2016 MLB Trade Deadline Predictions for Every Team
We are now less than two weeks away from the Aug. 1 non-waiver MLB trade deadline, and the trade market is starting to heat up.
There have already been a few notable deals since the All-Star break.
The Boston Red Sox picked up left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres to kick off the second half, and the Chicago Cubs acquired swingman Mike Montgomery from the Seattle Mariners in a four-player deal Wednesday afternoon, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.
Expect plenty more activity in the days to come as rebuilding teams cash in their trade chips and contenders look to shore up their rosters for a second-half push.
The trade deadline is an unpredictable time around baseball, but that's not going to stop us from trying our hand at some prognostication.
Ahead you'll find predictions for all 30 teams at this year's deadline.
Baltimore Orioles
1 of 30
Prediction: Baltimore will make no significant addition to the starting rotation.
The starting rotation has been the clear weakness for the Baltimore Orioles so far this season. Their 5.11 starters' ERA to this point ranks 27th in the majors.
Chris Tillman (13-2, 3.29 ERA) has been the one constant, and Kevin Gausman (1-7, 4.05 ERA) has provided more good than bad, but contending in October would be tough with the current staff.
That being said, the Orioles have not pulled off a deal to add a starting pitcher at the deadline since 2013, when they executed the ill-fated Jake Arrieta for Scott Feldman trade.
Expect them to kick the tires on the available arms and to perhaps add a low-cost veteran on the cheap, but the significant move the fanbase is hoping for won't happen.
Boston Red Sox
2 of 30
Prediction: The big trade already happened.
The Boston Red Sox struck quickly this trade season, acquiring Aaron Hill and Brad Ziegler ahead of the All-Star break and then picking up left-hander Drew Pomeranz to kick off the second half.
The Pomeranz deal cost them top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, and while they still have a loaded farm system, chances are they won't be shipping out any more top-tier prospects between now and Aug. 1.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched his best start of the season his last time out, and with Pomeranz in the fold, the starting rotation no longer looks like a glaring question mark.
Plus, Rodriguez sounds like a pitcher with newfound confidence on the hill.
"Everything is going good now," he told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "Not thinking at all if I was tipping. My slider is much better. I can locate it for strikes. I used it a lot. I'm not thinking mechanics, I'm just throwing it. Throw strikes and get better and better every day."
The team could add another bullpen arm or bench piece ahead of the deadline, but Boston has already made its big move.
New York Yankees
3 of 30
Prediction: Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Beltran will go; everyone else will stay.
At 48-46 on the year, the New York Yankees sit six games back in the AL East and five games back for the second AL wild card with three teams to overtake.
Wallace Matthews of ESPN.com reported earlier this month that the Yankees have been split on which direction the team should take at the deadline:
"According to a baseball source who spoke to ESPN on condition of anonymity, the opposing factions are composed of the baseball operations people, led by general manager Brian Cashman, who believe the team should sell off its assets and plan for the future, and the business side, which is led by owner Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine, who hold to the belief that the club is still in contention.
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Expect them to bite the bullet and trade upcoming free agents Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Beltran, but Andrew Miller, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Brett Gardner will stay put.
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Tampa Bay Rays
4 of 30
Prediction: The Rays will trade Matt Moore, while Jake Odorizzi and Drew Smyly will stay put.
A 3-22 stretch of games leading up to the All-Star break left the Tampa Bay Rays well out of contention and in an interesting position leading up to the deadline.
While the roster features significant upcoming free agents, there is a wealth of controllable starting pitching in a market starved for rotation help.
Moving at least one of Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly and Matt Moore now makes too much sense for the Rays to not consider it.
Odorizzi will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this coming offseason and probably has the most value of the trio, but Moore may be the arm they prefer to move, as his salary is set to jump to $7 million next year with a total of $26 million worth of options over the next three years.
Scouts from the Dodgers, Nationals, Pirates, Rangers and Red Sox were all in attendance when Moore pitched Saturday, according to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times.
