Top Trade Deadline Candidates

Top 50 Trade Deadline Candidates

By Steve Adams and Connor Byrne | August 25, 2020 at 11:02pm CDT

We’re bringing back our annual series in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt. Of course, it’s very much up in the air just how many significant deals will go down during a pandemic-shortened campaign that not only features just 60 regular-season games, but more teams dreaming of playoff berths than usual. Major League Baseball decided to add three extra playoff teams per league for 2020, and that’s obviously going to impact how clubs handle the deadline. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said as much last Friday, telling Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters that playoff expansion has led to “fewer” sellers than usual as Aug. 31 approaches.

Another factor that could lead to fewer trades: Players who may be dealt must consider whether they want to change teams and home cities as the coronavirus runs amok. Any player who may be on the move could decide to opt out of the season if he’s uncomfortable uprooting his life.

As a deadline unlike any we’ve seen before nears, let’s dive into our list (statistics current as of Aug. 24)…

1. Taijuan Walker, SP, Mariners: Walker is an affordable impending free agent on a clear non-contender. He’s a pure rental, but plenty of contenders are looking for rotation reinforcements. Walker has had two tough starts and three very good ones, leading to a combined 4.00 ERA with a 25-to-8 K/BB ratio in 27 innings.

2. Keone Kela, RP, Pirates: Similar to Walker in Seattle, Kela is an impending free agent and an established pitcher on MLB’s worst team. There’s no incentive for the Bucs to hang onto him, and while the return for a one-month rental of a reliever won’t be huge, it’s better than letting him walk for nothing. Kela missed the first several weeks of 2020 on the Covid-19 IL, and he was pulled from his last appearance due to forearm tightness. The Pirates called that decision “overly cautious.” So long as he’s healthy, Kela is a lock to be flipped.

3. Dylan Bundy, SP, Angels: The once-elite prospect has looked like the ace many expected him to become, and while it’s only six starts, it’s hard not to be impressed. The Angels could hang onto him for next year, but they’re buried in the standings right now and as a pitcher controllable through 2021, Bundy will have much more appeal than rentals. GM Billy Eppler could likely flip Bundy for more than the meager price he paid to acquire him this winter. Few players have raised their stock more, and the demand for rotation help far outweighs the supply.

4. Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers: Lynn’s ascension to one of the game’s best arms has come out of the blue, but there’s little denying how great he’s been since signing in Texas. He’s half through a three-year, $30MM deal and has thus far pitched to a 3.30 ERA and 3.15 FIP with 10.5 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and 0.92 HR/9. Lynn rarely throws anything other than a four-seamer or cutter, but the formula works for him; he’s lasted at least five innings in 39 of his 40 Rangers starts and averaged 6 1/3 frames per outing. Signed through next season on a Rangers club that has dropped eight of nine, Lynn is arguably the most coveted arm on the trade market.

5-6. Trevor Rosenthal, Greg Holland, RPs, Royals: The Royals picked up both formerly elite closers on minor league deals this winter and have been rewarded handsomely — particularly in the case of Rosenthal, who has allowed two runs with a 15-to-5 K/BB ratio in 11 1/3 frames. They’re highly affordable and on a team that is five games below .500, they should be highly available, too. The Royals opted not to move Ian Kennedy last year, and he’s a pending free agent as well, but he’s also on a $16.5MM salary in 2020 (prorated to $5.9MM) and pitching poorly.

7. Kevin Gausman, SP, Giants: The Giants signed Gausman as a one-year rental, knowing full well they’d be in position to flip him prior to the trade deadline. He’s delivered a 42-to-6 K/BB ratio with a career-best 12.2 K/9 and a 3.10 FIP so far through 31 innings. The rental market doesn’t feature many prominent names in 2020, but Gausman is among the best performers and likeliest names to be moved.

8. Tony Watson, RP, Giants: A veteran lefty that’ll become a free agent after the 2020 season, Watson has allowed one run through 9 2/3 frames with the Giants. He has closing experience, handles righties nearly as well as lefties and is playing on an affordable one-year deal. There’s little reason for Giants to hold here, and any club in need of ’pen help would harbor some level of interest.

9. Kevin Pillar, OF, Red Sox: Seeking a steady veteran for their outfield back in February, the Red Sox inked Pillar to a one-year, $4.25MM deal after the club traded Mookie Betts. Needless to say, Pillar’s no Betts, but the former Blue Jay and Giant has been a bright spot on a bad Boston team. Pillar, 31, has batted .278/.340/.454 through 106 plate appearances, though his numbers have tumbled recently. Regardless, Pillar’s a well-regarded defender (albeit not the all-world one he used to be) who can play all three outfield positions and a passable enough hitter that he could garner interest from contenders looking to bolster outfield depth.

10. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels: Simmons would be higher on the list had he been healthy and productive all year, but he’s played in just seven games due to an ankle injury. The 30-year-old has been the best defender in MLB dating back to his debut and could very well change hands in the next few days. But he’s also a qualifying offer candidate, and if the offers for him don’t outweigh the value of a compensatory draft pick, the Halos could just hold.

11-12. Tommy La Stella, INF; Jason Castro, C, Angels: A pair of affordable veterans who are set to be free agents this winter, La Stella and Castro both figure to be available. La Stella’s bat has erupted with a .288/.350/.478 showing since he landed in Anaheim in 2019. Castro isn’t hitting for average, but he’s considered a premium defender with huge walk rates and some pop in his bat. That’s been the case with the Halos and will be the case wherever else he lands.

13. Derek Holland, SP/RP, Pirates: The Bucs have used Holland in the rotation (plus one relief outing), and he’s been a passable option outside a nine-run drubbing at the hands of the Tigers. A rival club might not view him as a rotation piece, but lefties are hitting .143/.143/.214 against Holland this year. The three-batter minimum limits a team’s ability to use anyone as a specialist, but Holland has a long enough track record in the Majors that someone could still drop him into the ’pen and hope to match him up against lefties more than righties.

14. Matt Barnes, RP, Red Sox: Barnes has already watched teammates Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree get shipped out, and he’s not likely to be far behind. It’s true that he’s had a pair of rough outings recently that have ballooned his ERA to 5.73, but it’s also true that he averaged better than 15 K/9 last year. Since 2016, Barnes has a 3.92 ERA and 3.38 FIP with 12.3 K/9. He’s controlled through 2021.

15. Buck Farmer, RP, Tigers: Farmer has emerged as a steady relief presence in a shaky Detroit bullpen. He’s dropped his slider usage in favor of his changeup this year, with the result being far fewer strikeouts but considerably more grounders. Farmer is controlled cheaply through 2022 and induces gobs of weak contact.

16-17. Mychal Givens, Miguel Castro, RPs, Orioles: The O’s start to the season turned some heads, but they’ve dropped seven of 10 and faded from the division picture, as most would expect. Givens, controlled through 2021, has been a rumored trade piece for years and is out to another strong start. Castro, controlled through 2022, has 21 punchouts and a career-high 54.5 percent grounder rate in 13 2/3 innings. Baltimore could shop them individually, but a package deal could hold appeal to a bullpen-needy club.

18. Christian Vazquez, C, Red Sox: Long a sterling defensive backstop, Vazquez broke out with 23 big flies last season and hit .276/.320/.477 overall. He’s not hitting as well in 2020, but Vazquez is at least an average hitter at his position with a plus glove. He’s guaranteed $6.25MM in 2021 and has a $7MM club option for 2022.

19-20. Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac, SPs, Indians: Clevinger and Plesac have shown they’re capable of performing at high levels, and they’re each under control for multiple years. Both pitchers violated the league’s health-and-safety protocols this month, though, drawing some ire within the organization. The Indians optioned both players after that, even though they provide plenty of on-field value, and finally recalled Clevinger on Tuesday. He’s the likelier of the two to move given his mounting arbitration salary and lesser amount of team control. He’s controlled through 2022, while Plesac is controlled through 2025.

21. Matt Magill, RP, Mariners: Magill’s 2020 numbers are skewed after being rocked for five runs in one outing last week, but prior to that he looked like a terrific waiver gem for the M’s. If you’re willing to allow that all relievers are prone to the occasional implosion, Magill’s first 30 appearances with the Mariners produced a 2.67 ERA and 2.94 FIP with 11.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a hefty 14.7 percent swinging-strike rate. Magill bounced back from that brutal appearance with a perfect inning. He’s controlled through 2023 and has a 3.94 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 32 innings with the Mariners.

22. Hanser Alberto, 2B/3B, Orioles: Alberto just hasn’t stopped hitting with the O’s. He’s batting .305/.329/.429 in 671 plate appearances dating back to 2019. Alberto almost never walks (2.9% in Baltimore), but he’s also extremely difficult to strike out (10 percent). His power output is up in 2020 thanks to a deluge of doubles, and he’s a solid glove at either second or third (and playable at short in a pinch). The O’s control him through 2022, but a contending club with infield needs could benefit immediately.

23. Brian Goodwin, OF, Angels: Claimed off release waivers from the Royals at the end of Spring Training 2019, Goodwin has batted .258/.325/.470 in 555 plate appearances with the Halos over his past 162 games. He’s controllable through 2022 and has experience at all three outfield spots, but the Halos have Jo Adell up with Brandon Marsh not far behind. Moving Goodwin could open more time for the kids while returning some decent talent. (They’re not getting out from under the Justin Upton deal anytime soon.)

