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Still months away from pitchers and catchers reporting, the MLB rumors surrounding some of the biggest trade targets are hotter than ever.

The hot stove has been set ablaze with rumors swirling about both Cole Hamels and Troy Tulowitzki. Even recent acquisitions by teams might be up for discussion with the San Diego Padres looking to deal one of their biggest assets.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves might actually be keeping one of their most coveted players heading into the season. Prior to the start of the new year, here’s a look at the latest rumors surrounding the MLB.

Cole Hamels

This offseason, the hotbed for trade rumors has been in San Diego. The Padres have been dealing for several huge bats, but they might now be looking to acquire a true ace for their rotation.

San Diego’s latest inquiry has reportedly been on Hamels, who is coming off a career year with the Philadelphia Phillies. Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News passes along the latest on Hamels: 

“The Padres have had discussions about trading for the lefthanded ace, who happens to be a San Diego native,” Lawrence writes. “With newly acquired outfielder Wil Myers as potential bait, according to a baseball source.”

Hamels, 30, posted a career-low 2.46 ERA last season with 198 strikeouts and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting, per Baseball-Reference. Even on a team that finished 16 games under .500, Hamels was sensational on the rubber.

He might also be a great fit for San Diego due to his contract, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

While the Padres have made great strides with the additions of outfielders Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, they still need to upgrade the rotation. In a division that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants—each of which have true aces—Hamels would immediately add that presence for San Diego.

Even if it gives up Wil Myers, the return in Hamels seems worth it. This is a deal the Padres need to make to not only compete in the NL West but also in the postseason.

Troy Tulowitzki

Unlike the Padres and the Phillies, the Colorado Rockies have been mostly reluctant to deal their biggest names.

In Colorado, Tulowitzki remains the best potential trade target for any team looking for a power bat. Now, the Rockies are talking about a move involving Tulo with a familiar team, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports:

The Mets and Rockies have been quietly discussing a potential Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster for weeks, though it isn’t known yet whether New York will have a decent chance to complete such a deal.

Prized Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard is said to be the centerpiece of discussions revolving around a potential package of young players in a possible deal for Tulo, though it seems like there is still quite a ways to go to have a chance to complete such a monster trade.

In the early portion of last season, Tulowitzki looked like a MVP candidate for Colorado. Through 91 games, the 30-year-old finished with a .340/.432/.603 slash line and 21 home runs, but injuries cut his season short.

The New York Mets have already signed Michael Cuddyer and could be looking to pair him with a familiar face at shortstop; however, injury concerns for Tulo should eventually outweigh the Mets’ need to acquire his offense in their lineup.

Evan Gattis

This offseason has been similar to a fire sale for in Atlanta. Already dealing away the likes of Jason Heyward and the aforementioned Upton, the Braves might actually be keeping one of their best young remaining bats.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post offered the latest rumor about Evan Gattis:

Given the way the offseason has gone for Atlanta, moving Gattis might seem like a good idea to continue the rebuild; however, he is just 28 years old and hit 22 home runs last year while improving his batting average, OBP and slugging percentage.

Having Nick Markakis in right field and Gattis in left, Atlanta would still have a supply of power in the lineup. If Christian Bethancourt can grab the reins behind the plate, this might be a young team that can still compete—even in a rebuilding year.

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It didn’t take long for the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ new front office to leave its mark on the city and franchise this offseason.

In a span of 24 hours during the recent winter meetings, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi orchestrated deals that saw the Dodgers plug a hole at shortstop, replace their All-Star second baseman and dump a former franchise cornerstone seemingly without a moment’s hesitation.

When the dust settled, it appeared Los Angeles had improved its roster in a variety of ways—albeit perhaps more subtly than usual. And if last week’s flurry was any indication, the new conductors of this Dodgers train surely have more up their sleeve between now and the start of spring training.

Advanced Metrics

The hiring of Friedman and Zaidi shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated early in October signaled a cultural shift within the organization.

Both staunch believers in the concept of advanced metrics, Friedman and Zaidi cultivated the practice in the small markets of Tampa Bay and Oakland, respectively, where a lack of financial flexibility called for shrewd, cost-effective baseball decisions.

In fact, Zaidi spent time working directly under Athletics general manager Billy Beane, who gained national recognition through Michael Lewis’ 2003 book, Moneyball, and the 2011 film of the same name.

When analyzing the metrics of the Dodgers roster they inherited from former general manager Ned Colletti, Friedman and Zaidi probably noticed that the defense could use some work. After all, there was a gaping hole at shortstop. Los Angeles chose not to re-sign Hanley Ramirez primarily because of his defensive shortcomings.

A common barometer used to value a player’s defense is a metric called defensive runs saved (DRS). Zero is considered average, 10 is great and minus-10 is poor. According to Fangraphs, Ramirez ranked 29th among all shortstops who played at least 500 innings at the position last season with minus-nine DRS.

When Ramirez commanded a contract that the Dodgers probably deemed too expensive given his age and declining defense, Friedman and Zaidi opted to go in a different direction. Rather than completely sacrifice offense by rolling the dice on a sure-handed, yet unproven, in-house option like Erisbel Arruebarrena, the Dodgers acquired Jimmy Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies, per ESPN’s Buster Olney. 

Last season, Rollins ranked 10th in DRS among shortstops with at least 500 innings under their belt, per Fangraphs. He also produced a higher on-base percentage, four more home runs and 14 more stolen bases than Ramirez.

For a moment, it looked like Rollins and second baseman Dee Gordon were going to constitute the 2015 double-play combination for the Dodgers. But Los Angeles then traded their all-star infielder to the Miami Marlins in exchange for four prospects, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

The major haul for the Dodgers in the deal was Andrew Heaney, MLB.com’s top-ranked pitching prospect in all of baseball heading into 2014. Heaney didn’t stick around very long, though, as Los Angeles quickly flipped the southpaw across town in exchange for the Angels veteran second baseman Howie Kendrick.

Yes, the Dodgers gave up a dynamic game-changer in the speedy Gordon. But upon closer inspection, Kendrick’s .347 on-base percentage trumped Gordon’s in 2014. As the old saying goes, “You can’t steal first base.”

Moreover, Kendrick’s DRS ranked seventh among all second basemen with at least 500 innings played last season, per Fangraphs. Gordon’s minus-five DRS ranked 25th.

Saving Money

Although Friedman and Zaidi now have more money to work with than they ever could have dreamed of in Tampa and Oakland, the pair remains committed to their cost-effective approach to improving the team.

Financial flexibility was lacking within the Dodgers organization last season. Former general manager Ned Colletti shoulders some of the blame for that reality, as does the Guggenheim Baseball Management ownership group that gave Colletti permission to dole out massive player contracts in order to re-establish the Dodgers’ brand following the tumultuous Frank McCourt era.

Los Angeles’ Opening Day payroll in 2014 came out to $229.3 million, the highest in the majors.

Regarding the 30-year-old Ramirez, the Dodgers were simply not willing to give him anything close to the $88 million over four years that he received from the Boston Red Sox last month.

The Dodgers’ top prospect, Corey Seager, plays shortstop but by all accounts, will not be ready for full-time MLB service until 2016. That’s why Los Angeles nabbed Rollins, a player whose contract comes off the books following the 2015 season but someone who should make for a quality stopgap next year.

One of the loftiest contracts that Colletti handed out was the eight-year, $160-million commitment to Matt Kemp. Not only did the outfielder miss most of 2012 and 2013 due to various injuries, those same injuries had seemingly sapped Kemp of his defensive capability. According to Fangraphs, Kemp registered a minus-23 in DRS, the worst among qualifying MLB outfielders in 2014.

Kemp’s hefty contract and poor defensive metrics contradicted two of the central ideals that Friedman and Zaidi champion.

It’s why Kemp was a prime piece to be moved in a trade, and that’s exactly what the Dodgers did when they sent him to the San Diego Padres in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and pitching prospect Zach Eflin, per Kirk Kenney and Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

It also helped that Kemp’s value was higher than it had been in three years because of his resurgent second half at the plate in 2014.

Los Angeles agreed to eat $32 million of the $107 million remaining on Kemp’s contract, thereby immediately freeing up $75 million while reducing the well-documented outfield logjam at Dodger Stadium.

For good measure, the Dodgers recently agreed to deals with starting pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and ESPN’s Buster Olney. The common denominator between McCarthy and Anderson—besides being Twitter-savvy—is that they are both former Athletics and thus catch the eye of Zaidi.

While it can be argued that McCarthy’s four-year $48-million contract is excessive for a pitcher with a career 4.09 ERA, Friedman and Zaidi may be looking a little deeper. Sure, McCarthy’s most recent work was a stellar second half of 2014 with the Yankees. Even that might be an anomaly, though. Historically, McCarthy has struggled in hitter-friendly parks like Yankee Stadium.

But what about spacious parks like Dodger Stadium?

A reasonable comparison is O.co Coliseum, home of the A’s. McCarthy’s ERA during his two seasons with Oakland was lower than it has been with any other team throughout his nine-year career. As a No. 4 starter in Los Angeles, there will also be less pressure on McCarthy. Plus he will be working with one of the game’s best pitching coaches in Rick Honeycutt.

Anderson’s $10 million deal is incentive-laden due to his extensive injury history. But Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register points out an interesting piece of information that gives this signing the potential to be another cost-saving steal for the Dodgers in today’s high-stakes pitching market:

Although there is major injury risk associated with Anderson, Los Angeles appears confident the can provide better upside than Dan Haren, who was shipped to Miami in the Gordon deal.

What’s Next?

Whenever a team pulls off six transactions involving 17 players in a matter of two days, it’s probably a good bet that more moves are on the way.

The Dodgers certainly addressed some issues—filling out the back end of the starting rotation, finding a replacement at shortstop and replenishing the farm system—but what’s to say these recent acquisitions will even make it to spring training wearing Dodger blue?

Just ask Andrew Heaney or Stan Kasten.

The Dodgers president recently shared similar sentiments with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:

I’ve always said to my GMs, the roster you have in December or January is not the roster you’ll need or want or have in August or September or October. They’re always going to be needs that arise, holes that have to be filled, adjustments or improvements that you need to make. So whatever you do, don’t ever think you’re finished.

One option that has been dangled around the league and whose name always seems linked to the Dodgers is Cole Hamels. The veteran Phillies southpaw will turn 31 later this month and is owed $94 million over the next four years.

With statistically comparable pitchers Max Scherzer and James Shields set to rake in contracts north of $100 million, Friedman and Zaidi might view Hamels as a bargain, and they’ve clearly shown how much they like a good bargain.

