MLB Trade Ideas Based on Offseason Week 8 News, Rumors and Speculation
Just when you thought it was safe to take a break from the Hot Stove League, the New York Yankees shocked the baseball universe by sending a four-player package to the Cincinnati Reds for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, a player many believed was immovable due to his current off-field issues.
It's a deal that was seemingly consummated in a matter of hours, if you go by what information the rumor mill provided, but chances are it's a deal that the two clubs had been working on for a few days, if not longer.
General managers talk to each other all the time about potential moves, and sometimes, months go by before those talks are revisited. We'll touch on some of those scenarios on the pages that follow, as deals that may have made sense at the trade deadline still do, in some form, heading into 2016.
Keep in mind these proposed deals are only ideas and pure speculation. Unless otherwise noted, there's no indication any of them has actually been discussed.
Jay Bruce Gets Traded to the Angels
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Cincinnati Gets: OF Chad Hinshaw, RHP Kyle McGowin and 2B Alex Yarbrough
Los Angeles Gets: RF Jay Bruce
The Rumor
Walt Jocketty, Cincinnati's president of baseball operations, tells C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the Reds aren't done dealing this winter. A fixture on the rumor mill, Los Angeles' interest in Jay Bruce dates to mid-July, per Fox Sports' Jon Morosi.
Why It Works for the Angels
Bruce will have to slide over to left field in Los Angeles, with Kole Calhoun having right field locked down, but the slugger, entering his age-29 season, brings some balance to the Angels lineup with his left-handed bat.
Due $12.5 million in 2016 and with a $13 million team option for 2017, he's potentially more than a one-year rental and won't be nearly as much of a burden on the team's payroll as any of the top-flight free agent options still on the market would be.
Per ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Angels are not one of the eight teams Bruce can block trades to.
Why It Works for the Reds
Jocketty told Rosecrans that he's looking for guys "that can help us the next year or two,” and he landed a trio of prospects that will all be in the big leagues before long.
Chad Hinshaw's game is built around contact, speed and defense, with little to offer in the power department, but the 25-year-old has the skills to play all three outfield positions and, at the very least, brings value as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner.
Kyle McGowin, 24, attacks hitters down in the zone, inducing a fair number of ground balls in the process, something that's always a plus for a team that plays half its games in the hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ballpark. He's got the makings of a reliable, innings-eater in the middle of a team's rotation.
Alex Yarbrough, 24, struggled mightily at the plate in his first full season in Triple-A, hitting .236 with a .598 OPS. But he hit .279 with a .704 OPS over two seasons at Double-A, so there's reason to believe he can turn things around. He could be the Reds eventual replacement for Brandon Phillips.
Mike Dunn Gets Traded to the Astros
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Houston Gets: LHP Mike Dunn
Miami Gets: RHP Asher Wojciechowski
The Rumor
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo writes that "the Marlins have received some interest in the hard-throwing reliever [Mike Dunn] and it’s looking as if he’ll eventually get moved."
Why It Works For Houston
In need of a second left-handed reliever to complement the recently re-signed Tony Sipp, Houston adds Mike Dunn, a reliable, battle-tested veteran that has found success against batters from both sides of the plate over his seven-year career.
While there are some concerns about his effectiveness after carrying a heavy workload in Miami—only three pitchers have made more relief appearances since the start of the 2011 season than Dunn's 354—Dunn's track record makes him a gamble worth taking for the Astros.
Why It Works for Miami
Heading into his age-27 season, Asher Wojciechowski is a bit older than most prospects and is never going to be anything more than a back-end starter or useful arm in the bullpen. But he adds depth to Miami's pitching staff in either role.
While his ceiling is relatively low, Wojciechowski has the ability to find success in the big leagues. As MLB.com notes in its profile of Houston's No. 20 prospect: "he works around the zone with his whole arsenal and does a lot of little things well, helping him to succeed without premium stuff."
Ultimately, he could wind up becoming much like David Phelps, who has bounced between the rotation and bullpen as needed over his four-year career.
Carlos Gonzalez Gets Traded to the Cardinals
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Colorado Gets: 1B Matt Adams, LHP Tim Cooney and RHP Jack Flaherty
St. Louis Gets: OF Carlos Gonzalez
The Rumor
St. Louis is intrigued by all three of Colorado's starting outfielders—Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson and Carlos Gonzalez—according to a report from Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Why It Works For Colorado
Always in need of pitching, the Rockies add a pair of young starters capable of becoming long-term fixtures in their rotation and a sure-handed first baseman with power that's just entering the prime of his career.
Adding Matt Adams might seem redundant for the Rockies, who already have Ben Paulsen at first base, but Adams' arrival adds depth to the lineup while allowing Paulsen to slide into one of the outfield corners.
Named St. Louis' No. 2 prospect heading into 2016 by Baseball America, Tim Cooney has a chance to crack Colorado's Opening Day roster. He's never going to become an ace, but the 25-year-old projects to be a durable, reliable mid-rotation arm that gives his team a chance to win every time out.
Jack Flaherty, the Cardinals' No. 3 prospect per Baseball America, is still a few years away from contributing, just completing his first full professional season. While he's still developing mechanically and physically, the 20-year-old has the makings of a future ace.
Why It Works for St. Louis
Sure, Carlos Gonzalez comes with concerns about durability and his numbers away from Coors Field, and the odds are stacked against him replicating his numbers from 2015, when he set new career highs in home runs (40) and games played (153).
But he's still a legitimate slugger, something the Cardinals could sorely use. CarGo isn't the defensive whiz Jason Heyward was, but he can still flash plus leather in the field, with the ability to play all three outfield positions.
His arrival pushes Stephen Piscotty into a platoon situation with Brandon Moss at first base, bolstering the team's bench in the process.
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James Shields Gets Traded to the Rangers
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San Diego Gets: IF/OF Ryan Cordell, RHP Luke Jackson and SS Yeyson Yrizarri
Texas Gets: RHP James Shields
The Rumor
Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune speculates that, given the rising costs of free-agent starting pitchers, James Shields' contract is nowhere near as immovable as some believe. Texas had interest in Shields last winter, per MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
Why It Works For San Diego
The Padres get out from under the three years and $65 million left on Shields' contract while landing a trio of quality prospects.
Ryan Cordell, 23, looks like a Ben Zobrist-type player (albeit with more speed), capable of playing multiple positions well. Whether it's on the left side of the infield (shortstop and third base) or in an outfield corner, he'd be a valuable addition for a Padres club with multiple holes that need to be filled.
Texas used 24-year-old Luke Jackson almost exclusively as a reliever in 2015, both in the minors and in the big leagues down the stretch, where he pitched to a 4.26 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over seven appearances. While he could still find success as a starter, Jackson may ultimately become a closer.
The nephew of former Padre Deivi Cruz, 18-year-old Yeyson Yrizarri has the range and strong arm to stick at shortstop, though a move to third base can't be ruled out as he continues to mature physically. Offensively, Yrizarri has the bat speed and developing power to stick at the hot corner.
Why It Works for Texas
There's risk involved for Texas, as Shields' fly-ball tendencies aren't exactly a perfect fit in Arlington and, should he have a strong season, the 34-year-old could choose to opt-out of his contract afterwards, making him a one-year rental.
Still, his deal isn't outrageous when you consider the going rate for starting pitchers in today's market.
And with major questions surrounding the rotation after Cole Hamels, Shields is a worthwhile addition for the Rangers, who simply have no idea what they'll get from the likes of Yu Darvish, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Derek Holland and the rest of their starters.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts (via Baseball Prospectus).
Hit me up on Twitter to talk the Hot Stove League and all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR.
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