The two biggest trades made in July haven’t been made by World Series contenders. Heck, they haven’t even been made by teams that are realistic playoff contenders this year.
This past weekend, the New York Mets, who enter the day four games below .500, acquired All-Star righty Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays. In return for Stroman, who can’t become a free-agent until after the 2020 season, the Blue Jays received the Mets former No. 4 and No. 6 ranked prospects per MLB Pipeline; LHP Anthony Kay and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson.
An unnamed American League executive called that trade return for the Blue Jays “embarrassing” when talking to Robert Murray of The Athletic about what the Cleveland Indians netted for RHP Trevor Bauer.
Bauer, who finished sixth in American League All-Star voting in 2018, was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds Tuesday evening as part of a three-team deal that also involved the San Diego Padres. In return for Bauer, the Indians landed former All-Star outfielder Yasiel Puig and pitching prospect Scott Moss from the Reds, along with slugging outfielder Franmil Reyes, LHP Logan Allen and minor league third baseman Victor Nova from the Padres. The Padres acquired left-handed hitting outfielder Taylor Trammell, who up until yesterday had been the Reds No. 1 overall prospect.
Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, so there figure to be a slew of notable rumors and transactions today. We’ll keep track of them below:
3:44 p.m. - 16 minutes until the deadline and another TRADE! The Atlanta Braves, according to Jeff Passan and Buster Olney of ESPN, have completed a deal that will allow them to acquire San Francisco Giants reliever Mark Melancon.
3:17 p.m. - TRADE! Versatile infielder Jedd Gyorko is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the St. Louis Cardinals, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Gyorko has struggled offensively in 2019, as he’s hitting just .196. However, he hit 30 home runs in 2016.
3:10 p.m. - TRADE! The National League East leading Atlanta Braves appear ready to make one of the biggest trades of the day, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reporting that the Braves are nearing a deal with the Detroit Tigers that would allow them to acquire All-Star closer Shane Greene. The 30-year-old righty has converted 22 of 25 save attempts this season and can’t become a free-agent until after the 2020 season.
2:55 p.m. - TRADE! The Philadelphia Phillies have made their first move of the day, with Jeff Passan of ESPN saying they have traded for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Corey Dickerson. Dickerson, 30, was an All-Star while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017 and is hitting .317 in 126 at-bats in 2019.
2:51 p.m. - TRADE! In one of the more surprising trades of the day, the Diamondbacks and Marlins have struck a trade that will send righty Zac Gallen to the desert, while the Marlins will take back shortstop prospect Jazz Chisholm, who entered the season at the D-Backs No. 1 overall prospect. Gallen, 23, has a 2.72 ERA and 3.58 FIP in seven major league starts in 2019. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the full details of the deal, after Radio.com’s Jon Heyman initially noted that Gallen was headed to Arizona.
2:36 p.m. - TRADE! The Nationals are acquiring another reliever, with Mark Feinsand and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com saying that Hunter Strickland is heading for the nation’s capital.
2:30 p.m. - TRADE! According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Cincinnati Reds have traded RHP Tanner Roark to the Oakland Athletics. Roark, 32, has a 4.24 ERA and 4.20 FIP in 21 starts in 2019.
2:28 p.m. - TRADE! It is not Madison Bumgarner or Will Smith heading to the Brewers, but instead LHP Drew Pomeranz, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Pomeranz had recently been moved to the bullpen by the Giants. It’s unclear if he’s going to return to the starting rotation for the Brew Crew.
2:24 p.m. - Andy Martino of SNY is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rays, currently a half game out of the second American League Wild Card spot, are interested in Mets RHP Zack Wheeler.
2:19 p.m. - TRADE! Robert Murray of The Athletic says that Mauricio Dubon, the Brewers No. 4 overall prospect is being traded to the San Francisco Giants. It’s unclear who the Brewers are acquiring, but Murray says it’s “significant.”
