MLB Trade Rumors: Latest on Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke and More
The MLB's winter meetings are coming to a close, and while this year's event was not the hotbed of activity we've seen in years past, the groundwork for a number of future moves has no doubt been laid these past few days.
The trade market, in particular, was extremely quiet. That won't be the case for long, though, as teams will inevitably start to turn their attention to the trade block once the free agent market starts to dwindle.
With that in mind, ahead is a look at some of the latest trade rumors from around the league.
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Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke Could Stay Put
A pair of NL West aces have been at the center of trade rumors this offseason, and the current outlook of their respective teams makes them legitimate candidates to be dealt at some point.
That said, it's starting to sound like a trade of Madison Bumgarner and Zack Greinke will have to wait until midseason.
Bumgarner is entering the final year of his contract, and a rebuild seems inevitable at some point in the not-too-distant future, so he's a clear candidate to be moved.
That said, after missing time to a dirt bike accident and a fractured hand the past two seasons, he could stand to improve his value a bit with a strong first half.
As for Greinke, he still has three years left on his six-year, $206.5 million deal, which stands as a major hurdle in trade talks. The 35-year-old also has a 15-team no-trade clause that further complicates things.
Both pitchers are capable of being difference-making additions to a contender, so the market should still be hot in July.
Dodgers, Reds Discussing a Matt Kemp, Homer Bailey Swap
The Dodgers made a payroll-focused move last offseason when they shipped Adrian Gonzalez, Brandon McCarthy and Scott Kazmir to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Matt Kemp.
A similar move could be in the works, once again centered around Kemp.
Bailey has been shelled to the tune of a 6.25 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 231.2 innings over the past four seasons, and he balked at the idea of moving to the bullpen last season, so he'd likely just be released by the Dodgers.
On the other hand, Kemp could provide some welcome veteran leadership and at least a platoon option in the outfield. The 34-year-old posted a 120 OPS+ with 21 home runs and 85 RBI in 2018, albeit with just 1.1 WAR as a result of his defensive shortcomings.
Athletics Interested in Jurickson Profar
The Athletics have a hole to fill at second base with Jed Lowrie testing the market in free agency.
Former top prospect Franklin Barreto is the leading in-house option, though he's hit just .215/.252/.424 in 151 plate appearances at the MLB level the past two seasons.
There are a number of appealing second base options on the free-agent market, but the A's appear to be focused on the trade market at the moment.
After wearing the bust label for years, Profar finally delivered on some of his vast potential this past season, posting a 105 OPS+ with 35 doubles, 20 home runs and 10 steals.
Still just 25, he's under team control through the 2020 season, and his defensive versatility means that acquiring him would not necessarily block Barreto.
Giants Getting a "Ton" of Calls on Will Smith
The St. Louis Cardinals have already pulled off one major move this offseason, acquiring slugger Paul Goldschmidt from the Diamondbacks.
Now the focus has shifted to the bullpen, where they are in serious need of a proven late-inning arm or two to pair with hard-throwing youngsters Jordan Hicks and Dakota Hudson.
Finding a quality left-hander seems like the top priority, and while Zach Britton and Andrew Miller are available in free agency, the Cardinals have instead been linked to Will Smith on the trade market.
It's not surprising to hear there's been considerable interest in Smith. The Giants southpaw was excellent last season, posting a 2.55 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 12.1 K/9 with 14 saves and six holds in 54 appearances.
The 29-year-old is a free agent next offseason and has a reasonable projected salary of $4.1 million in his final year of arbitration, so he'd be a welcome addition to any relief corps.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
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