It’s hard to believe but the MLB Trade Deadline is less than TWO WEEKS AWAY! There are a variety of reasons to believe this year’s trade deadline will be very active including the fact that with expanded playoffs, more teams will be in the hunt for October. A team like the Cubs, who are historically very active in the trade market, have gotten off to a scorching start and would love to add some offense and bullpen help to give them an extra boost during the playoffs. However, due to the uncertainty regarding Covid-19, there are also plenty of reasons to think there won’t be too much activity.
With the way Covid-19 has effected the economics of baseball, not to mention the fact that a trade means movement of a human from one clubhouse to another (which would likely involve a quarantine delay), this year’s trade deadline will more than likely be a bit slower than your average year. That being said, there are plenty of players who could be on the move, and in today’s video we look at ten players who could be changing uniforms in the next couple of weeks.
So, in no particular order, here we go…
Kevin PIllar
We have Kevin Pillar – former San Francisco Giant who was not tendered a contract in the off-season and ended up signing with Boston. He was one of the brightest spots on the 2019 Giants both offensively and defensively and has gotten off to a great start in 2020 with the Red Sox hitting .313 with 9 RBI and 2 bombs in 67 at bats. He’s already got a .5 WAR through just 18 games. With his sparkling plays in the outfield and recently a very clutch bat, he’s hitting .455 with runners in scoring position, Pillar could be a valuable corner outfielder for a team during September and October, either coming off the bench or possibly in the lineup every day.
Jacoby Jones
Next up, we have Jacoby Jones of the Tigers. Detroit was off to a great start, but they have started to struggle, especially at home. The Tigers have fallen to 4th in the AL Central, but Jacoby Jones is hitting .315 with 5 bombs in just 54 at bats. He’s a guy with a .217 career batting average and most teams will probably realize he’s more than likely overperforming right now. Typically, he is a decent player who strikes out a ton and has good speed. He had great defense, especially in 2018, but the advanced stats have been trending downwards defensively. Still, if the Tigers want to take advantage of the hot start, they may be able to grab a nice prospect or two at the trade deadline for a team that would like Jones’ services for the playoff push.
Greg Holland
Greg Holland is back with the Royals this season after a decent season with the Diamondbacks in 2019. Holland has been up and down and up and down since his heyday with the Royals back when they won back to back AL Championships in 2014 and 2015 (Along with a ring in 2015). However, he has shown some promise this year with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings and a 3.09 ERA. He slider has looked great and he could be a nice veteran arm for a team that needs some bullpen help.
Lance Lynn
The first of two Texas Rangers on this list is Lance Lynn, who has dealt thus far in 2020. In Lynn’s first five starts, he is 3-0 with a league leading 1.11 ERA. In 32 innings pitched, Lynn has given up a mere 12 hits with 36 strikeouts. If Texas falls out of the playoff race, which may be unlikely since 16 of 30 teams are getting in, look for Lynn to be on the trading block. He’s 33 years old and owed $8 million in 2021. If the Rangers are interested in bringing some very valuable prospects over for their future, this could be a move they may pull the trigger on.
Mike Minor
Another Ranger is going to be 33 soon as well and if the Rangers don’t want to give up a guy who is pitching well like Lynn, they could try to move a guy who’s not pitching so well but who has shown the ability to eat up innings and provide depth in a rotation and that’s Mike Minor. He’s 0-3 with a 5.49 ERA on the season but had a great 2019 and with a FIP of 3.75 and some decent advanced stats this year, some teams could consider him as a much-needed arm in their rotation during the playoff push. His contract expires after the season, meaning the Rangers may try to get what they can for Minor assuming they themselves fall out of the race. At the moment, the Rangers are 10-10 so they still have more than a shot this season.
Robbie Ray
The Arizona Diamondbacks have started to heat up lately and are .500 on the season, meaning that they are in a position to slip into those expanded playoffs. If they should falter, however, one guy who could be on trading block is starting pitcher Robbie Ray. Ray was 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 2019, striking out an insane 235 batters in just 174 innings. This year he has struggled with his command, walking 20 batters in just 22 innings and his ERA has ballooned to 8.59. He is set to become a Free Agent after the season, however, and with his ability to strikeout batters and limit hard contact, there are definitely some teams that would love to have him in their rotation. If the D-Backs fall out of contention, look for Robbie Ray to be on the move.
George Springer
At some point, the Houston Astros have to think about their future. After losing their first and second round draft picks this year, their farm system is looking increasingly frail. George Springer is set to become a free agent at the end of the year and, if not traded, he will most likely be on the move. For one, the Astros probably won’t be able to afford him. Additionally, I would imagine that Springer is ready to move on to another team where he can start to escape the reputation connected with the 2017 Championship team and the cheating scandal. The Astros will more than likely be able to get more by trading him this year rather than letting him leave and receiving a compensatory pick.
Trevor Rosenthal
Trevor Rosenthal has had a resurgence to start the 2020 season with the Royals with 13 strikeouts in his first 10 innings of work and an ERA under 1. The former Cardinal’s career looked to be on fumes when post-Tommy John Surgery he got lit up with the Nationals and Tigers last year, both of whom let him go. He had no idea where the ball was going and it was a bit of a surprise when the Royals signed him to a minor league deal for 2020. Now, as we stand two weeks from the deadline, the Royals may have a trade chip on their hands. If some team is looking for bullpen help and the Royals are looking for prospects, look for Rosenthal to be heading out of KC.
We’ll finish this list with two San Francisco Giants. There are actually more than two who could be on the move. I’ve heard Johnny Cueto’s name mentioned – but because of his contract I don’t think he’ll be traded. Mike Yastrzemski could be someone who the Giants could move for some super prospects, but Yaz has shown that he’s not only an every day big-leaguer but an All Star-caliber player if not a flat out superstar and the Giants have him under team control through at least 2025. I’d be surprised if they move Yaz, because he could be an amazing compliment to guys like Joey Bart and Hunter Bishop over the next couple of years once they become big league regulars. Alex Dickerson is also a possibility, but because he’s not great defensively and a bit injury prone, I’m not sure they could get enough to warrant a trade of Dick.
Dovonan Solano
One man, however, who could legitimately be on the move is the man, the myth, the legend – Donovan Solano AKA Donnie Barrels. He is still hitting over .400 on the year and had an 18 game hitting streak going before going hitless yesterday. Donovan will be 33 next season and if the Giants are able to obtain a couple of top prospects, it is a move that makes baseball sense. Solano may not be a .400 hitter and the next Ted Williams, but he is a .300 hitter who hit .330 in 2019 in 215 at bats and could be a huge piece for a team trying to win it all in 2020. This is a move I hope doesn’t happen as a fan of Donnie Barrels, but if the prospects are right, I see this move as a very strong possibility.
Kevin Gausman
An even stronger possibility, however, is Kevin Gausman. His velocity is up this year, he’s hitting his spots and fooling batters consistently with a nasty splitter and occasional slider. In over 25 innings, he’s walked just 5 and struck out 34. He has a 3.1 FIP and with a lineup that actually gives him some run support, he would definitely have a better record than 0-1. Teams should be lining up to offer prospects for Gasuman this year and I fully expect that he’ll be wearing a different uniform come next month.