Final Fact or Fiction with All of MLB Trade Deadline's Hottest Buzz, Rumors

From David Price heading north of the border to Cole Hamels finally leaving Philly, it's nearly impossible to keep up with all the latest storylines as the MLB trade deadline inches closer.

The furious pace of trade week makes this the ideal moment to cut through the chatter and figure out which rumors are fact and which ones are nothing but fiction.

Between now and 4 p.m. ET on Friday, the Detroit Tigers won't be the only underachieving club that will sell big. Plus, there's the possibility that one contender that almost always plays it cool at the deadline could be preparing to make a major splash.

The Philadelphia Phillies Dropped the Ball by Waiting to Trade Cole Hamels?

Matt Marton/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Phillies played a dangerous game on the Cole Hamels trade front.

Even though the lefty ace had been linked to trade speculation since last summer, the Phillies waited until right before this year's deadline to ship him out, as Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reported.

Since the Phillies waited so long to move Hamels, the market for front-line starters got crowded. As Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal noted via Twitter, that did nothing to help the club's bargaining position: "A GM explains succinctly how availability of [David] Price changes market: 'More options available doesn't help anyone with a starter available.'"

The addition of Price to the market didn't hurt the Phillies, either. As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported, the club parted with Hamels in an eight-player blockbuster. And the Phils ended up cleaning up in the deal.

The National League East squad picked up three prospects in starter Jake Thompson, outfielder Nick Williams and catcher Jorge Alfaro, who all landed on MLB.com's top 100 prospects list. The team was able to acquire such an impressive haul because the Phillies sent $9.5 million to help offset part of Hamels remaining salary and also will pay the $34 million owed to Matt Harrison, per Rosenthal.

The Phillies have taken a ton of heat for playing it so slowly with Hamels, but in the end the deliberate approach paid off in a big way for the last-place club.

The Verdict: Fact

The Cincinnati Reds Will Ship out Aroldis Chapman?

John Minchillo/Associated Press

If you're looking for an electric closer, there's not a better option than Aroldis Chapman.

Per ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney, the Cincinnati Reds are "examining offers" for the Cuban as the deadline approaches. The four-time All-Star has been lights-out for the Reds in 2015, with a 1.69 ERA and a ratio of 15.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

With the Reds sitting in fourth place in the National League Central, the team doesn't have much use for the ninth-inning stopper. At the same time, Cincinnati's brain trust can be as patient as it likes in Chapman trade talks. With the lefty under club control through the end of the 2016 season, the Reds have the luxury of holding off on dealing Chapman, as they could move him in the offseason or even next July.

The Verdict: Fiction

The San Francisco Giants Will Make a Splashy Move?

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

As San Francisco Giants skipper Bruce Bochy admitted, per Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, a big move could be in the works.

"Really, if there was something that made sense and it was a major deal…it would get done," Bochy said. "I believe that. But it takes both sides as always."

Usually, it's the Giants who stand in the way of a potential blockbuster. After all, executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean is all about the low-profile, high-impact moves. Last summer, he snapped up struggling starter Jake Peavy at the deadline. Upon joining the Orange and Black, Peavy ripped off a 2.17 ERA in 12 starts.

If the Giants do make a move, look for it to be similar to the Peavy acquisition—puzzling at first but brilliant in the end.

The Verdict: Fiction

The San Diego Padres Will Sell Aggressively?

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Watch out for the San Diego Padres. As ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney noted on Twitter, "Rival evaluators think SD could have flurry of deals" before the deadline passes.

Olney singles out impending free agents such as Justin Upton, Ian Kennedy, Joaquin Benoit and Will Venable as players who could be on the move. But if the Padres want to get really aggressive, they should move a player who still has multiple seasons of club control.

A couple of starters who fit that description are Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. Cashner can't become a free agent until after the 2017 season, and Ross is under team control through the end of the 2018 season.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Padres have recently checked in about the availability of prospect Javier Baez. A swap between the two clubs would make a ton of sense; San Diego needs a shortstop, while the Cubs could use a controllable starter like Cashner or Ross.

The Verdict: Fact

The Colorado Rockies Will Part Company with Carlos Gonzalez?

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Carlos Gonzalez's tenure with the Colorado Rockies could be coming to a close. Then again, maybe not. As Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com explained, "A source familiar with #Rockies thinking believes they're more likely to trade Carlos Gonzalez this winter than this week."

The right fielder is doing everything he can to boost his trade value. In the past seven games, he has cracked eight home runs for the Rockies.

But when it comes to the Gonzalez trade front, money is a potential roadblock. CarGo makes the balance of his $16 million salary this year and is slated to earn $37 million over the next two seasons.

Gonzalez's contract situation means there's an excellent chance that he stays put at Coors Field—especially now that the Detroit Tigers have added an intriguing rental option to the outfield market.

The Verdict: Fiction

The Detroit Tigers Will 'Reboot' by Selling Big?

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

According to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, the Detroit Tigers, who are wallowing in fourth place in the AL Central, are "rebooting."

The reboot is already well underway, as the Tigers have sent David Price to Toronto Blue Jays, per the team's Twitter account. Even though the starter becomes a free agent at the end of the season, Detroit managed to acquire three premier prospects in left-handers Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt. Norris is the real gem of the deal, as the lefty was the Jays' No. 1 farmhand and checks in as the No. 25 prospect in all the minor leagues, per MLB.com.

Of course, for this reboot to be complete, the Tigers will also need to cash in on Yoenis Cespedes, who is on the verge of becoming a free agent. It sounds like Detroit will have no problem accomplishing that goal. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, "the phone has been ringing all day with offers.."

With 17 bombs and 28 doubles, the Cuban would be a perfect fit for any contender looking to add a little extra pop to its lineup for the stretch run.

The Verdict: Fact

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com. All salary information courtesy of Cot's Baseball Contracts on BaseballProspectus.com.

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