The Mets, Phillies, and Jays – and potentially others – have scouts at the Diamondbacks/Cubs game in Chicago today, per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (via Twitter).
That’s as good a place as any for deadline buyers to do their weekend shopping. Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel are the most notable names present, but there’s plenty of talent dotting Chicago’s roster. Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Zach Davies are the other veterans on expiring contracts, with Davies the most likely of the three to move.
The Cubs also stock affordable, veteran talent, both in the bullpen — where names like Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin, and Dan Winkler could help a contender — and in the lineup, where low-cost veterans like Patrick Wisdom, Matt Duffy, and Jake Marisnick could be worth a conversation as well.
The Diamondbacks figure to be an even more fervent seller, though without the high-end talent of the Cubs. Still, Eduardo Escobar continues to be a popular name as a power bat offering defensive versatility on an expiring contract. Asdrubal Cabrera represents a knock-off edition, though the veteran has proven an effective deadline addition before, and he brings a more patient approach with an 11.7 walk rate this season.
Joakim Soria has a 4.45 ERA/3.91 FIP in 28 1/3 innings and a lengthy track record of success. The 14-year veteran is making just $3.5MM, and he, too, will be a free agent at year’s end. He has six saves and 229 for his career, so any acquiring team can rest assured that he’ll keep his composure, if nothing else. The Mets, Phillies, and Blue Jays all need bullpen help and could turn to Soria if Kimbrel proves too rich.
The rest of the Dbacks’ bullpen consists mostly of castoffs or unproven youngsters. Bespectacled vet Tyler Clippard won’t be cowed by the moment, but he’s only recently off the 60-day injured list and has just one appearance on the season. Former Brewers and Rays right-hander Jake Faria is having a decent season — 4.19 ERA, 19 1/3 innings — and would probably come cheap.
Noe Ramirez is worth a look. The 31-year-old sports a 3.31 ERA/3.72 FIP in 16 1/3 innings, but he’s long been undervalued because of pretty severe splits. He has a 3.94 career xFIP and 20.4 percent K-BB% against same-handed hitters, versus a 5.04 xFIP and 9.4 K-BB% against lefties for his career. Deployed judiciously, Ramirez can absolutely add value to a contender.
Merrill Kelly and Caleb Smith could be targeted as back-end rotation upgrades, with Kelly having the better season of the two. Kelly has posted 2.0 fWAR in 20 starts covering 117 innings. He has a 4.46 ERA/3.88 FIP with a 46.2 percent groundball rate, 20.3 percent strikeout rate, and solid 5.5 percent walk rate. He’s also affordable at $4.25MM this year and controllable with a $5.25MM club option for next year.
Kelly will take the mound today. He’s generating “a ton of interest on the trade market,” per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
Smith is an extreme flyball pitcher controllable through 2023. With a 27.1 percent groundball rate for his career, he’s always going to be homer prone, but he’s nevertheless managed a palatable 4.38 ERA/4.64 FIP in 78 innings. Smith might be a better bet for a fringey contender looking towards the future, as his value lies at least as much in his controllability as it does his present ability to pitch in the back-end of a playoff rotation.
Soria to The Phillies Makes sense, Bryant to the Mets a maybe and Kimbrel to the Blue Jays
I’m surprised the Blue Jays didn’t try and get Cruz. It that lineup Blue Jays would be crazy good
What makes you think they didn’t try?
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda 😉
Ah yoda. So wise. Always giving great advice to Captain Kirk.
The Blue Jay lineup is already good, they need pitching
Already have one and a half DH’s in Gurriel and Hernandez. Tampa getting him hurts but there never really was a fit unless they traded Gurriel for pitching. I don’t think they should be in on the high priced rental market anyways this year.
Well said JDG.
I’m sure the Giants are also there.
Love to see Rizzo in Boston. Gibson from Texas would be good arm.
Being close to the cap, I see Cron a more likely fit in Boston.
Why are scouts at the game? What are they going to see today, and only today, that they don’t already know about the players? Are the pitchers trying new pitches that they’ve never thrown before?
Boston never should of traded Rizzo.
Sounds like the best job in the world to me.
No way.
You sound like Marge Schott.
My comment was for south side.
+1 for the Marge Schott reference, well done. She saw scouts as a nuisance, not a necessity.
“Tell em, Large Marge sent ya!”
It’s because this isn’t armchair fantasy trading. If a team is looking at a specific player, scouting them in person lets them see everything vs just their pitches on camera. Their composure, leadership skills, any concerns from their live angles, and often their own radar guns that is used as a constant. They are looking for the right fit for their team and that comes from experience being around the diamond everyday, not watching only what the camera shows you and their evaluation only compliments their advanced stats
Also,teams scouting other teams is always going on. That’s why they hire scouts. Those won’t be the only teams represented there, and those two teams won’t be the only teams they send scouts to watch. Its seasonal click hate.
