Trade Deadline Predictions
The Major League Baseball trade deadline of July 31 is approaching fast and not a lot of player movement has occurred. There are still plenty of impact players left that teams are going to be eager to sign in order to boost their playoff chances. Here are the top impact players and their possible destinations:
Jayson Werth: The Phillies are already contenders and are attempting to acquire top level talent of their own in pitcher Roy Oswalt. Young prospect Dominic Brown seems MLB ready and the Phillies no longer have a strong need to hold on to Werth’s contract, as he is a soon-to-be free agent. Plenty of teams are in the market for an outfielder, and Werth is a good one. His expiring deal means that there will most likely be a three-team deal and Werth’s most likely destination would be the Boston Red Sox, who have money, aspirations, and the need for an outfielder.
Roy Oswalt: Oswalt is probably the best available starting pitcher and has been available for trade by the Houston Astros for quite some time. The Astros’ demands for their ace are pretty steep and Oswalt also has a no-trade clause in his contract. These circumstances severely limit possible destinations, but the Phillies seem to be the forerunners in being able to satisfy both the Astros and Oswalt.
Adam Dunn: The Washington Nationals have slowly slipped out of contention, to no one’s surprise, and this means that their first baseman could be on the move. Prince Fielder is a more dominant offensive first baseman, but Dunn is a more complete player. Dunn might be moving back to the outfield, where he originally played, as the Chicago White Sox would be keen on adding an outfielder and would not sign Dunn to replace All-Star first baseman Paul Konerko.
Prince Fielder: With his Milwaukee Brewers entirely out of contention, Fielder is an interesting power hitting acquisition for a lot of teams. The Brewers would be interested in trading Fielder since he is due a lot of money in the near future, but the compensation for Fielder must be very large. Most likely Fielder remains in Milwaukee, as no contending teams that can offer large payment need a first baseman.
Jose Bautista: Bautista is playing the best season of his career for the Toronto Blue Jays. Bautista has already hit 27 home runs, which makes him one of the most desirable offensive players available, and will be sought after by low scoring teams. The Blue Jays have already dealt shortstop Alex Gonzalez, so it seems likely they are open to moving Bautista as well. The anaemic offence of the NL West leading San Diego Padres seems to be the outfielder’s most likely destination.
Corey Hart: Like Bautista, Hart is an outfielder that is having a career year. The Brewers want to trade some players, and Hart is much easier to move than Fielder. The Detroit Tigers have recently lost outfielder Magglio Ordonez and will be moving to replace Ordonez and his hitting prior to the offseason. Detroit is the most likely destination for Hart. However, if the White Sox don’t make a move for Dunn then the Tigers might prefer him over Hart.
Jorge Cantu: Cantu has shown that he can play both first and third base during his time with the Florida Marlins. Cantu’s hitting and average fielding mean that if teams pursue him it may be to fill a bench role in case of injury. The Texas Rangers are the only team that can offer Cantu a starting job, and that makes them his most likely destination.
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