Trade Deadline Outlook for All 30 MLB Teams
As the calendar turns from June to July, the rumor mill is set to heat up around Major League Baseball ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Last year was the busiest trade season in recent memory, and this summer is shaping up to be a busy one as well, with a number of front-line arms potentially available to contenders.
Offense on the other hand will be in short supply, especially if the San Diego Padres stay in contention and Justin Upton is not made available.
At any rate, with just a month to go until this year's deadline, now is the perfect time to take a look around the league at the latest buzz and what we can expect out of all 30 teams before the deadline comes and goes.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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Though they continue to hover around the .500 mark on the season, it's unlikely that the Arizona Diamondbacks will be significant buyers at the trade deadline.
Instead, they could actually look to deal from a pool of middle infield talent that has already drawn some interest.
According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, the Washington Nationals could be a potential match with the Diamondbacks as they look to bolster their infield depth.
Chris Owings and Nick Ahmed are getting the bulk of the starts up the middle, and the profile as the long-term options at their respective positions, while veterans Aaron Hill and Cliff Pennington are also on the big league roster.
Pennington has a $3.275 million salary this season, while Hill has the remainder of his $12 million salary this season and is on the books for $12 million again next year, making them expensive bench options on a mid-level team.
Those financial commitments will make them tough to trade, but the team has gone to significant measures to unload the contracts of Trevor Cahill and Bronson Arroyo in the past three months, so it's not out of the question by any means.
Atlanta Braves
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Just a few games under .500 at the moment, the Atlanta Braves have exceeded what were relatively low expectations after a busy offseason of selling off veteran pieces.
Will that be enough to make them buyers at the deadline, or is the focus still on the long-term outlook and future of the team?
"We don't want to lose 100 games or put our fanbase through any type of extended suffering," assistant general manager John Coppolella told Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "We are trying to walk two parallel roads: making this team better and building for the future. So, it's one eye on the present and two eyes on the future."
Bowman went on to suggest that the team could look to trade veterans like catcher A.J. Pierzynski, utility man Kelly Johnson and relievers Jim Johnson and Jason Grilli if they aren't able to make up ground in the NL East in the next few weeks, but any big deals will likely wait until the winter.
Johnson (38 G, 18 HLD, 2.43 ERA) and Grilli (30 G, 21 SV, 3.14 ERA) have been a surprisingly effective one-two punch at the back end of the bullpen, and given their late-inning track records, there will be plenty of contenders interested in their services if they are in fact made available.
Baltimore Orioles
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A recent hot streak has sent the Baltimore Orioles climbing up the standings in a wide-open AL East race, but they are not without some clear needs on the roster.
The market figures to be relatively thin on them, but they could certainly use another corner outfield bat.
Travis Snider, Delmon Young, Chris Parmelee, David Lough, Nolan Reimold and Steve Pearce are all currently on the active roster seeing time on either side of perennial All-Star center fielder Adam Jones, but the lineup continues to shuffle.
All told, the corner outfielders have performed as follows:
- RF:ย .292/.329/.436, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 39 R
- LF:ย .223/.295/.364, 8 HR, 24 RBI, 32 R
That's solid production on the surface out of right field, but the position has been a revolving door, and guys like Young, Parmelee and recently Chris Davis represent well below-average defensive options.
Someone like Gerardo Parra, Drew Stubbs or Ben Revere could be a relatively low-cost upgrade.
The other big question mark is the back end of the starting rotation, but with Kevin Gausman set to rejoin the rotation later this week and Chris Tillman looking strong last time out, that's a situation that may rectify itself.
Boston Red Sox
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A busy offseason had the Boston Red Sox eyeing a division title and more, but instead they find themselves in the AL East cellar thanks to an underperforming offense and a struggling rotation.
At this point they have to be viewed as sellers at the deadline, right? Maybe not.
"When you look at the Red Sox, what do you see?ย Believe it or not, team officials still see a playoff contender," wrote Scott Lauber of theย Boston Herald.
