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As the contenders begin to separate themselves from the pretenders, it’s important to remember that it’s a long season, and that the 25-man rosters taking the field in May could look much different in August and September, when each win and loss at least feels like it has more meaning.

Some teams get healthier. Others call up reinforcements from the minors. And then there are the fortunate teams who are rich in prospect depth and can add impact talent in a trade.

Of course, a team doesn’t need to have the deepest farm system to acquire a front-line pitcher or impact bat. The Angels, considered to have very little prospect depth at the time, gave up three of their best prospects, including shortstop Jean Segura, for two months of Zack Greinke. A weak farm system got even weaker, but they were willing to take the risk.

The Texas Rangers added a pretty good starting pitcher in Ryan Dempster without giving up much from one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. They could’ve easily outbid the Angels for Greinke, but chose to hold onto all their best prospects.

So not all teams with prospect depth are necessarily in a hurry to unload that depth. But sometimes they have to “go for it,” if they feel it’s the right time and the right situation.

Here are five contenders that could go to the trade market with the resources to acquire a player who could reshape their 25-man roster.

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Now a month into the MLB season, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at the latest trade buzz around the league.

Phillies Itching to Sell?

The Philadelphia Phillies could possibly shape the trade market it they fall out of content and go into ‘sell mode’. Currently sitting at 14-16 and three-and-a-half games back in the NL East, they are by no means anywhere near that point.

And considering that they probably gave up too early in 2012, trading two starting outfielders at the trade deadline when they were in last place and 15.5 games out, it could take an even more hopeless situation this time around.

After trading Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino on July 31, the Phillies finally started clicking in other areas of the ballclub and made a legitimate run at a wild-card spot late in the season.

At this point, they seem focused on 2013 and have reportedly inquired multiple times about Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. The 23-year-old Stanton would help them immediately and for at least the next three seasons.

Stanton, currently on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, is not available at the moment, but the Phillies’ interest shows that they’re willing to sacrifice what would probably amount to three or four of their best prospects in order to upgrade their outfield now. That’s not the mindset of a team that expects to fall out of contention.

If they do, however, there are several veteran players who would be valuable trade chips in July. Salisbury mentions players with partial no-trade clauses like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Jonathan Papelbon and Chase Utley, as well as Jimmy Rollins, who has a full no-trade clause.

Utley is the most likely to be dealt since he is a free agent after the season.  Roy Halladay is a free agent after 2014. It’s hard to see them passing up the chance to move over to a contender if the Phillies are out of it, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to convince either to waive their no-trade clause, if necessary.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz, a free agent at season’s end, could also be on the move if the Phillies aren’t in contention. The 33-year-old is 2-for-15 since his return from a 25-game suspension for a positive amphetamine test, but he had a career year at the plate in 2012 (.934 OPS in 114 games).

Salisbury mentions that the Phillies could then begin the transition to prospect Tommy Joseph as Ruiz’s successor, although easing him in with Ruiz still around to mentor him could be more beneficial.

Lucas Harrell vs. Bud Norris

In Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings & Grumblings column for ESPN, he opines that Lucas Harrell would be the preferred Astros starting pitcher in a deal by most teams. Harrell has two more years of team control (free agent after 2017) than Bud Norris (free agent after 2015), who is also considered by some teams to be better fit as a late-inning reliever on a contender rather than a starter.

I mentioned both as potential early-season trade candidates in a recent article. The Astros are 6-7 when Harrell or Norris start and 2-15 when they don’t. 

Chase Headley Watch

San Diego Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler is still hopeful the team can sign Chase Headley long-term despite Headley not wanting to discuss an extension during the season. Fowler said he doesn’t feel extension talks would be a distraction and a deal could be done relatively quick if Headley and his agent were interested.

While Headley‘s resistance to contract talks doesn‘t necessarily mean the Padres will trade him during the season, it definitely makes it more likely that they’ll deal him if they get the return they want. More teams will be interested in the offseason, however, which could drive up the price. It’s also beneficial to wait if the Padres wanted major league talent in return. That’s highly unlikely during the season.

