The passing of the July 31 trade deadline doesn’t necessarily mean the end of trades. There have been a number of huge August trades over the years, and a few of them even decided pennant races down the stretch. Teams usually find a way to trade in August if they have a need, waivers be damned.
There are a number of players out there who could find themselves on the move this month. Let’s take a look at ten of them:
James Shields: Chances are, Shields and the $60 million-plus he’s still owed on his contract will sail through waivers and leave the Padres free to trade him. Shields could be a difference-maker down the stretch for a team with a hole in the rotation, but the staggering amount of money left to be paid to him takes some of the shine off. If the Padres fall out of contention and decide to make the moves they didn’t want to make last week, they could conceivably pick up some of Shields’ salary and get themselves a few nice prospects in return.
Chase Utley: The numbers look awful – .179/.257/.275 with just 4 home runs – but Utley could still have value to a contending team in the clubhouse and off the bench. He may be at the end of the line, but injuries have likely tainted his performance this year and a healthy Utley probably has something left in his bat. Philadelphia is in the middle of a rebuild and has no place for Utley to play. Trading him could be a win-win for both; the Phillies get something back for him that could prove useful, and Utley gets another shot at a ring with a contender. Of course, he may also invoke his 10-5 rights and stay put.
Marlon Byrd: He’s been traded in August before (to Pittsburgh) and made a huge difference in the pennant race. Byrd can provide power from a corner outfield spot and has performed well in the postseason, two things that might make him tempting to a contender. The only problem is the $8 million option that vests if he reaches 550 PA, which he’s on pace to do. Still, $8 million next year may be a small price to pay to a team that could use an injection of offense.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 25: Mike Napoli #12 of the Boston Red Sox during the second inning in a game at Fenway Park on June 25, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Mike Napoli: He’s having a down year, but Napoli is still a threat to go yard with every swing he takes and that has value. The amount of money left on his salary this year may make it easier for him to pass through waivers and the Red Sox could likely get a decent prospect or two for him. He has extensive postseason experience (kind of a trend on this list) and would be a good source of right handed power either as a part time player or on the bench.
Ian Kennedy: Kennedy could be a good fit for a contending team that suffers an injury to its rotation this month. He’s pitched well in June and July after an awful start and would probably come at a relatively cheap cost. Like Shields, Kennedy is probably a multi-game Padres losing streak away from being dealt. He’s a free agent at the end of the year and could help a team get through the dog days while eating up innings.
Hanley Ramirez: The grand experiment has failed: Ramirez is a terrible outfielder and playing there is destroying the value he brings as a hitter. He’ll probably pass through waivers, and if the Red Sox are willing to absorb some of the money he’s still owed there’s a chance a team in need of a DH or a corner infielder could make a deal for him. Ramirez can still hit and would help anyone’s lineup if he’s in the right position. And if another team makes a waiver claim on him for whatever reason, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Boston let him go for nothing if they couldn’t reach a trade agreement.
Pablo Sandoval: Players with worse contracts have been claimed in Augusts of years past, but it’s still hard to conceive of any team that would be willing to pay the Panda the $72 million he’s still owed after this season. Sandoval is probably a better hitter than he’s showed this year, and (like Ramirez) if the Sox are willing to eat a big part of his salary a team may take a chance on him. There was a Shields-for-Sandoval rumor being floated near the deadline, and something like that might make a lot of sense for both teams. It could still probably get done in August.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JULY 28: Francisco Rodriguez #57 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at AT&T Park on July 28, 2015 in San Francisco, California. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-2. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
Francisco Rodriguez: The fact that he has $9.5 million owed to him next year shouldn’t dissuade teams from trading for K-Rod. He’s having another very good year and would be a big help to a team with question marks at the end of their bullpen (the Giants come to mind). That money will probably cause him to slip through waivers unclaimed, and the Brewers would probably get a few useful young pieces as they continue to rebuild their farm system. Of all the players on this list, Rodriguez has the potential to make the greatest impact on a playoff chase.
Yovani Gallardo: He pitched poorly before the deadline and that might have depressed his market, but an August comeback could spark renewed interest in the right hander. The Rangers probably don’t want to make Gallardo a qualifying offer over the winter, so rather than lose him for nothing they can try to get a prospect for him from a contender in need of rotation help.
Martin Prado: The Yankees are paying most of his salary next year, so cost shouldn’t be a problem. And Prado is a Swiss army knife who can play virtually anywhere in the field, which makes him appealing to just about every contending team. He’s a poor man’s Ben Zobrist – he doesn’t hit as well as Zobrist, but he hits just enough for a team to be okay with playing him somewhere on the field. He could fetch a nice prospect for the perpetually rebuilding Marlins, too.