"But hereโs the cold, hard truth, even if (GM Ben) Cherington doesnโt want to see itโthe Red Sox arenโt a contender."
One has to imagine the team will recognize that at some point between now and the deadline, especially if they continue to slip further back in the standings.
The roster isn't loaded with movable veteran pieces on expiring contracts like it was at this time last season, but they do still have some interesting trade chips, and chief among them appears to be starter Clay Buchholz.
According to Nick Cafardo of theย Boston Globe,ย the Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels, and Dodgers have all shown some level of interest in the 30-year-old.
Buchholz is 6-6 with a 3.48 ERA (2.67 FIP) on the year, and he's a cost-effective option beyond this season with a $13 million team option next season and a $13.5 million option in 2017.
Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago Cubs made a big push to improve their starting rotation during the offseason, signing veterans Jon Lester (six years, $155 million) and Jason Hammel (two years, $20 million) in free agency to round out the staff.
While those two have teamed with Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks to give the Cubs a terrific 1-4 in their starting rotation, the No. 5 spot remains a question mark.
Travis Wood (2-2, 5.59 ERA) made seven starts in that slot before to begin the year, but he was eventually replaced by fellow left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada.
Wada's numbers were solid on the surface with a 3.73 ERA in seven starts, but he made it out of the sixth inning just once, before landing on the disabled list recently with shoulder inflammation.
Donn Roach took his spot last time around, but lasted just 3.1 innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs against the St. Louis Cardinals.
"The Cubsโ ideal acquisition, said the first source, would be a young established starter with at least two or three years of club control left," wrote Gordon Wittenmyer of theย Chicago Sun-Times.
The team has had talks with the New York Mets about left-hander Jon Niese, according to a video from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
The 28-year-old has a $9 million salary for next season, with options of $10 million and $11 million the following two seasons, so he'd certainly fit the bill.
Chicago White Sox
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The offseason additions of Jeff Samardzija, Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche, David Robertson and Zach Duke left the Chicago White Sox looking like legitimate contenders in the AL Central heading into the year.
Three months later, not so much.
They don't have many pieces to sell off, but they do hold one significant chip in right-hander Jeff Samardzija.
It took a package of Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley, Chris Bassitt and Rangel Ravelo for the White Sox to acquire the 30-year-old in the first place, and they'll now be looking to flip him for some similar young talent.
The overall numbers don't look great, as Samardzija has gone 5-4 with a 4.56 ERA and 1.316 WHIP on the season. Hisย 3.66 FIP is encouraging, though, and he's gone 1-0 with a 3.49 ERA in four straight quality starts over his past four appearances.
The same nine-team group that is reportedly interested in Clay Buchholzโthe Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels and Dodgersโis also said to be interested in the services of Samardzija, according to Nick Cafardo of theย Boston Globe.
With that many teams interested, and Samardzija pitching well of late, the asking price should continue to climb for the White Sox.
Cincinnati Reds
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With a number of intriguing trade chips, there might not be a more compelling team to watch at this year's trade deadline than the Cincinnati Reds.
Starter Mike Leake seems like a decent bet to be traded, while guys like Aroldis Chapman, Jay Bruce and even Todd Frazier could potentially be shopped depending on how aggressive the team decides to sell.
All of that said, the name to watch is still Johnny Cueto, as he may wind up being the prize of this year's trade season depending on what happens with Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels.
Even as a rental player in the final year of his contract, the 29-year-old ace figures to bring a huge return.
Are the Reds going to find someone willing to give up an Addison Russell-caliber talent like the Oakland Athletics did last year to land Chicago Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija?
Maybe not, but they should have no problem adding at least a couple of front-line prospects to an already-deep farm system.
Cueto currently sits atop the Houston Astros wish list, according to Evan Drellich of theย Houston Chronicle, and they are one team that is loaded with quality young talent that would undoubtedly interest the Reds.
One way or another, procuring the best possible package of young talent in exchange for Cueto is the top priority for the Reds this July.