It’s also important to point out that the Padres aren’t ready to give up on the season. They’re 12-17 and five games out in the NL West, but the division doesn‘t seem as strong as expected. They’ve won seven of their last 10 and proved in the second half of last season that they are capable of stringing together a few really good months.

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While the Chicago Cubs didn’t head into the 2013 season with the expectation that this would definitely be a rebuilding season, they knew it was at least a reasonable possibility—one that’s looking more likely after an 8-14 start.

The rebuilding process took a big step last season as three of the top four prospects in the organization, according to Baseball Prospectus (Albert Almora—draft, Jorge Soler—international free agent, Arodys Vizcaino—acquired in 2012), were added to the farm system after Theo Epstein took over as president of baseball operations in Chicago.

Along with the team’s first-round pick in 2011, shortstop Javier Baez, the Cubs’ quartet of prospects at the top of the list are quite impressive. In less than a year, the future of the team is already looking much brighter.

The rebuilding plan, as it pertains to the second year under Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, could revolve around the trade value of starting pitcher Matt Garza and whether they can add another high-caliber prospect to the organization.

The 29 year-old Garza, who will be a free agent after the season, missed most of the second half of 2012 with a stress reaction in his elbow and has been on the disabled list with a strained lat muscle since the start of this season. 

Recently scratched from his first rehab assignment start with what is being described as a “dead arm”, Garza is now set to make his first rehab start on May 1. If he can get back on track and rejoin the Cubs’ rotation in the next three weeks or so—a very realistic timetable if there are no further setbacks—his value should hold strong as interested teams will be able to get at least 12-15 starts to determine if he can help and if he’s worth the Cubs’ asking price.

My guess is that it will cost a team a top-five prospect—the same as what the Braves had to pay for Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson last July when they traded away their third-ranked prospect, Vizcaino, in the deal.

A strong two months from Garza would likely ensure that the Cubs ask for a prospect of the same caliber as Vizcaino.  

By comparison, Ryan Dempster spent two separate stints on the disabled list (strained quad, strained lat) before he was traded to Texas at last year’s deadline,. The 35 year-old pitcher made 16 starts with the Cubs, however, and was able to showcase his health in four starts after returning from the lat injury in early July.

In those 16 starts, Dempster had a 2.25 ERA, 7.0 H/9, 2.3 BB and 7.2 K/9 in 104 innings pitched. Garza’s 18 starts in 2012 resulted in a 3.91 ERA, 7.8 H/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 8.3 K/9 in 103.2 innings pitched.

Considering that age isn’t likely to make a big difference when comparing two-month rentals, the value of Garza and Dempster shouldn’t be much different, but it doesn’t seem that way for some reason.

Maybe it’s Garza’s reputation as someone who has had success in the AL East. Maybe it’s because several contending teams will need pitching help and Garza could top the list of available pitchers.

Whatever the reason, it’s hard to see the Cubs not getting more for Garza than they received from the Rangers did for Dempster in third baseman Christian Villanueva and a fringe pitching prospect. 

As of now, the list of starting pitchers who will likely be available in July is thin. Struggling teams expected to be “sellers” include the Astros, Marlins and Padres. The Mariners and Twins are also likely headed in that direction.

Lucas Harrell, Jason Marquis, Ricky Nolasco, Bud Norris, Mike Pelfrey, Joe Saunders and Edinson Volquez would likely head the list of available starters from that group. Cubs starter Scott Feldman could also be on the list. 

From a contender’s perspective, Garza would be the top pitcher of that group. If other teams with current losing records, including the Angels (Jason Vargas), Blue Jays (Josh Johnson), Indians (Justin Masterson), Phillies (Roy Halladay), Rays (David Price), and White Sox (Gavin Floyd) can’t turn things around, then Garza would have some competition for the “best starter available” at the trading deadline.

