Major League Baseball's July 31 trade deadline is now less than two weeks away. Some trades have already gone down (Edwin Encarnacion to the Yankees, Andrew Cashner to the Red Sox, Homer Bailey to the Athletics) and more are sure to follow. The single deadline -- instituted this year -- forces teams to make calls a month earlier than they would otherwise, putting added pressure on fringe contenders.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, we here at CBS Sports are going to take a division-by-division look around the league to see which teams are buying, which teams are selling, and which teams might do a little of both. Our venture continues today with the AL West. Here is our buy or sell guide for a division that's all but decided already.
Status: Buyer There's no doubt that the Dodgers, who have the biggest division lead in baseball and are on pace for 105 wins, are open to making improvements. The question is, with a roster as deep as theirs, what do you improve? Maybe they look for some rotation depth with an eye toward an adaptable arm that can perhaps transition to a postseason bullpen role. If there is a clear need, it's in the bullpen. They could use additional lefty depth, and they've struggled to get consistent shutdown innings from the right side. Bolstering the right-handed relief corps seems the likely path for L.A. Given the importance of high-leverage relievers in the playoffs, that will be a priority item for the Dodgers, who are World Series or bust in 2019. | |
Status: Possible seller The D-Backs are within range of wild-card status in the NL, and at the moment they've got a strong plus-66 run differential. That said, the inclination seems to be against chasing a wild-card spot and instead flipping select veteran assets for young talent. It's fluid, of course. In the NL this season, there's a lot of compression in the wild-card race, and mini-surge leading up to the deadline could change the plans of "soft sellers" like Arizona. In their case, the on-field results over the next several days will likely inform their approach as July 31 gets closer. If they do sell, which seems likely, Robbie Ray figures to get moved, as the buzz is loud and consistent surrounding the hard-throwing lefty. The still-peak Zack Greinke would also net them a strong return if they decide to wholly commit to a rebuild. Outfielder David Peralta has also been the subject of trade rumors. If GM Mike Hazen opts to move both Ray and Greinke, then the D-Backs will come out of the deadline with an impressive haul of prospects. | |
Status: Possible seller The Rockies are coming off consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history, and the wild-card bar in the NL is pretty low in 2019. That said, the Rox at the moment are on a losing skid, and they've just started a 10-game road trip. In other words, their playoff odds heading up to the deadline are fairly remote. A "do nothing" approach is likely in play for Colorado, but if pressed to pick between the two usual paths, selling is more likely in the absence of a swift reversal of fortunes. Their most marketable pieces at the moment are likely relievers Scott Oberg and Jake McGee. The core members of the rotation are all young to young-ish and vital to the Rockies mid-term/long-term future. Stalwarts like Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, and Trevor Story certainly aren't going anywhere, which leaves names like Daniel Murphy and Ian Desmond as possible trade candidates. The problem is that no contender is going to want them. Don't be surprised if Colorado's deadline consistent of flipping a couple of bullpen pieces. | |
Status: Possible seller The baseball renaissance is on in San Diego, but their competitive window probably won't truly open until next season. Right now, the Padres are below .500 with the worst run differential in the division, and they're behind six teams in the NL wild-card pile. That's enough cover for GM A.J. Preller to undergo a soft sell. They could likely get a nice haul for closer Kirby Yates, who's been beyond elite in 2019. Rumors have also swirled about outfielder Franmil Reyes, but you can easily argue that he's too important to the Padres' future to move. Preller could also split the middle by selling on Yates and perhaps getting in the mix for Detroit starter Matt Boyd, who's under team control for years to come and still on the right side of age 30. | |
Status: Possible seller Less than a month ago, the Giants were indisputable sellers. There's a strong organizational bent toward going for it -- even in the post-Brian Sabean era -- but Farhan Zaidi knows that a rebuild is best for the organization. Uncooperatively, the Giants have gone on an unlikely run and at this juncture find themselves in third place in the NL West and within hailing distance of the second wild-card berth. According to most accounts, this will not dissuade Zaidi from shopping, most notably, Madison Bumgarner. As well, relievers Will Smith, Tony Watson, and Sam Dyson seem likely to go. This is probably the best tack for the Giants (the SportsLine Projection Model gives them just a 4.5 percent chance of making the playoffs), but if Zaidi sells while the team is in playoff proximity -- especially Bumgarner -- then there will likely be blowback in the clubhouse and from fans. It's a tough decision, but top baseball execs are paid a lot of money to make those tough decisions. | |