The MLB’s July 31 trade deadline is less than a week away and with so many teams who could still potentially be buyers the hot stove is burning bright.
Here’s some of the latest buzz to get you caught up.
Cubs interested in Blue Jays’ Sogard
Though most focus in in regards to the Toronto Blue Jays’ trade candidates has come from pitchers like Marcus Stroman and Ken Giles, it looks like they also have at least one bat that’s drawing some interest.
According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Toronto lead-off man Eric Sogard is among a list of names the Chicago Cubs have discussed as a possible addition to the NL Central leaders.
Sogard has been among the Blue Jays’ best hitters sporting an .843 OPS and a Toronto-best on-base percentage of .363, a valuable ability for a lead-off hitter.
And despite this productivity that might suggest he’d make for a good player to stick around with the Blue Jays, at 33 years of age, his timeline doesn’t align well with Toronto’s young, building core and as such makes him a logical trade candidate.
Cora acknowledges possibility that Red Sox might not be buyers
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora knows his team is in trouble and would welcome some reinforcements at the deadline.
He also knows that with his team two games out of a wild-card spot, and still playing inconsistent ball, that if they don’t get their act together in a hurry — and prove to Boston’s front office that they can finally get over its World Series hangover and begin playing like they did last season — help isn’t coming.
“Obviously our goals are set to win the World Series,” Cora told MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “If it doesn’t look that way and they go somewhere else and take another approach, you’ve got to respect that. At the end, we have to perform and we have to win games.”
Adding: “That’s the nature of the business. I think everyone is smart [enough] around here to understand how it works. We do need to play better. Everyone knows it. We’ve been talking about this since [the first road trip of the season in] Oakland.”
The Red Sox sport just a 7-6 record since the all-star break.
Phillies, Indians have discussed Bauer trade
Just a half game out of the second National League wild-card spot, the Philadelphia Phillies are knocking on the door of the playoffs and, given the off-season acquisition of Bryce Harper, don’t want to be left on the front porch.
As has been reported since deadline season started, Philadelphia’s greatest need is starting pitching and it looks like they’re in talks to get some.
As MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports, the Phillies have discussed the possibility of a trade with the Cleveland Indians for Trevor Bauer.
Bauer is one of the hottest names out there on the trade market. This season he boasts a 3.49 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings across his 23 starts.
He’s under control through next season, but he’s entering his last year of arbitration eligibility and will likely be in for another big raise over the $13 million he’s making this year — a contributing reason why Cleveland could be looking to deal him.
Mets “seriously listening” to offers on Syndergaard
Good news for any team looking for starting pitching: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the New York Mets are “seriously listening” to offers for Noah Syndergaard, the 26-year-old flamethrower with electric stuff who won’t be a free agent until 2022.
Additionally, the Mets are also “willing to listen” to offers for reliever Edwin Diaz, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Diaz doesn’t have a great ERA (4.81) but has proven swing-and-miss stuff as his 14.1 career K/9 suggests, making him a potentially attractive piece for clubs looking to bolster their bullpens, even if he’s erratic at times.
Rays looking to add to offence?
Only one game back of the second American League wild-card spot, the Tampa Bay Rays look poised to make a playoff push.
The surest indicator of this is that the Rays appear to be looking for a boost to their lineup.
As MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports, the Rays “have expressed interest” in the Milwaukee Brewers’ Jesus Aguilar.
Aguilar was a an all-star last season after hitting .274/.352/.539 with 35 home runs and 108 RBI in 566 plate appearances. He’s struggled this season as he’s seen a major power dip (just .381 slugging percentage in 255 plate appearances thus far) but as Feinsand notes, he appears to be turning things around in July with a 1.028 OPS bolstered by an outstanding .650 slugging percentage.
And Aguiliar isn’t the only bat the Rays appear to be checking in on as, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Tampa’s also taking a look at the Detroit Tigers’ Nicholas Castellanos.
Castellanos is hitting .282/.339/.478 in 419 plate appearances this season and leads the majors in doubles with 36.
Currently sporting an OPS of .748 (.756 is league average) and having just scored 477 runs this season (league average in that category is 491), the Rays could certainly use an offensive upgrade and either of these players could provide that, if even a little.
Pirates not looking to trade their closer
Sitting right in the basement of the NL Central standings and eight games way out of a wild-card spot, it’s safe to say the Pitsburgh Pirates are sellers at this year’s trade deadline.
One player Pirates general manager Neal Huntington won’t be shopping however, is all-star reliever Felipe Vazquez.
“We certainly understand why his name gets floated. He’s one of the best relievers in baseball,” Huntington told MLB.com’s Adam Berry of Vazquez’s trade market. “We’re sitting behind a handful of teams. There is a history of teams sitting behind a handful of teams being willing to trade players, so it makes sense. We also have four-plus years of potential contribution from one of the best relievers in baseball.”
Vazquez is a two-time all-star including this season where he features a sparkling ERA of 1.91 with a 14.0 K/9 rate over his 39 appearances.
He’s only 28-years-old, a fact coupled with his brilliant production that would almost assuredly bring a big haul for the Pirates if he were to be traded, but as Huntington alluded to, he’s under so much team control (has a club option worth $10 million in 2022 and 2023 and won’t be a free agent until 2024) and he’s so good that Pittsurgh may as well keep him around as he definitely makes the team better.
“If we were expecting to lose 100 games next year, then it’s a different approach,” said Huntington. “Our expectation is to be right back in this –if we don’t get there this year – to be right back in this next year, and to have a guy like that in the back end is really important.”
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