Top 50 Trade Candidates
We waited to update MLBTR’s top trade candidate series for a bit, in recognition of the All-Star break lull. But things are starting to pick up quite a bit, and there’s plenty of change afoot as the list doubles in size from the most recent iteration. Drew Pomeranz, who sat in 13th position in our last list, was shipped in the biggest mid-season deal thus far. There are several other notable factors influencing the ranking you’ll see below; in particular, we’re now considering teams like the Yankees, White Sox, Royals, and Mariners as plausible sellers with the deadline nearing. None are fully committed in either direction as of yet, but there’s less time now for a dramatic change of fortune before August 1st.
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.
On to the ranking:
1. Aroldis Chapman, RP, Yankees — Though the Yanks are still in reasonable range for contention, word is that they’re readying to deal Chapman. The Cuban Missile promises to be a powerful weapon for whoever acquires him, with many of the best teams in baseball lining up for that chance — reportedly including the Indians, Cubs, Nationals, Dodgers, and Giants.
2. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Brewers — The Indians are said to have opened talks on Lucroy after losing Yan Gomes and receiving bad news on Michael Brantley‘s health, and the Rangers are also seemingly kicking around the idea of a move. Though it’s not certain he’ll be dealt, Lucroy still has the best blend of trade likelihood and value — he’s a top player at a premium defensive position who is playing on a super-cheap deal with control remaining.
3. Josh Reddick, OF, Athletics — Extension talks seem to be going nowhere, so it’s probably time for the veteran to be shipped out of Oakland. Having resumed his solid form at the plate since returning from the DL, he’s the best all-around rental outfielder available. The Cubs are among the teams said to be looking at Reddick.
4. Jay Bruce, OF, Reds — Bruce’s previous placement at the top of this list was driven largely by the fact that he was so obviously available. With the picture now more clear in other areas, and Bruce cooling off of late, he’s sliding a bit.
5. Andrew Cashner, SP, Padres — It seems all but certain that Cashner will be traded; indeed, there was buzz that he’d be gone before his last start. After turning in two quality outings, rivals organizations might be more willing to take a chance on the up-and-down righty.
6. Rich Hill, SP, Athletics — It’s hard to place Hill, who has been unbelievable all year but has dealt with two seemingly minor but nagging injuries. The most recent one is a blister that hasn’t healed enough to allow him to get back in the rotation. Hill can still be traded even if he isn’t able to make it back before the deadline, but that possibility only makes his already hard-to-gauge value all the more uncertain.
7. Carlos Beltran, OF, Yankees — Beltran is another Yankee who’s tough to place, albeit for slightly different reasons. We haven’t heard a ton of chatter on the veteran, who is hitting at near-peak rates at 39 years of age. He’s a pure rental who is eligible for free agency this winter.
8. Steve Pearce, IF/OF, Rays — Pearce is matching his 2014 breakout with a .322/.393/.552 slash. He has also been hurt, which has been an issue in the past, but with a meager $4.75MM salary for the season he’d be quite an affordable addition. He isn’t a great defender, but Pearce has proven capable of playing first, second, and the corner outfield, so he could provide plenty of plate appearances to the right organization.
9. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Rays — Odorizzi has been far from dominant — he owns a 4.39 ERA in 110 2/3 innings — but he’s steady, young, cheap, and controlled for three more seasons. He still seems the most likely Rays pitcher to change hands.
10. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Phillies — It has been a very strong campaign for the 29-year-old, who carries a 3.84 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 over 119 2/3 frames. It’s exactly what the Phils were hoping for when they added him over the winter, as he has been a nice stabilizing force and now looks like a solid trade piece in a market that doesn’t feature many useful rental starters.
11. Ervin Santana, SP, Twins — Teams prioritizing steadiness and durability will likely zero in on Santana, who’s a good bet to provide some reliable innings down the stretch and over the rest of his contract.
12. Matt Moore, SP, Rays — If, instead, you’d rather roll the dice on upside, then perhaps Moore is your guy. His contract is no longer quite as enticing as it once was, particularly since he can’t seem to turn the corner on the hill, but if he can find his form he’d once again be a premium asset.
