With the MLB trade deadline approaching, it is time for teams to start thinking about what they want to do in order to improve their roster. Every year, teams on the verge of contention look to acquire big name players in order to increase their chances of being the last team standing at the end of October. With that being said, many teams go into July with a completely different approach, often wanting to trade away players on their walk year and prepare for the next year or years to follow. While it may seem obvious that particular teams are buyers and others are not, there are always some teams that could really go either way. I am going to try to predict whether each MLB team will be a buyer or a seller, and for the purpose of this article, I am not going to say that any team will simply stand pat (although there could be numerous teams that do just that).
AL EAST
Baltimore Orioles: Sellers
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as it seems very obvious that the Orioles are the odd team out when it comes to a very strong AL East. Unless something unforeseen occurs this season, Baltimore will likely finish in last place, so they will almost undoubtedly look to trade away at least some of their current players.Outfielder Cedric Mullins, who is having an outstanding season for the team, could be one player that the Orioles look to deal. Additionally, first baseman Trey Mancini and starter John Means could be names that switch uniforms come July 30th. I think it will really depend on what players are in Baltimore’s future plans, and which they feel like they could succeed without.
Boston Red Sox: Buyers
The Boston Red Sox have been one of the more surprising teams in baseball this year, and for all the good reasons. They are likely going to be in a tight battle with the Rays, Yankees, and Blue Jays for the AL East division title. While the Red Sox have a very strong team as it is, there are spots that I can see them looking for improvements. Perhaps they look for an outfielder to help bolster their lineup, but they can also use help in their rotation and bullpen. With SP Chris Sale seemingly coming back sometime this season, the Red Sox could opt to focus on bullpen help, but whatever they do it seems like the 2021 Red Sox are buyers inevitably.
Tampa Bay Rays: Buyers
After falling short of a World Series title in 2020, the Rays looked to continue to show their dominance in 2021. Many may have doubted their potential after they traded away one of their better pitchers in Blake Snell and lost another good pitcher in free agency in Charlie Morton. Despite these losses, the Rays have proven that they are a true contender who are poised for another return to the World Series. With that being said, the Rays will certainly look to add on to their already formidable roster, as they look to win the AL East title for the second straight season. With the injury to their ace Tyler Glasnow it seems like the Rays could target some starting pitching before the deadline. Along with starting pitching, the Rays could look to add a power bat if they so please, as they have consistently been a team that struggles with hitting home runs.
Toronto Blue Jays: Buyers
The Toronto Blue Jays are faced with a very tough task in the AL East, as they are forced to try to keep up with the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox in order to secure a postseason spot come October. While the Blue Jays may seem like the worst team out of the four, they just have way too much talent to simply become sellers at the deadline. The Blue Jays have a ton of young talent and are determined to show the league that they are for real and will be contenders for a long time to come. The Blue Jays offense is ridiculously good, but there are glaring holes in both their rotation and bullpen. Their current rotation has Hyun-jin Ryu, Robbie Ray, Steven Matz, Ross Stripling and rookie Alek Manoah. This rotation is not horrible by any means, but could definitely see an upgrade sooner rather than later. The bullpen is more than likely the weakest area for this Blue Jays team, as a lot of their relievers have been unreliable after filling in for the likes of Kirby Yates and Julian Merryweather among others. If the Blue Jays really want to win it all here in 2021, it will be crucial for them to add to their bullpen and potentially their starting rotation.
New York Yankees: Buyers
The New York Yankees have historically been known as a franchise built for winning, and this year will be no different. The Yankees are not a team that likes rebuilding, and thankfully for them they have been good enough the past few years where they do not have to. Although the Yankees don’t have a bad record in the general scheme of things, with the talent they have they have thus far underperformed. Just like the Blue Jays the Yankees have a phenomenal offense, but their pitching staff could certainly use some work. The Yankee bullpen however, has been one of the best in all of baseball and likely will see no improvement before the deadline.. New York is also missing two big pieces in their rotation in Corey Kluber and Luis Severino, making a trade for a starting pitcher all that more beneficial. Statistically, the Yankees offense has actually been more of a problem this year compared to their pitching, but there aren’t a ton of improvements they could make, as they already have a very talented offensive team. If there were to be one area the Yankees could improve offensively it would likely be in the outfield, as they have struggled to get a lot of production out of the likes of Brett Gardner and Clint Frazier.
AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox: Buyers
The White Sox have had very little competition for first place in the AL Central division thus far, and I expect it to stay that way for the remainder of the season. Chicago is essentially a lock for the division title, barring any significant changes of course, and that makes it very easy for me to put them as clear buyers. This team does not do a lot of things wrong, as they are among the best in terms of pitching and hitting in all of baseball. With that being said, there are a few places where I think an improvement can suit them well, one being at second base. The White Sox have already been linked to guys like Eduardo Escobar of the Diamondbacks and Adam Frazier of the Pirates, in hopes of acquiring a better option at second base. Additionally, the team has struggled to find great replacements for outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert, so I believe there is at least a possibility they try to assist that need. Although an improvement could certainly help the team in the outfield, it remains a possibility that one or both of Jimenez and Robert return sometime this season, but that remains an uncertainty.
Cleveland Indians:Sellers
Although the 2021 Cleveland Indians have not been a bad team to anyone’s standard, they are unlikely to make the playoffs due to the competition they face in the American League. Barring any big changes, the Indians will not win the AL Central division, and will look to sneak into a wild card spot instead. While this could certainly happen, there are multiple other teams that I believe are more likely to grab that spot. I acknowledge that the Indians are still very much in the mix for the postseason, but the biggest reason that I believe they will choose to sell is because of their payroll situation. One of the biggest moves of the 2020-21 offseason was the Francisco Lindor trade to the Mets, where the Indians traded away one of their best players on his contract year. The Indians decided to move Lindor because they could not meet his asking price in terms of an extension, which became very apparent when the Mets extended him in the beginning of April. Cleveland certainly will not have a huge fire sale, but I could see them trading one of their better assets away and trying to retool, while still being competitive in a sense this year. Two names that come to mind include OF Eddie Rosario and IF Cesar Hernandez, both who are going to be free agents following the end of the 2021 season.
Minnesota Twins: Sellers
It is fair to say the Minnesota Twins have been one of the most disappointing teams in the MLB this year. The Twins were expected to be fighting with the White Sox for the AL Central title, but instead found themselves fighting to stay out of last place. Since it seems like the Twins won’t be making the postseason this year, selling off some of their players is very reasonable. Players like Nelson Cruz, J.A. Happ, Michael Pineda, and Andrelton Simmons are all on the final year of their contract and could certainly be dealt before the trade deadline is over. Alongside these players, there have been rumors that the Twins could look to move players with a bit more team control, including Byron Buxton, Josh Donaldson, and Jose Berrios. I find it a bit unlikely that any of these three players switch uniforms before the trade deadline, simply because the Twins could very well plan to compete next year and I cannot see them doing a complete fire sale with that as a possibility.
Kansas City Royals: Sellers
The Kansas City Royals started as one of the better teams in the MLB, but nearing the trade deadline they have come back down to what seems like their reality for this year. The Royals are not competing for any sort of postseason spot in 2021, so it is very obvious that they will be selling to some extent. Similar to the Twins, the Royals have a few players that are on the last years of their contract, and these players could find themselves being dealt before the beginning of August. Players like Greg Holland, Michael Taylor, Danny Duffy, and Jorge Soler could all potentially be moved as the Royals aim to compete sometime in the near future. Another name that has at least been mentioned as someone who could be moved is outfielder Andrew Benintendi, but that remains as less of a possibility due to his control and the fact that the team does not know when he will return from the IL. The Royals have a ton of young talent which can certainly lead to a competitive team in the future, and I believe that trading away players on their contract year can help build for a competitive core for the future.
