Only hours remain Monday before the 2016 MLB trade deadline passes, so general managers are working furiously behind the scenes to conclude their business.
A pair of deals came through Sunday, with the Cleveland Indians announcing they acquired Andrew Miller and the Seattle Mariners confirming they sent Wade Miley to the Baltimore Orioles.
The rumor mill should be busy as it keeps up with the latest buzz throughout the league leading up to 4 p.m. ET. Below are updates on some of the bigger stories in MLB ahead of the deadline.
Brewers, Rangers Working out Lucroy Trade
The Indians had everything in place to address one of their biggest issues ahead of the deadline. Then, Jonathan Lucroy exercised his no-trade clause and vetoed the deal that would’ve sent him to Cleveland, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and Curt Hogg.
Lucroy explained his decision:
When you’re dealing with life-altering decisions like this, there are lots of different factors that come into play. Mostly it’s family, and the other half of that is your future in this game, your career. There are a lot of things to take in, and whenever those things don’t line up, decisions have to be made that might be tough. That’s the way it’s got to be, because in my eyes, we have to look out for our best interests.
The All-Star catcher may have only delayed the inevitable. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick laid out the eight teams for whom Lucroy can use his no-trade clause: the Indians, Mariners, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals.
The Brewers are in discussions with a team not on the list—the Texas Rangers.
The Dallas Morning News‘ Evan Grant first reported Texas was talking with Milwaukee about a trade, and he added the Rangers are looking for a pitcher along with Lucroy.
The price to acquire Lucroy will be high. He has consistently been one of the best catchers in the league over the last few years, and he has a team-friendly $5.25 million club option for 2017, per Spotrac. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Jeff Wilson reported Joey Gallo could be going the other way in the trade.
Assuming the trade gets done and more players are involved, the Brewers would be coming out well with Gallo headlining their return. As Crasnick tweeted, the 22-year-old carries a lot of risk:
Gallo had an underwhelming stint in the majors after getting called up last year. He batted .204 with six home runs, 14 RBI and 57 strikeouts in 123 plate appearances. But there’s a reason MLB.com ranks Gallo the 15th-best prospect in baseball.
Trading for a player with 146 home runs in 453 minor league games would be a worthwhile gamble for Milwaukee.
Diamondbacks in No Hurry to Deal Miller
The Shelby Miller trade could go down as one of the worst in the last decade—and maybe beyond that. It doesn’t help that the Atlanta Braves have already moved Dansby Swanson up to their Double-A affiliate in just his first full professional season.
Perhaps it’s patience or stubbornness, but the Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t ready to cut bait from Miller just yet.
Robert Murray of Today’s Knuckleball reported the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins have looked into trading for the right-hander. Murray’s report came before the Marlins added Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea, so they’re likely out of the running.
“We’ve had a ton of (interest),” said Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. “My story to them is the same: We haven’t given up on the young man.”
Stewart’s comments could merely be posturing, as Piecoro added Arizona is open to moving Miller, but only if the price is right: “Stewart, though, says the club isn’t willing to part with him for pennies on the dollar. He said if he were to trade him, the key player coming back would have to be major league-ready. But, in the same breath, he acknowledges the challenge in finding a trade partner given the circumstances.”
At this point, the Diamondbacks might as well hold on to Miller. His value has never been lower, and Arizona only risks looking foolish later should his numbers start trending upward.
A move to the bullpen could help Miller become a reliable pitcher again. Wade Davis had a 5.32 ERA in his final year as a starter and was a lights-out reliever the next season. Zach Britton and Andrew Miller were similarly unimpressive as starting pitchers early in their careers and then became elite late-inning guys.
Turning Miller into an above-average relief pitcher may not help the Diamondbacks recoup the full cost of losing Swanson, Aaron Blair and Ender Inciarte, but it would undoubtedly represent an upgrade from where things currently stand.
Padres Looking to Move Norris
The Padres have little reason not to sell almost everything of value they have on the major league roster, and so far, general manager A.J. Preller has flipped a number of veterans for prospects. Derek Norris may be next on the list.
The San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Dennis Lin reported San Diego is making the 2014 All-Star available. FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman tweeted the Rangers, Brewers and Houston Astros are thought to be the main contenders.
Norris is a career .238 hitter, but all five of his MLB seasons have come in relatively spacious ballparks—Oakland Coliseum and Petco Park. His .193 average this year is somewhat concerning, though, and his slugging percentage has fallen from .404 in 2015 to .360.
The 27-year-old is under team control for two more years, per Spotrac, and San Diego’s asking price will be far lower than what the Brewers are demanding for Lucroy. Norris isn’t an optimal addition ahead of the deadline, but he could be a good replacement for Lucroy in Milwaukee or a solid fallback plan for Texas.
Rockies Holding on to Gonzalez, Blackmon
Despite being a game under .500 (52-53), the Colorado Rockies are confident they can make a playoff run. That would explain why the team doesn’t plan on cashing in its two biggest trade assets: Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon.
Heyman reported neither player is likely to be moved by the deadline.
It’s debatable whether the Rockies are genuinely a postseason threat. They’re nine games back in the National League West and five games back of a wild-card spot. Baseball Prospectus gives them just a 2.5 percent chance to make the playoffs.
Of course, that’s not to say Colorado should be a seller. Perhaps that would be the case if the team was looking at losing Gonzalez and/or Blackmon. Instead, Gonzalez is signed through next year, while Blackmon is under team control until 2019, per Spotrac.
With Gonzalez, there’s always the risk that he suffers an injury that decreases his trade value.
Still, the Rockies haven’t had a winning season since 2010 and haven’t reached the playoffs since 2009. Fans have had little to cheer about recently, so the team should do what it can to capitalize on its sudden window for success.
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