20 Bold Predictions for the July MLB Trading Deadline

The offseason is an exciting time in baseball, as rumors swirl and superstar players make multi-million-dollar decisions on where they will continue their careers.

A close second in terms of trade, or at least trade rumor, activity would be the July trade deadline as teams decide whether they will be buyers or sellers and star players are dealt for top prospects.

While the offseason is far from over, here is a quick look at what we may expect when this July rolls around, since the trade market certainly will not be short on talent.

Blue Jays Will Be Buyers

The Blue Jays have been taking steps toward becoming a contender for the past several seasons, trading away Vernon Wells, acquiring Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie and making a serious run at Yu Darvish.

They aren't ready to contend in the AL East just yet, although if they can land Prince Fielder that would be a big step in the right direction—but still expect them to be aggressive buyers at the deadline.

For a team on the rise, finishing with a good record can mean a lot, and coming off of an 81-81 season they could push for 90 wins and try to build off of that in 2013.

Brewers Will Be Sellers

The Brewers are going to find that life after Prince Fielder is much harder than they imagined, especially if Ryan Braun misses time with a PED suspension.

The team went all-in last season and fell short, and now they are left with a roster good enough to contend for the division, but short of being a legitimate World Series contender.

With starting pitchers Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf (2013 option) headed for free agency, the team could look to deal one or all of those starters as they seek to restock what has become a depleted farm system.

Mark Reynolds Could Be the Power Bat of the Deadline

The Orioles were aggressive last offseason as they brought in four new everyday starters via trades and free agency.

Reynolds and J.J. Hardy are what remains of that group, and while Hardy has been locked up long-term, Reynolds is a different story.

There is no questioning his power, as he hit 37 home runs last season and has some of the best pure power in the game. However, he also hit just .221 last season, led the league in strikeouts for the fourth straight season and had to be moved off of third base because of his defense.

He will make $7.5 million this coming season, and the team has an $11 million option on him for 2013. With teams always looking to add some power for the stretch run, he should be in demand if made available, and since the Orioles will likely decline his option there is no reason to think he won't be.

Ryan Dempster Will Be Among the First To Find a New Home

The Cubs fell out of contention early last season, but chose not to become sellers, instead holding on to veterans who had legitimate trade value like Dempster, Carlos Pena, Jeff Baker, Marlon Byrd and Sean Marshall.

With a new front office in place committed to rebuilding the team from the ground up, that won't be the case this season and there likely will be a number of veterans on their way out from the time I'm writing this until the deadline.

Dempster is an innings eater, and while he has been up-and-down the past few seasons, he would be a solid veteran addition to anyone in contention.

He may not bring much in return to the Cubs, but if they can save some of the $14 million he is owed this season and get a mid-level prospect it would be a wise deal.

Someone Will Bite on Carlos Lee

The Astros will look to move their few remaining veterans at some point this season, and among them is Lee. Once one of the top sluggers in the game, he is in the final season of a six-year, $100 million deal.

Due $18.5 million this season, chances are the Astros will have to eat some of his salary to move him. However, by midseason, the team could eat $6 million and move him to a contender looking for an offensive spark.

That could land them a solid prospect and save them about $3 million, and is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Coming off a .275 BA, 18 HR, 94 RBI season, he is still a productive run producer and could be the piece a contender needs to help push them into the postseason.

Jeremy Guthrie Finally Will Be Traded

No one has been on the trade block as long as Jeremy Guthrie—he always seems to pop up whenever available starting pitchers are mentioned.

There is a lot to like about the 33-year-old right-hander, as he has reached the 200-inning mark each of the past three seasons (190.2 the season prior to the streak), and has a respectable 4.12 ERA since joining the Orioles in 2007.

However, he has lost 17 games in two of the past three seasons, and is by no means a frontline starter, at least not on a contender.

Still, he could help shore up a rotation, much like Erik Bedard did with the Red Sox last season. He'll be a free agent at season's end so he seems a safe bet to be moved at some point this season.

Denard Span Is Not Going Anywhere

The Twins put center fielder Denard Span on the block last season, but in the end dealt Delmon Young instead. That does not mean that Span has solidified his spot in the team's future plans though.

