MLB rumors: Which teams are destined to sell at MLB trade deadline?
We’re a month into the season and that means that teams have had ample room to separate themselves from the pack. It’s early, but a few teams already have the look of selling at the MLB trade deadline, with MLB rumors buzzing.
It’s the end of April. You know what that means. A way-too-early look at potential sellers for this year’s MLB trade deadline, and MLB rumors buzzing aplenty.
We’ve gotten past the point of overreactions. The New York Yankees 9-9 start seems like a thing of the distant past with the team on a roll.
It’s also pretty clear that the New York Mets are going to contend, as the team sports a 19-7 record a month in.
Teams like the Washington Nationals, though, haven’t started off too hot. Their 12-16 record looks pretty bad in a wide-open National League East race.
While certain teams have separated themselves in the fight for contention, others have not. That brings us to one of baseball’s most exciting times of the year; the trade deadline. If this year’s deadline is anything like 2017’s, then we’re in store for something truly exciting.
Let us take a look at what teams will become the big fish of the trade season frenzy.
MLB rumors: San Francisco Giants
If you know anything about the San Francisco Giants, you know they are flat out dangerous in even years. However, 2018 doesn’t look like it will bring similar success.
The team has played to a 14-14 record through its first 28 games of the regular season. This isn’t bad, but it’s not exactly encouraging.
Its offense is the sixth worst in baseball, with an average of 3.5 runs per game.
It doesn’t help that Evan Longoria, Andrew McCutchen and Brandon Crawford have hit a combined .212. Despite injuries to starters Jeff Samardzija and Madison Bumgarner, the rotation has done quite well, with a combined ERA of 3.94 (13th in MLB).
With not much talent in the farm, selling might be San Francisco’s only option.
If they do decide to become sellers, tough, it might be tricky. Would the team really trade its star pitcher, Bumgarner? When speaking to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, a scout spoke about the Giants’ need to enter a rebuild.
A rival evaluator chatted about the Giants earlier this month, about the accumulation of players who could be on the downslope of their respective careers. “They have to get restarted and start turning the page, and they don’t have a lot of ways to do that,” he said.
While the team has plenty of big names to dangle on the market, it’s tough to envision them trading the contracts. Longoria, Crawford and Brandon Belt are owed a combined $180 million through 2021.
Good luck finding any takers.
MLB rumors: Tampa Bay Rays
It seems like the Tampa Bay Rays have always been considered candidates to sell every year.
2018 appears to be headed in the same direction. We’re not exactly sure what they’ll do.
On one hand, the team has gone 8-2 in its last 10, highlighted with a series win against the red-hot Boston Red Sox.
On the other, it’s tough to see them competing with Boston or the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Needless to say, the teams greatest asset is Chris Archer. His ugly start to 2018 (6.61 ERA) shouldn’t turn off teams, as the 29-year-old has one of the game’s great arms. Tampa Bay would be wise to wait until the offseason to trade Chris Archer if his numbers don’t improve.
Denard Span and Carlos Gomez are two veterans that would certainly attract attention if put on the market, too.
Closer Alex Colome would bring back a quality return and isn’t a free agent till 2021. He’s gotten off to a tough start, but teams will be eager to add a closer as the deadline nears closer.
With Kevin Kiermaier out for three months, the Rays might be forced to sell.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times raised a good point when he said the Rays should focus on calling up top prospects Willy Adames, Christian Arroyo and Jake Bauers.
Time will tell if the Rays finally commit to selling.
MLB rumors: Kansas City Royals
It’s been a rapid fall from grace for the former juggernaut Kansas City Royals. After two consecutive World Series appearances and a championship from 2014-2015, they’ve declined rather quickly.
The decline has culminated this season with an ugly 7-21 start. As a result, rumors have circulated on what the team will do this summer.
According to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, the Royals are a “slam-dunk” to become a seller, per a rival GM. This would make the most sense.
Even though it’s a month in, it’s clear that the team won’t be able to compete with the Cleveland Indians in a pretty weak AL Central.
As Heyman mentioned in his article, the Royals took calls on starter Danny Duffy in the offseason. After garnering tons of interest in the past, Mike Moustakas could be out of town, too. His .302 average and .908 OPS certainly helps his case.
Mike Moustakas is a free agent after this season and would make a lot of sense for a contender in need of third base help before the MLB trade deadline.
Veteran outfielder Jon Jay could be a rental option for a team in need of outfield reinforcements, as the 33-year-old is a free agent after 2018.
Royals’ GM Dayton Moore will have a great chance to restock some of the farm for his fading Royals team if he decides to do so.
MLB rumors: Baltimore Orioles
Don’t tell Peter Angelos this, but the Baltimore Orioles should probably sell this summer before the MLB trade deadline.
The O’s owner has always been reluctant to trade his stars, but he may have no choice. His team has started the year 8-20.
His star closer, Zach Britton, isn’t coming back anytime soon from the disabled list. The team certainly isn’t built to seriously challenge the Red Sox or Yankees for AL East supremacy.
He holds what could be the hottest commodity on the market; Manny Machado. The 25-year-old superstar is a free agent after this year and is expected to headline what will be a legendary free agent class in 2019.
Speculation surrounding Manny Machado’s future has brewed for a long time now. With Corey Seager‘s recent season-ending injury, Manny Machado could be an option to replace him.
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Wherever he’s traded, Manny Machado is sure to bring a massive haul back to Baltimore. Would the Dodgers part ways with top prospects Alex Verdugo or Walker Buehler to acquire him?
That’s up for debate, with MLB rumors shifting minute by minute. For the Orioles, though, they’ll have a real chance to change their future if they part with their star.