MLB Trade Rumors: Cole Hamels, Yasiel Puig and More Buzz

The high amount of big-name talent on the trade market is creating plenty of intrigue ahead of the deadline on Friday afternoon. Any team that decides to go "all in" on this season could shift the balance of power with several blockbuster moves.

While most years are populated with a small group of marquee players on the block, often with eye-popping price tags, this season is already move active. The Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement on a deal involving Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes to kick off deadline week.

With that in mind, let's check out some of the latest rumors on other notable players who could be on the move over the next few days.

Cole Hamels

Hamels, who has become no stranger to trade rumors during his decade with the Philadelphia Phillies, is once again being mentioned as a top target for teams seeking rotation help. His no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs Saturday simply boosted his value even further.

The left-hander owns a mediocre 3.64 ERA so far in 2015. Yet his strikeout rate is the highest it has been since his rookie campaign, and his Expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP) is actually lower than than last season, when he finished with a 2.46 ERA, according to Fangraphs.

Philadelphia is rightfully looking toward the future as it sits in the NL East basement. Hamels is one of the key chips who can bring them some major assets for the retooling process. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that the San Francisco Giants are seriously interested:

The Giants are locked in a tight battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Hamels would be a significant difference-maker in that race if he joined Madison Bumgarner atop the rotation, giving them one of the league's best one-two punches.

Yasiel Puig

Puig emerged as one of the most exciting players in baseball as a rookie for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. During that season, he posted a .391 on-base percentage with 19 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 104 games. His youthful exuberance provided a spark for his team, even though it didn't always sit well with opponents.

Alas, his OPS slid from .925 that year to .862 in 2014 and all the way down to .750 so far in 2015. Pitchers have adjusted, and he hasn't been able to rediscover that initial magic. Now the Dodgers may be willing to let him go, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

Puig won't put up a fuss if he's moved. He told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times his stance: "I'll play anywhere. I came to the United States [from Cuba] to play baseball. Baseball is the same anywhere. If they want to trade me, that's their decision. I can't do anything about that."

It's a risk vs. reward situation for the Dodgers. A lot depends on whether they truly believe Puig can return to the top-tier level he showcased as a rookie. If not, it makes sense to move him while some of that hype and upside still exists.

Justin Upton

Upton is notoriously streaky, and that's carried into his first year with the San Diego Padres. He cranked out six home runs in each of the first two months but has tallied just four since the start of June. His batting average during the latter period is also below the Mendoza Line.

Of course, the potential team trading for him would hope he's able to heat up down the stretch. He's one of the most dangerous sluggers in the game when he's going well—he had seven homers and 28 RBI for the Atlanta Braves in August last year—and the 2015 first overall pick is still just 27 years old.

The fact there would be interest doesn't come as a surprise. The question is how much his recent struggles could impact his value on the market. It's something the Padres are gauging with at least one team, the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN:

Baltimore is currently three games out of a wild-card spot in the AL. Adding more pop to the lineup behind Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Chris Davis is essential if the O's are going to make a charge into the postseason. Upton is certainly a good fit if the price is right.