“About a half-dozen teams” have some interest in Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, FanCred Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. Wheeler’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for a few weeks now, with such teams as the Reds, Yankees, and Diamondbacks all reportedly linked to the 28-year-old. With the Mets firmly in sell mode as the deadline approaches, Wheeler certainly still appears to be the likeliest of New York’s starting pitchers to be moved in the coming days. In other tweets,, Heyman notes that though the Mets are doing their due diligence on current offers for Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, it’s more probably the team would wait until the offseason to deal either ace. Waiting until the winter opens up a wider array of potential suitors for trades, and thus would increase the Mets’ chances of landing their desired return of MLB-ready talent. Of course, the chances of Syndergaard being now seem “infinitesimal” since the righty is now on the 10-day DL after contracting hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Here’s some more transactions buzz from Heyman’s Twitter account…
- The Red Sox and Giants are among the teams who are showing interest in veteran outfielder Austin Jackson. San Francisco, of course, just traded Jackson to the Rangers as part of a salary dump, and Jackson is now available in free agency (for the prorated MLB minimum salary) after Texas released him. Jackson has hit only .242/.309/.295 in 165 PA this season, though he could provide several teams with veteran outfield depth. He is more natural backup outfield fit, for instance, than current Red Sox roster members Steve Pearce or Brock Holt. The Giants have a pretty crowded outfield mix already, though Jackson is more experienced than the likes of Austin Slater or Steven Duggar.
- The Braves and Phillies have been linked to several major names this summer, and Heyman says the two NL East rivals have indeed been “involved in most/all the big stuff” on the trade front. According to some, however, Atlanta and Philadelphia have also seemed less likely than other contenders to move their top prospects. This jibes with recent comments from Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos, who was looking to make upgrades but expressed wariness about dealing top prospects, particularly for rental players. Both the Braves and Phils are somewhat in the same boat as teams who are somewhat unexpected contenders coming out of a lengthy rebuild, and since both are looking to begin some sustained success, they aren’t necessarily looking to make a big all-in push this year.
The Giants want their owh garbage… haha…..
Getting Texas to pay for the remainder of his salary, cutting him, and the Giants potentially getting him back for pennies on the dollar would be a pretty good move, actually. He doesn’t even have to be good, he just gives them depth, and the Rangers are paying for it.
But is that the best use of a roster space? Same guy who you sent out so another org can eat his salary, and now he’s a good fit? That whole arrangement is just weird.
For the Giants it should be against the rules for a finite number of games as it challenges the games integrity. As for Boston, it probably is nothing more than their doing their due diligence. Their present roster make up gives them flexibility. Jackson is still solid in center but is no longer the speed guy they might want for their playoff bench.
It’s happened before
Doesn’t make it right. I believe there is a comparable rule in the NBA (it’s not my idea, I think I remembered it from another league)
Baseball as always been more open and free regarding trades and salaries, at least in the free agent era. The hyper regulated NBA (insert joke about left wing overlords here) tries to legislate fairness and competition and ended up with only 10 teams winning the championship over the last 35+ years. Compare that with baseball. Letting teams do whatever they can to help/improve their team is the most fair way. Your use if the word integrity is entirely wrong. #teachablemoment
considering how unambiguously awful he was this year and the fact the giants had to also dump gearrin and a 23 year old minor leaguer that was throwing quite well in order to dump his salary; bringing him back would confirm what many giants fans have been thinking — that Bobby Evans is a complete and total moron.
Giants need to be playing Slater and Duggar, give them as much experience and see what kind of adjustments they make as they gain experience.
no, he doesn’t give them depth. he gave them nothing before. he occupies space that the Giants need to find out if their prospects can actually play. this is a recurring theme, same-old-same-old, for the Giants, and not one that is going to get them back to relevance. btw, they are out of the race this year and should be sellers, including Bum
Not good move
I rather see prospects
Giants not going no where
At a big discount!
Who cares if Jackson is more of a natural fit as an OF for Boston, there simply is -0- use for him on the roster. Benintendi, JBJ and Betts can all play CF.. Holt can play all 3 OF positions, Lin can play CF.. Even Swihart plays LF. Jackson rumors to Boston have to be built on fantasy.
