Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
- Hoops Rumors
- Pro Football Rumors
- Reverse Standings
- 2015 MLB Free Agent List
- 2015 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings
- Transaction Tracker
- DFA Tracker
- Agency Database
- MLBTR iPad/iPhone App
- MLBTR Android App
- Interviews
- Hot Stove Glossary
- MLBTR On Facebook
- MLBTR On Twitter
- MLBTR Mobile
- MLBTR On Kindle
- Team Twitter/RSS Feeds
- Team Facebook Pages
Recent posts
- Jon Lester Rumors: Wednesday
- Dan Runzler Released To Pursue Opportunity In Japan
- Reds Make Ryan Ludwick Available
- NL Notes: Phillies, Dodgers, Nationals
- Quick Hits: Blue Jays, Braves, Yankees, Byrd, Tigers, Padres
- Twins Unlikely To Deal Josh Willingham Before Deadline
- Giants Weighing Options With Dan Uggla, Option Tyler Colvin
- Latest On Marlins’ Starting Pitching Search
- Cubs Moving Closer To Bonifacio Trade
- Quick Hits: Dodgers, Sox, Phils, Yanks, Indians, Cards
- Red Sox, Orioles Discussing Jon Lester
- Latest On Middle Infield Market
- Latest On Royals’ Pitching Search
- AL East Notes: Yanks, Danks, O’s, Harvey, Rays
- Visit HoopsRumors.com and ProFootballRumors.com
MLBTR Mailing List
Featured Posts
- How Clubs Determine Pre-Arbitration Salaries
- Another Bite At The Apple: Opt-Out Clauses In MLB
- Scouting Masahiro Tanaka
- Free Agent Contract Trends: 2007-08 To Present
- Minor League Free Agents Finding Major League Deals
- Peralta, PED Incentives, And The Next JDA
- Future Salary Obligations In Context
- Players Reflect On Arbitration Hearings
- Why I Chose My Agency Series
- Arbitration Breakdown
Rumors by team
- Angels Rumors
- Astros Rumors
- Athletics Rumors
- Blue Jays Rumors
- Braves Rumors
- Brewers Rumors
- Cardinals Rumors
- Cubs Rumors
- Diamondbacks Rumors
- Dodgers Rumors
- Giants Rumors
- Indians Rumors
- Mariners Rumors
- Marlins Rumors
- Mets Rumors
- Nationals Rumors
- Orioles Rumors
- Padres Rumors
- Phillies Rumors
- Pirates Rumors
- Rangers Rumors
- Rays Rumors
- Red Sox Rumors
- Reds Rumors
- Rockies Rumors
- Royals Rumors
- Tigers Rumors
- Twins Rumors
- White Sox Rumors
- Yankees Rumors
Uncategorized Rumors
Visit HoopsRumors.com and ProFootballRumors.com
Thanks for following MLBTR during this hectic time. Since some of you are new to this site, we would like to introduce you to our sister sites for the NBA and NFL:
If you like what you see here at MLB Trade Rumors, you can expect a very similar experience at Hoops Rumors and Pro Football Rumors.
$75K Survivor League At DraftKings
The DraftKings $75K Survivor League starts tonight! A $27 entry fee gets you a shot at your share of a $75K prize pool, with the top 150 getting paid. Even better, the winner of this three-day Survivor League gains entry to DraftKings’ $3.3 million Fantasy Baseball Championship, a live event at Atlantis Paradise Island where the winner takes home $1,000,000.
The deadline for this contest is 6:05pm central time tonight. You get a $50K budget to pick ten MLB players, with each day playing out like this:
Day 1 (7/30): 3,150 entries and top 750 advance
Day 2 (7/31): 750 entries and top 150 advance
Day 3 (8/1): Final 150 play for $75,000 in prizes
Here’s a look at my team:
The clock is ticking…sign up for the DraftKings Survivor League now!
This is a sponsored post from DraftKings.
Central Notes: Pirates, Ruggiano, Pirates, Bastardo
If the Pirates can’t land a reliever this week, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review suggests that the Bucs could move Edinson Volquez to the bullpen. Volquez, who has hit 98 mph on the gun this season, has been trending down since April. More from the Central Divisions..
