Here’s the latest on some notable players whose names have popped up in trade speculation…
- The Phillies are scouting the Marlins’ rookie league affiliate for prospects in a possible Jeremy Hellickson trade, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). The two NL East rivals have been connected to Hellickson rumors for a few weeks now, as Miami is known to be searching for rotation help. Given the lack of premium talent within the Marlins’ farm system, Hellickson could be a more reasonable acquisition than other Marlins targets like Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore or even Chris Sale. The Pirates, Red Sox and Orioles are among the teams also linked to Hellickson in trade rumors.
- The Rangers are exploring many trade options and have been linked to multiple teams, though they don’t appear to have had any “substantive talks” with the Reds, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Texas has been linked to Jay Bruce, and the right fielder could be a fit with Shin-Soo Choo constantly battling injuries and Prince Fielder gone for the season, though Grant seems to imply that the Rangers’ interest in Bruce didn’t get too far. Anthony DeSclafani would certainly the attract the Rangers and other pitching-needy teams if Cincinnati made him available, though DeSclafani’s breakout year may have also made him into a building block for the rebuilding Reds.
- The Braves are “aggressively shopping” Erick Aybar and left-handed relievers, a rival executive tells Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link). Aybar would seem to have limited trade value given his horrible year at the plate, as his brief hot streak in June gave way to more struggles in July. Southpaws Hunter Cervenka and Ian Krol have generated some trade buzz already, and it’s possible Atlanta could be trying to sell high on Dario Alvarez. (UPDATE: Rosenthal’s tweet also listed Jeff Francoeur as a trade chip, but he has since issued a correction saying that the Braves aren’t shopping Francoeur and will only deal him if they get a big offer.)
- The Twins are in “listening mode — at best” on right-hander Kyle Gibson, a source on a contender tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links). The Twins “appear more focused” on trading Ervin Santana or Ricky Nolasco, which is no surprise given that the team would love to get some salary relief from either of those big contracts. Gibson has yet to truly live up to his former top prospect status, though he put up solid numbers in 2015 as a low-strikeout ground ball specialist. Gibson will become eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, and he is under team control through 2019.
- Also from Berardino (Twitter links), he speculates that the Twins could try to position themselves as the proverbial “third team” in a three-team trade. The Twins have some prospect depth that could be offered to contenders short on quality minor leaguers (Berardino cites the Marlins, Tigers, Mets and Orioles here) to help facilitate some deals, with Minnesota receiving some players who could help them next season but who are also still in their pre-arbitration years.
Go get’em Coppy!! Don’t forget about Trading for Sonny Gray and Blackburn of the Rockies when you successfully trade Markakis and Harrell for Ventura
Please stop…
I guess you are fine seeing empty seats and atrocious baseball, right?
Jesus… Ventura trade won’t happen.
No need to buy high on a guy who’s very low this season because beane isn’t selling this season’s performance, he’s selling gray’s suspected better form performance.
Blackmon is atrocious outside of Coors, but I’ll allow it strictly because of his incredible mullet/beard combo.
Jesus has absolutely nothing to do with it. The Braves need a lot of help. Coppy needs to take a chance and trade a few of those 12 to 15 arms we have in the minors. We need help!!
What team would want to take Aybar from the Braves. Why is anyone wasting time writing about him in trade rumors? The guy is at best a platoon player who can fill in for injuries or days off and even that is a stretch. The Braves have so much work ahead of them if they are going to have any chance of fans showing up when the new ballpark opens.
I agree. We need help. Take a few of those prospects and go get some players. I’ve been all for the Braves growing a pair and trading for Sonny Gray and Puig. Of course you have some of these numb nuts screaming… “Don’t break up the build!!!” If the Braves do nothing, who would want to come to the new stadium??
As an Astros fan, I love reading these rebuild hater comments. If a franchise is willing to endure three years of terrible baseball, they can contend for a decade. The Astros and Cubs did it, and check out their longterm outlook.
