Since our initial top-trade list of the offseason, we’ve seen a fair bit of activity on that front. Among those who were ranked or otherwise noted, the following ended up on the move: Omar Narvaez, Dylan Bundy, Corey Kluber, Nomar Mazara, Hunter Renfroe, Jurickson Profar, and Jake Marisnick. Now, with free agency humming along, we could see yet more significant players dealt.
This is an updated version of our list. The “methodology” is set forth in the original. It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun.
1. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates (LR: 2): There’s not a full sense of urgency with Marte, who is under control for another season, but there’s a lot of demand in center and he’s a really nice fit for multiple teams. It still feels like some team will step up with a sufficient offer to get the Bucs to bite.
2. Ken Giles, RP, Blue Jays (LR: 1): The Jays have spent on new additions, but it still makes sense to shop a rental reliever in a market starved of high-end relief pitching. Perhaps the Toronto organization will seek MLB assets rather than far-away prospects; maybe the team will even hold Giles and re-assess at the trade deadline if the offers are insufficient.
3. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (LR: NR): It’s still not clear just how likely the Indians are to move their best player, but they did just trade Kluber and interest in Lindor has been both robust and persistent. He leaps to the top tier of this list based on his elite talent and the increasing plausibility of a deal.
4. Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers (LR: 6): Several teams have yet to address their needs for starting pitching. With shell-shocking price tags on starters thus far, there’s added appeal in Boyd — a cost-efficient, controllable, durable starter with obvious upside.
5. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, Red Sox (LR: 4): The market has been quiet, but it still stands to reason that the luxury-shaving Boston club will end up finding a taker for their solid center fielder.
6. Dominic Smith, 1B, Mets (LR: 8): Rumors on Smith haven’t exactly flown, but … where does he fit on the Mets roster? The club could really benefit from adding other pieces or freeing payroll space; moving Smith offers the readiest means to accomplish those tasks.
7. Josh Hader, RP, Brewers (LR: NR): It’s awfully tough to gauge the likelihood of a deal involving the star southpaw reliever. But we know the Brewers are at least listening. And the plausibility of a deal perhaps increased when the anticipated cost of his arbitration seasons went through the roof when he snuck in as a Super Two. It’ll take a haul, but there’s a lot of potential interest and Milwaukee front office hasn’t shied away from bold change.
8. David Price, SP, Red Sox (LR: NR): The veteran southpaw underperformed his peripherals last year and doesn’t look quite so expensive after the eye-popping pitching contracts we’ve seen of late. He’s due $32MM annually in each of the next three seasons. The Red Sox would have to eat some money, to be sure, but it’s easier now to imagine a deal coming together. And sending out Price would be the readiest way of clearing the books.
9. Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks (LR: 7): At various times, we’ve seen strong hints that Ray very much is and very much isn’t available. Shrug. The Snakes are always open to high-value scenarios and will consider moving Ray. But if they’re serious about chasing down the Dodgers, they’ll have to sacrifice some amount of future upside to prioritize the present. Hanging onto a high-ceiling arm such as Ray, who could still be dealt mid-season or get a qualifying offer at season’s end, seems like a reasonable risk.
10-11. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Cubs & Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (LR: 21, NR): There’s a lot of smoke surrounding the third base market. If nothing else, perhaps there are a few enterprising GMs somewhere in the cloud, laboring to spark the tinder that could grow into a raging bonfire. That’s … well, it’s an overwrought metaphor, but you know what we mean. Anthony Rendon and Mike Moustakas are already signed. There are a lot of teams chasing Josh Donaldson. Those that miss could make serious runs at Bryant and Arenado, two of the game’s very best overall players over the past several seasons.
12. Chris Archer, SP, Pirates (LR: 10): Have we mentioned the price of pitching? The Bucs don’t need to move Archer, but this might be an opportune moment. He’s only going to cost $20MM over the next two years, more than half of which isn’t even guaranteed (relevant in the event that he tanks or is hurt in 2020).
13. J.A. Happ, SP, Yankees (LR: NR): The Yanks’ intentions regarding Happ aren’t entirely clear, but rumors have indicated he’s plenty available. And it stands to reason he would be, since he comes with a big luxury tax hit — $17MM, which is also the price of his 2020 salary — and really doesn’t seem a necessary piece of the pitching puzzle in New York.
14. Keone Kela, RP, Pirates (LR: 13): It’s certainly possible the Bucs will prefer not to sell low on Kela, who’s only owed a projected $3.4MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility. But that could add to the degree of difficulty of the team’s much-needed clubhouse improvement effort. And while there’s upside in holding out for a trade deadline deal, there’s also a risk of getting nothing back.
15. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 9): A few factors have conspired to move down the likelihood of a Frazier swap. The Yankees have spent big on pitching rather than using the trade market to address those needs. The early-season absence of Aaron Hicks leaves more room in the outfield. And the 26th roster spot makes it easier to fit Frazier even with a plethora of other position-player options. There are still scenarios where Frazier, Miguel Andujar, or some other player ends up on the move before the start of the season, but it’s also not hard to see the logic in hanging onto the full slate of bats to open the year with a plan to adapt as things play out.
