Dodgers president Andrew Friedman will entertain offers for any player, even Yasiel Puig, reports Ken Rosenthal in his latest video for FOX Sports. The right-handed outfielder is under club control through 2019. He’s paid just $4.5MM this season and $5.5MM in 2016. Puig, 24, provides necessary balance to a lineup that will include left-handers Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, and Corey Seager. The Dodgers would like to add a top young starter, but it would take an awful lot for Puig to be included in a deal. My own personal spit balling – it would take a starter like Matt Harvey to open a conversation. Here’s more from Rosenthal:
- The Royals rotation ranks 13th in the American League in ERA. Rival executives expect the club to acquire starting pitching at the deadline. Kansas City may have a narrow window for contention. Alex Gordon can opt out of his contract after this season. Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer are under club control through 2017. The club does have Danny Duffy and Kris Medlen on the rehab trail, but setbacks are always possible. Personally, I wouldn’t expect them to seek a top pitcher like Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto. However, I could see them targeting a guy like Aaron Harang.
- The Rangers could soon find themselves with a surplus of starting pitchers. The club promoted Chi Chi Gonzalez today. Meanwhile, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, and Martin Perez are expected to return at some point this season. As Rosenthal points out, setbacks to that trio would not be surprising. Rather than trading a starter, the club might revisit their previous efforts to acquire Hamels. Texas is just one game below .500 entering this evening.
- The Athletics are unlikely to deal ace Sonny Gray. At the end of the season, he’ll have the same amount of service time as Josh Donaldson did last winter. However, the A’s still hope to build a contender – if not this season then next. Gray is key cog for Oakland.
Surplus is an interesting way to put it
Well a surplus in terms of 40-man roster spots, not of quality
I disagree. Martinez is 4th in the AL in ERA, Gallardo is holding his own, Lewis was doing better than Gallardo until his last disastrous start, and Wandy is doing better than Gallardo so far; *knock on wood*.
Chi Chi just put up 5.2 shut out innings allowing only 2 hits. Holland was viewed as the #2 starter going into this season (prior to Darvish’s injury). Perez was a high end prospect, and should be a solid #3 pitcher. Harrison is the only one I wouldn’t consider of any quality out of all of these.
I’m still not sold on Martinez actually maintaining his success, or even close to it, and I don’t trust Lewis; however, Holland and Perez are very good pitchers and they will definitely improve the rotation!
In context to the article, knowing Holland, Perez, and Harrison are coming back this year and with Darvish coming back next year, should the Rangers trade for Hamels, which 5 would you choose for your 2016 rotation??
Hamels, Darvish, Martinez, Holland, Gallardo, Lewis, Wandy, Perez, Chi Chi, Harrison
Also, notate which of these, if any, would be included in a deal for Hamels.
Gallardo, Lewis and Wandy are all FA after the season. That leaves you with Hamels, Darvish, Martinez, Holland, Harrison, Perez and Chi Chi.
Go with Hamels, Darvish, Holland, Chi Chi and Martinez, put Harrison in the pen until he proves healthy, and put Perez in the package.
I am not a pro at valuing these prospects so I may be way off, but here goes: Martinez(sell high) plus high end prospect(s) for Hamels and Papelbon and possibly money(depending on prospect package). I would hope to come into 2016 with something like: Hamels, Darvish, Holland, Jake/ChiChi/FA(whoever is left/earns it), Perez.
Papelbon? You really want that doochecanoe?
I would prefer they didn’t pay a king’s ransom for Hamels; however, if they did make the trade, I imagine Chi Chi would definitely be involved but I don’t think any of the other pitchers on that list would.
Darvish, Hamels, Holland, Perez, and Gallardo/Martinez would be in the 5 man rotation in my opinion. Obviously, Martinez if he keeps up his production.
