Impact MLB Trades Still Guaranteed to Go Down Before the 2019 Deadline
The 2019 MLB trade deadline arrives Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, and there is still time for major deals to be completed despite the deafening silence thus far this trade season.
While there is a dearth of options as far as impact bats, several quality starters and a bevy of late-inning relief arms are available for teams that want to bolster their pitching staffs.
Nothing is guaranteed in the days that lead up to the trade deadline, and a steady stream of rumors serves as a smokescreen for those on the outside looking in.
However, the five impact trade proposals that follow are as likely to happen as any that have been talked about this summer.
Consider them as good a guarantee as can be made this time of year.
Mychal Givens Traded to the Atlanta Braves
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Despite numerous outside options, including a reunion with Craig Kimbrel, the Atlanta Braves opted to fill their closer need in-house during the offseason.
Arodys Vizcaino and A.J. Minter began the year as the leading options to take the ball in the ninth inning. Four months later, Vizcaino has been dealt to the Seattle Mariners, and Minter has an unsightly 7.36 ERA in 32 appearances.
Amid the chaos, Luke Jackson has stepped into the closer's role and done an admirable job with 17 saves and a 3.12 ERA in 45 appearances. That said, he's also blown seven saves and has far-from-dominant peripherals with a 1.33 WHIP and a .249 opponents' batting average.
Shoring up the bullpen looks like Atlanta's most pressing need.
The Braves were among the teams with recently reported interest in Baltimore Orioles closer Mychal Givens, along with the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The 29-year-old has posted a career-high 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 34 appearances this season while holding opposing hitters to a .210 batting average. He's long been a reliable setup option with a 3.27 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 260 career appearances, and he's stepped into the closer's role the past two seasons, though save chances have been few and far between in Baltimore.
Givens is under team control through the 2021 season. For a young Braves team with eyes on sustainable contention, targeting Givens makes sense as Atlanta looks for a long-term solution at the back of the bullpen.
Trade Proposal: ATL acquires RHP Mychal Givens from BAL in exchange for LHP Kolby Allard, OF Travis Demeritte
Shane Greene Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
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It's no secret the Los Angeles Dodgers need bullpen help.
Despite a solid 4.02 ERA from the relief corps, the Dodgers have racked up 19 blown saves with a 59.6 percent save conversion rate that ranks 19th in the majors.
Even closer Kenley Jansen has been far from his usual dominant self, posting a 3.54 ERA that would represent the highest mark of his 10-year career.
The front office won't be looking for someone to supplant Jansen in the closer's role, but it may still target closers.
The San Francisco Giants are likely to hang on to Will Smith, the San Diego Padres are clinging tightly to Kirby Yates and the Pittsburgh Pirates are seeking a king's ransom for Felipe Vazquez. A case can be made that Detroit Tigers closer Shane Greene is the best reliever on the market.
The 30-year-old has converted 22 of 25 save chances with a 1.22 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 10.0 K/9 in 37 appearances, and he earned a spot on the AL All-Star roster. His 3.74 FIP raises questions about the sustainability of his level of play, but even with some regression, he would be a welcome addition to the relief corps in a setup role.
He also has team control through next season with a reasonable $4 million salary this year. The Dodgers would get more than a rental, unlike past deadline acquisitions Yu Darvish and Manny Machado.
Trade Proposal: LAD acquires RHP Shane Greene from DET in exchange for RHP Mitchell White, 2B Devin Mann, C Connor Wong
Ken Giles and Daniel Hudson Traded to the Minnesota Twins
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The Minnesota Twins had a commanding 11-game lead in the AL Central standings in the middle of June and appeared well on their way to the club's first division title since 2010.
However, the hard-charging Cleveland Indians have trimmed that lead to just two games. It's time for the Twins to make a move.
Outside of left-hander Taylor Rogers, who has a 2.27 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 11.1 K/9 with 15 saves in 39 appearances, the bullpen has been inconsistent at best and a liability at worst.
