Blockbuster MLB Trade Ideas Based on the Biggest Pre-2019 Deadline Rumors
This year's MLB trade deadline has the potential to produce earth-shattering deals or yawn-inducing whimpers.
A bizarrely uncertain market creates a path for middling teams to sneak into the postseason. It also, however, reduces the probability of those clubs making a significant run behind a select few juggernauts.
Around 20 teams could talk themselves into making a playoff push. That could amplify next week's trade activity, or it could lead to Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer, Yasiel Puig, Kirby Yates and Mike Minor all staying put.
This trade deadline could make up for quality in quantity, so the following speculated deals may feel underwhelming compared to past blockbuster in-season acquisitions such as Justin Verlander and Manny Machado.
While these theoretical deals are fueled by rumors, keep in mind that they vary in terms of likelihood. Even if they're all reasonable fits, not every team discussed is locked in as a buyer or seller. The first player in particular may cost too much for the interested club to make the move.
Matthew Boyd to Philadelphia Phillies
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Despite drastically uplifting their lineup during the offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies are merely one of many cogs in a crammed NL wild-card race.
A pitching staff that has underperformed from top to bottom deserves the brunt of the blame. No starter has an ERA below 4.25 besides Aaron Nola, whose mark has jumped from 2.37 in 2018 to 3.64.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have spoken to the Detroit Tigers about top starter Matthew Boyd and All-Star closer Shane Greene.
Landing both would require Philadelphia to gut an already diminished farm system. Even acquiring Boyd alone may be a "dare to dream" scenario, as the 28-year-old lefty has three more years of arbitration before entering free agency,
Detroit's ace also boasts MLB's fourth-best strikeout-minus-walk percentage (27.2) among all qualified starters behind Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer and Chris Sale. As a result, the asking price is understandably high. Per MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Tigers are seeking "an established young MLB star" for Boyd.
The Trade Return: 3B Alec Bohm, OF Adam Haseley and LHP Cole Irvin
In this package, they settle for big-league-ready talent alongside an elite prospect.
The Phillies may be reticent to deal Adam Haseley given their lack of outfield depth, yet he'd make a strong selling point with Nicholas Castellanos able to leave Detroit this winter. While Haseley hasn't helped Philadelphia's immediate cause, the 23-year-old outfielder should settle in as a solid contributor with more seasoning.
Cole Irvin, who has faltered since a promising debut (7 IP, 1 ER) on May 12, could fill Boyd's rotation spot as a back-end depth option.
Alec Bohm, however, is the real draw to this deal. MLB.com's No. 36 overall rated prospect has clobbered seven homers in 27 Double-A games after accruing a .902 OPS at High-A. He's a future lineup building block for an organization sorely lacking one.
Bohm's presence should at least pique Tigers general manager Al Avila's interest.
This is also a scenario in which each side could get cold feet. Detroit has no mandate to move Boyd now, and the Phillies would be mortgaging their future for a starter with a 4.85 career ERA. Consider this blockbuster more of a theoretical exercise than a likely proposal.
Ken Giles to Boston Red Sox
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The Boston Red Sox just welcomed back Nathan Eovaldi as a reliever, but they're reportedly still seeking bullpen reinforcements. According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, they're "showing active interest" in Kirby Yates and Ken Giles.
Both closers are under contract beyond 2019, a likely key selling point with the reigning champions relegated to the AL wild-card race. Let's focus on Giles, though, since the San Diego Padres have more motivation to retain Yates for a 2020 run.
The 28-year-old's stock has undoubtedly risen after getting swapped by the Houston Astros last summer. Giles has recovered from a rough 2018 to garner a superb 1.59 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 34 frames. As a marquee hurler with an extra year of team control, he's going to cost Boston a significant haul of young talent.
The Trade Return: 3B Bobby Dalbec, RHPs Durbin Feltman and Kutter Crawford
That means parting with Bobby Dalbec, the organization's second-ranked prospect on MLB.com behind Triston Casas. Although batting a paltry .231 in Double-A, the 24-year-old third baseman has improved his strikeout (25.0) and walk (16.0) percentages while submitting an .831 OPS. FanGraphs assigns him 70 raw power, an elite grade on the 80 scale.