13. Yunel Escobar, INF, Angels — It’s hard to discount the run he’s been on the last two years too much, but clubs will surely be wary of the fact that he’s doing it with a .350-ish BABIP. Without much pop in the bat, and a middling glove, there are limits to his value.
14. Danny Valencia, INF, Athletics — Valencia has fallen back at the plate and recently was moved off his regular third base gig. That seems to suggest that he’s not a major part of Oakland’s plans for 2017, but it also doesn’t necessarily do much for his trade value.
15. Melvin Upton Jr., OF, Padres — Trade chatter is picking up quite a bit on the resurgent Padres outfielder. His big contract will factor heavily in the market, as the Ubaldo Jimenez rumors would suggest, but he looks to be quite a useful addition for a contender in need of a fill-in starter or oft-used fourth outfielder.
16. Peter Bourjos, OF, Phillies — This feels a bit high for a player who is hitting quite well now, but hasn’t ever been a consistently useful offensive player. But that’s not the real reason for it. Instead, with Bourjos showing some life at the plate, he looks like an obvious player to change hands. His speed and defense make him a nice bench piece down the stretch, and with free agency coming, the Phils don’t have much reason not to cash him in.
17-19. Outfielders Ryan Braun (Brewers), Carlos Gonzalez & Charlie Blackmon (Rockies) — This trio is tough to gauge. You could argue that the Brewers ought to sell Braun now, but is the market really willing? And is Rockies owner Dick Monfort ready to pack in not only on 2016, but also ding the team’s near-future outlook by dealing away a high-quality outfielder?
20-21. Shortstops Eduardo Nunez (Twins) & Zack Cozart (Reds) — These are the two best middle infielders on the market — Cozart is an outstanding true shortstop, while Nunez has experience all over — but we’re still not seeing clear demand crystallize.
22-23. Relievers Jeremy Jeffress & Will Smith, Brewers — Milwaukee’s quality and controllable relievers could be traded or not, but odds are at least one will change hands as teams that miss out on bigger targets go looking for a backup plan.
24-26. Starters Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies), Ivan Nova (Yankees) & Jon Niese (Pirates) — There’s always demand for innings on the trade market, and these three starters bring that along with at least some hope for more.
Keep reading for the rest of the list and other names that were considered …
White Sox Listening On Chris Sale, Jose Quintana
SATURDAY,9:26pm: The White Sox aren’t motivated to trade either Sale or Quintana, multiple major league sources told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
7:52pm: The Rangers are currently unwilling to trade Mazara for Sale, but they’re open to dealing Gallo, Profar and some of their pitching prospects, per Sullivan.
3:06pm: Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara is on Chicago’s wish list if it swings a deal with Texas involving Sale, reports Sullivan (Twitter link).
FRIDAY, 5:23pm: The Rangers are “making [a] serious effort” to pry Sale loose from the White Sox, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter). Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported recently that the two teams were already chatting about Sale (and Quintana, too) before it became apparent that Chicago was leaning toward selling.
There’s “no indication” as yet whether these talks are going to go anywhere, Sullivan notes, so it doesn’t sound as if there’s anything building in the immediate term. Indeed, Grant adds on Twitter that no “serious talks” have occurred as of this point. The key takeaway seems to be that Texas at least plans to take a real shot at pulling off a blockbuster.
Indications are that Chicago would have interest in Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar in any scenario involving Sale. We’ve heard those two names quite a bit of late, and obviously the pair carries a lot of trade value. Still, it’s quite likely that Texas would need to add some real talent to that package to get the White Sox to budge.
Sale, after all, is just 27 years of age, remains under control at cheap rates through 2019, and carries a 3.18 ERA over a league-leading 133 frames on the year. Particularly with the contracts factored in, Sale is one of the most valuable single pitching assets in all of baseball — with Quintana not far behind him.
3:47pm: The White Sox are taking quite a few calls from rival organizations after reports emerged yesterday that the club is prepared to sell. While the extent of the sell-off isn’t yet apparent, and staff aces Chris Sale and Jose Quintana figure to be the most difficult pieces to pry loose, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes that the South Siders are at least willing to hear scenarios involving the top southpaws.
