With the MLB trade deadline approaching in just over a month, teams start to make trades around this time in order to get someone to help them get to the playoffs and to get more in return for the players they give up. Three trades already happened and they both involve American League teams, with the Rays trading Span and Colome to the Mariners a month ago and the Royals trading Jay and Herrera to the Diamondbacks and Nationals respectively. Here are players that each non-contending team in the AL could trade at the deadline.
Baltimore Orioles
With the worst record in the league at 23-54, the Orioles are obvious sellers and will look to get as much as they can for the players they are able to trade.
Manny Machado
Machado is a free agent at season's end and the superstar is more than unlikely to sign with the Orioles as they are a terrible team and Machado wants to win. Machado has been amazing for the O's this year as he has a slash line of .305/.375/.559 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in. With the type of player Machado is, the Orioles are expecting a top prospect in return for his services
Adam Jones
Jones has been with the Orioles for 11 seasons and that will most likely come to an end this year. Jones has a slash line of .290/.315/.450 and has played very good defense in center field for the Orioles. Jones has made solid contact this year as he has 89 hits in 79 games and 19 of those hits have been doubles.
Jones would be a good fit for a contending team that is in need of a center fielder.
Zach Britton
In 2016, Britton was a perfect 47 for 47 in save opportunities with 0.54 ERA and even garnered Cy Young consideration. Ever since 2016, injuries have derailed his play but he still remains an effective pitcher in the bullpen. Last season, he was almost traded to the Astros until ownership didn't allow management to go through with the deal.
Britton could be traded to the Astros this year as they are in need of a back-end pitcher. He could also go to the Dodgers and Red Sox who are in need of a set-up man.
Brad Brach
When Britton was on the disabled list, Brach handled the closer role. This season has converted ten saves and has a 3.86 ERA. He hasn't been as good as he is in previous seasons but is still a good pitcher in the bullpen.
He would be a great addition to a contending team in need of a set-up man.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays are 15 games back of leading the AL East and are 10.5 games out of a wild-card spot. Every loss makes it increasingly unlikely that the Jays will make the playoffs.
J.A. Happ
Happ is the Jays best trade chip which would get them the most value in return. Happ has been very effective this year with a record of ten wins and three losses and a 3.62 ERA. He has also racked up 106 strikeouts in 97 innings and has an opponent average of .211. The Yankees and Mariners have been linked to him, both in need of starting pitching.
Marco Estrada
Last season, Estrada was shopped at the trade deadline but ended up not getting traded.
The Jays decided to bring him back on a one-year, $13 million contract for the 2018 season. Estrada hasn't been fantastic this season as he has a record of four wins and seven losses with a 4.48 ERA. Estrada could possibly net the Jays a mid-level prospect.
Justin Smoak
Last season, Smoak clobbered 38 home runs and finished the season with an average of .270. In 71 games in 2018, he's batting .236 with only nine home runs and 37 runs batted in. Even though he's not putting up numbers at the plate like he did last season, he is getting on base at the highest clip of his career with an on-base percentage of .360. Smoak will earn $6 million next year and only needs 10 more plate appearances to be getting $7 million next year.
If he reaches 1,150 plate appearances by season's end, he will be getting $8 million. His contract also contains a buyout option of $250 000. The Giants and Nationals could potentially both use a first baseman.
Josh Donaldson
When Donaldson is healthy, he is one of the best players in the game which is shown from his 2015 MVP season where he hit 41 home runs, 123 runs batted in with a slash line of .297/.371/.568. This season, Donaldson has been injured for a majority of the year as he has only played 36 games this year. When he has been playing, he hasn't been so good this year as he has only hit five home runs with 16 runs batted in with a batting average of .234. In order to trade Donaldson, the Jays may have to wait till the waiver trade deadline in August.
Curtis Granderson
The Jays signed Granderson to a one-year, $5 million deal in the off-season with the intention of flipping him at the trade deadline if they weren't going to be contending for a playoff spot. Granderson is batting .258 on the season and is getting on base at a career-high pace with an on-base percentage of .369. Granderson may have to settle as a fourth outfielder on a contending team due to him being 37 years old but if he is traded to a team like the Giants who are in need of outfield help, he could find himself being a starter on a team looking to make the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays aren't doing horrible this year as they are currently 38-40 but will find it tough to contend in a division that contains the Yankees and Red Sox.
They are also nine-and-a-half games out of a wild-card spot. They probably won't trade players that are under contract for multiple seasons but will look to trade players who have their contracts expiring at the end of the season.
Sergio Romo
Romo used to be one of the best set-up men in the game but those days are gone. This season, Romo has "started" five games which only last an inning or two. In 35 games pitched this year, he has put up a 4.78 ERA this season and could help a team that is in need of bullpen help.
Wilson Ramos
Ramos is one of the best catchers in the game as he is good both offensively and defensively. Ramos is currently batting .293 and will really help a contending team like Red Sox or the Nationals that is in need of a catcher.
Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi is in his first season back from Tommy John surgery and has been fairly good since even though his numbers don't show it. Eovaldi has shown that Tommy John hasn't decreased his velocity as he is still averaging 97 MPH on his fastball. A team that is in need of a back-end starter could make a trade for Eovaldi.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals are last place in the AL Central with a record of 24-54. They have already traded away Jon Jay and Kelvin Herrera and are only going to continue making subtractions to their roster.
Mike Moustakas
In the off-season when Moustakas was a free agent, it didn't seem likely that he would re-sign with the Royals. Due to a slow off-season, Moustakas ended up re-signing with the Royals on a one-year, $5.5 million deal.
This season, Moustakas has been good for the last place Royals by hitting 14 home runs to go along with 75 hits. The Royals are hoping that Moustakas will net them a good prospect in return.
Whitt Merrifield
Merrifield is one of the only bright spots on the Royals. This season he has a slash line of .283/.360/.406 with 81 hits. Merrfield has also swiped 16 bases this season. Merrifield hasn't even reached his arbitration years yet and still has four years left on his contract. The Royals have no need to trade him now but it is something worth exploring with a weak farm system. In order for the Royals to trade Merrifield, they would need a large haul in return.
Chicago White Sox
Some people though the White Sox could be a dark horse candidate for a wild-card spot but that no longer seems likely as they are currently 21 games back of a wild-card spot with a record of 26-51.
Joakim Soria
Soria has been an effective player on the White Sox this year as he currently has a 2.89 ERA in 29 games. He also has 11 saves in 13 opportunities this season. Soria has the capability to help a team get to the playoffs.
Nate Jones
Jones has also been an effective player on the White Sox this year as he has a 2.55 ERA and also has an opponent average of .215. Jones' contract contains club options for the next three seasons at a reasonable price. The White Sox may not want to move him but could do so if they like what they are receiving for him.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers were the worst team in the major leagues last season and will be a terrible team for years to come. Their farm system isn't fantastic but it has gotten better from drafts and Tigers GM Al Avila will look to improve it.
Nick Castellanos
Castellanos is currently the best player on the Tigers and they don't have too much behind him. With a year left on his contract, the time to trade him is now in order to get more in return for him. Castellanos currently has a slash line of .304/.348/.498 which would all be career-high clips if the season ended today. Castellanos has 94 hits in 76 games and so far has 24 doubles on the season. Castellanos should net the Tigers a pretty good haul in return and will be an alternative for contending teams in need of a third baseman that can't land Machado.
Jose Iglesias
Iglesias has the ability to make very good contact with the bat as this season, he has 72 hits compared to 30 strikeouts.
Iglesias will never have a lot of power to offer as he only has 18 career home runs in seven seasons in the big leagues. Iglesias can also play very good defense at shortstop. If a contending team does make a trade to acquire him, there's a good chance he will have to settle for a bench role. The Tigers won't get a lot in return for him, his contract ends at the conclusion of the season.
Mike Fiers
The Tigers brought in Fiers on a one year deal in hopes of trading him at the deadline but they may not even be able to. Fiers currently has a 4.29 ERA and an opponent average of .273 which isn't so good. Fiers might slide into the number five spot in a rotation but he may not be able to be moved.
Francisco Liriano
The Tigers did the same thing, with Liriano, as they did with Fiers. They brought him in on a one year deal in hopes of trading him at the deadline except with Liriano, they should be able to trade him. Liriano has a 3.94 ERA with an opponent average of .208. A contending team in need of a back-end starter could trade for Liriano.
Shane Greene
Greene currently has 19 saves with a 3.68 ERA to go along with 42 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings pitched. Greene has two years left on his contract so the Tigers certainly won't give him up for nothing, but they might look to trade him. Greene is by no means elite so they won't be able to net a top prospect in return for him but they will hope to land a couple prospects for him. The Tigers also should trade him so they can allow Joe Jimenez to develop as a closer as he is expected to be the future closer of the Tigers.
Leonys Martin
Like Fiers and Liriano, the Tigers brought in Martin in hopes of trading him at the trade deadline. Martin got off to a hot start but then went down with a hamstring injury and has slowed down ever since. Martin is currently getting on base at a career-high clip of .329 and also has a career-high slugging percentage of .444. Martin also plays spectacular defense in center field. Martin may have to settle for a bench role on a contending team but could find himself being a starter on a team like the Giants.
Matt Boyd
Boyd has been having a good year this year as he has an opponent average of .225 which is a career best for him. He also currently has a career best 4.15 ERA even though that isn't a great earned run average. Boyd still has four years remaining on his contract and he isn't eligible for arbitration until 2020. The Tigers will hope for a pretty good return for him but his fate will be decided depending on the Tigers asking price for him. The Mariners are reportedly interested in Boyd.
Michael Fulmer
The 2016 AL Rookie of the Year is the Tigers most intriguing trade chip. Fulmer currently has a record of three wins and six losses with a 4.17 ERA. Fulmer is not known for striking out batters but he has the ability to limit the damage from opposing teams. Fulmer has four years left on his contract so the Tigers would need a large haul in order to part ways with him. The Yankees have been linked to Fulmer for a while and could look to acquire him at the deadline.
