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You can feel the urgency between Major League Baseball teams and players picking up each day. There’s been a pattern in recent years where it took months for deals and trades to happen. That hasn’t been the case so far this offseason, which leads to more excitement and unpredictability. 

While the huge dominoes, such as Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, aren’t likely to fall until the winter meetings in December, there are big moves being talked about that can reshape everything that happens this offseason. All it takes is one surprise contract or unexpected trade to force someone else into action. 

It’s also possible that a lot of what’s being talked about right now is purely smoke. While that may end up being the case, it’s still fun to look at the possibilities of what could happen. 

Here are the latest trade rumors that you should be paying close attention to. 

Braves Not Done Dealing Outfielders

In what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Atlanta Braves, the franchise may not be ready to go into 2015 with an outfield of B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis. 

According to Andy Martino of The New York Daily News, Gattis and Justin Upton are generating interest from other teams:

In an age of scarce offense, Upton’s skills are rare and highly valuable. And the teams calling Atlanta about him are seeing that the price will be much higher than what the Braves extracted from St. Louis for Heyward.

Evan Gattis, who tied for 18th in the N.L. this year with 22 homers, is also available in the right deal, teams say — with a price that is also set by the dearth of power in the game.

One thing that does stand out in Martino’s report is the phrase “right deal.” Every player is available in the right deal. It’s a vague, generic term, though it isn’t completely without merit in this case because the Braves are looking past next season after trading Jason Heyward to St. Louis. 

It’s also interesting that the Braves are apparently putting a higher price on Upton when you consider these stats from Ace of MLB Stats:

Upton doesn’t come with more control than Heyward, as his contract also expires at the end of 2015. The obvious difference is Upton has hit 56 homers with a .478 slugging percentage in two years with the Braves. Heyward has hit 25 homers and slugged .401 over that same span, per FanGraphs. 

As valuable as Heyward is thanks to his defense and on-base skills, Upton’s best gift is his ability to hit the ball over the fence. In this era of declining offense, power is more valuable than it’s ever been. Giancarlo Stanton’s new contract can attest to that.

The Braves got one pitcher who has four years of MLB control (Shelby Miller) and a prospect in Tyrell Jenkins who will be under control for six years if and when he gets to The Show. That’s high value considering Heyward is a free agent after the season. 

If Atlanta’s front office thinks it can do better than that for Upton, with more teams valuing the low cost of prospects and young players than ever, the All-Star outfielder will likely remain with the team at the start of 2015. 

Nick Swisher on His Way out, Bro?

Two years ago, the Cleveland Indians made a splash in free agency by bringing former Ohio State star Nick Swisher back to his roots. His first year with the team was like a dream scenario, as the Indians surprised everyone by winning 92 games and made the playoffs as a wild card. 

Things came crashing down to earth for Swisher in 2014. He battled injuries most of the year and hit .208/.278/.331 in 97 games before being shut down in August following knee surgery. 

With Swisher’s value at an all-time low, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that the Indians may try to get creative if they are going to make any noise this offseason:

That seems like a foolish move, because what can the Indians realistically expect to get for a soon-to-be 34-year-old with two guaranteed years and $30 million left on his contract, per Baseball-Reference.com, coming off the worst season of his career?

Here’s where the creativity comes into it, as Rosenthal speculated about other players with bad contracts who could potentially be moved:

It’s not a pretty group of players to look at. For the Indians, the only one who could be of interest is Ubaldo Jimenez because they know him well. He also had some success in 2013, though most of that came in the second half (1.82 ERA), and he was otherwise mediocre during his time in Cleveland. 

The Indians may not have the financial space to make any big moves this offseason, so keeping the door open to anything is smart. It just doesn’t seem viable to move Swisher at this point given the money he is owed and the possible return in a trade. 

Didi Gregorius a Shortstop Alternative

In a market where a lot of marquee teams could be in the market for a shortstop—including the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers—one cheap alternative could be Arizona’s Didi Gregorius. 

According to Rosenthal, teams are calling the Diamondbacks about the availability of Gregorius:

Gregorius has a lot of work to do with the bat if he’s ever going to be a long-term starter in the big leagues. He has a .682 OPS in 183 games with the Diamondbacks, who, according to ESPN.com’s Park Factors stats, play in one of the best offensive environments in baseball. 