Per the report, the Red Sox are among the teams to have logged a phone call with the Chicago brass. Heyman suggests that Boston could theoretically also have interest in reliever David Robertson, and also notes that the Dodgers will surely check in on Sale and Quintana. No doubt plenty of other teams will also; as the recent chatter surrounding Chris Archer shows, controllable standouts draw wide interest no matter the time of year.
Ultimately, it seems that the White Sox are mostly looking to gauge the market for Sale and Quintana as they assess how far to go with their sales plan. GM Rick Hahn has acknowledged that the team won’t buy short-term assets, but hasn’t declared his organization open for business on the sell side, and it’s possible to imagine the club taking various routes given its array of veteran talent. Certainly, there’s no urgency to deal a top arm, though perhaps the Sox wonder if the time could be ripe with the market seemingly lacking the supply to match the demand.
The most likely pieces to be traded, generally, would be pending free agents. But as Chicago’s depth chart shows, the team’s walk-year vets don’t hold much appeal: Austin Jackson and Alex Avila are hurt, while Dioner Navarro has been ineffective and Justin Morneau only just returned to the big leagues. The Sox have one more season of arb control over infielders Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie; there’s one more year on the contract of southpaw reliever Zach Duke and two to go for Robertson. Both Melky Cabrera and James Shields could draw interest, though their expensive contracts will require some number-crunching.
The team’s true core, though, lies in the players it has locked up to lengthy deals. First baseman Jose Abreu has had some down moments, but remains an appealing asset. Outfielder Adam Eaton is a great value on his contract. And then there’s Sale and Quintana, who are probably the most appealing White Sox trade chips of all. Of course, their extremely favorable contracts, young age, and top-level production all make them important assets to an organization that probably doesn’t intend to oversee a full-blown teardown. But taking a package of near-MLB prospects could theoretically still make sense, and it seems that Chicag would like to at least know what’s possible.
Trade Market Notes: Teheran, Bruce, Reddick, Giants, Rangers, White Sox
Braves righty Julio Teheran exited tonight’s start with what is being described as right lat tightness, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes. Teheran had been throwing well, once again, before the issue arose. We’ve already seen plenty of cold water thrown on the idea that he’ll be traded, and this injury — even if it’s minor — could help seal the deal (or, rather, the lack thereof).
Here are some more notes as the trade market continues to take shape:
- It has largely been taken for granted that the Reds will trade Jay Bruce this summer. But ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that some rival executives are finding it difficult to gain any traction in talks with the Cincinnati front office. Others, though, still see a deal as likely.
- Some of the same teams pursuing Bruce are in on Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi notes on Twitter. That’s not surprising — both are left-handed-hitting corner outfielders, albeit rather different ones — and it’s certainly possible to imagine the interplay between their respective markets having an impact on how trade talks progress. The Cubs, Dodgers, and Indians all have some level of interest in both players, per the report.
- As for the Athletics and Reddick, there are other teams in the mix, too. Per John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group, the Royals and Giants are also taking a look. Of course, we also heard today (subsequent to Hickey’s report) that Kansas City may instead head in a different direction.
- We’ve heard plenty of chatter on Melvin Upton tonight, after Olney suggested earlier today that he could be a fit for the Giants. Whether or not Upton is the target — or, as just noted, Reddick — it seems that San Francisco is once again leaning toward adding another outfielder. Hunter Pence‘s return hasn’t been quite as smooth as might’ve been hoped, and the remaining primary mix — Angel Pagan, Denard Span, and Gregor Blanco — hasn’t been terribly productive, though Pagan has had a solid bounceback campaign. On the other hand, both Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson have hit at better than league-average rates when they’ve been up, so the club isn’t exactly hurting for options.
- Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News provides a useful round-up of the Rangers‘ efforts to bolster a scuffling rotation. In addition to opening talks with the Rays and White Sox, as has been covered extensively, the team is looking at a variety of other possibilities. Andrew Cashner of the Padres is one player that the Rangers have discussed, as are Mariners lefties James Paxton and Wade Miley. It seems that all variety of options continue to be on the table, as all of the pitchers covered in the report constitute quite different assets. GM Jon Daniels suggests that, while he’d prefer to move quickly toward a deal, the odds are that it’ll come down to the deadline.
