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MLB Trade Deadline 2018: Date, Time and Latest Rumors on Top Names
July 30, 2018
Sunday was a relatively quiet day on the MLB trade front, with the most notable move being the Atlanta Braves' acquisition of Baltimore Orioles reliever Brad Brach.
However, the non-waiver trade deadline of 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 31 looms large, so chances are there will be a ton of movement over the next couple days.
Here's a look at the latest rumors on three notable names.
The biggest name left on the trading block may be Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer, who has been the subject of numerous trade rumors recently.
Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports has the latest:
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanrays had two scouts watching top yankees lip prospect justus sheffield yesterday, adding intrigue to chris archer rumors (as @Joelsherman1 mentioned). another scout said: "was just ok ... fighting fastball command." padres still seen as current favorites for archer -- if he goes
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times discussed what a possible deal for Archer could look like: "With the Rays advancing Saturday to weighing offers, the question ultimately will be whether a team is willing to give up enough now, with a catcher and power-hitting outfielder a good start to a package, to get the Rays to say yes rather than wait for the offseason, or longer, to deal him."
Archer has been up and down in 2018. Only one of his first six outings was a quality start, but he bounced back in May and held the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Oakland Athletics scoreless in 12-plus combined frames. An abdominal strain kept him out for a month, but he returned healthy prior to the All-Star break.
After allowing three earned runs in 3.1 innings against the Detroit Tigers in his first appearance back, Archer has a 3.86 ERA in three starts, including 23 strikeouts in 16.1 innings.
At his best, Archer is a strikeout machine who can give a team seven-plus strong innings. Given that he's likely the best starting pitcher left on the trading block, he should return a sizable haul for Tampa Bay.
Adam Jones
The Baltimore Orioles are clear sellers at this year's deadline, as they have already dealt the aforementioned Brach, shortstop Manny Machado and southpaw reliever Zach Britton.
A few other names have been in the mix, including center fielder Adam Jones, a five-time All-Star who has been a mainstay in the Baltimore outfield for a decade.
However, it doesn't look like Jones is going anywhere for now, per Heyman:
Of course, the reasons for Jones wanting to stay are certainly legitimate, especially given that he's established roots in Baltimore since 2008. If he ever happens to change his mind, a playoff-contending team would be getting a solid outfielder who could plug a gap in a team's lineup. For the season, the 32-year-old Jones is hitting .285 alongside 11 home runs and 44 RBI.
He's also in the midst of a hot streak at the moment, per Baseball-Reference, as Jones has 13 hits in his last 32 at-bats and earned a 1.020 OPS during that span.
Jones is a free agent after this season, and given the team's rebuilding direction, it's unlikely that he'll be an Oriole in 2019. Comments from general manager Dan Duquette didn't sound promising: "(Jones') contract is up. I don’t know whether Adam will be here or not, but the club is going in the direction of younger ballplayers. I can tell you that."
Ultimately, when Jones leaves town, chances are it will be via free agency in the offseason.
Keone Kela
Texas Rangers closer Keone Kela has saved 24 games in 25 appearances. He's just 25 years old and has to deal with the obstacle of pitching in Globe Life Park in Arlington, which is one of the most notorious hitter parks in the league, half the time.
In other words, he's a hot commodity as the trade deadline nears, and naturally, a few contending teams are interested.
Per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the mix:
Per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and The Athletic, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Atlanta Braves are also involved:
The Braves have a much bigger need for Kela than the Dodgers. Closer Aroldys Vizcaino is on the disabled list, and manager Brian Snitker said on July 23 that the 27-year-old was still two to three weeks away from throwing. That means Vizcaino likely won't start doing so until the second or even third week of August.
As is, the team's bullpen has not fared particularly well this year, as it is currently ranked 20th in team ERA. The addition of Brach could certainly help, although the team may need more reinforcements, especially if Vizcaino is out until September. As it stands, a Braves-Rangers deal involving Kela seems like a real possibility.