Detroit Tigers: Sellers
The Tigers’ 2021 season is going just as many would expect it to, as the Tigers are just not ready to compete for a postseason spot yet. The team obviously wants to compete in the near future, and in order to do that they need to build up a core of young players. At this point, the Tigers have some young talent, but it is not nearly enough to compete even in the coming few years. Detroit needs to decide which players they believe that they could build their team around, and which ones are expendable. I think it was in the best interest of the Tigers to sign a few players to one year deals, as now they can trade off a few of them (if not all) to a contender looking for a postseason push. Jonathan Schoop, Jose Urena, Nomar Mazara, and Derek Holland are all players that could likely be dealt, as all of their contracts expire after the 2021 season. The Tigers could also choose to trade guys like Michael Fulmer, Robbie Grossman, and Matthew Boyd, who are under multi-year contracts, but again, that depends if they think any of the guys could be involved in their future plans. Ultimately, I believe there are very little or even potentially no untouchables for the Tigers, and depending on outside interest on some of their players, we could see the Tigers completely reshape their roster before the start of August.
AL WEST
Houston Astros: Buyers
The Houston Astros have been a good team for multiple years straight, and it is apparent that they are not going to regress in 2021. The Astros are loaded with talent from top to bottom of their lineup, and they also have a stellar rotation to go along with it. Due to the fact that the Astros are destined to return to the postseason this year, it seems inevitable that the team will attempt to buy at the trade deadline. As I mentioned before, the Astros already have an extremely solid offense and rotation, so if they do look to make moves before the trade deadline, they would likely look to add some arms to their bullpen. Realistically, this team could be a trade or two away from being arguable favorites to represent the American League in the World Series.
Oakland Athletics: Buyers
While the Athletics might not win their division, it seems unlikely that they will miss the playoffs at this point in the season. Oakland has a very good team as it is, but there are certainly some areas where they could look to improve. Two of the spots where they could look to improve are in their bullpen and in their outfield. Specifically, the A’s can look for a left handed bat in the outfield, as their big league options are limited within their organization currently. One name that has been linked to the Athletics is Rockies star SS Trevor Story, and while he does not help with any of the prior mentioned positional needs, he would obviously be a major upgrade for the team. The issue that arises in imagining any sort of trade for Oakland, never mind Trevor Story, is their lack of a solid farm system, as it currently ranks 26th in all of baseball. The Athletics will more than likely look to buy before the trade deadline, but if they do they may have to get a little creative in order to truly upgrade their roster.
Los Angeles Angels: Sellers
The Los Angeles Angels are one of those teams that are kind of right in the middle of being a buyer or a seller, but I am going to lean towards the team being partial sellers before this year’s trade deadline. The Angels could still make a run for the postseason, but with the unlikelihood of them winning the AL West division title, they will have to compete with a plethora of teams for a wildcard spot. I compare the Angels to the Indians in terms of their position for the deadline, as like the Indians, the Angels will not look to completely tear down their roster, but rather to retool a little while staying competitive. The Angel’s offense is loaded, with guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon leading the way, but for a little while they have certainly struggled in terms of pitching. I feel as if the team has quite a bit of improvements to make before their pitching is able to help secure them a postseason spot, so selling this year could make a lot of sense. Los Angeles has a ton of players that will be free agents after the 2021 season, so it will be interesting to see how many, if any, they end up trading away.
Seattle Mariners: Sellers
While Seattle is having a very solid year compared to many people’s expectations, I don’t think they are quite at the point where they would seriously consider fully committing to a postseason run. The Mariners are a team that has a lot of young talent with a ton of potential, but I just think their competition, not only in their division but also in the other two divisions, is just a bit too tough for Seattle to be able to clinch a postseason berth. I could honestly be wrong about this take, only because the Mariners can very likely choose to buy due to the talent they currently have on their roster and in the minors. Seattle has one of the better farm systems in all of baseball, and quite frankly, if it weren’t for having the Astros and Athletics in their same division, they would likely opt to buy. If the Mariners do decide to become sellers, guys like Kyle Seager, Yusei Kikuchi, and Kendall Graveman could be on the move. Kikuchi and Graveman are both having outstanding years, so it would probably take a bit of a haul to get either, making Seager the most likely trade chip for the Mariners.