16. Brad Hand, RP, Indians (LR: NR): This is speculative, as we haven’t seen Hand appear in rumors as a trade candidate. But if the Cleveland organization is willing to hold discussions regarding Lindor, it can’t hang up on callers asking about Hand. The southpaw closer is earning $7MM this year with a $10MM option for 2021, making him a cost-efficient target who’d greatly improve any bullpen in baseball.
17. Wil Myers, OF, Padres (LR: NR): No question about it: this contract is under water. Myers is owed $20MM annually through 2022 (plus a $1MM buyout on an option year). His play hasn’t justified that kind of salary. But the Friars are said to be a bit over budget at the moment and are surely still looking to improve their roster in a season in which they have to make real strides. Structuring a deal involving Myers could be a key part of the puzzle.
18-19. Josh Bell, 1B & Adam Frazier, UTIL, Pirates (LR: 14, NR): We didn’t include Frazier in our last list, but reports indicate he’s getting plenty of interest from other organizations. A versatile defender who has had good overall success against right-handed pitching, Frazier would fit a lot of rosters. It’s also not strictly clear how much trade value the market will reward him. Bell would be valued highly, but it’d be much harder for the Pirates to part with him, even if he didn’t sustain his superstar first half effort in 2019. In both cases, the Pittsburgh organization will want to be wowed to make a deal, but must be open to the possibility.
20-22. Mychal Givens, RP, Orioles; Joe Jimenez, RP, Tigers; Tim Hill, RP, Royals (LR: 15, 16, NR): As with our first list, these relievers stand out as guys that don’t have to be dealt but surely are available for the right price. Hill joins the list after being cited as a target of several contenders. The southpaw offers plenty of cheap control to the Kansas City organization but is already 29 years of age. He carried big groundball numbers last year while also showing an ability to get strikeouts against righties. Givens is the best established of this group, though he’s coming off of a forgettable 2019 season. As for Jimenez, the Tigers will likely remain patient given the lengthy control rights remaining, but the club ought to pursue trade scenarios if there’s serious interest.
23. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs (LR: 23): So if the Cubbies are likely to move one significant player as part of their promised reshuffling, and it doesn’t turn out to be Bryant … one would expect to see Contreras on the move. Then again, cash-strapped though it may be, the Chicago front office can’t just go dumping Contreras for any old return. It’s still possible the Cubs will have a rather wild or a totally tame overall offseason once the dust settle.
24. Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox (LR: 20): It’s tough to guess the odds of a move involving one of the game’s greatest players. It seems low, but there are some intriguing possibilities. New chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom came up with the Rays, who routinely spin off their best players as they near free agency. Might the Dodgers turn to a full-court press on Betts if they miss on other targets? Could some other team see a chance at vaulting past their rivals in one fell swoop? There has been much talk about how Betts may not be all that valuable on a one-year deal that’s likely to approach $30MM. Well … what about the rarity of the opportunity to rent a mid-prime, ~6-7+ WAR player without promising him gobs of money into his late thirties? There’s immense appeal to that as well.
25. James McCann, C, White Sox (LR: NR): The South Siders have put out word that they like the idea of carrying McCann along with Yasmani Grandal. There’s some sense in that, to be sure, as the former can reduce the load on the latter, who can also line up at designated hitter or first base. But if the White Sox end up adding another significant bat to go with Jose Abreu in the 1B/DH mix, as they’re rumored to be exploring, then the arrangement would seem decidedly less functional. In that event, working out a deal involving McCann might work for all involved. He’d get a better playing time situation, the White Sox could address other needs (either directly or by adding to the club’s prospect/payroll pool), and another organization would find a way to fill a void in a market that has moved quickly on catchers.
Others To Consider
Premium multi-year targets: Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox; Mike Clevinger, SP, Indians; Jon Gray, SP, Rockies; Trevor Story, SS, Rockies; Mitch Haniger, OF, Mariners; Trey Mancini, 1B/OF, Orioles; J.D. Martinez, DH/OF, Red Sox; Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Red Sox; Whit Merrifield, UTIL, Royals; Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers
Rental targets: Marcus Semien, SS, Athletics; Kirby Yates, RP, Padres; Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals; Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers; Josh Reddick, OF, Astros; Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants; Carlos Santana, 1B, Indians
Younger players with multi-year control: Kyle Schwarber, OF, Cubs; Johan Camargo, INF, Braves; J.D. Davis, INF/OF, Mets; Steven Matz, SP, Mets; Niko Goodrum, INF/OF, Tigers; Austin Hedges, C, Padres; Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves; Manuel Margot, OF, Padres; Albert Almora Jr., OF, Cubs; Mallex Smith, OF, Mariners; Michael A. Taylor, OF, Nationals; Jose Urena, SP/RP, Marlins; Caleb Smith, SP, Marlins; Tyler Mahle, SP, Reds; Brad Keller, SP, Royals; Abraham Toro, Astros; Joe Musgrove, SP, Pirates
Veterans on expensive, multi-year contracts: Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants; Matt Carpenter, 3B/1B, Cardinals; Brandon Crawford, SS, Giants; Wade Davis, RP, Rockies; Ian Desmond, OF/IF, Rockies; Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies; Dexter Fowler, OF, Cardinals; Dee Gordon, 2B, Mariners; Evan Longoria, 3B, Giants; Jake McGee, RP, Rockies; Bryan Shaw, RP, Rockies; A.J. Pollock, OF, Dodgers; Jed Lowrie, INF, Mets; Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners
What does LR mean?
