MLB Trade Rumors: Latest on James Shields, Cole Hamels and More

It's never simple when Major League Baseball rounds third and heads for home, the destination being the trade deadline on July 31.

While an entertaining time for fans in normal years, 2015 is anything but normal. Feel free to glance at the standings where team after team remain bunched in a pack. All are sure to hope for a postseason push.

But there's one problem—there are a finite amount of playoff seeds. In other words, teams may panic on the hopes of contention and strike deals at or before the deadline when in normal years, they would be content to sit around and watch others.

It's about to get hectic to say the least. A belief in contention breeds a belief in a need for improvement via transactions.

Below is just the beginning of the onslaught.

Reds Beginning a Major Sale?

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

The hosts of the All-Star Game sit at 39 wins with loads of salary on the books.

In other words, the Cincinnati Reds swung for the fences and now have to pick up the pieces after questionable results. One of the notable things the team might do to clear the books and start over?

Trade Jay Bruce.

ESPN's Buster Olney reported the rumblings:

He also added contractual details:

It sounds like the Reds are ready to start over, although the placement of Bruce on the block comes as a surprise. The 28-year-old outfielder is a hot ticket item boasting a .251/.341/.465 slash line with 13 homers and 42 RBI.

Bruce is one of the game's top young hitters when healthy and will skyrocket to the top of the most wanted list if he hits the block.

It's not just Bruce, though. If the Reds throw him on the block, one has to wonder if other dominoes start to fall too. Maybe the team looks to move ace pitcher Johnny Cueto. Maybe Aroldis Chapman hits the block.

Either way, the Reds are the team to watch in the coming weeks. Once the festivities in the Queen City die down, look for activity in the Cincinnati front office to pick up.

No Fire Sale in Philly?

The Philadelphia Phillies might be a miserable 29-win team right now, but don't expect them to go all out and host a major sale on the market.

Cole Hamels, of course, is the first name most will think about when it comes to a sale. According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, though, the Phillies are not ready to let go of their ace for a price they don't like.

"One Phillies person told an interested team executive that they are "not bending" on Cole Hamels, leaving the impression he could stay in Philly for the foreseeable future," Heyman wrote.

It might be all downhill from here, folks. 

The Phillies would be smart to move on, but the no-trade clause makes things sticky. Even worse, Hamels continues to fade at 31 years old, sporting a rough 3.63 ERA and a 5-7 record. 

Fox Sports' Jon Morosi adds further context:

In other words, Hamels continues to hit on a downward spiral while Philadelphia continues to remain in a firm stance about what it wants in return.

There is a volatile situation brewing. For the owners of the worst record in baseball, the window to gain major assets in return for Hamels might be slamming shut. Whether this changes the organization's stance and creates one of the biggest deals of the deadline might be the top storyline to watch.

The James Shields Debate

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

It sounds like the San Diego Padres don't know what to do.

Granted, no team can prepare well for expected contention, just to fall behind three teams and sit 10 games out of first place. Now begins the question: Do they host a sale highlighted by James Shields, or stand pat and prep for next year?

Olney says the organization is split on the topic: "In other corners of the organization, there is a belief the Padres should move James Shields in the 20 days remaining before the July 31 deadline, as a cheaper market alternative to Cole Hamels, and consider offers for closer Craig Kimbrel."

The other side, of course, wants to keep big-name players around, finesse the cap and give it a go again next year.

The sale side might be winning out, per Peter Gammons of Gammons Daily:

It's impossible to know which side is correct, but easy to see why Shields might have an iffy appeal on the open market.

He's durable with a 4.01 ERA and 7-3 record, although a horrific home-run rate despite pitching in the sprawling Petco Park might give teams pause. To make matters worse, he's 33 years old and has a total salary of $21 million in three of the next five years of his deal, per Spotrac. 

So no, it is not hard to see why there is a debate within the organization about what to do with a guy who was a prized free-agent add just a little while ago. 

Shields is the most interesting name on the block this deadline period. Well, if he makes it there, of course.

Stats and info courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise specified.