Adding another good prospect in a Garza trade will continue to put the Cubs on the right path to have a young and talented squad in 2015. As for 2014, the third year of the Epstein/Hoyer era, things could get ugly in Chicago if they’re not at least a .500 club.

Expect another busy offseason in free agency and possibly a big trade with one of their top prospects utilized as a centerpiece in a deal.

Getting a good return on Garza would make that even more likely.

I recently wrote about the Cubs being a possible fit for Rays starter David Price and the trade package it might take to acquire him.   

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A David Price trade is pretty much inevitable; the question is: When? And with which team?

The reigning Cy Young award winner could leave Tampa as early as this summer if the Rays fall out of contention, but he could possibly stick around for two or even three more years. My guess is that he’s dealt this offseason, but when GM Andrew Friedman decides to pull the trigger depends on many factors.

After mammoth contracts signed by other elite pitchers recently (Zack Greinke, Justin Verander and Felix Hernandez), the Rays clearly won’t be able to afford Price long-term, which is why it’s time for the Rays to search for potential trade suitors.

Here are a few potential trade packages that should be able to pry Price from Tampa Bay.

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As always, we’ll start by taking a look at all the latest injuries around the league and whether a team will have to go outside the organization for a replacement. 

Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees 

The initial expectation was that the 38-year-old would be fully recovered from ankle surgery and activated from the disabled list no later than May 1. But, as reported by ESPN’s Andrew Marchand, it was discovered yesterday that Jeter has a small crack in the bone and would be out until sometime after the All-Star break.  

General manager Brian Cashman says the club is happy with fill-ins Eduardo Nuñez and Jayson Nix, but neither is lighting the world on fire (combined .190 batting average). They might have to look outside the organization for some help. (I threw out some ideas on the subject.)

The Blue Jays could be in the same boat with Jose Reyes out up to three months with an ankle injury. They’re currently going with Maicer Izturis and Munenori Kawasaki as his replacements.

Matt Harrison, SP, Texas Rangers 

The lefty will undergo surgery for a herniated disk in his back and won’t return until after the All-Star break.  

Already without Neftali Feliz (Tommy John surgery), Martin Perez (fractured wrist) and Colby Lewis (flexor tendon surgery), the Rangers say they’ll stay in house; rookies Nicholas Tepesch and Justin Grimm are currently in the rotation. At least that’s the plan, for now.

But if things get ugly, the Rangers have one of the deepest farm systems in the game and are capable packaging prospects in order to deal for a starting pitcher. The question is whether any team considered to be a non-contender would make a trade in April or May. 

On Friday, I discussed why it would make sense for contending teams to try and acquire players earlier in the season, as opposed to waiting until July.  

Chase Headley Watch 

No. 3 on my top 10 trade deadline candidates list, Headley returned from a thumb injury on Wednesday and is now 2-for-7 with a homer and three RBI through his first two games. 

The 5-11 Padres could have nothing to play for by early July, if not sooner, so teams are sure to be asking about Headley’s availability. The Padres don’t have to trade him—he’ll be a free agent after 2014—but I’m certain they’ll at least be willing to listen. 

Struggling Offseason Trade Acquisitions 

A change of scenery can help in certain cases. So far in 2013, the following players acquired in offseason trades haven’t impressed their new fanbase:

Emilio Bonifacio, IF/OF, Blue Jays: .192 BA (10-for-52), 6 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 17 K

Collin Cowgill, OF, Mets: .194 BA (7-for-36), 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 8 K

Yunel Escobar, SS, Rays: .125 BA (7-for-56), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 12 K

Cliff Pennington, SS/2B, Diamondbacks: .211 BA (12-for-57), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 15 K

Ben Revere, OF, Phillies: .221 BA (16-for-68), 3B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 11 K, 5 SB

Chris Young, OF, A’s: .179 BA (10-for-56), 2 HR, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 15 K, 4 SB

Jason Vargas, LHP, Angels: 6.75 ERA, 14.2 IP, 27 H, 7 BB, 8 K 

Closer Watch

With plenty of closing situations up in the air at the moment, it wouldn’t be surprising if three minor league signings from this week all ended up with some save opportunities before the season ends.  