LR = Last Rated NR = Not Rated It is in reference to where they were rated in the list earlier this off season. NR means that they were not considered to be traded at the beginning of the off season but after new rumors and such new names have made it to the list.
I think it’s “Latest ranking” or “Last ranking” or something of the sort.
I guess it means Last Ranked, but most times in baseball it means Long Reliever.
Last ranked
Let’s Rock!
Haha!!
What about Kyle Seager?
What about him? HAha jk For sure there have been rumors floated around about interest in him enough to warrant an honorable mention IMO.
He should be listed, thanks!
No one wants Kyle Seager.
Corey yes, Kyle no.
Corey’s Brother?? Best nickname
The Cardinals should be doing everything possible to trade Dexter Fowler…
Almost impossible with his stats and no trade.
Simple, if you tell him he will never get off the bench … aka “I will not ever play you” he’ll approve a trade somewhere.
There is also the count my money approach. Monday, count my money. Tuesday, count my money. Wednesday, count my money.
Rangers need to pick two from the list, maybe Mccann and J.D Davis. I am not completly pulled in the way of saying that i’d “love” the rangers to get Arenado, but I wouldn’t hate it. I just don’t like the idea of paying him 33 mil when he is 36, but he is a terrific fielder, and his batting line won’t take to big of a hit playing in Texas. All I am worried about is the contract and prospects, because even if we eat all of the money, we will still have to give up some of our highly rated prospects like Huff, Jung, Crouse, and Palumbo.
Arenado is under 30 though. I’m sure most likely , whoever has him at age 36, will rework that contract or he could be like David Wright. 2019 was just his 7th year and he won a gold glove each year. He won the HR crown three years , multiple defensive player of the year awards, five time all-star and a few silver slugger awards. And I think his lifetime average is close to .300. He’s a pretty complete player. Now with all that said, 33 million is a ton of money.
too lazy to look this up, but I think he’s only 34 when the deal runs out, no?
I wouldnt worry about the prospect aspect. Being a Ranger fan , I can remember how the Rangers refused to deal Profar back in ’10 & ’11. That worked out well.
Here is my proposition, Arenado for Odor, it’s a win-win!
That proposal stinks. Someone had to say it…
Sarcasm is a really cool thing.
Now that funny!
You guys are awesome. An updated trade list on Christmas Eve!! You know how badly some of us need our baseball rumours.
That’s because we need it too!
You’re on the nice list this year Mr. Todd. Now off to bed so Santa can watch you sleep while he eats his cookies!
It’s going to be a challenge in this market to trade the likes of Myers, Fowler or Price, The rebuilding teams do not seem interested in adding salary even if talent is rumored to be attached. They should be willing to add talent where they can find it imo but so far their interest is cutting payroll. That makes trades harder for this type of player.
that’s not true, the giants have plenty of space under the tax and have shown they are willing to add salary where prospects are attached
Not quite the same thing. Cozart is on his last year and will be a free agent after the season. Myers, Price and Fowler all have multiple years ahead.So a team would be stuck will them for at least that long. While the Giants might eat one year of a bad salary even they are unlikely to eat two or more. Just my opinion, but that is the way I see it.
Good article. Nice job.
Losing hope my Friars will even be able to make a trade. Heck, play Myers. This year is toast anyways.
Be creative……
Call the Yankees about a trade involving Myers and Stanton. Got to convince Stanton to come to San Diego, but he is from Southern California (LA – San Fernando Valley). Then add some additional players into the mix and have the Yankees pay down a bit of Stanton’s contract.
That might be the only way to get rid of Myers. The Padres will have to pay a lot more, but they might actually get something back of value. Plus Stanton will be treated as a star in SD, whereas in NY the fans are already disgruntled with him. He’d be a lot more comfortable playing there.
Earth to Vandals: there is no way the Yanks will take Myers. Stanton makes $26 mil next year, Myers $22.5 mil. They aren’t going to give up a recent NL MVP and take back Myers just to save $3.5 mil. You can go back to the meth pipe now.
Not the point of this year or next. It’s the long term picture. Every $$$ counts. I think Stanton would welcome a trade NY fans have not been kind. But why exactly would San Diego make that trade ???
They are taking a bigger contract for a longer period of time for a guy struggling just as bad.
Never happens unless there’s a DH in the NL. Everyone talks about other contracts people but this might be worse than Elsbury’s in that it goes until 2028. Stanton has five extra years when compared to Myers and let’s see how he stays on the field in 2020.
How about with a player to be named later ? Then give them cole for the last 5 years of that horrible contract .
Stanton’s getting paid until like 2070 though. That’s why you’d get rid of him, not for the short term savings.
JD, it reminds me of when Luria signed it. He didn’t care about years 4 and onward because he knew he was selling the club before the big money kicked in (never mind deferred).
@steelerbravenation
I wouldn’t say Stanton is “struggling”. He was injured. In 2018 he had a .852 OPS with 38 homers. My fellow Yankee fans change moods like the wind. If Stanton has a great 2020 then all will be forgiven….for a while at least.
steelerbravenation
Stanton is struggling just as bad as Myers. Are you nuts? He had 38 HRs in ’18 before the juiced ball. That was his “bad” NYC adjustment year. When has Myers EVER hit 38 HR’s? That would be a great year for Myers.