Texas Rangers: Sellers
The Texas Rangers are among the teams that will probably have a very easy decision going into the 2021 trade deadline. Texas is certainly not going to make the playoffs, and seemingly will finish in last place this year, so it is no surprise that they will be selling. The Rangers do not have a ton of players on their contract years, but they do have some pretty valuable players that have been rumored to be available. Two of these players are all-stars, in Joey Gallo and Kyle Gibson, and if the Rangers do decide to move either, you can rest assured that they would get a formidable return. Another player that has been rumored to be on the board is the Rangers closer Ian Kennedy, who is currently having a solid year, and even though he is not an all star he will likely bring back a solid return. I do not foresee the Rangers having any sort of fire sale, as they do not have a lot of super valuable players to move, but I would certainly be surprised if all 3 of the players that I named before remained in a Ranger uniform following July 30th.
NL EAST
New York Mets: Buyers
The Mets had one of the better off seasons in all of baseball and because of that they were projected to potentially win the NL East division in 2021. Many were originally skeptical due to the track record of the Atlanta Braves, but for the past 2 months or so the Mets have been leading what was previously referred to as the best division in the league. Considering the Mets seem likely destined for a postseason spot (and maybe even a division title), they will look to add onto their already talented roster before the start of August. The Mets currently have an already solid rotation with Jacob Degrom, Taijuan Walker, and Marcus Stroman, but they could benefit from adding another backend starter to help secure their options. Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard are two big names that could return from the IL and bolster that Mets rotation, but injuries are always sort of an uncertain concept, and generally speaking you can never have too much pitching. New York has also been linked to some hitters, such as Pirates utility man Adam Frazier and Cubs star Kris Bryant. Additionally, the Mets could possibly use another arm in their bullpen, so that could be another area of improvement. It is well known that Mets owner Steve Cohen is not worried about anything related to payroll, so it is probable that we see a pretty active trade deadline for the Mets.
Atlanta Braves: Buyers
In 2021 the Braves have been a pretty disappointing team considering what people expected them to do this year, but they are not out of postseason contention in the slightest. Atlanta has heavily underperformed in the first half of the season, but even with that being recognized, they still have a real chance to win the NL East division. One of the most obvious areas that the Braves could look to address is in their outfield, after they lost Ronald Acuna Jr to a season ending injury and will lose Marcell Ozuna for however long he is out. Ideally, the Braves would like to acquire an outfielder with a bit of control considering their current and future options. If they look to improve in other areas as well, Atlanta can look to bolster their bullpen, as their starting rotation and infield seem to be pretty set for at least the 2021 season. Maybe I am being a bit too optimistic, but I still see the Braves pushing for a postseason spot this year and trying to improve at the deadline to do just that.
Philadelphia Phillies: Buyers
Prior to the start of the offseason it was unknown whether or not the Phillies would be able to resign some of their big name players such as Didi Gregorius and J.T. Realmuto due to payroll cuts from the 2020 season. Well, the Phillies front office quickly responded to these doubts by signing back both players and stating to their fanbase that they will seemingly attempt to compete again this year. It is impossible to ignore the payroll concerns of the Phillies organization, but I think they will buy to a smaller scale before the deadline. This is a tough decision for me because the Phillies could benefit from selling off some players and improving their farm system, I just think they are too close in the NL East division to sell at this point. Just like the Braves, the Phillies can still very well make the playoffs, or better yet win the division. Philadelphia’s offense and starting rotation are pretty solid as they are, but there are gaping holes in their bullpen that they absolutely would need to address if they plan on competing this year. Assuming the Phillies buy this year, they will work hard to improve their bullpen, and if they do that they could set themselves up for a run at the NL East division title.