Trevor May, Tyler Duffey and Ryne Harper are all useful middle relief arms that have been thrust into high-leverage roles. Acquiring a proven closer would push everyone up a notch and improve the bullpen as a whole.
If the Twins intend to make an all-in move before the deadline, Toronto Blue Jays strikeout machine Ken Giles is the best relief arm on the market.
The 28-year-old has converted 14 of 15 save chances with a 1.59 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 15.4 K/9 in 34 appearances, and his 42.3 percent strikeout rate ranks second among pitchers with at least 30 innings of work. He's controllable for one more year through arbitration, so he would be more than a rental.
Adding veteran right-hander Daniel Hudson to the package would further bolster the Twins relief corps. The 32-year-old signed a one-year deal with Toronto, and he's posted a 2.80 ERA with 8.8 K/9 in 42 appearances.
Trade Proposal: MIN acquires RHP Ken Giles, RHP Daniel Hudson from TOR in exchange for OF Trevor Larnach, RHP Blayne Enlow, OF LaMonte Wade
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Yasiel Puig Traded to the Oakland Athletics
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Despite early indications that the Cincinnati Reds might buy at the trade deadline, a 10-16 record in their last 26 games has likely pushed them into the seller category.
Outfielder Yasiel Puig is the most obvious trade candidate. Free agency awaits this offseason, and his strong offensive numbers include a 102 OPS+ and 22 home runs in 384 plate appearances.
Will Leitch of MLB.com included the Oakland Athletics among six speculative landing spots, offering up the following analysis:
"Stephen Piscotty is currently on the injured list with a knee sprain, but it's not like he was knocking the ball around anyway when he was healthy. Mark Canha has filled in with some power, but there's plenty of room for Puig's bat in Oakland's lineup. The A's will be fighting tooth and nail for a Wild Card spot, and they've shown a willingness to be aggressive when they're in the chase this late. And while some teams on this list might not necessarily feel like a clubhouse or fanbase fit with Puig, A's fans would adore Puig from the minute he put on the uniform. He's always felt like an honorary Bash Brother anyway. This might be the best fit there is."
Outside of center fielder Ramon Laureano, the Athletics outfield has been a revolving door this year. Adding Puig to the mix for the stretch run is the kind of shot-in-the-arm move that could make a real difference.
Starting pitching might look like the biggest need, but with Sean Manaea on the comeback trail and top prospects Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk expected to debut at some point, in-house reinforcements are on the way.
Trade Proposal: OAK acquires OF Yasiel Puig from CIN in exchange for OF Skye Bolt, RHP Miguel Romero
Noah Syndergaard Traded to the Houston Astros
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According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the New York Mets are "fully intent" on trading Noah Syndergaard by the trade deadline.
What will it cost to land him?
One rival executive told Marc Carig of The Athletic that "a top-30 prospect and a couple of other solid pieces" will get a deal done.
The 26-year-old has a 4.33 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 126 strikeouts in 126.2 innings this season, but his 3.64 FIP paints a more promising picture going forward.
With his strong track record and team control through the 2021 season, Syndergaard is an incredibly valuable asset even in a down year. At that asking price, there's plenty of room for positive value, and moving to a contender can often spark an uptick in performance.
The Houston Astros are searching for rotation stability behind the trio of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley. With Cole set to reach free agency at season's end, swinging a trade for Syndergaard would also serve as a contingency plan should Cole opt to sign elsewhere.
Depending on how the New York Mets value outfielder Kyle Tucker, he could fit the bill as a top-30 prospect.
The 22-year-old slugger has a .901 OPS with 25 home runs at Triple-A this season, and he ranks No. 10 in the MLB.com top 100 and No. 12 on Baseball America's list.
Trade Proposal: HOU acquires RHP Noah Syndergaard from NYM in exchange for OF Kyle Tucker, RHP Enoli Paredes, SS Jonathan Arauz
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
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