If you put Gregorius in a worse offensive park, like Citi Field, imagine what the numbers could look like? However, the silver lining for any team with an interest in the 24-year-old is that he won’t cost a lot in terms of dollars. 

Gregorius isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2016, so he will make little more than the league minimum next year before seeing any spike in his salary. That could make it easier, in relative terms, to live with a bad hitting performance when you aren’t paying a player much money. 

Even though Gregorius hasn’t turned into the defender it seemed he would be as a prospect, FanGraphs‘ metrics have him roughly average to this point in his career with no defensive runs saved and 87 plays made out of his zone. 

Considering how bad Derek Jeter and Hanley Ramirez were at shortstop last season for the Yankees and Dodgers, respectively, getting an average glove at the most important defensive position would be like seeing the reincarnation of Ozzie Smith. 

The Diamondbacks don’t need Gregorius anymore, especially with Chris Owings returning and the general manager who acquired him (Kevin Towers) getting fired in September. So finding a trade partner for the young shortstop would be a smart move. 

Stats via Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter: @adamwells1985.

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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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Even though spring training is when you start to see what a team is capable of doing in the regular season, the offseason is when you get a real sense of where all 30 Major League Baseball teams view themselves heading into the next year. 

While many rumors will be floated around, some of which will never happen, it’s important to keep track of them because you can learn how a front office is thinking.

For instance, the Cubs have a young nucleus of position players that has already started to arrive, so they will be linked to many pitchers through free agency or trades because that’s their one weakness, and they are trending upward. 

Scouring through the latest trade rumors, the sense you get from this offseason is that the list of potential sellers will be high. Each team has its reasons for making a move, which is what makes all of the talk compelling. 

Here are the rumors that could shape that offseason for at least three franchises. 

Braves Listening On Jason Heyward, Others

Even though they haven’t come out and said as much, it’s looking more and more like the Atlanta Braves are going to start rebuilding their roster. 

Braves president of baseball operations John Hart made a point to mention that there’s not much financial flexibility because of bad contracts already on the books, per David O’Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution:

One thing that we’ve looked at and we’ve talked about is that quite clearly we’re wearing some bad contracts. And so your ability economically to maybe play in the free-agent game is going to be more restricted. So we’re looking at certain levels of free-agent starters. I would assume as we finish up these (general manager) meetings, we’ll have a pretty good idea at what other clubs are looking to do…

As a result, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that teams have called the Braves about Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis:

Heyman did note in his article that the Braves aren’t shopping those three players around, but he does acknowledge that the contract status of Heyward and Upton could force their hand:

Atlanta has an interesting decision to make on some of its young stars, especially Heyward and Justin Upton, who are free-agent eligible after the 2015 season. Gattis is in a different spot, as a player under the Braves’ control for several years, but Atlanta is expected to start young catcher Christian Bethancourt this year, so teams may see an opening.

Heyward seems like the player who will draw the most attention. He’s the youngest of the trio at 25 years old, gets on base at a high clip (.351 career OBP) and was the best defensive player regardless of position by defensive runs saved in 2014, per FanGraphs.

Upton isn’t old at 27 years old, but has likely plateaued as a player. He’s still a very good asset to have, hitting 29 home runs last year, though he’s due to make nearly $7 million more ($14.5 million) than Heyward ($7.8 million) next season.

Gattis is a player who provides you with a lot of power, as evidenced by his 43 homers in two seasons, but he has a terrible approach and little plate discipline (.304 OBP). 

Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch speculates that the St. Louis Cardinals could be a good trade partner with the Braves for Heyward:

Even with the iffy power and platoon limitations, Heyward is more talented overall than any of the Cardinals’ current outfielders. The defense in RF would improve dramatically. And Heyward‘s ability to bat leadoff would enable the Cardinals to move Matt Carpenter to more of a so-called RBI spot in the lineup.

While the farm system isn’t as strong as it once, the Cardinals do have prospects that could intrigue Atlanta in a potential deal. Stephen Piscotty is a terrific hitting outfielder who spent all last season at Triple-A Memphis. 

