The Five Best Players Available at the MLB Trade Deadline

Trade Madison Bumgarner MLB trade deadline

Every year, late-July brings a flurry of movement among teams at the MLB trade deadline. With added wild card spots and TV revenue through the roof, it feels like the league has a bigger divide than ever between contending teams and tanking teams, allowing the deadline to function nearly like a relegation system in soccer: a few smaller teams (Mariners, Royals, Reds) send their best players to the big boys (Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers) who in turn send their younger, less proven players back.

However, while this year looks like it will eventually be more of the same, so far the trade deadline has been – well – dead.

July 31 is the official trade deadline and as of this writing, very few trades have been made. So many teams are caught in that dangerous middle area, where they aren’t quite contending but they aren’t totally out of it either, making it hard for them to commit to either being buyers or sellers.

As such, the few teams that are selling have their asking price at sky-high levels, because they know the market is scarce at the moment.

The contending teams are content to wait and see if more teams decide to sell, which should saturate the market and allow some deals to get done.

So for now, we wait.

Should the market finally get going, here are the five players who could get dealt before the MLB trade deadline who will have the biggest impact for their new team down the stretch:

Madison Bumgarner, LHP, San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are on a nice 9-1 stretch right now, and at 52-50 they do have an outside chance at winning one of the two wildcard spots in the National League.

However, most experts predict they’ll sell at the trade deadline in order to help shore up their depleted farm system.

If they do that, longtime left-handed starter Madison Bumgarner could find himself pitching in a new uniform for the first time in his big league career.

Bumgarner, 29, is 5-7 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 9.09 K/9 on the season. He has been one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the entire league over the last decade and is known for his postseason heroics – a fact that will no doubt add to his price tag if the Giants make him available.

Marcus Stroman Five best players available

Marcus Stroman, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman appears on this list despite not being a free agent at the end of the season, a rarity in today’s “rental” era.

However, the Blue Jays have been known to be shopping the fiery 28-year-old, and it makes sense to deal him while he is pitching as well as he is.

Stroman is boasting a 3.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and a 7.11 K/9 despite a disappointing 6-10 record. Considering how bad he was in 2018 (5.54 ERA in 19 starts) the Blue Jays are likely trying to deal him now in case he struggles again next season and ends up worthless on the trade market.

As such, his value should be pretty high heading into late-July.

Matthew Boyd, LHP, Detroit Tigers

Boyd will be one of the most attractive arms on the market, not just because of how strong of a season he is having, but because he is under team control through 2023.

That also gives the Tigers less motivation to deal their star left-hander, which means any trade that does occur with Boyd will net them a very high-profile prospect, or two.

Boyd is currently 6-8 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. His 12.00 K/9 is absolutely elite, and his 3.24 SIERA and 3.57 FIP indicate he is pitching much better than his 4.07 ERA shows. That’s because Detroit’s defense is awful.

A move to a better offensive and defensive team would make Boyd an absolute star in the second half, and would net the Tigers a ton of young players to build around in the future.

MLB trade deadline

Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Detroit Tigers

The second Tigers player to crack this list, right fielder Nicholas Castellanos is a fairly obvious MLB trade deadline candidate after repeated efforts to sign him to an extension have fallen flat.

The 27-year-old outfielder is having a nice season, slashing .285/.342/.483 with 11 home runs and two stolen bases. He’s walking at a 7.5% rate and striking out at a 21.2% rate, both the best marks of his career.

While his outfield defense still leaves plenty to be desired, Castellanos is arguably the best rental bat available on the market. He’d be a great fit for an AL team who needs someone to serve as a DH and platoon outfielder and could go to an NL team as well – although his defense will likely give NL teams hesitation in dealing for him.

Expect the Tigers to be aggressive in pursuing top of the line prospects in return for Castellanos, although they’ll need to move him or else risk losing him for next to nothing – so at the end of the day they’ll end up taking whatever the market dictates.

Will Smith, LHP, San Francisco Giants

As stated above, Smith is only going to be available if San Francisco decides to cash it in – which is becoming less likely with their recent run of success.

However, if they do, the fresh prince would be one of the hottest commodities on the trade market. I mean, what’s not to love? Smith is a dominant left-handed closer, in his prime, and is on a very affordable one-year contract.

Teams would be able to plug him into their late-inning situation right away, would only have to pay him about $2 million dollars, and could let him walk in free agency after he helps them lock up a potential playoff victory.

Players like this historically have commanded ridiculous amounts of prospects, including the Andrew Miller trade (Justus Sheffield and Clint Frazier went from the Indians to the Yankees) and the Aroldis Chapman trade (Gleyber Torres to the Yankees from the Cubs).

Smith is going to command a big pot of prospects from whichever team can convince San Francisco to pack it in and deal away their two star left-handers.

The movement at the MLB trade deadline may turn a contender into a World Series champion.

Boston Red Sox must win the World Series or this season is a failure!

Red Sox must win it all!

EVERYTHING IS PERFECT RIGHT?

