With the advent of the second wild card, fewer and fewer teams are counting themselves out of the playoff hunt early. As many a team has shown over the past decade or so, just getting into the dance can lead to one hell of a postseason ride. However, there are always some teams that are just so discombobulated and broken that they already find themselves at a deficit in the standings that they won’t recover from. These are the teams looking to sell early. These are the teams that contenders, or teams that view themselves as such, need to make inquiries to now instead of being raked over the coals come the July 31st trading deadline. Here are the organizations with pieces that could provide the propulsion to a World Series run.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (27-52)
Of course we start with the worst team in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies. Coming into 2015, nobody had delusions of grandeur for the Fightin’ Phils. They were just waiting for their aging stars to be phased out and for Cole Hamels to be traded. Well, neither has happened yet. Cole Hamels remains a Phillie as well as the most intriguing trade chip in the Majors. Hamels would instantly improve any rotation he would join. With his contract running to at least 2018, he also wouldn’t be just a rental. Who will pay the exorbitant fee that GM Ruben Amaro demands for his prized southpaw? Somebody will eventually. While the status of Hamels remains in limbo, there are several other pitchers on Philadelphia who could move for a much smaller ransom. Closer Jonathan Papelbon would be a valuable addition to a contending bullpen as he has a proven postseason pedigree. His $13 million vesting option for 2016 kicks in with 55 games finished this season or if he reaches 100 total between this season and the 52 he finished in 2014. Starters Aaron Harang and Kevin Correia are stable hands to add to the back of a rotation making a push, and neither will cost you upper echelon prospects.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (31-48)
There were split opinions about the potential of the 2015 Brewers. Needless to say, they’ve proved the pessimists right. Injuries have done a number on them but ineptitude has been just as big of a bugaboo. With that, they still have plenty of tantalizing players for a team looking to better themselves. The biggest one is probably the most disappointing Brewer of 2015, Carlos Gomez. Coming off consecutive All-Star 20 HR/30 SB seasons, Gomez has been mediocre to put it nicely. Even so, Gomez is still on the right side of 30 and is only making $9 million next year. That is a bargain for a player of his caliber and a trade to a pennant contender may be the jolt he needs to reinvigorate him as he goes for that next big deal heading into 2017. The other bat garnering some interest has had a polar opposite 2015 to Gomez. Adam Lind has proven this season that he still has value at first base and not just a DH like he was in Toronto. His .292 average with 11 home runs and 42 RBI aren’t hurting the cause either. He has a team option for $8 million next season, which would more than likely have to be picked up for him to be moved. He’s only 31 and when healthy could lengthen a lineup significantly. Teams looking for pitching shouldn’t neglect the Brew Crew either. Closer Francisco Rodriguez has been deadline fodder before and is relatively affordable through 2017 ($5.5M in ’16, $6M team option in ’17). Despite his pine tar antics, Will Smith has been one of the best lefty specialists in the game. He would be a prime candidate for that job on many contenders.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (33-42)
If you thought the asking price on Cole Hamels was high, don’t even both calling the White Sox about Chris Sale. Better yet, let’s just leave Sale, the man who just tied Pedro Martinez with his eighth straight 10+ K game, out of this all together. There is still plenty of players on the table for the South Siders. The first player (outside of Sale) coming out opposing GM’s mouths is Jeff Samardzija. Samardzija is strictly a cost-effective rental as he is a free agent at season’s end. A trip back to the NL may be in order as he has been considerably underwhelming in the American League with both Oakland last fall and this season with the White Sox. On the hitter’s side, Jose Abreu is in the same boat as Sale. Don’t even bother offering unless you don’t plan on having a farm system any longer. You could snare Melky Cabrera or Adam LaRoche though. Both are proven veterans in the midst of slumps which could be had for pennies on the dollar. It is just whether or not you can get Chicago to pick up a bit of those contracts (Cabrera $29M remaining over two years, LaRoche $13M next year).
COLORADO ROCKIES (34-43)
It feels like this is a team that has had their entire roster on the trading block since Opening Day. Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, and company have all been fodder for trade talks through various stretches of the 2015 season. The Rockies don’t seem to know what they want to do with any of their players. Their pitching is dreadful. Their offense is sub-par considering the Coors Field advantage. Outside of maybe Nolan Arenado, there can’t be an untouchable on this roster. Give GM Jeff Bridich a call, see what you can swing. Your willingness to eat salary may get you quite the catch from the Rocky Mountains.
There are other teams trying to move players but haven’t quite packed it in just yet because they are still somehow in striking distance of the playoffs. Boston would love to move on from Clay Buchholz and both off-season disasters Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. But, they are still just six games out of the DIVISION. Yikes. Atlanta has shown that all your bad contracts will belong to them, as long as there is a fancy prospect attached. They are still within seven games of the Nationals. It will be interesting to see how many of these teams hang on until July 31st, and even until the waiver deadline on August 31st. Contenders, just remember that buying early saves you later!