Washington Nationals: Sellers
As hard as it is for me to say this, I believe that the Washington Nationals will look to sell barring any impressive stretch before the deadline. Before this season, Washington’s farm system was ranked as the worst in all of baseball, and that fact combined with their current place in the standings makes me convinced they will sell. Like I stated before, the Nationals could have an impressive stretch and become motivated to buy, but I think injuries to guys like Kyle Schwarber, Stephen Strasburg, and Joe Ross came at the wrong time. I do not see Washington gaining much or at all on their division rivals before the deadline, and that will convince GM Mike Rizzo to sell to some extent. In terms of players who the Nationals could trade, the biggest name that comes to mind has to be SP Max Scherzer, but I don’t see him getting moved unless Washington gets blown away by an offer. More realistic players that could be traded include Starlin Castro, Daniel Hudson, Josh Harrison, or maybe even Brad Hand. The bottom line is the Nationals would really have to perform well leading up to this deadline, or else their front office will have seemingly zero reason NOT to sell.
Miami Marlins: Sellers
Besides the Mets, the Miami Marlins have what seems like the easiest decision for this year’s trade deadline, in terms of teams in this division. By no means are the Marlins a hopeless team, as they have a ton of talent and potential, but there seems to be no sign of them contending at least for this year. Since Miami will likely sell, it makes you wonder who exactly they would be willing to sell, considering the team seemingly plans on contending in the near future. Players like Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Trevor Rogers, Jesus Sanchez, and Jazz Chisholm are probably not going anywhere, because these are guys that the team will probably try to build their future around. In terms of pitching, I would think that players like Richard Bleier, Yimi Garcia, or Dylan Floro could be on the move, as they all could be of interest to teams looking for bullpen help. On the offensive side of things, Starling Marte’s name has been in the middle of a lot of trade rumors for the past month or so, and along with him I could see players like Jesus Aguilar, Joe Panik, Miguel Rojas, Garrett Cooper, or even Adam Duvall involved in trade talks to some degree.
NL CENTRAL
Milwaukee Brewers: Buyers
The Milwaukee Brewers have been one of the more surprising (in a good way) teams in baseball thus far in 2021. They currently sit atop the NL Central with a comfortable lead on the 2nd place Cincinnati Reds. Much of the Brewers success can be accredited to their pitching, with both their rotation and bullpen doing phenomenal jobs. Milwaukee’s rotation is led by Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, and Freddy Peralta, all that have been pretty dominant this year so far. As for their bullpen, Josh Hader, Devin Williams, and Brad Boxberger have done a lot of the heavy lifting in what has been a pretty reliable bullpen all things considered. If the Brewers do look to improve, which I obviously think they will, they will need to look for improvements offensively, as their offense has been one of the worst in all of baseball this year. In terms of specific positions, the Brewers can look to upgrade at one of the corner infield positions, in the outfield, and maybe even up the middle as well. Seemingly a lot has gone well for Milwaukee up to this point in the season, but if they really want to be poised for a run at the World Series title, it seems unavoidable for them to upgrade their offense.
Cincinnati Reds: Buyers
The Reds have put themselves in a good position to be buyers before the trade deadline, and honestly, I think the fact that they are leaning towards buying (or should be at least) surprises a lot of people. I believe that many assumed the Reds would be a 4th place team or maybe even a 3rd place team ahead of the Cubs, but not many thought they could be in 2nd place by the middle of the season. Not only are they in 2nd place, but similar to the Braves and Phillies in the NL East, they can still very well compete for the division title. Cincinnati is kind of in the middle of the pack when it comes to hitting and pitching, but there seems to be some spots where they could definitely find improvements. One area where they have been searching for an improvement for a while is at shortstop, and of course, that makes you wonder regarding the possibility of a Trevor Story Trade. Moreover, the team could look to bolster their bullpen a bit as well, as it seems to be an area with some uncertainty.
Chicago Cubs: Sellers
By looking at their record, it wouldn’t be easy to label the Cubs as 100% sellers, but seemingly that is exactly what they are. General manager Jed Hoyer sort of hinted at this decision after the Cubs lost 11 straight games, and as a matter of fact, a move was made when I was in the midst of writing this article. Cubs outfielder, or should I say former Cubs outfielder, Joc Pederson was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for a first base prospect. After that move was made, there is a general consensus around the league that more will follow, the question just comes down to who? Two names that have been getting the most attention are Craig Kimbrel and Kris Bryant, as many analysts project that they could be on the move before the deadline is up. It is unclear as to how far the Cubs will go in terms of selling, but you have to imagine that teams will at least ask about players like Kyle Hendricks, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and even Ian Happ. It is nearly impossible of course that all of these players get traded before the deadline, but it remains to be seen just how different the Cubs roster will look once the trade deadline is over.
