Every MLB Team's Biggest Trade Chip 2 Months from the Deadline
Karl Buscheck@@KarlBuscheck
Contributor IIIMay 26, 2015Every MLB Team's Biggest Trade Chip 2 Months from the Deadline
From Johnny Cueto to Starlin Castro, there are all sorts of prominent big leaguers who could land on the MLB trade block in the next two months.
Not every team has an ace like Cueto or a promising shortstop like Castro to shop, but every club has at least one player who would be an extremely popular target if he ends up becoming available on the trade front this summer.
In the process of determining each team's biggest trade chip, the first step was figuring out whether a given club figures to be a seller (a non-contender) or a buyer (a contender). The team's overall record was the most important factor in that consideration, but whether a team has been trending up or down was also part of the equation.
For the sellers, pending free agents like Cueto dominate the list. Meanwhile, for the buyers, the most popular player to earn the nod is a high-upside prospect.
There are also teams like the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays that all hope to be buyers but could end up having to subtract off the big league roster.
Houston Astros
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Preston Tucker, OF
With a slew of options in the outfield from George Springer to Colby Rasmus to Evan Gattis and Jake Marisnick, it won't be easy for Preston Tucker to find his way into the lineup.
The 24-year-old has made excellent use of his limited opportunities. In his first 14 games with the Houston Astros, the outfielder has already clubbed a pair of pinch-hit home runs. Per the team's Twitter account, Tucker is the first Astro to accomplish that feat since Rick Ankiel in 2013.
According to to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the crowd in the outfield means that Tucker "seems to be available." If the team was to move the promising Tucker, swapping him for an upgrade in the starting rotation would make a ton of sense.
Los Angeles Angels
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Andrew Heaney, SP
There's no room at the inn for Andrew Heaney at the Big A.
Even though the lefty has been rolling along in Triple-A, there's no spot to be had for him in the big league rotation, which has racked up the third-best ERA in the American League.
While pitching for the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A affiliate, Heaney has posted a 5-0 mark, a 3.02 ERA and an 8.7 strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio. Those numbers indicate that the 23-year-old is ready to help out a major league staff. A trade would give him the chance to do just that.
Oakland Athletics
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Scott Kazmir, SP
Scott Kazmir is the perfect trade piece.
The lefty starter plays on an Oakland Athletics club that has reeled off the worst record in the AL and is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. There's also the consideration that the 31-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season, posting a 3.09 ERA in nine outings.
With an array of teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays all in need of rotation reinforcements, a bidding war for Kazmir could be on tap.
Seattle Mariners
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: D.J. Peterson
With the Seattle Mariners sitting in fourth place in the AL West, the team's brain trust will have to seriously consider making a big splash to help the club rise up in the standings.
If the M's were to make a blockbuster move, the 23-year-old D.J. Peterson would be a strong option as a centerpiece. The first baseman, who the club snagged with the No. 12 pick in the 2013 draft, has a track record of hitting for tons of power. He's only gone yard once in 2015, but he connected on 31 bombs a season ago.
Texas Rangers
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Adrian Beltre, 3B
The losers of 95 games a season ago, not a lot was expected of the Texas Rangers in 2015.
For now, the Rangers, who have won seven of the team's last 10 contests, are hanging around the .500 mark with a 22-23 record. If Texas ends up tumbling down the standings between now and the deadline, a big-name veteran or two could be on the move.
One player who figures to be right at the top of the list is third baseman Adrian Beltre. What makes the right-handed hitter such a valuable potential trade chip is his tremendous power. In the past five seasons, Beltre has connected on at least 28 home runs on four occasions.
Chicago White Sox
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Jeff Samardzija, SP
The Chicago White Sox are only four games under .500, but the squad is already eight games behind the division-leading Kansas City Royals.
If the White Sox continue to fall back in the AL Central race, Jeff Samardzija could end up on the block. The right-handed starter is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and trading him before the deadline would allow the South Siders to avoid the possibility of the Shark walking away for nothing in the winter.