The Pirates wind up as the landing spot in these predictions, and we'll have more on that when we get to Pittsburgh.
Toronto Blue Jays
5 of 30
Prediction: The Blue Jays will roll the dice on Rich Hill.
Rich Hill has seen his value take a significant hit since opening the year 8-3 with a 2.25 ERA over 11 starts.
A groin injury sidelined him for more than a month, and now he's dealing with a blister issue that forced him out of his most recent start after just one batter.
All told, he's made three starts and pitched 12 innings since May 29, and he's doubtful to make his next scheduled start Sunday, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com.
He could make just one start before the deadline, and then the A's will likely ship him off to the highest bidder.
The 36-year-old comes with some obvious risk, but he has a chance to deliver terrific value if he can put the blister problem behind him and stay healthy the rest of the way.
According to Jeff Simmons of Sportsnet, the Blue Jays still intend on moving Aaron Sanchez back to the bullpen at some point to limit his innings, which would put them in the market for a quality arm to pair with Marco Estrada atop the rotation.
Hill could be the answer.
A package built around a high-ceiling lower-level arm such as Hansel Rodriguez or pop-up prospect Angel Perdomo might allow the team to hold on to its top prospects this time around while still upgrading the staff.
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Prediction: The front office will buy...even though it shouldn't.
The Chicago White Sox front office has a history of not knowing when to throw in the towel, and it sounds like we're headed for more of the same here in 2016.
"We're certainly out there continuing our conversations daily with other clubs and looking for the right opportunities to improve ourselves for 2016 and beyond," general manager Rick Hahn told reporters, including Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago.
The White Sox are 46-48 on the year—10 games back in the AL Central and seven games back with six teams to pass for the second AL wild-card slot.
They don't have the high-end prospects to pull off a huge trade, but giving up any young talent at this point to make a push for a winning record and little else would be foolish.
That's exactly what they'll do, though.
Cleveland Indians
7 of 30
Prediction: The injury to Yan Gomes will lead to a trade for Derek Norris.
The Cleveland Indians were already in the market for a potential upgrade at catcher, given Yan Gomes' struggles.
The 2014 Silver Slugger winner is hitting .165/.198/.313 on the year, which gives him the lowest batting average, on-base percentage and OPS among the 198 players with at least 250 plate appearances.
That need to upgrade became even more significant earlier this week when Gomes suffered a separated shoulder. He's expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, according to ESPN.com.
Jonathan Lucroy is the name that immediately jumps to mind as a potential target, and the two sides were in fact discussing a deal as recently as Wednesday, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.
However, the Indians have generally balked at giving up their top-tier prospects, and that makes San Diego Padres backstop Derek Norris a far more likely target.
Norris, 27, is hitting .209/.268/.392 on the year, but he's shown good pop with 14 doubles and 12 home runs.
Per StatCorner, he also ranks as a positive pitch-framer. He's thrown out 30 percent of base stealers, and his 1.2 dWAR is tied for second among all catchers.
Norris is under team control through the 2018 season, so he'd be more than just a rental piece. Even then, he should still come cheaper than Lucroy.
Detroit Tigers
8 of 30
Prediction: Detroit won't make any significant additions.
The Detroit Tigers wound up selling aggressively at the deadline last year, shipping out David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria and bringing back a solid prospect haul that included 2016 standout Michael Fulmer.
At 49-46 they are in second place in the AL Central and just 4.5 games out for the second AL wild-card spot, so they won't be selling off pieces this time around.
However, they won't bring any significant additions aboard either.
"The Tigers aren't likely to make big moves before the deadline, with a large payroll that will limit their flexibility and a number of tough-to-move contracts on the books," wrote Charlie Wilmoth of MLB Trade Rumors in reference to a video from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Sorting out the back of the rotation, where young starters Daniel Norris and Matthew Boyd are both options, and potentially promoting standout prospect Joe Jimenez from the minors to help out in the bullpen could solidify the pitching staff while staying in house.
Kansas City Royals
9 of 30
Prediction: Ervin Santana will reunite with the Royals.
