Pinpointing Each MLB Contender's Biggest Weakness Needing Trade Fix
If the 2015 MLB season still feels brand-new to you, here's some news you might find shocking: The July 31 trade deadline is just a month away.
So yes, we've reached the part of the year when contenders scramble to find reinforcements for the stretch run. To welcome it, we're going to lend contenders a hand and highlight their biggest weaknesses in need of trade fixes.
To qualify for this list, a team had to be at or over the .500 mark and/or within five games of a playoff spot (i.e., division lead or second wild card) heading into play on Saturday. So, be warned that we'll be ignoring would-be contenders who aren't making the grade to this point.
Apart from that, this is all about sizing up teams' rosters and gleaning what we can from the rumor mill. We'll be going in order from worst record to best record.
Step into the box whenever you're ready.
Atlanta Braves: Relief Pitching
1 of 21
Record: 35-40
The Braves aren't having a great year, but they've refused to be bad. And in an NL East where the Washington Nationals and New York Mets have been inconsistent, the Braves have hung around.
If they are going to make a push, though, they're going to need to shore up their bullpen. The pen entered Saturday with the fourth-worst ERA in the majors at 4.28. Perhaps more telling was the fact that it led all of MLB in meltdowns, which are pretty much what they sound like.
As such, it comes as no surprise that Mark Bowman of MLB.com has said that the Braves will put themselves in the running for "one of those few attractive relievers that come available around this time of year" if they stay in contention.
If the Reds choose not to buy, the big name on that list will be Aroldis Chapman. Apart from him, other possibilities include Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Rodriguez and Tyler Clippard. If the Braves can get one of those relievers, a bullpen that's held them back so far might stop getting in the way of a surprise postseason run.
Cincinnati Reds: Shortstop
2 of 21
Record: 34-38
You're not alone in thinking it: No, the Reds probably aren't a realistic contender. But they do happen to be playing good baseball at the moment. And as John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer noted, club owner Bob Castellini is an optimistic fellow. He could be inclined to stay the course and hope for the best.
If that's his mindset, fine. But at the very least, the Reds are going to need an upgrade at shortstop.
The Reds had a good one when Zack Cozart was healthy, but he's gone for the season with a knee injury. His injury punched an unneeded hole in a painfully inconsistent offense.
As far as who could help, the Reds' options are limited. But they might pry Ben Zobrist away from the Oakland A's or take Jimmy Rollins off the Los Angeles Dodgers' hands if L.A. decides to promote Corey Seager. Either would be a rental, which is all the Reds need.
If the Reds can get a shortstop, they could have just enough offense, starting pitching and relief pitching to make a run.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Starting Pitching
3 of 21
Record: 35-39
The Diamondbacks are refusing to go away in the NL West race mainly because of their offense. Led by the truly excellent Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona's offense is third in the NL in runs scored.
If only this offense came with some pitching. The D-Backs are 12th in the NL in ERA, and right now, their starting pitching staff consists of only two capable starters in Chase Anderson and Robbie Ray.
If Patrick Corbin can look anything like his 2013 self upon his impending return from Tommy John surgery, that number will grow to three. But with Archie Bradley hurting and Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair seemingly not ready to help, Corbin looks like the only in-house option the D-Backs can place hope in.
So, they must turn their gaze to the trade market. If they do, their solid collection of prospects and recently inked TV contract could allow them to land just about anyone. That includes Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, and everyone else on down the line.
Basically, we're going to find out just how committed the D-Backs are to the "win now" message that club boss Tony La Russa recently sent.
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San Diego Padres: Starting Pitching
4 of 21
Record: 37-40
They didn't have everything, but the Padres seemed to head into 2015 with just enough to contend. But now they need all sorts of things, ranging from a healthy Wil Myers to a powerful Matt Kemp to upgrades at second base, third base and shortstop.
San Diego's best hope, however, lies on the mound.
In James Shields, Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner, the Padres have three starters capable of overpowering hitters. But the step down from them at the back end of their rotation (presently Ian Kennedy and Odrisamer Despaigne) is significant.
