MLB Trade Ideas Based on Week 14 News, Rumors and Speculation
When we think of the notion that pitching wins championships, we tend to think only in terms of World Series crowns. But pitching wins pennants as well—and some of that pitching arrives via in-season trades.
Consider this: Only once in the past six editions of the Fall Classic—2013—has neither participant had at least one starting pitcher in its rotation who wasn't acquired after Opening Day.
- 2010: Texas (Cliff Lee)
- 2011: St. Louis (Edwin Jackson)
- 2012: Detroit (Anibal Sanchez)
- 2014: San Francisco (Jake Peavy)
- 2015: Kansas City (Johnny Cueto)
So it's not really surprising to see pitching dominate the rumor mill lately—or serve as the overwhelming focus of this week's potential swaps.
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.
Mark Melancon Gets Traded to the Texas Rangers
1 of 6
Pittsburgh Gets: RHP Connor Sadzeck and a player to be named later
Texas Gets: RHP Mark Melancon
The Rumor/Speculation
Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review suggested that with a trip to the playoffs looking less and less likely, the Pirates should look to trade All-Star closer Mark Melancon.
Why It Makes Sense for Pittsburgh
One way or another, 2016 will be Melancon's last in Pittsburgh. Set to hit free agency after the season, the 31-year-old is sure to command a deal that's too rich for the team's liking. Paying a closer in excess of $16 million isn't in the cards for the Pirates, so extending a qualifying offer isn't a realistic option.
Rather than letting him walk for nothing, the Pirates add 24-year-old Connor Sadzeck, an impressive physical specimen at 6'7" and 240 pounds. While the Rangers have developed him as a starter, he could quickly become a dominant late-inning reliever, armed with a fastball that routinely hits triple digits.
Why It Makes Sense for Texas
The Rangers give up their hardest-throwing pitching prospect but land a seasoned veteran to bolster the back end of the bullpen. Whether he slides into the closer's role or sets up for the team's current ninth-inning option (Sam Dyson), his arrival gives manager Jeff Banister more choices late in games.
Rich Hill Gets Traded to the Chicago Cubs
2 of 6
Chicago Gets: LHP Rich Hill
Oakland Gets: OF Billy McKinney and 1B/DH Dan Vogelbach
The Rumor/Speculation
The Cubs were one of seven teams with scouts in attendance at Rich Hill's Saturday start against Pittsburgh, reported Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Making his first start since May 29, Hill held Pittsburgh to two earned runs and four hits over six innings, walking two and striking out six.
Why It Makes Sense for Chicago
Returning to the team he began his career with, Hill would likely replace Jason Hammel, who is coming off his worst start of the season and is historically terrible after the All-Star break, at the back of Chicago's rotation.
Neither Billy McKinney nor Dan Vogelbach has any chance of seeing regular playing time in Chicago, so the cost is ultimately negligible for the Cubs.
Why It Makes Sense for Oakland
Oakland is familiar with McKinney, having drafted him 24th overall in the 2013 draft and traded him to the Cubs—along with Addison Russell and Dan Straily—a year later in exchange for Hammel and Jeff Samardzija. He could be the team's left fielder in 2017; he'd hit for average but lack in power.
Power isn't a problem for Dan Vogelbach, who can play first base but would be best utilized as a full-time designated hitter, where his lack of speed wouldn't be an issue. While there's plenty of swing-and-miss in his game, the 23-year-old doesn't blindly hack away at the plate and isn't afraid to draw a walk.
Ervin Santana Gets Traded to the Texas Rangers
3 of 6
Minnesota Gets: RHP Luis Ortiz and RHP Sam Wolff
Texas Gets: RHP Ervin Santana and $20 million
The Rumor/Speculation
The Rangers "took a hard look" at Twins starter Ervin Santana on Friday when the two teams met, tweeted LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune.
Why It Makes Sense for Minnesota
In agreeing to pick up approximately a year-and-a-half of Santana's salary—the rest of 2016 (roughly $6.5 million) and either 2017 or 2018 ($13.5 million each year)—Minnesota ensures itself a better package in return.
The Twins land one of MLB.com's top 100 prospects in 20-year-old Luis Ortiz, a potential No. 2 starter with an easily repeatable delivery and a fastball that routinely sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. Sam Wolff also has an electric heater, but he lacks the total package to stick in the rotation. He'd be an excellent late-inning reliever.
Why It Makes Sense for Texas
With Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis on the disabled list, the Rangers need rotation help. Santana isn't a star, but he is the kind of durable, reliable innings-eater Texas can stick in the middle of its rotation without hesitation.
Under contract through 2018 and with a $14 million team option for 2019, the Rangers should still be getting solid production from Santana for the length of his deal, as he would only be entering his age-36 season in his option year.
.png?w=256)
Chris Archer Gets Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
4 of 6
Los Angeles Gets: RHP Chris Archer
Tampa Bay Gets: C/IF Austin Barnes, 1B/OF Cody Bellinger, RHP Jose De Leon and OF Alex Verdugo
The Rumor/Speculation
While Los Angeles' attempts to pry Chris Archer away from Tampa Bay have been rebuffed thus far, per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, there's a deal to be made that won't cost the Dodgers either Corey Seager or Julio Urias.