The Kansas City Royals are in desperate need of help in the starting rotation with a staff that ranks 25th in the majors with a 5.01 starters' ERA.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe pointed to the Royals and Orioles as two potential landing spots for veteran right-hander Ervin Santana, noting that the Minnesota Twins would be willing to take a lesser return to dump the bulk of the $28 million left on his contract over the next two years.
The Royals are familiar with Santana.
The 33-year-old pitched for Kansas City in 2013, going 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.142 WHIP over 211 innings of work to earn a qualifying offer before signing a one-year, $14.1 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.
He's thrown the ball fairly well this season with a 3.93 ERA (4.03 FIP) and 1.282 WHIP over 18 starts. If nothing else, he's a steady innings eater whom the Royals could count on to take the ball every fifth day.
If all he costs is a couple of lower-level prospects and the salary hit, it's a move the Royals will have to consider.
Minnesota Twins
10 of 30
Prediction: Minnesota will trade Ervin Santana but retain Eduardo Nunez.
The Minnesota Twins get their wish and find a taker for Ervin Santana in the Kansas City Royals, but their other top trade chip will stay put.
Eduardo Nunez has come out of nowhere this season to post a .309/.335/.465 line with 15 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 RBI, 48 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.
That earned him a spot in the All-Star Game as the Twins representative and has made the 29-year-old an obvious trade chip for a last-place club.
However, there's really not much of a market for shortstop help.
Zack Cozart of the Cincinnati Reds would likely be a contender's first choice if a team was serious about upgrading the position. At this point it probably makes sense for the Twins to hold on to Nunez—who is controlled through 2017—and shop him during the offseason.
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Prediction: Houston will make no significant additions.
Since starting the season with a disappointing 17-28 record, the Houston Astros have once again looked like a serious threat in the AL.
They've gone an MLB-best 34-16 in their last 50 games with a plus-76 run differential, pulling to within 3.5 games of the Texas Rangers in the AL West in the process.
The pitching staff that struggled early in the year has posted a 3.26 ERA since the beginning of July, and the offense is firing on all cylinders behind the one-two punch of Jose Altuve and George Springer.
More help is on the way in that department, as top prospect Alex Bregman and recent signing Yulieski Gourriel are both expected to join the roster at some point this summer.
Houston could acquire a low-cost bullpen arm or starting pitching depth, but don't expect anything close to the splashy deadline we saw from the Astros a year ago.
Los Angeles Angels
12 of 30
Prediction: L.A. will shop Matt Shoemaker, laying the groundwork for an offseason trade.
Matt Shoemaker kicked off the 2016 season in disastrous fashion.
When the month of April came to a close, he was 1-4 with a 9.15 ERA over five starts and found himself shipped to Triple-A as a result.
He returned a few weeks later as a different pitcher, going 4-5 with a 2.85 ERA, 1.113 WHIP and an impressive ratio of 94 strikeouts to 12 walks over 85.1 innings of work.
Shoemaker is under team control through the 2020 season, but the late bloomer is also already 29 years old. For a Los Angeles Angels team with a paper-thin farm system and no chance of contending this season, the time might be now to cash in on his value.
Expect the Angels to listen to offers leading up to the deadline, but at this point it might make more sense to move him during the offseason with his stock on the rise.
It stands to reason that even more teams will vie for his services this winter amid a free-agent crop that is expected to be historically thin on starting pitching help.
So long as the Angels are confident he can keep pitching at a high level the rest of the way, he'll likely stay put.
Oakland Athletics
13 of 30
Prediction: Josh Reddick will stay put and receive a qualifying offer.
Regardless of how things play out from a health standpoint, the Oakland Athletics will likely sell Rich Hill to the highest bidder at the trade deadline, and we have him landing in Toronto in this set of predictions.
It's a bit harder to get a read on what the Athletics intend to do with outfielder Josh Reddick.
He was hitting .322/.394/.466 on May 19 when he suffered a fractured thumb that sidelined him until June 28. Back then, he looked like one of the most valuable rental options on the market.
