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Archives for July 2016

AL Trade Notes: Twins, ERod, Red Sox Pitching, Hill

By Jeff Todd | July 9, 2016 at 12:25am CDT

Twins GM Terry Ryan says that his organization had “better be open for business, which we are,” as MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger reports. Minnesota seems ready to market its trade chips, though it’s still unclear how the club will approach the deadline. Its best pieces, as we just covered in MLBTR’s top trade candidate series, include righty Ervin Santana, utilityman Eduardo Nunez, and relievers Fernando Abad and Brandon Kintzler. Ryan says he’s willing to consider any type of prospect in its trade discussions, and noted that the organization “wouldn’t be opposed” to paying down some contractual obligations “if you’re getting a good player back and it takes some money to do it.” He did note, however, that the Twins typically don’t hang onto cash when dealing a player.

Here’s more from the American League:

  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says that he still has hope that Eduardo Rodriguez can contribute to the team this year, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports. That assessment could well have an impact on the team’s approach to the trade deadline. “If people would be looking to say we’re going to be getting someone more talented than Eduardo Rodriguez, it’s not going to happen,” said Dombrowski. “They’re just not out there. They’re not out there and available. Sometimes you’ve got to fix some things internally. We’ll see what happens.”
  • Regardless of the Red Sox’ views on Rodriguez, the team figures to be in the hunt for at least one rotation arm. As Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald reports, Boston has been in touch with the Padres, who could market Drew Pomeranz and/or Andrew Cashner (though the latter had a really rough outing tonight). Also, senior VP of baseball ops Frank Wren is said to have watched both Rich Hill of the Athletics and Julio Teheran of the Braves recently.
  • Hill has returned from the DL to rave reviews for the Athletics, and both Drellich and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle suggest that widespread interest is building in the southpaw. The former cites the Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, and Tigers as organizations that are taking a look at Hill. And Slusser adds yet more teams to the possible mix, listing the Blue Jays, Royals, and Orioles as possible suitors that have been watching him pitch of late. While Hill’s frequent injuries limit his appeal somewhat, there’s an argument to be made that he’s the best pure rental piece available this summer.
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Atlanta Braves Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins Oakland Athletics San Diego Padres Toronto Blue Jays Andrew Cashner Drew Pomeranz Eduardo Nunez Eduardo Rodriguez Julio Teheran Rich Hill

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Yoenis Cespedes, Noah Syndergaard Leave Game With Apparent Injuries

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 11:19pm CDT

11:12pm: Both players suggested that there isn’t cause for alarm after the game, as Rubin reports. Syndergaard said he did not experience any elbow pain, but was dealing with “a little shoulder fatigue.”

Cespedes, meanwhile, said that he’s dealt with a similar issue and only missed a handful of days. He expressed hope that he’d avoid a DL stint. Skipper Terry Collins also sounded an optimistic tone, saying that the club would likely just go with a short-handed roster for the time being rather than rushing into any DL determinations.

10:14pm: Manager Terry Collins explains: “[Syndergaard] just said his arm went dead. It got tired on him.” (Via Rubin, on Twitter).

9:23pm: Syndergaard was suffering from “arm fatigue” when he was pulled, the Mets announced. The issue was “not elbow-related.”

8:19pm: Already dealing with the loss of Matt Harvey for the year, the Mets now have to new injury situations to watch. Star center fielder Yoenis Cespedes left the action with what’s being called a quadriceps strain, while budding staff ace Noah Syndergaard left in the middle of the fifth inning with an unknown malady.

It’s far too soon to know whether either player could be dealing with a significant issue, but the surrounding circumstances add to the concern. And that’s all before considering the fact that these two players have been the organization’s two best through the first half of the season.

In the case of Cespedes, ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin suggests on Twitter that the quick diagnosis of a strain — not a “mild” strain, or discomfort, say — is unusual for the tight-lipped organization. A full analysis will be required before the team will know more, but there’s at least some cause for added attention.