If the Braves were to engage the Cardinals in trade talks for Heyward, it would make sense to start the conversation with Piscotty and go from there. St. Louis certainly has the need for more outfield depth and is a team in win-now mode that Heyward would fit in with nicely. 

Orioles Want To Deal Ubaldo Jimenez

If you’re looking for a pitcher who posted a 4.81 ERA and walked 77 hitters in 125.1 innings who has three years left on his contract, the Baltimore Orioles would like to speak with you. 

According to Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com, the Orioles have put Ubaldo Jimenez on the trade block and have already had discussions with teams about the right-hander:

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who made only two starts and three relief appearances in the final 41 games of the regular season and didn’t appear in a postseason game, is being made available by the Baltimore Orioles, according to Major League sources.

The Orioles have discussed Jimenez with several teams during the GM Meetings being held in Phoenix this week.

The concerns with Jimenez coming off his strong finish to 2013 with Cleveland turned out to be true. He’s had ERA totals of at least 4.68 in three of the last four years and hasn’t hit 190 innings since 2010 with Colorado. 

Given the success Jimenez had with the Indians two years, Heyman and Jon Morosi of Fox Sports speculated that a potential reunion could be good for the right-hander:

Morosi did follow that up by saying there haven’t been any serious discussions between the Indians and Orioles about Jimenez:

While the Indians could use more depth in the rotation behind Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, Jimenez doesn’t seem like a solution.

As good as Jimenez’s 2013 season looks in hindsight, it was really the result of an unsustainable second half with a 1.82 ERA. He was basically the same guy we’ve seen before and after that with a 4.56 ERA and 53 walks in 98.2 innings prior to the All-Star break. 

If the Orioles are going to move Jimenez, it can only be classified as addition by subtraction. They aren’t going to get anything of real value for him, nor are they likely to get much salary relief since teams will likely want them to kick in a lot of the money remaining on his contract. 

In other words, the Orioles are going to have a hard time finding much value by keeping or trading Jimenez. 

San Diego Padres Want Offense

Who would’ve guessed that the Padres would enter an offseason trying to find more offensive production? At some point, the franchise should just accept that no one can hit in Petco Park, but we don’t have time for rational solutions. 

Instead, according to a report from Heyman on CBSSports.com, the Padres are listening to offers for their starting pitchers and catchers Yasmani Grandal and Rene Rivera:

San Diego is listening on starters Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. Kennedy has performed very well since going to San Diego, but is in the last year of arbitration before becoming a free agent, and presumably wouldn’t have quite the trade value of Cashner and Ross, two extremely promising young pitchers.

…

The Padres’ catchers were Yasmani Grandal and Rene Rivera, and they also have a defensively strong prospect Austin Hedges, who gives them a bit of depth there.

Unfortunately for the Padres, those players don’t present much potential for return in a deal for various reasons. As Heyman notes about Kennedy, he’s only got one year of control left before hitting free agency.

Tyson Ross has to overcome the stigma of being a Petco creation since he had a 5.33 ERA in parts of three seasons with Oakland before being traded to the Padres.

Andrew Cashner has the best combination of stuff and potential, but he’s only been starting full time for two years and has been on the disabled list at least once in three of the last four years. 

Yasmani Grandal, who was supposed to be one of the key pieces acquired from Cincinnati in the Mat Latos trade, is the one intriguing option in the group. He hasn’t hit for average since 2011, but a catcher who posts a .321 on-base percentage with 15 homers playing most of his games at Petco Park offers something good. 

Of course, therein lies the problem for San Diego. The Padres want to upgrade its offense, yet trading Grandal means losing their most prolific home run hitter last season. It’s a classic Catch-22 scenario for a franchise that doesn’t have any easy solutions because of its home park. 

Ideally, the front office can find a way to trade at least one of those pitchers because that park can make mediocre arms look like rotation stalwarts. 

Stats via Baseball Reference

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter.

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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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Major League Baseball’s offseason has just begun, and already there are all sorts of rumors and speculation—and questions—surrounding a number of free agents and trade candidates, as well as teams’ objectives and plans of attack.