Rangers acquire:
Cole Hamels
Cash
Phillies Acquire:
Matt Harrison
Jorge Alfaro
Luke Jackson
Martin Perez
That will work
Alfaro is not going any where. Also, two top end prospects and a pitcher who has proven he can do well (albeit he was bitten by the TJ bug so who knows if he will be back there soon) seems like way too high of a price, even for Hamels.
You want the Phillies to take Matt Harrison and Martin Perez, two injured pitchers owed more than $50 million, and send money too? And all the Phillies get is top prospect and a guy with a 5.04 ERA in AAA? If the Phillies discount Hamels enough to take on $50 million in contracts they can trade him to poor teams and get a much better return.
Yes I do and Jon Daniels does want to trade Alfaro and Matt Harrison is awful so trade him and Perez to Philadelphia for hamels with cash
Hamels will be with the dodgers come end of june or early july
I can understand that Jon Daniels wants the Phillies to take his bad contracts and pay Cole Hamels’ contract but why would Ruben Amaro want to do that? Especially considering the return, one top prospect, is less than the return on David Price last year?
Simple the rangers like cole hamels because hamels dominates us and we need him and hamels won’t go to the dodgers because the dodger front office can go after Johnny cueto or Jordan Zimmerman
If the Rangers were to get Hamels, I think the deal would require significant cash going to Tex with an elite prospect coming back to Phi, maybe Joey Gallo.
no way the rangers would deal gallo, he’s next in line to take over for beltre
I would not do that if I was philly. Then again I am lower than most on Alfaro tho.
But wasn’t Donaldson a “key cog for Oakland” as well.
For the right price Beane would trade Gray.
If the Royals plan on contending at all this year. They need to trade for an All-Star pitcher or two decent pitchers. Having a starting rotation ranked 13th in the AL is just asking for trouble.
Yes, that’s why they have the 2nd best record in the AL.
Everyone knows a bottom dwelling pitching staff is the key to going deep in the playoffs…. They need help. I’m not sure they should go for a high-end rental, but they need to do something.
If Medlen can come back strong then that is a very big steal for the royals, Volquez is doing good since last year , but if they could add another arm like kazmir or maybe mike leake or latos then its possible. I think they have what it takes to take away the central crown from the tigers.
The AL is definitely down this year (Hello AL East!), so they really need to make a push for an arm if they want to go deep.
I don’t think they need a top of the rotation arm, It would be nice like somebody said above they should go get hamels
Ah, but do either KC or Detroit have what it takes to stop the Twinkies?
The twins are just like the astros right now, on a nice run but they should just enjoy it now because they both will fall off because the angels will hit their stride and take over the al west, as for the al central who knows the twins are suprising me right now. but the astros imo are taking advantage of the weak al west but as soon as the angels get in the groove , they will be the ones on top when the season is over, I picked the royals taking the central crown away from the tigers in 2015.
If the Twins or Astros are the Team that improves at the deadline, not the Royals, not the Tigers, not the Angels, then a surprise start could be maintained.
I don’t see it happening really, the angels going for the sweep tonight, if they get the sweep it will give them a boost of confidence, hopefully enough to hit their stride, once they get the offense back in gear they are primed and ready for a deep run, their rotation has been great so far. all they could use is a couple bats and maybe another arm for the pen.
I have noticed articles about the Astros looking to acquire talent.
Ken would love for the Rangers to get ripped off for Hamels–trade a bunch of top prospects and take on all/most of his contract. No thanks…unless the Phillies will trade straight up Andrus for Hamels?
No way Phillies are trading for Andrus. They consider JP Crawford the long term SS.
He was jesting…he just wants to dump Andrus.
Andrus contract makes Hamels look like a bargain by comparison. I am going to guess the Phillies would pass.
The Dodgers interest in Cole Hamels is no secret. If it’s true the Dodgers are willing to trade Yasiel Puig, the Phils and Dodgers may actually have something to talk about. Puig is young, affiordable and exactly the kind of energy the Phils need to boost their rebuilding program into a much higher orbit. Hamels could be the one addition that gets the Dodgers to the world series in 2015.