The additions of McCarthy and Anderson would seemingly take Los Angeles out of the Hamels sweepstakes, but if the Dodgers are willing to dump a resurgent fan favorite in Kemp, there’s no telling what the team might do if it means a better chance at reeling in a pitcher like Hamels.

Stay tuned.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise linked/noted.

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The winter meetings have come and gone, but the ripple effect they left is still being felt around the MLB. Even with names like Matt Kemp and Josh Donaldson being moved in recent weeks, there are several notable players still reportedly on the market.

Cole Hamels, one of the best arms in trade discussions, has been a popular name yet again with six clubs currently looking for his services. Meanwhile, Justin Upton might be teaming up with another big slugger on the West Coast to change the face of a franchise.

Before the next big trade is made this offseason, here’s a look at the latest rumblings from around the league.

Cole Hamels

Not that anyone noticed, but Hamels put together another phenomenal season last year. Even on a Philiadelphia Phillies team that finished 16 games under .500, the ace was in rare form with the lowest ERA of his career.

After years of relenting to move its biggest assets, Philly has already moved both Jimmy Rollins and Antonio Bastardo. Now, the Phils might be willing to deal Hamels, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:

The Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers, Padres, and Rangers are interested in Hamels. The sleeper team is the aggressive Astros. The Giants may be in if they can’t get James Shields. The feeling has been that if the Red Sox would pick up Hamels’s 2019 option at $20 million, he would waive his no-trade. The five years remaining on Hamels’s deal would be worth $110 million. Would he want an extension beyond that to OK a trade?

Needless to say, quite a few teams liked what they saw in Hamels last season. Much like Jon Lester, the 30-year-old pitcher brings true No. 1 value to any rotation—including the Chicago Cubs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are simply searching for even more depth in their rotation while the others need Hamels’ services. On the heels of another great season, landing with the Cubs, San Diego Padres or Texas Rangers would give him the best shot at another playoff run.

If the San Francisco Giants do get into the fold, Hamels along with Madison Bumgarner and a healthy Matt Cain would be dangerous. However, Hamels will want to land in a spot where he can be the ace and have a shot at the title, making the Cubs a perfect fit.

Justin Upton

Oh, Justin Upton. Coming off a year where he posted great numbers yet again, the Atlanta Braves are reportedly looking to get value for him on the trade market.

One potential landing spot for the impressive bat is with the Padres. Mark Bowman of MLB.com passed along the latest on the Upton trade rumors:

Last season, Upton won his second Silver Slugger award after going .270/.342/.491 with 29 home runs and a career-high 102 RBI. Adding the slugger would instantly bolster any lineup regardless of the talent on the roster.

With the Padres already reportedly making the addition of Kemp, acquiring Upton along with Seth Smith would make for a stout outfield corps. Bringing in more pitching would instantly make this team a contender in the loaded NL West.

Allen Craig

Prior to last season, Allen Craig might have been one of the biggest names on this list. However, a down season for the Boston Red Sox slugger has teams overlooking him on the trade market.

Cafardo also passed along the latest on talks surrounding Craig:

The Marlins have Craig on their list of possible acquisitions as they pursue a righthanded hitter to play first base. They’re doing their homework on the 30-year-old, who had very good years with St. Louis before he was sent to Boston at last year’s trading deadline. Milwaukee also has some interest in Craig in a platoon with Adam Lind.

Both the Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers will want to do their homework after Craig’s disappointing 2014 season. Coming off two straight years with double-digit homers and 90-plus RBI, Craig wasn’t able to come close to either mark last year.

After hitting .237 with the St. Louis Cardinals, he finished with a staggering .128 average in 29 games with the Sox. Boston likely won’t get the value they had hoped for initially, but Craig can help either lineup for two teams hoping to make the playoffs.

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Several big names changed addresses during the winter meetings earlier this week, but there are still plenty of premier players available to be had via trades.

This MLB offseason is quickly shaping up to be one of the most active in recent memory. There weren’t that many top-notch free agents, but the ones who were available were franchise-changers. Of course, a shortage of free agents means the trade market is a hotbed for new rumors and player movement.

Some of the best at their respective positions have been floated around the rumor mill over the course of the past week. Very few players are safe from trades this time of year, so you should never be surprised when aces and middle-of-the-order bats are made available.

Below are a few of the most recent names to hit the mill.

Cole Hamels

The interest in Philadelphia Phillies starter Cole Hamels is sure to heat up now that Jon Lester has found the place he’ll pitch for the next several seasons.

One team thought to be in on the left-hander is the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the team won’t get involved in talks with the Phils:

The “heavy lifting” Sherman refers to is the bevy of moves L.A. made during the winter meetings. It shipped Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins, acquired Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels, signed Brandon McCarthy to a four-year deal, acquired Jimmy Rollins and dealt Matt Kemp to the San Diego Padres.

Talk about a busy couple of days.

Despite the roster overhaul, the Dodgers could still have the pieces necessary to make a deal with Philadelphia. Shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena, now displaced by Rollins, is an attractive piece given his outstanding defense.

Los Angeles also has top prospect Corey Seager though it’s unclear as to if he’ll be available.

The way the current rotation is structured, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke would open things up at Nos. 1 and 2 before the likes of Hyun-Jin Ryu and McCarthy make their starts. Juan Nicasio is probably the No. 5 at this point.

Hamels is an obvious upgrade over Nicasio, and a deal would make the Dodgers rotation absurdly deep. That’s enough incentive to get a deal done, but it still appears as if they’ll only target bench and depth pieces now that they’ve made so many big moves.

