Impact MLB Trade Ideas That Could Actually Happen in 2016

One MLB midseason trade can make all the difference for a contender needing a push to the finish line. 

Just look at last year's World Series representatives. The New York Mets fortified their lineup by acquiring Yoenis Cespedes, who has since hit 25 home runs in 78 regular-season games. While the Kansas City Royals weren't as lucky to retain Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto, both rentals played instrumental roles in capturing the championship.

All three of those players entered free agency last offseason, a common trait for midseason trade candidates. When a team doesn't see a realistic path to October, it moves players set to walk out the door in two months.

That's not the case in all of the following scenarios. One popular option who has already built a second home on the rumor mill could finally get jettisoned with the added appeal of a 2017 club option.

Two more intriguing scenarios exist among former superstars enjoying rousing starts. These outfielders once battled in a contested MVP race, but their resurgences have gone for naught on otherwise deplete rosters. This could be the last chance either club has of moving its bloated contracts while netting a fair return.

Although the stove is on, the water hasn't boiled yet. It's too early to accurately identify every buyer and seller. Injuries, slumps and breakouts will also alter positional needs before July 31's non-waiver trade deadline.

For now, it's mostly all speculation on what could happen. But don't worry, we're not going to "Will the Tampa Bay Rays give up on Chris Archer?" or "What could the Los Angeles Angels get for Mike Trout?" levels of crazy. Staying in the realm of feasibility, let's look at five possible moves that could rock the MLB landscape this summer.

Ryan Braun to Arizona Diamondbacks

Associated Press

Braun has hit better in 24 games than he did during his prime years.

Ryan Braun is looking like the MVP of old, sporting a sizzling .372/.443/.605 line. If the 32-year-old outfielder maintained his current .446 weighted on-base average (wOBA), he'd set a new career high.

His return to offensive stardom, however, has not saved the woeful Milwaukee Brewers from a 10-15 start. Nobody not employed by or related to a Brewers employee expected anything better from the rebuilding squad, so it behooves the team to shop its star during his revival.

Braun is serving the first season of a five-year, $105 million extension, hardly an egregious amount for a significant offensive contributor. Yet given his age and lagging defensive merits, now is the perfect time for a cellar-dwelling franchise to test the market for a package of premier young talent. 

According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Braun has a no-trade clause allowing him to block a move to all but six teams. The Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres are set at corner outfield and not poised for a postseason run. The Angels don't have good prospects to offer, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have recently chased depth over high-priced investments.

The San Francisco Giants? Perhaps if Angel Pagan cools down considerably. That leaves the Arizona Diamondbacks, who don't need a star bat at the moment. Then again, how long will Brandon Drury, Jake Lamb and Yasmany Tomas keep raking?

Arizona has come too far for a .500 finish. After making Zack Greinke a very rich man and sending Dansby Swanson, Aaron Blair and Ender Inciarte to the Atlanta Braves for Shelby Miller, the pressure is on to win now. With A.J. Pollock out, Paul Goldschmidt can use some help in the middle of the lineup.

If general manager Dave Stewart is willing to part with the No. 1 overall amateur draft pick, his top pitching prospect and a quality center fielder for a mid-rotation starter, imagine what he might cough up for Braun.

Jay Bruce to Toronto Blue Jays

Gary Landers/Associated Press

The rebuilding Cincinnati Reds have come close to trading Jay Bruce, so expect him in a new uniform by August.

A frequent resident on last year's rumor mill, Jay Bruce ultimately remained with the Cincinnati Reds. He rewarded them by hitting .178 after July 31. That shouldn't happen again this summer.

The Reds kept Bruce, but they dealt Cueto, Mike Leake, Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman. Firmly joining the clique of abysmal National League squads, they will once again look to sell any veteran pieces outside of Joey Votto before the deadline.

Although he's signed through 2016, a $13 million club option for 2017 will boost his value, as it typically takes a special player (or desperate trading partner) to net a major return for a two-month rental. 

Once one of baseball's steadiest sluggers, Bruce crushed over 30 homers in three straight seasons before nosediving in 2014 and 2015. He'll need to turn back the clock to repair his value, and his current .482 slugging percentage is a good start.

Unfortunately, FanGraphs has also graded him this season's worst defender, giving him a minus-0.3 WAR despite his four homers and 18 RBI. A poor glove will limit his appeal to American League clubs that can hide him at designated hitter or a National League club in dire need of pop.

One of few teams yet to embrace—or even acknowledge—sabermetrics, the Diamondbacks would be a solid match if not for us giving them Braun. Instead, let's complete a transaction reported by MLB Network's Jon Heyman and ESPN's Buster Olney that nearly went down in February.

Michael Saunders has exceeded expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he's unlikely to keep hitting .305/.387/.549. Even if he does, the Blue Jays could play Edwin Encarnacion more at first base to free their DH slot. By acquiring Bruce and exercising his 2017 option, they would also attain insurance against possibly losing Jose Bautista this winter.

Josh Reddick to Chicago White Sox

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Upcoming free agent Josh Reddick would represent an upgrade for many contenders at an affordable cost.

A trendy pick last year, the Chicago White Sox instead finished fourth in the American League Central at 76-86. Entering 2016 with considerably less fanfare, they boast an AL-best 19-8 record and MLB-high 12 road victories.

Frazier and Brett Lawrie have delivered major infield upgrades, but the team's offense still rates near the middle of the league's wOBA leaderboard. For now, the pitching staff—particularly Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Mat Latos—have sparked the White Sox's rousing start.

When the team's 2.59 ERA regresses closer to its 3.86 expected fielding independent pitching (xFIP), it'll have a tough time keeping up with the Royals, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. In order to be taken seriously down the stretch, it'll need one more bat.

Austin Jackson hasn't provided any help in the outfield, hitting .224/.275/.329 with zero long balls. While the White Sox benefit from no longer enduring his subpar defense, Avisail Garcia's .691 OPS isn't ideal for a designated hitter, either. 

As they overachieve, they should solidify a steady upgrade rather than further hemorrhaging a below-average farm system on a possible blip. Josh Reddick fits the bill perfectly.

After notching an above-average 117 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) in consecutive seasons, the Oakland Athletics outfielder is batting .253/.318/.414 through 27 games. Before getting an opportunity to cash in this offseason, the 29-year-old will earn around $6.5 million, so contenders from all markets should call Oakland's offense.

There's an entire book and film focused on Oakland's frugal nature, so expect the Athletics to move on unless Reddick takes another team-friendly extension. He'd give Chicago a sizable boost in right field without breaking the bank.

Aroldis Chapman to San Francisco Giants

Associated Press

The Yankees could shop recently acquired Aroldis Chapman if they don't rebound from a brutal start.

As Chapman completes his 30-game suspension, his new employer continues to crumble. The New York Yankees have fallen 6.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East by starting 8-16.

Many fans have never witnessed the Bronx Bombers as sellers. They haven't suffered a losing record since 1992, the year Bryce Harper was born. Although they're no longer a juggernaut, manager Joe Girardi has done a masterful job keeping less-loaded clubs in playoff contention.

If April is any indication, their sluggers are finally too old and their starting pitchers too erratic. They have scored one fewer run than the Braves, and they're tied with the Indians for the fewest quality starts (23).

Even if they don't return to the postseason, the Yankees can bounce back enough to avoid a summer fire sale. Welcoming one of the game's most dominant relievers to the late-inning fold will help, giving their bullpen a three-headed monster alongside Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.

But even if they're just treading water and still five or six games behind in the standings, general manager Brian Cashman must at least consider trading Chapman, whose contract expires after this season. New York acquired him at a lower cost after a domestic-violence dispute compelled the Dodgers to pass. Ethical issues aside, it never seemed likely for the triple-digit flamethrower to wear pinstripes beyond 2016.

The market will be limited. The Dodgers shouldn't alter their stance solely because they're in the thick of a playoff race, and other organizations will likely share those concerns. Without knowing each franchise's stance, let's pick a team that makes sense from a pure baseball perspective.

Per Rosenthal, the Giants will look to bolster their bullpen, which currently wields a 4.15 ERA. A healthy and effective Sergio Romo would likely sway them to a cheaper option, but they have a history of aggressively seeking upgrades when in contention. Hey, maybe Cashman should see if they'll overpay for Carlos Beltran again.

Matt Kemp and Andrew Cashner to Boston Red Sox

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Matt Kemp's hot start could help the San Diego Padres persuade a contender to take on the final four years of his contract.

New Boston Red Sox team president Dave Dombrowski means business, which he quickly proved by sending the Padres a hefty haul of prospects for closer Craig Kimbrel. The swap also showcased Padres general manager A.J. Preller's willingness to eat crow on his failed trading bonanza preceding the 2015 campaign.

The two franchises could do business again. Following consecutive last-place finishes, the Red Sox are 15-11 with a plus-19 run differential despite their starting rotation's 4.58 ERA. While their offense is doing just fine, Dombrowski may feel tempted to land an impact left fielder and move Brock Holt back into a super-utility role.

San Diego can help on both ends. Landing a starter behind David Price, Rick Porcello and the rehabbing Eduardo Rodriguez should be Boston's top priority. James Shields is an option, but Boston balked at the chance to sign him due to concerns about his fly-ball tendencies. There's too much uncertainty around Tyson Ross' shoulder to involve him in a hypothetical trade right now.

Andrew Cashner is the least inspiring choice, but he's also the most likely to go with his contract ending after the 2016 campaign. Even if he's not a guy Red Sox fans would want taking the ball in October, the 29-year-old offers a short-term solution at the bottom of a shaky rotation.

Dombrowski operates more aggressively than his analytically orientated predecessors, and he has the support of deep-pocketed ownership. Just how far will he take it?

Former general manager Ben Cherington wouldn't have touched Matt Kemp, who will get paid handsomely through 2019 as his batting eye and defense deteriorate. Would new management instead see a former superstar slugging .612 with eight homers?

Even after the Kimbrel trade, Boston boasts a rich farm system to mortgage into immediate contributors while keeping prized prospects Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi. Guys like Sam Travis, Michael Kopech, Brian Johnson and Michael Chavis could grease the pot, especially if Boston foots the bill on Kemp and gives San Diego a fresh start.

Under the old guard, Boston probably would have more likely given Benintendi a shot to become this year's Michael Conforto. Eager to erase the stench of losing, current management might not care as much about savvy spending and in-team player development.

Note: All advanced stats, updated as of Tuesday night, courtesy of FanGraphs. Salary info obtained from Cot's Baseball Contracts.