Hence, they should be on the lookout for at least one quality starter. Given the club's recent purge of young talent, a blockbuster for Cole Hamels is unlikely. But they could get one of the market's more attractive rentals, such as Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija, Mike Leake or Kyle Lohse.
If the Padres can land one of them, they'll stand a chance of taking a page out of their old book and pitching teams to death.
Texas Rangers: Relief Pitching
5 of 21
Record: 38-37
Thanks to a report from Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, the big name in the Rangers rumor mill these days is Cole Hamels. And if they were to acquire him, their rotation would indeed be getting a big upgrade.
The thing is, though, that's really not what the Rangers need.
Texas' rotation has actually been halfway decent, entering Saturday with a 3.92 ERA. And with one of the American League's most productive offenses and a solid defense—Baseball Prospectus ranks the Rangers 11th in defensive efficiency—the Rangers rotation really doesn't need to carry much weight.
Rather, the bigger problem is the bullpen. It entered Saturday with the third-worst ERA in MLB at 4.47, and it leads the AL in meltdowns. Adding another relief ace to go with the solid Shawn Tolleson should be the Rangers' priority, and that means they, too, should be eyeing Aroldis Chapman, Jonathan Papelbon, K-Rod and Tyler Clippard.
Rather than a guy like Hamels, it's one of them who could help make the Rangers a more complete team.
Los Angeles Angels: Left Field
6 of 21
Record: 38-37
The Angels have more than one weakness, but their biggest weakness relates to their biggest strength.
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are one of the best offensive duos in baseball, but outside of them, the lineup is woefully short on quality bats. That shows up in the Angels' 11th-place ranking in the AL in runs and indicates that an upgrade at any position would be welcome.
But more than any other, it's left field that needs a face-lift. Only the Chicago White Sox have gotten worse production out of left field, and going from Matt Joyce to more of a platoon situation isn't helping.
As such, it was no surprise to read this from Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times in early June: "They would like to upgrade in left field, but they would prefer a left-handed hitter to balance Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in their lineup."
To this end, left field is one of many positions the switch-hitting Ben Zobrist can play. The Angels can also monitor guys like Jay Bruce, Carlos Gonzalez, Seth Smith and Chris Coghlan. Any one of them could be an upgrade who could help take pressure off Trout and Pujols.
New York Mets: Any Kind of Bat
7 of 21
Record: 38-37
The Mets are where they are mainly because they're really good at preventing runs, as they rank in the top 10 in MLB with an average of 3.79 runs allowed per game. Now all they need to do is start hitting, as they rank 14th in the National League in runs scored.
To this end, they obviously need a bat. And really, any bat will do.
With David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud all out with injuries, the only quality hitters the Mets have in their lineup are Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson. That's not going to cut it, and it's why they must consider all options.
John Harper of the New York Daily News has linked the Mets to Ben Zobrist, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has linked them to Aramis Ramirez. They should also keep their eyes on bigger targets like Carlos Gomez and Justin Upton or perhaps Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez if the Boston Red Sox choose to take the advice of Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and jettison them.
If the Mets can add just one quality bat, that could suffice. They still wouldn't be a great offensive team, but they could at least be good enough.
Detroit Tigers: Starting Pitching
8 of 21
Record: 38-36
Around this time of year, we're usually talking about the Tigers needing to acquire relief pitching to help support their awesome starting pitching.
But in 2015, the script has been flipped. Detroit's bullpen has actually been solid, while its rotation has been mediocre to the tune of a 4.22 ERA heading into Saturday's action. Such is life when David Price and Alfredo Simon are the only two reliable starters you have.
Now, because the Tigers came into the year with Baseball America's No. 30 farm system, they likely don't have a chance to acquire somebody like Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto. But they could pursue one of the market's more modestly priced rentals, such as Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija, Mike Leake or Kyle Lohse.
Leake would seem to suit the Tigers especially well. He's a ground-ball pitcher, and in Detroit, he would be pitching with the backing of one of the league's top infield defenses.
If the Tigers don't acquire a starter, they'll have to trust that Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander can come around. Knowing what they've shown...yeah, they don't want to do that.
