With 36 hours until the MLB trade deadline, here's what FanSided's insider Robert Murray is hearing around the league.
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is less than 36 hours away, and the expectation amongst rival executives is that the market is about to pick up.
The Angels are all-in, as evidenced by their trades for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. The Padres are increasingly likely to hold onto stars Josh Hader and Blake Snell. The Cardinals and Mets have begun selling and are both a virtual certainty to continue their sell-off ahead of the deadline.
MLB trade deadline: Here's what I'm hearing around the league
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been open to discussing their outfield surplus in trade talks, rival executives say. They have been searching for rotation and bullpen reinforcements.
Entering Sunday, one league source believed the Diamondbacks would land Jordan Hicks before he was ultimately traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. They have inquired on many available relievers, with the Pirates' David Bednar being a player of high interest. But every indication out of Pittsburgh is that the asking price is extremely high, making a deal unlikely.
Los Angeles Angels
So far, the Angels have traded for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. Oh, and they decided not to trade superstar two-way player Shohei Ohtani.
The Angels continue to make calls trying to upgrade their roster, though no deal was imminent as of Sunday night, according to major-league sources. They could use more pitching, and as evidenced by their two trades – all for players on expiring contracts – they are all in.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays talked to the White Sox about both Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly before they were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to major-league sources. Scouts also linked David Robertson to the Rays before he was traded to the Miami Marlins.
The Rays continue to scour the market looking for rotation and bullpen help.
Minnesota Twins
Outfielders Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner and Max Kepler continue to draw interest, though two teams in contact with the Minnesota Twins don't believe they will be traded.
"I think they're gonna hold the young bats," one rival executive said.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers continue to look for another bat, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported, and one player who could make sense is Mets outfielder Tommy Pham.
Pham, 35, is a player that the Brewers have expressed interest in the past. He's hitting .268/.348/.472 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI and is also slashing .305/.362/.638 with eight home runs and 19 RBI in 29 career games at American Family Field.
San Diego Padres
Teams were closely monitoring the Padres to see if they would move either star closer Josh Hader or left-hander Blake Snell. But after sweeping the Texas Rangers this weekend, trades involving either player are increasingly unlikely.
Rival executives were always skeptical that Hader or Snell would be moved, with asking prices for both players said to be sky high.
With the Padres now positioned as buyers, they could look to upgrade their pitching depth, bench and bottom of their lineup.
Pittsburgh Pirates
There has been massive interest in Pirates reliever David Bednar, according to major-league sources. And with Josh Hader seemingly off the market, that interest will only continue to grow. But the Pirates have set a high asking price, rival executives say, and are in no hurry to move a reliever who has a 1.27 ERA and 21 saves in 42.2 innings.
There are a few teams in on Rich Hill, who allowed only two runs and struck out seven batters in a five-inning outing against the Phillies on Sunday. There is also interest in veteran catcher Austin Hedges, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox have already traded Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Reynaldo Lopez and Kendall Graveman. And they likely are not done.
Reliever Keynan Middleton has drawn interest from bullpen-needy teams. They will "give away" catcher Yasmani Grandal, who is in the final year of a four-year, $73 million contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported. They will listen on shortstop Tim Anderson. A trade involving Dylan Cease is considered an extreme unlikelihood, but with the market starved of high-end pitching, it would behoove the White Sox front office to listen to inquiries.
St. Louis Cardinals
After trading free-agents-to-be Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks and Chris Stratton, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged his team was not done.
Right-hander Jack Flaherty is a prime trade candidate. Outfielder Dylan Carlson continues to draw trade interest from teams, including the New York Yankees, according to sources. Shortstop Paul DeJong is also a possibility to be traded.
Stars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt will not be traded.
New York Mets
Rival executives believe that the Mets "nailed" the David Robertson trade with the Miami Marlins, with one raving about infielder Marco Vargas: "A very strong profile as a complete hitter. Every analytical indicator is there. Everyone tweeting about him is 100% correct."
After trading Robertson and Max Scherzer, the Mets continue to draw interest in Tommy Pham and Mark Canha. Right-hander Justin Verlander becomes an interesting trade possibility and his comments on Sunday afternoon indicate that he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause for a trade to a contender.
"I think Max is a tough sign," Verlander said. "I'm committed to trying to win a championship here. But if the organization decides that's not exactly the direction they think is the best fit to go for next year and go for it again, then yeah, I'd be more open to it."
