Every MLB Contenders' Blueprint to an 'A' Grade at the 2015 Trade Deadline

Not every big league contender has to make a Johnny Cueto-sized splash before the 2015 MLB trade deadline comes and goes.

The blueprint for an ideal trade season looks different for each October hopeful. For teams like the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros, there's no question that landing a Cueto-type ace should be right at the top of the summer shopping list.

There are also well-balanced clubs like the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals that only need to make a tweak or two between now and the end of the month. Plus, there are even a couple of squads who might not have to do anything at all.

For the purpose of this list, 16 teams were classified as playoff contenders. All but one of the 16 are sitting at .500 or better. The one exception to that rule is a team that is just south of .500 but also just 4.5 games off the top spot in its wide-open division.

Baltimore Orioles

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a rental starter to the top of the rotation

The Baltimore Orioles are in a strange spot.

The club is the most well-rounded team in the AL East, but it's also possible that the window of opportunity could slam shut on the O's in a matter of months. Baltimore has eight players who are set to hit the open market this winter, including the likes of Matt Wieters, Chris Davis and Wei-Yin Chen.

With so many players who can leave at the end of the season, manager Buck Showalter isn't counting on any new faces walking through the door.

"I don't ever look at a trade or whatever," Showalter said, via Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. "I think we have the people here to compete and that's the way I'm always going to look at it. I'm not going to talk about a trade."

Showalter doesn't need to be worrying about any potential trades, but the front office definitely should be. Now is the time for Baltimore to double down on 2015.

Adding a rental arm like Scott Kazmir of the Oakland Athletics would be a shrewd move for Baltimore. The lefty, who is about to become a free agent and who has reeled off a 2.49 ERA, gives the club one of the few assets it's been lacking—a No. 1 starter.

Such an addition would be a major boost, not just for the team's playoff chances, but also for its chances of advancing in October. Plus, what's the difference between losing nine free agents and losing 10?

Chicago Cubs

Matt York/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a front-line starter who will be under team control for multiple seasons

With a 47-40 record, the Chicago Cubs have certainly exceeded expectations in the first half of 2015. However, there's no debating the reality that the Cubs are the third-best team in the most competitive  division in baseball.

Since a wild-card berth appears to be the best-case scenario for Chicago, the club needs to make sure that any additions it makes this month will not only help out this season, but in the years to come.

The primary objective for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein should be to find a top-of-the-rotation starter who can dominate at Wrigley for the foreseeable future. Cole Hamels, who's under contract through the end of 2018 (with a team option for 2019) would definitely fit that description.

Detroit Tigers

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Figure out a creative way to improve the rotation

The third-place Detroit Tigers, who are nine games off the pace in the AL Central and sit at 44-44, have been one of the most disappointing teams in the first half.

It's simple enough to figure out why the Tigers have floundered. The central problem is that the rotation, which ranks No. 25 in ERA, has been a complete mess.

Cleaning that mess up won't be an easy task, as the Tigers are lacking trade chips. Detroit has the worst farm system in baseball, per Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter. As a result, the Tigers will have to look into subtracting from the major league roster to improve the starting five.

Lynn Henning of the Detroit News suggests that the Tigers could deal from a position of depth and flip catcher Alex Avila to the Seattle Mariners for one of the AL West club's starting pitchers.

Acquire a first baseman to fill in for Miguel Cabrera

You can't replace Miguel Cabrera.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, that's exactly what the club has to do, with the first baseman recovering from a calf strain. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports points to Aramis Ramirez as a player who the Tigers could inquire about. The vet is a third baseman by trade but could fill in at first for Cabrera and then provide insurance at the hot corner for the underwhelming Nick Castellanos.

Houston Astros

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Find an ace

With the Houston Astros suddenly staring up at the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West standings, there's no question that GM Jeff Luhnow will have to spruce up the roster in the next couple of weeks.

Priority No. 1 for the upstart club should be to acquire another front-line starter to help Dallas Keuchel anchor the rotation. Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle dubs Johnny Cueto the "most desirable rental pitcher" for the Astros. Prying him away from Great American Ball Park will be no easy task because, as Drellich notes, that's an assessment held by nearly every contender.

Add a arm to the pen

This bullet point applies to every October hopeful. Houston's rebuilt bullpen owns the No. 4 ERA in the bigs, but giving manager A.J. Hinch another late-inning weapon would go a long way in helping the club win the race against the Angels.

Grab a bat

First base is the most problematic spot for the Astros. Eventually the team might have to pull the plug on Chris Carter, who's cracked 15 bombs but checks in with a .185 average.

Kansas City Royals

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Bring in an ace

The Kansas City Royals are sporting the best record in the AL, but there's still one glaring weakness that GM Dayton Moore has to address: the rotation.

