Baseball America came out with a list for every team in baseball. In it they said whether that team should be buyers, sellers or stay neutral. The list also included the biggest need for each team.
With that information and the Rangers being a team listed as staying neutral, here is the best trade proposals with each team. Being neutral means that unless they are being blown away, Mike Minor is not in the deal. These are creative ideas and solid proof why I am not a baseball GM.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS-NEUTRAL
Need: outfielder and starting pitching.
PROPOSED TRADE: Diamond backs send RHP Jon Duplantier and OF Eduardo Diaz to the Rangers for Nomar Mazara.
With both teams staying neutral no real starting pitching would be exchanged. D’backs have Greinke and Rangers have Minor. Swapping them is not an option. But Texas has too many outfielders. Mazara is a light upgrade and younger than Adam Jones.
ATLANTA BRAVES-BUYERS
Need: starting pitcher
PROPOSED TRADE: (Blockbuster) Braves send OF Christian Pache, RHP Ian Anderson, LHP Kolby Allard and LHP Kyle Muller to Rangers for Mike Minor, OF Bubba Thompson and LHP Brock Burke
With Muller and Allard both having good seasons in AAA, the major league rotation would have two more arms that can come in. Atlanta is unlikely to trade Pache so deal may not get done. Anderson would then highlight the package and I feel JD would not go for that. This trade brings another potential top 100 prospect back to the Braves in Thompson. But Pache is farther along and could take over CF in 2020.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES-SELLERS
Need: Everything
PROPOSED TRADE: Orioles send 1B Ryan Mountcastle to Rangers for RP Jose Leclerc, RHP Arial Jurado and 1B Ronald Guzman.
This would give the Orioles three big leaguers and the Rangers a right handed power bat to man first base. He has .299 average in AAA with 16 HR’s and a .819 OPS.
BOSTON RED SOX-BUYERS
Need: relievers
PROPOSED TRADE: Red Sox send RHP Bryan Mata for Shawn Kelley. The Red Sox minor leagues are not full of top prospects. Mata has emerged in the lower levels and has held his own at AA Portland despite only being 20.
CHICAGO CUBS-BUYERS
Need: Leadoff hitter/outfielder
PROPOSED TRADE: Cubs send C Miguel Amaya and RHP Oscar Del La Cruz for Shin Soo-Choo and $15 million in salary relief. That would have help with about half of what remains to be paid to Choo through next year. This would clear the way for Calhoun to DH and give the Rangers a higher level catching propsect. Choo could lead off for the Cubs.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX-SELLERS
Need: pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: None
The White Sox have nothing of value to sell to another team looking for long term value. Colome is a good looking closer, but also a free agent at the end of the year.
CINCINNATI REDS-SELLERS
Need: Run producing bats
PROPOSED TRADE: None
It’s really hard to trade with a seller for bats. The Rangers best bats are here for a year or figure to be part of the Rangers future. Sonny Gray is enticing, but Reds wouldn’t deal him. Roark would be a rental.
CLEVELAND INDIANS-BUYERS
Need: bats
PROPOSED TRADE: Indians send C Bo Naylor and RP Nick Sandlin to Rangers for Mazara.
Rangers could use depth at the catcher position. Cleveland would get a much needed bat for the outfield.
COLORADO ROCKIES-NEUTRAL
Need: starting pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: Rockies send SS/2B Brendan Rodgers to Rangers for Lance Lynn and Jessie Chavez
Rodgers is one of the best prospects in all of baseball. So why would they trade him. Well Ryan McMahon has emerged as a very good second baseman. Trevor Story is cemented at SS and Arenado extended at third. Rodgers wasn’t stellar for the 25 games he played in the big leagues. Plus he is recovering from shoulder surgery and out for the season. This move would let Rougie know that his job is up for grabs in 2020. Rodgers is a natural SS so maybe 3rd is in his future.
DETROIT TIGERS-SELLERS
Need: position players and lots of them
PROPOSED TRADE: (Blockbuster) Tigers send LHP Matthew Boyd to Rangers for Nomar Mazara, Rougie Odor and Leody Taveras along with $20 million towards Odor’s contract
The Tigers may be the only team in baseball that have worse production out of the second base position at the major league level. Kody Clemens is the best second base option in the minor leagues and he is struggling at High A. Rougie could use a change of scenery. With only a small risk, the Tigers might take that chance.
