NEWSLETTER
So much to get into that I couldn’t let it bleed into tomorrow. Thus, a Sunday Night Stove … during Sunday Night Baseball … where Buster Olney offered his best predictions that Craig Kimbrel would wind up on the Dodgers, one of Kris Bryant or Javy Báez or Trevor Story would wind up on the Mets, and Anthony Rizzo would wind up on the Red Sox. Wild stuff, and I can dig into it more soon to determine where there could be legs. But for now, I just take it as a guy doing some prompted speculating during a live game broadcast.
Frazier and Merrifield and Money
The San Diego Padres surprised everyone by trading for yet another versatile position player (they would like to have them all and figure out the rest later), taking Adam Frazier off the market from much needier teams. To the extent the Cubs want to market their own position players, then, that is probably a good outcome for that trade.
Meanwhile, the Frazier deal seems to have shaken a little something loose with the Mariners and the longest, oldest rumor in the universe – a Whit Merrifield trade:
The Mariners are making a push to trade for INF/OF Whit Merrifield of the Royals, sources tell me and @DKramer_. Merrifield is under control through 2023 at a reasonable cost (approx. $10M over 2 years incl. ‘23 option) and offers positional versatility, a good bat & great speed.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 25, 2021
Merrifield is now 32 and is posting the first below-average offensive season of his career since he was a rookie (and no, I still don’t think the Cubs will ever trade for him).
And now a report to bring these two items together, and make a point about the Cubs:
Mariners also made offer for Adam Frazier and did not ask Pirates to put cash in deal, sources tell @TheAthletic. Pirates sent $1.4M to Padres in part because they value Marcano highly. If he evolves into Frazier type, Pirates get six years of him for 1-plus of Frazier.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2021
Folks. If the PITTSBURGH PIRATES are out there eating salary to improve their trade return, you better BELIEVE the Cubs need to be out there doing the same thing. Concededly, the Cubs can’t *make* a trade partner prefer cash to their best prospects – it takes two to tango, and you ultimately take the best deal you can get. But if that is at all available and on the table from any partner, the Cubs – who have said they could’ve added salary at the deadline – better be all over it. Lest they feel the fiery wrath of, um, well, words typed on a keyboard. But they will be angry, bolded, maybe even CAPITALIZED words!
Starting Pitchers
When even the team that just traded away a starting pitcher is in the market for a starting pitcher, then you know it’s a deeply needy market. I’m referring to the Rays, who sent Rich Hill to the desperate Mets, but are apparently still themselves looking to add a quality starting pitcher.
About that trade, then? It likely is just that the Rays were content to save nearly $1 million by sending Hill out (especially given his recent struggles post-sticky-stuff-enforcement) for a modest return, and the Mets reportedly preferred to grab a starter with cash (rather than prospects) anyway. They’re still gonna want to add a more impactful starting pitcher if they can, but I wonder if they’re going to try to just add salary rather than use quality prospects? That would fly a little counter to the rumors that they want to stay under the luxury tax (which they’re something like $5-7 million away from).
Meanwhile, the starting pitching market took a theoretical hit with Max Scherzer getting scratched this weekend. The Padres want to add a starting pitcher now that they’ve traded for Frazier.
Teams are still looking at Danny Duffy, even though he might be out another month:
The Dodgers have joined the Giants as a contender with interest in Royals LHP Danny Duffy (currently on the IL with a left flexor strain), per source. Duffy has often spoken about wanting to stay in KC, but the CA native could waive his 10-5 no-trade rights for a West Coast team.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 25, 2021
And this guy is definitely gonna go:
Sources: #Pirates are likely to trade Tyler Anderson this week. It is possible Anderson makes one more start on Tuesday before a deal is reached. His manageable salary is part of his appeal to high-payroll teams mindful of luxury tax (Dodgers, Phillies). @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2021
Anderson’s numbers are not appreciably better than Zach Davies’, by the way, which is all the more reason to expect Davies to be traded, even if not for a huge return.
Yankees Have Won Enough to Buy?
The rumors just keep on coming about the Yankees, and they keep on being on the buy side:
Story is owed about $7M this season, which would bring the Yankees right around the $210M CBT threshold. It remains to be seen whether NYY will blow past that mark, or whether they’d want Colorado to pay down the salary. First to report Yankees’ interest in Story: @Buster_ESPN
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 23, 2021
The Yankees have checked in with the Rockies on Trevor Story, per source, though they are one of a number of teams believed to be interested in the SS. Given Voit’s health in 2021, Story would be a sensible fit in New York’s infield (LeMahieu 1B, Torres 2B, Story SS, Urshela 3B).
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 23, 2021
In the AL East, even after a good week, the Yankees are still 9.0 games out and behind two teams. But they’re now only 3.5 games out in the Wild Card race, so maybe it doesn’t make sense to sell? Even then, I have a hard time seeing it make sense for them to give up meaningful prospects to rent Story.
Nationals Relievers as Cubs Competition
CLEARLY the Nats want everyone to know these two relievers are available, because that’s three different reporters:
With the Nats looking like a non-contender for a change, the relief market may get a boost as well. The Nats have been on “dual paths” (both buy and sell) but sell seems likely now. Daniel Hudson’s name has been heard on market, snd presumably Brad Hand may be in play too.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 25, 2021
The #Nats have discussed relievers Brad Hand and Daniel Hudson in trades, as @JimBowdenGM reported today on @MLBNetworkRadio. The #BlueJays, known to be active in the bullpen market, are among the teams to inquire on both. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2021
Daniel Hudson has been pretty darn fantastic this year, and obviously has had a number of great years in the past. I could see him right there with a guy like Ryan Tepera, and maybe even commanding a better return given the greater past success. Hudson’s salary this year is $6 million, though, and Tepera’s is $800,000.
Brad Hand’s peripherals absolutely tanked this year – which is what many feared on his trajectory (remember how he didn’t get claimed by anyone?) – but the results have still produced a sub-3 ERA. A concern there, though, is that he’s a guy whose spin rates have plummeted since mid-June. If you were trying to compare him to Andrew Chafin – just for context – it wouldn’t even be close for me. I’d want Chafin.
Miscellaneous
The annual Jose Ramirez trade rumors, which will assuredly go nowhere, but could hold up other parts of the market for a few days:
Update on José Ramírez: At this point, there aren’t active talks between Cleveland and other @MLB clubs on a Ramírez trade. The asking price is extremely high due to the contractual control mentioned here. ⬇️ @MLBNetwork https://t.co/3PAnL7Vr2C
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2021
No extension doing with Byron Buxton, so now the question is whether they shock everyone and trade him this week, or maybe in the offseason (his final year of team control is 2022). A healthy Buxton is a top five player in the game. But, well, you know.