This is certainly a situation to monitor closely. The Dodgers could reenter the bidding at the drop of a hat.

Jay Bruce

The Cincinnati Reds have already traded Mat Latos this offseason, and there’s even more talent on that underachieving roster to be dealt. General manager Walt Jocketty spoke toward the end of November about how he plans on handling the offseason, via John Fay of Cincinnati.com.

“We’re still talking to both agents and clubs about trades. We really aren’t close on anything.”

It still appears as if they aren’t close on anything, as Sherman tweeted about how the Baltimore Orioles attempted to strike a deal with the club:

The Orioles have a desperate need for outfield bats after losing Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz to free agency. As the roster currently stands, Alejandro De Aza and David Lough would play the corners with All-Star Adam Jones manning center field. That won’t cut it.

It’s unclear as to what the Reds have asked for in return for Bruce, but it’s safe to assume that arms like Brian Matusz and Dylan Bundy came up in talks. It’s no surprise that Baltimore may have scoffed at those requests.

Baltimore isn’t the only team that has a need for a power bat. Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller opined that the San Diego Padres are a perfect fit:

The Padres have already acquired Kemp, and new GM A.J. Preller has shown a willingness to upgrade his lineup. Before Pablo Sandoval and Yasmany Tomas signed with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively, Preller and the Padres were involved in talks.

Bruce could very well man right field in Cincy in 2015, but the incentive to move him is high. The 27-year-old has mashed 187 homers through seven seasons, making him one of the best pure power bats in the game.

Justin Upton

If the Padres are unsuccessful in their possible attempts to land Bruce, they could turn to another power bat currently playing right field for the Atlanta Braves.

Justin Upton was the No. 2 right-handed power hitter in the National League in 2014, smashing 29 homers and leading the Braves offense. He has been the subject of rumors for most of the offseason. The trade of Jason Heyward acted as a bit of a catalyst to those talks.

MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets that the Padres are in the mix for his bat:

A pairing of Upton and Kemp in the outfield would instantly make the Friars lineup a productive group. They ranked last in baseball this year by scoring a dreadful 535 runs.

Should they get Upton, the team would then be in a position to deal from their outfield depth and improve other areas of the team.

Carlos Quentin would be displaced by a trade, but his days as an outfielder are pretty much numbered. He’s best suited for a job in the American League as a designated hitter.

A trade would also make one of Cameron Maybin or Will Venable expendable.

The Padres offense has already improved enough with Kemp to make other NL West teams take notice, but adding Upton would aid immensely.

Look out for San Diego in 2015 if it can pull this off.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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Just because Major League Baseball’s busy-as-all-get-out winter meetings are in the rearview mirror doesn’t mean the hot stove has to cool down any time soon.

Having been over the winners and losers of the busiest four days baseball has had in quite some time, it’s time to turn attention toward what still might happen next.

The offseason is only a month-and-a-half old, which means there’s enough time for a heck of a lot more moves to be made before pitchers and catchers report in mid-February.

Like, perhaps, some of these predictions.

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The pitching market has mostly been at a standstill this offseason with Jon Lester being the presumed catalyst to increased talks on other arms, but the latest MLB trade rumors suggest that several premier arms could be on the move in the near future.

It naturally takes just one domino to fall to start a chain reaction. Once Lester signs, which should be sometime Tuesday, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney, increased talks between teams regarding viable arms will occur.

After watching the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals dominate through the postseason because of pitching, expect teams to put an emphasis on improving their staffs. That’ll result in bidding or trade wars for the best available talent.

Below is the latest chatter regarding several pitching options from the 2014 winter meetings in San Diego.

C.J. Wilson

A surprise addition to the rumor mill, Los Angeles Angels lefty C.J. Wilson has had his name pop up in talks during the early stages of the winter meetings.

MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez tweets that the team has received interest from a few clubs:

But what good is a rumor without a high-ranking executive saying it isn’t true? Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweeted a quote that Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto told him about Wilson:

Believe who you’d like to, but it’s honestly tough to picture the Angels dealing away one of their top arms. Garrett Richards is a major injury concern entering the 2015 season, nobody knows if Matt Shoemaker will post the same dominant numbers and Jered Weaver’s drop in velocity is bound to catch up to him eventually. Plus Tyler Skaggs will miss all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Of course, the evaluation of any trade cannot occur until we find out which players are being talked about in return.

It appears as if the Angels would be selling low on Wilson if he’s moved. He posted a 4.51 ERA (4.31 FIP) over 175.2 innings, walking 4.35 batters per nine innings and producing a WAR of just 0.6, per FanGraphs.

Wilson is owed $38 million over the next two seasons, meaning a potential deal would probably be a type of salary dump. The Halos really don’t have a pressing need in the lineup or in the bullpen, and you can never have too many arms. You certainly wouldn’t trade Wilson for bench depth, because that area of the team can be addressed during free agency.

There are very few possible scenarios in which the Angels would benefit from trading Wilson this offseason. 

Dillon Gee

A far more likely arm to be dealt is Dillon Gee, the five-year veteran with good back-end stuff from the New York Mets. He’s just 28, under team control for two more years and can eat innings when healthy.

ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin reports that Gee is the most likely to be dealt from the trio of himself, Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon: “The Mets are aggressively shopping Dillon Gee to teams in need of a starting pitcher, a high-ranking source at the winter meetings told ESPNNewYork.com.”

Rubin writes that the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers have both expressed interest in Gee.