Governator, I understand your points. And I’m not saying scouts are useless. I’m saying that there is nothing that will be found out in person today, good or bad, about the player. I can see in person being extremely valuable for prospects that are being targeted by selling teams
The only reasons I could think of would be that they want to evaluate their health? But they’ve been in the game a long time. I don’t understand the point either.
It’s what they look for off of the field.
I’ve wondered that too. What in the hell do you need to know about Craig Kimbrel that you can only see in person at a game? These guys have access to data, medical info, and analytics that none of us even know about. This romantic garbage about “right fit” and composure is hot garbage too. If a guy is the best available at what he does teams overlook a lot of stuff. The MLB is full of dbags.
Kelly wouldn’t be a terrible fit for the Mets. Over the short term he’s a guy who can give them 5-6 decent innings without costing a crazy amount to get, but he’s also affordable SP depth for the next few seasons.
Davies fits what they need to a lesser extent as well. Some of the middle relief arms on both teams wouldn’t be a bad pickup either, just to lengthen the pen a bit.
I like Caleb Smith as a affortable swing option for Philly
Mets should get Bryant, Hendricks, and Kimbrel. Go big or go home. Mets now have the owner to become Dodgers east with Yankees spending on wrong players and now dealing on a budget.
The Mets should make moves because they make sense, not to get in a cannon measuring contest with the Dodgers and Yankees.
The main reason the Dodgers are good is their player development and talent evaluation, not the size of their wallet.
They do have the highest payroll by a big margin. So I’m sure their wallet also has something to do with it.
I love that people think they are going to get Bryant for very little or not much. Half a season or not. The Cubs should package a deal with Davies, Chafin and get someone to take on Hayward’s contract.
The Cubs are stuck with Heyward. They want prospects, not salary relief.
They have plenty of pieces to trade for prospects and unload Heyward in the right deal. They could also do a bad contract for bad contract.
They do like to spend but they do have a good farm system as well year after year
If only that bad contract was Cano
Hahaha!
@nyyfan
I don’t currently see that the Mets have spent their money on the right players. Lots of money on the IL, and several big contracts having disappointing seasons. The main difference I see between the Mets and Yanks is the quality of the division they play in.
Bryant to the Phillies would help them deepen their lineup a lot, and he could relieve the one major weak spot in the lineup: CF.
Dreaming….Bryant isn’t coming to the Phillies for nothing and they have pretty much nothing to offer the Cubs from their farm system and who wants anybody on the major league level…not!
While I agree, and I definitely don’t see the Phillies having much the Cubs want, I also think you may be overestimating the return the Cubs are going to get for half a season of Bryant. It isn’t going to be much. Still more than the Phils have though.
I kind of get the feeling that the Mets are genuinely unsure if they’re going to get Carrasco and or Syndergaard back in time for the postseason. All you need are three starters to carry you through the playoffs and they don’t want to overpay in prospects for some pieces that they end up not needing come late September. If everyone is healthy, I think that deGrom, Walker, Stroman are as good as any top 3 starters in baseball this season. Question is, does Carrasco, Syndergaard, Megill, Peterson, and now Rich Hill provide enough of an injury buffer? I think maybe one more guy, ideally with playoff experience, is in order.
Here’s a weird suggestion, not sure it would even be possible, but what if the Mets traded Robinson Cano and a mid level prospect to the Dbacks for Madison Bumgarner? Sure he’s not having the best season in the world, but he’s healthy and one of the best postseason pitchers of all time. It would be nice to get rid of Cano’s contract, which the Dbacks might go for because he’s owed one less year than Bumgarner is right now. The Mets get a guy who, at worst, is a back end of the rotation innings eater and for next year if Stroman leaves, they replace his level of innings at only slightly more money than what they pay Stroman this year. Not the worst option out there if you’re trying to make a push this year.
There is no chance the Diamondbacks trade for Cano. They should be looking to get prospects only
Yeah, it’s definitely a pipe dream unless they see Bumgarner as a dead weight, immovable contract that they want to offload ASAP. Bumgarner has 3/$60M left after this year, compared to Cano’s 2/$41M. So they’d be spending less money on their rebuild. They’d never be able to move Bumgarner for solely prospects unless they eat a ton of his salary.
Putting aside that no one will touch Cano, Bumgarner is done. In fact, when the Mets went to Arizona they lit him up. Now I saw Bumgarner beat the Mets at Citifield in the 2016 Wild Card game. That guy is not this guy. I get he was hurt but his season ERA is over 5. Like you said he is owed lots of money. Just to high a price for a guy who looks finished.
