There has been tons of speculation for the past few months as to who would go where when it comes to MLB trade rumors. The whispers behind closed doors are about to come to an end, when MLB teams can finally no longer swing trades after Friday’s 4:00 pm ET deadline.
With names like Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir already traded over the past two weeks, it’s hard to believe the trade market can get much crazier. There still remain some heavy hitters and big arms that could be dealt, however, and there is a whole day of action potentially awaiting us.
Let’s scour over the top names that are still likely to be traded and analyze what the latest buzz suggests:
All of the San Diego Padres
There isn’t one exclusive player, as the Padres aren’t going anywhere this year and are said to be very interested in making some deals. It certainly is worth noting that there’s been a lot of talk and entering the final day nothing has happened, but we can’t look past them. The biggest names by far are outfielder Justin Upton and pitchers Andrew Cashner, James Shields and Tyson Ross. Upton is leading the way in talks and has gotten serious interested from the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox, among others. He should be dealt on the final day of MLB trades for 2015.
As for the pitching, with the Padres so open to getting a deal done, at least one of them is probably on their way out. The Padres like Ross and he’s safely under roster control for a few years yet, so trading him makes less sense than trading one or both of their other top pitchers. That being said, the Chicago Cubs have shown strong interest and could end up prying him out of San Diego’s grasp. Cashner bombed in his most recent trip to the mound so I think his value dips a bit, but I’d be surprised if Shields isn’t moved to a contending team before Friday’s MLB trade deadline.
Yoenis Cespedes and Rentals
Detroit doesn’t totally want to give up on making a late run this season, but they also don’t want to lose a ton of talent for nothing. They already shipped off David Price and Yoenis Cespedes is the next big name that comes off the books after this season. Cespedes and any other Tigers player that is currently a rental is going to be a big time candidate to get dealt. I think that has Cespedes going elsewhere, while the Orioles and White Sox (just like with Upton), seem very interested in making a deal. Don’t rule out the New York Mets, either, as they whiffed on Carlos Gomez and should still be seeking a hot bat.
Parra Next Brewer to Go?
With Carlos Gomez finally shipped off in a trade, it’s clear the Milwaukee Brewers are open for business. Ourfielder Gerardo Parra is rumored to be the next Brew Crew member on the trading block and the Baltimore Orioles are the leading contenders. Baltimore is still pushing for a wild card spot and could use a consistent bat to take a step up.
Mets After Bruce
There hasn’t been a whole lot of word about the Cincinnati Reds now that Johnny Cueto is gone, but word is the team could consider parting ways with masher Jay Bruce. The New York Mets still badly need some offense and are reportedly smitten with the outfielder.
Yovani Garnering Interest
Yovani Gallardo just got slapped around by the New York Yankees but is said to be getting a good amount of interest from roughly five MLB teams. Gallardo is a solid arm in the right spot in a rotation and had largely been throwing good stuff until Thursday evening’s debacle. Gallardo could be on the move as the Rangers make room for star Cole Hamels to take over.
Chapman on the Move?
Easily one of the top closers in the game right now, Aroldis Chapman could be on his way out of Cincy. Chapman has the fastest toss in all of baseball and several teams are looking to pry him away from the Reds. The Arizona Diamondbacks are the latest team to poke around at Chapman’s status, but he’s by no mean’s a lock to leave Ohio.
