2016 Trade Market

Trade Market For Relievers

By Jason Martinez and Jeff Todd | July 29, 2016 at 8:35pm CDT

Pitching is the priority for most contenders. Starting pitchers, however, are costly and there aren’t many good ones available right now unless a team has and is willing to trade away an elite prospect or possibly even two.

The alternative is to trade for a reliable reliever or two, which could help a team who isn’t getting enough quality innings out of their starting pitchers. As the Royals have proven, you don’t need six or seven innings from your starting pitchers to succeed as long as your bullpen can pick up the slack. Three dominant relievers to cover the 7th, 8th and 9th innings helped in their case, but they also had several others who made a strong contribution to the team’s success.

This is the time for a contender to assess how much help their bullpen needs and ensure that they’re stocked up for the stretch run. Here are some relievers who are likely available on the trade market.

Premium Relief Arms

Andrew Miller (Yankees), Wade Davis (Royals), Mark Melancon (Pirates), David Robertson (White Sox), Alex Colome (Rays), Arodys Vizcaino (Braves), Jeremy Jeffress & Will Smith (Brewers)

Miller and Davis represent the top of the class, but much like the many controllable starters we’ve heard so much about, it’s not clear that either is available for anything less than a true haul. The Yankees already dealt away Aroldis Chapman, and have seemingly put an immense price tag on Miller, who is now unquestionably one of the very best relievers in baseball. The same can be said of Davis, though he hasn’t been quite as excellent this year as last and has one less season of control on his contract, which runs out after 2017.
There were rumblings before the year that the Bucs could look to swap out Melancon and his $9.65MM salary. The cash probably isn’t a major concern at this point, but the Pirates are in a somewhat difficult position for contention and have reportedly considered a deal for a pending free agent. Melancon is still trucking along with a 1.51 ERA and 8.2 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9, all within range of the new standard he set for himself beginning in 2013. Since Pittsburgh is still a plausible post-season threat, it seems that the team would be looking for a somewhat unique scenario — the ask is for a solid set-up arm to plug onto the MLB roster as well as a prospect haul to make up the difference in value and bolster the organization’s future.
Robertson is having a fine season and is surely a late-inning upgrade for some contenders. But he’s still due close to $30MM through the 2018 season and he’s just not the same pitcher he was when he signed his current deal with the White Sox. If the Sox were willing to take on some of Robertson’s remaining salary, however, they could well generate a solid return — especially if the names just listed prove too expensive to change hands.
If the Rays are willing to trade away one of their controllable starting pitchers, as the rumors indicate, then they’d certainly trade All-Star closer Colome. Even with four years left of club control remaining after 2016, Colome won’t have as much value to the Rays until they’re ready to contend again. Still, the price will be high for the 27-year-old and the Rays won’t be motivated to move him unless they’re blown away with an offer.
Jeffress and Vizcaino are in the same boat as Colome with their respective teams. Young, controllable and talented closers with teams that aren’t competitive now and might not be for at least a couple more years. The price is high, but these guys are definitely available. The question with Jeffress is whether another team will value his groundball-driven approach as highly as do the Brewers. As for Vizcaino, some recent stumbles and a DL stint have significantly reduced the likelihood he’s dealt.
That leaves Smith, who missed a big chunk of time earlier this year and has been more solid than great since returning. The 27-year-old southpaw owns a 3.60 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 over twenty innings, representing a drop-off from the 3.79 K/BB ratio he ran up a season ago. With three remaining seasons of arbitration eligibility, Milwaukee may choose to see if he can build up value over the next several months before exploring a deal in earnest.

Click to read below for the rental relievers and other pen arms with future control:

Pure Rentals

Righties Joe Smith (Angels), Daniel Hudson (Diamondbacks), David Hernandez (Phillies), Jim Johnson (Braves), Ross Ohlendorf (Reds)

The 32-year-old Smith isn’t nearly as effective as he once was, but he’s a pending free agent and one of the Halos’ few obvious trade pieces. Smith’s K rate has fallen off a cliff, but he still gets groundballs and has turned in seven appearances running without allowing a run (or recording a single strikeout or walk).
Hudson’s chief appeal at this point is velocity, as he continues to run up a consistent mid-nineties heater. But the results haven’t been there (6.08 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 over 37 frames) after a solid bounceback 2015 following years of arm troubles. Hudson is an obvious trade piece as a soon-to-be free agent for a disappointing D-Backs club that will probably just need to get what it can for him.
There was a point earlier in the year where Hernandez was looking like he might be a nice trade piece for the Phils, but he has come back down to earth as the season has gone on. Over 47 1/3 innings, he owns a 4.37 ERA that largely mirrors his career results. The double-digit strikeouts per nine is appealing, as is a fastball that sits around 94 mph, but Philadelphia won’t expect a ton in return.
Johnson may or may not be traded within minutes of this post going live. He’s not producing like the closer of yore, and his fastball velocity continues a slow decline, but he’s still generating a 56.4% groundball rate.
Though he’s over-extended in his current late-inning role in Cincinnati, Ohlendorf is recording more than a strikeout per nine, bringing a mid-90s fastball, and carryig a usable 4.27 ERA in 46 1/3 innings. Plus, given his history as a starter, teams could conceivably use Ohlendorf for multiple innings if needed.

Lefties Boone Logan (Rockies), Marc Rzepczynski (Athletics), Eric O’Flaherty (Braves)

Logan looks to be the prime rental LOOGY on the market, with a rather remarkable 17.0% swinging strike rate and — finally — the results to match. Those numbers have been mostly achieved against same-handed hitters, as Logan has nibbled against righties and put on too many via the walk, but he could be a nice weapon down the stretch.
At thirty years of age, “Scrabble” (that’s Rzepczynski) carries a 3.19 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9. He has always been deployed mostly against lefties, but has actually been better against right-handed hitting thus far in 2016.
O’Flaherty has posted some of the game’s ugliest earned-run marks over the last two years, but ERA estimators think he’s been much better this season. Over 22 2/3 innings, he has struck out 6.8 and walked 2.0 batters per nine with a 53.8% groundball rate, with a .355 BABIP and 55.2% strand rate telling heavily in his results.

Future Control

Righties Jeanmar Gomez (Phillies), Huston Street (Angels), Tyler Clippard (Diamondbacks), Brandon Kintzler (Twins), Tyler Thornburg (Brewers), Erasmo Ramirez & Brad Boxberger (Rays), Ryan Madson (Athletics), Brandon Maurer (Padres), Blake Wood (Reds)

It’s unlikely that any contending team would view Gomez as their closer. As effective as he’s been for the Phillies, he has a 5.6 K/9 and throws his fastball in the low 90’s. Not exactly the prototypical late-inning reliever. There should be solid interest, though reports suggest Philadelphia isn’t terribly interested in moving Gomez with another year of control remaining.
Street has been injury-prone the past few years and hasn’t been very good in 2016. With a 4.79 ERA, 11 walks and 11 strikeouts in 20.2 innings, it’s doubtful that there will be a ton of interest even if the Angels were to keep a majority of the estimated $13MM remaining on his contract. In all likelihood, he’ll be kept in hopes of a turnaround.
Clippard may have hit a wall at 31 years of age after years of heavy usage. He’s striking out batters right at his career-peak rate of around 11 per nine, but he’s giving up more line drives and less lazy flyballs than he used to, leading to a dramatic rise in the batting average on balls in play against him. He’s available, but is also expensive with a $6.15MM salary on the books for 2017.
In a down year for the Twins, Kintzler has been a nice surprise. He is outperforming his peripherals with a 1.99 ERA, and doesn’t get many strikeouts, but he also basically doesn’t walk anyone and draws a ton of worm-burners (63.6% groundball rate). Kintzler will be entering his last year of arbitration at an appealing price tag, so he’s a solid piece.
Thornburg has worked his way into the elite class of setup men and appears destined to be a closer in the near future. With three years left of club control, that opportunity will probably come with the Brewers once they trade Jeffress. But you also can’t rule out a team being more aggressive to acquire Thornburg, who has a 2.21 ERA, 18 holds and a 12.6 K/9 in his 42 appearances.
The Rays have already drawn calls on Ramirez, who offers a swingman option and three years of cheap future control. He’s carrying a 3.90 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9, all right at his career numbers. It’s quite a different situation for Boxberger, who has missed almost all of the season with arm issues but was just activated from the DL. The 28-year-old offers plenty of upside with his typically high whiff rate and three years of arb years to come, but he’s a big injury risk and we haven’t really heard him mentioned as a trade candidate.
Madson was great in a setup role with the Royals in 2015, but has struggled as the A’s closer this season. If a team thought he’d be more effective once moved back into a setup role, they’d better be very confident about it because he’d be one of the highest paid setup men in the game. He’s due close to $20MM through the 2018 season.
Long an intriguing arm, Maurer has shown new life and recently took over the closer’s role in San Diego. If you look behind his 4.59 ERA, you’ll see a useful 10.5 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in 49 innings. Better still, his velocity is moving in the right direction. Maurer comes with three arb-eligible years.
Though he isn’t drawing any headlines, Wood has checked in with a 3.42 ERA over 47 1/3 innings. Thing is, he’s also coughing up 5.3 free passes per nine, which makes his 8.6 K/9 mark decidedly less appealing than it would be in isolation.