Cleveland Indians
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The Cleveland Indians have fallen short of expectations so far this season, but don't expect them to be sellers at the deadline.
By the same token, chances are they won't be very active buyers either, as they'll instead look to claw back into the AL Central picture with their in-house talent.
The biggest issue on the roster for much of the season has been the No. 5 starter spot, which saw the likes of Shaun Marcum, Zach McAllister, Bruce Chen and T.J House combine to go 3-8 with an 8.94 ERA in 13 starts.
However, rookie Cody Anderson has looked like the answer in that spot over his first two big league starts, allowing just eight hits and one earned run in 15.2 innings of work.
Elsewhere, Giovanny Urshela has been passable since replacing Lonnie Chisenhall at third base and the bullpen has rounded into form after a shaky start.
It's hard to point to any clear need, and after making an impressive second-half run last season, chances are the Indians simply stand pat and hope the current roster can get them back in the hunt for a postseason spot.
Colorado Rockies
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The big name to watch out of Colorado Rockies camp is still shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
However, the front office has yet to show any indication they intend to seriously shop the face of the franchise, and until that changes you have to assume he'll be sticking around.
That could change if the 30-year-old were to request a trade, an idea he discussed with his agentย in May but eventually decided against, but for now there's no indication that will happen either.
Instead, veteran pieces like closer John Axford, first baseman Justin Morneau and outfielder Drew Stubbs appear to be the team's most likely trade chips.
Axford in particular should carry some decent value, as he's gone 13-of-14 on save chances with a 2.42 ERA, 1.209 WHIP and 8.5 K/9.
"I'm sure the phones will be ringing off the hook about him," manager Walt Weiss told Patrick Saunders of theย Denver Post.
He's relatively cheap this season at $2.6 million this season, and has a year of arbitration eligibility remaining next season to make him more than just a rental player.
That could make him a more appealing option than more expensive veterans like Jonathan Papelbon or Francisco Rodriguez for a team looking to bolster their late-inning relief, and that should mean a solid return for Colorado.
The Toronto Blue Jays still top the list of contenders in the market for an upgrade at closer.
Detroit Tigers
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The bullpen was the big question mark for the Detroit Tigers the past couple of seasons, but this time around it's the starting rotation that should be the focus at the trade deadline.
That's not to say it wasn't a focus last season, considering the team acquired David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays, but this year it's much more of a glaring need.
Price (16 GS, 7-2, 2.62 ERA) has been rock-solid as the ace of the staff, and offseason addition Alfredo Simon (14 GS, 7-4, 3.57 ERA) has not been the extreme regression candidate many expected him to be.
However, beyond those two guys the rest of the rotation has been inconsistent at best:
- Anibal Sanchez (16 GS, 6-7, 4.63 ERA)
- Shane Greene (13 GS, 4-6, 5.82 ERA)
- Kyle Lobstein (8 GS, 3-5, 4.34 ERA)
- Kyle Ryan (3 GS, 0-1, 4.76 ERA)
- Justin Verlander (3 GS, 0-1, 5.09 ERA)
- Buck Farmer (2 GS, 0-2, 10.45 ERA)
Sanchez has pitched better here in June, posting a 2.63 ERA in five starts, but Verlander has struggled since returning from the disabled list and the No. 5 spot has been a crapshoot since Lobstein hit the disabled list.
With perhaps the weakest farm system in all of baseball, the Tigers might not have the pieces to pull off another blockbuster deal, but a second-tier arm like Aaron Harang or Mike Leake could be within reach.
Houston Astros
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In a position to buy rather than sell for the first time in years, it will be interesting to see just how aggressive the Houston Astros will be in the upcoming month.
Despite a four-game lead in the AL West standings and an AL-best 46 wins, there is a clear need for a second proven arm to slot alongside Dallas Keuchel at the top of the rotation.
"Obviously, there's been a lot of talk about our rotation; we've got some youth in our rotation," manager A.J. Hinch told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle.
"We've got different styles. We've certainly had performances at different times. Again, I trust our guys. I like the guys we have, and if there's an upgrade that gives us a push then we'll address it accordingly. But my job is to believe in getting the most out of the players that we have."