Toronto Blue Jays: Starting Pitching
9 of 21
Record: 40-36
The Blue Jays can definitely score runs, as their average of 5.49 runs per game is first in MLB by a gap that even Josh Donaldson probably couldn't leap.
But pitching doesn't come as naturally to this Blue Jays team, and that goes for both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Between the two, however, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has made no secret of which he'd prefer to upgrade.
“That’s probably more our priority,” he told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM recently about upgrading his rotation, via MLB Trade Rumors. “We could use both, but if I did have to prioritize it I’d say rotation first, bullpen would be next.”
This makes sense. Blue Jays starters entered Saturday with one of MLB's worst ERAs at 4.44, and nobody in their rotation matches the description of a stopper.
Because the Blue Jays are well off in terms of young talent, they could probably put together a package worthy of Cole Hamels. Financially, however, a short-term investment like Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija, Mike Leake or Kyle Lohse would probably be more their speed.
Baltimore Orioles: Starting Pitching
10 of 21
Record: 39-34
If the Orioles make a splash at the deadline, it could be for a guy who could help fix the unspectacular and generally unproductive revolving door that they have in right field.
But that would only help so much. Even despite their right field issues, the O's are one of the AL's top five run-scoring teams and one of the 10 most efficient defensive teams in all of MLB.
What the Orioles need is a starting pitcher. Baltimore's starters entered Saturday with a pedestrian 4.36 ERA, in part because Chris Tillman and Bud Norris both have ERAs over 6.00. It's needless to say, but I'll say it anyway: They can do better than that.
The Orioles probably could get in on Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto if they wanted to. But knowing them, it seems more likely they'll go for a bargain buy like a Mike Leake or Aaron Harang. Either one of them would fit the Orioles' mold of having starters who aren't overpowering but effectively pitch to contact.
Chicago Cubs: Starting Pitching
11 of 21
Record: 39-34
Though it hasn't really come together yet, the Cubs definitely have a high-ceiling offense. And though it's at times been shaky, their bullpen entered Saturday with a top-10 ERA at 3.02.
But the rotation? That part could use some work. It's generally been good, with a 3.68 ERA heading into play on Saturday, but there's some uncertainty beyond Chicago's top three of Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Jason Hammel.
According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs are aiming to do something about this. They've been aggressive on the starting-pitching market and are supposedly on the lookout for "a young established starter with at least two or three years of club control left."
That outlook limits the Cubs' options, but they do have some. Somebody like Tyson Ross could suit them. So could a guy like Chase Anderson. If worst comes to worst, they could go after somebody like Joe Kelly.
Of course, if nothing to Chicago's liking is forthcoming, it wouldn't be surprising if the Cubs shrugged their shoulders and went after Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir or Jeff Samardzija. With their prospect and financial depth, they can make just about any trade they want to.
San Francisco Giants: Starting Pitching
12 of 21
Record: 41-35
The Giants have been hit hard by the injury bug this season, most recently in their outfield. With Nori Aoki and Hunter Pence both on the disabled list, it's no surprise to see Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reporting that the Giants could pursue a trade for an outfielder.
But that's not their biggest need. Instead, they need to upgrade their starting rotation.
Things look fine on the surface. The rotation entered Saturday with a 3.92 ERA and has gotten good work out of Madison Bumgarner, Chris Heston and Tim Lincecum. And though Ryan Vogelsong and Tim Hudson have been rocky, Matt Cain and Jake Peavy are nearing returns from injury and could fix that.
But that's a flimsy "could," as San Francisco cannot count on Cain or Peavy to be healthy or reliable. And with Lincecum having fallen to earth recently, you can whittle the team's list of dependable starters down to Bumgarner and Heston.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has suggested Mike Leake as a realistic option for the Giants, and he would certainly fit with their track record of less-than-flashy yet solid trades. To that end, you could also see them targeting Kyle Lohse or even Aaron Harang.
Minnesota Twins: Middle-of-the-Order Bat
13 of 21
Record: 40-34
Given that they're not particularly good at any phase of the game, the list of things the Twins could stand to upgrade includes pretty much everything.
But there's one thing that really needs an upgrade: the middle of their batting order.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports has reported that this is a priority, and that tells us they've noticed the ugly numbers. The Twins entered Saturday ranked 24th in MLB in No. 3 production, dead last in No. 4 production and 28th in No. 5 production.
One in-house option who might be able to help is slugging third base prospect Miguel Sano. But Heyman says the club's preference is to find a productive outfielder, where there are plenty of rocks they could turn over.
Among the names that come to mind are Justin Upton, Marlon Byrd, Jay Bruce, Josh Reddick and maybe Hanley Ramirez if, once again, the Red Sox are willing to eat a ton of money to get rid of him. If the Twins add one of them, the middle of their order will look like one actually worthy of the big leagues.
New York Yankees: Starting Pitching
14 of 21
Record: 41-34
A slide suggesting the Yankees need to upgrade their starting rotation? Yes, please try to contain your surprise.
While the Yankees have plenty of offense (second in the AL in runs) and a bullpen anchored by Dellin Betances and (when healthy) Andrew Miller, their starting rotation has been a source of concern all season.
The rotation entered Saturday with a 4.39 ERA, and each of its members comes with his own question mark. Masahiro Tanaka's elbow. Michael Pineda's shoulder. CC Sabathia's age. Nathan Eovaldi's stuff. And so on.
So, it's no surprise to look up and see a report from Fox Sports' Jon Morosi about the Yankees scouting Johnny Cueto or one from David Lennon of Newsday saying the Yankees haven't ruled out a run at Cole Hamels. More recently, Joel Sherman of the New York Post ventured a guess that Jeff Samardzija is the team's most realistic target.
Regardless, the Yankees should go out and get somebody. Their current rotation is not without upside, but it's also a combustible mix of injury and effectiveness concerns that could completely explode at any moment.
Tampa Bay Rays: First Baseman
15 of 21
Record: 42-34
At first glance, the Rays come off as a team that needs a lot of help. They're 13th in the AL in runs, and injuries have robbed them of some really good pitchers.
But actually, the Rays are all right. Their offense is deeper than their run production would lead you to believe, and injuries haven't stopped their pitching from posting an AL-best 3.26 ERA.
There's really only one area where the Rays need an upgrade, and that's at first base. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the club knows this, as well it should with James Loney on the disabled list and the club's offense at the position ranking as the worst in the AL.
As for possible fits, that's the tricky part. Ryan Howard and Adam Lind are two possibilities, but neither would work as a platoon partner for the lefty-swinging Loney once he returns from injury. As such, the Rays might consider Mark Canha and Mike Napoli instead.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Starting Pitching
16 of 21
Record: 42-34
Despite a recent slump, the Dodgers have been one of the best offensive teams in the majors this season. They also have a bullpen that's arguably better than anyone else's.
But thanks to injuries to Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu, what the Dodgers lack is starting pitching depth. And they know this as well as anyone, as Mark Saxon of ESPN.com has reported that club boss Andrew Friedman sees starting pitching as the biggest need he has to fill.
To this end, don't expect Friedman to go small.
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman has reported that the Dodgers are on the lookout for a "top-flight starting pitcher." With a farm system that was ranked No. 3 by Baseball America coming into the year and a pile of disposable cash that's as tall as the Hollywood Hills, they can definitely go get one of those.
So, consider the Dodgers the team to beat for Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija and whoever else is out there. Unlike most teams this time of year, the Dodgers basically don't have any limits.
Washington Nationals: Bullpen Help
17 of 21
Record: 41-33
For a club that many expected to be a superteam in 2015, the Nationals have plenty of weaknesses. And right now, those include middle infield and first base.
But while the point is debatable, their biggest need still appears to be in the bullpen.
Despite the weaknesses in the infield, the Nats are still one of the NL's elite offensive teams (second in runs). And though they're not great on defense, their need for a good defense is lessened by the collection of power arms in the starting rotation.
On the flip side, the bullpen has just one power arm that offers any reliability, and it belongs to relief ace Drew Storen. That's not going to hurt them in the short term, but the Nats know from experience that it could hurt them in the playoffs.