Lefties Fernando Abad (Twins), Zach Duke (White Sox), Jake McGee (Rockies), Xavier Cedeno (Rays), Ryan Buchter & Brad Hand (Padres), Ian Krol & Hunter Cervenka (Braves), Tony Cingrani (Reds)

Abad is one of the prime trade pieces on this market, though Minnesota doesn’t have to deal him with another year of cheap control left to go. The 30-year-old carries a 2.53 ERA on the year, though his once sparkling peripherals have fallen off a bit (7.9 K/9 vs. 3.9 BB/9).
Though Duke isn’t cheap — he’s earning $5MM this year and $5.5MM next — he should hold solid appeal. Since his reinvention began in 2014, he’s running a 2.88 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. While he struggled against righties last year, moreover, the former starter has returned to posting neutral platoon splits this season.
It’s been a struggle for McGee since he arrived in Colorado, with notable declines in virtually every area. In particular, he is striking out about half as many hitters he did last year (with a career-low 7.8% swinging strike rate) and has lost a tick on his already-diminished fastball. With a $4.8MM salary for 2016 and a raise coming, he’s nothing close to the asset he once was.
With arbitration beckoning, the 29-year-old Cedeno could become a trade piece for the Rays. He hasn’t been quite as good in the results department this year as he was last, but Cedeno is still putting up a 3.62 ERA with impressive peripherals — 8.9 K/9 with 2.5 BB/9. He has allowed less than a hit per inning and just one home run. Cedeno has to have the game’s best 88 mph heater; he’s racked up about a 14% whiff rate over the last two campaigns while relying heavily on his cutter, mixed in oft-changing ratios with a hook.
Buchter has been a revelation since getting a chance with the Friars, but with gobs of control remaining he won’t come cheap. Hand, meanwhile, has long been a useful swingman, but he has been a different pitcher since changing homes. Over 55 1/3 innings, he’s running up a 3.09 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 — both of which are much higher than he has typically shown. Hand has relied more on his two-seamer and, especially, his curve while largely dropping his change, with generally promising results.
With arbitration beckoning, the 25-year-old Krol has impressed. He’s sitting with a 3.14 ERA and 10.1 K/9 vs. 3.1 BB/9 to go with a 51.3% groundball rate over 28 2/3 frames. Teams will still be wary of the track record — control has long been fleeting — but Krol is sitting at a career-best 94.0 mph with his average fastball, carries a double-digit whiff rate, and has managed to get his first pitch over for a strike much more frequently than he has in the past. Cervenka is actually a year older than Krol, but only just debuted. His double-digit punches per nine is impressive but he’s also walking more than five batters per regulation game. Brandishing a slider in over half of his pitches, Cervenka has permitted just 20 hits in 31 1/3 innings and owns a 2.87 ERA. With a full slate of control remaining, though, Atlanta has little reason to deal him — and teams probably won’t pay much of a premium in hopes of slotting him into their pen down the stretch given the risks.
Though he has a 3.20 ERA on the year and a solid prospect pedigree behind him, Cingrani has recorded just 6.4 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9 in his 45 innings on the year. His results are propped up by a .238 BABIP, though it’s fair to note that Cingrani is not permitting a ton of hard contact or line drives. He’s also pushing 94 mph with his average fastball, well above his velo as a starter; that’s particularly important since he uses the pitch over 80% of the time. Cingrani will reach arb eligibility after the year, and the budget-conscious Reds could see this as a reasonable time to try to cash him in — if another organization has interest.

Trade Market For Corner Outfielders

By Steve Adams | July 28, 2016 at 6:02pm CDT

The quiet nature of this month means that there are plenty of corner options still available, and there’s been no shortage of clubs linked to help in left field and right field. The Indians, Dodgers, Cubs, Orioles, Mariners, Giants and Nationals have all been connected to outfielders in some capacity, and others figure to be exploring the market more quietly as well. Here’s a rundown of some of the available options…

Top Rentals

Josh Reddick: Extension talks between Reddick and the A’s haven’t progressed, with Oakland seeking a three-year pact and Reddick looking for four. His season has been shortened by a fractured thumb, but Reddick is slashing a very solid .300/.375/.443 with seven homers in 258 plate appearances. He’s walked nearly as many times (28) as he’s struck out (33) and is earning an affordable $6.575MM in his final year before hitting the open market. The A’s have been winning quite a bit since the All-Star break (9-4), but they’re still 11 games back in the division and 9.5 games back from a Wild Card spot, making Reddick seem like a good bet to be moved by always-active president of baseball ops Billy Beane.

Carlos Beltran: The Yankees already sold one free-agent-to-be in Aroldis Chapman, and Beltran makes sense as a trade candidate in a similar vein. He’s hitting .305/.347/.548 with 21 home runs on the year and is in the final season of a three-year, $45MM deal. Beltran’s glove has deteriorated substantially, but an American League club could certainly benefit from adding him to split time between right field and DH.

Steve Pearce: Pearce is absolutely mashing (.312/.384/.528) on a one-year, $4.75MM deal for a selling Rays club. He’s extremely likely to be traded in the coming days and, as a bonus, can handle first base and second base as well. Pearce probably doesn’t get the fanfare he deserves, but he’s batted .271/.347/.502 in 932 PAs dating back to 2014.

Signed Through 2017

Jay Bruce: Not only is Bruce in the midst of a brilliant rebound, he’s arguably the hottest hitter in Major League Baseball. Bruce has homered in five straight games, one being a multi-homer showing, and he’s hitting .271/.323/.572 with 25 homers overall. His $13MM option for next season looks perfectly reasonable even if his defense has taken a step back following 2014 knee surgery. The rebuilding Reds seem likely to move him within the next few days barring a somewhat surprising lack of genuine interest.

Carlos Gonzalez: CarGo has been the subject of trade rumors for the better part of three years thanks to his excellent play and the Rockies’ perennial status as also-rans in the NL West. His increasing proximity to free agency, however, makes it seem more plausible that Gonzalez would be traded than it has in years past. His .317/.370/.544 slash line is inflated somewhat by Coors Field, but even when adjusted for park and league, it translates to about 25 percent above the league-average hitter. He’s not the base-stealing threat he once was, but Gonzalez doesn’t hurt a team on the basepaths and still provides an above-average glove in right field.

Melky Cabrera: There’s a perception that Cabrera could be included in the “big contract” section below, but he’s hitting .293/.338/.453 since June 1 of last season and is past the halfway point in his deal. He doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of defensive value, but Cabrera is a solid bat that isn’t outrageously priced. If the Sox are willing to listen on short-term assets — and it sounds like they are — then there’s no reason to think Cabrera couldn’t go help deepen a contending club’s lineup.

