MLB Trade Deadline Power Rankings: Top 10 led by All-Star trio
By Tim Boyle
4) MLB trade deadline candidate: Josh Bell
Josh Bell is the best trade candidate the Washington Nationals have. He might even be their best player this season. Juan Soto has struggled mightily. Despite his All-Star selection, it’s not a particularly good year for the young superstar. Bell, on the other hand, has done plenty to play his way out of Washington and into a nice free agent contract over the winter.
The number of destinations for Bell are on the rise. Any club needing a DH upgrade would make sense. So would those teams that desire a better first baseman. The Boston Red Sox would gladly welcome him to be their everyday first baseman. The San Diego Padres, meanwhile, could look at him as more of a DH solution as he shares time in the field with Eric Hosmer.
3) MLB trade deadline candidate: Willson Contreras
There’s a problem with the Chicago Cubs trading Willson Contreras. The number of teams that need him isn’t vast. The New York Yankees have Jose Trevino making the All-Star team. The San Francisco Giants appear to be slipping out of the playoff race. The New York Mets probably won’t pay the price. So what do the Cubs do?
Truly, the best trade for the Cubs to make is a painful one. The St. Louis Cardinals would be the best fit with Yadier Molina out and struggling through the season. This doesn’t feel like it would actually happen, though. The Cubs may need to hope the Seattle Mariners keep winning games. He could turn into a sneaky addition for them to both catch and get some at-bats as their DH.