However, he's batted just .254/.347/.397 with one home run in 72 plate appearances since returning, and his value has plummeted as a result.
There was talk of a potential extension for Reddick during the offseason. He turned down a three-year, $36 million offer and countered with a four-year, $56 million proposal, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Those talks have not picked back up, so a new deal seems unlikely at this point, but the A's could prefer to extend Reddick a qualifying offer instead of taking lesser prospects to trade him at the deadline.
That could also keep the door open to a potential offseason extension, as the 29-year-old remains a valuable commodity.
Seattle Mariners
14 of 30
Prediction: Seattle will trade Adam Lind.
The Seattle Mariners acquired prospect Dan Vogelbach from the Cubs on Wednesday in a four-player deal that sent left-hander Mike Montgomery to Chicago, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.
Vogelbach, 23, didn't have a clear path to playing time in Chicago, as he's limited to first base defensively and was not going to unseat incumbent Anthony Rizzo.
He's done nothing but hit in the minor leagues. His .318/.425/.548 line with 18 doubles, 16 home runs and 64 RBI this season in Triple-A has him knocking on the door to the majors.
Meanwhile, Adam Lind has struggled in his first season with the Mariners, posting a .231/.264/.449 line and losing playing time to Dae-Ho Lee as a result.
Lind does have value thanks to his power from the left side of the plate, as he has 15 home runs and 43 RBI in 261 plate appearances.
Calling up Vogelbach and dealing Lind could allow the Mariners to add bullpen help while potentially upgrading the offense at the same time.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweeted that there was a belief the Mariners would shop Lind even before they made this trade, and it makes that much more sense now.
Texas Rangers
15 of 30
Prediction: Texas will trade Joey Gallo or Lewis Brinson for Anthony DeSclafani.
The Texas Rangers have never shied away from making the big move at the deadline, and they could be in a position to make a blockbuster move once again in 2016.
"We want to do what makes most sense for the team, both long- and short-term," general manager Jon Daniels told reporters, including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "When you have a club playing well, the front office, we always feel like we want to help out, but it's got to make sense for us."
So where might the team be looking to upgrade?
"We're a lot more focused on the pitching side," Daniels said when asked about potentially targeting Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
Plenty of teams have inquired about Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar, but the team would prefer to build a prospect package around outfielder Lewis Brinson, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Buster Olney of ESPN took it a step further, saying that some feel the team's unwillingness to part with Gallo is a "smoke screen" and that he is not necessarily untouchable.
At any rate, it would likely take a controllable young arm for the team to consider giving up either top prospect. Cincinnati Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani would fit the bill.
The 26-year-old is controllable through the 2020 season, but the rebuilding Reds could look to sell high and cash in on a seller's market.
A package built around one of Gallo or Brinson, accompanied by a lower-level arm such as Ariel Jurado or Yohander Mendez, could be enough to convince the Reds to part with their young starter.
Atlanta Braves
16 of 30
Prediction: Julio Teheran is not going anywhere.
Last time we heard from Atlanta Braves GM John Coppolella on the subject of ace Julio Teheran, nothing had changed.
"Stop me if you've heard this before, but will you trade Julio Teheran?" asked Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an email Q&A.
"No. We aren't trading Julio" was the short and sweet answer.
The Braves have done a terrific job of building up the farm system on the trade market in recent years, and it appears they think Teheran fits as part of the next contending team in Atlanta.
He's on a team-friendly deal through 2020, so even if Atlanta does decide to eventually move him, there's really no rush.
Unless someone comes along with an out-of-this-world offer, Teheran isn't going anywhere this summer.
Miami Marlins
17 of 30
Prediction: Miami will acquire Jeremy Hellickson from the Phillies.
The Miami Marlins have been one of the biggest surprises so far this season.
They hold a one-game lead over the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals for the No. 2 wild-card spot in the NL with a 51-43 record, and they've played terrific baseball of late, going 7-2 in their last nine games.
