As we continue to look at positional availability around the game, let’s check in at the first base position. Several clubs could conceivably stand to make an acquisition. For instance: In the NL Central, the Cardinals are likely without Matt Adams for the season, while the Pirates could look to upgrade over or find a strong platoon partner for Pedro Alvarez. The Nationals are still without Ryan Zimmerman and could probably stand to add a left-handed bat (though Clint Robinson has been solid). The Tigers could have a need Miguel Cabrera is out longer than expected. And the Angels are not only in need of some offensive firepower at the DH slot, but probably would not mind finding a bat capable of manning first to give Albert Pujols some time off of his feet.
Starters
Joey Votto (Reds), Carlos Santana (Indians), Adam Lind (Brewers), Ryan Howard (Phillies), Mike Napoli (Red Sox), Adam LaRoche (White Sox), Logan Morrison & Mark Trumbo (Mariners), Ike Davis (Athletics), Mitch Moreland (Rangers), Pedro Alvarez (Pirates), Michael Morse (Marlins), Justin Morneau (Rockies)
- Votto is hitting well, though not as well as he has in the past, and plays for a Cincinnati team that profiles as a seller. But there has been little indication that the 31-year-old will be made available, let alone that other clubs will be interested in taking on the $199MM remaining on his massive extension from 2016 on.
- If there’s a premium, controllable option that could be pried loose, it may be Santana. He continues to reach base at a healthy clip while maintaining an excellent 16.9% walk rate, but his power is down (.367 slugging percentage, .153 ISO) and the BABIP gods have been unkind. Santana is under team control through 2017 — with a meager $6MM salary this year, a $8.25MM hit in 2016, and a $12MM option ($1.2MM buyout) for the final season of his deal — giving Cleveland little impetus to move him absent a big-time offer.
- Perhaps the most appealing short-term first baseman on this year’s market, Lind has put up a big .296/.378/.521 slash with 15 long balls in the season’s first half, though he has marked platoon splits and is best suited as a righty-masher. He’s owed only the remainder of a $7.5MM salary in 2015, and can be controlled with a $8MM club option ($500K buyout) next year.
- Howard has been completely baffled against lefties, but still puts up big power numbers against right-handed pitching (.241/.285/.469). At this stage, he probably only makes sense as a part-time player. To move him, Philly will need to eat a huge portion of the approximately $12.5MM he’s owed the rest of the way this year — to say nothing of the $35MM still left on his deal down the line (including a $10MM buyout for 2017). Howard also has full no-trade protection now that he’s achieved ten-and-five rights.
- The 33-year-old Napoli is playing on a $16MM salary this year and has hit at about 20% below league average. Boston is probably not in a position to move him as things stand, but he could profile as an August trade piece depending upon how things shake out.
- LaRoche has not thrived since signing a two-year, $25MM deal with the White Sox over the offseason, but is still maintaining league-average production and offers a steady glove at first. His strikeout rate has jumped to 28.9%, but he’s bounced back before and would hold appeal for teams in need of a sturdy all-around option at first.
- Both Morrison and Trumbo have hit beneath the league average line this year, though they’ve shown more in the past. Seattle has already performed quite a bit of roster juggling this year to maintain a contender, and seems fully committed to 2015, but could conceivably move either or both if it continues to fall short of expectations.
- The 28-year-old Davis has been steadily average at the plate, even with limited exposure to same-handed pitching. He’s owed just $3.8MM this year and can be kept through arbitration for 2016, so he could be a low-cost/low-risk option if the A’s decide to sell.
- Moreland profiled quite a bit like Davis coming into the year, but has raked in 2015 — in large part due to a lofty 21.2% HR/FB rate and a .324 BABIP that is a good bit higher than his career marks. Likewise, he’s cheap ($2.95MM salary) and has one more year of arb control. Texas has a whole host of left-handed power bats, including fellow first baseman Prince Fielder and top prospect Joey Gallo, so could entertain offers in a bid to sell high.
- The Pirates are firmly in contention, unlike the teams that control the players listed above. But Alvarez has dropped off somewhat at the plate (.236/.305/.436 with 12 home runs) and has remained a major drag in the field since moving over from the hot corner. There’s another year of team control left, but Alvarez will get a raise on his 2015 salary of $5.75MM. It’s plausible to imagine Pittsburgh adding one of the players noted elsewhere in this post while shipping Alvarez out to an AL club in need of a DH.
- Morse and Morneau are more or less unmovable at present, as both are in the midst of extended DL stays. Morse will return soon, but will need to show some improvement after an awful start to the year. Morneau, unfortunately, has much more serious health issues, as he is once again shelved with worrisome concussion issues.
