MLB power rankings: Giants, Cardinals, Indians surging before trade deadline
By Sean Sears
20. Cincinnati Reds, 46-53, last in the NL Central (ranked 19th last week)
The Reds are expecting to get starter Alex Wood back sometime in the next two weeks according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The 28-year-old Wood produced three solid seasons in Los Angeles sporting a 3.29 ERA and only issuing 98 walks over that three-year span. The lefty starter was an All-Star in 2018 and received some Cy Young votes that same season, so the Reds are excited to be getting back Wood.
However, the team is eight games back from first place and another 7.5 games back of a Wild Card spot, it seems like GM Nick Krall has accepted his team’s fate of non-buyers. They do have some pieces they could move in OF Yasiel Puig or the versatile Derek Dietrich for future assets, but the Reds are also a team with a Pythagorean win-loss record of 54-46. If they decided to stick with this group of players and possibly add to it in the off-season they could easily make a serious run in the NL Central in 2020.
19. San Diego Padres, 48-52, last in the NL West (ranked 20th last week)
The Padres are still hunting for starting pitching, specifically an ace to stick at the front of their rotation. However, a 3-8 run since the All-Star break has somewhat stunted the Padres desire to acquire a starter and the focus has shifted towards players like Noah Syndergaard and Matthew Boyd with more long term control. The flip side of the trade deadline, the Padres have also received calls about closer Kirby Yates, with the Red Sox emerging having an “active interest” according to Jon Morosi.
Padres VP/GM AJ Preller has some tough decisions to make with his club that’s loaded with young talent but lacks a true leader in their rotation. Rookie starter Chris Paddack has been the teams best arm this season but is still on an inning limit, top pitching prospect Mackenzie Gore is likely at least another season or two away from making the jump to the big leagues, and the group of Eric Lauer, Joey Lucchesi and Cal Quantrill make up a strong foundation – the Padres are still missing an ace. Syndergaard is the guy the Padres seem to want more than anyone, and it’s easy to see why, but the Mets seem unlikely to move the flame-throwing righty. Expect minimal moves from San Diego unless Syndergaard becomes truly available.
18. Texas Rangers, 52-51, 4th in the AL West (ranked 15th last week)
The Rangers and GM Jon Daniels have switched gears and are in full sell mode at the moment after a 1-9 record over their last 10 games, but it’s still unclear whether or not the team will trade starters, Mike Minor and Lance Lynn. Daniels said in an interview with a local radio station in Dallas that the team will “ultimately” need pitching when they start to compete, but that window seems to be a few seasons away.
And with teams like the Yankees being linked to Minor, as much as the Rangers front office loves their starters, the team currently constructed isn’t going to win a championship. But, the Rangers also are moving to a new stadium after 2019 and want to have faces to promote new season ticket sales, merchandise, promotional items, etc. which is hard to do without having franchise-face type players. There was also a report from Evan Grant from the Dallas Morning News citing that Nomar Mazara and reliever Jose Leclere are drawing interest from teams as well as the Rangers attempt to pick a direction before the deadline.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks, 52-51, 3rd in the NL West (ranked 12th last week)
The Diamondbacks are still in deadline limbo sitting three games back from a Wild Card spot and .500 record over their last 10 games, but teams are still calling wondering if starters Zach Grienke or Robbie Ray will be made available. Veteran OF Adam Jones popped up in a few trade rumors but with his sub-par July and lack of power recently, he hasn’t hit a home run in his last 29 games and has an OPS of .617 since June 15, but the return for Jones won’t be much.
Arizona has a series with the Marlins and then the Yankees before the July 31 deadline arrives but with every team, in search of pitching contacting the D-backs, it might be hard to pass the financial flexibility moving someone like Grienke off the books would provide. However, GM Mike Hazen won’t just move Grienke purely because it saves his club money, especially when the veteran starter is having the season he’s had. If Arizona does want to move Grienke, holding on to him until the last second is the best play at the moment, waiting for a desperate team to blow them away with an offer.