MLB: Three Players That Will Surely Shake Up the Trade Market

Evan Longoria

Longoria is coming off yet another outstanding season for the limping Rays. He hit .273/.318/.521 and went deep 32 times in 2016. He also contributed his 4th consecutive season of playing in 160+ games. Longoria is one of the few to withstand the dying art of playing every day.

Recently turning 31-years-old, Longoria’s value may be at its peak. The Tampa Bay Rays owe their third baseman $94 million in total until the year 2022. A nice chunk of change, but considering the payrolls in today’s game, there should certainly be some teams willing to eat the majority of it. Among them would be the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Angels.

Longoria was born in Caifornia, he also played college ball in California at Long Beach State. This could give the L.A. targets an edge. The Dodgers could go hard after Longoria if they don’t re-sign Justin Turner. The California native would be a great fit for the Dodgers. He’d be a crucial part to the middle of the Dodger lineup, he’d once again be a part of a legitimate playoff contender, and he would get plenty of spotlight (something he did not get enough of in Tampa Bay).

Speaking of spotlight, the Yankees desperately need a cornerstone thrid baseman. They have not had a quality hot corner since the prime of A-Rod, hence about a five-year drought. New York has a competitive team, if you recall they nearly snuck into the playoffs this past year. They have a good lineup, although suprisingly enough, they could use some more power in their tiny ballpark. Longoria would provide that and more.

The L.A. Angels also have the California draw. As disappointing as they’ve been the last couple of seasons, the Angels do have some motivation. Their focus is not on winning a 2017 championship, it’s on keeping Mike Trout. Although Trout will not reach free agency until after the 2020 season, you best believe every team in MLB has Trout’s date of freedom circled on their calendars. For this reason, the Angels must see improvement over that time span. Longoria would be part of the answer. A muli-year deal for Longoria would work wonders for the Angels. He would add some much needed depth to the Angel lineup, he would be a tremendous defensive upgrade, and most importantly, he could help the cause to keep Trout in Los Angeles.