National League potential trades

With about six weeks left until the trade deadline, contending teams are already in heavy discussions with their GM counterparts in an attempt to improve their teams. The playoffs, and home-field advantage, could be decided on the transaction wire just as much as by on-field play.

Here are five trades I’d like to see National League contending teams make now:

Milwaukee Brewers
Trade Partner: Cleveland Indians

The Brewers continue to have a strong need for an ace and acquiring Trevor Bauer from the Indians might be their best play. Bauer is controllable through 2020 and would really enhance the Brewers’ chances of winning the NL Central division or give them a much better chance of winning a win-or-go-home wild-card game come October. In return, they would have to sacrifice their best prospect — and one of the best young hitters in all of minor-league baseball — in former first-round pick, second baseman Keston Hiura. The Indians are in need of retooling, improving their offense and acquiring cheaper, more controllable players.
With Mike Clevinger coming back to the rotation and Corey Kluber hopefully not that far behind, the Indians do have a rotation that can continue to keep them at least competitive in the AL wild-card race even without Bauer. Hiura is major-league ready and would fit in nicely near the top of the Indians’ lineup and provide some much-needed offense both short- and long-term.
Bauer, 28, is 4-6 this year with a 3.71 ERA and 1.178 WHIP resulting in a WAR of 1.4. Last year, he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA, finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young Award voting. Hiura, 22, is slashing .331/.399/.703 at Triple-A San Antonio with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 39 runs batted in. He also hit .281 with five home runs in 17 games with the Brewers’ major-league club earlier this year.
The Brewers have Mike Moustakas at second base, who’s having an All-Star-caliber season, and although this deal would be painful for the team in the long-term, it might be a postseason difference-maker for them this year or next in their small window to bring a world championship to Milwaukee, something this franchise has never accomplished.

Philadelphia Phillies
Trade Partner: Detroit Tigers

The Phillies could use another legitimate left-handed starting pitcher to put between Aaron Nola and right-handers Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin, and the Tigers’ Matthew Boyd would be a perfect fit. Boyd, 28, is controllable through 2022 and is arbitration-eligible in 2020. He’s having a breakout-type season, going 5-5 with an impressive 3.35 ERA, 3.0 WAR with 112 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings in 15 starts. He could be a difference-maker and a strong counter to the Braves’ signing of Dallas Keuchel last week.
The prospect cost to the Phillies would be significant because of the contractual control years of Boyd, and perhaps a deal centered on outfielder Adam Haseley coupled with one of their top pitching prospects not named Adonis Medina or Spencer Howard, such as righty Francisco Morales, would make sense. Haseley, 23, can play all three outfield positions and is slashing .275/.358/.466 with 11 doubles and seven home runs in the minors for the Phillies this year and would be major-league ready for the Tigers. Morales, 19, is pitching in Class A, where he has punched out 66 batters in just 42 innings. He has a mid-90s fastball coupled with a solid breaking ball. Once his delivery is cleaned up, his command and control should arrive and if that happens, the 6-4 right-hander has the potential of developing into a solid No. 2- or 3-type starter.

Atlanta Braves
Trade Partner: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Atlanta Braves made a big splash last week when they signed left-handed starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel in free agency, but GM Alex Anthopoulos is not done making moves. He’s been very aggressive on the trade front, talking to several GMs on a regular basis regarding every possible reliever and closer who’s available or could become available. If the Pirates continue to fall out of the race, the Braves might be a perfect match in a trade for impact closer Felipe Vázquez. Perhaps a package of southpaws Kolby Allard and Thomas Burrows could get a deal done.
Vázquez, 27, is in his prime and controllable through 2023 with the last two years of his deal being team options. He’s under a club-friendly deal that pays him $4.5 million this year, $5.75 million in 2020 and $7.75 million in 2021 with club options at $10 million for both 2022 and 2023 and the buyouts totaling $1.5 million. Vázquez has appeared in 26 games this year with a 2.22 ERA with 15 saves and a staggering 46 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings.
In return, the Pirates would need one of the Braves’ top starting pitching prospects, and although they can’t get Ian Anderson from them, they might be able to pry away 21-year-old Allard. The lefty is currently pitching at Triple-A Gwinnett in the International League and is 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA. Allard has an 89-92 mph sneaky fastball with a filthy curveball and a solid changeup and would fit nicely in the Pirates’ young rotation. Burrows, 24, was the Mariners’ fourth-round pick back in 2016 and was acquired by Atlanta, along with Luiz Gohara, for outfielder Mallex Smith and right-handed reliever Shae Simmons. Burrows has pitched at both Double A and Triple A and has struck out 28 batters in 25 1/3 innings over 21 appearances. His lack of command is the only thing standing in his way of being a productive left-handed set-up reliever in the majors.
This deal would make the Braves heavy favorites in the NL East and give them a legitimate chance of getting back to the World Series. For the Pirates, it’s business as usual, lowering payroll and building for the future.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Trade Partner: Kansas City Royals