Cleveland Indians
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Tyler Naquin, OF
After a glacial start to the season, the Cleveland Indians, who have won seven of 10, are finally trending in the right direction.
If the Tribe really wants to make a power move on the trade front, there would be no better way to do so than to deal shortstop Francisco Lindor. Then again, considering that MLB.com dubs the 21-year-old the fourth-best prospect in the game, doing so could prove to be highly regrettable.
A slightly less risky prospect to deal would be outfielder Tyler Naquin. The 2012 first-round pick is impressing in Double-A with a .290 average and five steals in 23 games.
Detroit Tigers
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Dixon Machado, SS
Dixon Machado is blocked in Motown.
For now, the 23-year-old has earned a spot on the Detroit Tigers' 25-man roster, as starting shortstop Jose Iglesias is hobbled by a left knee contusion, per Aaron McMann of MLive.com. But there won't be much room for Machado when Iglesias returns—as Ian Kinsler is locked in at second.
With Iglesias and Kinsler perched ahead of him on the depth chart, Machado has the look of a valuable chip should the Tigers decide to upgrade the major league roster.
Minnesota Twins
Predicted Status: Buyer/Seller
The Chip: Trevor Plouffe, 3B
The 26-18 Minnesota Twins have been one of the biggest surprises in 2015.
The Twins are also in a unique situation in that the club has the option to subtract off the big league roster without denting the team's playoff chances.
Trevor Plouffe, who has already smacked six home runs in 2015, would draw lots of interest on the trade market, and the Twins have Miguel Sano waiting to inherit the hot corner. The super prospect has really been heating up as of late, posting a .341 average in his last 10 Double-A contests.
Baltimore Orioles
Predicted Status: Buyer/Seller
The Chip: Chris Davis, 1B
Like the Minnesota Twins, the Baltimore Orioles are in a situation where trading a current everyday player isn't out of the question.
Chris Davis is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the first baseman is represented by Scott Boras, who is notorious for being difficult to negotiate with.
Davis offers the kind of pop that could pique the interest of power-hungry teams. In 2015, he's gone yard eight times. The lefty masher has also been swinging and missing at a ridiculous rate. In 41 games, Davis has punched out 62 times.
Toronto Blue Jays
Predicted Status: Buyer/Seller
The Chip: Edwin Encarnacion, 1B/DH
The Toronto Blue Jays starting five has been a train wreck.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post offers a bold idea for how the AL East squad could fix that mess: trade either Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion. Of the two, Encarnacion is the more plausible name, as Bautista has 10-and-5 rights and can block any trade.
Losing Encarnacion and his 12 bombs would be a major loss, but the Blue Jays are one of the few clubs in baseball that could absorb such a departure. Toronto is tops in baseball in runs scored.
GM Alex Anthopoulos slammed the door on any talks of shipping out Encarnacion or Bautista, via Sherman: “I would never talk openly about trading any of our players. At the same time these are two of the best position players in the game. Anything we do, we want them as part of the team."
Then again, labeling Encarnacion as off-limits is also a great way to drive his price tag even higher.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Mark Trumbo, OF
From Ender Inciarte to A.J. Pollock to David Peralta and Yasmany Tomas, the Arizona Diamondbacks have all sorts of options in the outfield.
That surplus at Chase Field could make free-agent-to-be Mark Trumbo an expendable piece. The 29-year-old is playing on a reasonable $6.9 million salary and has displayed his usual pop, checking in with a .496 slugging percentage.
Colorado Rockies
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Carlos Gonzalez, RF
Sitting in last place in the National League West, the outlook is bleak for the Colorado Rockies.
With the club shaping up to be a seller this summer, Carlos Gonzalez is right at the top of the list of the Rockies' most valuable trade assets. The owner of a .206 average in 2015, CarGo hasn't exactly boosted his stock in the early goings.
