It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the trade deadline. And as San Diego Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller showed when he acquired two-time All-Star Luis Arraez earlier this month, the same goes for front offices.
Around Memorial Day, executives begin to evaluate their rosters, both in terms of their team’s strengths and in terms of areas where they can improve. With the introduction of the second wildcard team, teams are more likely to see where they stand before finally deciding whether to buy or sell.
The three teams below are each in a unique position: one is in the midst of a rebuild and the other two are on the cusp of a potential major shakeup.
And each could have a major impact at this year’s trade deadline on July 30.
Biggest trade: RHP Mason Miller
The Oakland A’s came into the season much maligned after team owner John Fisher officially announced the team’s plans to temporarily move from Oakland to Sacramento before eventually landing in Las Vegas. But since the start of the season, Oakland has played better than expected considering the team is still rebuilding and the stadium’s off-field issues.
But the best thing to come out of Oakland this season is rookie fireballer Mason Miller, who has become perhaps the most dominant closer in baseball. Miller, who has an ERA of 0.89, is 9-for-9 in save opportunities and his 103 mph fastball is getting a lot of attention in baseball.
With Miller dominating at this level and Oakland still a long way from reaching the postseason, one wonders if Oakland, even this early in his career, would buy its EV closer. Historically, teams that don’t have a ticket for October usually don’t keep their closers around, especially one as dominant and electric as Miller.
Sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports that Miller has come up in preliminary discussions around the league. As the trade deadline approaches, Miller could become the type of player whose acquisition changes a playoff race.
The advantage for Oakland is that it has leverage and the longer it waits, the more teams will need that impact arm. It will likely take a lot of effort to get him, but for a team like the Baltimore Orioles, who have the pieces and the need, it could be the step that gets them over the hump and into the World Series.
Biggest trade pieces: 3B Nolan Arenado, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, RHP Ryan Helsley
Things shouldn’t have looked that bad in St. Louis when they decided to go for it, but after losing 91 games last year, things haven’t gotten any better. St. Louis currently sits near the bottom of the NL Central and while the franchise doesn’t normally go into rebuilding mode, after deciding not to fully rebuild last season, it may be time to reconsider that stance.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Paul Goldschdit are two of the bigger names in baseball, but their production over the past two seasons has not lived up to their star status. They’ve all taken significant steps back this season, and after catcher Willson Contreras broke his arm earlier this month, the team’s struggles have been put in an even bigger spotlight.
Goldschmidt is in the final year of his five-year, $130 million deal and will be a free agent at the end of the season, while Arenado has three years and $52 million remaining on his deal.
The name that might be the most realistic to move is closer Ryan Helsely, who has one more year of club control after this season before hitting free agency. Helsley has been one of the most consistent relievers in baseball over the past three seasons and could also be a hot name on the trade market.
The Cardinals may not have the appetite to be a seller, but the reality is that the team is getting older and at some point St. Louis is going to have to get youth back into the organization and on the Major League roster.
Biggest Trade Pieces: LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., SS Bo Bichette, RHP Jordan Romano
Things haven’t gone as planned for the Blue Jays.
There was a time when they were seen as the next great team in the American League. But after disappointing results in consecutive post-season years, underperformance from their young stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette and falling behind the rest of the team, the Blue Jays now find themselves at the bottom of the AL East.
The reality is that time is no longer on their side. Bichette and Guerrero Jr. Both will become free agents at the end of next season. Whether the Blue Jays decide to move them or not, the clock is already ticking.
It seems like Toronto missed the opportunity to become a real contender, and now that the Orioles are growing into the juggernaut that the Blue Jays should have been, and the Yankees have rediscovered their form with Juan Soto in the fold, the chances of winning have increased. back to the top of the division are extremely remote.
Although the Blue Jays have underperformed, they have gotten a strong start to the season from right-hander José Berríos and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Although Berríos recently signed his seven-year, $131 million deal this offseason, Kikuchi will be a free agent at the end of the season and could be a name that would make sense to move as the deadline approaches.
It feels unlikely that the Blue Jays would move Bichette or Guerrero, but given all the extenuating circumstances the team will face in the coming year, it doesn’t sound optimal if their star duo finishes the final year of their deals and gets nothing in return. puts the franchise in a much worse position.
