MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon would draw trade interest from AL East teams?

The New York Mets are 38-49 and 11 games out of first place in the National League East. How one would interpret that position in the standings as a team that still has a chance to contend is beyond me. Nevertheless, that is what the Mets are thinking and therefore why there are hesitant to concede their status as sellers as the trade deadline approaches.

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If and when they do decide to sell, their most valuable trade chip will be the seemingly ageless starting pitcher Bartolo Colon. With Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel off the market and in the American League West, multiple interested trade suitors for Colon will reside in the American League East. Teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and even potentially the Boston Red Sox will express interest in Colon.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes the following about the Mets and Colon:

"It’s not out of the realm of possibility they could get some talent in return. Like many teams, they’re trying to decide whether they have a good enough second-half run in them to hold on to players such as Colon and Murphy. Colon would likely draw interest from AL East teams."

The extra year of team control in 2015 will keep teams like the Red Sox in the running. That might also weigh on the minds of the Mets as they decide whether or not to look to deal Colon, though their incentive to trade the hefty veteran will surely be turned up as the trade market takes shape.