Backups/DH Candidates
Chris Carter (Astros), Billy Butler (Athletics), Nick Swisher (Indians), Garrett Jones (Yankees), Wilin Rosario (Rockies), Darin Ruf (Phillies), Tyler Moore (Nationals), Brett Wallace (Padres)
- The question, as always, with Carter is whether he can make enough contact for his prodigious power to outweigh his proclivity for strikeouts. It’s been no different this year, but his overall productivity has taken a step back with dips in his in-zone contact, line-drive and hard-contact rates, and BABIP. Houston has other options in the first base/DH arena — Evan Gattis and Jon Singleton, in particular — and the 28-year-old is already earning $4.18MM as a Super Two.
- Butler has not bounced back as the A’s hoped when they surprisingly promised him $30MM over three years. It’s unclear whether Oakland or any of the other teams in the league have much appetite for a deal, but he can’t be ruled out as a trade piece.
- Swisher continues to decline at the plate, with both declining walk and power numbers, and has struggled with a knee issue. That makes him an unlikely deadline mover, but a rebound might let the Indians offload a small piece of his salary (about $7.5MM more this year, plus $15MM for 2016) in an August deal.
- Jones, 34, has a well-established track record of fairly solid production against right-handed pitching. It’s certainly possible that he could find himself the odd man out on a Yankees club that has multiple DH candidates and is always a threat to make an unexpected splash at the deadline.
- Though Rosario is young, powerful, and affordable ($2.8MM this year with two more seasons of arb control), much of his value has dissipated with a move away from the catching position. His numbers are obviously inflated by playing at Coors Field, but he could make sense for a team in search of affordable power (and/or sees some hope in eventually plugging him back behind the dish).
- Ruf, Moore, and Wallace have all shown some promise at times, but have not done much at the MLB level this season and are limited as marginal corner outfielders who are probably best suited at first base or DH. There’s not a lot of value here, of course, but it’s not difficult to imagine any of the three changing hands (or hitting the waiver wire) if they lose their roster spots or a need arises elsewhere.
Currently in the Minors
Allen Craig (Red Sox), Jesus Montero (Mariners), Adam Duvall (Giants), Cody Decker (Padres), Brandon Allen (Mets), Nick Evans (Diamondbacks), Matt Hague (Blue Jays), Mike Hessman (Tigers)
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on the massively disappointing Craig, who lost his 40-man spot earlier in the year. He’s continued to lack power during a 208-plate appearance run at Triple-A, but does own a generally productive .260/.375/.353 line. The Red Sox would surely consider a deal, if any other teams see enough upside to give value in return. Montero has hit like the top prospect he once was, but he’s been plying his trade at Triple-A all year (though he just earned a promotion). It’s unclear whether Seattle sees much of a future for him in the organization, but his value is held down by his well-documented off-field issues, to say nothing of a lack of big league production when he’s had the chance. Duvall, 26, has shown plenty of power in the minors, but is limited defensively and struggled in a brief first taste of the big leagues last year. The other players listed all have spent at least some time in the majors (excepting the 28-year-old Decker) and are hitting well at Triple-A, but profile as fill-in pieces at present.
Napoli seems like he’s unlikely to move. No one is going to want him if he doesn’t start hitting, and if he does start hitting the Red Sox are going to want to hold onto him. I guess there’s a chance he recovers, starts tearing the cover off the ball and it somehow coincides with the rest of the team collapsing, but that doesn’t seem likely. If Nap gets hot he’s the kinda guy who can carry a team. If he doesn’t there’s no real reason for anyone to want him.
Agree it isn’t terribly likely. But say BOS falls way back and Napoli is raking … he’d be a definite August trade candidate. That kind of scenario is why I included him (fwiw).
My guess is if anything Nap gets released. Over the last couple of weeks the Sox have scored a couple of major series wins to not be discounted yet while Napoli has been virtually dead weight. They’ll shop him and probably get zero interest or they’ll attempt to use his salary as ballast in a larger deal.
Regardless, if the Sox are planning on making a final push, Nap won’t be part of the plan.
That’s providing he doesn’t start hitting again. Ortiz and Sandoval both were having difficulties earlier, were rested and found their grove again. They haven’t had the opportunity to really do that with Nap yet until now. He may be done for good, but that doesn’t seem too likely at 33. It’s a little soon for that.
Weird seeing names like Matt Hague and Mike Hessman on the list. I didn’t even know they were still around!
Really just digging up the organizational guys who could always pop up … probably wouldn’t have expected Clint Robinson to be playing a major role on a contender, but as with Travis Ishikawa last year, these things do happen!
Any chance of the Reds pairing Votto and Cueto? A way to shed that contract from their books.
