AS DEADLINE NEARS, LET’S MAKE DEALS
Gray tops list of players likely to be traded
The Cleveland Indians witnessed it firsthand over the weekend, and they would love to stuff him in their overhead compartment Wednesday when they fly home from the Bay Area after a week-long stay.
The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers can line up their playoff rotations now, with a chance to celebrate their division titles in August, but without him, their World Series droughts might continue.
The Milwaukee Brewers, who got a gut punch when the Chi- cago Cubs spent their All-Star break landing Jose Quintana from the Chicago White Sox, have a chance to deliver their own right cross to the jaw.
The name is Sonny Gray, property of the Oakland Athletics and a pitcher looming as the biggest difference-maker at this year’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline.
A year ago, the Cubs and Indians made their big moves by acquiring relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, respectively, and riding them right through Game 7 of the World Series.
Gray could be that man this year.
Teams are ignoring Gray’s injury history, 10-15 record and 4.86 ERA over the last 11⁄2 years and focusing on what he’s doing lately, yielding a 1.33 ERA over his last four starts. When you can throw a 94-mph fastball, 90mph slider, two curveballs for strikes and are under club control through the 2019 season, you tend to get a lot of attention.
It’s no wonder A’s President Billy Beane and general manager David Frost are being besieged with calls from contending clubs offering everyone from their top prospects to their groundskeeper.
Teams realize that Gray just might be the difference between an early vacation and their season being extended a month.
We don’t know where Gray and other impact players are headed just yet by the July 31 deadline. And with all but the White Sox plausibly close to an AL wild-card slot and three divi-
sions up for grabs, the next two weeks will be fluid.
With that in mind, based on an informal survey of MLB executives and personnel by USA TODAY Sports, here are the potential deals we might see before August.
SONNY GRAY The Brewers might be the team most aggressively pursuing Gray, who pitched three years for pitching coach Derek Johnson at Vanderbilt. The Brewers, whose rebuild has been accelerated by their firstplace status in the National League Central, not only have the prospects but an owner wanting to land him.
“There’s an old saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for because you may get it,’ ” Brewers owner Mark Attanasio told reporters Sunday. “If you love your prospects too much, maybe that’s an issue, also.
“We have to make the right move, either way.”
The Brewers still have to exercise caution, not thwarting their rebuilding efforts because of their 41⁄2- game lead over the Cubs. If they didn’t think the cost of Quintana was worth surrendering their elite prospects, would they give up three of their top 20 such as Brett Phillips, Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes for Gray?
The Astros (62-30) might be the team that most needs Gray. Sure, they’ll cruise to the American League West title with or without him, but with the way the Astros have dominated this year, anything short of a World Series berth will be a disappointment.
The Astros would prefer to land Detroit Tigers All-Star pitcher Michael Fulmer and likely would include No. 1 prospect Francis Martes for him, but they inquired, just as the Cubs did, and came up empty. If Fulmer is traded, the Tigers say, it won’t be until the offseason, when everyone can make a bid.
The Astros realize that Gray is the ideal frontline starter in this market to make a run for their first World Series title in franchise history, giving them a dynamic rotation with All-Stars Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr.
Prediction: Gray goes to the Astros for starting pitcher Joe Musgrove, prized pitching prospect Forrest Whitley and outfield prospect Teoscar Hernandez.
TODD FRAZIER It’s no secret that the Boston Red Sox committed a huge blunder by trading third baseman Travis Shaw to the Brewers last offsea- son and even a bigger one when they shelled out $95 million to Pablo Sandoval less than three years ago, only to designate him for assignment last week. It wound up costing them $6.8 million for every home run and $1.6 million for every RBI.
They’re now going with a third-base platoon of Brock Holt and Deven Marrero while waiting for elite third-base prospect Rafael Devers to arrive, but they need to take care of this black hole as quickly as possible.
They are trying to decide between the White Sox’s Todd Frazier, who’ll be a free agent after the season, and the Miami Marlins’ Martin Prado, who is still owed $28.5 million after this year. Prediction: The Red Sox would love to acquire Frazier and closer David Robertson to be Craig Kimbrel’s setup man, but it would cost No. 2 prospect Jason Groome and No. 9 prospect Michael Chavis. If they instead take reliever Tommy Kahnle and Frazier, they would have to give up only Chavis and a fringe prospect.
MARLINS MOVEMENT The Miami Marlins, who are up for sale and open for business, are hoping to dump money by moving Prado and second baseman Dee Gordon, owed $51 million through 2021.
Sure, Giancarlo Stanton and the $295 million left on his contract is available, too, but they haven’t received a single call of interest. Stanton would be willing to waive his notrade clause to return home to California. Yet for the Dodgers or San Francisco Giants to acquire him, he’d likely have to agree to opt out of his contract in 2020. Sorry, that’s not happening.
The Marlins are drawing the most attention with veteran reliever David Phelps.
And the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies have engaged in preliminary trade talks for Gordon. Prediction: Phelps goes to the Red Sox, Gordon goes to the Phillies and outfielders Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna are traded in the offseason.
TIGERS: J.D. MARTINEZ, WILSON ON MOVE The trade blueprint teams had all along was to pick off all of the Kansas City Roy- als’ potential free agents. The Royals went 7-16 in April, scoring 63 runs, their fewest in a calendar month since April 1992.
Well, the Royals started winning and have climbed so far out of their hole that they have engaged in the bidding for Gray, too. They’re not expected to make a major move, but they’ve thwarted a lot of plans by making one last run.
The Tigers have begun winning since the All-Star break, but it’s too late. Club officials say they plan to move left-handed reliever Justin Wilson, outfielder J.D. Martinez and catcher Alex Avila. Wilson is drawing the most interest, with about 12 teams bidding for him, led by the Astros and Dodgers.
Prediction: The Astros acquire Wilson, who’s under control through 2018, for outfield prospect Derek Fisher.
Martinez is the most valuable position player available. He’s hitting .308 with 16 homers and a 1.025 on-base plus slugging percentage in his first 229 plate appearances this season.
The Dodgers, Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks have shown the most interest in the rent-a-player.
Prediction: The Diamondbacks, who have dropped 11 of their last 14 games, grab Martinez, giving up outfield prospect Socrates Brito and pitching prospect Curtis Taylor.
DODGERS: GET RICHER The Dodgers (64-29), a runaway train since April 27 in going 54-17, are coasting to their fifth consecutive NL West title. It won’t be enough to satisfy their fans until they get to their first World Series since 1988.
They could use a starter such as Gray, or even Justin Verlander, and a bat like Martinez’s, but it’s not imperative. Alex Wood will be their finest No. 2 starter behind Clayton Kershaw entering the playoffs since Zack Greinke. There’s no glaring hole in the lineup, particularly with Yasiel Puig ’s improved play.
But they could use a lefty reliever to set up All- Star closer Kenley Jansen. They can grab Brad Hand of the San Diego Padres, Wilson of the Tigers or Jerry Blevins of the New York Mets.
Sorry, this is Dodgers President Andrew Friedman running the show, and he’s always thinking big.
Prediction: Friedman goes massive and acquires Pittsburgh Pirates lefthanded stud Felipe Rivero for, yes, top outfield prospect Alex Verdugo and perhaps expands the package by including Willie Calhoun and Yadier Alvarez. Verdugo could be a star, but Rivero is filthy, yielding a .088 batting average and five hits in 171⁄3 innings since registering his first save June 10. He would provide the Dodgers with the nastiest right-left bullpen combo in baseball.
BRAD HAND: BACK TO FLORIDA? So where does Hand wind up?
Ah, yes, the Tampa Bay Rays, who haven’t been to the playoffs since 2013 and could scare the daylights out of anyone with their rotation. Prediction: Hand goes to the Rays, and the Padres’ overhaul continues by getting prospects Lucius Fox and Jesus Sanchez.
CARDINALS: ’PEN PAL FROM BALTIMORE The St. Louis Cardinals, just like the Pirates, don’t necessarily want to surrender their playoff hopes. But they’re realistic. They’re really not in the NL Central race, but not out of it, either, simply loitering.
The Cardinals don’t plan to sell off but won’t go bold either and pursue J.D. Martinez. They instead will try to at least fill a void for their biggest albatross — the bullpen. The Cardinals have lost 10 games this season when leading after eight innings. Prediction: The Orioles trade them right-handed reliever Brad Brach, who is earning $3.05 million this year and under control one more season. The Cardinals give up starter Tyler Lyons, who will step right into the Orioles’ MLB-worst rotation.
YANKEES: REUNION WITH ROBERTSON The Yankees were planning to be aggressive at the trade deadline, right up until losing 18 of 25 games before the All-Star break.
New York sought Quintana, is in the Gray talks and would like to pry first baseman Eric Hosmer from the Royals, too, but the Yankees’ strategy is nothing like those of their ancestors. They actually value their prospects.
They’re not about to junk their rebuilding project to try to win the AL East. They instead will make moves for the present, and the future, without costing top prospects.
Prediction: The Yankees acquire Robertson from the White Sox and Prado from the Marlins, getting salary relief from each team, and giving up nothing more valuable than 22-year-old third baseman Miguel Andujar. If the price is right, they could grab Athletics first baseman Yonder Alonso, too.