MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: 5 trades Marlins should make

Trade Dee Gordon to the highest bidder

We recently made the case for the Pirates to acquire Dee Gordon, and though Pittsburgh is likely to balk at adding Gordon’s full contract, which runs through at least 2020 and pays the skinny speedster at least $10.8 million in each of the next three seasons, Gordon fits Pittsburgh’s needs. Gordon is a .295/.342/.458 hitter with 32 stolen bases and 53 runs scored in the first half, who also plays solid defense at second base, and would allow the Bucs to move Josh Harrison to third base full time.

However, there might be a better fit out there, and potentially one that would be willing to take on the money. The Angels (-0.6) and Rockies (-0.1) rank in the bottom three in second base fWAR this season despite the fact that Colorado second baseman D.J. LeMahieu was named to the All-Star team for the second time and is the reigning NL batting champion.

The Rockies aren’t likely to replace LeMahieu, but Gordon’s speed would play very well at Coors Field given its huge outfield. Gordon might break the MLB triples record if he played half his games in Colorado, and he fits into the traditional leadoff hitter mold better than current Rockies leadoff man Charlie Blackmon.

However, Gordon does not walk often and has almost zero power, making him a flawed hitter at the top of the order. Nonetheless, he’s valuable for his defense and speed, and could make a good team even better while helping revive a moribund Miami farm system by bringing back a few decent prospects.

One final potential fit is the Kansas City Royals, who rank No. 19 in fWAR among second basemen (0.9), though it’s hard to imagine K.C. pulling off a trade that would commit the club to so much money.