Drellich goes on to list Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, Kyle Lohse and Jeff Samardzija all as potential targets as the team casts a wide net in their search for a rotation upgrade.
However, he goes on to say that the team reportedly prefers Cueto to Hamels among the ace-caliber arms, so that's worth keeping an eye on once things do heat up.
Kansas City Royals
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The Kansas City Royals need another starting pitcher, that's fairly obvious, and it may not be as simple as just waiting for Yordano Ventura to get healthy.
Props to veterans Chris Young (10 GS, 6-3, 2.97 ERA) and Joe Blanton (3 GS, 2-1, 4.61 ERA) for the job they've done after signing minor league deals in the offseason, but relying on that duo to be anything more than depth the rest of the way is risky to say the least.
Meanwhile, Danny Duffy (10 GS, 2-4, 5.44 ERA) and Jeremy Guthrie (15 GS, 6-5, 5.68 ERA) have both struggled this season and left-hander Jason Vargas is currently shelved with a strained flexor tendon.
Offseason signing Kris Medlen is expected to return soon from his second Tommy John surgery, as he's currently on a minor league rehab assignment, but he may be the biggest wild card of all going forward.
No, it's fairly clear the Royals need to add at least one more arm to the mix if they hope to maintain their lead over the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins in the AL Central standings.
Nick Cafardo of theย Boston Globeย listed them among the teams interested in both Clay Buchholz and Jeff Samardzija, and they figure to kick the tires on a number of options before all is said and done.
Los Angeles Angels
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While a number of teams will be looking to upgrade their starting rotation or bullpen at the deadline, the focus for the Los Angeles Angels will be on adding some offense to the mix.
After leading the league in scoring last season at 4.77 runs per game, they've seen that number dip to 3.87 runs per game this season.
Left-handed hitting in particular has been a glaring hole, with the team hitting a combined .234/.295/.331 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI from the left side on the season.
Kole Calhoun (.261/.318/.380, 7 HR, 36 RBI) has done the bulk of that damage, while Matt Joyce, Efren Navarro and the switch-hitting Erick Aybar are currently the only other lefty bats on the roster.
The other major weakness offensively has been the leadoff spot, which has provided a dismal .232/.277/.337 line and just four stolen bases so far this season.
Outfielder Ben Revere and first baseman/designated hitter Adam Lind are two names the team is considering, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.
Revere would give the team a capable leadoff hitter, while Lind would slot nicely between Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in the middle of the lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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Losing both Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy from the starting rotation early in the season looked like a serious blow for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but instead they currently rank fifth in the majors with a 3.27 starters' ERA.
The trio of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Brett Anderson has been terrific, but you can't say enough about the job that Mike Bolsinger and Carlos Frias have done stepping into those two vacated rotation spots and holding things together:
- Bolsinger: 11 GS, 4-2, 2.76 ERA, 2.92 FIP
- Frias: 12 GS, 4-5, 4.54 ERA, 4.22 FIP
However, those two combined to go 1-4 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.562 WHIP in 12 starts in June, so expect the Dodgers to add at least one starting pitcher between now and the deadline.
Given their seemingly limitless payroll and a wealth of young talent even when Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias are taken out of the equation, there is really no one that is off-limits.
Jon Niese is "one of many" pitchers the team is looking at, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
At the same time, the team also had a top scout on hand for Cole Hamels' start last week, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly, so they appear to be casting a wide net.
Miami Marlins
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The Miami Marlins looked like serious contenders heading into the season, but things have simply not gone their way so far, and a 32-46 record has them looking like clear sellers.
The trouble with that is, they made a clear commitment to winning now when they agreed to terms with Giancarlo Stanton on a record extension during the offseason, so another massive sell-off doesn't seem likely.
Instead, expect them to move a few expiring pieces, with starter Mat Latos looking like their top trade chip despite less-than-stellar overall numbers.
