MLB Trade Rumors: Top Reports Before 2019 Deadline

MLB's hot stove has burned intensely prior to Wednesday afternoon's trade deadline. The actual transaction log, meanwhile, stayed calm until Tuesday evening.

Even though teams no longer have the option to trade through waivers in August, they have not all displayed extra urgency. Strangely enough, the New York Mets made the first significant addition in Marcus Stroman. Another fourth-place squad struck next.

First reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Cincinnati Reds landed Trevor Bauer in a surprising three-team swap. The Cleveland Indians didn't sacrifice their contention hopes, as they bolstered their squad by attaining Yasiel Puig, Franmil Reyes and Logan Allen. The San Diego Padres, meanwhile, added star outfielder prospect Taylor Trammell.

Up until this massive deal, reporters kept fans entertained with a bevy of trade tidbits. Perhaps more exciting exchanges will come to fruition once reality sets in for buyers and sellers before Wednesday's hard deadline.

Let's take a look at some of the latest buzz as MLB's trading window prepares to shut down for the season.

Astros Seeking Top Starting Pitchers

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Despite brandishing two leading AL Cy Young Award candidates in Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander, the Houston Astros are aggressively exploring the market for an impact starting pitcher.

Reports have attached them to essentially every significant arm potentially available. Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown tied them to an experienced ace who may no longer be on the market.

Joel Sherman on the New York Post expanded on their search:

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, it remains "doubtful" the streaking San Francisco Giants move Madison Bumgarner, who anchored three championships during his decade with the franchise. At 54-53, they're only 2.5 games removed from a wild-card spot.

Then again, the same story seemed to apply to Bauer, as Cleveland controls the AL's first wild-card bid after winning 17 of 23 games this month. Although he would have made a questionable clubhouse fit in Houston, the Astros nevertheless reached out about him, per MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Even before removing Bauer from the equation, Zack Wheeler made more sense. Unless the Mets delude themselves into thinking they can make a 2019 run with Stroman, they remain likely to trade the upcoming free agent.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Houston stands out as a strong landing spot: 

No qualified starting pitcher has a less favorable gap between his ERA and FIP than Wheeler, who posted a 1.68 ERA after the All-Star break last year. Given their past success, the Astros are the perfect team to once again uncover his true potential.

He could make a lethal No. 3 who won't cost Houston any front-line prospects because of his rental status and 4.71 ERA.

Justin Smoak on Hot Stove

The rumor mill has largely focused on a handful of premium pitchers. In all likelihood, Wednesday will instead consist of more role players on expiring contracts changing places.

One such example is Justin Smoak, whose Toronto Blue Jays have already dealt Eric Sogard to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith, the first baseman could follow his teammate to the AL East competitor:

At first glance, Smoak may not seem like the biggest deadline acquisition. He's hitting an anemic .215, and 18 home runs doesn't stand out too much during a power-soaked 2019.

Yet he also sports a career-high .357 on-base percentage with help from a 16.7 percent walk rate. His strikeout rate is down to a personal-best 19.8, so the profile supports far better results. Even if he doesn't find another gear in line with 2017's 38-homer breakout, his 112 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) is still above league-average.

Last summer, the Rays pulled off one of the deadline's biggest heists when obtaining Tommy Pham from the St. Louis Cardinals. With Pham nursing a hand injury and both Kevin Kiermaier and Yandy Diaz on the injured list, they appear motivated to strike again.

They had previously expressed interest in Reyes and Hunter Renfroe, per the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin, but the Padres now presumably have no reason to move Renfroe.

Smoak isn't as ideal a fit, as left-handed hitters Nate Lowe and Ji-Man Choi are already handling first base and designated-hitter duties. However, the slumping 32-year-old might be cheap enough to bet on a late-season surge anyway.

MLB Network's Jon Heyman also mentioned the Philadelphia Phillies as another team of interest. With Rhys Hoskins locking down first base, the NL squad would likely just deploy him as a big bopper off the bench. 

Several Contenders Interested in Robbie Ray

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The Astros are also among the many teams tied to Robbie Ray, according to Nightengale:

With Stroman and Bauer traded and the true availability of Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard in question, Ray has emerged as a desirable commodity. While his 3.91 ERA and 1.30 WHIP won't propel him to anchor a postseason rotation, the 27-year-old southpaw trails only five qualified starters in strikeout percentage.

Perhaps the real drawing point, he's arbitration-eligible next season.

He has also relinquished a 5.16 ERA and .555 slugging percentage when working the third time through the batting order. As a result, Ray is best served going to a team willing to hand the game over to a strong bullpen after five frames.

That makes the New York Yankees intriguing. They just suffered the franchise's worst rotation turn in 74 years, so Ray would represent an upgrade despite fans likely hoping for more. Their dominant relief unit would allow him to flourish in shorter starts, particularly in the playoffs.

The Athletic's Peter Gammons said the Yankees could send the Arizona Diamondbacks a significant return for Ray or reliever Archie Bradley.

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Clint Frazier hit .283/.330/.513 in the majors this season, but defensive issues and a crowded depth chart led to his demotion. He would give Arizona an instant contributor under team control far longer than Ray, who is a free agent after the 2020 campaign.

Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs unless stated otherwise.