MLB Trade Rumors: 5 trade bait names to keep an eye on

Perhaps the biggest trade bait this season could be a guy we had a hard time seeing as such a year ago. Madison Bumgarner is the kind of guy that almost never becomes available in trade talks: he’s an Ace, capital-A. He’s also injured and on a team struggling to stay afloat. There’s a chance that San Francisco figures everything out and turns its season around, but that’s a hard ask in a division where the Diamondbacks are running away with things and the Dodgers could blow up at a moments notice.

Let’s assume that come July the Giants are still treading water. With an aging roster, it’s not the worst idea in the world to sell off Bumgarner to a contender in exchange for premium prospects that could form the foundation of the future. There’s also a chance this could be an Aroldis Chapman situation, where a team like the Yankees, Indians, or Cardinals come calling in order to rent Bumgarner for a year only to have him re-sign with San Francisco this winter. That’s a dream scenario for the Giants, but even if it doesn’t happen then trading their ace for top prospects is still reasonable.

This all hinges on where the Giants are in July but don’t be surprised if the hot stove heats up and Bumgarner’s name becomes the most talked about heading into the deadline.