24. Rick Porcello, SP, Mets: The Mets play nine games in the next six days — 2020 is weird, folks — which will largely determine their deadline approach. Porcello was absolutely clobbered in his first start (seven runs, two innings) and has pitched well since (11 runs, 23 innings, 20-to-3 K/BB ratio). If things go south for the Mets, he’ll vault up this list.

25. Brandon Kintzler, RP, Marlins: The 36-year-old looks like he usually does: low strikeout rate, excellent control, plus ground-ball rate. He has high-leverage experience, gets gobs of grounders with a bowling-ball sinker and is playing on a one-year deal with a Miami club that has admittedly surprised to this point. Maybe the Fish will feel the return doesn’t justify dealing him when they’re on the fringe of the postseason race, but it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Kintzler move.

Click to continue reading…

26. Wilmer Flores, 2B/1B/3B, Giants: Like Alberto, Flores should be of interest to certain contenders. An above-average offensive player for several years, Flores has found another gear at the plate this season, having slashed .306/.337/.541 (136 wRC+) with seven home runs in 104 trips. He also boasts a career-high ISO (.235), and Flores hasn’t had to sell out to add more punch to his game (12.5 percent strikeout rate). Adding to his appeal, Flores is on a prorated $3MM salary this year, will earn another $3MM next season, and has a similarly affordable $3.5MM club option (or $250K buyout) for 2022. Shouldn’t the Giants just keep him, then? Not necessarily. If San Francisco doesn’t expect to be ready to contend during the life of Flores’ contract, it could make sense to move him now.

27. Jarrod Dyson, OF, Pirates: The 36-year-old picked a poor time to have the worst offensive showing of his career, but Dyson is still a burner on the bases with a terrific defensive track record. No one’s going to give up anything of note to acquire him, but the Bucs could save a bit of cash if a club wants to snag Dyson as a late-game pinch runner/defensive replacement. The 28-man roster makes it easier to carry this type of specialist.

28. Alex Cobb, SP, Orioles: Cobb hasn’t lived up to the four-year, $57MM deal he signed prior to the 2018 season, due largely to injuries. He underwent hip surgery in 2019 but looks healthy now, with a 3.73 ERA, 22-to-10 K/BB ratio and 58 percent grounder rate in 31 1/3 innings. There’s no way the O’s can move him without paying down the majority of his contract or swapping it out for another bad deal, though.

29. J.D. Martinez, DH, Red Sox: He’s out to a pedestrian start, but JDM is among the game’s most consistently excellent bats. The addition of the DH to the National League not only opens the field of immediate suitors for him but also should lead to greatly increased offseason interest if he starts hitting and opts out of his deal at season’s end. Martinez is owed $38.75MM from 2021-22, so there’s some risk if a club acquires him and he continues producing at a below-average level. If he were producing anywhere near his typical levels, he’d feel like a slam dunk to be traded.

30. Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants: The 34-year-old Cueto could well be moved this month, but it’s tough to buy the notion that he’ll be a coveted arm. Cueto is owed the balance of a $21MM salary in 2020 (about $4.3MM through season’s end), plus another $21MM in 2021 and a $5MM buyout of a 2022 option. Since returning from Tommy John surgery last September, he has a 4.60 ERA and a 4.61 FIP to match. His velocity in 2020 is sitting about where it was when he returned in ’19. Cueto was clearly a top-shelf arm at his peak, but the Giants are going to have to absorb the overwhelming majority of the contract just to find a taker for a pitcher who looks more like a fourth starter now.

31. Mike Minor, SP, Rangers: Minor was a high-end workhorse a season ago, but the southpaw’s production has careened off a cliff this year. Six starts in, he owns a 6.75 ERA with a similarly uninspiring 5.28 FIP. Minor has also seen his swinging-strike and velocity drop in comparison to 2020, while his walks have slightly increased. Plus, considering Minor’s a pending free agent with a 10-team no-trade clause, Texas isn’t going to get back any kind of haul for him.

32. Robbie Ray, SP. Diamondbacks: Losers of six straight and four games under .500, the Diamondbacks may have to seriously consider selling in the next week. Even if they do, though, they’re unlikely to get much for Ray, whose production has been abysmal this season. The normally solid Ray has begun his season with 27 innings of 8.59 ERA/7.76 FIP pitching. While he’s still fanning a lot of hitters (11.67 per nine), his strikeout percentage has dropped roughly about 5 points compared to the prior three seasons. Worsening matters, while Ray has never been any kind of control specialist, his BB/9 is up to an untenable 8.33. Despite the 28-year-old’s past success, no team’s going to pay a high price via trade for him now – especially considering he’s due to become a free agent at season’s end. But the D-backs surely don’t want to make him a qualifying offer, which puts them in an odd position with Ray.

33. Franklin Barreto, 2B, Athletics: As someone who was a ballyhooed prospect, Barreto was key in the return the Athletics received from the Blue Jays for superstar Josh Donaldson in 2014. To this point, though, Barreto has taken just 216 plate appearances (including seven this year) in Oakland across four seasons. This looked like the year he would get a real chance, but the club has instead turned to Tony Kemp as its second baseman. Granted, Barreto hasn’t helped his cause with a .183/.213/.365 line in the majors, but as a 24-year-old with a strong Triple-A track record, he could interest some second base-needy team as a change-of-scenery candidate. Clearly, the A’s aren’t keen on giving him a chance.

34-35. Clint Frazier, OF; Miguel Andujar, 3B/1B/OF, Yankees: Frazier is mashing his way back into the good graces of Yankee fans right now, but this pair of promising youngsters can’t seem to find regular reps in the lineup when it’s at full strength. The outfield scene is particularly crowded. The Yankees clearly value having depth of this quality around and probably won’t aggressively shop either player. But they’ll also be looking for pitching, and teams could ask about either of these MLB-ready bats. With Brett Gardner and DJ LeMahieu possibly departing this winter, the Yanks might just hold on both, however.

36-37. JaCoby Jones, OF; Niko Goodrum, INF/OF, Tigers: Detroit has dropped nine straight games, and despite promoting a cavalcade of prospects, the rebuild clearly isn’t over yet. Both Jones and Goodrum are controlled through 2023, so there’s no urgency to move them. Jones had a great stretch at the plate early last summer and is back to that form again. The track record is limited, but the tools are intriguing. Goodrum, meanwhile, can play all over the diamond and has a strong glove at shortstop. He’s struggled in 91 PAs this year, but Goodrum is a switch-hitter who was a league-average bat with decent power and speed numbers from 2018-19. Paired with his defensive versatility, he’s the type of player that frequently plays an underrated role on winning clubs.

38-39. Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl, SPs, Pirates: No one is going to mistake either righty for a frontline starter, but plenty of teams would be happy to add a cheap, controllable fourth starter. Williams had an awful 2019 but has an overall 4.11 ERA and 4.30 FIP in 491 innings since 2017. Kuhl has just 332 career innings thanks largely to injuries (most notably 2018 Tommy John surgery), and he has similar marks in ERA (4.28) and FIP (4.34). He’ll miss a few more bats than his teammate but has shakier control. Both are controlled through 2022.

40. Marco Gonzales, SP, Mariners: As the Mariners’ No. 1 starter and someone who’s under affordable control through 2024, the M’s certainly aren’t actively looking to jettison Gonzales. They’ll likely get calls on the southpaw (if they haven’t already), though, and he’d unquestionably bring back a sizable return. The 28-year-old entered 2020 off two very solid seasons and has been even better across his first five starts this season. Gonzales has averaged just under six frames per start (he’s at 29 2/3) and pitched to a career-best 3.34 ERA/3.64 FIP. Plus, with a personal-high 7.89 K/9 and a sterling 0.91 BB/9, he ranks near the top of the majors in K/BB ratio (8.67).

41. Austin Nola, C/1B/2B/3B, Mariners: Nola didn’t crack the majors until 2019 as a 29-year-old, but the longtime minor leaguer has improbably turned into a highly useful big leaguer. Not only does have double-digit games of experience at three positions (catcher, first and second), but he has turned in well-above-average offense (120 wRC+) over 357 plate appearances. He’s also on a league-minimum salary and isn’t slated to reach arbitration until after 2022. All of those are valid reasons for the Mariners to keep him, though there’s a case they should sell high now. After all, they’re not contending this year and probably won’t next season, when Nola will be 31.

42. Mike Yastrzemski, OF, Giants: Yaz burst on the scene last year and has only gotten better – far better – in the second season of his career. He’s already at 2.2 fWAR through 133 plate appearances, owing largely to an eye-popping 184 wRC+, and has proven he’s capable of handling all three outfield positions. So why in the world would the Giants deal him? They probably won’t, but considering he’s set to turn 30 on Aug. 23, maybe the rebuilding Giants would consider parting with the potential MVP candidate for a huge offer.

