential offseason plans:
"No team has as many well-regarded position prospects as Chicago. Because a few already have climbed into the majors, there is a perception the Cubs will now make an impact in free agency, particularly for starting pitching and catcher Russell Martin, or in the trade market by using the prospects. The rumor of the Cubs trading a shortstop — Starlin Castro, Addison Russell or Javier Baez — for a Mets starter such as Zack Wheeler or Jake deGrom just won’t die.
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This really is an exciting time to be a Cubs fan considering the prospects that the team has stockpiled are all starting to reach the stage of their careers where they will be heading to the major leagues. It may now be time for the front office to land some proven veterans via trade to bolster the postseason chances of the long-suffering franchise.
The connection with the New York Mets that Sherman mentioned is intriguing and does make some sense since the Cubs have a handful of young shortstops and New York could use one for the future. However, Starlin Castro has proved himself at the MLB level, and Addison Russell and Javier Baez are top-notch prospects who can play second base, third base or even the outfield if needed.
It will be interesting to see if the Cubs pull the trigger and trade for a pitcher or two or if they hold onto their youngsters and hope they all jell together into a formidable lineup for new coach Joe Maddon.
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