It's all about the pitching on the MLB trade rumors market.
The Chicago Cubs kicked off the festivities with the addition of Aroldis Chapman. It was a surefire sign the march to the deadline would be a wild one with major names headed to new places.
The rumors that are making the rounds now confirm this idea, with big teams such as the New York Yankees and big names such as James Shields getting involved in the buzz.
And that's a brief sampling. Here's everything to know about the rumors market with the Aug. 1 deadline on the horizon.
Notable Hurlers Available
Chapman was one of the biggest names available, but he's far from the last.
Try Shields. Although he's in the middle of an iffy season overall with the Chicago White Sox, he's on fire at just the right time if the team hopes to move him for assets.
With the way he's playing, it's going to be hard for contenders to say no. MLB Network's Jon Morosi revealed the White Sox have put him on the block:
ESPN Stats & Info provided even more info about Shields' epic tear:
Granted, Shields is 34 years old and has a 5-12 record with a 4.68 ERA. There are some weird contractual things going on as well, with the San Diego Padres handling some of his cash this year.
Still, if contenders want to nab a red-hot pitcher, Shields looks like the right guy.
So does Edinson Volquez.
The Miami Marlins have an interest in the Kansas City Royals pitcher alongside two other names (Matt Shoemaker and Julio Teheran), according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Volquez is the focus here, as the 33-year-old hurler might be the most affordable and potent of the trio. His 8-8 mark with a 4.56 ERA doesn't look amazing, but a better situation could do him wonders.
It's unclear if Kansas City would deal Volquez. Call it part of the fun—and reinforcement of the idea that endless rental options exist on the market for hungry buyers.
Yankees Still Selling?
If a team wants to rip Andrew Miller from the New York Yankees, it will have to do so fast.
According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, New York will pick up the phone but probably take its time with the process.
The Yankees are taking offers on Miller and this will probably play out in the same way the Chapman talks did: If some team makes a suitable offer, general manager Brian Cashman will take the proposal to the Yankees’ ownership, which will say yea or nay.
Translation: A buyer had better get the best possible offer in fast and hope the plodding Yankees travel through the proper channels before the deadline passes.
Miller hasn't done potential buyers any favors, having already converted both of his two save attempts with Chapman out of the picture. This means he has nine on the season alongside a 1.39 ERA with 77 strikeouts.
Before New York dealt Chapman, Olney's colleague, Jerry Crasnick, reported the San Francisco Giants had an interest in both names. With the Yankees now leaning on Miller, though, chances are the price has gone up.
It's a race against the clock for any team that is willing to meet what the Yankees want.
Jonathan Lucroy Back on Rumor Mill
Jonathan Lucroy returns to the market as things begin to wind down.
It's not much of a surprise for anyone familiar with the Milwaukee Brewers. He's always seemed like a strong trade candidate, and his value has skyrocketed back up after a pedestrian 2015 campaign.
This year, Lucroy has a .300/.361/.486 slash line with 13 homers and 50 RBI through 93 games. Each number is an improvement on his 2015 totals despite playing in 103 games.
The sky seems the limit for Lucroy this year, and Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal heard the New York Mets have entered the frame again:
The Mets still fancy themselves a threat at third place in the National League East at 53-48, 6.5 games off the lead.
Catcher seems a weak point in New York too, with Travis d'Arnaud batting .246 over 37 appearances and Rene Rivera .234 over 30.
With the Brewers sitting on a 44-56 record and 16.5 games back in the National League Central, it's going to take quality farm prospects and maybe a little more to pry Lucroy away from the team.
Call it the perfect way to figure out how much the Mets consider their roster with the addition of Lucroy to be a contender in the National League.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments