Here are the latest rumors from around the game on the eve of the non-waiver trade deadline:
- The Red Sox and Braves have each at least held talks with the Rangers on third baseman Adrian Beltre, per Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston and Morosi. It’s not at all clear, though, that either club is going to push hard enough to get Texas to move the veteran. Indeed, talks with Atlanta may already have sputtered, MLB.com’s TR Sullivan tweets. He adds that there is some indication the Red Sox aren’t actually all that inclined to go after Beltre, so much as the future Hall of Famer likes the idea of going back to Boston, and Rob Bradford of WEEI.com hears there’s not much of a connection between the clubs (Twitter link). In addition to other hurdles, Beltre’s no-trade rights present an obstacle. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick notes on Twitter that Beltre may not wish to go somewhere if he isn’t going to receive regular playing time. In any event, to this point, Beltre has not been presented with any possible trades to consider, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets.
- When it comes to rental outfielders, there aren’t a huge number of appealing options. But there are certainly some veterans drawing interest. The Yankees and Phillies have put out feelers on Curtis Granderson of the Blue Jays, per Morosi (Twitter link). Granderson isn’t the only notable name on the Phils’ radar, as Heyman connects the organization to the Mets and Jose Bautista, via Twitter. Meanwhile, the Marlins are still dangling outfielder Cameron Maybin, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter). Among the clubs that are at least considering him are the Indians, Yankees, and Mariners.
- Some of the most interesting potential trade candidates, of course, won’t end up going anywhere. Indications are that some top hurlers will stay at home. It does not appear that any rivals have made a real push to force the Mets to part with righty Jacob deGrom, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (on Twitter). Despite “some late action” on Noah Syndergaard, Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets, it still seems there’s nothing brewing there. Meanwhile, the Orioles don’t appear to have been enthused with trade offers for top pitchers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy (or their other controllable players), Heyman indicates in a tweet.
- The Pirates and Padres appear to have quite a lot to talk about, as Ken Rosenthal and Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic report (in a tweet) that the Pittsburgh organization has “aggressively pursued” pitching from San Diego. It’s not evident which hurler the Bucs are eyeing, though Rosenthal suggests that veteran Craig Stammen could be a sensible target. Stammen and Kirby Yates appear to be the likeliest remaining trade chips in the Padres’ pen, owing to their quality output and relatively short remaining control rights (one year and two years, respectively).
- While the present focus is on another member of the Rays pitching staff, reliever Sergio Romo is drawing quite a lot of looks, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Romo is affordable ($2.5MM salary), battle-tested in October, and still capable of getting outs in the majors at 35 years of age. Romo’s swinging-strike rate is down to 12.6%, his lowest since 2009, but he’s carrying a 3.69 ERA through 46 1/3 innings on the season.
- If you’re looking for more reading, check out the latest column from Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. He runs through a variety of situations, including the Giants’ in-between position, the Twins’ struggles to market Brian Dozier, and more. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports also has quite a bit of chatter in his latest column, some of which we’ve already highlighted on the site. Among other items of interest, Passan checks in on the Brewers’ efforts to find a starter, suggesting they are a prime suitor for Zach Wheeler of the Mets.
harper will not be an indians. that’s not a indians type trade
Normally I would agree, but the list of available outfielders is pretty horrible, and CLE needs an OF badly. Harper to the Tribe isn’t likely, but it’s still possible.
Do they even have the prospect package to acquire Harper?
If they really want to, sure. But that would fully gut the farm for a 2 month rental. Not worth it.
Yes. If the Nats are actually willing to trade Harper all the Indians would have to do is outbid everyone else.
Don’t forget… in 2011 the Indians traded 3 of their 8 best prospects (top 2 pitchers) for Ubaldo Jimenez. They have made bold moves before so I wouldn’t put it past them to do it again.
But they made for someone under control for multiple years.. Trading major pieces for a rental isn’t the way they operate.
Nor should they
Not a big fan of Harper’s ego. Throw in the fact he’s had a terrible season, and that the Nats would want a top prospect, I wouldn’t do this deal.
