Get ready for the trades, folks.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, “There is a growing sense among executives that the trade market is going to be active this offseason.”
But who might be on the move?
Well, let’s find out, as we break down some of the juiciest rumors heading into the World Series.
A Tigers Fire Sale Forthcoming?
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Detroit Tigers could be preparing to trade away some of their biggest stars.
Olney wrote: “The message being received from the rest of the industry is a dramatic shift for one of baseball’s oldest franchises: They will listen to trade offers on everybody. Miguel Cabrera. Justin Verlander. Ian Kinsler. Anybody.”
Tony Paul of the Detroit News added: “I’ve heard just about every Tigers name being talked about as a trade chip.”
Let the bidding begin.
Of course, Olney also noted the Tigers might not have anything resembling a fire sale in the least; instead, “what Detroit will attempt this winter might be similar to what the Yankees did during the 2016 season: transition into a younger (and cheaper) team by extracting value from some of the older and more expensive players.”
Finally, Olney wrote that Detroit already tried to trade Justin Upton during the season. Certainly, moving on from players such as Upton and Victor Martinez for younger and cheaper pieces would be ideal, if not unrealistic. Among the veterans, Cabrera and Verlander would certainly garner the biggest return, though will Detroit be able to get back enough in a trade package while still remaining competitive next season?
That is harder to gauge. Verlander and Cabrera are both 33 and still owed a ton of money, which hurts their trade value. On the other hand, both are still productive—namely Cabrera, who hit an impressive .316 with 38 home runs and 108 RBI this year, though Verlander certainly had a strong, bounce-back season.
Not only that, but Cabrera and Verlander are staples of the organization and wildly popular. Moving on from either player likely wouldn’t be a popular decision among the team’s fans.
Paul thinks that Kinsler and J.D. Martinez would be the smart assets to deal:
That’s more than $22 million in payroll right there for next season, and you’d get a significant return of young, controllable talent in return. Problem is, obviously, there aren’t immediate replacements for those guys. So expect any package of either Martinez or Kinsler to include a young chip who could project to be the immediate — and long-term — replacements.
Regardless of who ultimately goes, expect to hear plenty of buzz surrounding the Tigers this offseason.
Phillies to Consider Dealing Vince Velasquez?
Todd Zolecki of MLB.com noted that the Philadelphia Phillies will be “open-minded” in regards to trading talented starting pitcher Vince Velasquez.
Zolecki wrote:
That might not lead to a blockbuster, but there is no reason not to inquire and listen. After all, is there anybody in the organization that is truly untouchable? The fact the Phillies engaged in serious trade talks with the Rangers in July about Vince Velasquez indicates they are willing to consider anything. That is a good thing.
Velasquez, 24, pitched well for the Phillies in 2016, finishing 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 152 strikeouts in 131 innings pitched. But surely, the Phillies would require a major haul for a talented young pitcher, especially as the team is in the midst of starting to bring some of its talented prospects to the majors.
Velasquez would appear to be among the building blocks in Philadelphia, alongside outfielder Odubel Herrera, third baseman Maikel Franco, top prospect and shortstop J.P. Crawford—who seems likely to make his MLB debut in 2017—starting pitchers Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Jake Thompson and reliever Hector Neris.
And that doesn’t include the team’s other top prospects in the farm system, such as outfielder Nick Williams and catchers Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp, among others.
In other words, the Phillies are still looking toward the future. Any package for Velasquez would have to include some highly considered prospects. If they can’t get any in return, dealing a talented young pitcher would make absolutely no sense for the Phillies.
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