Final Fact or Fiction on All of MLB's Hottest Pre-Deadline Buzz, Rumors

Who's ready for some MLB blockbusters?

One major chip fell on the starting pitching market when the Chicago Cubs acquired Jose Quintana earlier in July, but plenty of intriguing arms are readily available, including aces Sonny Gray (OAK), Justin Verlander (DET) and Yu Darvish (TEX) as well as second-tier arms like Dan Straily (MIA), Lance Lynn (STL) and Ervin Santana (MIN).

Meanwhile, teams in search of bullpen help are eyeballing the likes of Zach Britton (BAL), Brad Hand (SD), Justin Wilson (DET), AJ Ramos (MIA), Addison Reed (NYM), Brandon Kintzler (MIN), Tony Watson (PIT) and Jerry Blevins (NYM).

The market for bats is considerably thinner, especially with J.D. Martinez, Todd Frazier and Eduardo Nunez already on new teams. Still, guys like Yonder Alonso (OAK), Zack Cozart (CIN), Jay Bruce (NYM), Jed Lowrie (OAK) and Jonathan Lucroy (TEX) can make a difference for a contender.

With the non-waiver trade deadline set to arrive Monday, let's take one final run through the market's hottest rumors and play some fact or fiction.

Twins Finally Ready to Move Ervin Santana?

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The Rumor

Jon Morosi of MLB.com said Wednesday: "Sources: Twins will consider moving Ervin Santana—and even the recently acquired Jaime Garcia—if team's recent struggles continue."

Overview

The Minnesota Twins are hanging on the fringe of contention after a terrific start to the season and have been reluctant to part with veteran starter Ervin Santana.

The 34-year-old carries a reasonable $13.5 million salary for next season with a $14 million option for 2018, so he's more than a rental arm for teams that need to bolster the rotation.

An All-Star for the second time in his career this year, Santana has gone 11-7 with a 3.37 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 136.1 innings.

However, he's fallen off of late, going 4-5 with a 5.46 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in his past 10 starts.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

Santana's recent struggles will be enough for teams to balk at Minnesota's initial asking price, and the Twins value his veteran presence and inning-eating ability enough that they won't come down.

Brad Hand Staying Put?

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The Rumor

San Diego Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said Wednesday on The Mighty 1090 AM (via Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune): "There's a lot of interest in Brad, and we think he's a very valuable commodity. Other things being equal, right now I don't see us moving him, because we value him more than what's being offered and we think he could be part of the team for the foreseeable future."

Overview

When Brad Hand came to the San Diego Padres in 2016, he was a failed starting pitcher with a 4.71 career ERA over parts of five seasons in the Marlins organization.

Now he's the most coveted bullpen arm on this year's trade market.

Since the start of last season, when he made the full-time move to the bullpen, Hand has pitched to a 2.61 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 11.3 K/9 and 37 holds in 129 appearances.

The 27-year-old is making just $1.38 million this season, and he's under team control through the 2019 season, making him an incredibly valuable commodity.

Fact or Fiction: Fact

The lefty reliever market is flush, with the likes of Justin Wilson, Zach Britton, Tony Watson and Jerry Blevins all potentially available. With GM A.J. Preller reportedly asking for teams' "top, top prospects" in exchange for Hand, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, the guess is he will stay put.

Dan Straily on the Move?

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The Rumor

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported Thursday: "Sources: The Marlins are now open to trading SP Dan Straily and have started telling teams he's available. In thin market, he's got value."

Overview

Dan Straily went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 191.1 innings for the Cincinnati Reds last season after joining the team as a waiver claim. They then sold high on him during the offseason, shipping him to the Miami Marlins for a three-prospect package headlined by pitcher Luis Castillo.

Despite some strong regression red flags, Straily has been solid once again, going 7-6 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.19 WHIP while lowering his walk rate (3.4 to 2.5 BB/9) and raising his strikeout rate (7.6 to 8.2 K/9).

