Kuzul

Slowly but surely, MLB trade rumors are swirling faster by the day.

The deadline is now just over a month away. The rumors mill began quiet, but noise will continue to pick up as teams’ desperation rises for one last piece of their championship-push puzzles.

Here’s the latest trade buzz from around the league.

LHP David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

The talent that has Tampa Bay at the bottom of the AL East has hurt some of Price’s numbers this season. But it hasn’t stopped him from leading the MLB in strikeouts with 133 in 16 starts.

He’s the biggest name on the trade block by far.

According to ESPN’s Jason Stark, the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves are the favorites to acquire Price. Stark also reported that the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are impossibilities because they play within the Rays’ division.

This is after ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription needed) reported last week a high-ranked executive told him, “It’s inevitable that [Price] will wind up with the Dodgers, isn’t it?”

And then there’s this from Friday night:

The Rays need to trade him. They can’t be left empty-handed after his contract expires after next season. Trading Price for the right price can greatly quicken their rebuilding process.

OF Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

Speaking of the Dodgers, they aren’t looking up at everyone in their division like Tampa Bay, but one of their biggest names could also be on the move. Kemp is third on the team in batting average and fourth in home runs and RBIs.

However, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported not his bat but a “tempestuous” relationship with superiors could have him on a plane out of Los Angeles.

Rosenthal did clarify that’s he’ll most likely be dealt in the offseason. But considering how aggressively the Dodgers are expected to work the phone at this year’s deadline, if Kemp’s name comes up, he seems far from untouchable.

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller doesn’t think they should wait until the offseason to trade him, claiming, in fact, that moving Kemp could save their season as they sit four games behind the Giants at 40-34.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) also reported earlier this week that another Los Angeles outfielder has started to draw interest, Scott Van Slyke.

New York Yankees

The New York Post’s Ken Davidoff reported that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman plans on buying at the deadline.

For who is the question. If not Price, rumors suggest they’ll exclusively pursue starting pitching. Bowden (subscription required) reported that New York will indeed acquire a starter this season, and Gary Sanchez will likely what it deals in return.

John Ryan Murphy is another Yankee who could be traded, if they share the interest of the teams calling according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. 

In 63 at-bats for them this season, Murphy hit .286.

David Daniels is a columnist at Bleacher Report. He tweets, too.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels

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The official non-waiver trade deadline may be July 31, but trade season really kicks into gear once the calendar turns over to July and often stretches well into August, with guys like Jake Peavy and Alex Rios being dealt through waivers last year.

There has already been no shortage of speculation as to who could be on the move this summer, but that second wild-card spot in each league could complicate things once again this year, as more teams will stand pat or be buyers in hopes of making a second-half run.

There are already a handful of teams that are clear sellers, and those are the teams whose trade chips look like more of a sure thing to be dealt.

So here is a look at the seven impact players guaranteed to be dealt during the 2014 MLB trade window, whether it is prior to the July 31 deadline or through waivers shortly thereafter.

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Despite a 32-38 record, the Boston Red Sox are still only 5.5 games back of a playoff spot in the American League.  Barring a complete collapse, the Red Sox figure to be buyers when the July 31 MLB trade deadline arrives.  With that in mind, what are Boston’s greatest needs going forward, as they look to stay alive in the postseason race?

In their past three games, the Red Sox have scored a total of just five runs.  They dropped a pair of 3-2 decisions to the Cleveland Indians over the weekend and held on for a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on Monday.

In fact, two of Boston’s last four victories are of the 1-0 variety.  The Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles by that margin on June 10—the only run Boston could manage in the three-game series in Baltimore.

Simply put, the 2014 edition of the Red Sox is struggling to get runners across home plate.

Collectively, Boston is hitting only .246 on the season, and that drops even lower to .240 with runners in scoring position.  Last year the Red Sox led all of baseball by averaging 5.27 runs per game.  This season that number has fallen off dramatically to 3.91.  Fifteen of the club’s 38 losses are by just a single run.  If the Red Sox had won roughly half of those 15 contests they’d be near the top of the AL East. 

