Over the next two weeks, many MLB players will be talked about as potential trade targets. Some of those players will be traded, some will not.
In some situations, there are players who need And those changes should not only be made for the good of the player, but in some cases, for the good of the organization as well.
Here are five players who need to be traded at the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
Who would have thought Guerrero would be a trade candidate this summer? But here we are.
Things haven’t gone quite the way the Blue Jays had planned, and after years of expectations that they would be one of the best teams in the sport, it’s probably time for them to retool and go in a new direction. Guerrero has always been expected to carry the franchise — perhaps unfairly at times, though that didn’t stop him from being the AL MVP runner-up in 2021 — and after a few “good” seasons, he’s shown this season that he can still be a force in the middle of a lineup. While 2024 shortstop Bo Bichette hasn’t been the player the league has seen in recent seasons, Vladdy’s value could provide Toronto with a chance to retool for the future.
Enter the Mariners, whose biggest problem in recent seasons has been their inability to hit. Even their star outfielder, Julio Rodriguez, has struggled to produce consistently. A player like Guerrero could help take pressure off Rodriguez and change the overall dynamic of Seattle’s offense. The added benefit of acquiring the 2021 AL MVP runner-up would be that the team would have another year of club control after this season. If things work out well in Seattle, perhaps Rodriguez and Guerrero could become MLB’s next great duo.
The Blue Jays may not be willing to move Guerrero, but the reality is that what they built hasn’t worked and it’s time for them to start thinking about a future that doesn’t involve Guerrero or Bichette.
There’s no doubt that any team looking to make a playoff run in need of starting pitching has its eyes set on the White Sox ace. Coming off Tommy John surgery, Crochet has had a standout season in his first year as a starter and currently leads the MLB in strikeouts. The big lefty has proven that he can not only lead a rotation, but dominate in the ace role as well.
The Orioles have built their roster and minor league system methodically over the past few seasons. After being the best team in the American League last season but getting eliminated in the wild-card round after failing to make any major moves at the deadline, they need to strike while the iron is hot this year. Corbin Burnes has been everything they thought he would be since coming over from the Brewers, but he’ll be a free agent after this season. And given the season-ending injuries to John Means, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, the Orioles desperately need arms.
Crochet would give the Orioles an extra arm at the top of their rotation as they try for another championship. Plus, with his two years of club control after 2024, he would give the Orioles a great option if Burnes leaves in free agency. One caveat: Crochet has never pitched as many innings in professional baseball as he has this year, which will be something any team that acquires him will have to watch as the season progresses.
The White Sox have plenty of leverage here, but the Orioles should knock down the doors in their attempts to acquire one of baseball’s most valuable assets.
Chisholm might be the most polarizing player in baseball. His style and confidence are unmatched, but they haven’t always translated into production on the field. A big part of that has been his inability to stay healthy during his five MLB seasons, but this year, Chisolm has reaffirmed his value, having already appeared in 93 games.
Chisholm’s best attribute is his bat, as he offers a nice combination of speed and power. While he was an elite defender at second base in 2021, his defensive prowess and athleticism haven’t carried over to center field, where he isn’t considered a strong defender.
Elsewhere in the National League, the Reds were expected to be players in the wild-card race this season, but they haven’t found the magic they had last season. A big part of that regression is due to an inability to sustain offense. But Great American Ballpark is the kind of environment where Chisholm’s smooth left-handed swing could thrive and provide some power. The Bahamian outfielder could be the perfect partner for current Reds center fielder Stuart Fairchild, who crushes lefties, and the smaller ballpark could help Chisholm’s defense since he would have less space to cover than in Miami.
Cincinnati needs some spark and should bank on Chisholm’s potential. Plus, Chisholm and Elly De La Cruz in the same lineup would be, at the very least, the most elegant duo in baseball.
There was a time when Alonso signed an extension to stay in Queens long-term, but those days are long gone. With a new regime in the front office and Alonso’s time under club control coming to an end, now would seem to be the right time for the Polar Bear to leave.
Perhaps Alonso’s best quality as a player is his consistency. Over the past four full seasons (excluding 2020), he has hit at least 37 home runs, played in at least 150 games and posted an OPS+ over 120. This year, he is once again on pace to reach those marks.
For most of the past decade, the Astros have always gone for broke. And the organization’s aggressive approach at the trade deadline is one reason they’ve reached the American League Championship Series in seven straight seasons, winning two World Series championships. Because of that aggressiveness, though, their minor league system isn’t as well-stocked as it once was. Still, they might have enough to get two months of Alonso’s services.
It’s true that the Mets have been a great story so far this season and currently hold the third wild card in the National League, but it’s asking a lot of them to continue playing the way they did before the All-Star break.
While the Mets have publicly stated that they would love to have Alonso stay in Queens, the reality is that it’s up to Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras. Right now, Alonso will most likely test the free agent market. If that’s the case, it would behoove the Mets to make their first baseman available this month, especially considering their other areas of need and a minor league system that could benefit from more high-quality talent and depth.
It seems incredible that Scherzer could soon be on his fifth team in four seasons, but with the Rangers 7.5 games out of the wild-card round, that could be the reality for the three-time Cy Young Award winner on July 31. After winning their first World Series in franchise history last season, things haven’t gone so well for the Rangers this year, and they should probably be sellers at the deadline.
On the other hand, the Brewers have been the best in the NL Central for most of the season and if there’s one area where they could bolster their roster, it would be the rotation. Due to several injuries to young starters like star prospect Robert Gasser, the Brewers have needed plenty of depth. Milwaukee already added an arm via trade earlier this month, acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays. Scherzer would bring another quality arm for a rotation that could use depth and postseason experience to support Civale, Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers and Colin Rea.
With Scherzer a free agent at the end of the season and the Mets/Rangers paying his salary this year, acquiring him would not cost Milwaukee anywhere near the prospect capital they would have to give up in exchange for other starting pitchers who might be available.