Controllable Assets

Kole Calhoun (Angels), Robbie Grossman (Twins), Khris Davis (Athletics), Brett Gardner (Yankees), Brandon Guyer (Rays), Desmond Jennings (Rays)

Calhoun’s inclusion is a stretch, but there’s no doubt teams are at least checking in with the Halos on their quietly excellent and perpetually underrated right fielder. Calhoun is hitting .283/.364/.431 with 10 homers and 31 total extra-base hits to go along with solid right field defense. He’s under control through 2019 as a Super Two player, and I’d imagine he would have to net the Angels multiple high-end pieces (likely MLB-ready arms) for an offer to even merit consideration.
It’s not all that clear that the Twins or A’s would listen on Grossman and Davis, as each is highly controllable (Grossman for four more years, Davis for three) and producing at the plate. Grossman’s ridiculous 17.6 percent walk rate has seemingly materialized out of thin air and resulted in a .274/.405/.441 line through 227 PAs since inking a minors deal with the Twins in May. Davis mashed his 24th and 25th homers last night despite playing half his games at O.Co Coliseum. He’s OBP challenged, as always, and strikes out a fair amount, but that power is tantalizing.
Gardner would represent a different type of trade than Chapman or Beltran for the Yankees, as he’s controlled for two years beyond this (with an option for a third season) at a reasonable rate and is still productive. Moving Gardner is seemingly the type of trade the Yankees are looking to avoid, as they’re not entering a complete rebuild. Still, he’s been speculated upon since the offseason and should draw interest.
The Rays are getting more hits on their pitchers, but clubs in need of a right-handed outfield bat could look to Tampa Bay as well. Neither Guyer nor Jennings is as productive as Pearce, but Guyer is controllable and handles left-handed pitching quite well. Jennings’ top prospect star has faded and he’s no longer even looking like an everyday option following a series of knee injuries, but perhaps a change of scenery (and escaping Tropicana Field’s turf) could help his cause.

Reserves/Fourth Outfielders

Jarrod Dyson (Royals), Jimmy Paredes/Cody Asche (Phillies), Jeff Francoeur (Braves), Nori Aoki (Mariners), Avisail Garcia (White Sox), Daniel Nava (Angels), Rickie Weeks (D-backs)

The Braves don’t want to move Francoeur unless they get a legitimate prospect in return, which seems unlikely, but GM John Coppolella did pull a real prospect out of Lucas Harrell and Dario Alvarez. Garcia has once again proven underwhelming for the White Sox, who one has to imagine will simply give up the ghost on him at some point. The same could be said for Asche in Philadelphia. Dyson’s glove and wheels make him an intriguing long-term bench option, but his affordable remaining control might just mean Kansas City holds onto him.

Big Contracts

Ryan Braun (Brewers), Matt Kemp (Padres), Jacoby Ellsbury (Yankees), Yasmany Tomas (D-backs), Nick Markakis (Braves)

Braun is still an elite bat, but interest in him is apparently minimal due to the fact that he’s just in the first season a five-year, $105MM contract extension. That type of cash is difficult for any team to absorb at any time but especially midseason. The Brewers are reportedly more concerned with getting good talent in return than getting salary relief, so the possibility of a salary dump needn’t be entertained.
The other names on this list simply haven’t performed well enough to make a trade seem reasonable. Tomas is hitting for power this season but still showing poor plate discipline and playing sub-par defense. That’s doubly true for Kemp, who has one of the lowest OBPs of any qualified hitter and still has gobs of cash left on his deal — though he is slugging .488 and has swatted 23 long balls. Ellsbury has $84.57MM remaining on his deal after this season, which figures to be a non-starter in any talks. Markakis could be moved if the Braves eat some of the $22MM he’s owed after the season, but it’s been years since he showed any kind of power, and his average/OBP have dipped this year, too.

Injured

Jon Jay (Padres), Peter Bourjos (Phillies)

Jay was shaping up to be one of San Diego’s best trade chips before a fractured forearm suffered on a hit-by-pitch shelved him for more than a month. He’ll be back in August and should draw interest as a trade candidate, though he might not make it through waivers. Bourjos was a man on fire for about six weeks leading up to the All-Star break and has long had a brilliant defensive reputation. He hit the DL today after crashing into the outfield wall while making a running catcher and subsequently injuring his shoulder, but a contending club looking for some speed and defense in a fourth outfielder could benefit from adding the fleet-footed Bourjos in August once he’s healthy.

Trade Market For Third Basemen

By Steve Adams | July 27, 2016 at 2:20pm CDT

Third base has been a largely productive position for big league clubs this season, and even teams that have seen their primary options go down due to injury (i.e. the Royals and the Mets) have received solid if not above-average production from their replacements. That shrinks the number of clubs that would conceivably look to buy at the hot corner, though there are a few contenders that make sense. Cleveland, for instance, hasn’t received great production out of Juan Uribe and could shift him to a bench role with a meaningful third base upgrade. The Giants have had a carousel at the hot corner with Matt Duffy on the shelf, and the Cardinals last week placed Jhonny Peralta on the disabled list with an injury to the same thumb that cost him the first few months of the 2016 season. Other clubs could simply look to add a versatile piece (possibly with remaining club control) that could not only handle third base but a few other positions. And, as luck would have it, there are plenty such names available…

Short-Term Veterans

Todd Frazier: The White Sox are opening to offers on the majority of their roster, and while Frazier comes with plenty of name value and plenty of power, his overall production has been a bit of a letdown. Frazier’s 29 homers trail only Mark Trumbo for the Major League lead, but he’s hitting .212/.299/.475 this season. His 10.4 percent walk rate is a career-best, and there’s some poor luck in terms of BABIP (.200), but part of that low average on balls in play is due to an enormous 22 percent infield-fly rate, so he shouldn’t be expected to rebound to the league average. Frazier’s 24 percent strikeout rate is a career worst as well. Still, he’s teeming with power, earning just $8.25MM this year and owed one more raise in arbitration before free agency. The Sox probably place a high value on him, as they’re not indicating a full rebuild is in the offing.

Yunel Escobar: The .326/.372/.418 batting line that Escobar has produced this season is a near-mirror image of his .314/.375/.415 slash from his strong 2015 season with the Nationals. However, the sub-par defense he’s playing at the hot corner is also a close approximation of last season as well. That’s essentially who Escobar is, though: an average to above-average hitter with a questionable glove. He’s on a reasonable $7MM salary for the 2016 season and has a 2017 club option for the same rate, making him attractive from a financial standpoint. Escobar’s personality has drawn some questionable reviews in the past, but he received an endorsement as a teammate from Hector Santiago earlier this summer.

Danny Valencia: Whether Valencia has fallen out of favor with the A’s or Oakland simply wants to see Ryon Healy on an everyday basis to gauge his future, Valencia has lost his starting third base gig in spite of a robust .299/.351/.481 slash line this season. His defense has been abysmal, per both UZR and DRS, though he’s drawn at least competent marks from each of those metrics in the seasons leading up to 2016. Detractors will claim that Valencia’ productivity is a short-term fluke, but he’s somewhat quietly mashed at a .294/.348/.502 (131 OPS+) clip over his past 694 plate appearances. There are some clubhouse concerns here, and the defense is troubling as well, but Valencia has been an offensive force for more than a year and is controlled through 2017 via arbitration. He can probably handle some first base and left field as well.

Eduardo Nunez: Like Valencia, Nunez has quietly escalated his offensive profile dating back to Opening Day 2015. In 590 plate appearances since that time, the former Yankee is hitting .293/.326/.440 with 16 home runs and 34 stolen bases. Nunez is controlled through the 2017 season and is earning just $1.475MM this season, making him the most affordable option in this “short-term veteran” bucket. As a bonus, he’s capable of playing shortstop (where he’s played for most of the 2016 season), second base and left field as well, even if he’s not a great defender at any of the four spots. Nunez is popular among his teammates, but the disappointing Twins are likely open to moving any player within arm’s reach of free agency, and Nunez is reportedly one of their most asked-about names.

Controllable Assets

Yangervis Solarte: The Padres haven’t shied away from selling controllable pieces, and Solarte only has one more year of control than Drew Pomeranz, whom they already shipped out. He’s done nothing but hit in the Majors, is cheap for the time being, can play multiple positions and is in the midst of the best season of his career. The return for Chase Headley looked pretty light when the Padres got him, but Solarte has made it a great move for San Diego.

Jed Lowrie: Lowrie’s power has vanished, and he hasn’t played a lot of third base lately, but he’s experienced at the position and is hitting for average/OBP on an affordable contract for a clear-cut seller in Oakland. Like Solarte, he can move around the infield a bit and provide a team with at least a super-utility option if not a regular player at multiple positions.

