MLB Trade Ideas Based on Offseason Week 14 News, Rumors and Speculation
All is quiet on the MLB trade market. With teams just about ready to exit offseason mode and enter spring training mode, that's not coincidental.
But it's not time to remove our speculation hats just yet.
Although rosters are mostly set for the spring, some teams still have questions to answer. Since the trade market contains possible answers to these questions, it's fair game to read the tea leaves and ponder some moves that could happen.
Braves Trade for Jurickson Profar
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Braves Get: INF Jurickson Profar
Rangers Get: LHP Sean Newcomb
Rumor/Speculation
With Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor and Adrian Beltre ahead of him on the Texas Rangers' infield depth chart, Jurickson Profar has been a man without a position for some time now. That's turned him into a living, breathing trade rumor. According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Tampa Bay Rays are only the latest to check in on Profar.
Why It Makes Sense for Atlanta
In adding Matt Kemp, Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey, Sean Rodriguez and Kurt Suzuki in recent months, the Atlanta Braves have positioned themselves for a step forward in 2017. Maybe they won't contend, but they should at least be better. And in the comfort of a new ballpark, to boot.
However, they could use some talent and upside at third base and/or second base, where Adonis Garcia and Jace Peterson are slated alongside franchise cornerstones Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman.
As a former No. 1 prospect who's still only 23 with three years of club control left, Profar fits the bill.
Grant wrote that the Rangers may be most likely to flip Profar for a minor league pitching prospect. The Braves have a ton of those, and Sean Newcomb is among the most expendable.
Why It Makes Sense for Texas
If Profar looks expendable now, he'll be even more so once the Rangers finally finish their free-agent dance with Mike Napoli. At that point, he would serve them better as a trade chip than as a utility man.
After all, Grant's not wrong about the club's shortage of minor league pitching depth. What's more, the Rangers are short on MLB-ready talent in general.
As ESPN.com's Keith Law wrote in ranking their farm system at No. 15 in the league: "The Rangers aren’t likely to get much, if any, big league help from the system in the next two seasons."
Newcomb should be ready for Triple-A in what will be his age-24 season in 2017. That would put him on the doorstep of the majors. While his control needs work, he already has the stuff to emerge as a contributor in the back end of the Rangers rotation.
Rays Trade for Tyler White
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Rays Get: 1B Tyler White
Astros Get: RHP Jacob Faria
Rumor/Speculation
In the wake of last week's trade of Logan Forsythe, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the Rays are likely to shift Brad Miller to second base and look outside the organization for a first baseman.
Why It Makes Sense for Tampa Bay
The Rays could gravitate to Chris Carter or Mark Reynolds on the open market. But that would mean spending decent money on only a short-term solution.
The trade market is where the Rays can find a long-term solution. Topkin mentioned C.J. Cron as an option, but a more attainable trade chip lies elsewhere in the American League West.
Tyler White lies buried deep on the Houston Astros' depth chart. That's partially his punishment for crumbling after a hot start in the majors last year. It's also partially a byproduct of the depth the Astros have added recently.
The Rays could find several things about White attractive. He's only 26 and controlled through 2022. He's also a right-handed hitter with an impressive .897 OPS in the minors. Since his stock has fallen like it has, he should only cost a nonessential prospect.
Why It Makes Sense for Houston
If White is going to get any playing time in Houston, he needs to get through Yulieski Gurriel, Marwin Gonzalez, A.J. Reed and potentially Colin Moran as well.
That's a guy who's better off being used as a trade chip. While White doesn't have a ton of value at this juncture, he should have enough to land Jacob Faria in a deal with the Rays.
The right-hander is rated as the Rays' No. 8 prospect by Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America. This is after the 23-year-old had a challenging season of his own at Double-A and Triple-A in 2016.
However, the Astros would like the sound of this, per Belinsky: "Faria's stuff isn't explosive. His game is founded upon his deception and downhill angle."
In short, he would eventually fit right in with an Astros rotation that eschews power pitching.
Orioles Trade for Travis Jankowski
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Orioles Get: OF Travis Jankowski
Padres Get: 1B Trey Mancini
Rumor/Speculation
Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones told reporters at the team's FanFest last weekend he wants Baltimore to do something to improve its outfield defense. Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com heard that and agrees it's the "most important void" the Orioles still need to fill.
Why It Makes Sense for Baltimore
With only scraps left on the free-agent market, the Orioles' best hope of finding a stud defensive outfielder is on the trade market. Specifically, in San Diego's section of it.
Travis Jankowski posted eight defensive runs saved and a 12.8 ultimate zone rating while playing all three outfield spots for the Padres last year.
Because Jankowski, 25, also has a weak bat, he profiles more as a fourth outfielder than as an everyday player. That makes him an ideal candidate to come to Baltimore and provide some athleticism to go with the Orioles' power.
The Orioles have so much power, in fact, that they can afford to part with Trey Mancini. It's not as if they have playing time for him anyway. He's blocked by Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo and is no answer for the club's outfield defense question.
Why It Makes Sense for San Diego
Now that Manuel Margot is ready for everyday duty in center field, Jankowski is superfluous in San Diego. Why play him for his defense when Margot has just as good a glove and a better bat?
What the Padres could use is some more power. With 41 minor league home runs since 2015, that's what Mancini is all about.
The catch is that Mancini has only ever played first base. With Wil Myers locked in at the not-so-hot corner, that would be a no-go in San Diego.
A move to left field, however, is not out of the question. That would allow Mancini to platoon with Alex Dickerson. Along with Hunter Renfroe in right field, that would give the Padres some good power in their corner outfield spots.
Data courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.
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