HOUSTON ASTROS-BUYERS
Need: back end starting pitchers
PROPOSED TRADE: Astros send OF Kyle Tucker to Rangers for Lance Lynn
Tucker is stuck in AAA with the current big league OF. You think Calhoun is a sad story, look at Tucker. Lance Lynn would probably send the Astros to World Series. Kyle Tucker would send Willie Calhoun to another team. This is a win for both teams.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS-SELLERS
Need: position players
PROPOSED TRADE: Royals send LHP Danny Duffy to Rangers for Nomar Mazara
Duffy has been rumored to the Rangers for a while. A solid arm but not an ace the Royals need position players. Mazara would fit the mold. Plus they both are under control. This is important with budget conscience teams.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS-NEUTRAL
Need: starting pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: none
With both teams neutral and needed pitching, there just isn’t a fit. Trading within the division is another issue. It’s easier to make a deal if one team is looking to deal. But with both teams not particularly being aggressive, there just isn’t anything to swap. Neither team will part with top prospects.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS-BUYERS
Need: relief pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: Dodgers send C Will Smith to the Rangers for Jessie Chavez and Chris Martin
Smith would be the new starting catcher immediately. Chavez best out of the pen and Martin have been good. Both are under contract through next year. Two reliable bullpen arms would help the Dodgers push.
MIAMI MARLINS-SELLERS
Need: position players
PROPOSED TRADE: Marlins send LHP Caleb Smith to Rangers for Nomar Mazara
It has become apparent that I think Mazara should be traded. I like Mazara, but he may need a change of scenery to become all he can be. Smith provides a sold starter for the rotation who is in his pre arb year in 2020. So he can be extended or controlled for cheap.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS-BUYERS
Need: pitching-both starter and relief
PROPOSED TRADE: Brewers send SS Brice Turang, OF Tristen Lutz, RHP Trey Supak and C Mario Feliciano for Lance Lynn and Shawn Kelley.
Lutz is a potential CF who has some power in his bat. He is a local product overshadowed by Keston Hiura, who was an earlier first round pick in the same draft. Turang would be the center piece of the deal. Supak is having a stellar year while any legit catching prospect would fill needs all over the Rangers organization. Brewers would add an ace and valuable bullpen piece in a year they are expecting to make a run.
MINNESOTA TWINS-BUYERS
Need: middle relief
PROPOSED TRADE: Twins send Brent Booker to Texas for Adrian Sampson.
Booker is a potential right handed first baseman with some pop. Sampson has started some but had most success as a middle reliever. This is a simple trade with no real big names going either way.
NEW YORK METS-SELLERS
Need: pitchers and middle infielders
PROPOSED TRADE: (Blockbuster) Mets send RHP Noah Syndergaard and C Ali Sanchez to the Rangers for Brock Burke, Ronny Henriquez, Ryan Dorow and Demarcus Evans
Burke and Hernandez are both on the verge of the big leagues. Evans should be a late inning guy on any team. Both Henriquez and Dorow are solid players with definite big league potential. Syndergaard slides into the rotation and Sanchez gives depth at a position that needs it.
NEW YORK YANKEES-BUYERS
Need: starting pitcher
PROPOSED TRADE: Yankees send OF Clint Frazier and C Anthony Seigler to the Rangers for Lance Lynn.
Frazier would give the Rangers a much needed right handed bat in the outfield. Seigler again provides depth at a depleted position in the Rangers farm system. Lynn would be the starter the Yankees need. He has been a Yankee before. But they don’t have the prospects to pry Minor away.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS-BUYERS
Need: starting pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: A’s send C Sean Murphy to Rangers for Lance Lynn and INF Yonny Hernandez
The A’s need a starter and will not send a top prospect without a potential one coming back. Lynn isn’t a rental and Hernandez is legit. This is the type of thing Beane is known for. He doesn’t fall in love with prospects. He plays for the now with no budget. So he gets creative. (Might even be a third team involved)
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES-BUYERS
Need: pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: (Blockbuster)Phillies send 3B Adam Bohm, OF Adam Hasely, C Rafael Marchin and RHP Starlyn Castillo to the Rangers for Mike Minor, Willie Calhoun and Chris Martin.