- The Cubs have rebuffed inquiries by the Yankees and others for outfielder Justin Ruggiano, and also are expecting to keep the rejuvenated Chris Coghlan, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. They might also look to trade outfielder Nate Schierholtz, but they can put him through waivers in August and make a deal then. Meanwhile, the versatile Emilio Bonifacio is now drawing interest.
- The Pirates are showing interest in Phillies left-hander Antonio Bastardo and outfielder Marlon Byrd, sources tell Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- A couple of baseball executives think that the Pirates might get into the Jon Lester trade talks with the Red Sox, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- Nick Delmonico, who came to the Brewers in last year’s Francisco Rodriguez trade, was suspended 50-games for a positive drug test, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
- It’ll be hard for the Indians to get real value for Asdrubal Cabrera without eating some of his contract, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. Cabrera earns $10MM this season.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Antonio Bastardo | Chicago Cubs | Chris Coghlan | Cleveland Indians | Emilio Bonifacio | Justin Ruggiano | Marlon Byrd | Milwaukee Brewers | Nate Schierholtz | Philadelphia Phillies | Pittsburgh Pirates | Uncategorized
Advertise With MLB Trade Rumors
Diehard baseball fans know there’s only one website to constantly refresh this week: MLB Trade Rumors. Last year in the three days leading up to baseball’s July 31st trade deadline, MLBTR generated over 6.6 million pageviews.
If your company might be a good fit to advertise on MLBTR this week, email Tim Dierkes at mlbtradvertising@gmail.com. Ad campaigns start as low as $250, and we can have your ad running quickly. Social media advertising is also available; MLBTR has 376K Twitter followers and 103K Facebook fans.
NL Central Notes: Brewers, Reds, Pirates
The Brewers have been active at the trade deadline in recent seasons, but GM Doug Melvin is downplaying the impact a deadline acquisition might have, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. “We’re out there, we’re going to have our ears open,” says Melvin. “But we still have to play well as a team and not to think that one acquisition makes a difference. Not many times does that acquisition make the difference without the team still continuing to play well.” Melvin’s acquisition of C.C. Sabathia in early July 2008 was exactly the sort of high-impact move GMs hope for when they make summer deals, although Melvin is obviously correct that one player can’t carry a team all by himself. McCalvy suggests that the Brewers could be in the market for right-handed relief help this summer. Here are more notes on the NL Central.
- The Reds have struggled recently, and it’s unclear what they’ll do at the trade deadline, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. If they end up buying, they’d like a hitter who can play more than one position. Injuries have hurt the Reds this season, and a number of bulky salaries in 2015 could impede their ability to upgrade. If they do decide to sell (although there does not appear to be much evidence that’s likely), they could make available a number of desirable pieces, including Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, Mat Latos and Mike Leake.
- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle agrees with general manager Neal Huntington that the Bucs need to be careful trading top prospects for short-term upgrades, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. “You start talking about moving three or four prospects in your top 10, 15? That can get a little dicey,” Hurdle says. “What can help now versus hamstring you later?” Hurdle also notes, however, that the Pirates have made late-summer moves to improve their club in each of the last three seasons, getting players like Derrek Lee, Ryan Ludwick, Wandy Rodriguez, Marlon Byrd and Justin Morneau. The Pirates’ biggest need this year is probably in the bullpen, and upgrading there shouldn’t necessarily cost top prospects.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Cincinnati Reds | Milwaukee Brewers | Pittsburgh Pirates | Uncategorized
$100K MLB Medium Midsummer Classic Contest At DraftKings
Earn your share of a $100K prize pool in tonight’s MLB Medium Midsummer Classic at DraftKings! The contest has a $20 entry fee, and first place will take home $20K with the top 1,125 finishers getting paid. The deadline for entry is tonight at 6:05pm central time. You can sign up here.
The rules are simple. Each entrant is assigned a fixed salary cap of $50,000 that they can use to draft their entire 10 player roster. Click here to see the stats used and their values. Here’s a look at my team, which steers clear of the Marlins-Braves contest because of the threat of a rainout.