Having hit on a number of topics last time, what better way to continue taking the temperature of the hot stove than by running through a batch of the hottest questions to cover the latest potential transaction action across the sport?

See, that’s a question in and of itself, although the five to follow are a bit more meaningful. Promise.

Begin Slideshow

If the early stages of the MLB offseason are any indication of the types of players we’ll hear on the rumor mill over the next few months, then we’re in for a wild winter.

While not every rumored name will be moved, it’s likely some top-of-the-line players will be switching teams. These impact bats will cost a small fortune. That said, a number of teams will line up to acquire their production.

Which players are dominating the talk of the early offseason? Below are three we already need to be on the lookout for.

Troy Tulowitzki

The Colorado Rockies had not shown a willingness to deal franchise cornerstone Troy Tulowitzki, but Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that their stance on the matter has changed:

For the first time, the Colorado Rockies sound willing to trade shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and/or outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.

The Rockies are telling clubs they are keeping their ‘eyes and ears open’ for potential deals involving both players, according to major-league sources.

Tulo is one of the best bats available, but he doesn’t come without risk. The shortstop has played fewer than 100 games in two of the past three seasons, suggesting his future may not be at the position he has played since his rookie campaign in 2006.

His strong arm would translate well to third base, but he might not be receptive to a shift in position.

Teams acquiring the 30-year-old must assess the risk of injury along with the length of his current contract. It doesn’t expire until after the 2020 season, but his team also owns a $15 million option for 2021. That’s a long time for a shortstop with an extensive injury history.

The Rockies are seeking “returns that would reflect their [Tulo’s and Carlos Gonzalez’s] contributions when healthy,” Rosenthal writes, so it might not be easy to find a suitor.

Colorado would presumably ask for an MLB-ready pitcher, along with a handful of top prospects and salary relief. That’s a lot to give up for an injury-prone middle infielder.

Josh Donaldson

Offense was the problem for the Oakland Athletics in the second half, so one would imagine the front office will make a concerted effort to improve the lineup to balance out the strong pitching.

Rosenthal reinforces that idea in another report: “The Oakland Athletics do not plan to trade third baseman Josh Donaldson, according to major league sources.”

Donaldson is both a strong defender and a potent offensive weapon, as evidenced by his plethora of web gems and his 29 home runs during the regular season. He isn’t just a power threat, as the soon-to-be 29-year-old also drove in 98 runs during the regular season.

The man they call “Bringer of Rain” would presumably command a nice return for the A’s. Oakland is, of course, notorious for trading its top assets and bringing in younger, cheaper and more controllable talent.

That time may come with Donaldson, but he won’t be a free agent until after the 2019 season. Arbitration will hike up his salary year after year, assuming he stays healthy and produces, but those numbers are ones the team will likely be able to fit into their payroll.

This is a situation to revisit after the 2018 season, when his upcoming free agency begins to worry the organization. For now, Donaldson will be an Athletic.

Howie Kendrick

Howie Kendrick, 31, has been one of the most consistent second basemen since he entered the league in 2006. The Los Angeles Angel has combined solid defense, a high OPS and decent run production for a middle infielder over the course of his career.

That makes him an attractive option for other teams.

Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are one team that has already checked in on the one-time All-Star: “Howie Kendrick is definitely worth monitoring, as the Blue Jays have placed multiple calls on his availability this year.”

Of course, Nicholson-Smith later tweeted about the four teams Kendrick can block a trade to given his no-trade clause:

Oh, look—Toronto is on the list.

That doesn’t mean the Blue Jays don’t have a shot at him, though. They aren’t that far from contending, making them an attractive team to play for.

Big bats such as Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are enough to drive the lineup (an improved Jose Reyes would help as well), and pitchers such as R.A. Dickey and Marcus Stroman, while not superb, are certainly enough to compete in the American League East.

It would be best for the Jays to go after some extra pitching this offseason as well, but acquiring Kendrick would be a wonderful step toward consistency.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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One week into November, the MLB offseason rumor mill is kicking into full swing, as teams begin kicking the tires on this year’s class of free agents and trade targets.

