Buy or Sell: MLB teams who will make changes at the deadline
The first half of the season is an assessment phase for all 30 MLB teams. At the midway point, a team can accurately assess where they stand and what their roster drastically needs.
Some teams started the MLB calendar year with a clear understanding of their organization's needs, while others found out as the season progressed. That means we've reached the time when teams become buyers or sellers as the trade deadline draws near. Buyers seek every angle, including future leverage, to put their World Series contending team over the top. Sellers have chosen to fold for the season with transactions that can breathe new life into future contention. This list throws in a wheel-and-dealer option that describes a team who is buying and selling simultaneously for immediate and future upgrades. Here are your buyers, sellers, and wheel-and-dealers at the MLB's trade deadline.
Buyers, sellers, and wheel-and-dealers at the MLB's trade deadline
Boston Red Sox: Wheel-and-dealers
The recent Red Sox ascension in the MLB standings is a very encouraging sign for Boston fans. Now they've played themselves into an even more difficult spot come trade day. While their offense has reignited a torrid resurgence, their seventh-worst bullpen ERA in the American League could use some work. The team's thinning MLB prospect pool could also use some bolstering. Unlike the first 30 games of the season, however, it doesn't look as if they will blow up the entire keg. Boston may look like a different team after the deadline, but it won't be as drastic as many originally thought. A slight retool in the bullpen, pitching depth, and replenishing the farm system should pay dividends in the long run.
San Francisco Giants: Wheel-and-dealers
Though San Francisco is among the oldest teams in baseball by player age, they have a lot of leverage, both old and young, in the trade market. Help is on the way in this team's highly regarded farm system. However, their prospects need a bit more seasoning before they're ready for the MLB show. That's why the Giants may be looking to wheel-and-deal. That means the Giants may trade off some older, effective, pitching arms for some future and current assets. They may also dump some mid- to high-range position players to give their batting order a new look. The 26-year-old Joey Bart, their expected replacement for Buster Posey, hasn't panned out.
@SFGiants That’s rough for Bart. Joey Bart, I believe, has now struck out in 48 of his last 80 at-bats. Correct me if I’m wrong.
"Joey Bart, I believe, has now struck out in 48 of his last 80 at-bats" - @ Joshua Fitzpatrick
Considering his age as a rookie, they may be better off dumping him while he still has some rookie trade value. If there's a big name acquisition in the mix, you can expect all of the above actions as Giants ownership shows no interest in rebuilding.
Washington Nationals: Sellers
The Washington Nationals look lost when it comes to their direction as an organization. They possess one of the weaker farm systems in baseball, so right now, pulling from their minor league organizations won't help them. It's time for owners to face the music and apply as many future assets to their credit as possible. Being one of the oldest teams by average player age in baseball doesn't bode well for the current or future outlook. A high draft pick from the current MLB season will help. But they need to get younger quickly at the deadline to shorten the rebuilding process. As it stands, there's no end in sight for this struggling team.
New York Mets: Buyers
The holes in the New York Mets roster didn't make themselves apparent until they found themselves with three rotation aces on the DL. Despite that, they've stayed afloat by overpowering their Swiss-cheesed rotation with overwhelming offense.
EDUARDO ESCOBAR HITS FOR THE CYCLE 👏
(via @SNYtv)
https://t.co/WSpbKP3hdB
"EDUARDO ESCOBAR HITS FOR THE CYCLE" - @ FOX Sports: MLB
High scoring affairs have become too much of the norm of late. As impressive as this is, they're not going to win too many games giving up five runs every night. Come playoff time, attempting to outscore their pitching woes isn't going to cut it. They're in dire need of pitching reinforcements, and not just to endure till their big arms reassert themselves into the rotation. They'll need key additions to help preserve their rotation arms for a deep playoff run. There are murmurs in the baseball world that include the likes of Frankie Montas and/or Tyler Mahle. If the Mets can find a way to acquire either of those arms for a good price, this team will be just as strong on the hill as they are in the batter's box.