I hope they’re not desperate enough to trade McKenzie
Triston McKenZie for Bryce Harper? If a deal was done I’d have to imagine it starts with that. Big risk for both sides though. Can’t see it.
I’ll give you Bieber and Bradley and Chang now get out!
That’s a fair package and it helps considering Bradley and Chang are both blocked in the Indians org.
I would rather try to pull the trade with Plutko instead of Bieber but don’t know if it would work. I know it would never happen either but could you inagine making that trade and finding someone to take encarnacion and using the money from him and some of the other guys going into free agency to resign him long term? It’s Cleveland and won’t happen but man would it be great.
As a Royals fan, I’d love any of those trades because Cleveland would get fleeced. Even elite rental bats don’t bring high end returns, just look at the return for Machado
As a Royals fan, you’ve got another 10 years before your team gets to the Postseason again.
Have fun waiting
No thanks, not giving up a top prospect for a definite rental.
Nope. They’d be lucky to even get what the O’s got for Machado.
I could see corey ray as the headliner for zach wheeler
I could see him as the headliner for Degrom, I could see Keon Brockton as a headliner for Wheeler.
I would be ok with either of those scenarios
Corey Ray is hardly good enough to be a throw in for DeGrom… he’s not going for less than a top 25 guy
The Three Stooges haven’t been able to get their heads together to decide what to do and Abbott & Costello have not had a chance to decide what to do as they are preoccupied with a large Brooklyn Dodgers’ auction this coming weekend.
trading harper would be the best thing for the nationals. he’s not going to resign. they might as well get a handful of prospects for him instead of just getting one with a qualify offer at the end of the season .
It’d be smart for them to try to do what the Yankees did with Chapman. Get prospects then throw money. If he resigns you get Harper and really good prospects.
Bingo.
Just said the same thing elsewhere. Sorry I didn’t see your thread.
Yankees should offer a package of Gray, Sheffield, & Frazier for Harper.
LOL
Why would anyone want Gray?
Yeah but the prize here is Sheffield… Gray what, balances the money a little. Let’s be frank… if you think Gray has any actual value as a trade piece you’re an idiot… but Harper wouldn’t bring multiple top 25 type guys for a rental, especially if they’re just starting to market him now. Gray has actual negative trade value… as long as that was your thought this deal could make sense.
But why would the Nats accept Gray as part of the deal? Just to keep the Yankees under the luxury tax line?
Frazier’s value right now isn’t great either since he’s been stuck in AAA for way longer than he should have been and he keeps getting injured.
How does Gray have negative trade value when he’s owed absolutely jack squat?
Agree MM09. Nats though should consider the best offer like the Yankees did recently with Chapman. Nothing but money will stop BH from resigning in the off season. Yankees then played better after trading Miller, Chapman, et al. You never. know…
Gray is rocking a 5+ ERA this year. You don’t want that ERA near any must-win game. The Yankees need to keep up with Boston bc betting your season on a one game play-in w/o a proven shutdown ace….dicey. Severino shows promise, but he still has rough outings. Who on that current staff gets you tough wins in Sept and Oct…? Happ & Lynn are a coin flip at best.
Phillies should add another outfielder and a guy for the back of the pen, the bullpen is more important than another bat right now but it wouldn’t hurt to add both
i just don’t understand why the nats would decide NOT to trade harper and get a good package for him when they aren’t gonna make the playoffs this year and he clearly won’t resign with them in the offseason.
“ . . . he clearly won’t resign with them in the offseason.”
You base this conclusion on what exactly?
lmao and what’s makes u
think that he will big guy
Same baseless reasons you used…big guy
lmao u got no logic haha. wait till he doesn’t resign with the then BIG GUY
“lmao and what makes u think that he will . . .”
Did I say that he would? Right, I didn’t. I am well aware that nobody knows where Harper will sign yet, likely including Harper and Boras. You made the claim, you back it up. Really elegant use of the
English language, btw.
and i feel like u have ligma
“wait till he doesn’t resign with the then BIG GUY” capitalizing “big guy” doesn’t prove your point. Using teenage texting jargon makes it even less believable, let alone the incomprehensible whole of it.