The big right-hander has gone 3-5 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.405 WHIP in 13 starts this season, but he's looked like a new pitcher since coming off the disabled list last month.
In four starts since returning from knee soreness, Latos has gone 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA, and that is more in line with his overall 3.63 FIP on the year.
He's not the only starter on the roster drawing interest, though, as the team has also received calls on veteran Dan Haren and controllable arms Tom Koehler and Brad Hand, according to a pair of tweets from Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
The Marlins traded some good young talent in the offseason, most notably pitching prospects Andrew Heaney and Anthony DeSclafani, so they would be wise to take advantage of the opportunity to restock the farm system a bit now that they appear to be out of the playoff hunt.
Milwaukee Brewers
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Everyone expects the Milwaukee Brewers to be sellers, but just how many significant pieces will be headed elsewhere before July 31 remains to be seen.
First baseman Adam Lind looks like the easiest piece to move, as he represents one of the few legitimate impact bats on the market and is controllable beyond this season with a very reasonable $8 million option for next year.
Closer Francisco Rodriguez also looks like a pretty obvious trade chip, as he's been terrific once again at 17-for-17 on save chances with a 1.50 ERA and 0.900 WHIP. He's also more than just a rental player, with a $5.5 million salary for next season and a $6 million team option in 2017.
However, beyond those two guys potentially being dealt, your guess is as good as mine.
Kyle Lohse is in the final year of his deal and could interest teams as a low-cost veteran arm, but how many clubs are going to be beating down the door for a guy pitching to a 6.28 ERA (5.09 FIP) on the year?
Matt Garza has been marginally better with a 5.52 ERA (4.99 FIP), but he still has two years and $25 million left on his contract. Not exactly an attractive two-year commitment.
Jonathan Lucroy and Jean Segura appear to be untouchable, while Carlos Gomez might be their most intriguing trade chip but they have not made any indication to this point that they intend to shop him.
Veteran third baseman Aramis Ramirez is set to retire at the end of the season, and he does not have a no-trade clause. He's hitting just .222/.261/.413 with nine home runs on the year, though, and would bring a minimal return.
So what exactly are the Brewers going to do over the next month? No idea.
Minnesota Twins
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The Minnesota Twins have been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far, as they currently have a 41-36 record, putting them 4.5 games back in the AL Central and tied for the No. 1 wild-card spot.
Don't expect them to make a splash on the trade market, though, as that's generally not their style.ย Instead, their big additions figure to come from within.
It's easy to forget about Ervin Santana, as he was suspended for the first 80 games of the season after signing a four-year, $55 million deal in free agency that represented the largest free-agent commitment in team history.
He tossed eight shutout innings in his final minor league tune-up on Tuesday night, and is set to rejoin the big league rotation on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.
Top prospects Jose Berrios (15 GS, 8-3, 3.08 ERA, 9.1 K/9 in Double-A) and Miguel Sano (.918 OPS, 18 2B, 15 HR, 48 RBI in Double-A) also appear to be in a position to make an impact in the second half.
They could look to add some complementary pieces, most notably a proven veteran reliever to help bridge the gap to closer Glen Perkins, but that could be the extent of their deadline activity.
New York Mets
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The New York Mets looked like the best team in baseball to start the season, going 13-3 and rattling off an 11-game winning streak.
Since then, not so much.
They've gone just 27-35 in their 62 games since that hot start, recording a minus-38 run differential and struggling to consistently find enough offense to back their terrific starting pitching.
Their 3.54 runs per game rank 27th in the league, and put them ahead of only the Philadelphia Phillies among National League teams.
The problem is, offense is down everywhere, and there does not figure to be much in the way of impact bats on the market.
Justin Upton is one possibility if the San Diego Padres fall out of the race, but that would likely mean trading one of the team's top young pitchers, and that does not appear to be in the team's plans.
There are secondary pieces like Ben Zobrist, Adam Lind, Ben Revere and others that the team could target, but it's hard to see any of those guys really proving to be the difference-maker the team needs.