With Ben Revere knocking on the door and likely to open the season as the starting right fielder, Josh Willingham signed for two years and prospect Joe Benson on the cusp as well, the Twins have some options in the outfield.

However, Span is signed through 2015 to a very cost-effective five-year, $16.5 million deal. While he managed just 70 games last season because of injury, he has the potential to be one of the better leadoff hitters in baseball and the Twins really have no reason to move him.

Gavin Floyd Will Find a New Home

The White Sox flopped last season, and now they are left with a roster full of overpaid veterans and under-performing young players.

After inking John Danks to an extension, Floyd's fate as the next starting pitcher out of Chicago is all but sealed. He will make $7 million this season and the team holds a $9.5 million option on him for next year.

Following a 17-win season in his first full year in the White Sox rotation back in 2008, Floyd has gone 33-37 with a 4.17 ERA as he has failed to take the next step and become a frontline starter.

That said, he is still only 29 and can eat up innings, so the Sox should have no trouble finding someone to take him on.

Ichiro Will Be Shopped, Inevitably Stay in Seattle

Coming off the first season of his career in which he did not hit .300 or tally 200 hits, Ichiro is winding down what has been a fantastic career in the MLB and as a professional in general.

That said, he is still one of the best table-setters in the league and in the final year of his current contract the Mariners could look to shop him when they inevitably fall out of contention.

There will be a market for Ichiro, but in the end he has a limited no-trade clause; I can't imagine anyone will be willing to give up what the Mariners will be seeking in return for the face of their team, even if he is 38 years old.

Miguel Montero Will Get a Big Extension

The Diamondbacks were listening to offers on almost everyone at one point last season, but they wisely held on to All-Star catcher Montero.

He hit cleanup much of the season, and posted a line of .282 BA, 18 HR, 86 RBI, which is hard to find at the catcher's position. He is still just 28 years old and should have plenty more seasons like that. Set to hit free agency, Montero could expect a four- or five-year extension to come his way.

With Henry Blanco as the backup and 27-year-old Konrad Schmidt the closest thing they have to a catching prospect, the Diamondbacks really have no other choice but to hold on to Montero.

Wandy Rodriguez Will Net the Astros a Big Prospect Package

The Astros have had Wandy Rodriguez on the block for what feels like years now, yet he remains one of just three experienced veterans that the team has not dealt yet, along with Brett Myers and Carlos Lee.

That said, the Astros will almost certainly move Rodriguez at some point this season, as he is under contract through 2013 with a team option for 2014. In all he is still due $25.5 million if they were to buy him out in 2014.

Chances are the Astros will be nowhere near competitive by the time that deal is up, and by holding on to Rodriguez to this point they may have increased his worth.

If he can get off to a good start, he could very well represent the best pitcher on the market at the deadline, and the Astros could walk away with a fantastic prospect package by waiting to deal him.

Tigers Will Acquire Howie Kendrick

The Tigers have been in the market for a second baseman since Placido Polanco left town, and they will open the 2012 season with Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago manning the position.

For a team in contention, upgrading that position will be one of the Tigers' main tasks at the deadline, and should the Angels make Howie Kendrick available, Detroit would jump at the chance to acquire him.

Coming off an All-Star season in which he posted a.285 BA, 18 HR, 63 RBI line, Kendrick will be a free agent at the end of the 2012 season. 

While he has been valuable he is also already 28 and the Angels have some talented middle infielders in their system who could replace him. 

Cole Hamels Will Be Extended Long Before the Deadline

Entering the final year of a three-year, $20.5 million deal, Hamels represents the best possible free-agent arm for the 2013 class.

Until an extension is reached, his name at least will be mentioned as a possible trade candidate, but on an aging Phillies team that is built to win now, moving him doesn't make much sense. 

Still just 28 years old, and coming off one of the best seasons of his career, Hamels will get his payday from the Phillies—and it will likely come long before the deadline and could even happen this spring.

B.J. Upton to Nationals Will Finally Happen

Upton has been rumored to be on his way out in Tampa for the better part of two years now, and facing free agency at the end of the 2012 season he almost certainly will be moved at some point this coming season.