I hear JD has played the outfield once or twice as well…
Perhaps JD’s catch over the weekend where he hit the wall hard got management concerned about his team value and him getting hurt plaing in the field. Conjecture and I really think the team is just looking at everyone potentionslly available. How many players has some reporter NOT linked the team to this month?
Perhaps JD’s catch over the weekend where he hit the wall hard got management concerned about his team value and him getting hurt playing in the field. Conjecture and I really think the team is just looking at everyone potentionslly available. How many players has some reporter NOT linked the team to this month?
They’re more concerned over JBJ’s work against lefty pitching come October. Yeah, his numbers versus RHP are only slightly better. Maybe the Bosox think JBJ can get it going if he’s focusing on righties exclusively.
Braves need to do something they are slowly falling off
3 way deal
Yanks get Archer & Flowers
Braves get Gray, Romine & Frazier
Rays get Allard, Fuller, Peterson & Ynoa
I don’t see that deal going well for the Braves. The outfield is where they need the least help, first of all, Romine is a lateral jump from Flowers and Gray has been abysmal. Also, giving up all of those prospects in that deal wouldn’t work.
Yeah, this isn’t the Braves of 2 years ago who were soliciting bad contracts. If they make a trade it’s gonna be to win now, and Gray is the last thing they need.
I think Gray might be a good buy low candidate. Wouldn’t give up anything of value but he was good in Oakland.
Gray still has solid peripherals and has maintained his velocity. He just needs out of New York. Take a look at his road splits and tell me he is as bad as you think. (3.62 ERA .237 AVG .304 OBP .343 SLG .647 OPS allowed)
I agree on the trade though. Romine and Flowers are the same player. Romine had a great month which is keeping his stats up. He has been the same old Romine for the last month or so. Gray would be a solid addition though. Wentz and a lottery ticket might be enough to get him. He would give the Yankees a good 2nd LHP prospect that they are currently lacking. AA would look like a genius for getting him. I doubt the Yankees would trade him until the offseason though. It would create a second hole in their rotation. They are having trouble filling the first one.
The Braves should get Archer. They have wanted this guy for years.
Or braves just send Allard, ynoa, etc. to the rays for archer. Done. Although I’d rather get bullpen help, that’s a much better trade for the Braves, about the same for the rays, and it doesn’t involve the Yankees but that trade is highway robbery for them, to get archer and a good backup Catcher for a meh backup Catcher and one big ticket prospect.
I think Allard + Ynoa for Archer would be a decent deal. I have my doubts about Allard working out since he doesn’t have any overwhelming pitches. He only gets by on guile which may not translate at the major league level. Ynoa is still in low A so not much lost there. He is not one of the most touted prospects since he is #30 from mlb.com. Appears to be having a good year however.
Somebody should definitely sign A-Jax to a major league deal
You essentially get a year and a half of a decent major leaguer (career 22.7 bWAR, 18.7 fWAR) for nothing, which would definitely be a good thing for a rebuilding club like Baltimore, who seem likely to lose Jones in the next week or so.
If your system is barren of OF prospects. Jackson’s problem is there are too many available players just like him. Defensive replacement and pinch running are what you can expect with occasional hits. League minimum price tag makes him more appealing than he would be otherwise.
The Braves can add nobody and hope for a wildcard spot.
I want A Rod for my team, please come back ALEX
Jackson would help any contender. Solid hitter and plus defense who has playoff experience. Someone give him a go already
It really hasn’t been all that LONG of a rebuild for the Braves..
Would a package of Allard, Fried, and Ynoa net Archer and a RP from the Rays or is that too little or too much
Think Archer value is down right now so it might be enough to get him but I would hate to see Allard go, think he could be really good.
There may be a reason why Allard is still in AAA. It could be that they are going to use him as trade bait. keep his peripherals good by not promoting him and risk having him get bombed out at the major league level. Seems awfully fishy that he hasn’t made one appearance in Atlanta.
You might be right, I see him at best as a number 2 starter but he could easily get destroyed at the major league level Him and Wright are the 2 I’m most interested in seeing how the do.
Giants: “Hey, we could re-sign Austin Jac-”
Giants fans: “Uh, no thanks, we’re good.”