While there is no glaring hole on the offensive side of things, the starting rotation is in need of reinforcement if the Marlins are going to make a serious push for the postseason.
Jose Fernandez is an absolute stud, and lefties Wei-Yin Chen and Adam Conley are quality options.
However, Tom Koehler has been hit hard (4.68 ERA, 1.600 WHIP, .281 BAA), and the No. 5 starter spot has been a revolving door with five different pitchers combining to go 3-6 with a 5.79 ERA in 19 starts.
The Marlins don't have the farm system to make a huge splash, but a veteran such as Jeremy Hellickson should be within reach, and Joe Frisaro of MLB.com identified him as someone on the team's radar.
Hellickson squared off against the Marlins on Wednesday, allowing just five hits and one earned run over eight innings while striking out eight to lower his ERA to 3.84 on the year.
"Other clubs say the Phillies are looking for a return similar to what they got for Jonathan Papelbon last season: a young pitcher or two with a live arm and upside but not a top-ranked prospect," wrote Jayson Stark of ESPN.com in regard to what type of return it might take to land Hellickson.
Luis Castillo is one such arm in the Marlins system. He can dial his fastball up to triple digits with a plus slider, but the 23-year-old is still rough around the edges and is not a top-10 prospect in the organization.
New York Mets
18 of 30
Prediction: The Mets will acquire Joe Smith to bolster the bullpen.
The New York Mets are not without issues on the offensive side of things, but they are prioritizing bullpen help at the deadline, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
"The Mets again are in the market for a reliever and hope to find another hidden gem," wrote Marc Craig of Newsday, referring to the addition of Addison Reed last summer. "... Sources say they are targeting an experienced right-hander to fill out a bullpen that continues to be a strength."
If they're not looking to pay a steep price for one of the top arms on the market and are instead targeting "hidden gems," Joe Smith would make sense.
Dating back to the 2011 season, Smith has appeared in at least 70 games each season while pitching to a 2.51 ERA, 1.101 WHIP and 7.4 K/9.
However, in 33 games so far this season, he has a 4.36 ERA, 1.394 WHIP and 6.5 K/9 and has missed time with a hamstring injury.
The free-agent-to-be should come relatively cheap and be readily available from a non-contending Los Angeles Angels team. A change of scenery to a contender now that he's healthy could spark his season.
Smith also has history with the Mets. They originally drafted him in the third round of the 2006 draft, and he spent his first two big league seasons in New York.
Philadelphia Phillies
19 of 30
Prediction: Philly will move Jeremy Hellickson, Jeanmar Gomez and David Hernandez.
The Philadelphia Phillies have sold off virtually all their movable parts over the past few years, but starter Jeremy Hellickson and setup man David Hernandez have both pitched well enough to emerge as trade chips after being acquired in the offseason.
Meanwhile, right-hander Jeanmar Gomez has emerged as the unlikely closer of the team after entering the season with just one career save.
Hellickson and Hernandez are all but certain to be moved ahead of the deadline, and Gomez has enough value that the Phillies should find an attractive enough offer out there to pull the trigger on moving the 28-year-old.
For teams that are not willing to pay the price to acquire Andrew Miller or Jeremy Jeffress, Gomez is a good second-tier option for upgrading the back of the bullpen.
We have Hellickson going to the Marlins and Gomez going to the Giants in these predictions, and we'll say Hernandez winds up on the Dodgers.
Washington Nationals
20 of 30
Prediction: After missing out on Aroldis Chapman, Washington will settle for Will Smith.
With Matt Thornton's departure in free agency and Oliver Perez's failure to fill his spot in the bullpen, the Washington Nationals are searching for a left-handed reliever to plug into a late-inning role.
Their top target appears to be Aroldis Chapman.
"Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman is the Nationals' most likely target, sources say—manager Dusty Baker is fond of him from their days together with the Reds, and the acquisition cost for Andrew Miller might be beyond the Nats' liking," wrote Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
The Nationals have the trade chips to land Chapman, but they're not the only team that is hot on his trail, and in these predictions we say the flamethrower goes to the Chicago Cubs.