After posting a .300 BA, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 22 SB line in 2007 as a 22-year-old, Upton has been unable to match those numbers and has been at odds with coaches and teammates at times.

The Nationals have been searching for an everyday center fielder for a few seasons now, and opening the year with 28-year-old Roger Bernadina this season they are still searching.

A package built around Ian Desmond and possibly including catching prospect Derek Norris and others may do it, and while the Nationals make the most sense, Upton will be out of Tampa one way or another.

Carlos Quentin Will Be Dealt to the Braves...

The White Sox look to be heading for a rebuild, and they have some interesting trade chips should they decide to be full-on sellers at the deadline.

Quentin is set to hit free agency at season's end, and after averaging 37 HR and 109 RBI per 162 games over the past four seasons, he likely is in for a big payday.

The 29-year-old will be coveted by a number of teams if the White Sox make him available, but the Braves look to make the most sense as they have a ton of young pitching talent and a need for power in the outfield that could become even more pressing should the next slide be true.

...After Chipper Jones Suffers a Season-Ending Injury

After suffering a torn Achilles in August of 2010, Jones bounced back with a productive season last year as he posted a line of .275 BA, 18 HR, 70 RBI over 126 games.

However, he will be 40 this coming season and the chances of him getting hurt are certainly high. Should he find himself shelved for an extended period of time, the Braves likely would shift left fielder Martin Prado in to play third and shop the trade market for a left fielder.

Quentin would be the perfect fit, and the Braves will be thrilled that they did not deal Prado this winter as has often been rumored.

Joakim Soria Will Be the Most Talked-About Player at the Deadline

Last year's trade deadline was an active one, but one of the most talked-about players at the deadline ended up going nowhere as Padres closer Heath Bell seemed like a lock to be moved but wound up staying put (Bell has since signed with the Miami Marlins).

This year's cream-of-the-crop reliever will be Royals All-Star closer Joakim Soria, as he has an $8 million option for next season and an $8.75 million option for 2014 but likely will be out of Kansas City long before that.

The Royals are heading in the right direction, but having their closer be the highest-paid player on their team doesn't make much sense at this point.

They need young outfield talent and starting pitching, and for a contender looking to shore up their bullpen, Soria will be a terrific trade chip. There should be no shortage of teams vying for his services.

David Wright Will Be Dealt to the Rockies

After failing to re-sign Jose Reyes, the Mets now look to be headed for a full-on rebuild, and while they do still have a superstar in third baseman David Wright, for how long remains to be seen.

Wright is under contract through 2012, with a $16 million team option for 2013 that holds a $1 million buyout. His production has been down over the past three seasons but the fact remains that there are very few impact third basemen in the league and he is still in his prime.

The Rockies were linked to Wright at the deadline last season and earlier this winter, and while the team signed veteran free agent Casey Blake to step in at third base, he is hardly an impact bat at this point in his career.

With a wealth of young pitching talent, the Rockies have the pieces to pull off a deal. If they are in the thick of things come July, expect them to do what it takes to add Wright's bat to their lineup.

Giants Will Listen on Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum...

The duo of Lincecum and Cain atop the Giants rotation is among the best in all of baseball, and while it may seem crazy to think the team would deal either of them, both are without a long-term deal at this point.

Lincecum will be entering his final year of arbitration following the 2012 season, while Cain becomes a free agent at season's end. That will make their contract status the talk of San Francisco for much of the season.

With a Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong and prospect Eric Surkamp also in the fold, it would not be unfathomable for the Giants to move one of their two aces, especially if it means upgrading their anemic offense in the present and for the long term.

...Matt Cain Will Be Dealt

The price for both starters will be high, but in the end Cain will be the easier to acquire, as he is set to hit free agency and would be considered by most to be the lesser of the two.

It will take a package of prospects in excess of what the Reds gave up to get Mat Latos, and perhaps would likely have to include a big-league-ready hitter to bolster the lineup and a pitcher with the upside to replace Cain down the road.

Something like a Eduardo Nunez, Jesus Montero, Dellin Betance possibly would bring him to New York, and while the Giants will have to be blown away to pull the trigger, they very well could if they can't come to terms with Cain on an extension early in the season.