43-44. Matthew Boyd, SP; Joe Jimenez, RP, Tigers: Boyd was a prime candidate to move at last year’s trade deadline, but the Tigers held out for a Godfather offer they never received. Boyd had three-plus years control remaining and was amid what looked like a breakout season at the time, so Detroit didn’t feel an urgency to move him. In hindsight, though, that looks like a mistake. Boyd faltered in the second half last season and has continued to struggle in 2020, during which he has yielded four-plus earned runs in four of five starts and hasn’t lasted more than five innings in a single appearances. Jimenez has an extra year of control over Boyd but is an otherwise similar tale; he’s allowed a dozen runs in 8 2/3 innings in 2020 — seven in his past two outings (two-thirds of an inning).

45-47. Josh Bell, 1B; Adam Frazier, 2B; Gregory Polanco, OF, Pirates: It makes sense to follow Boyd and Jimenez with another trio of should-be trade candidates who’ve floundered their way off the market. Each of Bell, Frazier and Polanco would be a clear trade piece were they playing up to their capabilities, but their collective faceplant in 2020 is among the many reasons that the team has been as bad as it has. Polanco leads this pack with a 74 wRC+. He’s homered in consecutive games, so maybe he’ll catch fire and catch another club’s eye, but it’s hard to see another team surrendering any value for a trio that’s underperformed to this extent.

48. Mitch Moreland, 1B, Red Sox: The 34-year-old Moreland has typically offered league-average offensive production throughout his career, but he has been one of the absolute best hitters in the game so far this season. Perhaps the Red Sox will be interested in selling Moreland as a result (he could encounter a wider market with the addition of the DH to the NL); if not, they’ll be able to control Moreland next season by way of a reasonable $3MM club option.

49. Trevor Bauer, SP, Reds: Selling Bauer is a long shot for a Cincinnati club that has playoff hopes, though the Reds have disappointed so far and entered Tuesday with the NL’s second-worst record (11-16). That hasn’t been Bauer’s fault, as the soon-to-be free agent has given the Reds otherworldly production through the first month of the season. Teams are likely to come calling, then, but the Reds may have to completely flop over the next several days in order to abandon hope on a postseason bid and part with the ace. And it’s not a must-trade situation for Cincy, which will have the option of handing Bauer a qualifying offer after the season and receiving draft-pick compensation if he exits on the open market.

50. Josh Hader, RP, Brewers: The chances of a Hader trade range from slim to none, but the Brewers are at least willing to consider moving him if a team bowls them over with an offer. It’s going to take an enormous proposal for anyone to pry the eminently valuable Hader from Milwaukee, however, especially considering the all-world lefty’s under team control through 2023. Odds are high that he’ll still be a Brewer on Sept. 1.

Would-Be Trade Candidates on the Injured List

Cam Bedrosian, RP, Angels; Ken Giles, RP, Blue Jays; Joe Musgrove, SP, Pirates; Drew Smyly & Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants; Kendall Graveman, SP, Mariners; Jose Iglesias, SS, Orioles; Merrill Kelly, SP, D-backs

Top 75 Trade Candidates At The Deadline

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 8:34am CDT

This is the final update to our annual ranking of top trade candidates in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. You can check out the original list (and review the methodology) here and find the second list here. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt.

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun. Without further ado:

1. Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets (LR: 3): There’s a report saying the Mets might try to extend him, but … when are those talks going to take place? Wheeler bounced back from an injury scare with a sturdy outing in which he had all his velocity. He’s a potential impact rental piece. It’s time to move him.

2-4. Nicholas Castellanos (Tigers), Corey Dickerson (Pirates) & Yasiel Puig (Reds), OF (LR: 6, 20, NR): The corner outfield market has crystallized quite a bit in recent weeks. Each of these players is earning a fairly steep salary but has also been quite productive of late. If you need to add some thump to your outfield mix, these are your top rental options.

5-7. Noah Syndergaard (Mets), Mike Minor (Rangers) & Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), SP (LR: 30, 31, 32): These are the likeliest remaining non-rental starters to be moved this summer. Reports have wavered on all three in the run-up to to the deadline; perhaps their teams have as well. These are talented and productive starters with appealing contract situations, playing for teams that can still entertain hopes of 2020 contention. Better bring a good offer.

8-10. Shane Greene (Tigers), Edwin Diaz (Mets) & Felipe Vazquez (Pirates), RP (LR: 8, NR, NR): Greene isn’t in the same tier from a talent standpoint, but he’s also quite a bit more likely than the other two hurlers to be dealt. It makes sense for the Detroit organization to cash him in at a high point, especially since his arb salary will go through the roof next year. Diaz and Vazquez possess the type of talent that moves the needle even for contending teams that seemingly have everything on their rosters. Given their contract situations, they won’t be moved lightly, but it’s possible to imagine blockbusters in both cases.

11. Tanner Roark, SP, Reds (LR: NR): He’s not an exciting pitcher, but he’s as good or better than other sturdy, inning-filling types that have been moved in recent weeks. High odds of a deal unless the Reds shrug and decide to let it ride.

12-13. Matthew Boyd (Tigers) & Caleb Smith (Marlins), SP (LR: 9, 59): These hurlers come with more and cheaper control than the group listed above. They’ve both shown eye-opening improvements this year, but don’t have lengthy track records of MLB success.

14-15. Mychal Givens (Orioles), Raisel Iglesias (Reds), RP (LR: 17, NR): Gone are the days when big save tallies and/or low ERAs drive the deadline. Both of these pitchers have obvious talent and have shown it for lengthy stretches. Contenders have no doubt taken a close look in a bid to understand just why it is the results haven’t been there in 2019. The O’s have every reason to jump on a deal if they can get some appealing young talent. The Reds are reportedly willing to listen on Iglesias, which hasn’t always really been the case.

16-18. Todd Frazier, 3B, Mets; Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants; Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays (LR: 13, 14, 15): Welcome to the 2019 corner infield rental market.

19-25. Craig Stammen (Padres), Daniel Hudson (Blue Jays), Greg Holland (Diamondbacks), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), Chris Martin (Rangers), David Hernandez & Jared Hughes (Reds), RP (LR: 41, 44, 42, NR, NR, NR, NR): And here we have the slate of pure rental relief arms. Hernandez is perhaps the most fascinating of the bunch, with excellent K/BB numbers but a brutal 6.92 ERA and recent IL stint.

26. Alex Colome, RP, White Sox (LR: 45): We just aren’t very high on Colome as a trade chip. The late-inning experience is great, as is the 2.27 ERA over 39 2/3 innings. But Colome’s ho-hum peripherals are cause for quite a lot of skepticism and Statcast batted-ball measurements paint him as a massive regression candidate (.223 wOBA vs. .324 xwOBA). With a hefty salary — $7.325MM this year and a save-induced arb raise next year — it just doesn’t seem that Colome is going to command significant offers.

27. Ken Giles (RP), Blue Jays (LR: 4): This is a disappointing situation for the Jays, who were all lined up to cash in on Giles after his exceptional showing throughout the first half of the season. Unfortunately, he’s now dealing with worrying elbow inflammation. Even if he ultimately comes through just fine, there’s sufficient uncertainty to make a deal much less likely than it had seemed. If they can’t secure a big return, the Jays will probably hold onto Giles in hopes that he’ll bounce back in the second half and turn into a winter trade piece (or remain the team’s closer for 2020).

28. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 12): There’s still no path to the Bronx, so it’s likely Frazier ends up on the move. Odds are he’ll go in a deal that brings back a pitcher, but beyond that it’s anyone’s guess on a landing spot.

29. Mike Leake, SP, Mariners (LR: 16): The veteran hurler is sporting a fine 2.59 ERA through 24 1/3 innings this month, making him a nice back-of-the-rotation target. We know the M’s are willing to deal and hold onto salary as necessary to facilitate a move. Leake would rank higher but for the fact that his no-trade rights (along with indications he won’t hesitate to use them) create a complication.

30. Roenis Elias, RP, Mariners (LR: 18): Despite a few stumbles, Elias has mostly delivered solid work in a surprising turn as the Seattle closer.

31. Jarrod Dyson, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: 37): The speedy lefty is a classic deadline rental piece. He’d make sense as a bench outfielder for a number of contenders.

32-33. Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks) & Trevor Bauer (Indians), SP (LR: 32, 34): There are still scenarios where these two excellent hurlers could be moved, but we haven’t heard a significant volume of rumors indicating there’s a major run-up to a deal. Greinke’s limited no-trade rights are a significant factor, while the contending Cleveland organization obviously has ample cause to keep Bauer unless very particular goals are met in a trade.

34-37. Joe Jimenez (Tigers), Joe Biagini (Blue Jays), Jose Leclerc (Rangers) & Amir Garrett (Reds), RP (LR: 58, NR, NR, NR): This is a grouping of controllable relievers with interesting arms, even if the results haven’t always been there. All have been mentioned at some point in the rumor mill, but it’ll take a compelling offer to force their respective teams’ hands.

38. Hunter Pence, OF, Rangers (LR: NR): The surprise All-Star would fill a niche as a right-handed bat and major clubhouse presence for a contender.

39-40. Hunter Renfroe & Franmil Reyes, OF, Padres (LR: 21, 22): It remains difficult to ascertain the intentions of the San Diego organization, but it seems they’re continuing to explore deals involving these controllable corner outfielders. Both have displayed huge power and middling on-base numbers this year.