That’s all the more true for Syndergaard. While we’ve heard both team and player downplay the issue, he has dealt with a barking elbow at various points of the season. Syndergaard has a reputedly small bone spur, which is hardly uncommon, but this isn’t the first time he’s been pulled early. Something obviously triggered the move, as Syndergaard was pulled in the middle of the fifth inning while sitting at just 79 pitches. James Wagner of the New York Times tweets that his final two fastballs clocked in at 95 and 94 mph, which is well below his ridiculous 98+ average velocity but perhaps isn’t overly concerning in and of itself.

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New York Mets Noah Syndergaard Yoenis Cespedes

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Rangers To Purchase Contract Of Kyle Lohse

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 11:09pm CDT

The Rangers have announced that they’ll purchase the contract of Kyle Lohse in time for him to start tomorrow’s ballgame. Righty Nick Martinez has been optioned to open an active roster spot.

[Related: Updated Rangers Depth Chart]

Lohse, 37, joined the Texas organization on a minor league deal earlier in the season and has been working at the Triple-A level. Over 58 2/3 innings through ten starts, he has put up a rather unsightly 5.06 ERA, though a 61.4% strand rate isn’t doing him any favors.

While Lohse’s minor league performance doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, the Rangers are in need of rotation arms and will see what he has left in the tank. And there’s at least some reason to hope that the veteran can deliver useful innings for a big league staff.

Across his 15 MLB campaigns, Lohse owns a 4.37 ERA with 5.8 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9. His earned run average ballooned to 5.85 last year, but that broke a string of four consecutive years in which Lohse’s ERA never drifted above the mid-3’s. Beyond that, the underlying peripherals looked much the same as ever and Lohse was still working at his customary ~89 mph level with the fastball.

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Texas Rangers Transactions Kyle Lohse Nick Martinez

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Injury Notes: Buxton, Holt, Kimbrel, Tazawa, Phillips, Davis, Cameron

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 10:44pm CDT

Young Twins center fielder Byron Buxton was diagnosed with a contusion to his right knee after a scary collision with the wall. That could just be a preliminary diagnosis, though, and MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger noted on Twitter that Buxton required a cart and appeared to have difficulty putting pressure on the leg.

We’ll wait to learn more about Buxton’s situation, along with a host of others that arose on an ugly night for injuries around the game:

  • Red Sox infielder/outfielder Brock Holt has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 ankle sprain after an awkward slide, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. Holt will require a walking boot, but that is the least concerning grade of the injury. While the prognosis doesn’t sound too serious, and the All-Star break will allow some added rest, it’s another tough blow to a team that just went out to plug some leaks by adding Aaron Hill and Michael Martinez via trade. Holt had been expected to hold down left field, so Boston will need to fill another gap for at least the near-term.
  • Additionally, Red Sox relievers Craig Kimbrel and Junichi Tazawa were deemed unavailable for tonight’s action due to varying maladies, as Jason Mastrodonato and Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald were among those to report (Twitter links). Kimbrel came down with a sore knee before the game and has had an MRI, with results expected tomorrow, per Speier (via Twitter). Tazawa, meanwhile, is experiencing shoulder soreness of unknown seriousness. An MRI has not yet been ordered in his case. Any absence from either pitcher would certainly increase Boston’s desire to add to its pen, though it’s not yet known whether either situation is cause for much concern.
  • Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is playing through a hairline fracture in his hand, Zack Buchanan of Cincinnati Enquirer reports on Twitter. For now, at least, it’s just a question whether he can deal with the pain, though even a low-lying issue could throw a wrench into any trade possibilities. (Phillips’ no-trade clause still appears to be the biggest barrier to a deal.)
  • Though the alarm bells went off when Royals closer Wade Davis hit the DL with a forearm strain, he tells Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com (Twitter link) that he’s progressing well. Davis says he was able to throw without experiencing pain, and that the inflammation has already dissipated. That’s all very promising news for Kansas City, needless to say.
  • Intriguing young Astros prospect Daz Cameron will miss the rest of the season after breaking a finger in his left hand, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports on Twitter. It’s been a bit of a trying year for the touted 19-year-old, who wasn’t performing at Class A Quad Cities and ended up suffering the injury in extended spring training action. He’ll miss some development time, but the injury shouldn’t pose any significant long-term issues.
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Boston Red Sox Cincinnati Reds Houston Astros Kansas City Royals Minnesota Twins Brandon Phillips Brock Holt Byron Buxton Craig Kimbrel Daz Cameron Junichi Tazawa Wade Davis

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Diamondbacks To Sign Alexi Ogando

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 9:05pm CDT

The Diamondbacks have a minor league deal in place with righty Alexi Ogando, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). Ogando had been looking for a new opportunity after he was designated and released by the Braves in late June.

