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We’re days away from Friday’s MLB trade deadline, and that means rumors are rife right now as competitors look to add and Hikers look to sell as well. Now let’s take a look at these rumors.
Here’s this from ESPN’s Jeff Passan:
“Defending American League champion Rays, long recognized for his ability to win on minuscule payroll, had preliminary talks about Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and third baseman / outfielder Chicago Cubs Kris Bryant, league sources told ESPN. “
The Rays’ interest in Scherzer is known, but their interest in Bryant is new information. Bryant, who is in his year of walking, enjoys defensive flexibility and he is enjoying a strong rebound season with the stick: .269 / .356 / .500 with 17 homers and 19 doubles in 91 games. He has the balance of a salary of $ 19.5 million for that year. The Cubs are in sale mode, so it’s entirely possible that Bryant and other key members of the 2016 Championship team will be dispatched by Friday.
As for the Rays, it’s unusual to see them position themselves as aggressive buyers, but they’ve already added Nelson Cruz to the fold this borderline season.
Scherzer prefers the west coast
Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer turned 37 on Tuesday. He’s a pretty advanced age for baseball, but he continues to pitch at a high level. Scherzer is also in the final year of the seven-year, $ 191.4 million contact he signed with Washington, and given that the Nats so far have slipped to fourth and 8-1 / 2 games behind. the Mets in the NL East generally disappointing they’re likely to be sellers.
Even as a “hire,” a frontline ace like Scherzer with a lot of playoff experience would be coveted in the market, and already the Rays would have been interested. Now, however, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that Scherzer, who has a no-trade clause, may have other geographic preferences:
As Feinsand notes, Scherzer’s reported desire to land on the West Coast plays directly into the highly competitive western NL landscape. While it seems unlikely that AL West contenders like the A’s and Mariners would get involved, it at least is possible. Obviously, Scherzer has a lot of control over his situation and his preferences matter a lot. Dropping him in the middle of the NL West race would indeed be a convincing result.
Speaking of the Nats, it’s not clear they’ll trade shortstop Trea Turner before the deadline, but it looks like a growing possibility. Turner is a remarkable defensive shortstop with blazing speed on the bases, and he has gone from very good to excellent at home plate since the start of the 2020 season. Needless to say, a player with this wide range of skills would be interested in n ‘any number of suitors. Maybe you can count the surprise of the Seattle Mariners among these teams:
As Morosi notes, it wouldn’t exactly suit Seattle, but you make things work for a player like Turner. Turner, 28, isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season, and this extra year of scrutiny means he’ll demand a hefty price tag in commercial return – a price some contenders can’t afford. pay. If the Nats decide to move, it’s a signal they didn’t think they would be able to sign Turner for a long-term extension. Given that he has become one of baseball’s best shortstops, his next contract, whether through free agency or overtime, will be heavy.
At least three teams interested in Joey Gallo
Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo is a Gold Glove winner on the right, and he has one of the most impressive raw powers in the game today. This season, he has an OPS + of 137 with 24 home runs and 74 goals in the MLB lead in 94 games. The Rangers are pretty rudderless and horrible these days, and as part of an organizational reboot, they could be looking to turn Gallo over. Given his skill base and the fact that he is only eligible for free will after the 2022 season, he believes the Rangers will get a good shot. In addition, the market for him also seems to be recovering:
As Morosi’s tweet suggests, no one needs Gallo as much as the Yankees. They struggled on the left side and their outfield was beset with health issues.
Anderson, a 31-year-old southpaw, has a one-year, $ 2.5 million contract with the Pirates, and it goes without saying that he won’t be on the next Pirates squad involved (whenever ‘such a thing could happen). He continues to profile himself as a mid-to-mid to mid-term major league starting pitcher, and that sort of thing is still of interest to aspiring playoff teams – like the Mets, for example:
The Mets currently have several starting pitchers on the IL, including ace ace Jacob deGrom, which explains their interest in assisting the rotation.
More interest from pirates
Pittsburgh is waist deep in a massive sell-off, and the closest Richard Rodriguez could be one of the next to go:
Rodriguez, 31, has been excellent since the start of the 2020 season as he hit a 2.77 ERA with a 6.70 K / BB ratio in 61 relief appearances. Along the way, he collected 18 saves. In addition to his appeal in the commercial market, he is not eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season. Mackey names the Blue Jays and Phillies as pursuers, and the Phillies are particularly desperate for help from l ‘bullpen as they try to stay within range of the Mets in eastern NL.
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