The Dodgers are always prepared to deal with injuries without making a trade, as was the case when Corey Seager went down last week with a Grade 1 1/2 hamstring strain. At the major-league level, they had Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández capable of filling in, and they have top shortstop prospect Gavin Lux waiting in Double A. However, there is one player who would really add to the Dodgers’ pool of position players who could be a potential difference-maker, and that’s Whit Merrifield of the Royals. Merrifield fits the Dodgers’ mold of being able to play multiple positions, including second base, third base and either corner outfield position. I think he would win the everyday job at second base (with Max Muncy moving to first base most of the time) because he’s a definite upgrade offensively over both Taylor and Hernández. Merrifield, 30, is slashing .302/.351/.492 with 18 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs and stolen 10 bases. He would give the Dodgers even more flexibility than they already have, and he’s signed to a club-friendly contract pays him $1 million this year, $5 million in 2020, $6.75 million in 2021 and $2.75 million in 2022 with a club option for 2023. There are some escalators and incentives in the contract. Merrifield has great makeup and character, and his positive energy would fit in great with the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
In return, the Royals would be thrilled if they could get a package of second baseman Jeter Downs and right-handed pitching prospect Josiah Gray, even though they are both a few years away from the majors. Downs, 20, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Reds the last offseason in the Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood trade. He’s slashing .249/.315/.469 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs, 45 runs batted in and 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts at Rancho Cucamonga in the California League. He profiles as an everyday second baseman with a special speed-and-power combination for the position. Gray, 21, is dominating in Class A, where he’s 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA, punching out 69 batters in 58 innings. Both prospects have high upside but both also have some risk.

Colorado Rockies
Trade Partner: Miami Marlins

If the Rockies want to see the playoffs again this year, I think they should go outside the organization and trade for another starting pitcher, and the one they should target is the Marlins’ Caleb Smith. The lefty has three above-average pitches, a 92-94 mph fastball with a plus late-breaking slider and a deceptive changeup. The three-pitch mix is special, and he’s one of the most underrated left-handers in the sport. He is presently on the injured list with left hip inflammation so the Rockies would need to wait until he is healthy and make sure the medicals are cleared so there is no risk going forward.
In return for Smith, who is controllable through 2024 and not even eligible for salary arbitration until 2021, the Marlins would have to get both quantity and quality and be clear in their minds that they win this deal long-term when they’re ready to start contending in 4-5 years. The deal would have to be centered on minor-league first baseman Grant Lavigne, the Rockies’ first-round pick (42nd overall) in last year’s draft. Lavigne, 19, is presently at Asheville in the South Atlantic League, where he’s got a .348 on-base percentage with 13 doubles and five home runs in 64 games. In addition, to make the deal work for Miami, the Marlins would need two more prospects such as second baseman Garrett Hampson, who is blocked long-term behind the Rockies’ best prospect Brendan Rodgers, and third baseman Colton Welker, who is also blocked on the Rockies’ depth chart behind Nolan Arenado. Hampson, 24, was hitting .282 at Triple A in 85 at-bats and .186 at the major-league level in 97 at-bats. He has the potential of developing into a 10-12 home run hitter with the potential to steal 30 bases. Welker, 21, was the Rockies’ fourth-round pick in 2016, and he’s currently slashing .281/.336/.465 with 19 doubles, seven home runs and 36 runs batted in at Double-A Hartford in the Eastern League. Lavigne, Hampson and Welker would immediately improve the Marlins’ position-player prospect pool with three potential everyday future major-league players.
It’s a big price for the Rockies to pay, but worth it for Smith, 27, who has a 3.41 ERA in 12 starts, punching out 82 hitters in 66 innings with a WHIP of 1.015 and a WAR of 1.2.