Jonathan Villar: The Brewers needn’t feel compelled to move Villar, who is having a breakout season (.295/.377/.433 with an MLB-best 36 steals). He’s controllable through 2020, so if Milwaukee is to part with him, the return would need to be fairly significant. Orlando Arcia is going to push him off shortstop soon, but Villar could play second or third base, so that’s not much of a concern for the Brew Crew.

Logan Forsythe: The Rays have played Forsythe at second base almost exclusively, but he has a bit of experience at third and could probably handle the spot if needed. He’s continued his 2015 breakout with a .278/.339/.454 batting line this season and is affordable through the 2018 season via a $5.75MM salary next year and a club option for the 2018 season that’s valued at $8.5MM. If he continues at his current pace, those are both flat-out bargains. The Rays are selling, and $5.75MM next year is more to them than it is to most clubs.

Evan Longoria: I only mention Longoria due to some fairly vague speculation that the Dodgers would have interest in him — Longo is a known commodity for Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who previously headed up Tampa Bay’s baseball ops department — but that’s probably true of most teams in baseball. Longoria is in the midst of a brilliant rebound season at the plate, hitting .287/.336/.535 with 22 home runs. He’s playing his typically excellent defense at the hot corner and figures to finish out the season somewhere in the vicinity of five to six wins above replacement. He’s still just 30 years of age, so the $99MM he’s owed through 2022 is perfectly reasonable. The Rays would have to be overwhelmed to move him.

Reserves/Utility Options

Gordon Beckham (Braves), Brett Wallace (Padres), Eduardo Escobar (Twins), Andres Blanco/Freddy Galvis (Phillies), Adam Rosales/Alexi Amarista (Padres), Daniel Descalso (Rockies)

As we saw at both second base and shortstop, there’s a wide variety of utility types available. The asking price on most of these players wouldn’t be all that high, with Escobar as a possible exception due to his remaining club control and the fact that he was a very solid piece for Minnesota in 2014-15.

Big Contracts/Injured Players (i.e. August Options)

Chase Headley: Headley probably draws more criticism than he deserves, as he’s quietly batted .279/.341/.442 dating back to May 1 this season and is on pace for an overall above-average campaign. He comes with concerns about his durability, and there’s a perception among some fans that he’s a bust because he hasn’t played like a star even though he isn’t being paid like one in the first place. He’s owed $5.26MM through the end of this season plus another $13MM in 2017 and in 2018. That amount of money means the Yankees would probably have to absorb some cash to move him.

Trevor Plouffe: It looked reasonable for the Twins to trade Plouffe this winter when he was coming off a pair of solid seasons as Minnesota’s regular third baseman. Now, he’s in the midst of his second DL stint and sporting a lackluster .252/.283/.399 slash with seven homers and a $7.25MM salary. The Twins have moved Miguel Sano back to third base in part to clear room for Max Kepler and in part because Sano often looked lost in the outfield. That makes it tough to see where Plouffe fits into the long-term plan once he’s healthy. Down season aside, Plouffe is controllable through 2017 via arbitration and enjoyed a .251/.317/.429 run with 20-homer pop and solid defense from 2014-15, so one can envision him piquing the interest of corner-infield-needy clubs. (Plouffe also has recent experience at first base.)

Brett Lawrie: Reportedly headed to the disabled list due to a hamstring strain (per JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago), Lawrie’s injury makes him an unlikely candidate to be dealt this month. However, he could be an August option for teams in need of help at second or third base. He’s sporting a roughly league-average batting line, per OPS+ and wRC+, and offers a bit of pop and speed at either position. He’s making $4.125MM this year and has another year of control before hitting free agency following the 2017 season.

Trade Market For Center Fielders

By Jeff Todd | July 26, 2016 at 2:34pm CDT

While Melvin Upton left the market before I could wrap up this post, there are still plenty of names to cover in the center field market. There’s obviously quite a lot of overlap between this and the corner outfield market, which we’ll cover separately. Many of the players listed below, like Upton, aren’t necessarily strictly identified as up-the-middle defenders — but their established ability to hold down such a role distinguishes them from their generally slower-footed brethren.

There’s cause to expect continued movement in this area of the market, even with the acquisition of Upton seemingly taking the Blue Jays out of further consideration. The Nationals haven’t received what they hoped for out of the position, and certainly could look to improve. You could argue the same for the Cardinals, though Randal Grichuk has turned it up at the plate of late. While the Indians may now feel covered with Rajai Davis and Tyler Naquin both producing, the team could still prefer to find a center-field-capable addition to increase its flexibility. And there are always teams that will prefer to add a fourth outfielder who is capable of playing center even if they have a quality regular — the Orioles, for instance, were said to be the runners up for Upton. It’s possible to imagine teams like the Giants, Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, and Astros having that sort of interest, though all could conceivably chase a bigger strike than might be expected.

Here are some center field options who could end up changing hands over the next several days (or, if not, then potentially during the revocable waiver period that will follow starting August 2nd):

Rentals

Peter Bourjos (Phillies), Alejandro De Aza (Mets), Michael Bourn (Diamondbacks), Coco Crisp (Athletics), Carlos Gomez (Astros) Jon Jay (Padres), Austin Jackson (White Sox)

It didn’t look this way for much of the year, but Bourjos is probably the top rental player as an up-the-middle outfielder. He’s cheap and doesn’t hold any future value to the Phils, and makes perfect sense as a bench piece for a contender that can make good use of his glove and legs down the stretch. Though he has fallen back to earth at the plate, and won’t reap any major return, there’s function there.
De Aza has never made much sense for the Mets, but could still hold a role as a bench piece who can still play a bit up the middle. Likewise, Bourn and Crisp are showing enough life — with the added benefit of being sturdy veterans — to warrant consideration (though Crisp is a bit banged up at present and remains a long-term health risk).
Gomez has resumed his stunning decline after a brief uptick in June. It’s not clear who’d want to take a chance on him, or whether Houston would have any interest in moving him for some meager return, but it’s not out of the question that he ends up moving.
The remaining two names in this section are not fit for action at the moment. Jay was playing himself into a nice chip before his unfortunate injury, while Jackson has the youth and defensive versatility to feature as a trade piece despite his struggles. They could both feature as August movers.

Controllable Starters

Charlie Blackmon (Rockies), Jacoby Ellsbury & Brett Gardner (Yankees), Ender Inciarte (Braves), Leonys Martin (Mariners), Billy Hamilton (Reds), Lorenzo Cain (Royals), Adam Eaton (White Sox)

We’ve heard chatter on Blackmon, though no clear market has emerged for his services with the Nationals denying reports of interest. He’s not as good as his Coors Field-inflated stat line would suggest, but remains a highly appealing player with two years of cheap control remaining.
Though he’s still a useful player, Ellsbury isn’t worth what he’s earning. But we haven’t heard him mentioned at all, and it isn’t clear what kind of scenario would facilitate a trade.
You have to figure that the next four names on the list — Gardner, Inciarte, Martin, Hamilton — are available at the right price, but none seem very likely at all to be dealt. Gardner is still a useful piece to the Yankees with at-market control left on his contract. The Braves would probably rather allow Inciarte to re-build his value before striking a deal, or simply utilize him as part of a hoped-for turnaround in the years to come. And Martin is not only a nice value for the M’s, but represents a solid coup for still-new GM Jerry Dipoto — who has said he’s not interested in selling.
As for Hamilton, it’s anybody’s guess how his career will progress from this point. He’ll only have three years of control remaining after 2016, and though he has returned to being a useful player after an ugly 2015, he still doesn’t profile as an optimal everyday solution. Perhaps some contender will fall in love with the idea of deploying his game-changing speed down the stretch and will put in a call to Cinci.
Rumor has it that the AL Central rival Royals and White Sox are at least willing to entertain proposals for their cornerstone center fielders, but neither is likely to change hands at the deadline. K.C. is hoping to give it one more go in 2017, and dealing Cain probably won’t help that cause. And Eaton — who has actually been more valuable in right — comes with plenty of cheap control and certainly isn’t being forced out by internal options.