41-42. Kole Calhoun (Angels) & David Peralta (Diamondbacks), OF (LR: 28, 29): As was the case when we last checked in, these two players remain plausible but hardly certain trade candidates. Teams looking for quality corner outfield bats may be willing to take on the salary and give up some prospect value if they see one of these veteran left-handed-hitters as the best roster fit.

43. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres (LR: 19): Perhaps we’re discounting the possibility of a trade too much here, but there just hasn’t been any particularly compelling chatter about the outstanding San Diego closer. As just suggested above, there are still quite a few fascinating possibilities for the Friars. Anything involving Yates would make for banner news on a thus-far-moribund trade market.

44. Andrew Chafin, RP, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): While he’s carrying a 4.21 ERA in 36 1/3 innings, that’s not of much concern. More importantly, Chafin is sitting at 11.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 on the year and has been tough on lefty hitters (.231/.294/.333). With one more season of control remaining, the Snakes have some value here.

45. Daniel Murphy, 1B, Rockies (LR: NR): Murphy is heating up at the plate at the right time if the Colorado club wishes to clear some salary. The Rox have underperformed expectations and seem in position to sell. Trouble is, the organization has little in the way of obvious trade chips unless it puts core pieces up for sale or eats a ton of money on bad contracts.

46. Domingo Santana, OF, Mariners (LR: NR): It seemed that some momentum was building towards a deal, but an elbow injury has reduced the likelihood.

47. Alex Wood, SP, Reds (LR: NR): While he’s only one start into his tenure in Cincinnati, that lone showing may have been enough to facilitate a trade. The Reds could hold on and hope for the best, with Wood perhaps even representing a qualifying offer candidate, but they’d have to strongly consider a trade if they can secure decent terms.

48-50. Whit Merrifield, INF/OF, Royals; Starling Marte, OF, Pirates; Trey Mancini, OF, Orioles (LR: 23, NR, 35): We haven’t seen anything close to dedicated trade chatter involving these high-quality players who possess appealing contract situations. But if a surprise position-player blockbuster goes down, these seem the likeliest candidates.

51-52. Jake McGee & Scott Oberg, RP, Rockies (LR: NR): Both of these relievers would have appeal to contenders, but can the Rox afford to part with their best-performing bullpen pieces if they hope to contend next year?

53-55. Freddy Galvis (Blue Jays), Asdrubal Cabrera & Logan Forsythe (Rangers), INF (LR: 26, NR, NR): A recent lower back injury could cause trade talks to hit the skids, but it’s still possible a team will decide that Galvis is the right piece to add. Meanwhile, the Rangers rental veterans are rather obvious bench piece candidates.

56-59. Danny Santana (Rangers), Tim Beckham (Mariners), Jonathan Villar & Hanser Alberto (Orioles), INF (LR: NR, 55, 56): If you’d rather chase a bit of upside and gain control with your reserve infield addition, these players are worth considering.

60. Adam Jones, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): The eminent veteran hasn’t been at his best, but still seems like a nice bench piece for the right team.

61-63. Martin Maldonado (Cubs), Alex Avila (Diamondbacks) & Chris Iannetta (Rockies), C (LR: 38, 40, NR): Maldonado was dealt since our last ranking, but rumor is he could be moved again.

64. Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals (LR: 49): There hasn’t been much chatter on the veteran, but he remains a candidate to step into a contending bullpen if the Royals are willing to hang onto a big chunk of the remaining salary. There’s some indication they’d rather not.

65-66. Wilson Ramos, C & Justin Wilson, RP, Mets (LR: 53-54): We haven’t seen much indication that either of these veterans will be moved, but both are plausible chips if the Mets decide to try to shave some 2020 payroll obligations.

67. Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers (LR: NR): There’s no indication that Lynn is a major target, but … why not? True, he’s controllable for two more seasons, while Minor only has one remaining. But some contenders may well see Lynn as the better pitcher and be willing to offer more to get him. The Rangers can’t rule anything out.

68-71. Madison Bumgarner (SP) & Will Smith, Sam Dyson & Tony Watson (RP), Giants (LR: 1, 2, 7, 10): We’re generally presuming that the Giants won’t bow out of a Wild Card race that they have now joined. Still, they’ll need to explore the possibilities regarding these short-term assets.

72. Drew Pomeranz, SP/RP, Giants (LR: NR): This is a more likely Giants’ trade piece, if only because the team could decide to clear a roster spot. Pomeranz would make sense for a club that can imagine him functioning in a LOOGY role while also providing some long-man/rotation depth.

73. Melky Cabrera, OF/DH, Pirates (LR: NR): The veteran switch-hitter has cooled off but remains a bench-bat candidate.

74. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies (LR: NR): A somewhat surprising name to the market, Blackmon seems an unlikely trade chip. He’s still a very good hitter, but is lagging in other areas. The contract isn’t terrible but doesn’t seem like much of an asset given his age. It’s just difficult to see something coming together, but the potential remains.

75. Jacob deGrom (LR: 60): We can’t quite quit the idea that deGrom could be moved if an exceptional opportunity comes up. It’s highly unlikely, but you can’t completely rule out a blockbuster until the bell has rung and the deadline has passed.

Other Trade Candidates

Angels: Brian Goodwin, Trevor Cahill, Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey, Noe Ramirez, Justin Anderson

Astros: Tony Kemp (DFA limbo)

Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez, David Phelps, Tim Mayza

Brewers: Yasmani Grandal, Mike Moustakas

Cardinals: Harrison Bader, Tyler O’Neill, Lane Thomas, Kolten Wong, Carlos Martinez

Cubs: Ian Happ, Carl Edwards Jr.

Diamondbacks: Wilmer Flores, Zack Godley, Archie Bradley, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Escobar

Giants: Kevin Pillar, Stephen Vogt, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Melancon, Joe Panik, Trevor Gott

Indians: Brad Hand

Mariners: Dee Gordon, Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin, Anthony Bass, Tommy Milone, Wade LeBlanc

Marlins: Trevor Richards, Neil Walker, Starlin Castro, Curtis Granderson, Martin Prado, Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen

Mets: Dominic Smith, Adeiny Hechavarria, Seth Lugo, Michael Conforto

Nationals: Michael A. Taylor

Orioles: Asher Wojciechowski, Dylan Bundy

Padres: Wil Myers, Manuel Margot, Robbie Erlin

Phillies: Maikel Franco, Nick Williams

Pirates: Chris Archer, Keone Kela

Rangers: Elvis Andrus, Delino DeShields, Shin-Soo Choo, Jesse Chavez

Rays: Joey Wendle, Mike Brosseau, Ji-Man Choi

Reds: Scooter Gennett, Derek Dietrich, Jose Iglesias, Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen

Rockies: Yonder Alonso, Drew Butera, Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw

Royals: Billy Hamilton, Danny Duffy, Lucas Duda (DFA limbo), Jorge Soler, Brad Keller, Scott Barlow, Jakob Junis, Alex Gordon

Tigers: Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Niko Goodrum, JaCoby Jones, Gordon Beckham, Jordan Zimmermann, Blaine Hardy, Bobby Wilson (DFA limbo), Buck Farmer

White Sox: Kelvin Herrera, Yolmer Sanchez, Welington Castillo, Ivan Nova, Evan Marshall, James McCann, Aaron Bummer, Jose Abreu

Top 60 Trade Candidates At The All-Star Break

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | July 13, 2019 at 1:57am CDT

This is the first update to our annual ranking of top trade candidates in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. You can check out the original list (and review the methodology) here. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt.

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun. Without further ado:

1-2. Will Smith, RP & Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants (Last Ranked: 1, 2): Yeah, the Giants are still within shouting distance of Wild Card position — but they still have the NL’s third-worst record. There are a host of teams ahead of them that look better on paper and have greater motivation to keep pressing to contend. The San Francisco club remains well-positioned to take advantage of holding arguably the two best rental chips on the market (along with other trade assets).

3. Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets (LR: 47): With the Mets collapsing since our last ranking, Wheeler flies up the board. We’ll respect the results of our recent survey and list MadBum first, but there are probably some teams that will be more interested in the younger, cheaper, harder-throwing New York hurler. By most standards, Wheeler looks much the same as he did in his eye-opening 2018 campaign. he has allowed a few more long balls and a greater batting average on balls in play while carrying a lower strand rate, which helps explain why his ERA has ballooned from 3.31 to 4.69. He has allowed more hard contact, but Wheeler’s velocity and strikeout rates have headed northward.

4-5. Ken Giles, RP & Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays (LR: INJ, 3): Both Jays hurlers are controlled through the 2020 season, and both are throwing well. In fact, “well” is an understatement for Giles, who has pitched to a sensational 1.45 ERA with better than 15 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. Stroman’s numbers aren’t quite so gaudy, but the ground-ball machine is on pace for his third 200-inning season in the past four years while maintaining an ERA in the low 3.00s. Smith and Bumgarner might be the top starter/reliever rental combo on the market, but this duo is the best starter/reliever pair with control beyond the current season.

6. Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Tigers (LR: 8): We noted in our first ranking that the 27-year-old could move up the ladder if he kept up a hot streak, and he has done just that. He sprints into the rental-bat lead after a .354/.420/.532 run over his past twenty games. The return here probably won’t be that strong — even a red-hot J.D. Martinez netted the Tigers a lackluster return as a rental two summers ago — but Castellanos is among the game’s safest bets to be traded.

7-8. Sam Dyson (Giants) & Shane Greene (Tigers), RP (LR: 11, 12): We had this pair of quality relievers stashed a bit further down the list the last time around, owing to the fact that neither absolutely must be traded with another season of arbitration eligibility remaining. But that reasoning increasingly feels strained given the dearth of worthwhile rental relievers on the market this year. The quietly excellent Dyson doesn’t have quite the shiny ERA or recent save numbers of Greene, but he’s arguably as good or better. Both hurlers profile as groundball-heavy setup men for most contenders.

9. Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers (LR: 9): There’s no rush or need for Detroit to move Boyd, who is controlled all the way through 2022, but interest in him is strong. Boyd’s strikeout rate has exploded in 2019, as he’s averaging 12 strikeouts against just 1.7 walks per nine innings pitched. He’s been plagued by the long ball of late — as has much of the league despite commissioner Rob Manfred’s claim of no intentional alterations to the ball — but Boyd is the best long-term arm that is likely to be available this month. We admittedly may use the term “controllable” too aggressively for players like Stroman, Giles and others signed for only one more season; Boyd is the epitome of a “controllable” trade asset, though.

10-11. Tony Watson (Giants) & Jake Diekman (Royals), RP (LR: 6, 7): Both of these pending-free-agent lefty specialists were tagged in their most recent outings, but teams will take broader views of their merits. They’re among the likeliest players to be dealt in the league.

12. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: NR): Every day the Yanks go without another outfielder coming down with yet another injury seems one day closer to the departure of Frazier. It’s easy to imagine Frazier going to a non-contender, but there could also be some interesting scenarios where he ends up on a club that still has hopes of reaching the postseason this year.

13-15. Todd Frazier, 3B, Mets; Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants; Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays (LR: NR, 15, 4): As noted with regard to Wheeler, the free-falling Mets are likely to jettison any and all pricey vets on expiring deals. The resurgent Frazier, hitting .256/.340/.443 as of this writing, falls directly into that category, as he’s earning $9MM this season before a return to the open market. Over in San Francisco, the Kung Fu Panda has continued to rake since our last check-in on the game’s top trade chips. That’s less true of Smoak, who has been in a deep funk in recent weeks and hasn’t played up to expectations on the season as a whole. If you’re looking at the last few seasons on the whole, though, Smoak is easily the best bat of this trio of corner-infield rentals.

16. Mike Leake, SP, Mariners (LR: 22): Since last publishing this list, Leake has made two strong starts and two awful ones — highlighted (err… lowlighted?) by a seven-run drubbing at the hands of the Orioles. However, Leake has a superlative 21-to-1 K/BB ratio over 26 innings in that same stretch of time. He’s sitting on a 4.32 ERA and, in an era proliferated by five-inning starts, he’s averaging 6 1/3 frames per outing. Leake won’t front your rotation, but if you need durable innings and ground-balls to round out the starting five, he’s a solid option. The Cardinals are already paying part of his salary, and the Mariners would surely kick in some cash to get a deal finalized for Leake, who’s signed through 2020.

17-18. Mychal Givens, Orioles & Roenis Elias, Mariners, RP (LR: 17, NR): Call it a hunch, but the O’s seem well-positioned to move on Givens. He’s in his first year of arbitration with two more to go, so there’s no rush. And outwardly, the results make this an awkward time, as he has surrendered a home run-driven 4.76 ERA. But Givens has also racked up 20 strikeouts in his last 11 1/3 innings. He fits any budget and seems an obvious candidate to function in late innings for a contender. With the Orioles as far from contention as possible, I’m betting they’ll find a deal for their most talented relief pitcher. As for Elias, we examined him at length earlier. In short, he’s a solid, cheap reliever ($910K) controlled for two more seasons who currently plays on a rebuilding team that is run by Jerry Dipoto. Need we say more?

19. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres (LR: 5): With the Pads continuing to put out word that they’re chasing starting pitching, it’s feeling less and less likely that they’ll seriously pursue deals involving Yates. There’ll be a strong desire to keep him, both for this year and next, so long as the club is in the hunt for a Wild Card bid. But there’ll still be a pull towards a deal, as interest would be huge.

20. Corey Dickerson, OF, Pirates: This is by no means a declaration that we think the Pirates will be sellers. To the contrary, they’re very much in the NL Central and Wild Card races at the moment. But the emergence of Bryan Reynolds simply gives Pittsburgh too many outfielders. It’s the quintessential “good problem to have.” The team’s reported preference is to move Dickerson, a pending free agent making $8.5MM, rather than one of its other outfielders. Doing so could fetch them some needed bullpen help or a back-of-the-rotation arm to help solidify the pitching staff. The Buccos could also just accept a nominal prospect return and then use the saved funds to help take on a pitcher.

Click to continue reading…

21-22. Hunter Renfroe & Franmil Reyes, OF, Padres (LR: 26, NR): San Diego is willing to consider scenarios involving the majority of its players (non-Tatis/Machado division). Renfroe, in particular, has drawn interest. Both are controllable for the foreseeable future and both would add some thump to any lineup in the game. The Padres aren’t necessarily going to sell, to be clear, but they’ve been hell-bent on getting some controllable pitching and have a known outfield surplus. Moving either burgeoning young slugger could help them achieve that goal by dealing from a surplus.

23. Whit Merrifield, INF/OF, Royals (LR: 10): Signed long-term at an affordable rate? Check. Producing well? Check. A fit in a contender’s lineup? He can play almost anywhere, so… check. Merrifield is hitting .306/.355/.495 in the first season of a four-year, $16.25MM deal and can play second base, first base or any outfield position. There’s basically nothing he doesn’t do well, and while the Royals needn’t feel any rush to trade the All-Star, the 30-year-old Merrifield will be on the tail end of his prime by the time Kansas City is competitive again.

24-25. Andrew Cashner, Orioles & Jason Vargas, Mets, SP (LR: 20, NR): Cashner is on a legitimately impressive run at the moment. Over his past five starts, he has allowed just five earned runs on 19 base hits and four walks over 32 frames. There are reasons for hesitation, too: he has only 18 strikeouts in that span, owes his 3.83 season ERA in part to a .256 BABIP, and stands out as a Statcast regression candidate (.288 wOBA-against vs. .340 xwOBA-against). Likewise, Vargas has bounced back from a putrid opening and now sits at a 3.77 ERA over 71 2/3 innings on the year. That’s rather remarkable given that the southpaw sits at just 85 mph with his two fastball offerings. ERA estimators do not provide much ground for optimism as to the sustainability of the results (4.37 FIP, 4.98 xFIP, 4.98 SIERA), but teams in need of innings will take a hard look. These two hurlers are not only in somewhat similar positions from an on-field perspective, but also line up in terms of contracts. Both are earning $8MM this year and come with 2020 options. Cashner’s is for $10MM and does not include a buyout; Vargas’s can be exercised for $8MM or bought out for $2MM. (For a bonus overlap, each hurler has also made eyebrow raising comments of late. See here and here.)

26-27. Freddy Galvis & Eric Sogard, INF, Blue Jays (LR: 32, NR): Here we have some sure-handed veteran middle-infielders who have helped turn the Rogers Centre into the game’s leading launching pad. Galvis is up to 15 big flies on the year while Sogard has lofted nine dingers (albeit in questionably sustainable fashion). Both of these rental players are valued as dependable clubhouse members and fielders, so the power is in some sense a bonus. It’s not likely that the offers will be overwhelming, but contenders with a hole to plug will certainly be sending scouts to watch this pair. Galvis comes with the bonus of a rather reasonably priced $5.5MM club option ($1MM buyout).

28-29. Kole Calhoun, Angels & David Peralta, Diamondbacks, OF (LR: NR): These players would rank higher on this board but for the fact that their respective teams don’t seem sure to pack it in so long as they have a fighting chance at claiming a Wild Card. Still, they have to be considered as trade candidates given the unbridgeable division deficits at play. The left-handed-hitting Calhoun has put himself back on the map after a rough 2018 season. He has already matched his home run output from each of the prior two campaigns (19) and owns a career-high .237 isolated power mark. Calhoun isn’t exactly the only player in the league showing newfound pop, but the bottom line is he’s carrying a 109 wRC+, typically strong grades on his outfield glovework, and neutral platoon splits. He’s earning $10.5MM this year. The 2020 club option on Calhoun’s contract seems a bit pricey at $14MM (with a $1MM buyout). As for Peralta, another 31-year-old lefty bat with a reputation for good corner outfield defense, the picture is generally quite similar. He’s a bit cheaper at $7MM with another arb season remaining. Peralta also has a more impressive recent offensive track record owing to a big 2018 campaign. Perhaps the biggest difference is that Peralta’s current 112 wRC+ is attributed to a yawning platoon split. That doesn’t necessarily harm his marketability, as many contenders would be happy to welcome his bat to the lineup alongside a right-handed platoon partner.

30. Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets (LR: NR): The Mets’ swan dive into oblivion has stoked the embers on the seemingly annual rumors of a Syndergaard swap. “Thor” and his flowing locks aren’t having the best of seasons, but he’s still averaging nearly 98 mph on his heater with a plus swinging-strike rate, above-average control and solid ground-ball tendencies. He’s controlled for two years beyond 2019, so the price will be steep. Rookie GM Brodie Van Wagenen, Syndergaard’s former agent, listened to offers over the winter even as he exuded confidence over his team’s 2019 outlook. Now that the rest of the league has stomped out the Mets’ 2019 hopes, there’s no reason to think he won’t at least entertain offers once again — even if he’s giving public signals that the team doesn’t expect move the exceptionally talented right-hander.

31. Mike Minor, SP, Rangers (LR: 31): So … Minor is still throwing the ball great and the Rangers are still hanging in the postseason mix. It remains awfully difficult to know how this’ll all turn out. The course of play over the coming weeks could dictate the outcome, or perhaps the willingness of other teams to deal quality rotation pieces will shape the market. With the Rangers keeping the door open to a deal involving Minor, we’ll do the same and rank him in the same exact place we put him on the first list.

32-33. Zack Greinke & Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): The good news for the D-backs is that they’re only 1.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. The bad news is that they’re buried in their division, and six other teams are within five games of that same Wild Card berth. Arizona entered the season in a transitional year and has outpaced expectations, which could prompt them to add some pieces this summer. It’s also possible that even as they seek to add some low-cost upgrades, they also move some current big leaguers for long-term benefit. And, if the Snakes endure a losing streak in the next three weeks, it’s a safe bet that they’ll more aggressively look to trim future payroll while simultaneously bolstering the farm.

34. Trevor Bauer, SP, Indians (LR: 49): Cleveland has surged back up the standings to make the AL Central race interesting again. They’ll also be facing payroll constraints once again in the offseason, though, which has prompted speculation that the Tribe could deal Bauer for some pre-arbitration, MLB-ready help. Flipping Bauer for a younger outfielder who could be plugged directly into the lineup wouldn’t necessarily be “selling” in the truest sense, and it’d proactively address some offseason bookkeeping that looms on the horizon. The Indians have a pivotal series against the division-leading Twins beginning tonight, and the outcome of that three-game set could prove critical in determining the team’s deadline approach.

35. Trey Mancini, OF/1B, Orioles (LR: 25): Mancini would be higher if he were a lock to be moved, but it’ll be tough for rookie GM Mike Elias to step in and immediately trade the new face of the franchise when he’s still controlled through 2022. Add in the fact that corner bats have received generally underwhelming returns on the trade market in recent seasons, and the task is even taller. Perhaps that remaining control would allow Elias & Co. to coax an offer that handily tops recent packages for corner outfielders and first basemen, but in a world where C.J. Cron was waived after a 30-homer season, it’s tough to see Mancini fetching a godfather offer — strong as his bat may be. The O’s are reportedly “open to anything” on Mancini, though, so a deal can’t be totally ruled out.

36-37. Kevin Pillar (Giants) & Jarrod Dyson (Diamondbacks), OF (LR: 42, NR): Need a rental fourth outfielder capable of playing center? Pillar offers a right-handed bat who can do just that, while Dyson brings a left-handed bat to the table. Pillar is on a well-timed hot streak and generates most of his offensive contributions through decent power numbers. Dyson, meanwhile, is practically devoid of pop but still possesses one of baseball’s best sets of wheels at 34 years of age.

38-40. Martin Maldonado (Royals), Stephen Vogt (Giants) & Alex Avila (Diamondbacks), C (LR: NR): No need for a center fielder? Can we interest you in a reserve backstop, then? Maldonado is among the game’s premier defenders behind the dish, making him the prototypical defensive-minded backup. (That’s a nice way of saying, ahem, don’t expect him to hit.) Neither Avila nor Vogt can match his defensive chops, but they’re both hitting pretty well. Contractually speaking, all three are rentals.

41-44. Craig Stammen (Padres), Greg Holland (Diamondbacks), Sergio Romo (Marlins) & Daniel Hudson (Blue Jays), RP (LR: 27, NR, NR, NR): Or perhaps you need a quaffable veteran rent-a-reliever? Holland and Romo have been functioning as closers, though the former has had substantial troubles of late. It’s unlikely that anyone from this quartet would become one of a new team’s best relievers, but there’s still value in upgrading the middle relief corps. Plus, no one from this group has a higher base salary than Holland’s $3.25MM, so they’re all plenty affordable.

45. Alex Colome, RP, White Sox (LR: 16): In the first list, we had Colome bunched with Givens. He’s still getting the job done. So why the drop? For one thing, Colome has a shrug-inducing 6:5 K/BB ratio in 13 frames since the start of June. For another, the White Sox are close enough to the Wild Card picture to want to keep their closer. It’s also worth wondering just how highly he’d be valued. Colome’s 2.02 ERA and 20 saves look nice, but he’s averaged just 6.8 K/9 and benefited from a ridiculous .124 BABIP. Colome’s save total will probably push his salary north of $10MM next year in arbitration, and that’s a hefty price for a reliever with some questionable peripheral numbers.

46-52. Dee Gordon, 2B, Mariners; Danny Duffy, SP, Royals; Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants; Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals; Mark Melancon, RP, Giants; Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants; Wil Myers, OF/1B, Padres (LR: 21, 22, 23, 24, 36, 37, 40, 41): For the sake of efficiency, we’re going to consolidate some rather expensive veterans here into their own grouping. Frankly, the broad strokes are similar in all cases. There’s reason to think that each of these players is still a useful big leaguer, but they’re also all owed far more than they’re worth.

53-54. Wilson Ramos, C & Justin Wilson, RP, Mets (LR: NR): Each of these mid-range free agent signees is a candidate to be moved if the New York org decides it wants to shed some extra salary (this year and next) and there’s a willing buyer. Ramos has hit well but defensive questions have only gotten louder. Wilson is still topping 95 mph from the left side, but has missed much of the season with injury. It’s still hard to know where the market will go on these two players, but both certainly will be considered.

55-56. Tim Beckham (Mariners) & Jonathan Villar (Orioles), INF (LR: 34, 35): Here we have a pair of reasonably youthful middle infielders who come with affordable control for 2020. Each has had his share of ups and downs over the years, but has turned in league-average hitting in extended action this year.

57-58. Reyes Moronta (Giants) & Joe Jimenez (Tigers) (LR: NR): Future closer or immediate trade chip? These young hurlers’ rebuilding teams will need to decide, now or in the near-term. Both have the big heater and strikeout numbers needed to wear the closer’s crown. Neither will reach arbitration eligibility until 2021. Though Moronta has a better track record of results, Jimenez is younger and comes with a loftier current swinging-strike rate. Teams that want these hurlers will need to come with significant offers, but there’s good reason to believe their respective organizations will be willing to turn them into prospects if the offer is significant enough.

59. Caleb Smith, SP, Marlins (LR: NR): We’re told that the Fish don’t want to deal Smith. But the club can’t rule out the possibility entirely, not when the breakout lefty has reached a value point that seemed all but impossible when he was acquired. Smith is already closing in on his 28th birthday, so he’s not exceptionally youthful. That dings his value to a Miami organization that is one of the furthest from contention in all of baseball. Meanwhile, even marginal contenders can fancy themselves pursuers of Smith, who won’t even reach arbitration until 2021. Entering his outing today, Smith carried a 3.50 ERA with 11.0 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. He’s sporting a strong 14.6% swinging-strike rate and 35.3% chase rate. While he’s struggling a bit with the long ball — and who isn’t? — Statcast doesn’t exhibit any glaring reason to worry about regression in terms of batted balls. The total package is quite appealing, blending the potential for immediate impact with a hefty dose of long-term value. Come to think of it, Smith is almost beginning to remind us of another long-unheralded, late-developing NL East hurler …

60. Jacob deGrom, SP, Mets (LR: NR): With Max Scherzer out of the deadline picture (not that he was ever really in it), deGrom is the most alluring conceivable starting pitcher for a win-now team. The contract is big but still fairly affordable for a big-market team; the fact that deGrom can be controlled for another four years ultimately boosts his value. Though he hasn’t matched his 2018 season for the ages, deGrom is somehow still adding velocity at 31 years of age and is unquestionably still one of the game’s very best pitchers. Most respondents in a recent MLBTR poll advocated for the Mets to listen to offers, only moving deGrom if they can secure a massive haul in return. That seems a sensible approach. The mere possibility of a blockbuster earns deGrom the final spot on this list, even if it’s rather unlikely he’ll be moved.