Clearly Boston needs offensive help, but what about pitching?

Jon Lester and John Lackey are a solid one-two punch, posting ERAs of 3.33 and 3.24 respectively.  And with Clay Buchholz and Felix Doubront on the disabled list, Brandon Workman and Rubby De La Rosa have filled in admirably.  Workman is 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in five starts, while De La Rosa is 2-2 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in four outings of his own.

At the moment Jake Peavy is the weak link in the Red Sox rotation.  Peavy has an ERA of 4.53 and a career-worst 1.44 WHIP to go along with just a single win in 14 starts.

Even with Peavy’s struggles, starting pitching should not be an area of concern for Boston.  Buchholz and Doubront are close to returning, and top prospects Allen Webster and Anthony Ranaudo are both throwing very well for Triple-A Pawtucket.

In the bullpen, Koji Uehara is following up a spectacular 2013 with another great year in 2014.  Uehara has converted all 15 of his save opportunities, and has a minuscule 0.57 ERA to go along with his equally impressive 0.66 WHIP.  The Red Sox closer has not been scored upon in his last 20 appearances (21 innings in total), dating back to May 1.  Similarly, Burke Badenhop hasn’t given up an earned run since April 18, a streak of 29 consecutive innings.

Relief pitching is also not an issue Boston must worry about.

If pitching isn’t the problem, what can be done to fix the Red Sox’s lackluster offense?  

Boston began the year with five outfielders on its roster: Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Grady Sizemore.  Those five players are batting a combined .219 (161-for-734).  Victorino leads the bunch at .242, and he should come back soon from a hamstring injury, which he is currently rehabbing in Pawtucket.

Brock Holt has recently added some life to the outfield, hitting .400 in 25 at-bats since moving there.  Via Scott Barboza of ESPN Boston, Red Sox manager John Farrell had this to say about shifting Holt from the infield:

The need drove it, to be honest. As a guy returned we found where the opening was and stuck him there and he’s continued on, whether it’s been first base when Mike Carp broke his foot to [Mike Napoli] coming back — stick him in left. And then put him in right. It’s a pretty good showing on his part.

Victorino’s return and Holt’s hot streak shouldn’t stop Boston from trying to add a quality bat in the outfield.  Not necessarily a star, but a solid player who could hit sixth and drive in some runs behind David Ortiz and Napoli.  For the season, Red Sox No. 6 hitters are batting just .217, a full 40 points less than their opponents’ .257 average from the same spot in the order.

If any potentially incoming outfielder also possesses good speed and power, he might help Boston’s plight immensely.  The Red Sox have stolen only 24 bases this year, the third-lowest total in MLB.  Their 63 percent success rate (24-of-38) also ranks third from the bottom.

Along the same lines, Boston has a total of just 50 home runs this season—only four other clubs have fewer.

Of course all of this could change in the next six weeks.  Nava is 11 for his last 26, raising his batting average 70 points from .134 to .204.  If he keeps hitting like the guy who finished fifth in the AL in on-base percentage last year (.385), the team’s outfield woes might be solved.

Last week on WEEI’s The Dennis and Callahan Show, Red Sox president Larry Lucchino was asked about potential trade deadline activity.  His response was:

Every year is different. Every year is a different configuration of teams ahead of you or behind you, so there’s no formula. But there is a realistic assessment made, but it’s not made at this point when there’s 96 games [left] in the season, it’s made generally much later. In our case, it’s almost always made in late July, not in early June.

Statistics courtesy of RedSox.com 

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Life clings to the Boston Red Sox like a disease.

At 30-36 and eight games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays, they are unlikely to make the playoffs this season. Yet they keep winning just often enough to keep them on the periphery of relevancy at 4.5 games back of a wild-card spot, and this is a team with enough natural talent to make a run.