2:09 p.m - TRADE! In an attempt to redo their bullpen, it appears the Nationals are going to land lefty Roenis Elias from the Seattle Mariners. Elias has actually been the reverse of a lefty specialist in 2019. Left-handed hitters are hitting .353 against Elias, but he’s limited right-handed batters to just a .182 batting average.
1:54 p.m. - If Robbie Ray is going to be moved to a contender, it appears it won’t be the Yankees. Bob Nightengale of USA Today says that talks between the two teams surrounding the 27-year-old lefty are ‘dead.’
1:52 p.m. - TRADE! The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a trade that will send reliever Daniel Hudson to the Washington Nationals, according to Scott Mitchell of TSN. The Nationals, who have struggled mightily to get the ball to closer Sean Doolittle, will land a 32-year-old righty that has a 3.00 ERA in 45 games in 2019.
1:28 p.m. - Jon Heyman of Radio.com says that the Mets are likely to retain closer Edwin Diaz. It’s been a rough first season in Queens for Diaz, who successfully closed out 57 games for the Seattle Mariners in 2018. However, both he and Robinson Cano have been major disappointments in their first years with the Mets, as he has blown five saves and posted an ERA north of five.
12:55 p.m. - TRADE! The Astros have completed a deal that will allow them to land catcher Martin Maldonado from the Chicago Cubs, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
12:51 p.m. - The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal says that the Yankees and Astros both have interest in Bumgarner and New York Mets RHP Zack Wheeler. Like Bumgarner, Wheeler can become a free-agent after the 2019 season. Last Friday, the 29-year-old righty returned from an elbow injury and limited the Pirates to three runs while striking out seven over 5.1 innings.
While the Astros would like to add another starter, they have Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole at the top of their rotation. The Yankees have a rotation with some playoff experience, but no clear front-line starter. Whether Bumgarner or Wheeler would fix that need remains to be seen, but each has pitched at that level for stretches of their career, Bumgarner specifically.
12:30 p.m. - TRADE! The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired first baseman Jesus Aguilar from the Milwaukee Brewers, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. While Aguilar has a -0.3 fWAR in 2019, he was an All-Star a year ago, slashing .274/.352/.374 with 35 home runs and 108 RBIs. The pitching-needy Brewers will acquire RHP Jake Faria, who has a 2.70 ERA in just seven games in 2019.
11:58 a.m. - Bob Nightengale of USA Today says that “it’s too close of a call” in regards to whether Madison Bumgarner will be dealt. The 29-year-old former World Series MVP has a 3.74 ERA and 3.67 FIP across 23 starts in 2019. The expectation dating back to last offseason was that Bumgarner, who can become a free-agent at the conclusion of the season, would be dealt before today’s deadline. However, the Giants have gone 18-6 in July, pushing themselves into the National League Wild Card race.
11:52 a.m. - Joel Sherman of The New York Post says that Tigers closer Shane Greene is the surest player to be moved today. Greene has converted 22 of 25 save attempts in 2019 and has one more year of arbitration eligibility.
9:30 a.m. - The Yankees would be “shocked” if the Mets trade RHP Noah Syndergaard to them, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Radio.com’s Jon Heyman says that while the Padres are interested in the 26-year-old right-hander, the Mets asking price has made such a deal a “long shot.”
Meanwhile, Rosenthal also says that the market for Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez is “hot.” Vazquez, 28, has just a 1.87 ERA and has converted 21 of his 22 save attempts in 2019. He’s of interest to the Dodgers, among other teams, per Rosenthal. Beyond how good of a season he’s had in 2019, Vazquez is under team control through 2021, with affordable club options for 2022 and 2023.
8:59 a.m. - Bob Nightengale of USA Today says that the Chicago White Sox intend to retain closer Alex Colome, despite interest from a variety of contenders. Colome, who has one remaining year of team control, has converted 21 of 22 save attempts in 2019, while posting a 2.21 ERA and 3.82 FIP.