Stantons not going anywhere guys give it a rest
He’d actually have to get on the field for more than a couple of weeks for any team to even look his way.
Dirty!!
I know the Dodgers keep getting named with guys like Betts and Lindor, but. . .don’t they need starting pitching? They lost Ryu and Hill, then lost out on the big names like Strasburg and Cole. They have spent the last several years proving that Kershaw, Buehler, and Maeda are not enough to get it done. If a trade is to be made by LA, doesn’t it have to be for a top SP? I’m not a Dodgers fan, I just keep finding it curious that position players would be drawing more interest
Idk if an impact starter is available at the moment. I doubt Arizona would trade Ray to LA.
They definitely will have another pitcher in there but it may not come in the offseason. Don’t need another starter to make the playoffs but absolutely need another one to win in October.
Well there was that one rumor about them trying to get Mike Clevinger. (They probably wouldn’t be willing to put up the prospects needed to get that done though.)
It will be Rich “I’ll get arrested acting like a fool protecting my spoiled wife” Hill and such will end being the best “July move” made by any playoff team looking for a mid-season acquisition.
The Dodgers don’t ever want to give up anything and are not a serious contender for Betts or Lindor or any sort of good pitching. They can win their weak division with what they have. but October is another story. They are a PR machine that has everyone thinking every player in their system is great and that they are willing to get a Betts or Lindor. It’s just not the case. The Dodgers are about bottom line and that’s it. They try and get leftovers like the Muncy’s and Taylors then depend on them producing a good year or 2 for nothing. The most they will do is at the trade deadline get Betts or Clevenger for something less than they have to give up now, Their last great trade resulted in giving a super young talent Yordan Alvarez for a very mediocre Josh Fields making them gun shy. But they are happy as a FO playing above average while ultimately failing in the WS. Ultimately they do not have a WS championship team just a team to fill the stands and keep the local TV sponsors happy.. 50 year Dodger Fan here.
Their last great trade was getting Josh Fields? Jeez dude what are you watching. At that deadline alone Rich Hill was a better acquisition. Or how about 1 year later when they got Darvish who while yes we all know how that ended, gave them 2 great starts in the NL playoffs. Or the best of all in 2018 getting Machado which saved their season and got them in the World Series. Dodger fans love to complain just for the sake of complaining
On one hand you complain they over value their prospects and hang on to them and you complain when they trade one.
Can Whit Merrifield play 3B? If the Braves miss out on Donaldson, they may have to get creative.
KC will want the world for him, as they should, and as good as he is, we need a cleanup hitter. He’s too expensive to acquire to not be a perfect fit.
@RunDMC
I like Merrifield but the Royals would be supremely disappointed if they’re asking for a huge return. His game is largely dependent on his speed and he will turn 31 in January. Good player but with a career high .811 OPS he should get a solid top 100 prospect and one or two more non-top 100 guys.
Austin Riley is a natural 3rd Baseman.
Austin Riley is a natural pitcher. Most teams wanted him for that. Braves took him because he wanted to play everyday.
Ok either way he was a 3rd baseman before last season. Meaning you don’t necessarily have to sign or trade for a guy to play 3rd.
George Springer? Mets?
I think the Mets will get Marte from PIT…if so, and with Cespedes coming back, that offense might just have the boost it desperately needs to keep up in the tough NL East… I like what they did in adding solid depth to an already dominant rotation; this should have been the Phils’ play. I’m a bit worried about the Phils finishing 4th in this division yet again… I’m optimistic, but dang this is a tough division. Hope Donaldson leaves the NL East and we see some regression from the Nats… ATL and NYM gonna be tough, though.
Houston is not trading Springer regardless if it’s his walk year. Otherwise the other trade between the clubs wouldn’t have happened up at least until after the team secured his replacement. Like Betts, a return equal to the player is not possible. Such will become the new norm if the recent salary explosion continues as more stars will test the market even if they want to stay where they are. Maybe a shorter retention period in the next CBA will flood the market to lower costs but there will be a short term side effect. The idea to me is to increase the compensation when a player leaves without penalizing the team that signs him. There also should be a benefit that rewards a team for keeping their own players as such is fan friendly.
Springer is so overrated but still a great ball player. Trade him while value is high. I sense he winds up playing in the northeast once FA. His family is in Connecticut and his wife from NY. Last offseason, I thought Philly might pull a trade for him. Maybe Boston and Houston match up as a Betts/Springer trade. Either way, I hope he goes to a team that utilizes him as a 3 hitter.
“Hope Donaldson leaves the NL East ”
What a loser you are.
you look like a turtle without a shell!
Happ and Lopes from the White Sox needs to be traded. Seems feasible for the White Sox to take on Happ as a bounce back in their much bigger ballpark, Lopes can have a little more time to work on his stuff in the minors. Win-win situation for two clubs looking at things in a different scenario on each side. I’m sure the Yankees would have to throw in some fringe minors but it would work for both sides.
If you’re going to post a ridiculously bad trade proposal you should get the guy’s name correct, at the least. It’s López, son.