Yeah, why not give the roster spot to random minor leaguers until one sticks? Why waste a spot on a below average guy who doesn’t do anything for you? Giants moves are puzzling.
Braves fans consistently overrate Allard based on his age and numbers, IMHO. I’ve seen many put him on a no-trade list but leave off Anderson, Wright, Soroka, Gohara, etc. His stuff doesn’t compare to any of theirs, so his ceiling is significantly lower. Even guys like Toussaint, Wentz, Fried, and Wilson have better stuff.
Allard has posted great numbers as a 20 year old (2.80 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 7.2 K/9 in 18 AAA starts).
But, on the midseason update, Baseball America said “scouts are concerned that he doesn’t have the stuff to do more than survive in the majors. Allard pitches with a fringe-average fastball (88-91 mph), while neither of his secondary pitches generates consistent plus grades”
I could be wrong, of course. But it’s a consensus opinion in the scouting world. Atlanta has a number of proven, controllable starters in the bigs (Folty, Newcomb, Teheran) with a ridiculous amount of minor league depth, plus the money to spend in free agency if they need others. With that said, I don’t think Allard would be a huge loss for the Braves. I think they’d be better off keeping those high ceiling guys and hoping one or two become #1/#2 pitchers rather than keeping a guy who’s very likely to be a major leaguer, but realistically won’t be more than a #3/#4.
Completely agree. I said the same thing earlier. I think he is being kept at AAA to use at trade bait since his stats look really good there and he is still ranked very high. The Braves have always been about high ceiling guys.
Don’t think he will ever be an ace but maybe something along the lines of a Kris Melden type that could be a starter or reliever with potential.
If the braves make a move it better be bullpen depth. With that said, bullpen depth doesn’t require trading away one of our elite top prospects. A lower tier top 30 prospect would be more than enough to find someone to upgrade our bullpen
I doubt waiting until the offseason to trade DeGrom increases offers from teams. On the contrary, it’s one half-season less of control, one fewer postseason/pennant races he can be a part of, and 2 months where they risk him getting injured before he’s dealt.
The Yankees, for example, need him most *right now.* They’re ready and willing to give major league ready prospects. That need will lessen in the offseason when free agency is in full swing, and the 2018 season will have ended.
They will not be willing to increase their offer, and in all likelihood will lessen it. In fact, the Yankees, and other teams in need of a starter, could very well wind up trading for someone else in the next week, and be completely out of the picture come the offseason.
The Mets are so incredibly stupid.
Personally, I agree that they should trade him to the Yankees now. The Yankees are borderline desperate for an ace considering how tough the AL will be, and they have a ridiculous amount of top prospects, proven major leaguers, and minor league depth.
However, I also see the “trade in the off-season” side. Unless some team is able to pry Snell or Bumgarner away (both extremely unlikely) I don’t think any available starters would take any team out of the running for JdG. Even if teams get a mid-rotation guy at the deadline, they’ll still be interested in a legitimate ace during the winter.
In addition to the potential increase in the number of teams involved, it’s also possible teams are willing to give up more players. Any team will be wary to give up MLB pieces at the trade deadline. It’s a lot easier to replace them during the off-season. So, that means the Astros might be more inclined to move Kyle Tucker and Cionel Perez. Or the Yankees might be more inclined to move Miguel Andujar, Jonathan Loaisiga, etc. Or the Brewers might be more willing to move Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, etc. (not that any of those teams will get him for just the players listed, though).
Regardless, the Mets need to trade deGrom if they want to compete within the next 10 years, IMHO.
I don’t think the offseason increases the number of teams involved. There’s maybe 5 teams that even have the prospects/pieces that it would take to make a trade work, and nearly all of them would do the trade now if they could.
Desperation at the deadline for a team in contention and the extra half-season of control is far more impactful than the vague hopes and optimism of a better result the following season.
Every negotiator knows that a ticking clock is a powerful motivator and makes the needy do crazy things. If the Mets publicly declared DeGrom available tomorrow, imagine teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies all scrambling to top the other teams’ offer (and those are just the teams with strong farm systems).
