From the Cincinnati Reds to the Pittsburgh Pirates, here are 5 MLB teams primed to be sellers in 2022
The Major League Baseball season is now roughly a month and a half underway, and some MLB clubs are already in full tanking mode. This means that these teams are going to be selling heavily at the trade deadline come this August.
Teams sell for a number of reasons. Shuffling up players and trying a new approach, clearing up cap space by getting rid of players with wasteful contracts, or just simply wanting a younger team are a few of the main reasons why MLB teams sell at the trade deadline.
MLB.com: These teams could be sellers at the Deadline mlb.com/news/mlb-trade…
"These teams could be sellers at the Deadline" - @ MLB News & Rumors
Some rosters are going to look completely different over the next few months.
MLB teams that are selling this deadline
#5 Oakland Athletics
Although the Oakland Athletics do not have any players with extremely high salaries, they are notorious for trading most of their starting lineup at every trade deadline. MLB fans call it the "Oakland Fire Sale," as the team has been doing it for the past several years. The team is currently 16-24 and has little to no shot of reaching the playoffs this year.
Athletics shortstop and MLB veteran Elvis Andrus has the highest yearly salary at $14.25 million per year. He is 33 years old and is not producing at the plate, batting only .230. The Athletics will likely try to dump him off to a contending team in search of some prospects with significantly lower salaries. The only other player with a somewhat large salary in Oakland is outfielder Stephen Piscotty, who is making $7.5 million. He will also likely get traded for prospects as well.
#4 Chicago Cubs
Just six seasons removed from their magical 2016 World Series win, the Chicago Cubs are in full rebuild mode and will likely flip some players for prospects by this deadline. The Cubs have already slipped to six games under .500 and are probably not going to be playing October baseball this year.
The Cubs will likely dump two veteran pitchers, Kyle Hendricks and Wade Miley, as they are both over 30. Hendricks is 32 and makes $14 million, and Miley is 35 and makes $10 million. Hendricks is putting up average numbers and would definitely help a contending team later in the season. Miley has thrown only 10 innings so far this season, but his experience would help a team in a position to make the playoffs.
#3 Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not reached the MLB postseason since a Wild Card loss in 2015, and it does not look like they are going back anytime soon. The Pirates are currently 16-21, third in a top-heavy National League Central division. They are only ahead of the Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds, who are also on this list.
Although third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is their highest paid player, he is only 25 years old, and it is likely that the Pirates will build around him the next few years. Their number one movable piece is outfielder Bryan Reynolds, who is 27 years old and making $6.75 million this year. The 2021 All-Star is only hitting .214 this year and will likely get flipped for some prospects.
#2 Cincinnati Reds
We head back to the NL Central for the third time in a row with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds currently have the worst record in the MLB, having won just 10 games so far. The Reds have no chance of making the playoffs this year, so now is a good time to clear up cap space and get some prospects.
Their highest-paid player is longtime Red Joey Votto. However, he is not going anywhere and will spend his last days in a Reds uniform. With that being said, second baseman Mike Moustakas is the most likely player being moved, as he is making $16 million. The three-time All-Star is putting up decent numbers so far, and will likely be valuable come August 2.
#1 Washington Nationals
With just three seasons removed from the Washington Nationals' first World Series championship, they are last in the NL East with a 13-26 record so far. The Nationals lack a sense of which direction they should take their team in the coming years. They have a 23-year-old superstar in Juan Soto, yet they are considering trading him.
The @nationals said their plan was to build around Juan Soto. If they trade Soto, does that mean there is no plan at all? Frustrating news day for #Nats fans… https://t.co/DFzptCfLfc
"The @nationals said their plan was to build around Juan Soto. If they trade Soto, does that mean there is no plan at all? Frustrating news day for #Nats fans..." - @ Adam Grundy
The young phenom already has 100 home runs in the MLB and has a career batting average just shy of .300. He would be an instant impact and a star on any MLB roster. It does not make much sense for the Nationals to trade Soto as he is not even the Nats' highest paid player. That goes to pitcher Patrick Corbin, whom they should definitely trade, because of his $23 million contract. No matter what the Nationals do, these next few months are going to be very interesting.