Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez is an increasingly popular trade target as we approach the deadline, and not just from teams immediately contending this season. Gomez is signed through 2016, and will make $9 million, meaning he’s more than just a rental.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Indians and Rangers are two of the non-contenders interested in Gomez, while the Giants and Astros also have some level of interest.
Gomez was an All-Star last year for Milwaukee, and has followed up his back-to-back 20/20 campaigns by hitting .266/.334/.431 this season with eight homers and seven steals. Gomez has also missed time due to hamstring and hip injuries, but he’s been healthy for the last month.
He’d seemingly be a fit for any of those four teams, though Rosenthal also says the Giants likely don’t have the necessary prospects to get a deal done and the Astros are focusing more on bullpen help. Cleveland has been struggling with the overpaid, aging Michael Bourn in center field (who is hitting just .230/.299/.276 this year and is due $14 million next year), while Texas has seen Leonys Martin’s production fall off a cliff this season.
But Gomez is really the type of player that can fit with *any* team. He’s a plus defender in center that brings both power and speed to the plate. Over the past four seasons, he’s sixth in baseball with 118 steals, and his 74 homers rank 20th among all outfielders in baseball.
Hell, he’s hitting .276/.336/.475 over the last four years. Hunter Pence, who got a five-year, $90 million deal from the Giants prior to the 2014 season, is hitting .273/.331/.454. Yoenis Cespedes, who will be a popular free agent this winter, has hit .267/.316/.468 since his 2012 debut. And Gomez is making just $8 million this year and $9 million next year!
It’s going to take a lot in terms of prospects to pry Gomez from Milwaukee’s hands, but he’s the kind of player that’s worth it.