Instead, opening up the rotation logjam by trading Jon Niese and hoping David Wright can get healthy and make an impact looks like the team's likely course of action.
As a young, controllable arm with a solid track record, Niese should net a solid return, but they may have to settle for prospects as opposed to big league-ready talent.
New York Yankees
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A healthy Masahiro Tanaka and the return of Ivan Nova has left the New York Yankees with a slightly better outlook in the starting rotation, but they are still expected to be in the market to add another arm.
Nova, Tanaka and Michael Pineda give the team a solid trio to lean on, but the back of the rotation is still a major question mark for a team looking to contend in the wide-open AL East.
Adam Warren has been great, going 5-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 starts and one relief appearance, but he's already reached a career high with 85.1 innings pitched after pitching primarily out of the bullpen the past two seasons.
Meanwhile, it's been more bad than good out ofย Nathan Eovaldi (4.81 ERA) and CC Sabathia (5.59 ERA) so far this year, and relying on either of them in the middle of a pennant race is risky.
With a newfound dedication to building up the farm system and developing in-house talent, don't expect the Yankees to go all-in for someone like Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto.
Instead, an innings-eating second-tier arm like Jeff Samardzija, Mat Latos or Mike Leake could be enough to make a significant difference.
Oakland Athletics
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After going all-in at the deadline last year, then trading off everything that wasn't bolted down during the offseason, who knows what to expect from the Oakland Athletics this month.
Despite sitting 10 games over .500 on the year, they currently have a plus-45 run differential, the same as the first-place Baltimore Orioles and fourth-best in the American League.
An inability to win close games has been their undoing, as they've gone 6-20 in one-run games and 0-6 in extra innings, and as a result it looks like they'll be sellers.
Three players on expiring contracts look all but certain to be dealt if the team does sell.
Starter Scott Kazmir, reliever Tyler Clippard and utility man Ben Zobrist should all generate significant interest on the trade market.
An All-Star last season, Kazmir has been even better this year, and his 2.79 ERA is actually better than both Johnny Cueto (2.98) and Cole Hamels (3.22).
He's expected to come at a fraction of the price of those two, and all things considered he may be the most attractive trade chip on the market.
Meanwhile, Clippard has long been one of the best setup relievers in the game, while the versatility Zobrist brings to a team is invaluable even with his offensive numbers not quite up to par this season.
Philadelphia Phillies
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The biggest storyline of the trade deadline, and really of the past calendar year, for the Philadelphia Phillies will be if and when ace Cole Hamels is traded.
Despite the incessant rumors, the 31-year-old has looked every bit the part of an ace once again this season, going 5-6 with a 3.22 ERA, 1.147 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.
With three years and $70.5 million left on his contract, plus a $20 million option for 2019, Hamels is the kind of attractive long-term investment that we rarely see on the trade market.
As a result, the Phillies asking price remains incredibly high, and that's why the left-hander is still pitching for a last-place team in desperate need of young talent here in July.
At this point, the Phillies have no reason to come down from their asking price, given the long-term control they have and the fact that Hamels is still very much in the prime of his career.
However, when does it become time to simply take the best offer and the step forward in the rebuilding process that comes along with it? We shall see.
Looking at lesser assets, fellow starter Aaron Harang looks like a nice low-cost innings eater for a contender, while the team will continue to have trouble finding a taker for the contracts of Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Jonathan Papelbon.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pittsburgh Pirates played as well as anyone in the month of June, going 17-9 and rattling off an eight-game winning streak.
Offensively, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison finally got things going at the plate last month, and they appear to be in good shape going forward with no glaring holes outside of the disappointing production of Gregory Polanco.
Meanwhile, their pitching staff has been terrific, trailing only the St. Louis Cardinals in team ERA with a 2.90 mark. The rotation trio of Gerrit Cole, A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano is as good as any in baseball right now.
However, the No. 5 starter spot could still stand to be upgraded, as Jeff Locke and Vance Worley have both been relatively inconsistent this season, with Locke currently slotted in that rotation spot.
