MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: 5 trades Rays should make

1. Trade for Brad Hand

According to A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com, the Padres have received interest from roughly half of major league teams in acquiring left-handed reliever Brad Hand. As a result, the asking price for the All-Star is high.

Hand has been outstanding since he was claimed off waivers by San Diego ahead of the 2016 season. A former starter with the Marlins, Hand has blossomed in the Padres bullpen. He led all major league pitchers with 82 appearances last season and posted a 2.92 ERA and 3.07 FIP with 111 strikeouts in 89.1 innings.

The 27-year-old Hand has been even better this year. In 50 innings across 45 appearances (which by itself shows Hand is capable of getting right-handed hitters out as well as lefties), Hand has a 2.16 ERA and 2.67 FIP with 65 strikeouts. He has struck out a career high 11.7 hitters per nine innings thus far, and has walked just 2.5 hitters per nine this year – a career low. Opponents are also hitting just .206 against him.

Though Hand has spent parts of seven seasons in the major leagues, he entered the season with just over three years of MLB service time. Therefore, Hand will not be eligible for free agency until 2020, which makes him even more valuable than he would be on his production alone.

Next: MLB Trade Deadline: 30 players likely to move

Any team that acquires Hand will have more than two years of control over the versatile lefty, who has held nearly every job in the bullpen for the Padres, and is even capable of closing out a game when necessary as evidenced by his three saves in two seasons with the club.