CF-Capable Reserve Outfielders

Desmond Jennings & Brandon Guyer (Rays), Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Brewers), Anthony Gose (Tigers), Shane Robinson (Angels), Brandon Barnes (Rockies)

Jennings and Guyer could both hold appeal as reserve outfielder who are capable of playing in center, though neither looks to be a starting-caliber option up the middle. The former hasn’t hit much since 2014 and could be a non-tender candidate after the season, while the latter has been a nice and affordable asset but has been used sparingly up the middle.
I realize that Nieuwenhuis is pretty much the regular guy for the Brewers, but we’re going to consider him here. He is hitting a bit below league average while playing a solid center field, though it remains to be seen whether a contending club likes him enough to make an offer that will entice Milwaukee. It shouldn’t take much, but the Brewers will value having a reasonably steady player at this stage in their rebuild and could end up tendering him a contract in his first season of arbitration eligibility.
Things haven’t gone smoothly at all in 2016 for Gose, who had a decent showing last year — when he was somewhat over-extended in a near-everyday role — but was optioned after a rough start. The ugliness came to a head with a dispute with his Triple-A skipper, leading to a further demotion to Double-A. He’s a change-of-scenery candidate at this stage.
Robinson is hitting right at his career average, which is around 30% below league-average production. But he carries a good glove and has a place as a depth piece.
Barnes was just placed in DFA limbo and has struggled mightily at the plate. He’s more likely to end up joining a new organization on a minor league deal, though a waiver claim can’t be ruled out entirely.

No, Mike Trout Isn’t Available

As should be apparent, I created this category specifically for the Angels’ Mike Trout, who is not only the best player in baseball but remains a screaming value despite his pricey extension. We’ve heard discussion of whether the Halos should consider dealing him, but absolutely no indication that the large-market club has even thought of parting with a player who is well on his way to being an inner-circle Hall-of-Famer.

Trade Market For First Basemen

By Jeff Todd | July 21, 2016 at 5:28pm CDT

If all else fails, teams looking for pop can usually shoehorn a slugger into a first base and/or DH role, and it’s easier to carry such players with the knowledge that rosters will expand in fairly short order. Last year, we saw Mike Napoli and Brandon Moss move at the deadline. But is the demand there this time around?

Truth be told, there aren’t a lot of situations that scream for improvement. John Jaso hasn’t been stellar for the Pirates, though Sean Rodriguez has made for a useful companion and the team has top prospect Josh Bell on hand (if it’s willing to trust him in the field). It’s hard to imagine the Nationals giving up on Ryan Zimmerman — and we haven’t heard any chatter to suggest it — but he is hurt and hasn’t been effective, while lefty bench bat Clint Robinson isn’t matching last year’s productivity. Justin Bour has shown well for the Marlins, but he’s not being trusted to face southpaws and could probably stand to be paired with a better platoon mate than the struggling Chris Johnson (though the return of Dee Gordon will effectively deepen the overall infield mix). The Astros haven’t really landed on a first baseman, but the team may have already made its corner infield move with the signing of Yulieski Gurriel. With the loss of Prince Fielder, and the team’s seeming lack of interest in giving Joey Gallo a shot, perhaps the Rangers shouldn’t be counted out.

If those or any other organizations go hunting for new bats, here are some of the names they might consider:

Rentals

Logan Morrison & Steve Pearce (Rays), Adam Lind & Dae-ho Lee (Mariners), Mark Reynolds (Rockies), Justin Morneau (White Sox), Michael Morse (Free Agent)

We considered Pearce in the discussion of second basemen, and he’ll probably also appear as a corner outfield option, but perhaps he’s best considered as a somewhat unique, floating, semi-regular slugger. He’s a health risk, but he’s also very affordable and is flat-out raking this year (.324/.393/.553).
Morrison and Lind haven’t done a whole heck of a lot at the plate in 2016 — at last look, each carried an 88 OPS+ — but they’re rental pieces that could hold some appeal as lefty bench bats. Much the same holds for Reynolds, albeit from the right side. His .277/.345/.438 batting line is obviously propped up by the advantages of altitude, but he could still garner consideration.
Lee has been hitting, and doing equal damage against pitchers of both kinds, so it’ll be interesting to see if another organization takes a liking to the 34-year-old slugger — who is owed just $1MM this year. It’s not clear from public reports whether he’ll be controllable after the season, but odds are his minor league contract stipulates that he must be put back into the free agent pool.
Morneau is a mystery — he has taken just 38 professional plate appearances since his offseason elbow surgery — and he’s 35 years old. There’s not much chance that he’ll do anything in the next ten days to prompt a deal, let alone that the White Sox will look to trade him in that time. But if he starts putting up numbers and Chicago falls back in August, the veteran first bagger could conceivably be moved in August.
It still seems a bit odd that Morse hasn’t signed since his early-season release by the Bucs, but he is 34 years old and may not be interested in taking a minor league deal. It’s tough to see a contender calling with a MLB offer at this stage.

Future Control

Chris Carter (Brewers), Danny Valencia & Yonder Alonso (Athletics), Byung-ho Park & Kennys Vargas (Twins), Brett Wallace (Padres)

Teams looking for pop could well zero in on Carter, who can also be kept around for two more years via arbitration. He’s producing right at his career rates, which means a borderline OBP and loads of long balls.
Valencia has barely cracked 100 innings at first, but he’s beginning to see a bit of action there and clubs could consider him in that role (at least on a part-time basis) as a way to get the bat in the lineup. Both he and his teammate, Alonso, have another year of arb eligibility remaining. And they are headed in opposite directions, with Valencia slumping through July while Alonso has posted .800+ OPS figures in each of the last two months.
The Twins don’t seem particularly likely to discuss either of their two young DH candidates, and other organizations don’t seem particularly likely to come calling. San Diego would surely be willing to listen on Wallace, but he hasn’t followed up on last year’s short-sample success and his two years of future control don’t carry any significant value.

Big Contracts

Billy Butler (Athletics), Joey Votto (Reds), Mark Teixeira & Alex Rodriguez (Yankees), Albert Pujols (Angels), Joe Mauer (Twins), Ryan Howard (Phillies)

Of the players listed here, Butler might be the likeliest to be traded. He has enjoyed a rebound of sorts over the last two months or so, but overall he has been even less productive this year than last. As a pure DH who is owed $10MM this year and next, it’s far from clear that he’ll be targeted.
The remaining names are all largely implausible trade pieces for somewhat varied, but somewhat overlapping reasons. All have produced at times since signing their monster contracts, but only Votto (who has emerged from his early-season malaise) is putting up big numbers at present — and he not only has gobs of cash still left on his deal, but possesses a full no-trade clause that he doesn’t seem inclined to waive.

Dream On

Freddie Freeman (Braves), Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks), Wil Myers (Padres), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

I feel compelled to mention these three players, if only to check all the boxes, but there are really no plausible scenarios where they end up moving. That’s due in some part to the lack of demand, but also their teams’ stances. Braves GM John Coppolella prefers Freeman to his own right arm; Goldschmidt is one of the most valuable assets in the game and plays for a club that hopes to contend again soon; and Myers constitutes the signature addition of Pads GM A.J. Preller’s tenure. There’s probably at least some minute chance of Myers being dealt, but with possible extension talks on the horizon it’s a poor bet.
That brings us to Abreu, who is in something of his own category. We’ve heard that the White Sox are prepared to listen on most of its roster, and it doesn’t seem that Abreu is being put behind glass with a select few others. He has turned things around after a rough start, and though he no longer looks to be quite the elite asset that he once was, Abreu would still draw significant interest given his affordable control. But I’m still not convinced that Chicago is going to part with the slugger for an equivalent-value package, so I’m shoe-horning him in this category.

Trade Market For Second Basemen

By Steve Adams | July 20, 2016 at 9:15am CDT

While the pitching market is a clear seller’s market this summer, the market for second basemen appears to be another story. The number of potentially available second-base options on losing clubs looks to outweigh the number of clubs looking for a genuine upgrade at second base by a fair margin. The Royals and Blue Jays, for instance, have received poor offensive output from second base as a whole but have strong defenders at those positions right now that are still providing some value. The Pirates haven’t seen much offense at second either but have their fair share of infield depth, and the Cardinals solved some of their second base woes by shifting Matt Carpenter to the position (though Jhonny Peralta’s injury could potentially create a need).