Michael Chavis has brought a similar power profile to Boston's hot corner this season, so Dalbec is the most expendable of their few top prospects.
Perhaps Durbin Feltman could one day replace Giles in the back of Toronto's bullpen. The No. 100 overall pick in last year's amateur draft has struggled this season (4.86 ERA) after an impressive debut. Despite issuing an alarming 27 walks in just 37 Double-A innings, the 22-year-old still wields a sweeping slider alongside a heater that reaches the high-90s.
Fittingly enough, a cutter represents Kutter Crawford's top offering. The 23-year-old has also experienced command woes in four Double-A starts after netting a 3.39 ERA in 69 Single-A frames. Brandishing 10 strikeouts per nine innings over his minor league career, he could benefit from moving to the bullpen.
Hunter Pence to Tampa Bay Rays
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According to Morosi, the Tampa Bay Rays have asked the Texas Rangers about Hunter Pence. Maybe that's not a blockbuster, but it's certainly a sensible pairing.
The injuries are piling up for the Rays, who recently sent Kevin Kiermaier and Yandy Diaz to the injured list alongside Brandon Lowe. They need immediate lineup reinforcements to keep up in the wild-card hunt.
As a small-market club no longer in reasonable striking distance of the New York Yankees in the AL East, they shouldn't be expected to break the bank.
Enter Pence, who has given the Rangers a massive return on their one-year, $2 million investment. This season's most improbable All-Star has batted .293/.348/.572 a year after recording a .590 OPS and minus-0.9 WAR.
Yet despite his unfathomable comeback, the 36-year-old rental is unlikely to draw a massive return. After an eight-game losing streak damaged their playoff hopes, the Rangers nevertheless might as well take what they can get.
The Trade Return: SS Taylor Walls
Texas already picked up a middle infielder from Tampa Bay when acquiring second baseman Nick Solak two weeks ago. Let's make it one more with Taylor Walls, a 23-year-old shortstop who has submitted a .351 on-base percentage across two minor league levels this year.
While Walls doesn't possess much power, a strong plate approach and glove give him a future up the middle as a solid depth piece. With Elvis Andrus turning 31 next month, adding a future contingency plan wouldn't hurt.
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Will Smith to Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are the clear class of the National League. They're running away with the NL West, and their plus-164 run differential is 100 runs greater than the runner-up Chicago Cubs.
They don't need to make a blockbuster on par with last year's Manny Machado acquisition to win another pennant. Yet the bullpen remains their biggest area for improvement. Los Angeles hasn't unearthed a dependable middle reliever besides Pedro Baez to protect leads for Kenley Jansen, who's not his usual dominant self with a career-high 3.63 ERA.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, they hope to address it with an "elite" upgrade.
Per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers team president Andrew Friedman acknowledged that his club can particularly use a reliever to retire left-handed hitters in pivotal spots.
"I think someone who matches up well against a good left-handed hitter is a priority," Friedman said. "We always feel pressure to make a deal and improve our team. We have to balance that with not being stupid."
Depending on how the final days before July 31 play out, he could splurge for a marquee left-handed closer. The availability of Brad Hand, Felipe Vazquez and Will Smith likely hinges on how their respective clubs fare in the next batch of games.
The Cleveland Indians are playing too well to deal Hand, and Vazquez has actually fared worse against fellow lefties (.771 OPS) this season. Trading Smith to their division nemesis would be a tough decision for the streaking San Francisco Giants, but the Dodgers can make it worth their while.
The Trade Return: 2B/SS Jeter Downs and RHP Josiah Gray
As tempting as it was to propose a Will Smith for Will Smith exchange, the Giants may not want another catching prospect with Joey Bart in tow. Although aggressive within reason, the Dodgers are also too cautious to trade Gavin Lux and Dustin May for a reliever rental.
They can instead offer emerging righty Josiah Gray, a 21-year-old recently promoted to Double-A after delivering a 2.14 ERA and 25.1 K-BB percentage at High-A. He jumped to No. 7 in Baseball America's midseason team prospect rankings, via Dodgers Nation's Daniel Preciado.
Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds last offseason, Jeter Downs has bolstered his stock by compiling 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Even if the Giants are flirting with a wild-card spot, they'd be hard-pressed not to bolster their farm system at the expense of a pending free agent.
Noah Syndergaard to San Diego Padres
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Now nine games below .500, the New York Mets sound ready to abandon any pipe dreams of contention. According to Heyman, they are now "committed sellers."
He also noted that the Mets are reluctant to start a "total rebuild" and remain unlikely to move Noah Syndergaard. Yet the 26-year-old will draw plenty of interest despite posting an underwhelming 4.33 ERA this season.
Heyman mentioned the New York Yankees, but they're a better fit to land one of Syndergaard's rotation mates. Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen would need quite the haul to make such a major splash. It just so happens that the San Diego Padres, no strangers to making marquee trades, holster a surplus of young talent and interest in attaining a front-line starter.
The Padres are searching for an ace, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, who suggested Syndergaard as the best fit based on his two full seasons of team control beyond 2019. The idea of such a pairing isn't new, as San Diego inquired about Thor last summer and fall.
The Trade Return: 2B Luis Urias, 3B Hudson Potts, RHPs Luis Patino and Ronald Bolanos
A blockbuster could revolve around the recently recalled Luis Urias. The career .308 minor league hitter discovered power by slugging .600 with a career-high 19 home runs in 73 games prior to his promotion. Unless the Houston Astros are willing to offer Kyle Tucker, the 22-year-old middle infielder is the best prospect the Mets will find for Syndergaard.
The goodies don't stop there. Luis Patino, who has registered a 2.93 ERA and 11.7 K/9 in High-A, announced his presence as a front-line young hurler during the Futures Game. Hudson Potts could still tap into his power ceiling, and Ronald Bolanos helps restock New York's farm with another intriguing depth piece.
Zack Wheeler to New York Yankees
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A poorly timed shoulder injury appeared to derail any chance of the Mets moving Zack Wheeler. Not so fast. Per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, the righty is scheduled to return from the injured list Friday to face the Pittsburgh Pirates.
With the Mets plummeting out of playoff contention, this will be a showcase for the pending free agent. A strong start could quickly reheat the hot stove and establish him as one of the best hurlers available.
Per Yahoo Sports' Mike Mazzeo, the chances are "pretty high" that Wheeler gets traded before the deadline.
Wheeler has fallen short of expectations, posting a 4.69 ERA well above last year's 3.31 mark. He has also, however, notched 130 strikeouts and 34 walks in 119 innings, leading to a far stronger 3.67 fielding independent pitching (FIP). Another franchise might still like its chances of tapping back into the ace upside he unlocked late last season.
The Mets may not have to go far to find a potential trade partner. Before Wheeler's injury, SNY's Andy Martino said the Yankees had expressed interest in the 29-year-old. While the crosstown rivals have struggled to cooperate in the past, Martino added that the Mets "have no issues" helping the Yankees if they make the best offer.
The Trade Return: RHPs Chance Adams and Roansy Contreras
Given his rental status and health concerns, Wheeler won't compel the Bronx Bombers to part with top prospect Deivi Garcia. They still have a treasure trove of young pitchers to entice their local foes.
Formerly considered a prized arm in the Yankees system, Chance Adams has fallen all the way to No. 19 in the club's farm rankings on MLB.com. He has lost significant luster by posting a 4.26 ERA in Triple-A this season.
On the Yankees, he's in danger of getting lost in the shuffle. The Mets, on the other hand, desperately need pitching depth. Adams could get a September tryout, and he has the balanced arsenal to emerge as a back-end starter.
19-year-old Roansy Contreras is a long-term project who could develop into a dangerous three-pitch starter if his curveball and changeup keep progressing.
It's not as well as the Mets did when turning the final two months of Carlos Beltran's deal into Wheeler, but they can't ask for the moon barring a dominant display in his return.
Note: All advanced statistics, updated as of Wednesday, are courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
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