Now run along, I’m sure you’re up past your bedtime and Santa doesn’t like that,
Wow! The land of broken toys…..
Mis-fit toys
Can someone please explain to me the appeal of Matthew Boyd? Is it peripherals and/or innings?
3.5 bWAR and 3.3 fWAR last year. Home runs will never be great, but they wont be as bad as last year either. Most teams would take 3 WAR from a #3 SP, and with that wipe out slider and better analytics / coaching than the tigers, he has potential to be more.
Thanks…that makes a lot of sense. I still probably put too much stock in ERA and don’t see where that WAR comes from.
i wouldn’t put any stock into WAR for pitchers. there are much better numbers out there to gague how good a pitcher is.
I still say especially with pitchers, the eye test in most cases can’t be beat. Other stats to me are useful when it comes to matchups but anyone who has watched the Red Sox for example knows Barnes has never been as good as his basic stats might suggest. He simply has too little control to be consistent at being anything more than inconsistent. Stay off his curve and wait for his fastball.
3.5 WAR was the same as Kershaw and Zack Wheeler. Also keep in mind LHP and 9.9K per 9. A better defense behind him will help as well. Lot of upside there…
That makes sense too. I know he’s on the Angels radar, but they already picked up two innings-eaters. They need more, having missed out on the big names.
I realize it may not be a fair comparison, as it’s just more of a gut feeling of mine; but Boyd strikes me as Fulmer 2.0, in that if someone pulls the trigger, there will be regret.
Could be Scherzer 2.0 though…?
Biased tiger fan here.. He reminds me of Gallo, Big K’s and big HR’s! I hope he remains a Tiger and they extend. Obviously I’m not in the dug out w/ him but he seems like a great teammate, levelheaded, and a humanitarian. He’s a guy I’ll always root for. If there is one guy on that team they extend, I hope it’s him.
Sure the Red Sox want to trade JBJ, but c’mon. $11 mil for a 30 year old CF who can’t hit and whose defense fell off a cliff last year? No way. They made a mistake in not non-tendering him. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him added to a trade for salary offset, but not as the main piece.
As a point of comparison, the Reds just acquired Jankowski, who’s going to make peanuts. At the end of the season which team will be happier, the Reds, or whomever winds up with Bradley?
Fell off a cliff? If you watched as many games as I did, each starting outfielder had a down season compared to previous ones and combined it was noticeable even more. All including Mookie had lapses that NEVER previously happened. As much as I complain about his batting, he’s still as good in CF as there is.
Johnny Cueto needs to come out strong the first half of the season and rebuild his trade value.
Imma big fan of him.
Add Shark and Longoria to that list. If Shark is even serviceable, the Giants will find a midseason taker for him. Somebody is going to miss out on Donaldson and wont be willing to pull the trigger on Bryant or Arenado. If Longo gets off to a solid start, its foreseeable that other 3B-starved clubs may be interested if the Giants eat some $$$.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Musgrove was a more likely trade target for Atlanta than Boyd. Musgrove has turned out good FIP numbers and has been decent with limiting walks and the long ball. He’d probably could be acquired for a lot cheaper price than Boyd would cost. Musgrove is never going to be an ace type pitcher, but I think he still hasn’t hit his potential and would be a solid addition to a team like the Braves.
I don’t think the Braves need pitching depth so much as they do a front line guy to pair with Sork. That said, I like your thought there. As a fan, I’d rather have Musgrove than Boyd.
Would you rather have Musgrove than Donaldson…?
No way. Donaldson is priority 1, 2 & 3, in my book. I’m honestly mostly fine with the rotation as is, because I don’t see the level of pitcher I’d want donning a Braves uni. I’m just saying IF there were another move after Donaldson, and it’s Musgrove or Boyd, give me Musgrove.
Run, I’d actually give in and offer Donaldson that 4th year despite the fact that I’m not keen on it. The braves would be in,a very difficult spot if the Nationals signed the Bringer of Rain.
As far as Musgrove goes I wouldn’t be shocked if he turned out significantly more productive than he has so far as a Pirate. People keep talking about Boyd, but Musgrove has the better peripherals for the most part except for Boyd’s spike in K rate, Musgrove is also younger and controlled longer than Boyd, unless I’m mistaken. I just would rather pay less cost to acquire Musgrove and his smaller upside than deal out much more to acquire Boyd and strikeout rate combined with all the other factors. I am not convinced that Boyd’s spike in Ks are a guaranteed thing.
I think the Pirates are more interested in trading Marte than the article writer believes. Marte set a career best in OPS, isnt a 1 year rental yet and is over 30. A lot of his value is in his legs which is the first to regress. Marte is never going to be more valuable than he is now.
Well I did list him first! I don’t have a clear read on what the FO/ownership thinks on Marte. Re urgency I just meant that they have a real backup plan if the offers aren’t great — hold and wait.
With the recent sale of The Mets and an agreement in place to have The Wilpons continue controlling the team for 5 more years, plus Van Wag feeling pressure to produce, I feel a blockbuster trade is almost inevitable. Considering the fact that they are essentially playing with someone else’s money and he happens to be a billionaire. They might as well go for it.