The second base market could be relatively quiet this season barring a notable last-minute injury, but here are some of the possibly available names…

Short-Term Veterans

Steve Pearce (Rays), Eduardo Nunez (Twins)

Pearce isn’t a second baseman in the traditional sense of the word, as he’s been more of a fill-in there over the past couple of seasons in Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The Rays are clear sellers, however, and Pearce has mashed at a .322/.393/.540 clip this season. He’s played just 240 innings at second, so asking him to man the spot regularly down the stretch could be a reach, but his bat could offset his lack of experience there. Plus, he’s earning a bargain $4.8MM on a one-year deal.
Nunez is reportedly among the most frequently asked-about Twins, which is perhaps no surprise given the numbers he’s put up over the past two seasons. While many still think of him as a utility option, Nunez boasts a .790 OPS, 16 homers and 31 stolen bases across his past 155 games in a Twins uniform. He’s earning a mere $1.475MM this season and is eligible for arbitration one final time this winter before hitting free agency following the 2017 season. Nunez could fill in for a team looking for a regular second baseman or bounce around between second base, shortstop, third base and left field. He doesn’t excel defensively at any of those spots, but the versatility is nice.

Controllable Starting Options

Jed Lowrie/Marcus Semien (Athletics), Jean Segura/Chris Owings (D-backs), Yangervis Solarte (Padres), Logan Forsythe (Rays), Brian Dozier (Twins), DJ LeMahieu (Rockies), Jace Peterson (Braves), Jonathan Villar/Scooter Gennett (Brewers)

Lowrie could technically go in the above category as well, but the cheap 2018 club option ($6MM) on his contract prompted me to put him in the “controllable” bucket as opposed to the “short-term” slot. (Plus, I just felt like being than Jeff Todd, who slotted Lowrie into the short-term section of the shortstop trade market.) Lowrie has cooled off as of late, but he’s still hitting .281 with a .333 OBP. His power has been nonexistent for most of the season (.334 slugging, .053 ISO), but he’s affordable, versatile, and owns a .330 OBP over his past five big league seasons. Like Jeff noted when looking at shortstops, I doubt that Semien is actually a likely candidate to be moved, but the A’s are typically willing to listen on everyone but a select few players, so he’s worth at least a mention.
It’s not clear that the D-backs would entertain the notion of moving either of their controllable second base options. Owings is currently on the disabled list and has been for quite some time, which could limit his value. As for Segura, he’s keeping the average just north of .300 thanks in part to a pair of massive BABIP spikes in April and June, though it should be noted that he’s also showing a bit more pop and plate discipline than in years past. The D-backs have only shown a willingness to trade relievers thus far, so moving Segura (controlled through 2018 via arbitration) or Owings (2019) would come as a surprise.
San Diego has already moved James Shields, Fernando Rodney and Drew Pomeranz, and a versatile, controllable asset like Solarte figures to generate interest as well. He has significant experience at both second and third base and despite his status as a minor league signee with the Yankees prior to his big league debut in 2014, he’s done nothing but hit since arriving in the Majors. Solarte has batted .270/.334/.419 as a big leaguer, and his best work has come this season, when he’s slashed .295/.368/.521 in 212 PAs. He’s controllable through 2019, so perhaps the Padres have a greater temptation to hold, but they’ve already traded one cheap young asset that was controlled through 2018 in Pomeranz.
Forsythe has very closely approximated his 2015 breakout in 2016, and he’s combined to bat a hefty .279/.352/.446 with 25 homers in his past 891 plate appearances. He’s fairly pedestrian against right-handed pitching but mashes lefties and plays solid to above-average defense at second (depending on your metric of choice). He’s earning just $1MM this season (the rest of his salary coming via signing bonus), with $5.75MM owed to him in 2017 plus an $8.5MM club option for 2018 that comes with a $1MM buyout.
Dozier’s inclusion may or may not be realistic, but now-former Twins GM Terry Ryan said before his dismissal that he felt the need to be open for business and listen on any player. His interim successor, Rob Antony, could very well be reluctant to listen on Dozier, but given the Twins’ standing, teams will almost certainly check in. The 29-year-old is on the cusp of his third straight 20-homer, 10+ steal season. His .247/.332/.454 batting line in 2016 is indicative of his low-average, plus pop skill set, but he’s sliced his strikeout rate and upped his walk rate this season. Dozier is earning $3MM this year and is owed $6MM in 2017 and $9MM in 2018.
The Rockies have, more often than not, shown a strong resistance to selling off big league assets in July. However, GM Jeff Bridich moved Troy Tulowitzki last summer and was willing to part with a controllable outfielder this winter in Corey Dickerson. There’s no contractual need to move LeMahieu, who is arbitration eligible and controllable through 2018. He’s really upped his offensive game over the past two seasons, though, which should make him appealing to other clubs.
There’s no indication that the Braves are looking to move Peterson, but they’ll listen on virtually anyone and project to have Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies as their long-term double-play tandem as it stands. Peterson could be a fine utility player, but if a club believes his .313/.395/.473 line since being recalled from a demotion to Triple-A is in any way sustainable, the Braves could net a nice piece for a player with four years of control beyond 2016.
Villar has had a breakout season with Milwaukee and is cheap and affordable for another four years following the 2016 season. Orlando Arcia will push him off shortstop soon, but Villar can play third base once that happens. A better question would be if Milwaukee would entertain the thought of moving Scooter Gennett, who is arbitration-eligible this winter and is limited to a platoon role. There’s no urgency to deal Gennett either, but his impending arbitration and lesser club control make him a more plausible option than Villar in my mind.

Reserves and Utility Options

Gregorio Petit/Cliff Pennington/Johnny Giavotella (Angels), Alexi Amarista/Adam Rosales (Padres), Daniel Descalso (Rockies), Andres Blanco/Cesar Hernandez/Freddy Galvis (Phillies), Nick Franklin/Tim Beckham (Rays)

Any of the players listed here could add to a club’s bench mix, but most look like they’d be miscast as starters. There aren’t really any prohibitive salaries in the bunch, and any of the listed names is capable of playing all over the infield, with the possible exception of Giavotella. I don’t think anyone here would fetch much in return, but there’s something to be said for a club deepening its bench in advance of a playoff push.

Big Contracts

Brandon Phillips : Phillips is in somewhat of his own category, as he’s owed $5.26MM through season’s end and another $14MM next year. The Reds would probably love to move him — they tried this offseason but he invoked his 10-and-5 rights to veto the deal — but a 35-year-old hitting .260/.297/.372 with $19.5MM remaining on his contract isn’t going to generate tons of demand. And, as noted before, he hasn’t shown a willingness to approve a trade anyhow.

Trade Market For Shortstops

By Jeff Todd | July 19, 2016 at 12:40pm CDT

The demand side of the shortstop market just isn’t clear. That’s not to suggest that every contender is receiving outstanding production at the position — the Mariners, Royals, and Marlins, in particular, have not. While Seattle might be moved to take action, particularly with Ketel Marte suffering an ankle injury last night, it’s hard to see Kansas City prioritizing that position when it has Alcides Escobar on hand and other needs to address. As for Miami, we’ve heard some suggestion that the club would be willing to move on from Adeiny Hechavarria, though the scenario posited doesn’t sound particularly realistic.

The Royals could always make an addition that would help at both short and second, and it’s that kind of approach that might sway other teams toward some names on this list. Tim Anderson has been useful overall, and Tyler Saladino is still around, but the White Sox could look for depth. The Giants have been looking at infield help and could add a shortstop type that could also see action elsewhere, and there are a handful of others that might fit that profile.

Ultimately, there’s not likely to be much movement at short. But teams that do have interest will be looking at this group of names:

Short-Term Veterans

Zack Cozart (Reds) — Cozart has carried a 108 OPS+ in each of the last two seasons, and while that’s still not a huge sample given his injury-shortened 2015, it represents a full season of above-average offensive production. That’s more than enough bat for a player who is one of the game’s very best defenders. He’s owed less than $3MM this year and comes with another season of control.

Eduardo Nunez (Twins) — It’s a somewhat similar story on the offensive side for Nunez, who has been quite useful at the plate over his last 544 plate appearances dating to the start of 2015 (.304/.337/.464 with 16 home runs and 30 steals). He isn’t the glove magician that Cozart is, but he’s cheaper, offers loads of versatility, and also comes with that extra year.

