2018 Trade Deadline rumors/speculation

[tom81]

If you trade for a pitcher go all in and offer a package that starts with Pivetta and Sixto for DeGrom. DeGrom and Nola would be an awesome top of the rotation.

[zambonir]

I just don't see it (a deal with the Mets).

[tom81]

Dykstra, McGraw. Happens sometimes.

[zambonir]

Yup but it has actually been almost that long (last time was the Turk Wendell deal).

And it's not just the Mets who wouldn't want to do it. Imagine seeing Sixto and Kingery in Queens for years to come (for instance).

[tom81]

I’m sure the Mets don’t want to trade DeGrom to the Yankees either. They are not likely to trade with either of us but it makes sense for both of us to try.

[tom81]

I hadn’t thought about it before but a player who might be available if the Rockies slip further behind is Nolan Arenado. He will have one more very expensive arbitration year left and has somewhat complained about the Rockies lately. Pick up him with Jake McGee, who has underperformed his contact and will be available, would fill two holes. It would cost a lot, I wonder how much.

[Lawman]

I was just thinking that Arenado may be an interesting potential trade target. He'd be expensive, but he's under team control beyond this year, young, and would be a definite upgrade on the left side of the IF.

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[el-pietro]

The Nationals are now 7 games back for the division lead. Is there a point where they start to think its time to look at next year and beyond? Does Harper get traded if they fall to say 10 or 12 games back?

[Lawman]

I can't see them trading Harper. I think they may try to re-sign him, actually.

[bkeich]

The Nationals are now 7 games back for the division lead. Is there a point where they start to think its time to look at next year and beyond? Does Harper get traded if they fall to say 10 or 12 games back?

My guess is that it is still too early to give up. i think the feeling that neither the Phils or Braves were going to contend this year just makes teams think that they will be "catchable". If it was the Yankees they were 7 games behind they might be thinking about being "sellers" and stock up for next year, but honestly I suspect the Nationals management still think it is their division to lose.

[Lawman]

This from Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic. Just yo give us all a sense of who may be available, at what IF positions, and see if any represent upgrades. I note that Arenado not on the list.

Last week, I wrote about the glut of relievers on the trade market, and how it would behoove sellers to be realistic with their expectations if they want to move quickly. The same dynamic applies with infielders. As one executive put it, “There aren’t going to be enough chairs for everyone.”

Consider this partial list of players who are known or likely to be available:

Second base: DJ LeMahieu, Brian Dozier, Scooter Gennett, Josh Harrison, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Starlin Castro.

Shortstop: Manny Machado, Eduardo Escobar, Jordy Mercer, Freddy Galvis, Adeiny Hechavarria, José Iglesias.

Third base: Beltre, Josh Donaldson, Mike Moustakas, David Freese.

The only players in that group who are not potential free agents are Castro, who is under contract through next season, and Gennett, who will be in his final year of arbitration (Harrison and Freese have club options on their deals).

[teabag259]

Seranthony hasn’t been around long enough to merit ASG consideration. Our only possibility other than Nola is Odubel and his only chance is if gets hot again over the next 2 weeks.

[jimbomill]

At this stage, I'd dangle him in an offer to the Yankees just to see what I'd get.

[andyb]

I note that Arenado not on the list.

He has one more year of control. It will be an expensive $20+ million arbitration year, but that is why he is probably not mentioned. Though one could argue that maybe he SHOULD be a Phillies trade target because that extra year of control might bridge the period until Bohm might be ready theoretically. So he might be worth more to the Phillies than a half season of Machado. Whether he gets put on the market is a different question.

[Philsmania]

Seranthony hasn’t been around long enough to merit ASG consideration. Our only possibility other than Nola is Odubel and his only chance is if gets hot again over the next 2 weeks.

Juan Soto is being talked up as a potential All-Star and he came up thirteen days after Dominguez. Although Soto looked like Mike Trout against us, he's only accumulated .7 WAR so far. Dominguez has accumulated 1.5.

But yes, unfortunately, Herrera needs to go on the mother of all hot streaks this week. I believe the teams are selected this coming Sunday.

Comment...perhaps Zambonir (see below) is correct and this post and Teabag's to which I responded should be moved to the All-Star leadup thread.

[zambonir]

Why we talking about the all-star game?

Nats are probably like the 2010 Phillies, who briefly considered selling at the deadline IIRC. They won't. Rockies won't either IMO.

In the end, I think the Phillies should get Machado. Really, the choice isn't between Machado as a rental, Machado w/ the recruiting advantage or Machado long-term. The choice is between Machado, Beltre, Moustakas or Donaldson. They're all rentals, so why not get the best/youngest player? He may cost the highest price but that's for a reason. And if it's true there is a glut, even the highest-price player won't be that expensive.

Of course if you can just steal Beltre and have talent left over to upgrade the pen and RF at the same price Machado will cost you, can't rule it out. But there's a deal to be made.

[tom81]

Rosenthal also thinks that the O’s are trying to move Machado quickly. His Philly speculation, “Would the Phillies, for example, be willing to part with shortstop J.P. Crawford, a favorite of GM Matt Klentak, without knowing whether they could sign Machado long-term?

The Orioles are thought to like Crawford.“

[Philsmania]

Nats are probably like the 2010 Phillies, who briefly considered selling at the deadline IIRC. They won't. Rockies won't either IMO.

Yeah, it's easy to forget that the Phillies' 2010 season looked like a lost cause at one point. Only 48-46, seven games back of the Braves on July 22, a season which up to that point was seemingly lowlighted by an epic offensive drought in late May in which they only scored seven runs in eight games and were shut out four times and didn't score a single run in an entire three game series at Citi Field.. But then after that 48-46 low point in which they limped home after a 1-6 road trip to Chicago and St. Louis came an eight game win streak, they became buyers and got Oswalt, the good 2008 Lidge came back in August and September and they played their way into first (reclaiming it for the first time since May 30 on September 7) and then turned on the afterburners and won a MLB leading 97 games and won the division by six.

[zambonir]

This simulation says Machado would add 3.9 wins (though it also currently projects them to win 86.2)

We traded Manny Machado to every team. Here's who he helps most

How often do the proposed/rumored deadline trades made by writers really happen? They are usually a wish list from the selling team, and a starting point for negotiations, not the end game.

[andyb]

Going from 86 to 90 wins is a pretty compelling reason to make this type of trade. They did not post the increase in playoff odds (only WS win odds), but 90 wins would have to put us at 60%-70% to make the playoffs.