Keeping up with all of the latest rumor news around the league is no easy task, so this article will provide a quick rundown of the most recent buzz surrounding all 30 teams.

The following has been provided for each team:

• The latest notable rumor(s)
• The source of the rumor(s)
• A pertinent quote summing up the rumor(s)
• Analysis of the rumor(s)

As always, MLBTradeRumors remains an invaluable resource during the MLB offseason, and a tip of the hat goes to them for providing a clearinghouse for all things rumor to sort through.

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Coming off one of the most-discussed postseasons in recent memory, Major League Baseball is not resting on its laurels. The offseason is in full swing, which means teams are preparing offers to free agents and lining up their trade chips. 

While the signings aren’t likely to come until the winter meetings, trades are a different animal. Thanks to the arbitration process and payroll projections for next season, teams have to be active for financial reasons. It’s an unfortunate reality of the sports world—richer teams have flexibility that others don’t. 

Trade rumors are starting to heat up, which makes this the perfect time to analyze what they mean for the players and teams being talked about. 

Royals Undergoing Changes?

Lost in the shuffle of Kansas City’s run to the World Series is the fact that this team is going to look much different in 2015. James Shields is likely gone unless the Royals want to get in a bidding war that could result in a $100 million contract. 

Billy Butler’s team option was declined, though that wasn’t a surprise because his performance in 2014 didn’t warrant $12.5 million next season. There are also six players in their second or third year of arbitration eligibility (Greg Holland, Eric Hosmer, Aaron Crow, Tim Collins, Justin Maxwell, Brett Hayes). 

There’s also the escalating salary of Alex Gordon in the final guaranteed year of his contract, which will pay him $12.5 million with a team option for 2016.

All of these numbers add up to a lot of money the Royals may not have, which is why it isn’t a surprise that Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reported three key players from the World Series run could be on the block:

Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas have become identified with a magical year, but the team faces looming decisions and/or escalating salary on each player. The expectation within the industry is that they will at least listen to trade offers.

To be clear, we are not saying that any of those guys are goners — merely that life with a payroll near $100 million involves hard choices, and a need to consider all options.

Gordon is the big name in that group because of his high salary and age. (He turns 31 in February.) Hosmer made $3.6 million last year, his first year of arbitration, and is still young enough at 25 to have high upside. Mike Moustakas was a hero in the playoffs but still hit .212/.271/.361 and was demoted to Triple-A in May. 

Moustakas is also in his first year of arbitration eligibility, so he will go from making $549,000 in 2014 to substantially more in 2015. He seems to be the most likely candidate to move given his erratic performance and impending raise. 

Gordon, despite the high salary, is still a bargain at $12.5 million. He was worth 6.6 wins above replacement, which translates to $36.3 million of total value added, per FanGraphs. The Royals are still good enough to compete for a playoff spot in 2015, so trading their best all-around player doesn’t make sense. 

The best thing for the Royals to do is what Martino reports they plan to do: Listen to offers on all three, likely plan to keep Gordon and Hosmer, but if the right deal comes along for either one, then take it. Moustakas is expendable regardless of whether the Royals are contenders or not because he’s never lived up to his prospect hype. 

Sorry, it was a nice run in October for Moustakas, but a power surge in the postseason doesn’t change three years of bad performance. 

David Freese on the Move Again?

One year after the Los Angeles Angels acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals, David Freese could find himself in another uniform by the time next season starts. He’s not the only Angel on the trade block, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

The team is likely to trade either second baseman Howie Kendrick or third baseman David Freese to address other needs, according to major-league sources.

The Angels would like to add another starting pitcher for depth and protection as right-hander Garrett Richards works his way back from major knee surgery. They also could seek another left-hander for their bullpen.

In addition to Garrett Richards’ injury, Tyler Skaggs will also miss next year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August. That leaves the Angels with at least one question mark in the rotation (not counting what Richards will be like when he returns). 

With their payroll at $154 million in 2014, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, an increased salary for Mike Trout and the albatross contracts for Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson still on the books for at least two more seasons, the Angels don’t seem to have a lot of flexibility. 