So far, the Kansas City starting pitchers are tied for the fewest innings in the bigs with the Colorado Rockies. That's a recipe for overtaxing a bullpen—even one as dominant as the crew at Kauffman Stadium.

With Edinson Volquez and Chris Young serving as the staff aces by default, adding a true No. 1 would be an ideal addition for the AL Central squad. It seems Moore is trying to do just that. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, along with the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City is one of the teams that has "been the most aggressive in pursuit" of Cueto.

Add outfield depth

With Alex Gordon shelved with a left groin strain, bolstering the outfield should also be on the to-do list for the Kansas City brass. The Royals can get away with adding a bench piece, as Jarrod Dyson has impressed since stepping in for Gordon.

Los Angeles Angels

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a left-hander hitter

Winners of seven of 10 entering the break, the Los Angeles Angels are on the rise.

As the AL West leaders embark upon the second half, the primary objective for interim GM Bill Stoneman should be to find a lefty masher to slot into the lineup between Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

One player who could fit that mold is Jay Bruce. According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Cincinnati Reds outfielder has been "available for a while." Another outfielder who the Halos could zero in on is Carlos Gonzalez. CarGo has really kicked it into gear after a wobbly start to the season with the Colorado Rockies. The 29-year-old has gone yard nine times since June 1.

Add an arm to the pen

A secondary project for Stoneman is to address the relief corps. Last summer, the Angels acquired Huston Street at the deadline. The addition of the well-respected closer helped spark the club to a standout second half. The Angels don't need to add a ninth-inning stopper this time around, but it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to trade for one more trusted late-inning option.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a third ace to the rotation

With Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke headlining the staff, the Los Angeles Dodgers already have two of the most fearsome starters in the National League.

Adding a third ace to the mix would not just go a long way in ensuring that the Dodgers maintain the top spot in the NL West, but would also give the team a three-headed monster for October.

According to Bleacher Report's rankings, Los Angeles has the third-best farm system in the majors. That means that the Dodgers should have the chips to add a standout like Johnny Cueto without having to part with super prospects like Julio Urias and Corey Seager.

Acquire a veteran reliever to solidify the pen

Even if the Dodgers' relief crew is significantly more effective than it was a season ago, it can never hurt to add a quality arm to the bullpen.

Based on 2015 stats, adding a reliable veteran reliever would be a savvy move for the NL West squad. As the second half begins, the Dodgers are right in the middle of the pack with the bullpen ranking No. 15 in ERA.

Minnesota Twins

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Bolster the pen without blowing up the farm

It could be a quiet trade season for the Minnesota Twins.

At 49-40, the Twins have the second-best record in the AL under the watch of rookie skipper Paul Molitor. Minnesota's success has been one of the biggest surprises of the campaign, but now is not the time to get too crazy. As encouraging as the 2015 season has been, the future looks even brighter for the Twins, who have the top minor league system, per Bleacher Report.

Jim Bowden of ESPN speculates that GM Terry Ryan won't be foolish enough to mortgage the future for a wild-card run this season. Since the team's top need is to upgrade its middling bullpen, Ryan should be able to accomplish that goal while holding onto his most prominent prospects.

New York Mets

George Nikitin/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Stay conservative and hope that the team's young guns can help the New York Mets steal a wild-card spot

On the surface, it all seems so simple.

The New York Mets, who rank No. 28 in runs, just need to improve the offense between now and the end of the month. The problem is that the Mets don't just need one bat—the team needs multiple bats.

In order to bring in those difference-making hitters, the NL East squad would likely have to part with a player or two who figures to have a prominent role in New York's highly promising future—players like Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Michael Conforto.

Moving any of those guys should be a non-starter for GM Sandy Alderson. Instead, the Mets should rely on the young starters to carry the team in the second half and check in on more modest trade targets. One low-profile hitter who could definitely help the floundering offense is Juan Uribe. Since joining the Atlanta Braves, the third baseman has produced an .829 OPS.

New York Yankees

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Upgrade second base without shipping out a top prospect

With the New York Yankees sitting atop the standings in the mediocre AL East, the time is now for the division leaders to buy.

As the club angles to hold onto its perch, the most logical spot to upgrade is second base. In 2015, the team's second basemen have hit .188, which is the worst mark in the majors. One player who would provide an immediate upgrade at that spot is Ben Zobrist of the Oakland Athletics.

Thanks to his defensive versatility, Zobrist should be a popular name at the deadline. Still, the Yankees could find a way to add the 34-year-old without parting with the organization''s most-prized prospects. As Jim Bowden of ESPN explains, GM Brian Cashman has no interest in sending away starter Luis Severino or outfielder Aaron Judge.

Add a third game-changer to the bullpen

The Yankees already have a nasty 1-2 bullpen punch in Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. That's exactly why the team should look to add a third relief ace. If New York can build a pen trio like the one at Kauffman Stadium, the Yankees will become a nightmare matchup for opposing clubs.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add an extra bat but otherwise don't fix what isn't broken

GM Neal Huntington doesn't have to do a lot between now and the end of the month.