Bohm would easily become the front runner to take over at 3rd going into 2020. Hasely is a solid outfielder who could play center field. Minor would fill a rotation need and Calhoun would slide into the outfield for the Phillies immediately. Martin has been solid. All players are under control through next year so no rentals would be in play.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES-NEUTRAL
Need: pitching
PROPOSED TRADE: Pirates send CF Starling Marte to the Rangers for Adrian Sampson and Arial Jurado
Marte would fill a much needed upgrade for the Rangers. The Pirates would get two big league arms that could start or come out of the bullpen. Marte has an option that the Rangers would surely pickup for 2020. Maybe even an extension would be considered. Marte is 30. If he wants too much for an extension, then he would be a free agent after 2020. Moving Jurado and Sampson opens up spots for Burke, Barlow, Evans, etc… in the event another move hasn’t been made to upgrade rotation.
SAN DIEGO PADRES-NEUTRAL
Need: center field and bullpen
PROPOSED TRADE: Padres send LHP Adrian Morejon to Rangers for Jose LeClerc and Delino Deshields
Padres have a slew of young pitchers. Leclerc would help bullpen and Deshields is better than Will Myers defensively. Plus AJ Prellar knows the Rangers farm system. He gets an immediate upgrade with controllable players. He only loses one top prospect.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS-SELLERS
Need: everything
PROPOSED TRADE: Giants send C Buster Posey plus $30 million in salary relief to Rangers for Brock Burke and JP Martinez
This would clear the way for top prospect Joey Bart. Giants are in total rebuild and getting two legit prospects for Posey would have to include a huge amount of salary relief. Rangers would have a major upgrade at catcher for around $5 million a year for two more years. Posey could also DH and is a much needed right handed bat.
SEATTLE MARINERS-SELLERS
Need: pitching prospects
PROPOSED TRADE: Mariners send 1B Evan White to Rangers for Brock Burke and Emmanual Clase
This would get the Rangers a legit 1B prospect who is hits right handed. Mariners get a couple of arms. This trade is unlikely because honestly both teams aren’t motivated enough to make deal for prospects. But that would be about 4 teams that I have said no deal on, so I thought outside of the box.
ST LOUIS CARDINALS-BUYERS
Need: bats, center fielder
PROPOSED TRADE: Cardinals send C Andrew Knizner to Rangers for Shin Shoo-Choo and $15 million in salary relief
Cardinals offense would improve dramatically. Choo is having one of his best seasons to date. Knizner would become an immediate big leaguer. He has some good pop in is bat and accurate throws make up for average arm strength. He is a legit everyday catcher in the future.
TAMPA BAY RAYS-BUYERS
Need: infielders who can hit
PROPOSED TRADE: Rays send C Ronaldo Hernandez to Rangers for super utility guy Danny Santana
America is in love with HGTV. Shows like “Flip this House” or “Fixer Upper” are stop down shows for the masses. Maybe there should be a show called “Flip this Player”. Where a team takes a player off the minor league scrap heap and flips him for a legit prospect. Danny Santana is that player. Hernandez is a top 100 prospect at a position that the Rangers have no depth. Danny Santana has become a hitting machine who plays infield.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS-SELLERS
Need: pitching prospects
PROPOSED TRADE: none
First of all the Blue Jays need pitching prospects and the only starting pitcher they have, is a free agent after this season. Their top prospects will never be parted with. The best deal would need to be done if either team were buyers. Since the only buying the Rangers would do is for long term solutions there isn’t a real match.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS-BUYERS
Need: relievers
PROPOSED TRADE: Nationals send RHP Will Crowe to the Rangers for Chris Martin and Kyle Bird
Crowe is another starting pitching prospect on the verge of the major leagues. The Rangers have a stockpile of minor league bullpen arms, so Martin and Bird are expendable. The Nationals need major league ready arms for their pen and Crowe is not their top pitching prospect.
That’s every team in Major League Baseball and only a few don’t have at least one possible trade. The trade deadline is fun and the Rangers have not been clear on whether they are buying and selling.
If you have any issues with these trades, well I am just a blogger and this proves it. This proves why I am not in the front office of any MLB teams.
Featured Image: Getty Images/Ringer illustration