Freese is entering his third and final year of arbitration after making $5 million last year. He has been in decline for the last two years, seeing his OPS go from a career high .839 in 2012 to .704 last year, and he rates as one of the worst defensive third baseman in baseball over the last three years. 

Kendrick has little power to speak of but is an excellent contact hitter who regularly posts averages in the .280-.290 range with above-average defense, per FanGraphs, which makes his $9.5 million salary a bargain (especially compared to what Freese will make relative to his production). 

Dealing Freese doesn’t figure to net any kind of impactful starting pitcher. He could be good enough to get some team in need of help at third base to pull the trigger on a deal for a reliever whose salary is about to increase. Rosenthal highlighted the Angels’ need for a lefty in the ‘pen, so that makes the most sense in a deal for Freese. 

J.A. Happ Deal Another Piece of Toronto’s Offseason Puzzle

Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos has already been busy this offseason. He picked up Justin Smoak off waivers from the Seattle and then traded Adam Lind to Milwaukee for Marco Estrada. 

The question is this: What does Anthopoulos do for an encore? According to Shi Davidi of SportsNet.ca, left-hander J.A. Happ is getting a lot of interest on the trade market:

But the (Lind) swap is also about addressing a flawed roster that too often tied manager John Gibbons’ hands, changing the mix in the clubhouse, building up the pitching depth to protect against injury, and make trading someone like J.A. Happ, who’s been generating lots of interest, possible.

Davidi highlights a lot of moving parts for any potential deal. He mentions how the Blue Jays wanted to use Lind’s $7.5 million salary in different ways, which led to his trade. Estrada can essentially serve the role Happ currently has of a fifth starter/long reliever and make less money. 

In other words, as Davidi wrote, these moves are “about creating opportunities during the off-season rather than putting together the lineup for 2015.” 

Happ is a difficult trade candidate to assess. He’s nothing special on the mound, posting a 4.22 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 158 innings, but his ability to serve multiple roles on a pitching staff does add value. He looks even better carrying a $6.7 million salary to teams in need of pitching depth without great payroll flexibility. 

The Blue Jays clearly need to make some changes and have already started to do so. They want to open a window of contending while players like Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are still playing at a high level.

It also helps Anthopoulos’ offseason strategy that young pitchers like Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez gained experience in 2014, giving the Blue Jays flexibility with the pitching staff because those two players will make roughly the league minimum next season. 

Someone will take Happ off Toronto’s hands, and it is exactly what the Blue Jays need to happen if they want to build a playoff roster next season. 

Contract information via Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted. 

 If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

Follow @adamwells1985

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Well that didn’t take long.

Less than a week after the conclusion of the World Series, before the Hot Stove League has truly opened its doors for business, we’ve already seen some big names come off the rumor mill, which is still weeks away from kicking into high gear.

Whether it’s as a free-agent signing or a potential trade candidate, there’s been no shortage of intriguing rumors and speculation for baseball fans to feast upon. It really is the most wonderful time of the year for fans because, at this point, anything’s possible.

But while it’s great to dream about our favorite team making a big-time addition this winter, reality is going to set in—sooner, rather than later—and many of those dreams will fade away.

What’s real and what’s fantasy? What’s fact and what’s fiction?

That’s what we’re about to figure out.

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To many, July 31 is known simply as the trade deadline. Of course, that’s not entirely accurate.

Plenty of deals go down in August; the process just gets more complicated.

To be traded post-July, players must clear revocable waivers. Meaning, in essence, other teams have an opportunity to snatch a guy off the trading block, and the team that offered him up has a chance to yank him back.

To be eligible to play in the postseason, however, a player must be traded by Aug. 31 (11:59 p.m.).

That date’s almost upon us. Which means, for baseball’s playoff hopefuls, the real trade deadline is looming.

Injuries and exposed weaknesses have shifted the balance of power in both leagues. Multiple contenders, including elite squads, are searching for an upgrade somewhere.

With that in mind, here are a few 11th-hour swaps that could benefit some clubs with their sights set on October.

They’re based on the needs of each specific team and players who have either cleared waivers or have been the subject of waiver-trade rumors. They’re also conjecture, naturally. And, as with all trade talk, most of them probably won’t happen.

Still, it’s always fun to speculate.

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