Don’t hesitate! Sign up for the DraftKings $100K Medium Midsummer Classic right now!
This is sponsored post from DraftKings.
Quick Hits: Lee, Phillies, Mariners, Miller
It’s not often that elite players are traded multiple times during the prime of their career. Phillies ace Cliff Lee is one of those few, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s been dealt three times – each trade coming at a time when he was both healthy and extremely effective. The 11 prospects acquired for Lee in various trades have all been a disappointment, with Justin Smoak and Carlos Carrasco the only current major league contributors.
The 35-year-old is expected to return to action on Monday from an elbow strain. Unlike the last time the Phillies traded Lee, he now comes with concerns about age, contract, and health. As such, Philadelphia may struggle to find the kind of prospect package necessary to justify a trade.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com talks about the Phillies trade preferences in his latest video. They would prefer to deal Lee, A.J. Burnett, and Marlon Byrd over Cole Hamels and Chase Utley.
- Also per Morosi, the Mariners are under pressure to answer the trades made by the Athletics and Angels. He mentions pitching prospects like Taijuan Walker and Brandon Maurer as interesting pieces to other clubs. If the Mariners fail to pull of a blockbuster for David Price, they’ll probably focus on right-handed power.
- The Cardinals are moving Shelby Miller to the bullpen for an unspecified amount of time, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Matheny said the move was to rest the right-hander. Based on Goold’s tweet, he may start again as soon as Wednesday. Earlier in the season, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs provided some evidence that Miller looked “broken.” He’s certainly pitched below expectations with a 4.29 ERA, 6.03 K/9, and 4.46 BB/9.
West Notes: Padres, Dodgers, Giants, Rockies
There were several notes yesterday on the Padres‘ search for a new GM. The club interviewed Rangers assistant GM A.J. Preller yesterday, reports MLB.com’s Corey Brock, joining prior candidates Larry Beinfest, Logan White of the Dodgers, Ray Montgomery of the Diamondbacks, and Billy Eppler of the Yankees. Today, the team had a sit-down with Red Sox assistant GM Mike Hazen, per Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com (via Twitter). Meanwile, Cardinals assistant GM Mike Girsch has withdrawn himself from consideration, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). As Nightengale further tweets, some potential candidates have expressed a belief that it will take upwards of two to three years to effect a turnaround in San Diego.
Here’s the latest trade deadline chatter from the Friars and the rest of the NL West:
- The Padres are asking for a big return to move late-inning righties Joaquin Benoit and Huston Street, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). A reunion with the Tigers makes sense for Benoit, tweets Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, because the sides parted on good terms.
- The Dodgers are looking into the starting pitching market, particularly after losing Josh Beckett to the 15-day DL, reports Shaikin. Though Los Angeles hopes Beckett’s hip impingement will only cause him to miss one start (with the benefit of the All-Star break), the club is readying for a longer absence. Of course, Paul Maholm remains in the fold, and the club has fill-in options at Triple-A, but those appear to be temporary options. Shaikin says that the team lacks the kind of rotation depth that it would prefer, and could pursue either a depth arm (he gives Jake Peavy and Bartolo Colon as hypothetical examples) or a high-end pitcher such as David Price or Cole Hamels.
- Giants GM Brian Sabean says that his team is willing to consider any and all trade proposals, reports Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. “We’ve told everybody that everybody we have is in play,” said the long-tenured GM. “There are no untouchables in our organization.” While he expressed a desire to be patient, he expressed consternation at the team’s recent struggles. “Unfortunately, we’ve leaked oil in a lot of areas,” said Sabean. “That further confuses what you think you might want to do or have to do in and around the trade deadline.” As far as where an addition could be made, Sabean indicated that many spots are in play: “All our prospects are in play, but at this point we need bullpen help, you can always use another starter, second base, bench help,” said Sabean. “Just a lot of areas where you need shoring up and obviously we’re not [going to] be able to do that totally in the trade market.”