I hope the Braves can get a deal done for Archer or Stroman they need a guy that can be placed in the top of the rotation I understand they have elite SP prospects but they got bumps to go thru at the major league level look how long it has takin Folty to reach the level he is at right now
Also I am starting to feel like Newcomb may have hit a wall I am interested in seeing how he comes back after the all star break
Sanchez been a god send but how long can he be counted on to keep it up
I like the idea of moving a near ready prospect for a young cost controlled SP and also time to get a couple veteran relievers in here that throw strikes
Between Anderson, Wright, Allard, Touki & Gohora I think you take a look and see which one can be expendable for a veteran SP I think Gray would have to be looked at in the off-season and with Markakis a free agent I would like to see them get there hands on Frazier but if they could pull off a deal for Archer now I am all for it
Also think an older vet that is making a lot of money in the off season could get a look maybe a Price or a Greinke the Braves will have the money to take back a salary for a guy to lead the young guys
Also want Salvatore Perez in the off season with Flowers & Suzuki free agents I think he would be a leader the young staff could use I feel To mine would be the perfect back up
In all fairness, you can’t put Archer & Stroman at the top of a rotation. They’ve both shown flashes of dominance, but overall, have really been no better than mid-rotation starters for the majority of their career, and are both having their worst seasons yet. Granted, they’re pitching in the AL East, but I’d be wary of giving up a big package for these guys (and by all reports, both teams are requesting a lot).
Archer owns a 4.09 ERA, 3.59 FIP, 1.27 WHIP since 2016. He still strikes out a lot of guys, but the 9.9 K/9 rate this year is his lowest since 2014, and his ERA and WHIP are the highest of his career.
Stroman has also struggled mightly this year. His 5.42 ERA, 4.16 FIP, and 1.45 WHIP are by far the highest of his career (although he has been better as of late). But…he’s never really shown he’s a top of the rotation pitcher. His 3.09 ERA was very good last year, but it also came with a 3.90 FIP, 1.31 WHIP, and 7.3 K/9. The past three seasons, he’s never posted a H/9 rate < 9.0, a BB/9 rate 7.3. Those numbers certainly don’t suggest a TORT starter.
What about Addison Russell, Ian Happ, & Mike Montgomery for Jacob DeGrom? Baez slides to SS, Zobrist @ 2B, Almora full time CF. This keeps Bryant @ 3B everyday to avoid him being upset about being moved around all the time. I understand this takes away a lot of depth, but a true ace like DeGrom increases World Series probability ten fold. Just food for thought!
I definitely believe that Stroman is not what he used to be but I think Archer with a change of scenery would come back to former levels it’s amazing what playing for something does to a guy ask Verlander
And as far as the haul goes the Braves prospects are so deep that the quality of other teams prospects dont match up so of course Tampa would expect more
Archer for Allard, Fuller & Peterson throw in maybe a lottery type prospect I think Tampa would take that deal but if the Braves feel Allard has the highest upside then switch him with Gohora or Wright or Anderson the point is you need a veteran to lead these young guys now if DeGrom is available I would say blow the Mets away with an offer in a perfect world he is exactly who the Braves need but I don’t think he will become available especially in the division
It’s either ride it out and wait to sign a Keuchel or trade for a Greinke or Price but either way these young guys need a veteran to lean on & with the money coming off the books they can afford to overpay for a Price or Greinke cause the rest of the rotation the rest of the team for that matter isn’t making any major money
deGrom is cost controlled through 2020. He could herald in the next wave of great pitching like what Maddux did for the Braves in the 90s. He has been consistent for the past 5 years and is having his best year now so I think he would be a good risk even if they overpaid. Don’t think the Braves would EVER bring in Price or Greinke given what they are paid now. That’s way too much invested in one player. And Frankly it seems Price is a headcase I don’t think the Braves need.
I understand they make a ton of money but I am sure either team would eat some of those contracts to get out from under them and it’s not like the Braves haven’t taken a chance on an over priced SP remember Mike Hampton plus I don’t think ppl realize how much money is gonna be at AA’s disposal
I would love DeGrom but I don’t think the Mets are trading him especially not in the division
DeGrom to the Cubbies for Addison Russell, Ian Happ, & Mike Montgomery! Make it happen! 2 and a half years of DeGrom could lead to a dynasty with the Cubs lineup!