I don’t see why as it would hurt their negotiating power. Votto may be back towards the numbers we’ve been expecting but he’s still not the annual MVP candidate the Reds were hoping for when they signed him long term. And remember the guy still has $200M and 8 years left on his deal. The number of teams that can take that are already few, the number of teams that would want that are fewer.
Nobody is taking on that Votto money. Especially since he’s not the same hitter he was, even if he’s still good.
Considering the production combined with a modest remaining salary and modest option for 2016, Brewers will want a substantial return for Lind. Any team thinking they are going to be able to land him with some low level C prospect or border line major leaguer better think again.
Yonder Alonso? Padres could get a decent return for him.
Considered him, but ultimately felt it wasn’t that likely given club control and lack of alternatives.
I could see Encarnacion traded for a top of the rotation arm this summer
I had a similar thought. The Jays are just that good, they can afford to lose him and stay as a top offensive team.
The question is, what team has a need at 1B, and has a TOR arm they can afford to trade?
A more logical deal could be Matt Reynolds, Rafael Montero and Jon Niese for Jose Reyes and Dwight Smith.
Organizational need trade, the Jays get 2 possible starters, 1 with TOR potential and another a guy who with the offensive the Jays can easily be a respectable inning eater, plus the Jays get Reyes’ replacement.
The Mets can a shortstop who can hit, plus an outfield prospect whos close to the show.
Yeah I’ve thought of this many times, particularly regarding the Mets. Yes, Duda is theoretically their best hitter, but can fake it in the OF and EE would just be SO what the doctor ordered for them.
Kelly Johnson has put up a 110 wRC+ this year, has played first base in Freddie Freeman’s absence, and is super-affordable.
Its fun that just about every single position you do is going to have the Phillies on it.
1st: Ruf, Howard
2nd: Utley, Blanco
3rd: Blanco, Asche, Galvis
SS: Galvis, Blanco
C: Ruiz
LF: Brown, Frenchy, Ruf, Revere, Asche
CF: Revere
RF: Ruf, Revere, Frenchy, Brown
Bullpen: Giles, Papelbon, DeFratus
Sure they’re available. But how many of those guys are an upgrade for a team that’s making a serious playoff run?
Everyone there is atleast a decent role player with the exception of really Utley, Brown, Asche and DeFratus. Everyone else can serve some purpose to a contender.
Howard still has tons of pop, Frenchy and Ruf can hit lefties. Revere has been worth 2 WAR this season. Giles and Papelbon are elite bullpen arms. Ruiz is still a good defensive catcher, and Galvis is a defensive genius at SS.
With all those good players, it’s amazing the Phillies aren’t contending.
Re: Jesus Montero, you say he’s had a “lack of production at the big-league when he’s had the chance” You mean those 17 Major League plate appearances he’s had the last 2 seasons combined? No reason for Seattle to give up on him without giving him another shot — he will be out of options next spring.
Plus, with Pineda doing well in NY, the organization needs to save face a bit. Even if Zduriencik gets fired this year, they still want to give that trade a little more of a chance to equal out.
No, I mean the 749 total PAs he’s had. I realize he deserves another shot at some point (now, it seems). This post was about possible trade targets, and that comment was about his trade value as things stand — i.e., he’s had chances to hit big league pitching, and really hasn’t performed.
It’s not the end-all, but it matters, obviously. Lots of guys hit at AAA but don’t in the majors. And he’s a 1B/DH now, not a catcher, plus comes with all the other issues.
Who hangs up first? Paul Goldschmidt for a package built around Gregory Polanco, Tyler Glasnow, and Josh Bell?
Huntington. No way the Bucs trade both Polanco and Bell
I was thinking the cards could pair up with the Mariners possibly. Take Trumbo for one of the many outfielders we have. Bourjos? I just don’t see Reynolds playing first the rest of the way.
Despite not being listed, I could see Chris Colabello and Justin Smoak being available for trade as well. Colabello has performed surprisingly well.
I’m not here to say they carry a ton of value, but I think theyvarebworth mentioning. Edwin has 10-5 rights and enjoys Toronto.
Really love watching Chris Carter come to the plate and swing the bat, The guy however still swings at most every breaking ball going low and inside it seems and pitchers are going to keep feeding him that as long as he swings at it.
Had hopes and still do he learns to not swing at it. The guy could have been the next Frank howard when 1st saw him come up with Oakland, but he’s got to learn to control his swing some. As of now? He’s not even Dave Kingman, nor mark Reynolds early career. That swing and inability to spot those low and inside breaking balls are something he needs massive work on.
Just once, I’d like to see a write-up about available pitchers note a “Coors deflation”, to go with the inevitable “Coors inflation” for their hitters. Which actually turns out to be untrue anyway — Rockies hitters tend to hit just fine when they leave Colorado.
Their will be some moved.