Yea, as a Phillies fan, you just have to look for the little things to get pleasure from watching the games. I like to play a game every time Ryan Howard gets to bat, how bad will he do this time? The faster he strikes out, the more points you get. Ground ball double play – double points. Final out of the game? Even better! I don’t know what to do with myself if it isn’t a strikeout or a groundball into the shift, because usually that means universes are colliding.
As a Braves fan I’m all for a real rebuild, rather than potentially screwing things up and it putting the team back in the same spot.
But unfortunately a lot of Braves fans don’t feel the same way. A lot of them act a bit entitled. They’re spoiled from the division streak.
We live in an instant gratification society. People don’t realize the importance of having a plan and stinking to it. For one I am very pleased with the path the ‘Stros took. If anything, I wish McLane would have authorized a true rebuild back in 2009 instead of trying to “stay competitive” the last few years he owned the team. Regardless we have an owner that understands what it will take and a GM that sticks to the plan regardless of what the talking heads are spurting that each minute.
The braves need to wait for some of the prospects to make it so they can see what they need. They should let the situation develop rather than guess or assume that prospects will pan out and trade for that scenario. Coppy once said dont draft for what you need because it will change by the time they reach it to the big leagues and that is the same mentally to have during the rebuild, don’t trade for what you think you need now because it may change.
Fans will show up by default, it’s a new stadium in a better area.
That said, at least wait until the off season for comments like that. They’ll make a big splash or two in FA, get a couple of people who can hit a baseball real far, etc.
The front office has done nothing but great things so far already.
Teams could buy him in a low option and hope he rebounds. Is only owed south of $3M I believe and he can still have a bit of a bounce back. Plus his veteran status gives him some appeal. AYBAR and some cash for a low level prospect (like the 2015 trade of Jonny Gomes to the Royals, was only hitting .221 when traded).
Yes, because LAD willing to take on prospects when their ace is out for an unknown period of time and they’re not making the playoffs without him because their lack of offense. There is nothing short-term that any of our prospects, however heralded, can provide in the short-term that would allow LAD to get rid of one of their few trade pieces. And selling low on him is not an option I can imagine for Friedman.
Sonny Gray either.
Let the rebuild happen. It was brutal watching the Cubs, but it’s worth it now. If your GM pulls an Edwin Jackson, it just slows the process and ties up valuable cash. It takes watching the Darwin Barneys of the league and patience to get to this point.
Is that Francoeur bit some kind of joke? What would be considered a big offer for him? A player to be named later as opposed to cash considerations.
I thought that too at first, but I read they like his leadership in the clubhouse. It’s just another situation where he’s more valuable to the Braves on the team than trading him for a fringe low-A prospect relief pitcher.
My only thought is they are hoping and expecting more of a return on what they did with Jonny Gomes. Frenchy is sill swinging the bat well enough (better than Jonny at time of trade) and is a great leader.
Why are the Braves looking at trading away the few players they have holding the team together? I thought Coppy said he was looking at building the major league club. It’s not going to happen with rumors about 3rd rate players.
I seriously doubt ANYTHING is going to happen now since the only teams that typically do trades at the deadline are the ones who are looking for one or two players to put them over the top. Teams often over pay and why would the Braves want to overpay on anyone? If anything they should at least try to get rid of a few albatrosses like Nick Markakis. Shed some salary (they would have to pay some of it obviously). Again doubt anything will get done but who knows…
You do know Markakis is a league average hitter this year and was above last year right?? He also has a low BABIP this season which indicates a bit of bad luck plus his line drive rate is up… At $11mill for .260/.340/.360 it’s actually not that bad added with good Defense (though he is better suited in left).. Ask the Cubs if they like paying J-hey $20mill for his bat. Just saying Nick brings a lot to this team and I would prob. Be beneficial to keep him around though this contract.. Not gonna find anything better for that price.