Jed Lowrie (Athletics) — The 32-year-old hasn’t spent much time at short of late, but was a regular there as recently as 2014. He also isn’t doing much at the plate, with a .282/.332/.345 batting line on the year, and is owed $7.5MM this year with an equal amount to go for 2017 (including the buyout on an option for another season). Lowrie could nevertheless represent a utility option who is capable of playing up the middle.

Alexei Ramirez (Padres), Erick Aybar (Braves), Jimmy Rollins (Free Agent) — All of these players have been solid regulars in the not-so-distant past, but none have shown much in 2016. Still, experience counts down the stretch, and contenders in need of a veteran presence could look here for a bench piece.

Controllable Assets

Jonathan Villar (Brewers), Marcus Semien (Athletics), Brad Miller (Rays), Jean Segura, Chris Owings & Nick Ahmed (Diamondbacks), Jurickson Profar & Elvis Andrus (Rangers), Andrelton Simmons (Angels), Eduardo Escobar (Twins), Freddy Galvis (Phillies)

While all have their warts as players, Villar, Semien, and Miller are all interesting assets. As noted above, there’s not much demand, so it’s hard to see another club doing what it would take to pry these players loose from their respective organizations, who will value them for their low cost and future control. It’s not clear that the Diamondbacks will look to cash in any of their controllable, shortstop-capable infielders, but they’d have some interesting trade pieces if they did.
Profar holds an odd place on this summer’s trade market. He’s playing an important role for a contending team, albeit one that doesn’t strictly need him. It’s a bit strange to place him on this particular list, since Texas likely won’t be swapping him for prospects, but he is performing well right now at the major league level and it isn’t inconceivable that he somehow ends up with a contending club in some kind of creative scenario. There’s an alternative scenario where the Rangers try to move a somewhat resurgent Andrus while shifting Profar to short, but the veteran’s career-best 97 OPS+ still doesn’t make his monster second extension appear to be a very good value — particularly since metrics no longer rate him as an elite baserunner and defender.
I’m not including Simmons here because I think he’ll be marketed. Halos GM Billy Eppler made him the signature move of his first offseason, and it’s difficult to see that happening. But stranger things have occurred, and a contender seeking a top-flight defender with lengthy control rights wouldn’t have any other realistic options.
Escobar is fading at the plate, and the odds are quite high that it’ll make more sense for Minnesota to hold on to him and hope he can turn it back on in the future. Galvis is one of the Phillies’ few trade pieces, though in his case, too, it isn’t an opportune time to act. Philadelphia still needs a bridge to J.P. Crawford and an eventual back-up, and Galvis offers cheap defensive versatility.

Reserves and Utility Options

Andres Blanco (Phillies), Alexi Amarista (Padres), Nick Franklin & Tim Beckham (Rays), Gregorio Petit (Angels), Pete Kozma (Yankees), Chase d’Arnaud & Reid Brignac (Braves), Ivan De Jesus (Reds), Daniel Descalso & Cristhian Adames (Rockies)

Blanco is in the midst of an unlikely blossoming in his early thirties, putting up a .282/.341/.477 batting line in his last 461 plate appearances. He might be the likeliest from this group to be dealt. Otherwise, clubs looking at budget-friendly utility pieces are likely to choose among some of the other grizzled middle infielders listed here, Amarista and Descalso perhaps the most obvious candidates.

Trade Market For Starting Pitchers

By Jeff Todd | July 13, 2016 at 11:23pm CDT

Over the coming days, we’re going to be running down the potential summer trade candidates at each position. First up: starting pitching, where it’s a true seller’s market.

The old adage that you can never have enough pitching remains as true today as ever. Just ask the Mets, who entered the year with a borderline-unfair collection of rotation talent but now appear to be in need of a fill-in piece. And New York is far from the neediest buyer. I’d list ’em all, but it’s easier just to note that only a few viable contenders — the Indians and Nationals being the obvious examples — have no real cause to look at starters.

That’s not to say that the entire remaining slate of postseason hopefuls will be chasing arms as a top priority, but there’s loads of demand. Some organizations are likely to be looking more at sturdy veterans to shore up the staff, with the Royals, Orioles, and Blue Jays among the teams that could fit that profile. Others — the Marlins, Rangers, and Red Sox come to mind — could be willing to give up a bigger return to add a quality, controllable pitcher.

Here are the trade candidates that teams like those could consider pursuing:

Top Rentals

Rich Hill (Athletics), Jeremy Hellickson (Phillies), Andrew Cashner (Padres), Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies), Jhoulys Chacin & Tim Lincecum (Angels), Jered Weaver (Angels)

In a very thin rental class, Hill clearly stands out as the highest-performing arm. It still feels funny to be talking about him this way, given that he’s 36 and lacks a real track record, but Hill has now compiled a 2.06 ERA over his last 105 innings with 10.8 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. Teams will likely value Hill as a frontline starter, at least as a three-month asset.
That assessment is informed by the fact that the rest of the market is so barren. Hellickson is surely next in line, and he looks to be a useful arm. But most contenders would be adding him as a solid piece to help win some games down the stretch, not because he’d upgrade their post-season rotation. Still, he’s a useful pitcher and carries a sub-4.00 ERA into the All-Star break.
Cashner has the pedigree and the stuff to rate as a top target, but he’s still producing middling results — a 4.60 ERA and 7.6 K/9 vs. 3.4 BB/9 since the start of 2015. The right club might still bite at a chance to try harnessing his talent.
The rest of the bunch would have been much more interesting three or four years ago. As things stand, the best that can be said is that they’re all still pitching in major league rotations. It’s hard to consider any more than gap-fillers, though De La Rosa has shown signs of late of returning to his typical form.

Controllable Arms

Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore, Drew Smyly & Chris Archer (Rays), Drew Pomeranz (Padres), Julio Teheran (Braves), Sonny Gray (Athletics), Anthony DeSclafani (Reds), Matt Shoemaker, Hector Santiago & Nick Tropeano (Angels), Patrick Corbin & Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), Jimmy Nelson (Brewers), Tyler Chatwood (Rockies), Nathan Eovaldi & Michael Pineda (Yankees)

As moribund as the rental market is, that only increases the intrigue surrounding the many controllable pitchers who play for non-contending clubs. Valuing these arms, and guessing which are likeliest to be dealt, is awfully complicated. We’ll largely just have to wait and see which sellers are most motivated and which pitchers are most valued by the market.
Tampa Bay still appears in the most obvious position to deal a controllable starter. The Rays would be selling low on Moore, Smyly, and Archer, but perhaps another organization will look past their struggles in the results department and make a fair offer. Odorizzi, though, might be the likeliest to be shipped out; he owns a 3.91 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over his four years with the Rays, and is set to enter arbitration next year.
If you’re looking for a single arm on this list that’s most likely to change hands, it may be Pomeranz. There’s an argument to be made that San Diego ought to keep the breakout southpaw for itself, but if another organization is willing to treat him like the 2.47 ERA pitcher he’s been over 102 innings thus far, the time may be right to strike a deal.
Teheran and Gray have long been discussed as possible trade pieces, with their affordable and lengthy contract situations serving to burnish their trade value. The former has been excellent, while the latter has had a rough go thus far. Regardless, we’re not seeing clear signals that either is truly available, and it’d take a truly significant offer to produce any movement.
Similar things could be said about the remaining pitchers from this group. To take a few examples, teams will need to bring big offers to motivate the Brewers to deal away their ample control over Nelson, convince the Reds to part with DeSclafani, or get the pitching-needy Halos to cash in Shoemaker in the midst of an interesting season. All of the players listed are plausible trade pieces in the right scenario; while none seem particularly likely to move on their own, it seems fair to expect one or two of the group to end up in a swap.

Big Contracts

Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks), Ervin Santana & Ricky Nolasco (Twins), Jon Niese (Pirates), Matt Garza (Brewers), CC Sabathia (Yankees)

There have been whispers about the idea of a contender chasing Greinke, who is pitching as well as should have been expected — which is to say, not well enough to continue last year’s ridiculous pace and probably not quite to the value of his monster contract. But we’ve yet to hear any strong connection of his name to the real-world market.
That’s not the case with regard to Santana, who has reportedly been scouted quite closely. Teams looking for a durable, back-of-the-rotation type of arm will strongly consider him, assuming the cash can be sorted out.
Nolasco, Niese, and Garza have all coughed up over five earned per nine on the year, but each has some potential appeal. The younger Niese could be the most desirable of this bunch, as he is controllable by a club option, though Nolasco is carrying an appealing K/BB ratio.
A resurgent Sabathia would be a pretty interesting guy to watch were it not for the fact that he’s headed toward the vesting of a whopping $25MM option for 2017.

