4 Trades that Should be Made Before the MLB Trade Deadline

It’s official. The trade winds are upon us. And I’m not talking about the easterly surface winds you may or may not be feeling. I’m talking about the MLB trade deadline. We’re in the dog days of summer now; middle of July, All-Star break in the rear view mirror, and the second half ripe for the pickings for any competing team willing to fork over the dough (or prospects) for that missing piece.

We’ve already seen two AL West teams make big time moves to strengthen their ball clubs. The Oakland A’s made perhaps the blockbuster of the summer by trading prized shortstop prospect, Addison Russell, and a handful of other young prospects for pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. Two weeks later, the division rival, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim made a trade to further strengthen their bullpen by adding closer, Huston Street. Needless to say the arms race out West has begun.

It would be naïve however, to think that the trade season will not pick up again before the July 31st deadline. A number of big name players have been tossed around in trade rumors for weeks now; and where there is smoke, there is usually fire.

So while General Managers are frantically picking up their phones and making calls, why not postulate on four trades that should happen before the trade deadline? After all, if the General Managers don’t have the guts to pull the trigger on deals like this, it’s our job as fans to dream them up and fantasize over the possibilities.

Trade One:

Seattle Mariners Trade: SP Taijuan Walker, OF Dustin Ackley and 3B D.J. Peterson
Tampa Bay Rays Trade: SP David Price and 2B/SS/OF Ben Zobrist

The Mariners need to make a move if they want to go toe-to-toe with the A’s and Angels the rest of the way. Acquiring an ace like David Price and one of the league’s best utility man would be just the way to do that. At 21 years old, Taijuan Walker still has a lot of potential; but also a lot to prove at the major league level and the Mariners have been seemingly unwilling to give him that chance. Dustin Ackley has been a bust to this point in his career and with Kyle Seager manning the hot corner for the Mariners, D.J. Peterson isn’t in line for playing time in the near future. Considering all that, Walker, Ackley and Peterson are expendable parts for the Mariners. But that doesn’t mean they are not still very valuable trade pieces who have potentially bright futures ahead.

With both Price and Zobrist becoming free agents this offseason, the Rays would be wise to take a package this tantalizing for two of their more valuable players. Walker projects as a top of the rotation starter, while a change of scenery could be just what Ackley needs to rejuvenate his career. Peterson, rated as the Mariners #2 prospect by MLB.com, would be another great player to add to the Rays prospect pool.

Trade Two:

Detroit Tigers Trade: RP Corey Knebel and 2B Javier Betancourt
San Diego Padres Trade: RP Joaquin Benoit

It’s not secret that the Detroit Tigers bullpen has been an absolute abomination this season. To put it mildly, Joe Nathan has not been adequate as the team’s closer. If the Tigers plan on winning the surprisingly competitive AL Central this season, they’re going to need to stop blowing games late. The best way to do that? Why not bring back Joaquin Benoit, who pitched for the Tigers as recently as last season. Benoit’s 192 ERA+ and 0.86 WHIP would instantly bolster a feeble Tigers’ bullpen.

Corey Knebel, ranked as the Tigers’ #5 prospect, would be a valuable piece for the Padres in the future. Knebel’s fastball reaches the upper 90’s and is beginning to develop an equally nasty curve. His arrival in the Padres’ bullpen could be as soon as next season if his growth continues. Javier Betancrout, a 19 year old second baseman, has the ability to play all the infield positions if the Padres so desired. His all around game makes him the kind of player teams covet; so while he may not have any standout abilities, he’s a very consistent and reliable contact hitter, fielder and base-runner. Cutting down on strikeouts is a must however as he’s currently sporting a 61:21 K:BB ratio in class-A ball.

Trade Three:

Los Angeles Dodgers Trade: OF Matt Kemp and SP Zachary Bird
Philadelphia Phillies Trade: SP Cliff Lee

The Dodgers seem intent on adding another arm to their already loaded rotation. With Dan Haren’s struggles and Josh Beckett’s injury, they are more likely than ever to make a move for a starter. This deal would be an absolute blockbuster; and unusual from the prototypical contender/rebuilder trade. Trades that swap a star for a star simply don’t happen in baseball, and for that reason, this trade is highly unlikely. However, it would make a great deal of sense for both sides.

With an overcrowded outfield, and Joc Pederson waiting in the wings, the Dodgers would be wise to move one of their overpaid outfielders. Kemp has publicly stated he’d accept a trade to a team where he’d be a starter. Enter the Phillies, a team who have lacked a power right handed bat for quite some time. And while the Phillies are not in contender mode, Kemp would instantly make them a better team (if healthy); not to mention he’d be far and away the Phillies best outfielder(sorry Marlon Byrd). Cliff Lee on the other hand would be exactly the pitcher the Dodgers want to boost them ahead of the Giants.

However, with Kemp’s albatross contract (5 years/$100 million left after this season), the Dodgers would likely need to sweeten the pot a bit for the Phillies. Zachary Bird, a 20 year old starting pitching prospect, would be a good addition to this trade for the Phils, especially considering their desire to add prospects. Bird is said to have great athleticism and his 6’4” frame is ideal for a pitcher. Still very raw, he needs some more time to develop his secondary pitches, but that should not be an issue for the Phils. The Dodgers have enough young arms to make Bird an expendable piece.

Trade Four:

Baltimore Orioles Trade: SP Tim Berry
Colorado Rockies Trade: SP Jorge De La Rosa

The Orioles look like the most complete team in the AL East this season. And when their offense is healthy, it might just be the best in baseball. But they’ve lacked consistency from their rotation this season. A starter like De La Rosa could fix that for them. While his 4.39 ERA leaves much to be desired, moving out of Coors Field would do a lot for his numbers (even if his home vs. road splits favor Coors this season). And with the Ubaldo Jimenez signing looking like an absolute disaster, the O’s are in need of a #5 starter. De La Rosa would fit that bill nicely.

For the Rockies, netting a prospect like Tim Berry for an expiring contract would be ideal. The Rockies, sitting at last place in the NL West, would be wise to begin a gradual rebuild. Trading away De La Rosa is a good place to start. At 23, Berry isn’t far off from an MLB call-up. The lefty is not known for his strikeout potential, however he has shown the ability to locate all of his pitches for strikes. Berry looks like a middle of the rotation starter in the making.

With the Orioles having a plethora of talented arms in their system (Dylan Bundy and Eduardo Rodriguez most notably) they can afford to make what might be an overpayment for De La Rosa. After all, it’s not every year that both the Yankees and Red Sox are down.

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