To this end, a report from Fox Sports' Jon Morosi about the Nats looking at Aroldis Chapman indicates they definitely have the right idea. Likewise, the same can be said of a report from Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal about the Nats looking at a possible reunion with Tyler Clippard. If not one of them, Jonathan Papelbon or K-Rod could also give Washington what it needs.
Houston Astros: Starting Pitching
18 of 21
Record: 43-34
The Astros have an offense that can overwhelm teams with speed and power, an excellent defense and a bullpen that went into Saturday with an elite 2.62 ERA. Those are some fine ingredients for a winner.
What the Astros are missing, however, is depth in the starting rotation. Dallas Keuchel is a Cy Young contender, and Lance McCullers Jr. has worlds of talent, but things are shaky beyond them.
Cue Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle: "The Astros need to add a good starting pitcher. They seem to know it, too."
They do indeed seem to know it. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports has reported on more than one occasion that the Astros are eyeing a trade for a starter, and preferably a big one. And given their still-strong collection of young talent and their modest $72.5 million payroll, they can definitely make a play for a big one.
Cole Hamels could be their main target. If the Astros can't get him, expect them to go after Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir or Jeff Samardzija. If they land one of these guys, their path to October will become a lot smoother.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Right-Handed First Baseman
19 of 21
Record: 42-32
The Pirates are an even scarier team than their record indicates. Both their starting rotation and bullpen are deep and talented, and they have quality bats up and down the lineup.
But one spot in Pittsburgh's lineup could use an adjustment: first base.
Pedro Alvarez is generally fine, but he's easily rendered useless by left-handed pitching. And though the Pirates have Sean Rodriguez and Corey Hart to help solve this problem, both of them have had issues against left-handed pitching as well.
So, the Pirates should look to the trade market. On that front, it would be hard to cover their options any better than Joshua Choudhury did at Bucs Dugout, so here's a repeat of some of the names he mentioned: Mark Canha, Mike Napoli, Mike Morse, Darin Ruf and Steve Pearce.
If the Pirates can get any of those guys, they could find themselves with a capable platoon partner for Alvarez at first base. That would give them even more offensive firepower to back their pitching and, thus, they'd become even more dangerous than they already are.
Kansas City Royals: Second Base
20 of 21
Record: 43-28
The Royals' record says they don't have many weaknesses, but the one most people would zero in on at the moment is their lack of a deep starting rotation.
But as Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs highlighted, that's really not as big of a problem as it looks because of the depth of Kansas City's bullpen and excellent defense:
"The better the bullpen, the less the starters have to throw. The less the starters have to throw, the better they could be, because they get to put a little more onto every pitch, and because they don’t have to go through the order three or four times...The outstanding team defense gobbles up extra batted balls, and relievers could be made available early enough no one has to pitch beyond his capability.
"
So rather than their rotation, the Royals would be better off upgrading the biggest weakness in their lineup: second base. Omar Infante may be doing fine in the AL All-Star voting, but he's been a disaster at the plate with a .236 average and .560 OPS.
This explains the report from Fox Sports' Jon Morosi about the Royals' interest in Ben Zobrist, who would fit perfectly on their roster. Aside from him, even a guy like Yangervis Solarte or Aaron Hill would be an upgrade over Infante.
St. Louis Cardinals: Left-Handed-Hitting First Baseman
21 of 21
Record: 50-24
With the best record in the majors, the Cardinals are living a charmed life. If they so choose, they could let the trade deadline come and go without doing anything.
If not, the sexiest thing they could do is add a starting pitcher to a rotation that's already the best in the majors, having entered Saturday with an MLB-best 2.93 ERA. But Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports recently reported that the Cards aren't in a hurry to do that.
So rather than address that non-weakness, the Cardinals should consider an area that actually is a real weakness.
With Matt Adams out for the foreseeable future with a bad leg injury, right now the Cardinals are relying on Mark Reynolds at first base. That's generally not a good thing, and the least the Cardinals could do to correct it is acquire a left-handed-hitting first baseman to platoon with Reynolds.
To that end, Rosenthal floated Adam LaRoche's name. But the list also includes Adam Lind, who's more of a traditional platoon hitter.
If the Cardinals can get one of them, they should have no trouble continuing to live a charmed life.
Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted/linked.
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