Gee has only posted a career WAR of 2.5 over parts of five seasons in the bigs, per FanGraphs, so it’s unlikely that he’d draw a huge coup for the Mets. Of course, the organization in rich in pitching talent, so any haul would be beneficial.

Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal tweets that the Amazins definitely won’t be able to address their hole at shortstop by dealing Gee:

They could instead look to acquire bullpen or bench depth, or simply a mid-level prospect who can play the outfield.

Having excess pitching is never a problem. The Mets will improve through trading one (or more) of their veteran starters. It all comes down to what areas they are able to address relative to the available free agents, though.

Matt Harvey’s return gives the organization high hopes for 2015, but the Mets won’t be able to compete if they run out the same lousy offense that they did in 2014.

Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels is one of the many fallback options for the unfortunate teams unable to land Lester, and the Boston Red Sox would definitely be a threat to the rest of the pack in negotiations.

They have a wealth of young talent to offer, including (but not limited to) Xander Bogaerts, Henry Owens, Mookie Betts, Deven Marrero, Matt Barnes, Garin Cecchini and Blake Swihart. All of them are potential impact players at the next level.

Swihart plays a premium position, and the catcher is an attractive bargaining chip should the Red Sox show a willingness to move him. ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes reports that such action probably won’t be necessary, however:

Reading critically helps us to see that the Philadelphia Phillies wouldn’t insist on Swihart. The Red Sox could presumably get a deal done without him, but it might take a higher volume of players. That’s something the organization could be skeptical of doing.

Including Swihart would likely make the Phils more apt to trade, especially with Carlos Ruiz on his last legs and no in-house candidate ready to immediately take over. Cameron Rupp, currently Ruiz’s backup, has shown little skill offensively in the minors or majors.

Hamels is the crown jewel of the trade market when it comes to pitchers. It goes without saying that he’s one of the top southpaws in the game because of his control and ability to get hitters out with his changeup.

He hasn’t started less than 30 games since 2007 and has been considered for the National League Cy Young four times in his career. Those are all the positives.

The negatives really only include the length and value of his current deal. He has $94 million in future salaries through the 2018 season, plus he also has a $20 million team option (or a $24 million vesting option) for the 2019 season, per Baseball-Reference.

This contract could prevent the Phils from getting a blockbuster-type haul, unless, of course, the organization shows a willingness to pick up part of the tab.

Boston appears to be one of the best fits for the player and the organizations involved, so this is a situation to monitor closely in the coming weeks. 

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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The calendar has turned to December, bringing about unbearably cold climates and a flaming MLB hot stove.

As baseball fans found out last week, anything can happen during the offseason. In a stunning twist of events, the Oakland Athletics dealt third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays for Brett Lawrie, 18-year-old shortstop Franklin Barreto and two pitching prospects. 

Wow, who saw that coming? Donaldson’s name never frequented the rumor mill, and for good reason. Not only was he the Oakland Athletics’ best player over the past two years, but only Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen have netted a higher WAR since 2013.

After that blockbuster unfolded, let’s not steer away from marquee names who could change scenery by Opening Day. Two of the three following players play on a team that already made a seismic move, and the other plays for an aging squad that really ought to shake things up.

Justin Upton “Marked Man” on Trade Market

Five years from now, anybody who foreboded Justin Upton getting shopped at age 27 would have been declared insane. He hasn’t exactly lived up to the Ken Griffey Jr. comparison, but he remains a tremendous power bat after decking 29 homers in 2014.

The Atlanta Braves already sent Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller, but that hasn’t locked down Upton’s spot in Atlanta’s outfield next season. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, several teams are clamoring for Upton, whom the Braves remain willing to sell.

With about 12 teams looking for an outfielder, and at least that many seeking that rarest of commodities, right-handed power, Upton is a marked man these days.

Word is, the Braves have been hit hard with Upton trade interest, and he could wind up with one of about a dozen other teams, assuming he is dealt (and that appears to be a likelihood now).

Heyman cited the Seattle Mariners as a top threat, as they could dangle Taijuan Walker or James Paxton. He believes Seattle is more likely to deal Walker but added that the team is reluctant to move either valuable young pitcher.

Whiffs remain a problem for Upton, who brandished a career-high 26.7 strikeout percentage in 2014. That excessive number of punchouts has contributed to a career .274 batting average, yet he’s managed to post a prolific .830 OPS. He has his limitations, and anyone about to give the moon for him should have pursued the younger, more defensively potent Heyward instead.

Yet power comes at a premium these days, and the righty‘s 133 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) rated 11th among all qualified outfielders. Suitors must beware valuing him as the superstar he was once expected to become and instead treat him as the three- to four-win asset he is.

Jeff Samardzija May Be Next Oakland Star on Move

Brad Pitt better get ready for Moneyball 2, where a scorned Billy Beane decides to watch Oakland burn after one disappointing postseason too many. After trading Donaldson, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that the A’s general manager is not done.

“The Athletics, according to a major-league source, have at least one more significant trade brewing,” Rosenthal wrote. “The source went on to say, ‘This is Billy re-working the club.'”

It certainly looks like Jeff Samardzija is the next big name out. Heyman pinpointed the 29-year-old righty at the center of trade discussions.

A’s star right-hander Jeff Samardzija is in the middle of trade talk, rivals executives confirm. And his “hometown” Chicago White Sox are one of the teams talking to the A’s about Samardzija.