That leaves the Nationals to turn to plan B: Milwaukee Brewers setup man Will Smith.
Smith, 27, missed time early with a knee injury, but he's posted a 2.00 ERA and 0.889 WHIP with seven holds in 21 appearances.
His strikeout rate has declined from 12.9 to 8.0 per nine innings, his fastball velocity has dipped from 93.2 to 91.6 mph and he's benefited from a .182 batting average on balls in play, but he has continued to get guys out. His impressive track record takes some of the worry out of those potential red flags.
Smith is also under team control through the 2019 season, so he'd be more than a rental player while coming at a fraction of the cost of someone like Miller.
Chicago Cubs
21 of 30
Prediction: Chicago will acquire Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees.
The addition of Mike Montgomery in a trade with the Seattle Mariners does not prevent the Chicago Cubs from making another move to upgrade the bullpen.
A run at Aroldis Chapman is still a possibility.
Montgomery is a former starter capable of going multiple innings or serving as a lefty specialist, and he factors into the team's future plans as much as the present ones with team control through the 2021 season.
There is still a need for a power arm to join Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon in the late innings, and Chapman fits the bill.
The Cubs have some interesting in-house options who are working their way back from injury in Brian Matusz and Joe Nathan, while Carl Edwards Jr. has begun to show signs of being ready for a more significant role.
Still, the bullpen has been the clear weakness for the Cubs to this point. Adding a proven, dominant arm such as Chapman to the back end could solidify the staff for what is expected to be a significant postseason run.
Cincinnati Reds
22 of 30
Prediction: Jay Bruce will bring back a top-100 prospect.
We've already proposed a deal that sends either Joey Gallo or Lewis Brinson to the Cincinnati Reds in a package to acquire right-hander Anthony DeSclafani.
Could the Reds net another top-100 prospect in return for All-Star outfielder Jay Bruce?
This set of predictions has him going to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a wealth of talent in what many consider the deepest farm system in baseball.
Bruce is more than just a rental bat with a reasonable $13 million option for 2017. He's in the midst of a major bounce-back season with an .844 OPS, 21 doubles, 19 home runs and 66 RBI.
It's unlikely the Dodgers would part with anyone from the trio of Jose De Leon, Cody Bellinger or Alex Verdugo to acquire Bruce, but a package built around Grant Holmes or Frankie Montas is a possibility.
Holmes ranked No. 60 and Montas checked in at No. 82 in the midseason top-100 prospect update from Baseball America.
Interestingly enough, Montas was part of the three-team deal that sent Todd Frazier to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, as he went from Chicago to Los Angeles in that trade.
We'll say one of them ends up making the move to Cincinnati, where he joins a farm system deep on pitching talent but still lacking a future ace.
Milwaukee Brewers
23 of 30
Prediction: Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun will both stay put.
That's right, Milwaukee Brewers fans: It's going to be a quiet trade deadline.
At this point, the one team that looks to have a realistic shot of meeting the asking price for All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy is the Atlanta Braves.
According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the Braves are looking to shore up their catcher situation for the 2017 season. Then again, why not just wait until the offseason to pursue Lucroy if he is in fact a target?
The Rangers and Indians make sense on paper, but the Rangers are more focused on pitching, while the Indians have a long history of clinging to their top prospects.
Expect Lucroy to begin the 2017 season in a new uniform, but there's a good chance he stays put this summer.
As for Ryan Braun, it's still hard to wrap your head around a situation where he's traded with $80 million left on his contract.
Even with strong numbers this season, he's already 32 years old, and the Brewers don't seem desperate enough to move him that they'd eat a significant chunk of that money.
Pittsburgh Pirates
24 of 30
Prediction: Pittsburgh will acquire Matt Moore to bolster the rotation.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a unique situation where they are trying to unload starters Jon Niese and Jeff Locke but at the same time are looking to add a starter to bolster the rotation.
Rookies Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl have all made starts as the Pirates continue to piece together the rotation with an injured Gerrit Cole and a number of struggling veterans.
Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times named the Pirates among five teams that were scouting the Rays' Matt Moore in his most recent start.
Moore is the type of player the Pirates generally target—a talented pitcher who has not tapped into his full potential and could benefit from the tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage.
The 27-year-old was an All-Star in 2013 when he went 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.297 WHIP, but Tommy John surgery and his subsequent recovery limited him to just 14 starts the next two seasons.
He's back healthy this year and is 5-7 with a 4.33 ERA, 1.298 WHIP and 98 strikeouts in 116.1 innings.
The Rays signed him to an early extension, and he's owed a total of $26 million worth of options over the next three years.
Outfield prospect Harold Ramirez could be the centerpiece of the trade package. The Pirates already have a full outfield in the big leagues, as well as top prospect Austin Meadows knocking on the door in the minors.
St. Louis Cardinals
25 of 30
Prediction: Jim Johnson will be the biggest deadline addition.
Going after veteran relievers with closer experience has been a trend for the St. Louis Cardinals in recent years.
Jonathan Broxton, Steve Cishek, John Axford, Brian Fuentes and Octavio Dotel have all been July additions who fit that description, dating back to the 2011 deadline.
So who could be next as the Cardinals once again look to round out their relief corps?
Jim Johnson could be an option on a one-year deal with the rebuilding Atlanta Braves.
The 33-year-old has 136 career saves to his credit, including back-to-back 50-save seasons with the Baltimore Orioles in 2012 and 2013.
He's bounced around the past few seasons, and this is his second stop in Atlanta, where he has a 4.59 ERA, 1.380 WHIP and 7.6 K/9 in 34 appearances on the year.
There's a good chance the Cardinals will give top prospect Alex Reyes a look in the bullpen down the stretch, so don't expect them to make a huge addition.
Instead, they'll settle for grabbing another former closer on the cheap.
Arizona Diamondbacks
26 of 30
Prediction: Arizona will trade Daniel Hudson but retain Tyler Clippard.
The Arizona Diamondbacks didn't expect to be sellers this year after the offseason additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller.
They already moved their most valuable trade chip in closer Brad Ziegler, and there's little left in the way of movable assets that the team is expected to shop.
Relievers Tyler Clippard and Daniel Hudson should draw interest, though.
Clippard signed a two-year, $12.25 million deal in the offseason, and he's taken over closer duties since Ziegler departed.
The D-backs will be looking to make a run at contention once again next season, so unless they get an offer that is too good to pass up, Clippard should factor into their 2017 plans.
Hudson, on the other hand, is a free agent at season's end. While he won't net a huge return, he should bring back a mid-level prospect as a quality arm with late-inning experience.
Colorado Rockies
27 of 30
Prediction: Colorado won't seriously shop Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon.
While the Colorado Rockies finally traded Troy Tulowitzki at the deadline last year, it doesn't mean they're ready to part with fellow superstar Carlos Gonzalez.
"If the Rockies had a burning desire to trade Carlos Gonzalez, they certainly would have done it by now. They've had numerous opportunities over the year," said Ken Rosenthal in a video from Fox Sports. "The contract of GM Jeff Bridich, sources say, also is up after next season, and the best chance the Rockies have of winning short-term is by keeping CarGo."
We can say the same about center fielder Charlie Blackmon.
The 30-year-old is hitting .308/.368/.483 on the year with 17 doubles, 12 home runs, 44 RBI and 53 runs scored.
He's under team control through the 2018 season and making a reasonable $3.5 million this year, so the Rockies have no reason to move him unless they're blown away with a chance to improve the pitching staff.
Colorado will no doubt listen to offers on both players, but don't expect it to seriously shop either of them.
Los Angeles Dodgers
28 of 30
Prediction: Jay Bruce will be the much-needed outfield upgrade.
