Some hot stove tidbits from FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal in his latest Full Count video…
- The Nationals have yet to engage in serious talks with the Tigers about Justin Wilson or with the Athletics about Ryan Madson, though the relievers are “two of the Nationals’ prime bullpen targets.” There isn’t any indication yet that Detroit is open to moving Wilson, however, since the team is still in the race. If the Tigers do become sellers, however, they’ll get plenty of interest in the southpaw, who took over from Francisco Rodriguez as closer earlier this season. Wilson has a 2.67 ERA, 3.55 K/BB rate and 39 strikeouts over 27 innings.
- The Pirates aren’t likely to deal Andrew McCutchen if they feel they can contend, though Rosenthal reminds us that the Bucs dealt Mark Melancon last season despite being just three games out of a wild card spot. This season, it looks like Pittsburgh’s best path to the postseason is through the NL Central; the Bucs are just five games out of first place despite their 31-37 record (they’re 11.5 games back in the wild card race). Trading McCutchen also wouldn’t necessarily mean that the Pirates would give up hope of contending this year, as Rosenthal notes that the club actually played better after dealing Melancon before a swath of September injuries ruined their chances.
- The Cardinals are one of several teams that could be both buyers and sellers at the deadline. For instance, St. Louis could consider trading Lance Lynn (a pending free agent) and then replace him in the rotation with one of the organization’s several young arms. After missing all of 2016 due to Tommy John surgery, Lynn has rebounded to post a 2.69 ERA, 8.67 K/9 and 2.37 K/BB rate over 73 2/3 IP this season. Peripheral numbers (.207 BABIP, 86.5% strand rate) indicate that Lynn has perhaps been a bit fortunate, as his ERA indicators (4.75 FIP, 4.40 xFIP, 4.35 SIERA) are well above his actual 2.69 ERA.
- While plans could change if the Rangers fall out of the race, a Yu Darvish deadline trade seems pretty unlikely right now since the team is playing better. There are also longer-term considerations in play, as Texas wants to re-sign the star right-hander when Darvish hits free agency this winter and “the relationship between the Rangers and Darvish is deeper than most,” Rosenthal reports. There’s also the interesting wrinkle that Darvish’s presence could help the Rangers in their pursuit of Shohei Otani, as Otani idolizes Darvish.