- As the White Sox weigh what (if any) players to sell, the club won’t have two short-term assets on the shelf. As Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports, both center fielder Austin Jackson and catcher Alex Avila — each of whom was signed to a one-year deal over the winter — are still a ways away from returning from their respective injuries.
Orioles, Padres Discussing Swap Involving Melvin Upton, Ubaldo Jimenez
The Orioles have spoken with the Padres about outfielder Melvin Upton, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). The deal under discussion would send righty Ubaldo Jimenez to San Diego, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links).
An agreement isn’t close at present, per Rosenthal, who says that the Friars are also seeking a prospect to make something happen. Presumably, the struggling Jimenez would help offset Upton’s salary, perhaps paving the way to the acquisition of a useful minor league asset. Baltimore owes Jimenez $13MM this year and $13.5MM for 2017, while Upton is on the books for $15.45MM currently and $16.45MM next season.
While Upton has turned around his career over the last two years with San Diego, his big salary obviously serves to weigh down his trade value. Even if he’s been worth nearly what he’s owed of late, it’s a large chunk of change for any team to take on. Jimenez, meanwhile, has followed up on a useful 2015 with a dreadful start to his 2016 season. He owns a 7.38 ERA over 81 2/3 innings, with 111 hits and 50 walks leaving him with a 1.971 WHIP.
We’ve covered several stories tonight that seem to be merging with these reports. The O’s just lost Joey Rickard to the DL, where he joins Hyun Soo Kim. And the Padres were said to be advising rival organizations that a deal involving Upton was nearing completion.
Baltimore has made clear that starting pitching is its priority, but the recent injuries seem to have opened another need. It is worth mentioning that the Pads could help in the pitching department, too, as the sides are said to have discussed righty Andrew Cashner.
Should a trade come to pass between the clubs, Upton could take the lion’s share of the time in left until Kim returns, at which point they’d likely split the action. Upton could also potentially spell Adam Jones in center and deepen the team’s late-inning defensive options with the lumbering Mark Trumbo currently manning right.
[Related: Orioles and Padres Depth Charts]
For San Diego, moving Upton represents more than just a chance to acquire yet more young assets. The team is also in need of carving out some MLB time for a pair of prospects — Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot — who are pushing for an opportunity. (Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource recently broke down the case for Renfroe.)
Joey Rickard Out 4 To 6 Weeks With Thumb Injury
Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard is expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering a thumb injury, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com was among those to report (Twitter links). Though Rickard won’t require surgery, the ligament damage will keep him out through at least late August.
Earlier today, O’s executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette noted that while starting pitching remains the team’s priority, a DL stint for Rickard could lead the team to explore trade options for another outfielder. That, obviously, is now the case. Hyun Soo Kim is also currently shelved, leaving the team with Julio Borbon, Dariel Alvarez, and Nolan Reimold on hand to take the field alongside regulars Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo.
Rickard, 25, earned a roster spot out of camp and impressed in the early going. He has fallen off since, but it must be remembered that he’s a Rule 5 pick who has been given an unusually robust role on a contending team. Over 282 plate appearances, Rickard is carrying a .268/.319/.377 batting line, which rates to a middling 83 OPS+. Defensive metrics are not fond of his glovework, leading both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference to value him at a half-win below replacement on the year.
With the rotation need taking precedence, and the O’s sporting big bats all over the lineup, it doesn’t seem that a major addition is in the offing. That being said, Baltimore has reportedly dabbled in the market for Jay Bruce — a player they’ve been connected to in the past — and could conceivably look for another impactful hitter over the next ten days, particularly if a starting pitching upgrade proves too costly.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/22/16
Here are the day’s notable minor moves:
- The Braves have agreed to a minor league deal with backstop Michael McKenry, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). As Cotillo notes, that signing, along with the team’s addition of fellow veteran George Kottaras, could help bolster the team’s catching ranks if A.J. Pierzynski is traded away. McKenry was recently cut loose by the Cardinals after a brief appearance on the MLB roster. He owns a useful .238/.318/.406 slash in his 953 big league plate appearances, but evaluators don’t love his work behind the dish.