Lol, it’s re-sign, genius. “U got no” brains.
“with the then” – even better.
You beat me to it, thank you.
Even if he would re-sign they should still trade him because trading him won’t bar them from signing him.
They have a ton of free agents. I could see Bryce resigning. Unless he goes to the Dodgers who else has the money and outfield space? According to DC sports radio, he has a great relationship with the manager. As a rental I’d like to see him go to Oakland.
As an Indians fan I would make this trade. Hear me out… the window is quickly closing for the Tribe and by the time Bieber and McKenzie are ready to be top of the rotation pitchers the Indians days of contention will be over.
There will come a time when the Indians will need to trade Lindor, Ramirez, Kluber, and Bauer so that is when the Indians can regroup their losses and revive the farm system to begin contending again in 2-4 years. Put it this way… if the Indians don’t make a major improvement to their outfield they will again be a quick exit in the playoffs.
Trade our top 2 prospects for a 2 month rental? Oooookay
Sometimes you need to spend money to make money.
Spend money, but don’t mortgage the farm (system), these kids don’t grow on trees. Don’t mortgage all that for a rental they have 0% chance of resigning.
You’re selling future big leaguers who could impact the club for the next 5 seasons at least for one playoff run with an egomaniac on a down year.
If they can get him without giving up Bieber or McKenzie, fine. But sending the Nats either one of them would be a ridiculous overpay
Triston McKenzie, Nolan Jones, George Valera would be a good starting package for Harper, wouldn’t be that big of a risk from the Indians side outside of McKenzie as Jones and Valera are blocked
No thanks. Valera is not blocked and by the times jones is ready Kip will either be gone or riding the pine, meaning Jose with likely be at second.
Jones is in A ball, so he’s not blocked. Neither is Valera, who’s in Goodyear, Arizona.
Oh, and you never trade a #1 prospect for a rental.
“Oh, and you never trade a #1 prospect for a rental.”
Really? The Cubbies did exactly that when they traded for Chapman. Appears to have worked out well for them.
Never, especially when that #1 is a possible top of the rotation starting pitcher in the near future. McKenzie is holding his own at a level where he’s 4 years younger than the average age of players.
Torres wasnt a top prospect when Cubs traded him. He blew up AFTER
That is totally incorrect. Torres was the Cubs’ #1 prospect at the time according to BA.
link to chicagocubsonline.com
Torres for Chapman ring a bell?
Put the crack pipe down.
We are talking about a .220 batter when it comes to a rental u don’t look at past stats bc u only get him for two months so hell no u may get jones as the headliner bc of the name but hell no for him and McKenzie
Any team that would trade for Beltre is crazy!
Where has Harper indicated he would like to play in 2019? Is it just to the highest amount of salary? Or, has he picked out like 4 special teams? Anything? If there was a top 4 picked, Washington should negotiate a trade to one of those teams for all they could get. Then try to sign Harper back in the Winter.
Hard to buy on Harper. He has hit Hr’s and driven in a good amount of runs but to sell the farm on a rental hitting .220. Maybe if he agreed to an extension. Otherwise why part with top prospects?
I’d say Harper makes a TON of sense for the Tribe. They definitely need to make a play for a extended postseason run and not squander yet another chance for a title. The window will close eventually and all those playoff appearances won’t mean squat.
Sure they do. It’s increased revenue. That’s the whole reason they were able to sign Encarnacion. With multiple postseason runs and top minor league talent coming up, they might even convince Lindor to stick around
As a Nats fan, I am bit upset with Harper who seems to point out other problems eagerly this season when he isn’t helping the team much himself. I didn’t like his Realmuto comment recently. While true, if Harper played better, need for Realmuto wouldn’t be so urgent. Considering what he probably demands in the offseason, I am getting ready to move on and if Nationals can get major league ready talent of some sort, then please go ahead and trade him.
If the Nationals sign him in the offseason, for say, 10 years & $350m, and you got the same type of production as you have, would you consider it worth it?