I think they match up well with Boston and may be able to pull off a shocker while the Dodgers are busy trying to pry Lindor and Clevinger from Cleveland.
New York has virtually no one signed beyond 2021 beside DeGrom.
Maybe they go after Betts ?
Take on JBJ and Price too ?
Boston might be willing to take less for him with those two attached and Boston will be well below the Luxury tax threshold with all three of them gone.
What would it take to get all three ?
Nimmo, Cespedes,(salary match purposes) Smith, and Syndegaard or some prospects ?
The prospect haul for Betts is already rumored to be low in a walk year, taking on the other two would have to lessen the haul right ? Thoughts?
Betts is a one year rental. Lindor a 2 year rental. Bryant probably a 2 and possibly a one year rental.
All of them are going free agent. Period.
No team is going to give up multiple controlled quality players / prospects for that little time. Add in that the Mets traded off a good portion of their farm system since BVW arrived. They have nothing in the pipeline to replace any quality young players they trade.
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As for the Mets new owner – as the saying goes, the sale’s not complete till the check clears the bank. I’d suggest that a lot can happen in 5 years, and Mr. Cohen would be a fool to write large checks until it’s clear that he’s in control….especially with the Wilpon families track record.
As for Betts – if by some miracle Mr. Cohen takes control of the Mets in the next year, I’d look for them to be big players in signing him.
I am surprised there isn’t more discussion for teams that need a ss on Marcus Semien. He was excellent on both sides last guest and although he’s projected a little lower, it still puts him at the top for ss this season. Plus he’s a one-year rental, so cheaper than Lindor, and he doesn’t have the name recognition of Lindor. Oakland probably trade him for a far less than what the Indians will ask for Lindor.
No team is going to give up multiple controlled quality players / prospects for that little time.
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Yet, every year, teams trade away prospects for star players with only two months of control. Chapman/Torres, Miller/ERod, Beltran/Wheeler, and probably dozens of others. If you are willing to trade for two months of control, does it not make sense to trade for a full year of control, plus the draft comp?
If Hand is “cost-efficient”, why would Indians trade him? They are trimming not quitting
You don’t know if the Indians aren’t quitting. Kluber could be traded without a huge impact on their season, since they have SPs. But with Lindor & Clevinger maybe on the block, then Hand has to be on the block also.
If, and it is a big if, but if they trade Lindor & Clev, it would be stupid to hold onto Hand.
Depends what they get back for Clevinger and Lindor also. If it’s a package around Lux and May you can certainly plug those 2 into your 2020 lineup. The Twins aren’t exactly the Yankees. If the Indians were completely quitting on 2020 I don’t think they spend 6 mil on a 2B. I think you’d see a much cheaper deal or they’d roll w some internal option.
as funny as it will be to most people, I’m a Pirates fan and this makes some amount of sense…
I’d look into a Marte/Lindor swap. the teams would essentially be swapping salaries.
Indians keep/use Marte however the Pirates swing Lindor in another trade for a better package than Marte would have brought in.
even though, he has plenty of interest, I cant imagine teams would really want Marte and his PED history knowing he is a suspension away from missing over a full season… especially when he only has another season under his contract! and the fact that Martes apology was a joke I wouldn’t lose any sleep losing him.
yeah I would rather have Lindor in a Pirates uniform but obviously he would bring in a serious haul especially if they package him with another commodity or two
I’m a Pirates fan too but there’s no way the Indians do that. It DOES make sense for the Pirates, because that would completely erase the stink of the Archer trade, but I have no idea how it makes sense for the Indians.
I don’t follow your thinking. Lindor has far more value than Marte. So why does Cleveland have any incentive to let Pittsburgh reap that?
gotta rank Matz given the Mets SP crunch, no?
Still unclear what their intentions are. I can see a path to carrying him as a long reliever. They may not want to sell low. And they will want to preserve depth … who else is their 6th starter, assuming Lugo ends up back in a short relief role?
The Tigers would be morons to trade Boyd, there is no reason for them to do so.
I mean … what if some team made a really strong offer?
With Ian Kennedy only having a year left, the “rental targets” category might be more accurate than the one he was listed on.
Also, I have the feeling that if the Rangers miss out on JD, Hunter Dozier with his North Texas lineage, might be a target given the right package for that KC needs organizational OF depth cause once you get past Isbel, Lee, & Hicklin, it’s muh thin…
We are not trading Hunter Dozier because he may be playing right field in 2020. I don’t really want Brett Phillips and his non-bat in the lineup.
I wouldn’t give up on Phillips’ bat so soon.
Will fix Kennedy.
I think Hunter Dozier for Austin Riley is a swap that would make sense for both teams.
No. Price’s contract is still very expensive.
Relatively less onerous in comparison to the rest of the market. I’d say the same for literally any other pitcher with a fixed salary.
There’s 3 years left on it, right? I mean if the Sox picked up 1/4 of it in exchange for getting one really good piece back, that’s not so bad. He’d probably be tradeable as a salary dump too, if you want lotto tickets.
The Sox are not getting value for Price unless they eat half the deal. No one is taking his full salary for anything.
Stop listing Brad Keller as someone the Royals would consider getting rid of!