- Another catcher, Erik Kratz, has elected free agency after being outrighted by the Pirates, as Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Kratz has not produced with the bat at all this year, but does typically bring some pop to the table. The 36-year-old is a lifetime .200/.248/.362 hitter, with 24 home runs in 647 plate appearances. With plenty of organizations looking for depth, he’ll likely latch on with another organization in short order.
Padres Say Nearing Melvin Upton Trade
The Padres are telling other organizations that they are nearing a deal involving outfielder Melvin Upton, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The report does note that it “may ultimately be posturing” on San Diego’s part, so perhaps it’s worth taking with a grain of salt, but regardless it seems that the club could be pushing for action on the veteran outfielder.
Upton, 31, has recently ranked in MLBTR’s listing of the top trade candidates despite his still-sizable contract. The reason is two-fold: first, he’s in the midst of a career revival since coming to San Diego, hitting a useful .259/.316/.441 since the start of 2015 while contributing on the bases in the field. And second, the Friars are perhaps the most motivated seller in all of baseball, having already traded away players with future control in James Shields and Drew Pomeranz (not to mention the winter deal involving Craig Kimbrel).
It’s tough to know exactly what buyer would be lined up for Upton, as he could theoretically fit in a number of roles. He’s certainly capable of playing center, though is probably best utilized in the corner outfield at this stage of his career, as defensive metrics generally view him as a slightly below-average option up the middle. And though he has been worthy of regular playing time, most teams will probably prefer to use him in a fourth-outfielder or platoon capacity. Upton continues to carry platoon splits (though not especially troubling ones), has benefited from a slightly elevated BABIP over the last two years, and continues to strike out in nearly three of ten plate appearances.
That leaves a reasonably wide variety of potential trade partners on the table. Clubs like the Giants, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Nationals, Indians, and Cardinals have all been rumored to have interest in some sort of outfield addition. Most of these organizations, if any actually have interest, would seem to be set up either to pair Upton with existing, left-handed-hitting options or deploy him as a frequently-used reserve.
The major question, perhaps, is how the money will get sorted. Upton’s big free agent contract — signed with the Braves and since traded to the Pads in the first deal involving Kimbrel — is winding down, but remains an obstacle. He is earning $15.45MM this year and $16.45MM in 2017, which still seems to go beyond his on-field value, though certainly the contract isn’t under water to anywhere near the extent it once was. San Diego may also be willing to keep some cash on its books in order to improve the return, depending upon the position of its trade partners.
Royals Could Consider Selling
The Royals are at least preparing for the possibility that they’ll need to take a selling posture at the trade deadline, according to a report from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag and as suggested yesterday by Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. Though GM Dayton Moore recently indicated that the defending World Series champs were firmly in the buyer’s camp, a source tells Heyman that the organization is readying to head in the other direction if that becomes necessary.
With a .500 record entering play today, it’s certainly possible that a run in either direction could drastically change the club’s outlook in a short period of time. Though it’s jarring to hear of a defending champ with many core, mid-prime players considering a sell-off, it also seems that this probably isn’t K.C.’s year — particularly with the loss of Mike Moustakas and the struggles of players such as Alcides Escobar and Yordano Ventura.
According to Heyman, the club could potentially consider dealing away some rather significant assets. He lists late-inning relievers Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera, starter Edinson Volquez, and even center fielder Lorenzo Cain. It’s worth noting that Cain is on the DL, though he is likely nearing a return.
It’s important to bear in mind that none of the players listed is set to hit the open market after the year — all are controlled via arbitration or option. Realistically, if the club considered dealing players like those listed above, there’s no reason they wouldn’t at least listen on additional names as well. Other shorter-term assets who aren’t pure rentals include first baseman Eric Hosmer, lefty Danny Duffy, righty Luke Hochevar, outfielder Jarrod Dyson, and the aforementioned Escobar.
