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MLB Power Rankings: Every team’s plan of attack before the trade deadline

By Sean Sears

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 14, 2019 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 14, 2019 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, AZ – JULY 18: Arizona Diamondbacks RF Adam Jones bats during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 18, 2019, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Az. (Photo by Wilfred Perez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – JULY 18: Arizona Diamondbacks RF Adam Jones bats during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 18, 2019, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Az. (Photo by Wilfred Perez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

12. Arizona Diamondbacks, 50-48, 2nd in the NL West (ranked 12th last week)

The Diamondbacks are a good team, but not really a great team, and they aren’t in the same class as some of the elite teams in the NL. And while they’ve won weven of their last 10 games and sit just a game out of a Wild Card spot, so are about five other teams at the moment. This recent run could be more of a result of who the D’backs are playing and less about them turning the corner, having played the Brewers, Rangers, Cardinals, and Rockies in their last four series.

But it’s that uncertainty that’s forcing Arizona to at least consider they might want to sell at the deadline, reportedly shopping veteran OF Adam Jones per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. It also remains to be seen whether or not the Diamondbacks will truly move ace Zack Greinke or lefty starter Robbie Ray as well, with both pitchers coming up in the rumor mill recently.

Arizona picked a direction when they traded franchise-face Paul Goldschmidt in the offseason, and while they aren’t expected to get a similar return for someone like Jones or Grienke, the Diamondbacks have four of their top 30 prospects projected to make a big-league roster next season or earlier.

Having proven veterans could make sense, but if they can find a team willing to eat a portion of Grienke’s combined $64 million he’s owed over the next two seasons, it could provide flexibility to sign other players that better fit their competitive window.

11. Boston Red Sox, 52-44, 3rd in the AL East (ranked 11th last week)

The Red Sox made a move last week with the Orioles to acquire veteran righty Andrew Cashner, who was having a great season with Baltimore before being moved to Boston. However, his first start for the BoSox didn’t go well, allowing five runs in five innings of work, as Cashners’s struggles with home runs continue. Over the last three seasons, he’s allowed 19, 15 and a whopping 25 long balls last year in Baltimore. Cashner is a boom or bust type player, so expect his tenure in Boston to either be excellent or a trainwreck.

But Boston did get good news about starter turned closer Nathan Eovaldi, who is expected to be activated this weekend. Getting Eovaldi back to plug in at closer helps the entire construction of the Red Sox bullpen get better, similar to the Cubs adding Craig Kimbrel. They likely are still in the market for a lefty reliever, but with trades actually ending in July this season, the Red Sox got their rotation help early and maybe banking on Evoladi to solve the bullpen issues down the stretch.

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