The 28-year-old will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, and he's under team control through 2020, making him an appealing low-cost pickup capable of serving as a solid No. 3/4 starter on a contender going forward.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

The Marlins would surely love to unload the contract of Brad Ziegler and flip closer AJ Ramos for a solid prospect haul, but it's hard to imagine they are motivated to move Straily. Despite his remaining control and low cost, he's not the kind of arm a contender is going to overpay for.

Jonathan Lucroy to the Colorado Rockies?

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

The Rumor

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported Tuesday: "The Rockies, perhaps looking to see if beefing up at catcher could help their young rotation, have expressed interest in the Rangers' Jonathan Lucroy, Major League sources said."

Overview

With an offense that's racking up 5.3 runs per game, it might seem strange that the biggest rumor around the Colorado Rockies has to do with a bat and not an arm.

However, the catcher position has been an obvious hole, as the likes of Tony Wolters, Ryan Hanigan, Tom Murphy and Dustin Garneau have combined for a .620 OPS with three home runs on the season.

The question is, would Jonathan Lucroy be an upgrade?

The 31-year-old was arguably the best offensive catcher in baseball last season, hitting .292/.355/.500 with 24 home runs and 81 RBI. However, his production has nosedived this season, as he sports a .245/.300/.342 triple-slash line with just 19 extra-base hits in 303 plate appearances.

Despite those offensive struggles, Lucroy has once again been a solid defender, as he ranks eighth in overall defensive value among catchers at FanGraphs.

The Texas Rangers gave up a ton of prospect talent to acquire him from the Milwaukee Brewers last summer, but he won't cost nearly as much this time around, as his numbers are down and he's headed for free agency.

Fact or Fiction: Fact

This deal makes a lot of sense for both sides. The Rockies get a more experienced backstop with upside at a relatively low cost, while the Rangers recoup some prospect talent and open up more playing time for Robinson Chirinos.

The St. Louis Cardinals as Sellers?

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Rumor

Morosi said Wednesday:

"The Cardinals are emerging as an intriguing seller, and scouts from the Dodgers and Nationals were among those to attend Tuesday's game in St. Louis—with trade candidate Lance Lynn on the mound. ... The Cardinals are expected to listen to offers for Tommy Pham and/or Randal Grichuk in the coming days. Especially after acquiring Tyler O'Neill from the Mariners last week, the Cards have a surplus of outfielders."

Overview

As of Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals were one game under .500 with a 50-51 record, 3.5 games back in third place in the NL Central standings and seven games back with two teams to pass in the NL wild-card race.

Will that be enough for a club that's been a perennial contender to consider selling?

Lance Lynn is 8-6 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 120.2 innings this season, and he's the team's most attractive trade chip as a rental option set to reach free agency this coming offseason. The 30-year-old has been particularly great of late with a 0.71 ERA in his past four starts.

Team president John Mozeliak met with Lynn recently to discuss his future, a situation that Mozeliak described to reporters as "fluid."

As for those outfielders, they represent different potential trade chips.

Tommy Pham has been the team's best hitter with a .934 OPS, 27 extra-base hits and a 3.8 WAR, and he is under team control through the 2021 season. However, he's also already 29, and selling high now could prove wise.

On the other hand, Randal Grichuk is still trying to make enough consistent contact to tap into his tremendous raw power. He's more of a buy-low project who could appeal more to rebuilding teams than contenders.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

The NL Central is still up for grabs, and the Cardinals are fresh off a three-game sweep of a good Colorado Rockies team. That will be enough for them to hold on to their chips and push for another postseason appearance.

Sonny Gray to the New York Yankees?

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

The Rumor

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Wednesday: "The belief among executives from interested teams is that most have let the A's know the significant piece or two that they would be willing to include in a multi-prospect trade for Sonny Gray. ... These executives indicated a belief that the Yankees have proposed the best players to top the deal to date."

Overview

"We've never really committed to a full rebuild," Oakland Athletics team president Billy Beane recently told reporters before expanding on the team's plans going forward:

"One of our approaches in the past has been to really take some of the risk out of deals by virtue of getting guys maybe who were closer, that maybe you had more information on, and maybe staying away from, say, high-risk, high-reward things. Our approach now given the commitment we have is try to get the best players, period. And understanding also that this process doesn't happen overnight and we're going to have to be patient with it."

That sounds like a man who's ready to turn his full attention to the future, and the first big step would be trading ace Sonny Gray.

The 27-year-old has rebounded nicely from an injury-plagued 2016 season, going 6-5 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 94 strikeouts in 97 innings to rebuild his trade value.

For a New York Yankees team with one eye on a postseason run and the other on a promising future, making a play for a quality starter with team control through the 2019 season fits the win-now mentality without mortgaging the future.

Fact or Fiction: Fact

The Yankees have the pieces to land Gray without giving up Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier or Chance Adams.

Morosi said the A's are focusing their prospect search on outfield prospects and that the Yankees have an intriguing one in the 19-year-old Estevan Florial.

A package built around him and someone from the group of Domingo Acevedo, Miguel Andujar, Albert Abreu and Jorge Mateo—with a couple of lower-level lottery tickets to round things out—could get a deal done.

Justin Verlander to the Chicago Cubs?

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The Rumor

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Tuesday: "If the Cubs want to pursue Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander—one of perhaps 20 trade options they are considering, according to major-league sources—they've got the financial flexibility to pull off such a move."

Overview

The Chicago Cubs swung a blockbuster deal to acquire Quintana from the Chicago White Sox on July 13, but they might not be finished bolstering the rotation.

With Jake Arrieta and John Lackey both headed for free agency at season's end, filling out the staff beyond Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Quintana remains atop the big picture to-do list.

Could that mean a deal for the Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander?

The 34-year-old hasn't pitched as well as he did last season, when he finished second in AL Cy Young voting, but he also hasn't been as bad as his 4.50 ERA and 1.44 WHIP may lead you to believe.

If you're strongly against cherry-picking stats, avert your eyes: Taking away two brutal shellackings at the hands of the Cleveland Indians, Verlander has posted a 3.55 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in his other 19 starts.

The major sticking point is the $28 million salary he carries in each of the next two seasons and the Tigers' reported unwillingness to pay that down.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

The Cubs have the payroll flexibility to take on Verlander's contract, but is that the best use of their money?

Arrieta remains a candidate to be re-signed, and he's fresh off a solid July that saw him post a 2.25 ERA over five starts. If he bolts for greener pastures, a run at Yu Darvish in free agency is also an appealing option.

Both of those players would require commitments beyond the two years the team would be pledging to Verlander, but given his age, they still look like safer choices.

Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers?

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

The Rumor

Morosi reported Sunday: "Sources: Dodgers showing strong interest in Yu Darvish, as are multiple other teams. Talks remain in early stages."

Overview

It makes perfect sense teams are more open to parting with top prospects when it means adding a pitcher who is controllable beyond this season. That's why Quintana cost the Cubs their two best prospects, and that's why the asking price on Gray is so high.

Make no mistake, though: Darvish is the best pitcher available on this year's trade market. He just comes as a two-month hired gun with free agency and a $100 million-plus payday waiting in the offseason.

The 30-year-old was crushed Wednesday, allowing nine hits and 10 earned runs over 3.2 innings to raise his ERA from 3.44 to 4.01, but prior to that, he was having another terrific season and piling up strikeouts at his usual rate.

Fact or Fiction: Fact

Targeting a player like Darvish doesn't make sense for a lot of teams, but for a Los Angeles Dodgers club that already looks like the best in baseball, he's the perfect all-in target for a run at winning it all.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted and accurate through Wednesday's games.