The 32-year-old veteran was carrying a sub-4.00 ERA over 32 innings, but that covered over some issues. He was putting up 8.2 K/9 but also walking 6.5 batters per nine. Ogando’s velocity, swinging-strike rate, and percentage of pitches in the zone are all at typical levels. But his chase rate was sitting at a career-low 20.8%, suggesting that opposing hitters were picking up on his efforts to induce swings on pitches out of the zone.

All told, there’s reason to believe that some tweaks could get him back on track, though the recent track record hasn’t exactly been terribly inspiring. Since returning to the pen for the 2014 season, Ogando owns a 4.56 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 over 122 1/3 frames. There’s little risk for Arizona, however, as the Braves will remain obligated for his full $2MM salary — less a prorated portion of the league minimum.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Transactions Alexi Ogando

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Dodgers Acquire PTBNL To Complete Bud Norris Trade

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 7:51pm CDT

The Dodgers have acquired minor league righty Alec Grosser from the Braves, Los Angeles announced on Twitter. He becomes the player to be named later in the deal that sent Bud Norris out west.

Grosser serves to balance out the young talent changing hands in the swap. Outfielder Dian Toscano and cash also went to the Dodgers in the arrangement, with minor league pitchers Caleb Dirks and Phil Pfeifer constituting Atlanta’s side of the bargain.

The 21-year-old Grosser was an 11th-round selection in the 2013 draft. He had shown some promise early in his professional career at the Rookie ball level, but failed to master the Class A level last year. That led to a return to the Appalachian League this season, where Grosser has experienced pretty ugly results in a tiny sample.

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Atlanta Braves Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions

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The 5 Most Important Roster Decisions Of The Week

By Jason Martinez | July 8, 2016 at 6:13pm CDT

1. Mets SP Matt Harvey Placed On 15-Day DL

If there was any consolation for the Mets with young rotation stars Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard having to pitch with bone spurs in their elbows and Zack Wheeler’s 2016 status being up in the air after his latest setback, it was that Matt Harvey had gotten past his early season struggles.

With six strong starts in a row (2.27 ERA, 35.2 IP, 27 H, 8 BB, 28 K), the 27-year-old was heading into his 4th of July start against Miami on a roll. But not only did Harvey’s hot streak end then, his season would also unknowingly come to an end.

The Marlins lit Harvey up for five earned runs and 11 hits in 3.2 innings. Two days later, he was placed on the 15-Day disabled list with shoulder discomfort. Today, it was announced that he’ll undergo season-ending Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery.

At least in the short term, it will be Logan Verrett (5.32 ERA, 23.2 IP, 14 BB, 16 K in five starts) taking Harvey’s rotation spot. Sean Gilmartin (4.48 ERA, 2.4 BB/9, 8.6 K/9 in 13 Triple-A starts) could also on a very short list for a start or two after the All-Star break. Unlike previous seasons, there isn’t a top prospect ready to step in. Jacob deGrom and Bartolo Colon will be relied upon heavily down the stretch, as will Wheeler, if and when he returns.

Mets Depth Chart

 

2. Cardinals 2B Matt Carpenter Placed On 15-Day DL

Even with Matt Carpenter having an MVP-caliber season, the Cardinals were having a hard time staying anywhere near striking distance of the division-leading Cubs. With their best hitter now sidelined—Carpenter was placed on the 15-Day disabled list with a strained oblique on Thursday—they’re in danger of losing ground in a very competitive Wild Card race.