It’s no surprise considering Samardzija‘s available since Oakland nine possesses no less than nine viable starters following the big trade late Friday night, and Samardzija is due to become a free agent after the season, with no hope of the A’s re-signing him.

Without Donaldson and Yoenis Cespedes, the Athletics are in need of some serious offensive reinforcements. Even though they won’t retain Jon Lester, their rotation remains deep with Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir, Drew Pomeranz, Jesse Chavez, Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin, the last two returning from Tommy John surgery.

“Hey, what about Upton?” you ask. John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group shut that pairing down:

Plenty of teams would love to acquire a rebranded Samardzija, who registered a 2.99 ERA last season behind a career-low 1.76 walks per nine innings. Although the White Sox won 73 games last year, they remain committed to fielding a winner, having already given Adam LaRoche and Zach Duke sizable free-agent deals.

Trading significant pieces for a pitcher under contract for one year, however, makes little sense for a team more than one player away from a title push. The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo linked Samardzija to the Boston Red Sox, a much more logical fit given their surplus of position players and deep farm system.

Now that Beane is retooling, expect him to return the pitcher he rented in July.

Phillies Underwhelmed in Talks for Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels might exist as the anti-Donaldson, the star constantly mentioned in trade rumors who never gets moved anyway. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, little is cooking on the Hamels front:

One of MLB’s most reliable aces, Hamels weaved a 2.46 ERA through 204.2 innings last season. Since 2010, only five starters have pitched more frames. Among those guys, only Clayton Kershaw and Felix Hernandez hold lower ERAs over that stretch.

The Philadelphia Phillies are understandably setting the bar high on Hamels, who turns 31 later this month. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has apparently expressed unwavering stubbornness to deal any of Philadelphia’s veterans. Stark also said the New York Yankees balked on shortstop Jimmy Rollins when finding out the general manager’s asking price.

If this sounds familiar, the Phillies reportedly wanted top prospect Aaron Judge from the Yankees in exchange for 37-year-old Marlon Byrd this past summer. One would think a last-place team saddled with overpriced players past their peak would eagerly desire a youth movement.

So far, Amaro remains content to wait out these tumultuous years. If he stands pat much longer, Hamels will become the only bargaining chip with any remaining trade value.

Note: All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

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The free-agent market is yet to develop, but it’s only a matter of time until the dominoes will start to fall. When they do, expect the trade market to take shape as well.

Front-of-the-rotation pitchers Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields headline this year’s crop of free-agent starters, while Pablo Sandoval and Cuban prospect Yasmany Tomas stand out among hitters in a class that’s thin on impact players.

With just a few franchise-caliber players on the market—players that a team would plan to build around—it wouldn’t be surprising if there were a flurry of trades made this offseason. After all, most teams can’t afford or will miss out on one of the few elite free agents in this year’s class.

With that said, here are three potential trade targets who could be game-changers for any franchise.

Jason Heyward, RF, Atlanta Braves

Heyward had a solid offensive season, batting .271/.351/.384 over 649 plate appearances, but his 11 home runs marked his lowest total since breaking into the major leagues in 2010. The 25-year-old also scored 74 runs and swiped 20 bags in 149 games, and he led all Braves players with a 5.1 fWAR.

Heyward’s WAR was largely tied to his Gold Glove defense in right field, as he led all qualified major leaguers at the position in both defensive runs saved (32) and ultimate zone rating (24.1), per FanGraphs.

The Braves approached Heyward back in 2013 about an extension worth less than the five-year, $75 million contract they recently gave to B.J. Upton, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. However, both parties haven’t discussed a potential extension since then.

After talking with Braves president of operations John Hart, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution doesn’t believe the Braves will try to extend Jason Heyward this offseason. Heyward is set to make $8.3 million after hitting a few incentives in his contract his past season, O’Brien tweets.

The trade market for Heyward will come down to whether teams believe he’s open to signing an extension before hitting the open market next winter. And if they’re willing to offer him an extension in the first place, then it’s fair to assume they also believe he can re-discover the power that produced 27 home runs in 2012, rather than the 25 he’s totaled over the last two seasons.

Even if that doesn’t happen, we’re still talking about a 25-year-old with a four-win floor moving forward. The fact that Heyward is a year away from free agency might hurt his overall trade value, but I’d still expect a team to give up two quality young players for the right fielder, with one possibly being a cost-controlled big leaguer.

Cole Hamels, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

Hamels, who turns 31 in December, will make $96 million over the final four years of his contract, not including a $20 million vesting option for 2019. He also has a 20-team no-trade clause and nine-team block list in his contract, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. However, as of now, the only team known not to be included on either list is the Chicago Cubs, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Hamels has made at least 30 starts in seven consecutive seasons while eclipsing 200 innings all but once during that time frame. During his nine-year career with the Phillies, the left-hander has pitched to a 3.27 ERA (3.48 FIP), 8.53 K/9 and 2.26 BB/9 in 1,801.1 innings, good for a 34.4 fWAR.

Unsurprisingly, Philadelphia is asking for a flattering return on Hamels in the form of “at least three top prospects,” two of whom are capable of contributing in the major leagues, per Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

That said, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is prepared to wait and see how the market for free agents Max Scherzer and Jon Lester unfolds before deciding whether to deal his ace left-hander, per Salisbury.

Cole is still a really valuable player for us. He’s going to help us win baseball games. As I’ve said before, we have him under contract and he kind of traverses the timeline and the goals that we, at least in our mind, have set. He can still be pitching for us when it’s time for us to be contending.

