The MLB trade market has already been vibrant this offseason—even before many of the big names in free agency were taken off the market—but there continues to be plenty of buyers and sellers this winter.
Below, we’ll break down a few of the biggest rumors circulating throughout the baseball world.
New York Yankees Showing Interest in Jose Quintana
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the New York Yankees were eyeing Chicago White Sox ace Jose Quintana:
Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com, however, doesn’t feel a deal is likely:
Yankees GM Brian Cashman has repeatedly said he is pessimistic about adding another quality starter this winter. That, of course, won’t cool down the Hot Stove with the latest re-linking the Yankees to the White Sox Jose Quintana. Cashman touches base for nearly every available player; especially when it is need base. However, the White Sox want a boatload of prospects. The Yankees have been disinclined to trade any of them so, unless that changes, it seems unlikely Quintana will end up in the Bronx.
Quintana, 27, would certainly upgrade the team’s rotation. He went 13-12 in 2016 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 181 strikeouts in 208 innings pitched, which marked his fourth straight season with at least 200 innings pitched.
He’s also under contract for the next four years at $36.8 million, per Spotrac—with two club-option years at the end of the contract that includes a $1 million buyout—making him incredibly affordable. So the White Sox will likely need to be blown away by an offer to move Quintana.
Certainly, the Yankees could use an upgrade in a rotation that includes Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda and potentially Luis Severino, and the White Sox have proved to be sellers this offseason. But Chicago has no reason to move Quintana without getting several top prospects back in return, a price point the Yankees seem unlikely to meet.
New York Mets Still Seeking to Move an Outfielder
It’s no secret that the New York Mets have a bit of a logjam in the outfield, with Yoenis Cespedes, Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares. Cespedes has left field locked down, but the Mets still find themselves with too many corner outfielders who need to play.
As Mike Petriello of MLB.com noted, the Mets are trying to move one of them:
The Mets are trying to alleviate the outfield glut by trading one, likely Bruce, even though teams reportedly prefer Granderson. Assuming they successfully do move one, they’ve said they’d be willing to get by with some combination of Granderson, Conforto and Lagares in center. Bruce isn’t an option there, which is why they’d much rather move him than Granderson.
This has been one of the biggest storylines of the offseason for the Mets, though it likely won’t be resolved until some of the bigger names in free agency are signed and teams turn to the trade market to address their lineup issues.
Until then, the Mets play the waiting game.
Seattle Mariners in the Market for a Starting Pitcher
According to Bob Dutton of the News Tribune, the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays have had talks revolving around Tampa’s starting pitchers. Dutton reported that the Rays were making Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Drew Smyly available via trade, though he added that they were asking a “stiff price” for Archer and Odorizzi.
That left Smyly as the most realistic option for the Mariners, joining a slew of potential trade targets that includes Cincinnati’s Anthony DeSclafani, Boston’s Drew Pomeranz and the Los Angeles Dodgers pair of Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy, according to Dutton.
The team’s rotation remains a major area in need of some improvement heading into 2017, and in the deep American League West—the Texas Rangers will be contenders once again, while the Houston Astros have improved this offseason—the Mariners can’t afford to fall behind in the arms race.
At some point, the Mariners will swing a deal for a starting pitcher. It would seem they are casting a net in their search for the right fit.
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