Back-of-the-Rotation/Swingmen/Minor-League Depth

Ivan Nova (Yankees), Dan Straily (Reds), Tommy Milone (Twins), Jesse Hahn & Nick Tepesch (Athletics), Lucas Harrell (Braves), Wily Peralta (Brewers), Jordan Lyles (Rockies), Brad Hand (Padres)

There are a variety of possibilities here, ranging from fifth starter candidates (Nova, Straily, Milone) to bounceback types (Hahn, Peralta, Lyles) who are not currently working in a big league rotation. Harrell has had two nice starts for Atlanta, though he’s go a way to go to proving he’s worth surrendering real value. Hand has been a new man since moving to a full-time relief role this year.

Trade Market For Catchers

By Steve Adams | July 13, 2016 at 9:43pm CDT

The regular season may be on pause for the All-Star break, but trade conversations continue over these four days, as does the Internet’s favorite pastime — rampant speculation! As we do each summer here at MLBTR, we’ll be running down the trade market on a position-by-position basis. Jeff Todd already kicked things off with a rundown of the market for starting pitchers, and catchers are up next.

While there may not be a large number of contending clubs on the hunt for an upgrade behind the plate, there are plenty of options available for the few that are. Those clubs could include the likes of the Indians, Rangers, Mets, Astros, White Sox and Red Sox, each of which is firmly in the playoff picture but has received little to no production from its backstops in 2016.

Rentals

Nick Hundley: A lot of people will credit Coors Field for Hundley’s spike in offensive production over the past two seasons, but he posted a .790 OPS on the road for the Rockies last year and has been better away from Denver in 2016 than when playing at his launching pad of a home park. He’s earning $3.15MM this season and is a free agent at season’s end.

A.J. Pierzynski: The 39-year-old had a terrific season in 2015 with Atlanta, but he’s off to a dreadful .205/.227/.250 start. His $3MM salary isn’t prohibitive, but Pierzynski has never been well-regarded from a defensive standpoint and isn’t hitting in 2016. It’s tough to see much interest, but the Braves probably wouldn’t mind saving the bit of money left on his deal.

Carlos Ruiz: At 37 years old, Ruiz’s bat isn’t what it once was, but he’s still getting on base at a .336 clip thanks to a keen eye. His overall .229/.336/.331 slash and $8.5MM salary won’t make him a hot commodity, but if the Phils are willing to eat some of his $8.5MM salary, his knack for getting on base and 30 percent caught-stealing rate in 2016 could lead to some interest as a backup. Ruiz could technically be listed in the section below (“Controllable Through 2017”), as he has a $4.5MM club option ($500K buyout) on his deal as well. There’d be some merit to a club picking that option up with a respectable finish to the season, but it’s not a lock right now.

Geovany Soto: The Halos aren’t going anywhere this season, and as a veteran on a cheap one-year deal, Soto is a logical trade candidate. He’s not the offensive force he once was, but he has a 103 OPS+ over the past four seasons combined and could be a useful backup piece.

Kurt Suzuki: Suzuki looked untradeable back in late May, but he’s hitting .382/.406/.598 over his past 106 plate appearances. He won’t continue at that pace, of course, but the recent surge and his consistently strong contact rate could make him a fairly appealing target to a club in need of an affordable option behind the plate. Of course, his vesting option for the 2017 season may cause some clubs to shy away from the notion of regular playing time.

Controllable Through 2017

Welington Castillo: D-backs GM Dave Stewart expressed that he didn’t necessarily feel compelled to sell at this season’s deadline, but he’s since moved closer Brad Ziegler to the Red Sox. Castillo is slated to hit free agency following the 2017 season and could be viewed as an expendable mid-term asset. The D-backs do have a somewhat intriguing alternative, as unheralded offseason pickup Chris Herrmann has been outstanding through 157 plate appearances. Of course, Herrmann has had plenty of good fortune on balls in play thus far and has never hit at the big league level, so the Snakes may not view him as an everyday option behind the dish.

Hank Conger: Conger’s 2015 throwing woes were well-documented — he caught just one of 43 attempted runners — but he’s righted the ship a bit in 2016, halting eight of 43 attempts. That’s still below the league average, but the bigger concern for Conger, who was optioned to Triple-A this week, has been a dismal .194/.265/.306 batting line. He’s a change of scenery candidate, and his offensive struggles make it unlikely that he’d go to a contender as a starter, he’s a terrific pitch-framer that a team could view as a backup option.

Jonathan Lucroy: Lucroy remains the top catching target on the market, and his brilliant .301/.361/.491 batting line this season makes GM David Stearns and his staff look quite wise for holding off on a trade this past offseason. Lucroy’s contract would fit onto any team’s payroll, and he’s controlled through 2017. Milwaukee has every right to ask for a king’s ransom.

Long-Term Options

Tucker Barnhart: The 25-year-old is hitting at a solid .269/.333/.385 clip over 229 plate appearances, and comes with plenty of cheap control. That probably makes him more valuable to the Reds — who are running out a low payroll and crossing their fingers that Devin Mesoraco can return to health — than he is as a trade chip, but nothing is bolted down in Cincinnati.

Chris Herrmann: It has been a breakout season for the 28-year-old, who has also seen action at every outfield position (yes, including center) and first base. Long a marginal hitter, Herrmann is suddenly mashing at a .291/.353/.511 clip with six home runs over 157 plate appearances. With that kind of production over a decent stretch, but without the background to support it, it’d be hard for Arizona to find a square deal — especially since the team still hopes to contend next year.

Derek Norris: His overall numbers don’t look great thanks to a disastrous month of April, but Norris is hitting .250/.321/.500 with 11 homers over his past 190 plate appearances. I might consider him the likeliest player in all of baseball to get traded, as the Padres need to clear room for Austin Hedges (if only so MLBTR’s Jason Martinez doesn’t have to change the title of his “Knocking Down the Door” series to “Have the Padres Called Up Hedges Yet?”). Hedges is hitting .419/.456/.886 with 14 homers in 28 games since being activated from the minor league DL in early June.

Josh Phegley: After two straight years of approximately league-average offensive production, Phegley has fallen back a bit with a .256/.314/.372 slash in just 86 plate appearances for the A’s. Much as with Barnhart, he probably makes better sense to stay in Oakland, but could be had if another organization is particularly enamored of him.

Cameron Rupp: The Phillies certainly don’t need to move Rupp, as he’s controlled for another four seasons beyond this year. However, the soon-to-be 28-year-old is in the midst of a strong (albeit BABIP-inflated) season and boasts a .287/.329/.507 batting line through 222 plate appearances. Jorge Alfaro is probably the catcher of the future in Philadelphia, and if someone feels compelled to make a nice offer for Rupp, the rebuilding Phillies could look to be opportunistic.

Stephen Vogt: General manager Billy Beane flatly said last May that he wasn’t going to trade Stephen Vogt (and stuck to his word), but Vogt is another season older, another season closer to free agency and, of course, the A’s are in the midst of another dreadful campaign. Vogt is controllable for another three years after this season, but he’ll turn 32 this winter and Oakland may be more open to a major sale in 2016 than it was in 2015.

Big Contracts

Brian McCann: McCann is in the midst of his most productive season with the Yankees, but he’s also 32 years old and is owed $17MM in both 2017 and 2018 (plus a $15MM vesting option for the 2019 season). The Yankees have increased their efforts to get younger in recent seasons — evidenced by the additions of Didi Gregorius, Starlin Castro and Nathan Eovaldi as well as a reluctance to part with prospects like Aaron Judge, Luis Severino and Greg Bird — and trading McCann would pave a road for Gary Sanchez to become the team’s regular backstop.

Miguel Montero: Montero has long been a starter, but considering his .201/.319/.345 line through 166 plate appearances this year, it doesn’t seem likely that he’d be acquired to fill that role. The emergence of Willson Contreras could make Montero expendable for the Cubs. He’s earning $14MM this season and next year, so Montero would almost certainly be a salary dump if he were able to be moved at all.

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