On the heels of this summer’s first blockbuster coming together overnight, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. The trade market is heating up:
After weeks of minimal movement on the trade market, the dam appeared to finally break last night when the Diamondbacks and Marlins got together on a deal that sent southpaw A.J. Puk to Arizona. That trade was promptly followed by a late night swap between the Mariners and Rays that shipped All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena to Seattle. Both players’ overall numbers have been average this year, due to tough starts to the season, though both have heated up significantly recently. Puk has been utterly dominant since moving back to the bullpen this year, with a 2.08 ERA and a 2.42 FIP in 30 1/3 frames that should bolster Arizona’s late-inning mix alongside closer Paul Sewald. Meanwhile, Arozarena has hit .284/.397/.507 (161 wRC+) since the calendar flipped to June — a huge line that’s sure to provide a boost to Seattle’s beleaguered lineup.
With trades finally starting to trickle in, plenty of activity should be expected this weekend. Yesterday was a busy day on the rumor mill even aside from the trades, as breakout relief star Mason Miller now appears to be officially off the market after suffering a broken finger, while multiple teams have begun to show interest in Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon after the club’s front office officially declared themselves sellers earlier this week.
2. Will these probable starters actually take the mound?
This weekend features a number of probable starters who could be making their final appearances for their current teams—at least, if they aren’t scratched from those starts as a trade looms over the horizon. Saturday’s slate of games figures to see Rays righty Zack Littell (4.46 ERA), Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (2.34 ERA), White Sox righty Erick Fedde (2.98 ERA), and Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (2.91 ERA) take the mound, while White Sox ace Garrett Crochet (3.07 ERA) is slated to take the bump on Sunday.
Each of these hurlers has found their name in the rumor mill fairly frequently this summer and appears within MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 Trade Candidates for the 2024 deadline, so it would hardly be a surprise if at least one of them were to be scratched from their weekend start to avoid an injury scuttling a trade their front office was closing in on putting together. In the event these hurlers do take the mound this weekend, the starts will provide their fanbases a chance to say what could be goodbye to a major piece of their club’s rotation this year.
3. What’s next for the Rays and Marlins?
While teams such as the White Sox, A’s, Angels, Cubs, and Nationals all figure to sell to some degree or other over the coming days, last night’s sellers have been perhaps the two most active sell-side clubs on the trade market this year. In addition to last night’s trade of Puk, the Marlins jumped the market all the way back in May to ship All-Star infielder Luis Arraez to San Diego in the season’s very first blockbuster, while the Rays already shipped out right-handers Aaron Civale and Phil Maton earlier this month. With all eyes on Florida in the days leading up to the deadline, both clubs have plenty more pieces to move.
Miami southpaw Tanner Scott, the club’s closer and a free agent after the 2024 campaign, has long appeared to be a virtual lock to be moved given his 1.21 ERA and the Marlins’ clear willingness to part ways with short-term pieces. A pair of longer-term pieces have gotten more recent buzz in the rumor mill lately, as both 2022 All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. and outfielder Bryan De La Cruz have come up in trade talks. The Pirates appear to be in on both players, as reports have indicated they’ve had “exploratory” talks regarding Chisholm and are also scouting De La Cruz. The Rays, by contrast, are less certain to auction off their assets, but right-hander Zach Eflin and third baseman Isaac Paredes have both reportedly drawn interest in recent days, with the Astros seemingly in on both players. Littell has also been a rumored trade candidate, and Tampa Bay could move at least one reliever from the ’pen.
Nice trade for the M’s. I assume they tried to get Paredes as well and couldn’t weave it in.
Would have cost the Ms a lot more to get Paredes who the Rays could move for the right top end pieces.
2 trades is hardly the damn dam breaking
The Arozarena trade is a “Blockbuster”?
It’s a significant trade, sure, but hardly earth-shaking.
Nick started his day with coffee from Hyperbolic Bros.
Randy was a 20/20 man the last few seasons.
Lester: Yes, and MLBTR completely dropped the ball on Dylan Cease’s no-hitter. Come on, guys. Just a word or two of acknowledgement would be nice.
This isn’t Bleacher Report or ESPN. This site is about trades, player health, anything impacting players moving.
Certainly no Alomar/McGriff/Carter/Fernandez trade
Sellers just sideline any SPs you are known to be listening on for trade-buyers got enough of a look to come up with their final offers. Spin it as adding less mileage.
And so it begins…
Some of you are really bitter in a bad way. Maybe chill and bit, relax and enjoy the moment.
Rays probably going to trade Lowe. Not Lowe, the other Lowe.
I’m always so confused how you can have the same letters in a last name but one is like low to the ground and the other is ow that hurt with an L in front
WHERE in this quote does it say the Cubs are sellers?
Where we are right now, I would have to say that moves only for 2024 – unless things change over the next week – we probably won’t do a lot of moves that only help us for this year,” Chicago’s baseball ops leader said (link via Jesse Rogers of ESPN). “If moves help us for 2025 and beyond I think we’re exceptionally well positioned.”
Unfortunately, that’s GM speak for. We are sellers.
Pirate fan here,trade for Rooker! Also need middle relief help. Ian Happ would be nice also.
Bucs need 2 bats, Rooker, Ward, Jazz, DeLaCruz, Bleday, Sanchez. Get 2 of these guys I think they all are controllable. Trade some prospects, it’s not going to ruin the future. You get 2 of the above & your OF is set for a few years
@buccofan1956, except for Rooker and Bleday, I don’t understand your fascination with these guys. While they probably would be an improvement offensively over Suwinski and Taylor, none of the other four are putting up offensive numbers to justify the price you would have to pay. Some, such as Jazz, are a defensive liability worse than any the Pirates currently have.
Rooker and Bleday are fine. I’d also look at Andujar whose OPS+ is better than Ward’s, Jazz’s, DeLaCruz’s and Sanchez’s. I thought the Pirates made a mistake waiving Andujar and I think the evidence supports me.
Long term solutions, in my opinion, are best made in the off-season. Trading for those solutions during July are probably going to come at a much higher price and be a less desirable solution than an offseason one.
Pirates are in much the same shape as the Mariners when it comes to needing bats. But our pitching is just fine like with you guys.
Jesse Winker would also be a pretty darn good platoon bat. His last 2 seasons were abysmal but he’s great this year and seldom discussed. He and a less offensively skilled guy like Jazz who plays a premium position makes the lineup a lot better.
Do not want to give up Ashcraft or Priester.
By Tuesday, the M’s outfield will consist of La Pantera, J-Rod & The Cuban Missile. My Oh My!!!!
don’t tease me
Pablo no the big tease is if we also somehow acquire Vlad as well n maybe Chisholm
It’s business as usual for the Tigers and Tarik Skubal. He isn’t going anywhere.
Every year we are told there are so few sellers (there are) and it’s a sellers market yet we see many players traded for less than we’d think.