Last-Minute Waiver Trade Ideas for MLB Contenders' Biggest Weaknesses
Don't worry, MLB contenders! Time may be running short, but there's still time to address your most pressing needs via the waiver trade market.
Up until August 31, MLB teams can still make moves with players who cleared waivers earlier this month. We've already seen Chase Utley, Marlon Byrd and Will Venable included in August deals involving contenders.
With the parity in MLB right now, there are a handful of teams that still have postseason aspirations. Whether it's in the bullpen (Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers), lineup (New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles) or starting rotation (San Francisco Giants), there are plenty of solutions available on the market.
Francisco Rodriguez, Rajai Davis, Martin Prado and Jorge De La Rosa are all players who can plug holes for contenders trying to reach October. They may not be sexy, but the teams mentioned above could use them heading down the stretch.
Make sure to let your voices be heard. Do you want your team to acquire the players on this list? What other players should your team have its eyes on?
Here we go!
Jorge De La Rosa to the San Francisco Giants
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2015 Stats: 7-6, 4.61 ERA, 123 IP, 7.98 K/9, 4.39 BB/9, .245 AVG
Jorge De La Rosa's best days are probably behind him, but the Colorado Rockies left-hander might be an underrated upgrade pitching in a different park.
Since 2008, the southpaw has had to deal with the hitter-friendly conditions of Coors Field. As you would expect, De La Rosa has a 4.60 career ERA, and he's sitting around that mark so far in 2015.
De La Rosa has stuck around in Colorado because of an ability to generate ground-ball contact. The 34-year-old has a career ground-ball percentage of 46.8 and has exceeded 50 percent so far this year and in 2014. De La Rosa ranks in the top 20 in MLB in that category.
Because of that unique talent, De La Rosa could see much better results with a change of scenery. In fact, he's posted a 3.51 ERA in 66.2 innings on the road as opposed to a 5.91 ERA at Coors Field this season.
A team in need of starting pitching with favorable park conditions? How about the defending World Series champions?
The San Francisco Giants have used nine different starters in 2015. Madison Bumgarner has been stellar, but the rest of the rotation has plenty of question marks. Chris Heston was recently sent down due to fatigue issues, Mike Leake was injured upon his arrival at the trade deadline and Matt Cain, Tim Hudson, Jake Peavy, Ryan Vogelsong and Tim Lincecum have been in and out of the rotation due to injuries and inconsistencies.
De La Rosa's $12.5 million salary in 2016 could be a kicker, but the Rockies have proven they'll take on other unfavorable contracts in order to shed payroll.
There's no guarantee De La Rosa will be an upgrade over any of those aforementioned hurlers, but he's managed to have a productive major league career pitching in the toughest stadium in baseball. If the Giants are still scanning the market for an under-the-radar addition, De La Rosa's game translates well to AT&T Park.
Martin Prado to the New York Yankees
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2015 Stats: .270/.317/.357, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 35 R, .674 OPS
Martin Prado's dependable bat and defensive versatility could fit in on any MLB roster, but the New York Yankees would benefit most from his ability to play multiple positions.
Prado is a poor man's Ben Zobrist. He's a career .289 hitter who's reached double digits in homers six different times. Prado makes plenty of contact, touting a career strikeout percentage of just over 11 percent.
Unfortunately, Prado has shown signs of regression at the dish in 2015. Aside from an injury-riddled 2011, Prado is in the midst of the worst season of his career. His on-base percentage continues to fall toward the .300 mark, while his power has all but vanished.
Despite the dip in form, Prado is still a serviceable hitter. Even in a subpar season, the 31-year-old's slash line is respectable, and his line-drive rate ranks in the top 25 in MLB. Prado also has the ability to play second, third and the outfield on any given night, which is useful for a team hoping to make a deep October run.
That brings us to the Yankees. General manager Brian Cashman has said the team won't make a waiver deal before the month ends. Be that as it may, Prado would be a solid addition for a team battling the Toronto Blue Jays for American League East supremacy.
Second base has been a revolving door for the Yankees this season. Stephen Drew is hitting under .200, and Dustin Ackley wasn't much better before a trip the DL with a back injury. Prado would give New York stability at that position, as well as insurance at third base and in the outfield.
Rajai Davis to the Baltimore Orioles
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2015 Stats: .245/.297/.406, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 42 R, 17 SB, .703 OPS
The Baltimore Orioles have struggled to find dependable outfielders this season. Adding Rajai Davis to the mix may not pan out, but he has the ability to be a difference-maker for the club in the postseason.
Davis has his flaws, but the Detroit Tigers outfielder can flat-out run. Since his first full season in the big leagues in 2007, only Michael Bourn has swiped more bags than Davis' 320. While there's much more to the game than stealing bases, there aren't many more proven commodities in the majors.
Last season, Davis hit over .280 and stole 36 bases for the Tigers. Those numbers have dwindled in 2015, but he's still on pace to record over 20 steals. The 34-year-old has also played all three outfield positions this season, which is a huge advantage in the postseason.
The O's have Adam Jones in center and deadline acquisition Gerardo Parra in right, but nobody has stepped up in left field this season. Travis Snider and David Lough have been demoted, and Steve Pearce hasn't been able to replicate his breakout campaign of 2014.
Speed is also a department the Orioles are severely lacking in. Baltimore ranks 29th in stolen bases with only Manny Machado reaching double figures in 2015. Davis has to get on base first, but the O's could use a different dimension if they figure out a way to return to the postseason.
Davis is a free agent after the season, but the Orioles wouldn't have to give much up in order to bring him into the fold. Although it wouldn't send shock waves through MLB, Davis would be an underrated pickup for a team with inconsistent outfield play.
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Francisco Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Dodgers
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2015 Stats: 30 SV, 2.06 ERA, 43.2 IP, 10.51 K/9, 1.85 BB/9
Los Angeles Dodgers fans know all too well that a shaky bullpen can derail a talented roster come October. For a team with virtually no financial cap, adding Francisco Rodriguez before the August 31 deadline seems like a no-brainer.
K-Rod was mediocre in 2014, but he's been one of MLB's top relievers in 2015. The 33-year-old is a perfect 30-for-30 in save opportunities and boasts a 2.06 ERA in 45 appearances.
Rodriguez has posted his highest strikeout percentage this season since 2007 with the Los Angeles Angels. He's not throwing as hard, but K-Rod has altered his usage rates by making his changeup his primary offering. That seems to be going well, as opponents are hitting just .078 against it.
Although Rodriguez has a reputation of unpredictability, the right-hander has also posted the lowest walk rate of his major league career this season. In fact, his 1.85 BB/9 ranks in the top 25 among qualified relievers. That's a considerable improvement from a career 3.63 mark.
As for the Dodgers, who can manager Don Mattingly rely on to get the ball to closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning? L.A.'s bullpen has the eighth-highest ERA in baseball and has used 20 different pitchers this season. Unfortunately, the bargain purchases of Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan at the deadline have yet to pan out.
K-Rod is only owed $5.5 million next season with a $6 million team option ($4 million buyout) for 2017. The Dodgers have a roster built to contend for the next few seasons, so adding Rodriguez just makes sense. Anything other than a World Series championship will be deemed a failure, which should push the club into taking on the extra salary to address a dire need.
Stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of Aug. 26.
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