St Louis Cardinals: Buyers
Although it seems a little odd considering the Cardinals actually have a worse record than the Cubs, I am predicting that the Cardinals buy before the trade deadline. The Cardinals need help in quite a few areas, but in my opinion, most of it has to do with their pitching staff. While the Cardinals offense actually has been pretty disappointing this year, I think that most can be connected to inconsistency that has been prominent for a good part of this year. If St Louis does make a move for a bat, it would have to be for a middle infielder or an outfielder, but I do not believe this will be their first priority. St Louis’s pitching staff has been hurt by injuries, with big names getting injured from both their rotation and bullpen. In their rotation the Cardinals are currently without Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, and Carlos Martinez, and in their bullpen they are without Jordan Hicks, Dakota Hudson, and Daniel Ponce De Leon. With this being said, there is a huge need for the Cardinals to pickup some arms for the rotation and the bullpen as they look to gain ground on a wildcard spot and on the first place Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates: Sellers
It is fair to say that 2021 is not the Pirates year, as they rank near the bottom in nearly every pitching and hitting category. The Pirates were not expected to compete at the beginning of the season, so it comes as no surprise that they will look to sell before the deadline. Pittsburgh is likely going to listen to offers on almost everyone on their major league roster, but I think there are at least two players that the team really wants to hold on to. I cannot imagine either 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes or OF Bryan Reynolds being dealt, unless they get an offer they cannot refuse of course. Utility man Adam Frazier and closer Richard Rodriguez have been getting the most attention in terms of trade rumors, and I see it almost as a guarantee that they both get moved before the deadline is over. As for other names that get moved, I really believe that everyone is available to some level, except for Hayes and Reynolds who I see as the Pirates most valuable players. You’d think that Pittsburgh would want to build their franchise around guys like that, but since they are not in the hunt for a postseason spot this year, trading them is not an impossible reality.
NL WEST
San Francisco Giants: Buyers
Many expected the Giants to be sellers this year, as it was obviously bound to be a tough task to compete with the Dodgers and Padres, but here they are in 1st place and ready to add to any already impressive team. Not only are the Giants the best team in their own division, but also the best in all of baseball, meaning they are near the top of most pitching and hitting categories. With that being said, the Giants are definitely not desperate for improvements, but there are some that I believe can be made if they so choose. For one, they can look to pick up a fifth starter behind Kevin Gausman, Johnny Cueto, Anthony DeSclafani, and Alex Wood, assuming they are unsure about the performances of Tyler Beede and Logan Webb. Staying on the topic of pitching, San Francisco can look to add to the bullpen, although just like their rotation, the bullpen has not been an outstanding problem by any means. Offensively, the Giants could look for some help in the outfield as Mike Tauchman is on the injured list and Alex Dickerson has been struggling a bit of late. In terms of injuries, the team has had to deal with losses to players like Buster Posey, Evan Longoria, and Brandon Belt, so technically they could look for a temporary replacement at any of those positions if they feel like any of those players will be out for an extended period of time. The bottom line is the Giants are certainly not selling as a 1st place team, but there are not really any spots on the roster that are desperate for an improvement. I still believe that the team will upgrade in places of slight need in order to continue to hopefully stay ahead of the Dodgers and Padres, and maybe even make themselves World Series favorites for this year.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Buyers
Speaking of the World Series, last year’s World Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, were expected to be one of the best teams in baseball and they have not disappointed in that fact. The Dodgers are currently in 2nd place and are almost certainly making the playoffs, so it is without a doubt that they will look to buy. The Dodgers have, in my personal opinion, one of the most talented rosters on paper, but despite that fact I believe they have more obvious needs for improvement than the Dodgers. To start, the Dodgers could use some help in the bullpen, as their current options have not performed as great as they might have expected. The Dodger rotation also has some needs for improvement, with Dustin May out for the season, Clayton Kershaw on the IL, and Trevor Bauer out for the time being. In terms of offense, Los Angeles is pretty stacked as it is, but if they are worried about when SS Corey Seager might return they could look to find a middle infielder. The team has already been linked to some starters, such as Braves pitcher Charlie Morton (if the Braves choose to sell) and Rangers starter Kyle Gibson, so it seems like the team’s primary focus will be on improving their pitching options.