2018 AL East Champions. Celebrating on Yankees field. If you are a Red Sox fan like me, this season has been a pure joy to watch! 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams was knocking balls around in the forties. This team has a little bit of everything, speed, power, good pitching. What will happen when the New York Yankees roll into Fenway this Friday night? All of Red Sox nation will be biting their nails in anticipation. Does it get any better than this?

Alex Cora should be favored to be the manager of the year for sure (Kevin Cash a close 2nd in Tampa followed by Bob Melvin in Oakland), who has made a significant impact on what is happening right now. The offense is aggressive, which he demanded from his players whom he called passive in plate approach last year. He has had the Midas touch calling upon the right players at the right time. Most importantly, the players like him, unlike John Farrell and it shows.

MVP!

JD Martinez (43 HR’s 130 RBI’s 330 AVG.) has more than earned his big free agent salary.  He is battling his teammate, Mookie Betts (32 HR’s 80 RBI’s 30 SB .346 AVG.) for the coveted MVP title and had an outside shot at winning the triple crown for most of the year.  Mookie is the better all-around player (first player since Jacoby Ellsbury to get 30 Home Runs and 30 Stolen Bases), but JD has added that middle of the line-up bat that has made everybody better. The only significant difference from last year to this year has been his offensive production, hence why I lean towards giving him the MVP.

HISTORICAL

It’s been a historically fantastic year for the Boston Red Sox. They broke the team record for wins with 108.  The last team to get close to that won 105 games when some guy by the name of Babe Ruth was on the club back in 1912. That’s a long time ago.  They are AL East Champions for a third straight year which is very impressive. All that means nothing if they don’t win it all.

Ask the 2001 Seattle Mariners, who won an astounding 116 games with Edgar Martinez, Bret Boone, and Ichiro Suzuki how they felt when they got beat by the Yankees in the playoffs. You forget about what that team accomplished. Let’s make this clear; the Houston Astros remain the team to beat as the playoffs begin. They are experienced, loaded, full of front-line starters like Justin Verlander, but if the Red Sox don’t win this year breaking all these vaunted team records, the season will be considered a major disappointment.

QUESTION MARKS?

David Price (16-7 3.58 ERA) is the key figure and needs to pitch the way he has in the 2nd half of the season come Saturday night.  His only kryptonite recently has been the Yankees. The playoffs have been a nightmare for him and he desperately needs a dominant post-season win.

Chris Sale must show that he is healthy.  He didn’t finish up the year strong so a lot of answers will come tomorrow night. Will his control and nasty slider be back or is the velocity dip going to rear its ugly head. Just don’t ask him about his success vs the Yankees this year (2-0 0.69 ERA with 19 strikeouts).  He looks mad and ready to go which is a good sign but his shoulder is the biggest story going into game one.

Rick Porcello (17-7 4.28 ERA)  has to find some October success or all this is for not. The talent is there and he had an amazing start versus the Yankees in early August, throwing a one-hitter. His issues against New York has come at Yankees Stadium. Porcello is currently penciled in to be the game three starter. The results in the playoffs for those three pitchers have not been. As good as the vibe that Red Sox Nation is feeling, it’s all about finishing for a team who has struggled in the playoffs lately.  Pitching will be key.

THE GOAL & PRESSURE!

This team has given its fans many an incredible moment, like in Atlanta a few weeks back, down 7-1 in the 8th inning coming from behind capped by a Brandon Phillips Home Run.  Every night it seemed like a new hero would pop up like Blake Swihart, Jackie Bradley Jr. or Mitch Moreland.  All those memories will be for not without an appearance in the Fall Classic.

With the biggest payroll, a stacked line-up, power, and speed, it’s the starting pitching that will determine the result. People are also very concerned with the bullpen, which has been for the most part strong all year. Joe Kelly has lost it (4-2 4.39 ERA). Matt Barnes, Has had some rough stretches due to a recent injury. Heath Hembree has given up the long ball a lot lately.

The key to the Bullpen success was little known, Ryan Brasier (2-0 1.60 ERA 0.77 WHIP) who has been the find of the year. He has been a solid bridge to Kimbrel. Craig Kimbrel is one of the best closers in all of baseball. He posted solid numbers, (5-1 42 Saves 2.74 ERA) and can be unhittable.

Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez will add serious velocity to the pen.  Whoever does not get the 4th starters job in the postseason will be that guy, and Steven Wright will add his nasty knuckleball to give the Red Sox depth and variety in the bullpen. It’s the big three starters Sale, Price, and Porcello (2-13 with an ERA over 5 in the post-season) who carry the burden of this teams success.

108 wins is a fantastic accomplishment, the regular season was a blast to watch but it is the 11 wins that come this October that will determine this team’s success and place in history. Evoke the spirits of Curt Schilling, David Roberts, Big Papi, Manny, Dustin Pedroia and figure out how to succeed in the playoffs. Since 2013, Boston is 1-6. If the BoSox don’t win it all, then the year will feel empty and considered a failure.