With the July 31st trade deadline quickly approaching teams are jockeying to get into position. Some teams looking to add and others seeking to subtract. Last week we covered the top ten teams looking to add. In this piece, we will cover the top ten teams looking to subtract in July. (In no particular order)
1- Kansas City Royals
The Royals have already begun the process by trading their closer Kelvin Herrera to the Washington Nationals. With the Royals already well out of playoff contention, they should be expected to continue to move players of potential value.
2- Cincinnati Reds
Cincy has gone through some struggles and not reaching the playoffs over the last few seasons. However, they do have some players that they can trade and bring back some significant value in terms of prospects.
3- Miami Marlins
The Marlins are a team that was out of 2018 playoff contention since April 2017. Now to be fair there was a lot of transition. And since the sale of the team, the Marlins seem to have a direction. Yet, this season was a wash and therefore any veterans on the team now have potential to be traded. So expect some players to be vacating South Florida.
4- New York Mets
The New York Mets were a team no one could have expected to be in this position after the first two weeks of the season. That is unless you’re a Mets fan. But here we are and the Mets are at the bottom of the NL East and the National League.
5- Texas Rangers
“Everything is Bigger in Texas” and so too should the sell off be. The Rangers are in the same division as the defending World Champion Houston Astros. And the world blazing Seattle Mariners. And with their early struggles, the Rangers find themselves at bottom of the AL West. Texas has quite a few players that have real value and can contribute in a big way on the trade market. Players like Cole Hamels, Adrian Beltre, Bartolo Colon and Shin-Shoo Choo could all find their way to the trade market.
6- Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore has the biggest position player trade chip on the market. Whether they choose to play that trade chip or not is the bigger question. Orioles owner Peter Angelos is not known as an owner that is the “rebuilding” type. And because Baltimore has gone “All-In” on several occasions recently (all unsuccessful) their farm system is almost irrelevant. So the best chance they have to recoup some life and legitimacy to their future is to trade Manny Machado. Also, players like Brad Brach and Zach Britton can also bring back value as every team could use more help in the bullpen.
7- Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto is in a tough spot this trade market season, allow me to clarify. At the outset of the year, the team was questioned if they should have traded Josh Donaldson in the offseason. Assuming that Donaldson’s value was at its peak as Baltimore’s Manny Machado was not available then. Toronto decided to go forward into the season and take the chance that they would try to compete for a Wildcard spot. They also gambled that Donaldson could elevate his trade stock even more by mid-season. However, life happens and both gambles busted on them. As they are at best competing for third place in the AL East. And as of this writing, they reside four spots out of the second Wildcard spot 13 games behind the Seattle Mariners. Toronto will still more than likely sell off all possible assets but at a much lower value than originally hoped for.
8- Chicago White Sox
“When plans work” will be the title of the Chicago White Sox’s 2022 World Series DVD. I’m being facetious of course but the White Sox have a plan and are sticking to it. That plan also calls for trading veterans to recoup young talent. So the White Sox will be amongst those teams most heavily mentioned at the July trade deadline.
9- Detroit Tigers
Detriot was also a team destined to trade players this July. And they started that process last trade deadline. The Tigers traded Justin Verlander and Justin Upton last season. And this season they will add more names to the traded from the Tigers list. The Tigers had the first pick in this season first-year player amateur draft and selected Casey Mize. Mize won’t impact this season, and neither will any of the players they trade for this season. But they will be building for the future.
10- San Diego Padres
Although San Diego made big free agent splash this past offseason they were not expecting to truly compete this season. The Padres saw the signing of Eric Hosmer as a move for now and the future. Bringing in a player with a winning culture about him to help the young players. So San Diego will look to bring in more young players for veterans like Hosmer to mentor. Thus fostering in the new wave of young “Friars” in sunny San Diego.