It's been a rough season for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders:
- Yasiel Puig (295 PA, .257 BA, .698 OPS, 7 HR, 32 RBI)
- Joc Pederson (267 PA, .235 BA, .796 OPS, 13 HR, 35 RBI)
- Trayce Thompson (262 PA, .225 BA, .738 OPS, 13 HR, 32 RBI)
- Enrique Hernandez (143 PA, .189 BA, .626 OPS, 5 HR, 12 RBI)
- Scott Van Slyke (79 PA, .239 BA, .656 OPS, 1 HR, 6 RBI)
Thompson and Hernandez are both on the disabled list, which opened the door for Zach Walters and Andrew Toles to see their names penciled into the starting lineup this past week.
With that in mind, the Dodgers have at least checked in on Jay Bruce, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
As we said earlier, the trio of Jose De Leon, Cody Bellinger and Alex Verdugo would likely be off the table, but the Dodgers could use a package built around Grant Holmes or Frankie Montas to get a deal done for Bruce.
He would give them a power bat in the middle of the lineup and some consistency at a corner outfield spot, and he comes with the added bonus of a fairly reasonable $13 million option for 2017.
Of course, the health of Clayton Kershaw will have a direct impact on the team's deadline plans.
Manager Dave Roberts recognized that Kershaw could be headed for back surgery after suffering a setback in his rehab work, according to Doug Padilla of ESPN.com.
If that's the case, the Dodgers could turn their attention to finding an impact starter to anchor the rotation.
They could also simply stand pat if they don't feel they have a legitimate shot at winning it all without their ace, but that seems unlikely considering all of the money invested in this roster.
At any rate, Bruce looks like an ideal fit if Kershaw avoids surgery and the focus remains on adding a bat, so for now we'll stick with that as our prediction.
San Diego Padres
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Prediction: Derek Norris and Andrew Cashner will follow Drew Pomeranz out the door.
The San Diego Padres have already traded James Shields, Fernando Rodney and Drew Pomeranz, and chances are they're not finished dealing.
Catcher Derek Norris is under team control through the 2018 season, but moving him now would open the door for Austin Hedges to take over as the primary catcher.
Always known as an elite defensive backstop, Hedges hit a paltry .168/.215/.248 in 152 plate appearances as a rookie last season and was back in the minors to begin the 2016 season.
Things have seemingly clicked in Triple-A, as he's hitting a ridiculous .382/.425/.764 with 10 doubles, 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 179 plate appearances to lead the Pacific Coast League with an 1.188 OPS.
Meanwhile, starter Andrew Cashner is a free agent at season's end and one of the few rental options on the market for teams looking for a short-term rotation option.
It's been an up-and-down season for the 29-year-old, as he's gone 4-7 with a 5.05 ERA (5.11 FIP) and 1.478 WHIP in 67.2 innings.
He was sharp last time out, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out nine over six innings in a win against the San Francisco Giants.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, there were some rumblings that the Padres were making a push to trade him before his Thursday start, but Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports later reported there was a "99.9 percent [chance] nothing will happen" before his next start.
Regardless, expect him to join the list of jettisoned Padres by season's end.
San Francisco Giants
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Prediction: Jeanmar Gomez will be the big bullpen addition.
The San Francisco Giants have been "blanketing" the relief pitching market and have had top scouts in attendance to watch the Philadelphia Phillies duo of David Hernandez and Jeanmar Gomez, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.
The relief corps has been a strength of the Giants for so long, but it has taken a significant step backward this season, ranking 17th in the majors with a 4.00 bullpen ERA and 17 blown saves in 43 chances.
Gomez is the name to watch here.
The 28-year-old began the season with just one career save, but he's converted 26 of 29 chances since stepping into the closer's role with a 2.76 ERA and 1.117 WHIP over 43 total appearances.
He doesn't have overpowering stuff, as evidenced by his 5.7 K/9 strikeout rate, but he's been effective and comes with team control through next season.
The Giants don't have the prospect talent to land one of the market's marquee relief arms without parting with right-hander Phil Bickford or shortstop Christian Arroyo, and that's not going to happen.
Instead, picking up Gomez and perhaps another low-cost veteran will likely be their answer to addressing the bullpen.
All starts courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
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