No
I don’t think Harper should expect 10@350. I think that ship has sailed. His production this year has been in steady decline, and while he can definitely hit for power, he’s getting killed by the defensive adjustments, which are beyond him. He is a liability in the field too, throwing to the wrong base, trying to launch a ball all the way in to the catcher, missing the cutoff man, etc.
A more reasonable deal for Harper in 2019 would be 4@120+ with optouts. Of course, he would never take it.
I know you’re not supposed to mess with chemistry of the stream as a horse is in the middle of the Rubicon but what say the Cubs ship off Schwarber Russell and Happ and head into the payoffs with deGrom and Harper? Nah that’s stupid.
That’s not stupid at all, it’ll never happen of course, but totally not stupid.
Who do the Mets get and who do the Nats get?
Tribe trade Valera and Oviedo to the White Sox for Avi Garcia?
Please, no. Oviedo is gonna be a good one.
Boy, I’m sure glad Passan suggested Wheeler to the Brewers. I was wondering why no one (everyone) had thought of that. With original thoughts like that, I am sure his employer feels they are getting their money’s worth (minimum wage?).
Nats please rebuild top to bottom, other than Turner,Soto and maybe Scherzer(35 years old)you’ve underachieved for years!
Scherzer just turned 34 a couple days ago, but don’t let facts get in your way.
And “maybe” he hasn’t underachieved? 2.68 ERA, .925 WHIP, 11.5 K/9 while with the Nats. Reigning back to back CY winner.
Scherzer is not the point!blow it up they are hard to watch and starts up top,to many changes and bad decisions
What would the padres have to give up to get Hayes from the Bucs
I think Yates, Stammen and Ross gets back Hayes plus. If not Ross, maybe a combination of Jankowski/Reyes or Renfroe in place of any of pitchers.
Kirby Yates, Craig Stammen and Tyson Ross for:
3B KeBryan Hayes Pirates number 2 prospect and second round pick from last year out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, Calvin Mitchell (a 19 year old outfielder Pirates #11 prospect)
I would be very pleased with that return. I could see that offer being possible but the Padres are probably asking for far more than that so hence why we aren’t close to hearing anything is close to be official.
That’d be ideal imo…too good to be true
That’s good, I like the Yates, Stammen, and Ross package. I’m sure they could get something good from the Pirates for that.
Mets can’t trade Thor, his bobblehead day is Saturday!
That would be a very Mets thing to do.
Harper, Murphy and reliever/s to Dodgers for Verdugo. Nationals don’t need to re sign Harper. Eaton, Robles,Soto are a strong young talented group, add Verdugo, another top outfield prospect and their set for the next several years at a good cost too. Use that Harper money for a starter that will create a 3 headed monster rotation joining Sherzer and Strassburg.
Why would the Dodgers want Murphy?
What would it take for the Mariners to get Maybin?
Braves should get Beltre if it isn’t expensive. Move Camargo to SS and send swanson down to AAA. Swanson has been terrible with the bat. He’s struck out in 26% of his ABs this year.
He was just made available
Two trade offers for Harper, two different teams.. thoughts?
Bradley Zimmer and Yandy Diaz for Bryce
Tyler Wade and Adams for Bryce
No.
Agree that while the Tribe and Yanks are the most likely fits, these two offers are really lacking.
Indians window is closing and they need someone to put them over the top for a deep run. Yanks have a banged-up OF and who knows if Judge recovers after he comes back.
That means something more valuable than negative-WAR guys.
If the nationals took either of those offers Mike Rizzo would be ran out of town with pitchforks.
MLB is reporting that the Nationals have made Harper available.
link to mlb.com
IMO they waited far too long to pull the trigger. The deadline is now about 17 hours away so unless a deal was already in the works, putting one together at the last minute will not work out well.
Bundy looks like a 5th starter. They held onto that “Top Prospect” way too long.
I don’t think the giants are going to win the division but 0.5% to win the division and 4.5% to make the post season? People don’t seem to realize that the giants are 5.5 games back of the division and 5 back in the wild card – all it would take is a week of slumping by the guys ahead of them and they would be back in it. Like I said it probably isn’t going to happen but I don’t think 0.5% is a true number.