MLB Trade Rumors: Teams Actively Searching for Upgrades at Deadline

Whether the aim is the short or long term, every team in baseball will consider ways to get better before the MLB trade deadline. Still, some squads will be more aggressive than others.

While there are sellers who want to get something for their impending free agents, the most desperate teams are the buyers who have a major need. Between injuries and poor play at specific positions, a few organizations could end up overpaying for upgrades.  

Here is a look at some teams doing a lot of searching shortly before the July 31 deadline.

New York Mets

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

While the New York Mets remain in the playoff hunt thanks to their young pitching staff, the offense ranks second-to-last in the majors in runs scored. A struggling outfield has only gotten worse with a Michael Cuddyer knee injury that may or may not place him on the disabled list.

In either case, the Mets would greatly benefit from outfield help. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports provided a roundup of potential options on the trade market, citing Newsday's Marc Carig:

Fans might be clamoring for bigger names, such as center fielder Carlos Gomez and left fielder Justin Upton, but Gerardo Parra might be the one who could help out the most. The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder is in the midst of the best year of his career, currently hitting .315 while spending time in all three outfield positions.

Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel summed up Parra's recent play:

If the Mets don't end up upgrading the outfield, they would be smart to find a fill-in for the injured David Wright, who has played only eight games this season. One possibility at third base is Juan Uribe, who is currently with the Atlanta Braves, according to Heyman: "Juan Uribe is on the block. And he's been offered for a mid-range prospect so long as the acquiring team pays the $3 million or so remaining (or better prospect if the Braves chip in dough). They've talked to the Mets."

Considering the relatively small cost in prospects, New York might be smart to pull the trigger on this deal.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the best teams in baseball, but a few injuries might make it impossible to keep up their pace.

With utility man Josh Harrison and shortstop Jody Mercer currently hurt, the Pirates need some infielders in a hurry. Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette breaks down a few options the team is currently considering:

"

The Pirates have asked about Diamondbacks infielder Cliff Pennington and Padres shortstop Clint Barmes in addition to Athletics utility player Ben Zobrist, according to a major league source. [...]

Multiple sources have said the Pirates have some degree of interest in Zobrist, the talented utility man who has played seven different positions in his 10-year major league career. ... Because of Zobrist’s value -- multiple positions, expiring contract, switch-hitter -- he is said to be in high demand from several teams.

"

San Diego Padres shortstop Clint Barmes is a solid hitter who has already spent time in Pittsburgh, but the versatility of players like the Oakland Athletics' Ben Zobrist and the Arizona Diamondbacks' Cliff Pennington have to be more appealing for this team. Zobrist can play all over the field, but he will come with a high price tag.

Pennington could end up being the best overall option despite his light hitting. He has played second base, shortstop and third base this season and is considered a plus defender, which could help create more versatility within the lineup. This would still be useful late in the year if the team starts to get healthy.

Meanwhile, the Pirates are also looking to upgrade the other half of the infield, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com:

As much as first baseman Pedro Alvarez has struggled, however, Pittsburgh's focus should be finding injury replacements who can help the team stay afloat for as long as possible.

Minnesota Twins

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Few teams are as focused on fixing a single position as the Minnesota Twins are at catcher. They want someone who can help now, and they are looking in every direction.

According to Mike Beradino of the Pioneer Press, the team is "closely monitoring the likes of A.J. Pierzynski, Jonathan Lucroy, Derek Norris and Alex Avila for potential short- or long-term upgrades behind the plate."

Any of these players could seemingly do better than current backstop Kurt Suzuki. The 31-year-old veteran is hitting just .225 with a .584 OPS. According to Baseball-Reference, he is hurting the team with a WAR of minus-0.6.

That said, Suzuki is only one year removed from being an All-Star for the Twins. General manager Terry Ryan explained the best-case scenario would be for the current catcher to start hitting, per Beradino: "He's done it before, so you know it's in there. I don't know if you could expect him to get that hot again, but he's done it before, so it's not like he couldn't. We'll certainly take it."

It doesn't seem like the front office has a lot of faith in a turnaround, which means a trade could come to fruition.

Of all of the potential options, the best might be the Atlanta Braves' A.J. Pierzynski, who has a respectable slash line of .280/.316/.432. At 38 years old, he can help the team without tying up the future. In the offseason, the team can reassess the situation behind the plate.

No matter where the team is looking, though, it needs to do something if it wants to remain in the playoff hunt.

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