The semi-good news is that Kolten Wong, who has stepped back into the starting second base job, has been better since being recalled from Triple-A with a .277/.358/.340 slash line. Randal Grichuk, who appears slated for regular action in center field with Wong back to the infield, is 5-for-8 with a homer since his return. He was demoted in mid-June after a terrible start.

They Cardinals will need those two young hitters, as well as the rest of the lineup to step up. With Brandon Moss also on the disabled list with a sprained ankle, Matt Adams’ left-handed bat has become that much more important. And he’s currently in a 3-for-39 slump, which is the exact opposite of “stepping up.”

Cardinals Depth Chart

 

3. Royals Closer Wade Davis Placed On 15-Day DL

The Royals won the 2015 World Series with a mediocre starting rotation—Edinson Volquez (3.55 ERA, 3.2 BB/9, 7.0 K/9) was probably their ace—and a superstar-less lineup—Kendrys Morales led the team with an .847 OPS. What they did have, though, was an elite bullpen with a closer, Wade Davis, who was pretty much un-hittable (4.4 H/9).

Fast-forward to 2016. The starting rotation isn’t any better. The lineup was just decent before losing Mike Moustakas for the season. And now the strength of their team, the bullpen, will be without Davis, who was placed on the 15-Day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained forearm. There’s an optimistic tone coming out of Kansas City, but forearm troubles are always of at least some substantial concern.

While bullpen depth isn’t an issue in Kansas City, closer candidates Kelvin Herrera and Joakim Soria –the Royals haven’t named either as the clear 9th inning option—each gave up runs in non-save situations since Davis went down. That can’t be a good sign for a team that currently has no clear team strength. They have plenty of post-season experience, but getting there will be a challenge.

Royals Depth Chart

 

4. Mets INF Jose Reyes Has Contract Purchased From Minors

When Jose Reyes last played for the Mets, he was a superstar shortstop headed for a huge payday in free agency. Four-and-a-half seasons later, the 33-year-old has been traded twice (Miami-to-Toronto; Toronto-to-Colorado) and was recently released by the Rockies after serving a 51-game suspension for domestic violence. Now, he’s hoping to rebuild his career and image.

After signing with the Mets on a Minor League contract on June 25th, Reyes joined the big league club in his familiar leadoff role. This time around, though, he’s the starting third baseman with David Wright out indefinitely due to a herniated disc in his neck.

Bringing back Reyes, who has a pair of doubles and a homer in his first three games, is a relatively risk-free move (public relations aside). Since the chances of their starting rotation carrying them in 2016 have decreased greatly over the past few weeks, the Mets really need a spark out of their lineup. A rejuvenated Reyes at the top could do the trick.

Mets Depth Chart

 

5. A’s SP Rich Hill Activated from 15-Day DL

In last week’s “Top 20 Trade Candidates”, Jeff Todd ranked Rich Hill No. 11 and wrote that he wouldn’t make it into top-five status again until he proved that he was back to pre-injury form. Well, he’s made it back and it didn’t take him long: Hill checks in at 3rd on the updated list. If he didn’t re-establish his value after his first start back on July 2nd when he logged a quality start against the Pirates (6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K), he certainly did so with his dominating performance against the Astros on Thursday (7 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 10 K.)

Anything can happen in the coming weeks as Hill can still make 2-3 starts before being dealt. But, barring another injury, his value isn’t likely to decrease at all. The 36-year-old lefty has been one of the best and most consistent starting pitchers in baseball since the Red Sox gave him a shot last September. In 17 starts, he has a 2.06 ERA, 2.8 BB/9, 10.8 K/9 and has not allowed more than three earned runs in any start. That kind of production is going to cost a contending team some real prospect value.

Athletics Depth Chart

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Dodgers Designate Cole Figueroa

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 5:38pm CDT

The Dodgers have designated infielder Cole Figueroa for assignment, per a club announcement. His 40-man spot was needed for the activation of outfielder Andrew Toles, with righty Carlos Frias optioned to clear active roster space.