That puts general manager Ben Cherington and the rest of the front office in a precarious situation, as they must decide within the next few weeks whether the Sox should become buyers or sellers as the trade deadline nears. Either way, standing pat is an unappealing option. This team isn’t good enough to win it all as currently constructed, but the Sox shouldn‘t just sit on their valuable trade chips if they decide to regroup for 2015, either.

On Wednesday, I took a look at three players the Red Sox could look to acquire in a trade to attempt to bolster their outfield for a playoff run. Today, I’ll assume Boston goes in the opposite direction and discuss four players it would be wise to sell.

Jonny Gomes, OF

Gomes is a popular figure in Red Sox Nation and is routinely lauded for his intangibles, so trading him may strike a nerve with a portion of the fanbase. But pretty much every move strikes a nerve with some portion of the fanbase, and shedding Gomes would make a ton of sense if the Red Sox decide that they need to rebuild.

Gomes has had his fair share of timely hits for Boston, but he was worth just 1.0 fWAR last season, according to FanGraphs, and has generated just 0.1 fWAR in 2014. He really shouldn’t be allowed to face right-handed pitching (.167/.244/.292 in 2014) and he’s a free agent after the season, meaning Boston loses no long-term value by dealing him.

The best argument to be made against dealing Gomes is that the return he’d bring is so marginal, there’s no real point to shipping him off if it will hurt your clubhouse. But I’d argue that even if Boston just receives cash considerations, a relief-pitcher reclamation project or a D-level prospect, trading Gomes is a good idea because it will open up at-bats for other, more important long-term players.

If the Sox are out of it, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Daniel Nava should play pretty much every day so that the Red Sox can better assess what to expect from those two moving forward. Brock Holt also deserves regular playing time, and the Sox might even want to let top prospect Mookie Betts get his feet wet by season’s end.

It’s easier to find playing time for these guys if Gomes is off the roster.

A.J. Pierzynski, C

Whereas I expect the notion of trading Gomes to be unpopular, I have a feeling no one would take issue with dealing Pierzynski, who’s yet to endear himself to any fanbase in the country. Despite his quirks and reputation, Pierzynski is having a good season at the plate, hitting .279/.308/.400 with four homers and 27 RBI.

We all know about Pierzynski’s defensive limitations, but there’s never enough catching to go around the majors, and he’d be quite likely to catch the eye of a contender who needs help behind the plate. Pierzynski was always designed to be a stopgap option for the Red Sox anyway, and I don’t expect them to re-sign him for 2015 or beyond.

As is the case with Gomes, the return the Red Sox would receive for Pierzynski would likely be quite modest. I can see it being a touch better than what they’d get for the outfielder, but we’re still talking about a low-level prospect or someone who’s flunked their first few tests in the majors. Thirty-seven-year-old catchers just don’t have a ton of value.

But like with Gomes, Pierzynski leaving would open up playing time for other players, and in this case I’m referring specifically to Christian Vazquez. A defensive whiz who’s holding his own in Triple-A, getting Vazquez 200-plus MLB plate appearances this season would be a great idea, as the Sox could opt to use Vazquez as their primary backup next season if they like what they see.

On that note, it would also make sense for Boston to trade David Ross instead of Pierzynski, but I’m not sure who would want the 37-year-old Ross at this point.

Jake Peavy, SP

A season ago, the Red Sox made the biggest move of any team at the trading deadline by trading Jose Iglesias and two lower-level prospects for Peavy in a three-team deal involving the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, bolstering their rotation for a playoff run. As we know now, it was a trade that paid huge dividends, as Peavy helped to further stabilize a pitching staff that would ultimately lead the Sox to a championship.

If Boston decides it can’t recover in 2014, it would make sense to let Peavy be someone else’s big prize at the deadline this year. Peavy is a free agent after the season, and the Red Sox have a glut of pitching talent in the high minors. A reunion appears unlikely, so Boston would be smart to get some value for Peavy while it still can.