After all, at 53-35, the Pittsburgh Pirates are sporting the third-best record in baseball. The biggest need for the NL Central club at the moment is finding an extra bat to help fill in for the sidelined Josh Harrison.

With the leadoff man recovering from thumb surgery, the Pirates could use some help at the top of the lineup and off the bench. According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the team has checked in with the Philadelphia Phillies to see if Ben Revere could provide that help as a fill-in spark plug.

San Francisco Giants

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Bolster the outfield

The San Francisco Giants need to shore up the outfield.

Already this season Nori Aoki and Hunter Pence have missed extensive time for the defending World Series champs. Bringing in a veteran like Gerardo Parra from the Milwaukee Brewers would certainly accomplish the goal of acquiring outfield cover. The two-time Gold Glover can patrol all three outfield spots and is rolling along at the plate with a .309 average and an. 841 OPS.

Add an electric arm to the pen

With 23 saves in 27 tries, Santiago Casilla would appear to be holding his own as the Giants closer. The problem with the righty is that he just can't get left-handed hitters out. This season lefties have hammered Casilla to the tune of a .333 average.

One closer who can get just about anybody out is Aroldis Chapman, who has posted a 1.69 ERA and a 15.7 K/9 ratio. As Giants team broadcaster Dave Flemming noted on Twitter: "Chapman would look good in Orange and Black."

St. Louis Cardinals

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add some pop to the lineup

Like their division rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates, the St. Louis Cardinals don't have a pressing need to pull off a blockbuster trade.

But a low-profile swap could definitely be in order. While there's not a lot wrong with the Cards, adding some extra thump in the lineup would be a big help.

On the season, St. Louis ranks No. 25 in home runs. One player who could immediately help the NL Central leaders in that department is Adam Lind. While playing for the last-place Milwaukee Brewers, Lind has cracked 15 home runs and posted a .512 slugging percentage.

Tampa Bay Rays

Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Refuse the urge to stand pat and add a hitter to the weak lineup

In a season in which the rotation has been slammed with injuries, it's the dismal lineup that is threatening to sink the Tampa Bay Rays.

One look at the numbers makes it clear where the upgrades are needed for the perennial overachievers. In 2015, the Rays rank No. 24 in runs and No. 25 in average and OPS. In spite of those poor stats, it doesn't sound like any deals or in the works.

"If we're a healthy team there isn't a glaring need for us at the deadline," president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said, via Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Ultimately, it's Silverman's decision to make. But it sure would be a shame if the Rays didn't do a thing with the club just 3.5 games out of first place in the AL East.

First-year manager Kevin Cash is a star in his first season in the dugout, and Tampa Bay has the kind of rotation that can make some noise in the postseason. In the first half, the starting five posted the fifth-best ERA in the major leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a front-line starter and a big-time reliever to support the unreal offense

The Toronto Blue Jays offense did some serious damage in the first half, piling up 77 more runs than any other team in baseball.

Unfortunately, thanks to the subpar pitching staff, the Blue Jays are 45-46 as the second half begins. All-Star Josh Donaldson, who has been one of Toronto's most productive bats, would like to see a reinforcement or two head north of the border.

"I definitely think with the offensive capabilities we’ve proven so far, there probably could be a couple of additions that would be nice," Donaldson said, via Chris Cotillo of SBNation. "I’m not going to say which ones, but at the same time I definitely think that I wouldn’t be surprised if something does happen."

It's not difficult to read between the lines of Donaldson's comments. Toronto needs an ace to headline the rotation and an established reliever to lead the pen.

In order to add those pieces, GM Alex Anthopoulos is going to have to be willing to part with a couple of the organization's most highly rated prospects. Based on the wide-open nature of the AL East, that's a gamble worth making for a team that hasn't been to the postseason since 1993.

Washington Nationals

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Blueprint

Add a reliever to the pen

For the Washington Nationals, who hold just a two-game edge over the New York Mets in the NL East, the bullpen is the area that needs the most help.

The good news for the Nats is that pen arms are among the most plentiful trade pieces to be had at the deadline. One option for Washington would be to check in with the Oakland Athletics about the possibility of reacquiring Tyler Clippard. The veteran right-hander has been dealing for the AL West club, posting a 2.43 ERA and an 8.5 K/9 ratio.

Add some insurance for the lineup

One of the central causes of the Nats' disappointing first half is that the team simply couldn't stay healthy.

Key cogs like Jayson Werth, Anthony Rendon, Denard Span and Ryan Zimmerman all have spent time on the shelf. Instead of banking on better injury luck in the second half, Washington should take a proactive approach and acquire a super-utility player like Martin Prado or Ben Zobrist who could provide injury insurance at a wide range of positions.

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.