The Brewers are currently on their backup closing option (Jim Henderson) as John Axford struggled coming out of the gate. To bolster their pen, they signed Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez. The Cubs, who have some sort of closer committee going on with Carlos Marmol being demoted, signed Kevin Gregg, who saved 23 games for them in 2009. And the Marlins signed former Mariners closer David Aardsma. 

Jose Valverde, who signed a minor league deal with the Tigers earlier in the month, pitched a scoreless inning for High-A Lakeland on Friday. He could be back in the majors in the next few weeks. Former Giants closer Brian Wilson, who is on the mend from Tommy John surgery, could also sign with a team in the near future. The Cardinals are among the teams who could be seeking help in the late innings.  

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Several potential trade-deadline candidates had question marks coming into the season. Are they healthy and can they stay healthy? Can they bounce back from a poor season? Will they even be available in July, or will their teams be contending for a playoff spot?

A few weeks into the season, the picture is starting to clear up slightly, with a few players forcing their way onto the list after hot starts. 

As a rule, I’ll only include players on teams with losing records. Later in the season, I’ll include a player on a winning ballclub if the the team happens to be a long way from a playoff spot. 

Here are my top-10 current candidates.

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It’s only two weeks into the minor league season, but that doesn’t mean a prospect’s trade value can’t increase or decline based on performance thus far.

Many prospects have questions surrounding them heading into a new season, especially in regards to their ability to handle a new level or bounce back from a poor season. Getting off to a great start can ease the minds of their own organization and open up the eyes of teams potentially interested in acquiring them.

Either way, the trade value of that particular player rises because of the increasing demand on the trade market and increased asking price. 

Here are five prospects, all ranking near the top in their organization, who are doing everything they can to maximize their trade value so far and might even be as close to “untouchable” as a player can be on the trade market.

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Another week filled with injuries to key players gives us the opportunity to speculate away at how the affected teams will fill the new holes on their roster. 

How do the Dodgers replace Zack Greinke, who (as tweeted by the Dodgers) will miss approximately eight weeks with a fractured collarbone? How about the Blue Jays, with the Associated Press reporting they could be without Jose Reyes for up to three months because of a severely sprained ankle (h/t ESPN)? The Angels’ Jered Weaver will also be out for four to six weeks with a fractured left elbow. 

These players simply cannot be replaced. Their teams will have to try and make do with what they have while keeping a close eye on the trade market to see if something makes sense. 

Here’s a closer look at each situation. 

Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers 

I knew there was a reason the Dodgers had so many starting pitchers! They’ll have the option of moving Chris Capuano to the rotation now or activating Ted Lilly from the disabled list to take the open spot. 

They’ve already traded Aaron Harang, so I doubt either Capuano or Lilly is on the trade block any longer. Acquiring another pitcher who is a better option this early in the season is nearly impossible, so you can probably expect the Dodgers to stand pat. 

Remember that they still have one of the best pitchers in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, leading a pretty good rotation of Chad Billingsley, Josh Beckett and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

No team in baseball is prepared to lose a player of Greinke’s caliber. But the Dodgers had plenty of starting pitching depth and now they’ll have to use every bit of it in order to compete in the NL West.

Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays 

Maicer Izturis, who hasn’t gotten the best reviews defensively while filling in at third base for Brett Lawrie, now likely becomes the primary shortstop with Reyes out. The 32-year-old switch-hitter hasn’t hit much either (5-for-25) nor is he the most durable player. 

The Jays could turn to Triple-A shortstop Ryan Goins, who had a .745 OPS in Double-A last season and was added to the 40-man roster in November. It would be a tough task, however, to break into the big leagues while the Jays have grand expectations of winning the AL East.