Make no mistake about it—the package the Sox would receive for Peavy this time around wouldn’t come close to matching the talent they gave up a year ago. Peavy now only has three months of control left on his deal, and he’s been serviceable but not outstanding this season. I’d expect a C-level prospect, a reliever or a utility player as a fair return.

But if Peavy’s absence means that Brandon Workman, Rubby De La Rosa or even Henry Owens is afforded more MLB time this season, that’s for the best. You can never have too much pitching, but the Sox could bolster their ranks with a cheaper alternative next season or could simply hand the reins to one of their many young arms.

Getting what they can for Peavy now makes all the sense in the world if the Sox decide to throw in the towel.

Koji Uehara, RP

I know, I know, this would be an incredibly painful deal for Red Sox nation. Uehara has been historically good since joining the Sox last season, throwing 102 innings, allowing a 0.97 ERA and posting a K/BB ratio of more than 10-to-1 during that time. He’s the best relief pitcher in the AL, and he’s a fan favorite.

But even mediocre closers tend to fetch handsome rewards on the trade market, and there’s a chance that someone could cough up an excellent prospect even for just a half-season of Uehara. I’m all for trying to extend him for next season, but if that doesn’t happen, trading him is a great way to recoup excess value for Cherington‘s shrewdest acquisition to date.

For all his talent, Uehara is a 39-year-old free agent-to-be with a history of shoulder issues. The Red Sox should absolutely look to bring him back to close in 2015, even if he spends July, August and September with another organization, but they’d be silly to hold on to him if they’re out of the race.

Trading away Uehara would be a painful reminder of how badly this season has gone awry. But if the Sox do indeed decide to sell, though, letting him throw another 30-plus innings in Boston is a waste of an insanely valuable asset.

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The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline may seem like it’s still a ways off, but considering the trade market really starts to heat up when the calendar turns over to July, we’re just a couple of weeks from the rumor mill kicking into full swing.

There is still some work to be done as far as teams establishing themselves as buyers or sellers, with a number of clubs hovering around the .500 mark, but a fairly decent picture can already be painted of what teams will be looking to do in July.

The following article breaks down all 30 MLB teams’ 2014 trade-market priorities, and you will see the following four terms used when referring to potential moves:

• Trade: A player almost certain to be moved, due to an expiring contract or his status on a rebuilding team.

• Shop: A player that could be on the move, if the price is right.

• Add: A clear area of need for the team, and one that it will almost certainly address at the deadline.

• Explore: A potential area of need for the team, and one worth at least exploring other options for at the deadline.

So here in the middle of June, this is a preliminary look at what all 30 teams could be looking to do between now and the end of July.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted, and all injury information via MLBDepthCharts team pages.

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The 2014 MLB trade deadline is still two months away, but it’s never too early to get the rumor mill churning. There is still a lot of baseball to be played, as most teams have not yet established themselves as buyers or sellers. But we can already start to paint a picture of who will be available at the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

Upcoming free agents playing for noncontenders are obviously the most likely candidates to find themselves on the block. We’ll also turn our attention to the farm systems of clubs that look like clear-cut contenders here in May.

This is obviously subject to change in the weeks and months ahead, but here is a preliminary look at which player each team’s top chip could be when trade season rolls around.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted. All injury information courtesy of MLBDepthCharts team pages.

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It will still be another month and a half before the MLB trade market kicks into full gear, but it’s never too soon to start speculating as to who could be on the move this July.

What follows is my take on the 10 best players likely to find themselves on the trade market and perhaps on the move to new teams at some point in the season ahead.

This list will no doubt change in the weeks ahead, as teams become more clearly defined as buyers and sellers heading into the second half, but for now there is reason to think the following 10 guys could trade bait.

The players are ranked on the potential impact they could have on a contender’s playoff chances down the stretch, with what the player is likely to cost not taken into account as far as their ranking is concerned.

