Kuzul

It remains to be seen if the activity before this year’s MLB trade deadline will contain dramatic shifts of talent around the league. In a season where a lot of teams have remained within sniffing distance of a wild-card berth, there may not be many sellers on the market. 

But the teams in the hunt will still attempt to work out whatever big moves they can. 

New York Mets

One of this year’s surprise teams, the Mets started the second half just two games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East and in position to make a serious run for the second wild-card spot. They’ve accomplished this on the strength of their pitching and despite injuries to top offensive contributors David Wright, Travis d’Arnaud and Daniel Murphy.

In the first half of 2015, the Mets put up a staggeringly horrible slash line of .233/.298/.363. In fact, their offensive numbers rank at the bottom of the National League across the board:

It’s remarkable that the Mets have won so often this year while hitting so poorly. Give them a bat or two, and it would be interesting to see what they could do. 

Newsday’s Marc Craig wrote on July 16 that sources have told him the Mets are “not ruling out a trade for an outfielder.” New York could use help everywhere, but the outfield is a good enough place to begin.

The Mets’ outfield production has been wretched for a team with playoff aspirations:

General manager Sandy Alderson has never been an executive who is shy about opening up a checkbook, so with the Mets suddenly relevant and in the thick of things ahead of schedule, I would not be shocked to see him go in big on any decent bats that become available, regardless of where he would end up needing to make room for it. 

Los Angeles Angels

A late first-half surge brought the Angels to the top of the AL West heading into the All-Star break. The Angels had gone 7-3 in their last 10 prior to the All-Star Game, while the Houston Astros were scuffling at 2-8, allowing the Halos to tie them in the standings.

A team anchored by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols has been built with the intention of winning right now. According to the L.A. Times‘ Mike DiGiovanna, the Angels are looking to muscle up even more, adding another bat:

Mike Trout is the second coming of Mickey Mantle in center field, but at the corners, Kole Calhoun is merely dependable (.265/.320/.407) and Matt Joyce is an open wound (.190/.281/.319) with twice as many strikeouts as walks.

The Angels are a team with a shot to win it all this year, next year and for the next several years if they handle their roster correctly. They could potentially add either a second-half rental or even a player who might require a multiyear commitment.  

Cole Hamels

No player is garnering as much attention nor is the source of as much speculation as Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels. One team that seems like a potential destination for him is the Texas Rangers. 

It would offer him a chance at pitching in the American League, and the Rangers could use an arm. Pitching was supposed to be a strength for the Rangers, but Yu Darvish has been lost for the season to injury and the rest of the rotation, with the possible exception of Yovani Gollardo, has been at least somewhat on the disappointing side of mediocre this year:

Hamels’ arm would obviously bolster the Rangers’ rotation instantly, and given the 31-year-old pitcher’s resume as a top-of-the-roation talent, he’d be an investment in the future. Aside from the dismal campaign they turned in last season, the Rangers have been consistent contenders in recent years. 

However, he may not be an investment they are interested in making. According to a source for T.R. Sullivan on MLB.com, the Rangers don’t like the structure of Hamel’s contract or the asking price. 

With few sellers on the market this year, the action could be generally slowed down by the fact that teams that are looking to trade are looking to load up heavy with prospects in return. 

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