He’s only 24! Why do you keep listing him? I noticed you never list Glenn Sparkman…
He’s appealing enough that other teams might come calling and make a concerted effort to acquire him. And the Royals — more so than just about any other team — can’t afford to rule out that sort of move, regardless of his age. Keller only has 4 seasons of control left and this club’s contention window is far from clear.
I didn’t list him as a likely player to be dealt, particularly given that KC has declined to deal much more obvious players. But I’m not going to rule it out. The Marlins just dealt Zac Gallen in the middle of his debut season!
well that’s the Marlins, the same team that traded away a guy who would almost immediately win back to back MVPs for a boatload of deeply flawed prospects.
DarkSide
If you’re talking about Yelich you need to be honest. NO ONE saw Yelich becoming and MVP. Dude had 18 HRs and a 4.2 WAR coming out of Miami. Let’s try and keep some perspective.
He’s 24 & a rebuilding team doesn’t trade a 24 year old pitcher who is almost an ace for them.
He is highly likely to get targeted by other teams. It would be foolish for the Royals to not consider offers.
Man I wish the braves could get Bell and move him to RF
I’m lost, moop. Did you mean Betts? The only Bell I can think of is Josh, and I just don’t feel as if that’d go very well.
Nah I meant Josh Bell. He can play right field and won’t be a UFA until 2023. Switch hitter with pop
I would like to see the Angels go after Chris Archer. Maddon approves of this idea too since they were bff’s back in Tampa.
Personally, I would love to see the Dbacks acquire Starling Marte. The team needs a proven cf badly and shifting Ketel back to second would give them an elite middle infield.
Give the dodgers some actual competition.
I keep on waiting on pirates to make a move ! Like to see larger move with D- Backs that includes Kelly the catcher plus couple good young pitchers.
On the pirates, the only two that make sense are Kela and Marte.
Kela cause hes a quality rental arm and marte due to the market value.
Frazier maybe, pirates do have a bit of depth up the middle.
Bell’s market is limited to the AL and few teams currently have a need. The rest have something better or nearly as good. Rays probably the best shot, but unless others clear some salary at the DH, really doesn’t make sense.
Archer has very little trade value. with last years performance i can’t see any one giving up much for him. Best bet would be to keep him and hope he improves value. If he sucks or gets injured.. then you don’t lose much in talent acquired.. and his price tag is low enough to eat and at least get some innings out of him since the pirates don’t have much in the way of SP depth.
Musgrove, pirates kinda need him of they have hopes of not being bad in 2021. and he is Pittsburgh type of player.
Never say never, anyone should be available given the right price or over pay on value.. but really…
Also they could keep them all, add a quality pitchers catcher and a 3b that can field better while hit about as good as moran and they should be over .500 or more and if it doesn’t work… most have the control to not reduce their value. And you have more to trade off for talent. though marte’s return might be good enough to fill catcher and 3b for 2020/21+
I’d be very surprised to see the White Sox trade James McCann this offseason. They would have to be overwhelmed with an offer, one befitting of an All-Star catcher because he actually was one last year. We have all been beaten over the head with his ‘mirage’ 2019 season including the false narrative of his poor offensive second half which was in fact just one bad month in July. Naysayers also want to pick on his lack of pitch framing ‘metrics’ but poo-poo his less measurable defensive contributions involving prep time with pitchers, game calling and leadership.
Fact is, the White Sox are making it clear this offseason that they are not only ready to put their 3-year rebuild behind them but are all-in for 2020 as well as the future. This will become even more apparent when they add Edwin Encarnacion or another strong right-handed bat in the coming days to either DH or supplement recently acquired lefty bat Nomar Mazara in RF. Some reports suggest they might even add two bats and accomplish both objectives. Rick Hahn is also certain to bring in at least one more significant bullpen arm this winter. Each of these final pieces can be filled just fine from among the remaining free agent pool that also includes Nicholas Castellanos and Yasiel Puig in addition to Encarnacion along with a host of quality relievers still available in MLBTR”s top-50 FA class.
I fully expect McCann to remain a White Sox this offseason regardless of the added bat or two. His value will be more important to the team as MLB’s best backup catcher than the few PA’s he might lose as a DH or backup 1B if Encarnacion is signed in the coming days. Even if “The Parrot” doesn’t fly to Chicago many of those same PA’s will be given to White Sox third string catcher Zack Collins who’s potentially high OPS lefty bat is further along than his questionable defensive skills as an MLB catcher. I just can’t see the White Sox relying on Collins to be Yasmani Grandals’ backup catcher and as his insurance policy in case something happens to the latter in 2020. McCann will not only fill that role but also contribute mightily in other ways to assist a still mostly young pitching staff next season.
I suspect McCann will be Lucas Giolito’s personal catcher in 2020 while also spending more time prepping Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech when the latter debuts. I expect Grandal to be the primary starter catcher when Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez take the mound where his pitch framing excellence will be of great benefit to those two veterans who need to live on the edges of the strike zone to be effective. I’m guessing that Grandal will also work more with Reynaldo Lopez in 2020 where a Spanish speaking catcher might help the Dominican pitcher finally realize his full potential. Of course, Grandal’s pitch-framing will also benefit the young White Sox power arms whose stuff is still ahead of their ability to command their arsenal.