Falling Off

Tanner Roark, David Hernandez, Jared Hughes, Raisel Iglesias & Derek Dietrich (Reds); Jordan Lyles, Melky Cabrera, Francisco Liriano & Felipe Vazquez (Pirates); Billy Hamilton & Alex Gordon (Royals); Jose Abreu (White Sox); Adam Duvall (Braves); Brad Hand (Indians); Anthony Rendon (Nationals)

Injured List

Mitch Haniger (Mariners), Jose Urena & Martin Prado (Marlins), Josh Harrison & Tyson Ross (Tigers), Alex Wood (Reds), Tommy La Stella & Jonathan Lucroy (Angels)

Watch List

Blue Jays: Joe Biagini, Aaron Sanchez, David Phelps

Orioles: Shawn Armstrong, Dylan Bundy

Tigers: Jordy Mercer, Niko Goodrum, JaCoby Jones, Gordon Beckham, Jordan Zimmermann, Blaine Hardy

Royals: Wily Peralta, Homer Bailey, Lucas Duda, Jorge Soler, Brad Keller, Scott Barlow, Jakob Junis

Mariners: Domingo Santana, Cory Gearrin, Wade LeBlanc

Marlins: Neil Walker, Starlin Castro, Curtis Granderson, Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen

Giants: Joe Panik, Drew Pomeranz, Derek Holland, Trevor Gott

White Sox: Kelvin Herrera, Yolmer Sanchez, Welington Castillo, Ivan Nova, Evan Marshall, James McCann

Padres: Manuel Margot, Robbie Erlin

Mets: Edwin Diaz, Adeiny Hechavarria, Seth Lugo, Michael Conforto

Angels: Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey, Noe Ramirez, Justin Anderson

Diamondbacks: Adam Jones, Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merrill Kelly

Cubs: Ian Happ

Rockies: Jake McGee, Chris Iannetta

Top 50 Trade Candidates For The 2019 MLB Trade Deadline

By Jeff Todd | June 17, 2019 at 11:00pm CDT

We’re bringing back our annual series in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. As the summer trade market develops on a fairly tight timeline, you can expect more regular updates when modifications to the list are warranted. We’re already seeing real action this year; most recently, Edwin Encarnacion was moved to the Yankees. (He had been listed in the #4 spot below in the initial draft of this post.)

The methodology, if you can call it that, is pretty straightforward. We’re ordering players based upon a combination of trade value and trade likelihood.

In terms of trade value, we’re starting with overall on-field value — with a premium on an ability 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 trade likelihood, 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 presently in a position where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun. Here’s the first list, with some additional names and teams to keep an eye on appended at the end (all statistics current as of June 13th):

1. Will Smith, RP, Giants: What really is there to say? A shut-down rental closer who throws from the left side and isn’t all that expensive ($4.225MM) … yeah, that’s going to be a popular trade target. Smith would upgrade every contender’s roster and suit every payroll. Accordingly, the acquisition cost will be high. Want more on Smith? Read this.

2. Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants: This version of Bumgarner shares quite a few attributes with the vintage article, but there are some telltale signs of age and wear. He’s posting an 11.6% swinging-strike rate, but is allowing 1.35 home runs per nine. He’s back over 92 mph with his average fastball, but opposing hitters have an 89.7 mph exit velocity and 43.4% hard-hit rate (career-worst figures for MadBum). He’s affordable, but not a bargain at a $12MM annual salary. Bumgarner is a very good and highly likely trade candidate, but probably not a top-shelf rental starter who’ll draw high-end prospect talent.

3. Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays: “Controllable starter” alert! Everybody wants those, it seems. The 28-year-old is earning $7.4MM this year with another arb campaign remaining. While the Jays could hold if they fancy a shot at contention next year, or see a path to an extension, it seems like a good opportunity to cash in a pitcher that has had some ups and downs. The inconsistencies and acquisition cost will be of concern, but Fangraphs’ Craig Edwards just explained why just about every team in baseball ought to have some level of interest in the grounder-heavy righty.

4. Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays: Did you miss on Encarnacion? Well, perhaps a cheaper, somewhat younger, switch-hitting piece whose more capable of playing first base would be a better fit. Smoak now stands out as the top rental bat, as he’s turning in a third-straight productive season at the plate at an affordable $8MM salary.

5. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres: The Friars are putting out word they’d need to be overwhelmed to deal Yates, who is the organization’s latest ultra-successful salvage reliever. But the fact that the club is interested in fielding offers at all represents an indication of a potential willingness to deal on a player who comes with another season of arb control. Yates has arguably been the best reliever in baseball this year and he’s earning peanuts. There ought to be some competition once Ken Giles of the Blue Jays is back from the IL, but for now Yates appears to be the top potential relief target.

6-7. Tony Watson (Giants) & Jake Diekman (Royals), RP: It’s hard to imagine that these southpaws won’t change uniforms this summer. Watson has flaunted his exceptional command by leading the league with a ridiculous 42.9% chase rate and walking less than a batter per nine. He’s easily worth his own healthy $6.5MM payday. The deal also includes some not-insignificant incentive pay based upon appearances, along with a player option that provides Watson with injury/performance protection, so that’ll factor in to the trade return. Diekman has by some measures been better than ever. The 32-year-old is humming along at a 17.3% swinging-strike rate. He’s dishing out a typically hefty volume of walks, but is showing some added promise in that regard by throwing first strikes at a career-best 61.9% clip. Diekman is amply affordable, too. He’s promised just $2.25MM this year, with a $500K payout for a 2020 mutual option.

8. Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Tigers: Though his age advantage isn’t quite as relevant in a rental scenario, the 27-year-old does offer some benefits over the hitters noted above. He has reeled off a string of quality seasons at the plate and is an increasingly palatable outfield defender, thus increasing his potential roster matches. The $9.95MM salary shouldn’t be much of a barrier. Castellanos has also boosted his output since a tepid start, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him climb this board in the weeks to come.

9-10. Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers; Whit Merrifield, INF/OF, Royals: If we were ranking possibly available players by trade value alone, these two would take the top spots. Boyd is turning in a breakout effort in his Super Two season, leaving three years of highly valuable control remaining. Merrifield has only further established himself as a quiet star who’d fit on every roster in baseball. He’s also now inked to a contract that made sense for him but also unlocked yet more value for the K.C. organization. Just how willing these organizations are to deal these players remains to be seen, but both are sure to draw widespread interest and significant offers.

11-12. Sam Dyson (Giants) & Shane Greene (Tigers), RP: Good setup men are always in demand, so these experienced high-leverage hurlers will hold appeal. Neither has to be dealt, with a season of arb control remaining, but the time feels right for a move in both cases. Neither is a dominant strikeout pitcher, but both feature quality K/BB numbers and good groundball rates. Dyson is earning his $5MM salary with 32 frames of 2.53 ERA pitching that’s fully supported by his peripherals (8.4 K/9 vs. 1.4 BB/9, 59.3% groundball rate). Greene isn’t going to keep up an absurd 0.96 ERA, but he is certainly throwing the ball well (9.3 K/9 vs. 2.6 BB/9, 51.4% groundball rate). He’s a nice piece at a $4MM salary with another arb year to go.

13-14. Tanner Roark (Reds) & Jordan Lyles (Pirates), SP: We’re not going to bury these NL Central competitors just yet, as they are still within striking distance and won’t want to sell if they don’t have to. But both face uphill battles and it’ll be awfully tempting to cash in on some veterans, particularly those on expiring contracts. Roark has exceeded expectations in Cincinnati and could be a nice piece this summer if the division is truly out of reach. Ditto Lyles, who is currently on a brief injured list respite but is already penciled in for a return start later this week. Roark is earning a hefty but fair $10MM salary, while Lyles is promised just $2.05MM on the year.

15. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants: We already took a look recently at the Panda, who’s available for sale or rent. TL;DR: If you’re a team of means by no means, he just might make you king of the road. (Sandoval has a 142 wRC+ away from Oracle Park, thus supporting my over-played cultural reference. Here’s a split of greater real-world relevance: the switch-hitter has been much better against right-handed pitching.)

16-17. Alex Colome (White Sox) & Mychal Givens (Orioles), RP: Though he’s carrying a 2.30 ERA, Colome is unlikely to maintain a .113 BABIP-against. With anticipated regression mixed in, the 30-year-old looks like much the same pitcher he has always been. It’s nice that he has been doing a solid job in the closer’s role for the White Sox, but that’s not going to sway many GMs in this day and age. He’s eligible for arbitration in 2020 but is already earning a hefty $7,325,000 salary. With the White Sox hoping to stay in the race this year and increase their competitiveness next season, there are some scenarios where Colome ends up staying in Chicago. You could say the same of Givens. While the O’s lack any reason for holding onto him for his immediate MLB value, he could be held in hopes of a bounceback. Givens is earning only $2.15MM this year and is controllable for two more seasons. You might wonder whether he’s even really marketable at this point. I’d argue he is. Though he has been shredded by home runs, along with the rest of the Orioles staff, Givens is sitting at a customary 95+ mph with his heater and is getting swings and misses at a career-best 14.9% rate. Plenty of teams around the game would love to get ahold of Givens and his powerful right arm.

18-19. Corey Dickerson & Melky Cabrera OF, Pirates: The Bucs are in much the same position as the Reds. We’re in no rush to say they can’t make a run. But the word is that the Pirates are interested in moving Dickerson even as they field offers on Cabrera. That’s a bit odd in some respects, given that the former is younger, is a more capable fielder, and has a better recent overall recent past at the plate. But the Pirates may prefer Cabrera from a value perspective, while some other teams may rather have Dickerson even though he costs more. Regardless, roster pressures are pushing a move of some kind here even if the Pittsburgh org tries to remain competitive past the trade deadline.