San Diego Padres: Buyers
With one of the best farm systems paired with one of the best records in baseball, the Padres are destined to be big time buyers at this year’s deadline. San Diego’s GM A.J. Preller was super active last year on the trade market, not only at the deadline but also in the offseason, so you would have to imagine he could do the same this year. The Padres offense is pretty solid as it is, but there definitely could be an improvement made behind the plate. With Austin Nola on the IL, Victor Caratini has served as the catcher for the Padres, but neither of them have really provided a lot of production as it is. San Diego currently has Wil Myers, Tommy Pham, and Trent Grisham manning the outfield, but they have been linked to Rangers OF/1B Joey Gallo, so it remains a possibility that they try to get an upgrade at first base or in the outfield (not that they are necessarily weak in either of those positions as it is). Coming into this year, the Padres seemed to have one of the best rotations in baseball, but injuries have come up and have left them with some room for improvement. With Blake Snell coming off the IL, and Yu Darvish, Ryan Weathers, and Dinelson Lamet still on it, the Padres definitely could be in the market for starting pitching. San Diego has also been hurt by injuries in the bullpen, with Keone Kela out for the season and Drew Pomeranz on the IL, so they could look for help there, as can many teams (it seems like almost every team can use help in their bullpen). Considering the tendencies of the Padres front office and the willingness of the team to try to win in this window, it seems almost like a guarantee that San Diego is able to upgrade where they feel the need to.
Colorado Rockies: Sellers
The Colorado Rockies are about where everyone expected them to be, and whether that’s a good or bad thing kind of depends on your perspective. After trading away their star 3B in Nolan Arenado, it became even clearer to the Rockies fanbase and to the rest of the league that the team was not looking to contend this year. Colorado currently sits in 4th place in their division and it seems very likely that they will stay there for the remainder of the season, making them clear sellers. Now that it is established that they are likely sellers, who exactly will they sell? Rockies GM Bill Schmidt has not committed to doing a full on fire sale and even has stated that the team does not need to trade away any of their players. Despite the desire to hold onto some of their players, I believe Colorado will get offers that they cannot refuse for a few players. The biggest potential trade piece for the team has to be SS Trevor Story, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Along with him, German Marquez, CJ Cron, Jon Gray, and Mychal Givens have been rumored to be of interest to other teams. I do believe the Rockies front office will drive a hard bargain for many of these players, in accordance to the comments by their general manager, but ultimately I also believe Colorado will sell off some of their players, in hopes of improving for future years.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Sellers
The Arizona Diamondbacks were already expected to be non-competitive this year, but now I think that term may be an understatement. The Diamondbacks currently have the worst record in all of baseball and if that does not make them crystal clear sellers, I don’t know what will. Arizona could be geared for a full on fire sale if they receive the correct offers on some of their players, so the roster can certainly look a lot different following July 30th. While I was writing this article, Arizona already traded catcher Stephen Vogt to Arizona, and obviously more moves are expected to follow. It seems like most players on the current roster will be available for trade, but there are some in particular that have gotten more attention in trade talks of late. Infielder Eduardo Escobar, OF David Peralta,UTIL Ketel Marte, and pitchers Merrill Kelly and Caleb Smith have been the names that have been discussed the most in recent times, but like I mentioned before, almost everyone is likely going to be available for the right offer. For Arizona, it does not seem to be a matter of if they will sell, but rather how much they will sell and how different will this roster look when everything is said and done.
For more MLB coverage, click here.