Bottom line: The White Sox have an ideal setup with their 3 catchers in 2020, something that is more likely to happen now with the 26-man active rosters next season. Grandal will be the primary catcher, ideally starting about 110 games or around 4 per week. He will be behind the dish for most of the Keuchel, Gonzalez and Lopez starts. McCann will start most of the other games, primarily as Giolito’s personal catcher along with many that Cease, Kopech and a returning Carlos Rodon might begin in 2020. McCann’s above average workload for a typical #2 will keep the 31-year old Grandal fresher during the course of a long season and hopefully into the postseason as well. Collins could remain as the emergency #3 or begin the 2020 season at AAA Charlotte in order to improve his defense and garner more regular PA’s.
and the Braves will likely not acquire any of the top targets because why try to win?!
Archer almost no value, maybe even negative.
Bell, very small market
Musgrove, low value. Needed cheap rotation arm
Kela, fair value for a rental reliever
Frazier, pretty good value, pirates have a bit of depth
Marte, high value, favorable market.
Keep archer, bell and musgrove., Listen on frazier and marte. actively shop Kela.
They have a chance at not being bad in 2020 and actually being good in 21. Filling the holes through free agency or trade with out creating other major holes would go a long way.
I feel like a lot of teams would be tempted to pry Soler from the Royals. I think his defensive shortcomings are blown way out of proportion and national league teams would also have interest. The Reds come to mind.
I’d be very surprised to see the White Sox trade James McCann this offseason. They would have to be overwhelmed with an offer, one befitting of an All-Star catcher because he actually was one last year. We have all been beaten over the head with his ‘mirage’ 2019 season including the false narrative of his poor offensive second half which was in fact just one bad month in July. Naysayers also want to pick on his lack of pitch framing ‘metrics’ but poo-poo his less measurable defensive contributions involving prep time with pitchers, game calling and leadership.
Fact is, the White Sox are making it clear this offseason that they are not only ready to put their 3-year rebuild behind them but are all-in for 2020 as well as the future. This will become even more apparent when they add Edwin Encarnacion or another strong right-handed bat in the coming days to either DH or supplement recently acquired lefty bat Nomar Mazara in RF. Some reports suggest they might even add two bats and accomplish both objectives. Rick Hahn is also certain to bring in at least one more significant bullpen arm this winter. Each of these final pieces can be filled just fine from among the remaining free agent pool that also includes Nicholas Castellanos and Yasiel Puig in addition to Encarnacion along with a host of quality relievers still available in MLBTR”s top-50 FA class.
I fully expect McCann to remain a White Sox this offseason regardless of the added bat or two. His value will be more important to the team as MLB’s best backup catcher rather than the few PA’s he might lose as a DH or backup 1B if Encarnacion is signed. Even if “The Parrot” doesn’t fly to Chicago many of those same PA’s will be given to White Sox third string catcher Zack Collins who’s potentially high OPS lefty bat is further along than his questionable defensive skills as an MLB catcher. I just can’t see the White Sox relying on Collins to be Yasmani Grandals’ backup catcher and as his insurance policy in case something happens to the latter in 2020. McCann will not only fill that role but also contribute mightily in other ways to assist a still mostly young pitching staff next season.
I suspect McCann will be Lucas Giolito’s personal catcher in 2020 while also spending more time prepping Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech when the latter debuts. I expect Grandal to be the primary starter catcher when Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez take the mound where his pitch framing excellence will be of great benefit to those two veterans who need to live on the edges of the strike zone to be effective. I’m guessing that Grandal will also work more with Reynaldo Lopez in 2020 where a Spanish speaking catcher might help the Dominican pitcher finally realize his full potential. Of course, Grandal’s pitch-framing will also benefit the young White Sox power arms whose stuff is still ahead of their ability to command their arsenal.
Bottom line: The White Sox have a nice setup with their 3 catchers in 2020. Collins goes to AAA if they sign a full time DH. Grandal will be the primary catcher, ideally starting about 110 games or around 4 per week. He will be behind the dish for most of the Keuchel, Gonzalez and Lopez starts. McCann will start most of the other games, primarily as Giolito’s personal catcher along with many that Cease, Kopech and a returning Carlos Rodon might begin in 2020. McCann’s above average workload for a typical #2 will keep the 31-year old Grandal fresher during the course of a long season and hopefully into the postseason as well.
If the Dodgers trade Pollock, they’re gonna have to pay a huge chunk of the 55 million he’s owed. That was a bad contract on the day he signed it. I was shocked that they have him 5yrs.
Margot, is it just me or he the most talented player that just hasnt put it together yet.
Has speed, power, can player the outfield pretty well. Disappointing results at the plate so far.
It makes sense that the Red Sox, on Mookie Betts, are in the cat birds seat.
If they get a great offer they can trade him now and save $27+M in 2020.
Or they can keep him and perhaps stay in the race and QO him after 2020.
Or if they are not in the race can trade him at the trade deadline for great prospects. And they can save an exorbitant $300+M contract.
Either way Mookie Betts is gone from Boston between now and the end of 2020.
A great player but when Tampa can have a better record than you for 25% of your payroll then what’s the point of taking on another exorbitant contract and playing worse than your competitors?
As Red Sox owner John Henry has said: “It’s a matter of how much do we want to lose”?
Money alone can’t win it.