@PSUmetsfan
When is the last time a team went thru the playoffs with only 3 starters? That hasn’t happened in quite some time. If you want to win, you better have 4. Sabathia was a young man, then. I don’t see pitchers of that ilk and fortitude in today’s game of 100 pitch limits.
I mean even in 2019, Strasburg, Scherzer, and Corbin carried the Nats to their World Series ring. Or Keuchel, Morton, and Verlander for the 2017 Astros. You do need more depth to give yourself a better chance but having 3 solid options and maybe a fourth as a swing man is good
I think Megill is an interesting stash for the post season. Now granted, you have to GET there first, but Rojas might want to think about NOT letting playoff bound opponents see him.
Truthfully though, that’s only possible if we secure another starter to bridge us to the other side. Walker needs a break and looks like he’s on fumes. Stroman has been good but always looks like he’s one pitch away from an IL stint. Our ace can’t seem to stay on the field, but maybe this is the plan to keep him off until it’s absolutely necessary?
Hill, assuming he can avoid the Mets training staff, should stabilize the back of the rotation.
Two arms: 1 healthy starter who throws strikes plus one veteran closer type. I’m expecting Pineda (Minn) and Holland (Kc).
If Cohen once again gives into fans and goes for the big splash this team will be in full tear down mode within a year and a half. And the chances of winning it all will have been increased by a tiny margin. Please do not trade away the future for a half year of a player who doesn’t even really fill a specific need.
Interns of the Mets bullpen – they won’t trade for a Diaz replacement…they would go to May and/or Lugo to step in for Diaz, but they do need that depth behind them
I think Holland from the Royals would be much more logical to expect.
Bryant to Mets for rf, Conforto to the bench?
That would be dumb.
There is still time remaining for the Cubs to make some sort of deal or deals. But honestly, I would not be surprised if the only players moved are someone like Ryan Tepera, Zach Davies or Matt Duffy. Bryant has been on the trade block since 2019 and nothing has happened for whatever reason. That’s a whole other discussion. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the Cubs desire an awful lot in return and organizations are not willing to do that. Yes, the Cubs do offer some decent veterans who can help a playoff team. But from my hunches, the asking prices are high for players like Kimbrel, Baez, Bryant, Rizzo. Additinally, don’t get blinded by the Darvish trade earlier this off season where many believe the Cubs were railroaded. That was a pure salary dump because ownership was in a cost cutting mode. GM Hoyer simply did what he was told to do and that was cut salary.
I agree. The cubs want a lot, and are prepared to give a lot. Chicago wants a big deal. Mets and Phillies just don’t have the prospects. Toronto and San Francisco do. And to some extent, a few others. Very unique deadline. If the San Francisco GM goes bold, a mega deal is there. Conversely, I can see Chicago keeping them all and going into the offseason.
They should expect a lot. If they don’t get the haul they demand, fine – hold on to them and let them go to FA and take the comp pick. They know they will have extracted full value out of his team friendly contract. There is always a team who panics or is desperate right at the deadline willing to overpay if they feel this year is their chance. If not, ok then. The Cubs aren’t some small market wannabe that has to sell off dollars for dimes. They have the resources to retool quickly in a city/franchise that is very FA attractive.
It looks like Bryant and Kimbrel to Cohens team.
Based on what? Any inside info or are you just taking media suggestions of what might happen as done deals? Again.
The MSM is always right.
What would the Mets give for both? It would have to be a lot of value, knowing the value Kimbrel has right now and then adding Bryant.
Bryant/Davies to phillies for Bohm/Howard
Kimbrel to B Jays for Groshans/ Woods Richardson
The Cubs would be rather foolish not to accept both of those deals if offered.
Bryant and Kimbrel for JT Ginn and JD Davis
And what else… Cause Kimbrel nets those 2 alone and cubs keeping Bryant and giving him a QO nets cubs more value by getting a comp pick
No chance
I think you are pulling this out of nowhere, Dan
Where do you think Bryant will end up, Cosmo?
I really don’t know. I think he’ll cost more for the Mets than I want to spend. Even though in general teams don’t spend as much on rentals these days. But anything I say would just be a guess, pure speculation.
I wonder why it’s necessary to send scouts physically to a game to watch players with long resumes. How much money is wasted doing that? I mean what new info are you going to get on guys like Rizzo, Bryant, Baez, Kimbrel, etc? Even if you’re looking to make sure that they are healthy, can you not see that on TV?
Meet them in person
get a feel for them.
Just wondering – why do scouts bother to waste time traveling to major league games when everything, from every pitch of every game can be analyzed from a laptop? Now, a minor league game, that’s different because you might see something from a player you weren’t actually expecting. But what can you expect to see from a couple of at bats or a few pitches, in person?