According to Rob Biertempfel of theย Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the team has been scouting both the Boston Red Sox (Clay Buchholz) and Philadelphia Phillies (Aaron Harang) in their efforts to improve the rotation.
He also points to first base as a potential area the team could look to upgrade, as the position has produced a .235/.301/.422 line with 12 home runs and 37 RBI so far this year.
San Diego Padres
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The San Diego Padres were expected to be in the thick of the NL West race this season, but instead they find themselves at 37-42 on the year, putting them seven games back in the division standings.
That puts them on the buyer-vs.-seller bubble, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, and the next few weeks will ultimately determine which direction they decide to go.
If they buy, upgrading at shortstop looks to be the No. 1 priority, as the platoon of Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes has produced a .250/.308/.362 line with four home runs and 22 RBI so far.
A left-handed bat would also be on the shopping list, as they have hit just .259 with a .691 OPS from the left side of the plate on the season.
On the other hand, if they decide to sell, Justin Upton would immediately become the top bat on the market ahead of what figures to be a huge payday this coming offseason in free agency.
They sold off a number of top prospects during their busy offseason, and flipping Upton would be an easy way to help restock the farm system, especially if the team doesn't think they'll have a shot at re-signing the 27-year-old.
Despite moving to pitcher-friendly Petco Park, Upton has still been a force offensively this season, posting an .809 OPS with 14 home runs and 46 RBI.
San Francisco Giants
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Henry Schulman of theย San Francisco Chronicleย lists the San Francisco Giants trade deadline priorities as follows:
- Bench
- Outfield if Hunter Pence and Nori Aoki have longer-term injuries
- Rotation
The first two sort of go hand in hand, as the injuries to Pence and Aoki have forced Gregor Blanco and Justin Maxwell into the starting lineup and weakened the bench as a whole.
Buster Posey has also seen more starts at first base of late, with Brandon Belt sliding out to left field and Andrew Susac starting behind the plate.
The point still stands, though, as the team is hitting just .229 with zero home runs and eight RBI in 96 pinch-hit at-bats on the season.
As for the rotation, Matt Cain and Jake Peavy are both slated to return later this week, so that's a situation that could resolve itself.
However, the wheels have fallen off for Tim Lincecum after a terrific start and he now appears to be headed for the disabled list, per ESPN.com. Tim Hudson has also not pitched well of late, so they could still target another arm.
Seattle Mariners
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Another team that ranks as a major disappointment so far this season, the Seattle Mariners were picked by some (myself among them) to win the AL pennant this season.
Instead, they are 9.5 games back in the AL West standings with a 35-42 record, after coming just one win from reaching the postseason last year.
While Nelson Cruz has been a solid addition to the lineup, the offense as a whole has been abysmal, as their 3.38 runs per game are worst in the American League and 29th in all of baseball.
A .621 OPS from Robinson Cano simply doesn't cut it, but he's not the only player at blame.
Left field has been a black hole offensively, with the likes of Dustin Ackley, Seth Smith and Rickie Weeks producing aย .210/.282/.344 line with eight home runs and 25 RBI.
The team was not willing to go all-in to acquire Justin Upton during the offseason, so chances are they will take a similar stance now that they're sitting seven games under .500.
Don't rule out them adding another bad, but chances are it will be along the lines of last year's Chris Denorfia pickup as opposed to a true impact addition.
St. Louis Cardinals
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The St. Louis Cardinals have done an absolutely phenomenal job of overcoming injuries this season, but they could still stand to add a piece or two at the deadline.
Mark Reynolds got off to a hot start filling in for the injured Matt Adams at first base, but he wound up hitting just .218/.281/.345 with two home runs and 13 RBI in June.
That has led to more playing time for Xavier Scruggs at first, and he's responded by going 9-for-24 with two doubles. However, there's a reason he's 27 years old and has just 39 big league at-bats under his belt, and he's really best served as a bench player.
A Ryan Howard deal seems unlikely, and the Milwaukee Brewers may not want to trade Adam Lind within their own division, but expect them to explore what first base options are available.
