MLB Rumors: Trade Buzz on Cole Hamels, Aroldis Chapman and More

As the clock continues to tick toward Friday's MLB trade deadline, the level of urgency begins to rise. Teams looking for the missing piece or two to their championship puzzle have no shortage of marquee names to consider over the next couple of days.

It's a unique deadline period in terms of the amount of talent on the block. Along with the typical group of secondary assets usually floated into the market, there are also some high-end players available. It leaves the door open for a few late blockbusters if contenders get bold.

So let's check out some of the latest rumors making their way around the league and examine what they could mean for the players involved.

Cole Hamels

Hamels illustrated the type of impact he's capable of making for a contender down the stretch with a 13-strikeout no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs last week. Quite simply, when he's firing on all cylinders, there aren't many starters who can match his production.

Though his ERA (3.64) is the highest it's been since 2009, his peripherals are strong. His 3.16 xFIP is lower than last year, when he finished with a 2.46 ERA, according to Fangraphs. So there's no reason to believe he couldn't pitch like an ace over the final months.

A resolution to his situation could come soon. Jayson Stark of ESPN reports that at least eight teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs, have shown interest, and now it's time to find out how serious they are:

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The Philadelphia Phillies have told several teams interested in acquiring Cole Hamels that they'd like to get their "best" offers by Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com. The team would then make a decision about where—and whether—to trade him.

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It seems no superstar can get traded without at least getting linked to the Dodgers. In turn, it's hard to get a good grasp on when they are truly involved in a sweepstakes. But if they land Hamels to pair with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the rest of the National League is in trouble.

Aroldis Chapman

Chapman is a special talent, even in an era when most pitchers coming out of the bullpen can touch the upper-90s. He regularly tops 100 and frequently pushes toward 105, which is why he's struck out 505 batters in just 295.1 career innings.

After originally being ticketed to join the starting rotation, he's settled in as one of the game's most dominant closers over the past four seasons. It's an ideal role, because he can focus all of his energy on one inning while also lessening the impact of his sporadic control issues.

He's nailed down 20 of 21 save opportunities this season with a 1.69 ERA. Add in the fact that he's under team control for another season, per Spotrac, and it's a surprise he may be available. But Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports the Cincinnati Reds have held talks:

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a perplexing link because they are 48-51 and 6.5 games out of a wild-card spot. A closer isn't going to make that large of a difference. So it would be more of an investment for the future, and they would need to sign him to an extension beyond next season to make it worth it.

Carlos Gonzalez

Only Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout can come close to the numbers Gonzalez is putting up in July. The outfielder is driving the Colorado Rockies' offense with a .422 on-base percentage and 10 home runs, including six in the past five games.

If the Rockies were trying to sell high, now would be the time. He got off to a sluggish start with just 10 homers over the first three months combined. Yet, even though his value has steadily risen leading up to the deadline, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports there's no urgency:

It's an interesting stance, because he would need to continue playing at a top-tier level to increase his value any more before the offseason. And his injury history—he's played fewer than 135 games three times in the past four years—suggests betting on that would be a risk.

Of course, it could be an attempt by the Colorado front office to drive up the price. The Rockies, who currently sit in the NL West basement, aren't in a position to make a playoff charge. If they can move Gonzalez for some promising pieces for the future, it's time to make the deal.