There are only a few days before the MLB trade deadline. Which players should the American League Central be focusing on?
In the weakest division in baseball, it looks like only two teams are buying this year. The Minnesota Twins lead the division, at only 54-50, while the Cleveland Guardians are just two games back. At 51-51 and 5.5 games back of the third wild card, the Guardians’ best hope at the postseason is in the division race. The Detroit Tigers are 6.5 games behind first place, followed by the Chicago White Sox at 12.5 back. Bringing up the rear is the historically inept Kansas City Royals, 25 games behind the division lead. Though it looks like only one team will represent the AL Central in the postseason, each of the five will play a significant role in the final playoff picture. Let’s take a look at what each team should do to improve at the MLB trade deadline.
Chicago White Sox – Trade Tim Anderson
The White Sox have been active early in the MLB trade deadline. Last night, Chicago traded pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels for prospects. However, this is not the last move that the club will make. Pitchers Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn are almost guaranteed to be on the move. Anderson, their one-time shortstop of the future, has been awful this season. He’s hit .245 with no home runs and has been worth -1.2 WAR. The performance is one of the more shocking season-to-season declines in recent memory. If the White Sox can find any trade value for him, they should pull the trigger. His team option for next season will be declined, allowing him to hit the free-agent market. A change of scenery in exchange for a prospect would be a benefit for both team and the player.
Cleveland Guardians – Randal Grichuk
The Guardians find themselves in the thick of a division race, despite regression on both sides of the field. Injuries hamper their pitching staff, but Cleveland has already made a deal for Noah Syndergaard. Offensively, the Guardians are in need of a boost at the MLB trade deadline. Grichuk has hit .307 this season with 6 home runs and is an impending free agent on the Colorado Rockies. With the fourth-ranked farm system in baseball, Cleveland has plenty of prospects to send in return for Grichuk.
Detroit Tigers – Accelerate a Rebuild
As with Chicago, the Tigers are a seller with assets at the MLB trade deadline. Starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Lorenzen are surely going to be traded by August 1st. In a market with limited starting pitching available, the Tigers need to maximize their return for their assets. Entering year eight of their rebuild, Detroit hasn’t made any actionable progress as an organization to build a winner. Trading their best players for prospects is a must for any selling team, but if Detroit doesn’t receive players close to the major leagues or better, they will continue to be stuck in non-contention for the foreseeable future.
Kansas City Royals – Trade Salvador Perez
The Royals are historically inept this season. On pace to lose more than 110 games, Kansas City’s pitching staff is ranked 28th in baseball by ERA, and their hitters are 28th in batting average. Closer Scott Barlow is as good as gone, like Aroldis Chapman before him. However, if the Royals are truly committed to improving for the future, it’s time to part ways with their franchise legend. Perez is a veteran clubhouse presence with playoff experience and would be a valuable addition to many contenders. He’s also the Royal with the most trade value Kansas City isn’t trying to build around and would command a solid return in the deal.
Minnesota Twins – Trevor May
A homecoming reunion is one of the best fits on the market for the Twins at the MLB trade deadline. Minnesota’s bullpen has been inconsistent this season behind closer Jhoan Duran, and in the heat of a close division race, needs reinforcement. May, who spent the first six years of his career as a Twin, has a bloated ERA this season that has continued to go downhill as the weeks pass. Four of his last five appearances have been scoreless outings, and he’ll be an underrated addition to bolster the Twins’ division chances.
With less than 72 hours until the MLB trade deadline, the AL Central will be outsized in this year’s deals. Whether teams decide to fully commit to selling, or they only go halfway, players for losing teams will determine playoff seeds. Check back with Last Word on Sports for all coverage of the MLB trade deadline.
Main photo credits: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Tim Anderson, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Randal Grichuk, Eduardo Rodriguez, Michael Lorenzen, Salvador Perez, Scott Barlow, Aroldis Chapman, Trevor May, Jhoan Duran