Why It Makes Sense for Los Angeles
Clearly, the Dodgers realize that they need another legitimate, innings-eating starter. And as Cafardo noted, Andrew Friedman, the team's president of baseball operations, has an extensive history with Archer from their time together in Tampa Bay.
Archer is having a down year for sure, but the 27-year-old is still fanning batters at an elite rate, hasn't experienced a significant drop in velocity (per Brooks Baseball) and is on a team-friendly deal that could keep him in Chavez Ravine through 2021.
With such a deep farm system, the Dodgers can afford to part with four impressive prospects. What they can't afford is another early exit from the playoffs—or missing out on the postseason altogether. Adding Archer should help them avoid both scenarios.
Why It Makes Sense for Tampa Bay
The chance to add four high-end prospects who are nearly ready to contribute in the big leagues—and plug some of the holes on the roster—makes this a no-brainer for the Rays.
An on-base machine who has consistently hit for average in the minors, Austin Barnes gives Tampa Bay the long-term answer behind the plate that it's been searching for since Dioner Navarro left as a free agent following the 2010 season. Barnes is also versatile enough to handle second base.
Cody Bellinger has tremendous raw power in his left-handed swing and has all the tools to stick at first base, but he's athletic enough to handle a corner outfield spot. With Jake Bauers having a similar profile, the Rays would have some intriguing options to fill two spots moving forward.
Front-of-the-rotation arm Jose De Leon is nearly ready to join what would remain an impressive crop of young arms in Tampa Bay, even if the team decides to part ways with Matt Moore or Jake Odorizzi.
A center fielder with power, Alex Verdugo could slide over to left field without any issue. But with Kevin Kiermaier perhaps becoming too expensive for the Rays right around the time Verdugo should be ready—2018—Tampa Bay could choose to continue developing him at a premium position.
Josh Reddick Gets Traded to the Kansas City Royals
5 of 6
Kansas City Gets: RF Josh Reddick
Oakland Gets: 1B Ryan O'Hearn and OF Reymond Fuentes
The Rumor/Speculation
While the the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser listed the Royals as one of the teams to scout A's starter Rich Hill, she added that the Royals also have interest in Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick.
Why It Makes Sense for Kansas City
The Royals have gotten by so far with Jarrod Dyson, Reymond Fuentes and Paulo Orlando in right field, but Reddick would represent a significant upgrade over that trio. His left-handed bat would also bring some balance to what is a predominantly right-handed Kansas City lineup.
He's not quite the defender he was a few years ago, but Reddick can still handle right field with little issue and has a cannon for an arm, which would add another dimension to the team's already-impressive outfield defense.
Why It Makes Sense for Oakland
With Reddick set to test free agency after the season, the A's get a solid return for what amounts to a short-term rental.
Ryan O'Hearn is athletic enough to play right field but has the defensive chops to stick at first base, with the requisite power to fill either position. While he'll likely never be a .300 hitter, O'Hearn knows how to draw a walk and won't be a base-clogger when he does get on.
A speedy slap hitter with little power, Fuentes is best served as a team's fourth outfielder. Capable of playing all three outfield spots (though his arm is an issue in right field), he'd be a valuable bench piece for A's skipper Bob Melvin.
Jorge De La Rosa Gets Traded to the San Francisco Giants
6 of 6
Colorado Gets: RHP Michael Santos and a player to be named later
San Francisco Gets: LHP Jorge De La Rosa
The Rumor/Speculation
The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman tweeted that the Giants are looking to add another starting pitcher to the mix. Given the makeup of their rotation, odds are it's a back-of-the-rotation arm they seek.
Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post believes the Rockies will be sellers at the trade deadline and named De La Rosa as the team's "most realistic trade possibility."
Why It Makes Sense for Colorado
With De La Rosa set to hit free agency after the season and the Rockies having a number of young arms expected to contribute next year, it makes sense to get something back for the veteran southpaw rather than let him walk away for free.
Santos, 21, projects as a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues—one who should be able to induce his fair share of ground balls if he continues to attack the lower half of the strike zone. That he's a few years away isn't a major concern, as Santos adds to the back end of Colorado's pitching pipeline.
Why It Makes Sense for San Francisco
Given his struggles this season and looming free agency, De La Rosa won't cost nearly as much as other starters who become available.
While the 35-year-old has pitched to a 2.25 ERA over his last four starts, he's issued nearly as many walks (13) as he's recorded strikeouts (14) in that span. Those command issues help explain why he has a bloated 5.98 ERA and 1.60 WHIP on the year despite his recent stretch of success.
Unless the Giants are willing to part with the likes of Christian Arroyo, Tyler Beede and Phil Bickford, pitchers like De La Rosa—who come with some question marks—figure to be their most realistic option to add rotation reinforcements.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs and are current through games of July 4. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts (via Baseball Prospectus).
Hit me up on Twitter to talk all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR.
.png?w=480)