20. Andrew Cashner, SP, Orioles: Did I say starting pitcher? In that role, Cashner has been a marginal performer. And he’s earning $8MM with some incentives available for more. (Cashner almost certainly won’t throw enough innings for his 2020 option to vest.) It’s tough to imagine a contender viewing him as a big rotation upgrade after 70 1/3 innings of 4.73 ERA ball on the heels of a poor 2018 showing, but he could function as a fill-in piece down the stretch. Much more intriguing is the possibility of moving Cashner into a flexible relief capacity, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams has argued. Cashner is sitting at 94 with his four-seamer and his change has become a weapon; perhaps he’ll finally find his calling in a new-age role. The O’s will probably have to eat money and won’t be able to hold out for a huge return, but there ought to be some interest in a market that could end up being rather weak in rental pitching.

21-22. Dee Gordon (2B) & Mike Leake (SP), Mariners: Gordon is doing enough at the plate for his speed to play. His defensive metrics have faded but perhaps scouts still believe in the glovework. Leake is also still a useful player, tallying a 4.14 ERA over 95 2/3 innings despite allowing 2.07 homers per nine. Both are quite expensive, but the M’s have already proven capable of sorting out the financials in deals involving Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion. Leake’s no-trade rights will play a role in his market situation.

23-24. Danny Duffy (Royals) & Jeff Samardzija (Giants), SP: Duffy is owed $15MM and change for this year and the two that follow; Shark is earning $18MM this season and next. Neither has been especially impressive this year, and both have shown velocity declines, but they’re each functioning as capable starters who could be useful pieces this year and into the future. Their respective clubs will need to eat money and temper expectations on the prospect side if they’re to make deals.

25-26. Trey Mancini (Orioles) & Hunter Renfroe (Padres), OF: The Baltimore org is “open to anything” when it comes to its best player, while the San Diego outfit is willing to consider scenarios involving its own corner outfield slugger, who has drawn interest. Both of these players are going into arbitration this fall, the latter as a Super Two, so there’s no real rush from that perspective. For the O’s, it’ll be tempting to cash in one of the org’s few desirable deadline pieces. For the Friars, there’s an outfield logjam that will ultimately have to be cleared in some manner.

27-30. Craig Stammen (Padres), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), David Hernandez & Jared Hughes (Reds): Here we have a group of affordable, grey-haired vets who have generally been on nice late-career kicks. These guys will all be surefire trade candidates — if their teams decide to fold up shop. There’s still some uncertainty there, but it seems quite likely that several (if not all) of these hurlers will swap uniforms this summer.

31. Mike Minor, SP, Rangers: The window for a Minor deal is getting smaller even as his value increases. It’ll be hard for the Texas club to move him so long as it has a plausible shot at a Wild Card berth, particularly with a new ballpark on the horizon. Minor could instead be targeted for an extension, either over the summer or in the offseason to come. Trade offers may prove tempting, making for some tough tradeoffs for the Rangers front office to weigh.

32. Freddy Galvis, SS, Blue Jays: The switch-hitting shortstop is taking down $4MM this year with a $1MM buyout for 2020. Galvis has fallen way off his hot early pace and presently carries a .254/.293/.425 slash. He does feature a capable glove and has been known to run into a pitch (ten home runs in 266 plate appearances this season). It’s not a terribly exciting profile, but it’s also quite easy to imagine Galvis filling a useful role for the right contender. He ranks above the next group of names because he’s likelier to be moved as a pure rental on a no-doubt seller.

33-35. Derek Dietrich (Reds), Tim Beckham (Mariners) & Jonathan Villar (Orioles), INF: This year’s market does have some interesting infield pieces. Why go for a boring, glove-only piece when you can add some potential fireworks? All three of these players come with one additional season of arbitration control, effectively delivering floating-value, zero-buyout options to an acquiring team. Dietrich has been electric at the plate and can play multiple positions. While he’s not known as a strong defender, the metrics have graded him as average at second base thus far in 2019. He’s earning only $2MM this year. While Cincy second baseman Scooter Gennett is nearing a return, he’s also slated for free agency at season’s end. The other two orgs are in more obvious seller stances, but also have reasons to want to hang onto these players. Beckham is a questionable defender at short, but he’s earning only $1.75MM and has real power along with a propensity for hot streaks. He could well fit the M’s roster in 2020. Villar would seem the likeliest to be cashed in, though the O’s will want to maintain some standards at the MLB level. He’s a well-regarded and versatile defender who has some home run pop of his own along with excellent speed. Villar is owed $4.825MM for the season.

36-37. Ian Kennedy (Royals) & Mark Melancon (Giants), RP: These two righties are vastly overpayed for their present ability levels, but that won’t preclude swaps. The former has found new life as a reliever; while he carries only a 3.86 ERA through 28 innings, he’s working at a highly promising combination of 11.6 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9. It’s the opposite case for Melancon, whose useful 3.49 ERA in 28 1/3 frames is not quite supported by the peripherals. He is sporting a 61.0% groundball rate but has seen his typically stingy walk rate jump to 3.8 per nine and he’s only managing 7.6 K/9 as his chase rate continues to plummet.

38-39. Felipe Vazquez (Pirates) & Raisel Iglesias (Reds), RP: It’ll take a concerted effort to pry one of these arms free. That hasn’t happened in the past, though these two NL Central relievers often end up on these lists. These clubs may well fall out of the race by the time July draws to a close, but they’ll still be hoping for near-term contention thereafter. Vazquez and Iglesias are each pitching on cost-efficient contracts. The former is especially valuable, as he’s among the game’s best lefty relief arms and is cheaply controlled through 2023. The latter hasn’t been quite as dominant and his deal isn’t as appealing (it runs through 2021), but those factors perhaps also make him a more achievable target for contenders.

40-41. Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants & Wil Myers, OF, Padres: In theory, each of these players can appear at the position stated for the other. But they’re most likely to be considered at the spots listed. Both have hefty contracts that aren’t likely to be picked up in full. In the case of Belt, concussion worries create long-term risk. As for Myers, he just hasn’t performed to the levels he’s being paid. But it’s not hard to imagine both players being of interest. Belt is back to being an under-appreciated hitter, with a .248/.372/.461 slash and nine home runs over 250 plate appearances. Though Myers is humming along at a league-average clip with the bat, he has historically performed at about ten percent above league average at the plate, offers real defensive versatility, and can add value with his legs on the bases.

42-43. Kevin Pillar (Giants) & Billy Hamilton (Royals), OF: These are specialized, glove-and-run pieces who’d only make sense for certain clubs. But there’s often a need for such players. Pillar and Hamilton haven’t proven capable of commanding regular time but could be handy reserve pieces.

44. Adam Duvall, OF, Braves: After a brutal late-season run last year, Duvall was somewhat surprisingly tendered by the Braves. He hasn’t been needed in the majors despite raking at Triple-A. With a $2,875,000 salary, he’s an expensive back-up plan. It’ll be tempting to shed the remaining obligation and trade in his remaining two years of team control to help pay for other desired upgrades. Duvall could hold appeal to some contenders, particularly those that want their purchase to come with future value, or be sent to a rebuilding outfit.

45-46. Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox & Alex Gordon, OF, Royals: Why aren’t they higher?! How can you even put them on this list?! There are two sides to this coin. Both of these pending free agents would be of real interest to contenders, as they’re highly respected veterans that are performing well in 2019. Large salary obligations are but a point of negotiation. Thing is, the Sox have continued to indicate that they see an ongoing connection with Abreu. And the situation is similar for Gordon and the Royals, with the added complication that he has no-trade rights and a disinclination to move. That said, things can always change, so they command a spot on the list for the time being.

47-48. Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets & Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals: These NL East rivals seem less likely to pack it in on July 31st than some of the other sub-.500 teams whose players feature above. After entering the season with big payrolls and bigger expectations, it’d be awfully tough to admit defeat unless the odds are truly insurmountable. That said, Wheeler and Rendon would arguably be the top pure rental players available if they hit the market, so they claim back-of-the-list spots. These clubs each have other conceivable rental pieces as well as more controllable stars. It seems premature to begin batting around concepts involving players such as Noah Syndergaard and Max Scherzer.

49-50. Trevor Bauer (SP) & Brad Hand (RP), Indians: It has been said that the Indians are “poised” to listen on these two excellent hurlers, but what does that really mean at this stage of the season? The Cleveland club may have miscalculated on the division-leading Twins, but it also sits at 4 games over .500 after weathering some major injuries and surprising performance issues. It’ll be a tall order to run down their rivals from Minnesota, but it’s not out of the question. And a Wild Card berth remains amply plausible. While it will prove tempting to consider some repositioning moves to bring in more affordable/controllable assets, that’s awfully hard to do when you’re a strong postseason contender.

Injured List

Ken Giles (Blue Jays), Mitch Haniger (Mariners), Jose Urena, Neil Walker, Martin Prado & Caleb Smith (Marlins), Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Tyson Ross & Jordan Zimmermann (Tigers), Alex Wood & Scooter Gennett (Reds)