“He’s really kind of in the sweet spot and there is no reason to do anything with him because he’s going to be one of the best pitchers in baseball, we believe, over the next five years of his contract. There’s no pressure to move him, no necessity to do it and, frankly, I’m not dying to move him. If there is an opportunity that is going to make our organization better off then you have to consider it because we’re considering everything.

Hamels is the only trade candidate—unless the Marlins fail to extend slugger Giancarlo Stanton—worth the king’s ransom the Phillies are demanding. However, teams aren’t going to sell the farm, literally and figuratively, to get him this early in the offseason, which is why Amaro will patiently wait for Scherzer and/or Lester to come off the board.

Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, Washington Nationals

A strong case can be made that Jordan Zimmermann, not Stephen Strasburg, is the Washington Nationals’ ace.

Zimmermann, 28, went 14-5 with a 2.66 ERA (2.68 FIP), 8.20 K/9 and 1.31 BB/9 over 199.2 innings this past season, capping off his career-best season with a no-hitter on the final day of the regular season. The right-hander’s 5.2 fWAR ranked second among National League starting pitchers, trailing only Clayton Kershaw (7.2).

Zimmermann has a 3.00 ERA in 122 starts over the past four seasons, and he’s now made exactly 32 starts in three consecutive years. Meanwhile, the right-hander dominated the San Francisco Giants in Game 2 of the NLDS this year, allowing just one run on three hits in 8.2 innings.

Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post thinks the Nationals should prioritize working out a long-term contract extension with Zimmermann during the offseason. However, the two sides aren’t engaged in discussions at the moment, tweets James Wagner of the Washington Post.

Meanwhile, Kilgore also notes that any deal the Nats offer Zimmermann will likely be the richest in franchise history, topping the seven-year, $126 million contract given to Jayson Werth prior to the 2011 season.

Zimmermann, a two-time All-Star, will make $16.5 million in 2015 and hit the open market after the season, so any team interesting in trading for the right-hander will need to believe it can lock him up with a long-term contract.

According to CSN Washington’s Mark Zuckerman, the Nationals would only trade Zimmermann if they received “a boatload in return,” which he describes as “at least three really good, young, big-league-ready players.”

A trade involving Zimmermann seems unlikely, especially with one year remaining on his contract and Washington poised to contend in 2015. However, that could change if the Phillies decide to move Cole Hamels, which in turn would define the going exchange rate for an ace-caliber pitcher.

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The trade market is rich with talented arms and bats who could find themselves packing their bags and changing cities over the course of the next few months.

The MLB rumor mill has exploded since the 2014 World Series concluded at the end of October, and teams have already begun the long process of calling opposing general managers in hopes of retooling their rosters. Of course, not every player will be made available.

Baseball analysts churn out rumors with such regularity this time of year that it can be hard to decipher which ones have some truth. Below we examine three rumors to help you better gauge their respective situations.

Cole Hamels

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels has it all—except maybe the desired uniform on his back:

You can’t have Hollywood looks, marry a gorgeous actress, have two beautiful kids, sign a six-year, $144 million contract extension, and suddenly get sympathy cards because you’re employed by the Phillies.

Hamels knows he can’t say a word.

Yet, if his world could possibly be a little more perfect, he’d love to be traded this winter.

Hamels’ desire to play for a winner will ultimately dictate his next home. He has a no-trade clause which allows him to veto trades to 20 teams, so expect him to exercise that power if the Phillies agree to a deal with a less-than-stellar club.

Moving Hamels will be hard for the Phillies because of what he has done for the team, but NBC Sports’ Craig Calcaterra perfectly summed up the sentimental hardships that surround teams looking to rebuild: “If you’re going to rebuild, move your most valuable guys and get the most you can. Maybe that’s just one prospect and some role players, but clearing the salary and committing to the future requires you to part with things you love.”

Hamels is certainly loved in Philly.

The most talked-about pitcher on the trade market, Hamels represents an alternative option for teams who don’t want to negotiate with free agents Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields. Hamels has four years and $96 million remaining on his contract, but the Phillies would likely pick up a small portion of that contract in order to receive stronger prospects in return.

This newest wrinkle in Hamels’ availability is interesting. We already knew that the Phillies were looking to deal their top assets, but to hear that Hamels would also welcome a trade means that the likelihood of a move has increased.

With this knowledge of Hamels’ desire to play somewhere else, expect several more teams in search of a lefty ace to give Ruben Amaro a call.

It appears as if the chances of a move by the end of the offseason are increasing by the day.

Ubaldo Jimenez

Ubaldo Jimenez was one of the biggest busts of the previous offseason. The big right-hander earned a four-year, $50 million contract from the Baltimore Orioles with the expectation that he’d help anchor the pitching staff.

He did nothing but struggle. He was so bad that he was entirely left off the American League Championship Series roster. He was on the Division Series roster but didn’t throw a single pitch.

Zach Britton, the team’s closer, told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports how manager Buck Showalter manages his bullpen in the playoffs. It explains why Jimenez wasn’t utilized. “He’s going to throw the best guy for the situation. If that’s you, you’re going into the game,” Britton said.

Overall, he posted a 4.81 ERA on the year. His FIP of 4.67 suggested that mark was pretty accurate. He also walked 77 in 125.1 innings, which is unacceptable. It’s no wonder Showalter was afraid to put him in a game.