Figueroa was claimed off waivers after being designated for assignment by the Pirates. He was optioned to Triple-A upon reporting to the Dodgers organization, and had racked up six hits and three walks in 23 plate appearances heading into today’s action.

A heady and versatile player, Figueroa was re-united with former Rays GM Andrew Friedman in Los Angeles. It’s not difficult to see the attraction given Figueroa’s skillset, and the Dodgers will likely look to keep him in the organization if he can pass through waivers.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions Cole Figueroa

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White Sox To Sign Ryan Webb

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 5:16pm CDT

The White Sox have inked a minor league deal with reliever Ryan Webb, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (Twitter link). The veteran righty will report to Triple-A.

Webb, 30, had pitched to a 5.19 ERA over 17 1/3 innings with the Rays before being cut loose. Beneath the surface, though, he has been much the same pitcher as always — a sturdy but hardly dominant middle reliever.

Webb is still generating grounders on about half of the balls put in play against him and is near his career marks with 5.7 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9. The biggest problem thus far, it seems, has been a .417 batting average on balls put in play against him — though Webb’s career-worst hard contact rate (32.3%) suggests that may not just be a result of poor fortune.

For Chicago, the move adds depth in an area where the team has taken some hits of late. The South Siders are still running out a fairly talented overall relief unit, but have lost several useful arms already in 2016.

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Chicago White Sox Transactions Ryan Webb

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Top 25 Trade Candidates

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2016 at 4:09pm CDT

It’s time for this week’s iteration of MLBTR’s top trade candidate series. The rumor mill is churning, and teams are jockeying for position in the standings — both of which have a big impact on our new list. In particular, a seven-game winning streak changes the Pirates’ situation — though the club is nevertheless said to be marketing at least one hurler. And Aaron Hill became the latest player to move, going from the Brewers to the Red Sox.

For those who’ll inevitably ask: no, I’m still not ready to put the Yankees on the board. They’d unquestionably have some major trade assets — led by Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, and Carlos Beltran — but the mega-market organization is still too close to contention to make a sell-off appear likely.

Your weekly reminder: we’re not just ranking players by skill alone; we’re looking at overall asset value and trade likelihood. To assess trade value, we’re starting with overall on-field ability — with a premium on the capacity to make an impact in the current season — and then adjusting for contract and market factors. With contenders’ needs in relatively sharp focus, limitations such as future contract status, age, and niche role (platoon bats, relief-only pitchers) tend to have less of a drag on value — though obviously they still matter quite a bit. With regard to the likelihood of a swap, the focus is on potential selling teams’ motivation to deal, with contract status, near and long-term roster fit, and overall competitiveness all weighing heavily. Some teams simply aren’t in a position at present where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.

Here’s this week’s list:

1. Jay Bruce, OF, Reds — Bruce seems to be drawing fairly broad interest: even teams like the Dodgers and the Nationals — who probably have wants more than needs in the outfield — are said to be checking in.

2. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Brewers — We’re still waiting to hear of serious interest in one of the game’s best catchers. There have been a few notable injuries to back-up catchers, which could open some daylight for demand. And it’s worth remembering that Lucroy brings enough with the bat that he could also see action at first or DH.

3. Rich Hill, SP, Athletics — Hill looked good in his return to the major league mound, and was even better yesterday. He looks to be the best pure rental arm available.

4. Josh Reddick, OF, Athletics — Reddick has thrown some 0-fers on the board since his return, with one big game propping up his numbers. That’s a miniscule sample, of course, but buying teams will be watching closely to see whether his thumb injury has any lingering effects.

5. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Rays — It’s tough to know how to order the controllable starters, but the Rays seem the likeliest team to move one and Odorizzi may offer the right blend of current performance, control length, and cost to facilitate a deal.

6. Danny Valencia, 3B, Athletics — Valencia keeps hitting and offers the most power of any potentially available infielders. With an added year of arb control available, he doesn’t need to be moved, but that also makes him a candidate to be picked up by an organization that wants to fill a 2017 need without going onto a tough market next winter.

7. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies — We’ve heard that the Rockies will consider dealing their star outfielder, though he has denied reports that he is looking to be moved. The NL West appears to be out of reach, and the Wild Card is a tall task as well. If Colorado is really willing to part with Gonzalez, he’d be one of the top trade pieces available.

8. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers — With other corner outfield options emerging, the motivation for buyers to work out a complicated deal to land Braun may just not be there.

9. Ervin Santana, SP, Twins — Santana has been pitching quite well of late, and is said to be the likeliest member of the organization to change hands. Minnesota could certainly keep him, but there ought to be plenty of demand for a pitcher who looks like a good bet to contribute a lot of solid innings.

10. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds — Cozart is still the best pure shortstop who can be had, but it’s just not apparent whether any teams need a starter there — or whether any organization will give up enough to add him in a super-utility role.

11. Yunel Escobar, 3B, Angels — Escobar has been on fire at the plate since sitting out a few days, making for another interesting infield option. But Los Angeles isn’t interested in a rebuild, and he could be an important asset for the season to come.

12. Julio Teheran, SP, Braves — The signals from Braves country are that Teheran likely won’t be moved. With an understandably high asking price being placed on the young, controlled righty, and other options emerging, he may stick in Atlanta.

13. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Padres — Here’s another possible target for teams that don’t want to cough up prospects for a pitcher who’ll hit the open market in a few months’ time. San Diego is willing to deal, but probably won’t just take the highest offer for the emerging lefty. It’ll take a very interested buyer to pry loose Pomeranz.

14. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Phillies — Each of Hellickson’s last three outings has ended with the same bottom-line result: one earned over six frames. He’s allowing less than four earned per nine now for the year after that stretch, and could help shore up a leaky staff. Back-of-the-rotation rentals are frequently swapped in July, and Hellickson looks like a likely candidate.

15. Arodys Vizcaino, RP, Braves — Vizcaino has been roughed up of late, allowing four earned on six hits and six walks while recording just two strikeouts over his last four appearances. If Teheran is pitching too well to be dealt, the opposite could be occurring here.

16. Eduardo Nunez, IF, Twins — Set for a surprise All-Star appearance, Nunez looks like a useful utility infielder now that he’s in the midst of his second-straight season of above-average offensive production. Minnesota doesn’t need to deal him, as he’s cheap and has another year of arbitration yet to come.

17. Melvin Upton, OF, Padres — Speaking of rehabilitated careers, Upton is putting up league-average offensive numbers with 19 steals and a still-useful glove. He’d be a useful fill-in starter for a team dealing with injuries or a nice fourth outfielder, and San Diego will surely like the idea of shedding some of his salary.

18. Matt Moore, SP, Rays — We’ve seen Moore’s name begin to come up in trade chatter despite his uneven performance. As Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs explains, though, Moore has shown signs that he could be harnessing his talent, making him an interesting upside play.

19. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies — Though he isn’t a premium defender, Blackmon is capable of playing center field and is putting up impressive offensive numbers. He isn’t running like he did last year, but remains a valuable contributor on the basepaths, too. The Rockies certainly don’t need to deal him, given the affordable salary and two remaining seasons of control, but may be willing to talk if a contender decides it needs a new option up the middle.

20. Jeremy Jeffress, RP, Brewers — There isn’t much to add beyond what we’ve covered on Jeffress before. Milwaukee probably won’t settle for a solid return for the quality reliever, though his rising arb costs may play a role in the decisionmaking.

21. Derek Norris, C, Padres — After a sluggish start, Norris has raked since the calendar flipped to June. The 27-year-old is earning just shy of $3MM and comes with two more years of control, so San Diego doesn’t need to move him. But with Christian Bethancourt showing promise and Austin Hedges clamoring for a promotion, a deal seems plausible.

22. Chris Carter, 1B, Brewers — Carter continues to show monster power with episodic stretches where he doesn’t get on base. There are limits to his value, but teams in need of a big bat won’t find many other 30-home-run bats on the market.

23. Jon Niese, SP, Pirates — Last week’s list included some notable Bucs’ players — Mark Melancon and David Freese — who no longer seem likely to be available. (We’re letting this list go where the trade and contention winds take it.) But Pittsburgh is said to be shopping Niese despite its jump back into the postseason picture. The southpaw hasn’t been good, but teams in need of innings could certainly do worse than betting on a turnaround.

