Offseason MLB Trade Ideas Based on Latest Week 24 News, Rumors and Speculation
Free agency is going to dominate both the headlines and rumor mill once the World Series comes to an end, and rightfully so. With one of the deepest and most talented classes of free agents that we've seen in quite some time, especially when it comes to starting pitching, the rumor mill will be working overtime to keep up with all the chatter.
But don't think for a second that teams won't be looking to wheel and deal as well. Free agents can quickly become prohibitively expensive, and if the opportunity to acquire a comparable player in exchange for prospects presents itself, you can bet that more than a few teams will opt to go that route.
From front-line starters to lock-down, late-inning relievers, there's no shortage of possibilities when it comes to the upcoming trade season. We'll delve into a few of them on the pages that follow.
Keep in mind that these proposed deals are only ideas and pure speculation. Unless otherwise noted, there's no indication that any of them have actually been discussed.
Craig Kimbrel Gets Traded to Detroit
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Detroit Gets: CL Craig Kimbrel
San Diego Gets: RHP Joe Jimenez and IF/OF JaCoby Jones
With more than $100 million committed to its core—Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, Victor Martinez, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander—for at least two more years, you'd best believe that Detroit is going to try and reclaim the AL Central from Kansas City in 2016.
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman claimed that the team will look to retool its bullpen this winter, and it stands to reason that new general manager Al Avila will look to add an established, reliable closer. San Diego's Craig Kimbrel fits that description perfectly.
The Padres don't have to trade Kimbrel, of course, but the chance to add a middle infielder with the combination of athleticism, power and speed of JaCoby Jones makes the deal one worth making for San Diego.
Take it from current Boston president and former Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski, who engineered the trade that bought Jones to Detroit in exchange for closer Joakim Soria at this year's trade deadline. "Jones is a quality young prospect," Dombrowski said after making the deal, via George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. "He was a third-round choice a couple years ago out of Louisiana State University. Just promoted to Double-A. Was one of the leading hitters in the Florida State League."
While he's primarily a shortstop, Dombrowski also remarked that Jones had "enough bat" to play other positions, which could open the door to a super-utility role when he reaches the majors at some point in 2016.
Blocked at shortstop in Detroit by Jose Iglesias and Dixon Machado, at second by Kinsler and in center field by Anthony Gose, Jones is an expendable piece for the Tigers.
So too is 20-year-old Joe Jimenez, who is still a few years away from contributing but has the power and strikeout ability you look for in a late-inning reliever. He could be San Diego's long-term replacement for Kimbrel.
Due a reasonable $38 million (or so) through 2018, Kimbrel gives Detroit a dominant ninth-inning option who's still in the thick of his prime for at least another three years.
Drew Storen Gets Traded to Boston
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Boston Gets: RP Drew Storen
Washington Gets: 3B/1B/OF Garin Cecchini and a player to be named later
It's a deal that gives two players in need of new homes just that—fresh starts with different organizations.
On one hand is 28-year-old Drew Storen, who was unceremoniously replaced as Washington's closer in late July by Jonathan Papelbon, despite having successfully converted 29 of 31 save opportunities.
On the other is 24-year-old Garin Cecchini, who has been bounced around the diamond at Triple-A in each of the past two seasons while Boston continued to add pieces ahead of him on the organizational depth chart, leaving him without a path to the big leagues.
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo listed Storen, who recently broke his thumb after slamming it in his locker, as a potential offseason trade target for the Red Sox as they look to rebuild their bullpen, and there's little doubt that he will be available.
Cecchini, a consensus top-100 prospect heading into the 2014 season, has struggled to produce over two Triple-A seasons, hitting a combined .238 with a .646 OPS. But it was only two years ago that he led the minor leagues with a .469 on-base percentage thanks to a patient approach at the plate from which he's strayed in an attempt to hit for more power.
A return to form could find Cecchini thriving in Washington, even if he's nothing more than the team's fourth outfielder to begin the season.