Should have kept Andrew Heaney. The Dodgers must be waiting for super 2 to promote Zach Lee, I don’t see them finding a better quality pitcher in the open market.
the angels got a steal in that trade, look at heaney now he’s like 5-1 with an era like 3.86 , and I see him up with the club in september.
3.86 is not a good ERA, especially for a 23 year old “top prospect” in AAA. Won-loss record means absolutely nothing. He is struggling in AAA. Opponent average of .288 and a WHIP of 1.41. He is a Jonathan Niese type starter at best. That is not a “steal” for Howie Kendrick, who continues to be consistently one of the best 2B in MLB, and whose departure has left a gaping hole in the Angels’ lineup.
Niese of the past 2 years…or Niese of the past 4-5 starts? The former…meh, the later…OUCH.
The angels got a young starting pitcher with a lot of upside , If he was on the team right now, that era is better then avg. Just give heaney time and he will work out well in the angels rotation. plus their triple a park is very hitter friendly and the big A is one of the best pitchers parks in baseball
Guaranteed, or your money back? Really, upside is one of the most overused terms in baseball, right along with overpaid.
We are talking 3.86 in the PCL, are we not? PCL is a Hitters league.
Agreed a very hitters league with a lot of hitter friendly parks, put him in at angels stadium , a pitcher friendly park.
They would have 0 decent second basemen if they had kept Heaney.
I guess Guerrero and Turner are bums in your book. Heaney + Guerrero/Turner at 2B >>> Frias as your 5th starter + Kendrick.
Guerrero cannot play 2B, ever. Turner could maybe get away with a month or two at 2B. Turner is much better suited to 3B, Guerrero is best suited as a DH. Frias is only the 5th starter due to injuries to Ryu and McCarthy, which were unforeseeable at the time of the Kendrick trade.
Im curious to know why you believe Guerrero cannot play 2B. Do you have any reports on his defense there? Turner is solid at 2B, we are just going to disagree on that. Pitchers get injured every year, they should have foreseen that.
I believe that there are three teams that can make a deal to get sonny gray, the dodgers cubs and the wildcard the pirates.
The Royals are averaging over 10,000 more fans a game than last year and generating millions of extra dollars in ticket sales, concessions, merchandise, etc. The owner David Glass has to be realizing that putting a winning team on the field and spending more money pays off. Why not go after Cole Hamels if the Phillies are willing to eat a good part of his contract and have him as your ace for the next 3-4 years.
that would be really interesting , the phillies said they would eat some of the contract but not most of the contract. they would have to come up with a good deal to get him , If they did that would change the outcome of the al central for the royals, I think they still have enough fire power to win the central over the tigers.
I don’t think it’s happening because I don’t think KC will want to send the talent it would take to get him. Why not just resign James Shields last off season? They are about to lose the Hosmer/Moustakas wave and need to not shell the system. I just think they can be outbid….. Especially if the Phils are shipping cash
And the only way the Phillies are shipping cash is if the return in talent is beyond significant.
That’s the impact the Phillies need. I’d ship cash to open the market up. They can manage that.
Agree. The idea of Phillies shipping cash to get better prospects doesn’t seem to help make it work with KC.
I’ve said it around here to the umpteenth degree….but if I’m the Rockies gm
..I’m not sure I don’t jump into this Hamels melee and try to pull down a starter I’d never be able to nab on the market
This is David Glass… The guy who was also the owner through much of the 90’s and 00’s wasteland. He’s a long way from being off the hook I have him on.
It seems that every team that can’t or won’t acquire an Ace by the deadline is going to trade for Aaron Harang. I’m sure that there must be other trade targets out there, but the writers don’t seem to be looking for them.
guys like Harang Kazmir Mike Leake Mat Latos Dan Haren will be valuable because they won’t cost the contender that much.