Fan News

With the MLB All-Star Game in the books and the second half of the season set to get underway, the league's collective attention will now turn to the upcoming non-waiver trade deadline.

Whether you're a contender looking to upgrade for the second-half push, a rebuilding club looking to sell off more veteran assets or a team on the fence, all 30 franchises have something that would constitute a successful trade deadline.

At the same time, all 30 teams also have the dreaded nightmare scenario.

The All-Star break is over. It's back to the grind now, and chances are the second half of the 2016 Major League Baseball season will look a lot different from the first half.

That makes this a good time to check in on the guys to beat in the awards races.

There was some debate at Bleacher Report's MLB Team of the Week headquarters about whether to include All-Star Game stats.

After all, with home-field advantage in the World Series on the line, it's more than a meaningless exhibition.

Following some careful deliberation, however, our highly democratic committee of one decreed that only games played July 8-10 would factor in. That makes an already small sample even smaller, but there you have it. Take it up with the committee.

The New York Yankees (44-44) have not enjoyed much success against the Boston Red Sox (49-38) so far this season but will try to move one step closer to evening the score when they host their American League East rivals in the opener of a three-game series Friday.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Locke leads the team with eight wins, but his status in Pittsburgh is in jeopardy.  

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, the Pirates are looking to make room for top pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow, and Locke's name is surfacing in trade talks to open that spot. 

Continue for updates.

With the Pittsburgh Pirates suddenly having an abundance of starting pitchers to choose from, Jon Niese is emerging as a potential trade candidate.   

Continue for updates. 

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor is halfway through his third major league season and has just three months until his rookie contract is up, per Spotrac. 

For the second time in less than a year, the Boston Red Sox have paid a heavy price for a left-handed starter they hope can take them over the top. Actually, better make that a very heavy price.

But just like the first time, you can see where they're coming from.

As the San Diego Padres plan for the future, they continue to raid the Boston Red Sox's loaded farm system to find answers.

With the team going nowhere this year, the San Diego Padres cashed in one of their biggest trade chips. The Padres sent starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz to the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, the Red Sox announced.