Still, with a couple of Gold Gloves on his resume and a career average of .290, Gonzalez has the track record to draw the interest of a wide array of suitors.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Predicted Status: Buyer/Seller
The Chip: Juan Uribe, 3B
With Justin Turner and Alex Guerrero already on the roster and Hector Olivera playing his way into shape, the clock appears to be ticking on Juan Uribe's tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 36-year-old, who becomes a free agent at season's end, has struggled in a part-time role in 2015. In 29 contests, the right-handed hitter owns a .596 OPS.
San Francisco Giants
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Kyle Crick, SP
Kyle Crick is putting up some big-time numbers.
While pitching for the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club, the 22-year-old right-hander has reeled off a 2.10 ERA in seven starts. Crick has been posting some serious strikeout numbers, with 33 K's in 30 frames. The issue for the starter is his spotty command, as Crick has already dished out 20 free passes.
Chicago Cubs
Predicted Status: Buyer/Seller
The Chip: Starlin Castro, SS
The Chicago Cubs have options in the middle of the infield.
Currently, Starlin Castro is lining up at shortstop, and Addison Russell is patrolling second base, but the Cubs also have Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara honing their craft in Triple-A. As Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports writes, that "glut of infielders continues to trigger speculation that Castro might be traded."
The only way for the Cubs brass to justify making such a swap would be if an established ace was arriving at Wrigley Field as the return.
Cincinnati Reds
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Johnny Cueto, SP
With each loss, the chances of the Cincinnati Reds shipping out Johnny Cueto rises. The NL Central squad is currently mired in a 1-9 skid, dropping the team 10.5 games off the pace in the division.
Then again, any potential deal is contingent on the health of Cueto's right elbow. The vet missed his last start, but according to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer, manager Bryan Price doesn't expect him to miss more than another outing.
Milwaukee Brewers
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Carlos Gomez, CF
This is a difficult call to make, as the last-place Milwaukee Brewers are loaded with trade chips.
Combing through the roster, Jean Segura, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez would make for the most valuable pieces. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Brew Crew is not inclined to part with any of those players but "seems slightly more open" to moving Gomez.
With the ability to hit for power, cover an absurd amount of ground in center field and the speed to cause problems on the basepaths, Gomez is a true triple threat.
Atlanta Braves
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Shelby Mlller, SP
Shelby Miller has been lights-out ever since joining the Atlanta Braves.
In his first nine outings for the NL East club, the righty has given up just 10 earned runs. That works out to a 1.50 ERA. As Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes, the unreal start for Miller has resulted in contenders already "eying him for potential trade." As Heyman points out, Miller still has two more seasons of club control and would subsequently bring back a monster haul.
Miami Marlins
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Dan Haren, SP
Sitting in last place in the NL East with an 18-28 record, the 2015 season hasn't gone to script for the Miami Marlins.
If the Fish don't pull out of this tailspin soon, the club's brass will have to consider moving a few of the pending free agents. One pitcher who fits that bill is Dan Haren. The righty starter has been rolling along in his first season in South Beach, logging a 3.09 ERA in nine outings for the Marlins.
New York Mets
Predicted Status: Buyer
The Chip: Steven Matz, SP
Suffice it to say that the offense has not been clicking for the New York Mets.
As a team, the NL East squad checks in with the third-worst OPS in baseball. If GM Sandy Alderson wants to bolster the flagging attack, the exec could dip into the organization's impressive pitching depth. Lefty Steven Matz would certainly draw the interest of any number of teams looking to improve their rotation.
In 2015, the 23-year-old has ripped off a 2.24 ERA and a 9.7 K/9 ratio while pitching for the Mets' Triple-A club, the Las Vegas 51s.
Philadelphia Phillies
Predicted Status: Seller
The Chip: Cole Hamels, SP
From Jonathan Papelbon to Ryan Howard to Carlos Ruiz to Ben Revere and Aaron Harang, there were plenty of options to pick from in the process of determining the Philadelphia Phillies' best trade pieces.
While any of those vets could help a contending club, none of them would have the same kind of impact that Cole Hamels could make. The lefty ace has been on fire as of late, serving up just five earned runs in his past four outings.