After a quick glance around the league, I can find just three realistic trade targets: Ronny Cedeño of the Astros, Cliff Pennington of the Diamondbacks and Dee Gordon of the Dodgers. None of the three have great trade value, but their team might not be motivated to make a trade this early in the season unless the Jays want to overpay.  

Teams might be willing to part with their starting shortstops later in the season if they fall out of contention, but Reyes should be back before the trade deadline.

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels 

The last-place Angels have won just two of their first 10 games and it will be hard to climb out of this early hole without Weaver. His replacement, 24-year-old Garrett Richards, has the potential to give the team several quality starts in his place. He’s been pitching out of the bullpen, but he did toss 6.1 innings in a spring start on March 23rd, yielding only one run, three hits and one walk while striking out five.

Even if Richards comes through, the rest of the rotation has struggled and the Angels might have to consider an aggressive run at a starter who may be available in a trade. 

The problem is that they don’t have a lot in the minors and most teams aren’t willing to trade away a big league starter right now. Looking into a free agent-to-be who could benefit from a change of scenery might be the best route. Tim Lincecum of the Giants fits that description well. 

If the Angels would be willing to give up one of their top position player prospects, possibly first baseman C.J. Cron or second baseman Taylor Lindsey, and eat the remaining portion of the $22 million he’s getting paid this season, the Giants might consider giving up the two-time Cy Young Award winner. 

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The 2013 MLB season is just getting started, but the trade rumors are already in full swing.

Most teams would like to wait until deeper into the year before making major changes to the roster. It seems only fair to evaluate the talent you have before attempting to acquire new players.

However, injuries and ineffectiveness cause an increased amount of urgency. As a result, there are a bunch of players who could be on the move in a hurry.

Here is the latest trade buzz from around the league on a few of them.

Aaron Harang, Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies acquired Aaron Harang from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, but he will not be with the organization for long.  

Immediately after the trade, the Rockies designated the pitcher for assignment as they attempt to move him to yet another team.

Fortunately for Colorado, there is plenty of interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

The most interesting name on this list is the Boston Red Sox, who might need to replace John Lackey’s spot in the rotation if his biceps injury keeps him out for an extended period of time.

Either way, the Rockies are almost certain to move Harang quickly after finding the best available deal.

Bud Norris, Houston Astros

In the first regular-season game of the year, Bud Norris had an impressive showing against a very good Texas Rangers lineup to get the win.

Of course, the next week went more to expectations for the Astros. There will be a lot of losses this year, and the team will eventually want to move its best players for young prospects.

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Norris is likely to be one of the players after a strong showing:

Norris’s stock rose higher after he beat the Rangers in the opener last Sunday. He should bring the Astros a good haul between now and the trade deadline. One veteran NL adviser indicated the Rangers might be his landing point.

Rookie Nick Tepesch will get a chance to show what he can do at the end of the rotation, but if he struggles, Norris would be a good replacement.

Jurickson Profar, Texas Rangers

If you have not heard the name Jurickson Profar yet, just wait, because you will eventually. Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com ranks the shortstop as the No. 1 prospect in baseball entering the season.

Unfortunately, Texas has little use for a middle infielder with Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler playing well for the big league club.

After the team signed Andrus to an eight-year extension, the front office fielded calls for a trade including Profar, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

While the Rangers maintain that they are not interested in trading away their best minor league player, things could change later in the year if they want to make a big move to help contend this season.

Profar would help bring in an impact player at any position, which could help the squad balance out the roster as the season progresses.

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I’ve recently taken a look at some starting pitchers and relievers who could be available by midseason, assuming their team is out of contention or just has a lot of depth and is looking to upgrade in another area.

The names mentioned weren’t huge names, mostly because teams we assume will be bad typically don’t have deep pitching staffs. When it comes to position players, though, there are several names that will not only be fun to talk about as the rumor mill gets going, but that could also make a lot of sense for teams to move before August 1.

Hunter Pence, Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino were three of the biggest names changing teams in July 2012. Here are the top six players most likely to be available this July.

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