MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and More

The MLB trade market continues to heat up, and it seems there are a lot of teams interested in the same handful of players.

Whether the contending teams are looking to add pitchers or hitters before the trade deadline, they might have to pay a premium in prospects in order to outbid rival organizations. Those willing to give up the future are the ones most likely to end up upgrading the current roster.

While there will still be a lot of changes leading up to the July 31 deadline, here is a look at the latest buzz from around the league.

Jeff Samardzija on the Move?

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Since the start of 2014, Jeff Samardzija has played for three different teams. It won't be surprising if he ends up on a fourth before the season is over.

The Chicago White Sox have fallen to last place and are now willing to start considering deals for veteran players, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

Rosenthal listed Samardzija as a likely option to be dealt because of the fact he will be a free agent at the end of the year. Those looking for a pitcher, such as the Houston Astros, could add the 30-year-old starter as a two-month rental before watching him leave in the offseason.

As Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle noted, "The Astros continue to have interest in the Reds' Johnny Cueto and the White Sox's Jeff Samardzija."

This meshes with Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow's recent comments surrounding the trade deadline.

"Our starting pitching has been pretty good," Luhnow explained to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "But you can always use another starter, especially in the playoffs."

At this stage, it would likely be easier to acquire Samardzija thanks to his middling 4.08 ERA. He has clearly lost some of his luster from last year around this time, when he was dominating for the Chicago Cubs.

On the plus side, the right-hander continues to show his skill as an innings-eater, completing at least seven innings in 11 of his last 12 starts. If he can bounce back with strikeout totals closer to his career averages, he could end up being a steal for the Astros or any other contender.

Orioles Looking for Outfield Help

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Although the Baltimore Orioles have a deep lineup that can score a lot of runs, the corner outfield spots have been disappointing this year. Of course, this shouldn't be too much of a surprise after losing both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis last offseason.

As a result, the front office is doing what it takes to improve this situation. Fox Sports' Jon Morosi and Rosenthal provided a look at three different potential options the club is considering:

"

#Orioles have been scouting #Reds recently and have interest in Cueto and Bruce, among other trade options, sources say. @FOXSports

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 20, 2015"

Any of the three options would certainly qualify as an impact move. Justin Upton and Jay Bruce would fit right in with Baltimore's slugging lineup, although Bruce might have more success at Camden Yards as a left-handed hitter.

Meanwhile, adding Carlos Gomez to an outfield that already includes Adam Jones could create one of the best defensive units in the league regardless of who plays in center field. Of course, the two-time All-Star can add both offense and speed as well.

Although the Orioles might be light on the prospects necessary to complete a deal, they can still be a good trade partner with a willingness to take on a lot of salary.

Bruce—who hasn't quite replicated his success from the 2012 and '13 seasons, when he ranked in the top 10 of MVP voting each year—is owed $12 million this year, $12.5 million next season and has a $13 million team option in 2017, according to Baseball-Reference.com. The Cincinnati Reds might take lower-upside prospects in order to get this contract off of the books.

No matter what the plan, you can be sure Baltimore will remain aggressive in order to stay competitive in the AL East.

Everyone Wants Cueto

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

As previously mentioned, both the Astros and the Orioles have interest in Johnny Cueto. However, they are far from alone in this mindset.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports broke down the situation, with the Los Angeles Dodgers being a key team involved:

"

Cueto, meanwhile, remains the Dodgers' main rental target. The Astros, who also have Cueto atop their list and possess many fine prospects, much like the Dodgers, had multiple scouts at some of Cueto's recent starts. The Reds signaled before the break that they expect to seriously start selling after the All-Star Game, which was a big hit in Cincinnati, and the beloved Cueto, following a blowup after his early removal from his recent start in Miami, is said to be ready to go.

"

Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star also noted the Kansas City Royals are interested in acquiring the 29-year-old pitcher:

Just for good measure, the New York Yankees are also doing their due diligence:

Although Cueto has struggled in his last two starts, teams can look beyond that to see exactly what he can do. Last year's Cy Young runner-up hasn't had an ERA over 3.00 since 2010, and that doesn't seem likely to change this season with a current mark of 2.79.

The only holdup for teams at this point is the possibility of an injury. He lasted only four innings in his last start with six walks being the major problem.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted that while Cueto says he's healthy, "interested teams are going to have to be positive about that diagnosis to give up major assets." He speculates it might take at least another start before someone pulls the trigger.

With this many interested organizations, however, you can be certain someone will pay a hefty price to bring in a potentially game-changing pitcher.

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