Sonny Gray Gets Traded to Boston
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Boston Gets: RHP Sonny Gray
Oakland Gets: OF Andrew Benintendi, 3B Rafael Devers, LHP Brian Johnson and CF Manuel Margot
While sources with Oakland told CBS Sports' Jon Heyman that there was no chance the team would trade ace Sonny Gray during the offseason, ESPN's David Schoenfield was quick to remind us that the A's made similar statements about Josh Donaldson—who wound up in Toronto last winter.
As remote a possibility as a Gray trade may be, it remains a possibility, and one worth exploring. Gray, who isn't yet arbitration-eligible and is under team control through 2019, would bring the A's a massive package of talent in return.
In this deal, Oakland walks away with four of Boston's 10 best prospects.
Still another year or two away from making an impact, Andrew Benintendi, 21, the seventh overall pick in the 2015 draft, has been a force at the plate in his first taste of pro ball. In 54 games across two minor league levels, he hit a combined .313 with 22 extra-base hits (11 home runs), 31 RBI and a .972 OPS.
Rafael Devers, 18, has more raw power than anyone else in Boston's farm system and both the arm and instincts to stick at third base, though a move across the diamond or into a corner outfield spot can't be totally ruled out. Like Benintendi, he's a few years away from making his MLB debut.
Southpaw Brian Johnson was unimpressive in his MLB debut this past July, allowing four earned runs over 4.1 innings of work against Houston, walking four and fanning three, but the 24-year-old is ready to compete for a rotation spot and has the ceiling of a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.
Manuel Margot's path to the big leagues is blocked in Boston, but the 20-year-old has moved quickly through the minors and could make his big league debut as early as 2016. While his power is still developing, Margot makes consistent contact and has the speed to not only cause havoc when he gets on base but to stick in center field.
And Boston would land Gray, one of the game's best young starters, around whom it can build its future rotation.
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Christian Bethancourt Gets Traded to Arizona
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Arizona Gets: C Christian Bethancourt
Atlanta Gets: RHP Jake Barrett
Two years ago, Christian Bethancourt was the heir apparent to Brian McCann behind the plate in Atlanta, while Jake Barrett was a hard-throwing reliever moving quickly through Arizona's farm system, reaching Double-A in his first full professional season.
The proverbial wheels have fallen off for both prospects since, and MLB.com's Mark Bowman opined that the Braves may look to cut ties with Bethancourt this winter, though they'd be doing so while his value is at its lowest point.
A terrific defensive catcher, Bethancourt's bat has not developed as anyone hoped it would, while command issues have plagued Barrett as he's reached the upper levels of Arizona's farm system.
While Wellington Castillo has done a fine job behind the plate since Arizona acquired him earlier this season, Bethancourt, 24, would not only provide organizational depth but could ultimately supplant Castillo as the starter if the D-Backs can get his bat back on track.
Lest we forget—the D-Backs moved catching prospect Peter O'Brien to a corner outfield spot earlier this year, while the team's other top catching prospect, Stryker Trahan, isn't expected to stick behind the plate much longer, following O'Brien into the outfield.
Barrett, 24, gives the Braves another high-upside power arm in their system, one that could become the team's long-term answer in the ninth inning if he can, as MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote, "regain the feel for pitching" he exhibited in his first full professional campaign.
Jake McGee Gets Traded to Cleveland
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Cleveland Gets: LHP Jake McGee
Tampa Bay Gets: IF Jose Ramirez
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer believes that Cleveland will look to add a late-inning reliever to the mix this winter, with the preference being a lefty.
Due a raise from his $3.55 million salary in his third year of arbitration eligibility, Jake McGee is quickly becoming an expensive piece—perhaps too expensive—for a cash-strapped franchise like Tampa Bay to keep around for much longer.
McGee, 29, has excelled in multiple bullpen roles over the course of his career, which he's spent primarily as a setup man. He'd form a terrific late-inning trio with Bryan Shaw and closer Cody Allen in Cleveland.
In exchange for McGee, the Indians could send the versatile Jose Ramirez to Tampa Bay. Blocked in the middle of the diamond in Cleveland by shortstop Francisco Lindor and second baseman Jason Kipnis, Ramirez could replace soon-to-be free agent Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop in Tampa Bay.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs and are current through September 14. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts (via Baseball Prospectus).
Hit me up on Twitter to talk all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR
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