What’s notable about the K.C. situation is that so many players are controlled for a short time, yet virtually none are set for the open market after the season. The club’s pending free agents — at least, those that aren’t subject to team control rights — include names like Dillon Gee, Chien-Ming Wang, and Drew Butera. Obviously, none of those players is likely to generate a major trade return. While he does come with a mutual option, DH Kendrys Morales may be the closest thing to a traditional rental asset that the Royals have, and his improved play of late could make him a useful piece.
It’s certainly possible to imagine the Royals looking into moving only a few assets, in hopes that they’d return players who could help next season while also bridging to a time when the current core is no longer together. There doesn’t appear to be much of a realistic hope of keeping players like Cain and Hosmer around beyond 2017, so perhaps now is the time to realize returns on at least a few major assets.
That being said, even at .500, the Royals have ample incentive to keep their roster together. It’s still possible to imagine some magic this year — I’ve resolved never to count this team out — and the fanbase will surely stay motivated so long as there is any glimmer of hope. And if the organization still believes in its talent, it can expect to see it all back together — hopefully, with better health — in 2017.
It also bears noting that this news on Kansas City seems to cap a mini-run on teams transitioning to possible sellers. Recent converts include, at least in theory, the Yankees and White Sox, with the Mariners and Tigers also candidates to do the same. That seems in part to be a response to a general perception that the market is friendly to sellers, which in turn may simply be motivating more teams in limbo to gauge what they can get for their more appealing short-term assets.
Nationals Pursuing Aroldis Chapman, But Won’t Give Top Prospects
The Nationals do indeed “want in” on the budding Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes according to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post (via Twitter). We’ve heard of this connection previously — assuming, of course, that the Yankees finally commit to a sale.
But while Washington’s interest is real, it doesn’t seem that the club is prepared to give up its best young talent to get a deal done. According to Svrluga, the Nats are unwilling to deal away top prospects Lucas Giolito, Trea Turner, Victor Robles, or Reynaldo Lopez for the opportunity to rent Chapman.
Those are exactly the types of players that the Yankees are surely hoping to get back in a deal for a pitcher who could change the entire post-season picture. Giolito and Turner are considered among the best prospects in the game, and both have appeared in the majors already. Robles, too has attained that status with his sky-high ceiling, though he’s still a few years away.
If anything, it seems like Lopez could be a player the Nats might be willing to give up, as he’s not quite as highly valued by prospect hounds amid questions whether he can stick in the rotation. Several observers have noted him as a possible piece that could change hands in a deal for Chapman, Andrew Miller, or another major trade acquisition. But he too was recently deemed ready for his first MLB action and remains a near-term option in D.C., so it seems there’s not a lot of inclination to give him up either.
Washington expects there to be plenty of competition for Chapman, per the report. And that’s no surprise, as he’s a truly elite player who is a pure rental asset. We’ve mentioned before that it could be a game of chicken on the high-powered southpaw, with the Yankees and every team with interest looking to see who’ll blink first, and it looks as if the Nats are sending a message that it won’t be them.
That’s not to say that the D.C. farm is otherwise devoid of talent. Righty Erick Fedde is perhaps the next-best pre-MLB player in the Nats system, and there are some other intriguing chips. It’s also possible to imagine the Nationals parting with Michael Taylor and one of several controllable relievers if the right scenario emerges, so there’s some possibility for creative packages that don’t include the blue chip prospects. We’ll find out whether that’s enough to entice the Yanks.
Rangers Designate Cesar Ramos
The Rangers have designated lefty Cesar Ramos, per a club announcement. He’ll make way for the return of fellow southpaw Jake Diekman.
[Related: Updated Rangers Depth Chart]
Ramos, 32, contributed 47 2/3 innings this year, but wasn’t as effective as he has been in recent campaigns. Fresh off of a 2.75 ERA run with the Angels in 2015, Ramos has worked to just a 6.04 ERA for Texas. His 5.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 2016 also fall well shy of his numbers from a year ago, and Ramos has seen his swinging strike rate dip as he has continued to lose velocity.