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Adam Wainwright: Even without Wainwright the Cardinals are putting together one of the most remarkable pitching seasons in recent memory. It’s hard to claim a team running an ERA below three is in need of an arm, but Wainwright is a tried and true ace which is something the Cardinals currently lack.
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A.J. Burnett: One of the reasons the Pirates have been so successful is their health, but Burnett’s absence is noticeable. The veteran right-hander had rebounded in a big way before he was sidelined with an elbow injury.
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Jorge Soler: Soler’s rookie season may not have gone as planned, but he still has some of the best raw power in the game. The Cubs aren’t punchless without him, but right-handed power can be hard to come by.
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Devon Travis: Ryan Goins and Cliff Pennington have performed admirably as a second base platoon, but the Blue Jays lineup is longer and stronger with Travis. With the team rolling it’s easy to forget what they are missing without the 24-year-old rookie. A .301/.361/.498 line is very hard to replace and Travis’s return is far from imminent.
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Alex Gordon: Until last year’s playoff run Gordon was one of the most consistently overlooked stars in the sport. The outfielder is currently on a rehab assignment and he will give the Royals a massive boost upon his return.
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Hyun-Jin Ryu: The Dodgers have been without Ryu all season, but he would have undoubtedly helped their rotation. The Korean southpaw could have been a perfect No. 3 starter behind the Kershaw-Greinke combo.
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George Springer: Springer burst onto the scene last season impressing as a rookie with a combination of power and patience. This year his production had been similar before he fractured his wrist on July 1. Luckily for the Astros, it looks like he’ll be going on a rehab assignment soon.
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Dustin Ackley: While the New York Yankees were relatively quiet at the deadline they did acquire an interesting buy-low candidate in Ackley to fill their gaping hole at second base. Unfortunately for the Bronx Bombers, Ackley only played two games for the team before getting injured and they are still having issues at the keystone.
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Lucas Duda: The Mets have an outstanding pitching staff, but even with the addition of Yoenis Cespedes the lineup lacks power. As the team looks to distance itself from the disappointing Washington Nationals they will be missing Duda’s pop.
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Joe Panik: Panik was once considered a low-ceiling prospect, but he has developed into one of the best second baseman in the business. The 24-year-old went down with a back injury in early August leaving a significant void behind.
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Craig Stammen: It’s hard to find the missing piece here because injured core players such as Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Stephen Strasburg have all now returned to the team. Stammen is a trustworthy late-inning reliever which is definitely a commodity this struggling team could use.
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Yu Darvish: The Rangers have made an unexpected run into contention this season even without their ace. This group of overachievers would look a lot scarier if they had a rotation headed by Cole Hamels and Darvish as they will next year.
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C.J. Wilson: After a serious drubbing at the hands of the Blue Jays, the Angels could use any pitcher they can count on to get through the sixth. Wilson is not flashy, but he’s a mid-rotation starter that can be counted on which is definitely something this team is missing.
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J.J. Hardy: The Orioles are scuffling at the moment and being without one of the most reliable shortstops in the game isn’t helping. While the 33-year-old isn’t having a banner year, he’s posted a WAR above two in seven of the last eight years and his presence would be steadying for a team trying to avoid sliding out of the wild card race.
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Steven Souza: The Rays’ No. 1 problem is scoring runs and Souza can help with that when healthy. He has significant problems making contact at times, but the rookie outfielder can hurt opponents with power and speed.
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Phil Hughes: Hughes wasn’t able to replicate his 2014 breakout season this year, but he still has outstanding command and the ability to eat innings.
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Jeremy Hellickson: The Diamondbacks have been one of the healthiest outfits in the league, which makes it hard to find a fit here. Hellickson doesn’t look like the pitcher he once was, but he’s a useful rotation piece that the Diamondbacks lost to a leg injury this month.
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Wil Myers: Myers was a key component of the Padres’ new-look outfield heading into the season, but his year was derailed by a wrist injury in June. Although he’s had his defensive struggles, he’s exactly the kind of bat the Padres could use right now as they fight to stay in contention.
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Carlos Carrasco: Former Blue Jays trade target Carrasco has been having an excellent season and will be sorely missed down the stretch. He could return in September, but shoulder injuries can be unpredictable.
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Anibal Sanchez: With Detroit’s bevy of stars Sanchez has often gone overlooked, in part due to his injury problems. The Tigers’ pitching has been a mess all year and the right-hander’s absence has been part of the problem.
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Kendall Graveman: There isn’t one particular hole on this team, if anything poor luck has been their biggest issue. However, losing a promising young starter to injury certainly doesn’t help.
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Daniel Webb: Webb gets this designation by default as the middle reliever is the only player currently on the club’s disabled list.
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James Paxton: The Mariners are another relatively healthy team, but they could certainly use a talent like Paxton in their rotation. The Canadian southpaw has been excellent when healthy.
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Koji Uehara: The Red Sox disabled list is extensive making it hard to single out one player. Uehara’s name stands out simply because the team is having so much trouble closing out games without him.
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Michael Blazek: For a team with such a poor record the Brewers have a very intact team. The loss of solid relief arm like Blazek isn’t insignificant, but it’s not changing the course of the Brewers’ season.
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Mike Minor: The Braves have nine pitchers currently on the disabled list, so there are plenty of choices here, but Minor is the biggest name.
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Giancarlo Stanton: Stanton is a superstar and without him the Marlins’ lineup is exposed for its lack of talent. Without Stanton this team lacks for both firepower and entertainment value.
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Billy Hamilton: Hamilton is one of the most unique players in the game and creates tremendous value in the field and on the bases. The Reds are a much less dynamic group with Hamilton on the disabled list.
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Justin Morneau: Even when the Rockies had Troy Tulowitzki they didn’t have the pieces to compete, but losing the reigning batting champion was a major blow.
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Maikel Franco: In a season where giving their young players at-bats needs to be a priority for the Phillies, losing Franco is problematic. They don’t have a more promising youngster.
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