As for exclusions from the list, Giancarlo Stanton has been a popular subject of trade rumors the past few years, and will likely see his name come up once again. However, with the Marlins taking a big step forward this year and Stanton in the midst of a monster season, my guess is he’s not going anywhere. The same goes for his teammate, closer Steve Cishek.

Another name that will likely come up often and could have potentially been included here is San Diego Padres closer Huston Street. However, with a very reasonable $7 million option for next year I think the team holds onto him, at least until next year.

The Toronto Blue Jays are another team that could have some interesting trade chips if the fall out of it, including left-hander Mark Buehrle and left fielder Melky Cabrera, but as things stand now they look to have a chance to contend.

So with that out of the way, here is an early look at who could be on the move this coming season.

*All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

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As of Tuesday afternoon, the Miami Marlins have a 20-18 record, good for third place in the National League East. However, they could be losing one of their biggest stars.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Dr. Neal ElAttrache diagnosed Miami ace Jose Fernandez with a “significant tear” of his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and recommended him for surgery. Fernandez was placed on the disabled list Monday with a right elbow injury and has undergone two MRIs in the past 24 hours.

Regardless of whether Fernandez has the surgery done or not, chances are he’ll be out for most, if not all of 2014. Despite losing the leader of their rotation, the Marlins still shouldn’t punt on this season.

It’s an understatement to say that the Marlins aren’t World Series favorites this year, or even a likely pick to make the playoffs. That being said, they’ve managed to post a .526 winning percentage over a 38-game span, proving that this roster has the pieces to get it done. So, when the trade deadline rolls around, Miami should be inclined to hold onto its veterans.

Of course, if quality big league-ready prospects are being offered in deals for Garrett Jones or Casey McGehee, Dan Jennings and company shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. That will only strengthen an already-solid core of young talent going into 2015.

But if the Marlins are looking at marginal returns or prospects that are still multiple years from the big leagues in exchange for their expiring contracts, keeping those players around as a veteran presence might prove more valuable for the Marlins. Allowing young players like Yelich, Ozuna, etc. to experience a winning atmosphere will prove valuable when the team is ready to be a contender in 2015.

In addition to hanging on to McGehee, Jones, etc., the Marlins should actually consider being a buyer come the July trade deadline. While expiring contracts like Jason Hammel and Chase Headley won’t do anything for Miami, players under contract beyond 2014 (David Price, Jeff Samardzija, etc.) would be worth pursuing in an effort to build for the 2015 season.

While Price might be a reach (though not unattainable if Jennings were motivated), Samardzija could certainly be an option. With a farm system deep in pitching, the Marlins could afford to send young arms Justin Nicolino and Trevor Williams to Chicago along with outfielder Jake Marisnick and catcher Austin Barnes to make a very formidable package.

With Stanton, Ozuna and Yelich already manning all three outfield spots, Marisnick is expendable, while Miami has enough pitching (Fernandez, Eovaldi, newly-acquired Samardzija, Alvarez, Heaney, Conley, etc.) to part with Nicolino and Williams.

Again, it’s fair to say that the Marlins probably won’t be doing any serious damage this season, but they have an opportunity to position themselves for a very successful 2015 if they do things right. By adding some quality veterans to their talented young core and establishing a competitive atmosphere in the club house, they just might be able to challenge the Braves and Nationals for the division crown next season.

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Baseball’s rumor mill is just beginning to spin as we enter the second month of the 2014 season, and with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline only a blip on the horizon at the moment, more rumors will sprout up with each passing day.

Over the next 12 weeks, injuries to key contributors, prospects bursting onto the scene and teams near the bottom of the standings all but throwing in the towel will dictate which squads truly are buyers and sellers—but it’s never too early to take a look at which role each team projects to occupy.

We’ll take a look at what the rumor mill has told us thus far, some obvious (and not so obvious) team needs and how potential free agents could figure into the mix as we get closer to the most exciting time of the year for a baseball fan—the heart of trade season.

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