- Last night, we took a look at some comments from Rockies owner Dick Monfort, courtesy of Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Notably, he said that he has no plans to deal star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. This morning, Saunders posted the full transcript of his interview with Monfort, and there is plenty more to cover. Monfort says that the organization’s greatest need is starting pitching depth, and said he “would love to have another starting pitcher before the trade deadline,” preferably “somebody that we could have control of for a period of time.” The club had interest in acquiring Jeff Samardzija, but “the asking price was Eddie Butler and some other stuff,” which Monfort found too steep.
- Though Colorado has one of the worst records in the league, Monfort says that the team is not a seller, at least at this point. After weathering the injuries and a tough stretch in the schedule, he said that he is holding out hope that the Rockies can creep back into the wild card picture. Monfort said that he does not anticipate trading starter Jorge De La Rosa or outfielder Michael Cuddyer, who he “would like to figure out a way to keep” beyond this season.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Colorado Rockies | Huston Street | Joaquin Benoit | Jorge de la Rosa | Los Angeles Dodgers | Michael Cuddyer | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants | Uncategorized
DraftStreet Survivor League: $60K Prize Pool
Earn your share of a $60,000 prize pool in this week’s Survivor League at DraftStreet! The entry fee is just $22, with a maximum of 3,000 entrants. The top 375 finishers get paid, with first place taking home a cool $15,000.
The Survivor League is a four-day tournament beginning Tuesday, July 8th. The deadline for entry is Tuesday at 6:05pm central time. The top 1,500 advance after Day 1, the top 750 after Day 2, and the top 375 advance after Day 3. Those final 375 play for the $60K in prizes.
This Survivor League uses a simple Pick’Em style. You just have to pick one player from each of eight tiers, based on which player you think will perform best in the stat categories listed here under the MLB section. Here’s a look at my team:
Don’t hesitate! Sign up for this week’s Survivor League at DraftStreet and you may be the one taking home $15,000!
Quick Hits: Samardzija, Viciedo, D-Backs, Byrd
Jeff Samardzija couldn’t be happier to be joining the A’s, writes MLB.com’s Jane Lee. “Billy asked me how I felt,” said Samardzija. “I was supposed to pitch today, so I’m a day past my due date to pitch. I’m chomping at the bit. I don’t think there’s any better way to get acclimated than to do it on the mound. It was a no-brainer for me, and I look forward to it.” Here’s more from around baseball.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) looks at what it would take for the Marlins, Giants, and Cardinals to land Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist.
- David Golebiewski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review looks at the advanced stats and says that the Pirates came away as the winners in the Ernesto Frieri-Jason Grilli swap.
- White Sox slugger Dayan Viciedo says that he’s not fazed by the trade rumors surrounding him, writes Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. In last night’s MLBTR poll asking which position player will be dealt first, Viciedo finished third behind Martin Prado and Chase Headley.
- Mariners skipper Lloyd McClendon would like to see his club get an offensive upgrade, but he also doesn’t want to see them sell off top prospects for rental players, writes Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
- The Padres are seeing immediate returns on Cuban pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne, writes Jeff Sanders of U-T San Diego.
- The Diamondbacks probably aren’t done trading after sending Joe Thatcher and Tony Campana to the Angels, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. “We plan on being active,” Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers said. “This is the start.“
- Troy Tulowitzki‘s trade value may never be higher for the Rockies, argues Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Tulo is saying the right things and hasn’t asked for a trade but a change makes sense for both sides at this time.
- Tulowitzki deserves better that what he’s getting with the Rockies, writes Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. “I want to be somewhere there’s a chance to be in the playoffs every single year,” Tulowitzki said.
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the club sees the cost of trading as high.
- Phillies right fielder Marlon Byrd was dealt Aug. 27 last year from the Mets to the Pirates and he could be traded again this summer. However, the veteran says he’s not thinking about that, as Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
- Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com looks at how the Cubs-A’s blockbuster deal helps the Phillies.
- The Indians talked to the Cubs about Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel and it would have cost them Francisco Lindor, Tyler Naquin, and Danny Salazar to make the same kind of deal that the A’s did, writes Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Arizona Diamondbacks | Chicago Cubs | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Indians | Colorado Rockies | Dayan Viciedo | Jeff Samardzija | Marlon Byrd | Philadelphia Phillies | Troy Tulowitzki | Uncategorized