The bullpen could also be an area of focus, with Matt Belisle recently joining Jordan Walden on the disabled list.
The one-two punch of Kevin Siegrist and Trevor Rosenthal at the back end has been terrific, but adding another veteran arm to the mix for the sake of depth wouldn't hurt.
Tampa Bay Rays
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The Tampa Bay Rays generally cling to their young talent, a necessity given their small market restrictions, so don't expect any major deals before the deadline hits.
The recent addition of infielder Alexi Casilla, who was hitting .315/.379/.449 for the Detroit Tigers Triple-A affiliate, is the perfect example of the kind of deals they look to make.
Small scale and low risk, but with the potential to legitimately help the team.
Matt Moore, Jake Odorizzi, John Jaso and James Loney are all currently on minor league rehab assignments, with Moore slated to return to the rotation on Thursday, so they'll have plenty of additions coming in the form of guys getting healthy.
My guess is we see a few more under-the-radar additions, either to the bench or to the bullpen, but nothing really noteworthy.
Texas Rangers
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More than perhaps any other team, the Texas Rangers figure to improve simply by way of their own in-house talent getting healthy.
While the patchwork starting rotation has done a terrific job holding things together, the team will welcome Martin Perez, Matt Harrison and eventually Derek Holland back with open arms once they're ready to rejoin the staff.
The same goes with reliever Neftali Feliz and speedy outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., who are also currently on the disabled list, while slugger Josh Hamilton finally returned on Tuesday.
Center field is a notable hole, as Leonys Martin has hit just .223/.263/.328 on the year, but the team could eventually slide Hamilton into that spot after he spent time in center during his minor league rehab stint.
How well Perez and Harrison pitch once they return in the near future will ultimately determine whether the team goes after another starting pitcher at the deadline, but don't expect them to sell the farm for a top arm like they did in the past to get Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza.
All things considered, the Rangers have been one of the more pleasant surprises of 2015, and with the AL West still up in the air they are very much in the hunt for a playoff spot as trade season begins.
Toronto Blue Jays
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Chances are the Toronto Blue Jays won't be adding anything on the offensive side of things, as they currently rank first in the league by a wide margin at an impressive 5.37 runs per game.
However, their pitching staff is still a work in progress, and at the very least they figure to add an arm or two to what has been a shaky bullpen.
While the relief corps ranks 12th in the league with a 3.43 ERA, they have converted just 12-of-24 save chances, and neither Miguel Castro nor Brett Cecil have proven to be the answer in the ninth inning role.
They could also use another proven starting pitcher at the top of the rotation, though Mark Buehrle and Marco Estrada both pitched extremely well last month.
"We still need to make upgrades in the rotation and the bullpen, that goes without saying,โ Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Sportsnet 590 The Fan.
The team figures to recall left-hander Daniel Norris at some point from the minors, while reliever Roberto Osuna is also back in the fold after missing time.
Still, expect the Blue Jays to kick the tires on most of the market's starting pitchers as well as whatever late-inning relief help becomes available as they look to seize the AL East race.
Washington Nationals
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It's not been the cakewalk that many predicted, but the Washington Nationals have been playing very good baseball of late, and they certainly look like the team to beat in the NL East once again.
However, the team is still reluctant to add payroll during the season, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
That lines up with what was a relatively quiet trade season last year, when they acquired infielder Asdrubal Cabrera and claimed Matt Thornton off waivers.
One option Rosenthal suggests is trading Ian Desmond this summer in order to free up money to address other areas of need.
Danny Espinosa and Yunel Escobar have both played well, but with Anthony Rendon having yet to prove healthy, it's hard to see the team moving any of their infielder at this point.
In fact, the team is said to be interested in the Arizona Diamondbacks bumper crop of infielders, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
Beyond infield depth, upgrading the bullpen looks like the biggest need, as they currently rank in the middle of the pack with a 3.45 ERA and have converted just 25-of-35 saves.
They won't need a closer, though, as Drew Storen has been lights out.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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