Naturally, the Orioles could look to move him. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the Miami Marlins have shown interest:

The Marlins are believed to be interested in a couple of pitchers who could be on the trading block — the Orioles’ Ubaldo Jimenez and Reds’ Johnny Cueto…

Jimenez would represent an expensive option for the Marlins, who are looking for a veteran pitcher to add to their rotation. The 30-year-old right-hander is still owed $39 million over the next three years.

It’s unclear as to what the Orioles could ask for Jimenez. His value is certainly at its lowest, so the team could simply ask the Marlins to take on the contract and throw a mid-level prospect their way.

Of course, Jimenez is the ultimate question mark. His career has been mired by inconsistency, so the Orioles could attempt to sell him as a bounce-back candidate.

Jimenez seems like a risky option for a Marlins team without much of a payroll but could really boost that rotation if he can pitch like he did in 2013 for the Cleveland Indians.

Howie Kendrick

The free-agent market for second basemen is thin. Emilio Bonifacio and Asdrubal Cabrera represent the top options, and it’s safe to say that teams might not feel comfortable devoting the money that the market will inevitably dictate to them.

Even if they aren’t top-tier second baseman, they’ll command decent money as the top players available at the position.

Naturally, teams will look to trade for a second baseman instead. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that two teams have already checked in on Howie Kendrick, who is possibly the best at the position available via trade: “The Yankees and Blue Jays are among teams that have called about Kendrick,” he wrote.

Kendrick is coming off one of his best seasons in the bigs. If the Los Angeles Angels choose to move him (they don’t have to, of course), it’s not going to be without a large return. 

Still, Kendrick represents one of the more affordable options on the market. He’s due to make just $9.5 million in 2015, a bargain compared to other players with similar production.

It will certainly take some young players who are ready to contribute at the next level to make this work. Kendrick is the type of talent who is hard to replace, so the Angels will need immediate help at the big league level.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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The 2014 MLB postseason was the epitome of the mantra “pitching wins championships.”

Teams lacking pitching will look to upgrade their staffs in the coming weeks. Luckily for the high number of teams in pursuit of arms, there appears to be plenty to go around. More than a handful of ace-like hurlers can be had via free agency or trades, meaning the balance of power in both the American League and National League could shift with one acquisition.

Is your favorite team in the market for a shiny new ace to feature at the top of its rotation? If so, it might want to check in on the following arms.

Cole Hamels

The Philadelphia Phillies have a number of assets who would fetch the organization a nice return, but the willingness to deal said parts has always been unknown.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that not only is Cole Hamels available, but also that the Chicago Cubs are showing early interest:

The Cubs, already connected heavily in speculative reports about top free-agent pitchers Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, are also interested in Cole Hamels, according to sources, and are expecting to talk to the Phillies about him.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs will look into Hamels, who’s comparable to the top two free-agent pitchers, and also available.

A pitcher of Hamels’ caliber would certainly reshape a rotation. He’ll be 31 in December, but he still turned in arguably the best campaign of his career in 2014. Despite a 9-9 record, Hamels posted a 2.46 ERA (3.07 FIP) to go along with a WHIP of 1.148 and 198 strikeouts in 204.2 innings.

He’s under contract at least through the 2018 season, though his team could lock him up for the following year by activating a $20 million team option. Without the option, he’s still owed $90 million.

The Cubs have money to spend and figure to be active this offseason. They already brought aboard Joe Maddon to bring the team into a new era of legitimacy. Maddon will help infuse the young talent in the organization into a roster that will hopefully (for the team) be filled with successful veterans.

Hamels would instantly slot in as the ace of the rotation, though he might not be the only top arm Chicago brings in. Heyman also noted that the team could look to Jon Lester.

Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija

Nothing has ever stopped the Oakland Athletics from dealing top talent before, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that this offseason could be no different. The latest on the potential chopping block? Pitchers Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija.

“The A’s would listen if teams inquired on pitchers such as right-hander Jeff Samardzija and lefty Scott Kazmir,” reported Rosenthal.

Kazmir and Samardzija were two of the better pitchers in baseball in 2014. Take a look at the numbers below:

It’s strange to think of the Athletics possibly clearing house following their largely successful season. Yes, they collapsed miserably at the end of the season, but a few offensive upgrades would make this team better.

There’s a real chance the A’s lose Lester, Jason Hammel, Kazmir and Samardzija this offseason. They have Sonny Gray, A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker to lean on, but wouldn’t it be nice to keep a few extra arms who can mow down lineups?

The market for both Kazmir and Samardzija should be strong, and the A’s could capitalize on their solid seasons.

Max Scherzer and Jon Lester

The New York Yankees have question marks galore in their starting rotation. CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova are injury risks. Michael Pineda and Shane Greene bring questions of consistency with them to spring training. Hiroki Kuroda is a free agent who could either retire or return to Japan.

Logically, one would have to think that the team would at least look into signing Lester or Max Scherzer. Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News report otherwise:

“According to a source, the Yankees have no plans to pursue either Scherzer or Lester, the top two free agents on the market this winter. [James] Shields, the third-best free-agent starter, is also off the Bombers’ radar…”

Lester and Scherzer are impact arms capable of changing the outlook of a team’s season. Both are perennial Cy Young candidates, and to hear that the Yankees apparently aren’t interested in bringing one of them aboard is strange considering the team has now failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

That’s good news for other high bidders, though, because it means there is less competition. The Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are typically a few of the high bidders, so they are teams to look out for in the chase for both aces.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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