24. Jed Lowrie, IF, Athletics — We’ve already seen Kelly Johnson and Aaron Hill move in trades, and the 32-year-old Lowrie could fit a similar profile. He is hitting only .283/.339/.350 on the year, though that’s dampened a bit by his home park, and isn’t particularly cheap ($7.5MM salary with $7.5MM more to go for 2017 and an option buyout). Nevertheless, as the Johnson and Hill trades show, Lowrie is the type of player that contending teams often add to plug a hole and add versatility.

25. Peter Bourjos, OF, Phillies — Bourjos is suddenly laying waste to big league pitching and is a pure rental. Nobody is going to value him at his ridiculous batting line over the last month or so, of course, but the hot streak makes him a plausible chip. Bourjos can play center and run like the wind, so he doesn’t even need to hit much to have use — all the more so as a late-season option after rosters expand.

Keep reading for more names that were considered …

Read more

Injured:

Tyson Ross & Jon Jay (Padres), Joe Smith (Angels), Steve Pearce (Rays), Sean Doolittle (Athletics), Trevor Plouffe (Twins)

Just Missed:

Matt Shoemaker, Huston Street, Hector Santiago & Fernando Salas (Angels) — Shoemaker and, to a lesser extent, Santiago would draw interest, but it’s tough to see the Halos dealing away controllable pitching.

Sonny Gray, Khris Davis, Coco Crisp, Ryan Madson, Marc Rzepczynski & Billy Butler (Athletics) — There are a lot of names that could be in play for Oakland, though not many that the team needs to deal to recoup value. Crisp and Rzepczynski are both free agents after the year, though, so they seem pretty plausible (albeit questionably valuable) trade pieces.

Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Gordon Beckham & Jim Johnson (Braves) — Beckham is back from the DL and could draw interest if he can return to the nice pace at the plate he showed earlier. Johnson has upped his strikeout rate, though the results haven’t followed and he isn’t doing anything new in terms of swinging strikes.

Will Smith & Carlos Torres (Brewers) — Torres joins the watch list, and could well end up being dealt, though I don’t imagine he’ll crack the big list above.

Welington Castillo, Daniel Hudson, Brad Ziegler & Tyler Clippard (Diamondbacks) — Arizona continues to suggest that it’ll pursue extensions with Hudson and Ziegler while also exploring their trade value. It’s anyone’s guess how that’ll shake out.

Andrew Cashner, Matt Kemp, Yangervis Solarte & Brad Hand (Padres) — Cashner is back, and had a nice showing (one earned with six strikeouts in six frames) in his return. If he can build off of that, he could soon join the list. Solarte is deserving of inclusion for his on-field play, but has the kind of contract situation that makes him a questionable trade piece. San Diego might just decide it’s more beneficial to keep him around than to settle for a less-than-exciting return.

David Hernandez, Jeanmar Gomez & Andrew Bailey (Phillies) — Gomez has been the steadiest member of this trio, but Philly can afford to keep him to provide stability in 2017 even after baking in a big salary jump for his rising save tallies.

Logan Morrison, Erasmo Ramirez, Xavier Cedeno (Rays) — The focus remains on the Rays’ rotation, though there are a few other trade possibilities on the roster.

Mark Reynolds, Jake McGee, Nick Hundley, Jorge De La Rosa & Ryan Raburn (Rockies) — Having demoted De La Rosa to the bullpen earlier in the year, Colorado may finally be ready to move on from the built-for-Coors stalwart. His value isn’t exactly peaking, but he’s a rental piece and has pitched better of late.

Fernando Abad, Robbie Grossman & Brandon Kintzler (Twins) — These three have emerged as somewhat surprising trade possibilities for a Minnesota team that hasn’t had much to celebrate in 2016. But all have control remaining, so the Twins may prefer to keep them around to fill needs next year.

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MLBTR Originals Top Ten Trade Deadline Candidates

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