Major League Baseball

MLB: Next Big Names To Be Dealt

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Dec 7, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore (L) speaks with the media after announcing a trade of relief pitcher Wade Davis for outfielder Jorge Soler (both not pictured) on day three of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

So far this off-season we have witnessed trades that have changed the landscape of MLB. Some teams are geared for 2017, and others are starting a hefty rebuild.

Every winter the MLB off-season manages to shock and surprise us all. Deals we have seen coming for ages happen in the blink of an eye, and deals that happen out of the blue can leave us scratching our heads. So far, we have seen veteran pieces such as Brian McCann and Wade Davis moved to playoff contenders. We’ve witnessed the White Sox accelerate the rebuild similar to the Yankees last summer. Teams such as the Red Sox solidified their chances at championship gold, and teams such as the Dodgers have remained quiet.

With so many moves already happening, and with some teams lurking in the shadows, there is suspicion that more blockbusters will be made. These blockbusters, like the ones that have already occurred, shall change the landscape of MLB. The coming weeks of the MLB off-season will show us who is ready to play next season, and who is ready to dominate in the future.

With perhaps the biggest deal of the winter already occurring, the remaining moves may not seem as impactful. The Chris Sale trade, exchanging an elite pitcher for elite prospects, has shifted not only MLB now but the future of MLB. However, no further deal may be as bewildering as the Nationals acquiring Adam Eaton. Giving up elite level prospects for someone who has never been an all-star is just absolutely shocking to me.

However, despite everything that has happened so far this off-season there are more moves to be made. Playoff contenders such as the Dodgers or Astros have a hole or two to fill. There are several playoff ready teams that also have a great farm, so the opportunities are endless. With that being said, which big names will be dealt next this off-season?

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Justin Verlander, Ian Kinsler, and/or J.D. Martinez

Since all three men are members of the Detroit Tigers, it would seem excessive to give each their own slide. With the Detroit Tigers wanting to take the franchise a different direction, all three men have been mentioned in trade talk in one way or another. While I find it highly unlikely that the Tigers deal all three men, it seems almost guaranteed that one or two of them will depart from Detroit.

The most likely of the three to be dealt, in my opinion, would be Ian Kinsler. There are several teams that have a hole at second base that can afford the four-time all-star. Most notably, the Los Angeles Dodgers. With a seemingly massive hole at second base, the Dodgers have the farm to get this deal done. Sending young talents such as Jose De Leon and Willie Calhoun along with a big league established arm such as Alex Wood may get this deal done. The Dodgers can avoid moving Julio Urias, and fill their second base hole through 2018.

As for Verlander, the Dodgers have also been rumored to be in talks for. However, a move that makes more sense would be to send Verlander off to Houston. It has been noted that Houston is attempting to bolster their bats to trade for an elite pitcher. Trading away George Springer with an arm such as Mike Fiers could lure Verlander to Houston.

As for Martinez, the Giants have been the top candidate to acquire his talents. However, with very little trade chips outside of Christian Arroyo or Tyler Beede, the Giants may be unlikely to acquire Martinez. With a contract that doesn’t significantly hurt the Tigers, Martinez seems to be the least likely to be moved.

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Lorenzo Cain

The former MVP candidate may see himself find a new home for 2017. Having only one year left in his contract, and the Royals already showing signs of a rebuild, Cain seems almost destined to be dealt to a playoff contender. With the opportunity to bolster their young talent, only sacrificing one season of production from Cain, the Royals may be all in to trade Lorenzo Cain. With several teams needing an outfielder, Cain likely can find himself playing in October once more.

A dark horse candidate to bring in Lorenzo Cain would be the New York Yankees. With such a plentiful farm system, the Yankees could deal a prospect and a veteran talent for Cain. Dealing someone like Brett Gardner, along with a good, not great, prospect such as Justus Sheffield could reel in Cain. With only one year left on his contract, Kansas City may bite at the chance to acquire any sort of credible youth talent.

A more likely destination would be a team like the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays have been known to make a splash for talent, such as Josh Donaldson or Troy Tulowitzki. With so much young pitching already in MLB, the Blue Jays won’t be hurt to deal prospect Sean Reid-Foley. Throw in a big league established talent, such as Darwin Barney, and Lorenzo Cain could be heading to Toronto.

John Hefti-USA TODAY

Sonny Gray

Since the Athletics lost their success Sonny Gray has been involved in trade rumors. The young RHP can be locked down until the year 2020 wherever he plays. Due to the need for some teams to bolster pitching, Gray becomes a very likely trade chip. After the Sale deal, the A’s may be looking for more than they were before. However, because of Gray’s down year in 2016, teams may be able to get away with paying much less than normal. Therefore, Gray may be the most desirable trade target for teams that need pitching.

Like stated earlier with Justin Verlander, the Astros are looking to bolster their pitching depth. Looking to trade for an ace, the Astros should be looking at the division rival A’s as a trade partner. While Gray may not be as elite as Verlander, he has shown the capability to be elite and with his young age the sky is the limit. Gray would likely cost the same as Verlander due to his age. Houston sending the A’s George Springer, Forrest Whitley, and a player to be named later coul get the deal done.

Another team that may reach out for Gray’s services would be the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have already added pitching with veterans R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon, and may be looking to improve further. This time, the Braves would acquire a solid young arm to slot behind Julio Teheran. Trading away big league ready Sean Newcomb, Kevin Maitan, and a big league talent can land Gray.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Jay Bruce

Despite just being traded to the New York Mets last season, Jay Bruce might not find himself in New York in 2017. Due to his excessively large contract, and the recent re-signing of Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets are looking to trade Bruce away. The problem for the Mets is, with quality options such as Dexter Fowler on the market, Bruce’s value may be at a low point. The Mets may lose a lot of value after the Bruce trade, but it may be best in the long run.

With such a young outfield, a dark horse candidate for Bruce would be the Los Angeles Dodgers. The desirable factor of Bruce to Los Angeles is that can likely keep their farm in tact. With the ability to seemingly always swallow big contracts, the Dodgers may reach out for Bruce. To acquire Bruce, Los Angeles may only need to trade away Yasiel Puig and a low-level rotation arm such as Scott Kazmir. This could finally end the Yasiel Puig trade talks, and add veteran leadership in the outfield.

The problem with this is the Dodgers are horrible at hitting left-handed pitching. Bruce only hinders the Dodgers further against left-handers. However, a team like the Rays could potentially sneak in and get Bruce. Already signing Wilson Ramos, the Rays are showing that they want to compete in 2017. Bruce could DH for the Rays. and they likely could get away with a straight swap for Alex Cobb or Jake Odorizzi.

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