All-Stars make attractive trade targets as deadline nears

CLEVELAND >> For a day, Will Smith was in for quite a treat — teammates with Clayton Kershaw, Freddie Freeman and Christian Yelich.

Soon, the San Francisco reliever could be playing with one of them for real.

Smith went into Tuesday’s All-Star Game well aware his days with the last-place Giants might be dwindling.

“If I get traded, it’ll be the fourth time,” the left-hander said. “After the first one, you’re kind of numb to it.”

Fellow All-Star pitchers Marcus Stroman, Shane Greene and Brad Hand also are possible trade targets as the July 31 deadline approaches. Hand is an old hand at this. The San Diego Padres sent the left-hander to Cleveland just two days after the 2018 AllStar Game, during the break.

“I didn’t really think I was going to get traded last year,” Hand said Monday. “It’s part of what we signed up for . ... There’s really nothing you can do about it unless you have a no-trade clause.”

At last year’s All-Star Game, there was little doubt it was Manny Machado’s last time in a Baltimore uniform.

The next day, the Orioles traded Machado to the Dodgers.

Greene has 22 saves and a 1.09 ERA for the last-place Detroit Tigers, making him an attractive option for teams in the playoff chase.

“It’s a business and it’s part of the game. Right now, I’m here. I’m going to enjoy myself,” Greene said.

Stroman is 5-9 with a 3.18 ERA for Toronto, a team that hopes to build for the future.

“I don’t know if I’ll be part of it,” Stroman said.

The Indians, will see where the next few weeks take them. They’ve recently closed the gap on Minnesota in the AL Central, meaning Hand and his 23 saves and 2.17 ERA might not be so expendable.

Same goes for Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. There’s bound to be talk about San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner and Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler.