MLB Rumors: Dylan Cease named Astros ‘dream’ target at deadline
The Houston Astros need pitching. This is not a shock to anyone paying attention to the defending World Series champions.
Lance McCullers Jr. ultimately won’t pitch this season after beginning the year on the IL and ultimately ending up needing season-ending surgery. Luis Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery after an early-year injury too. And Jose Urquidy has also been out for an extended period of time. Then you throw in a bullpen that could use upgrades and the trade deadline focus is pretty apparent.
One of the most commonly referenced trade partner for the Astros has been the Chicago White Sox, a team that appears sure to deal Lucas Giolito in the final year of his contract and that could also part with Lance Lynn to hit the reset button. But one insider has Houston aiming for an even bigger name from the White Sox: Dylan Cease.
MLB insider Jon Heyman reported on MLB.com’s Inside Corner that though the Astros could sniff around with Giolito or Lynn trades, that the club’s “dream acquisition” would be Cease, the AL Cy Young runner-up from a season ago.
It’s worth noting that Heyman previously reported for the New York Post that, while the White Sox are open for business, Cease is among a core four in Chicago that are not going to be moved. That’s obviously a bit of a hindrance, but also wholly understandable on the part of the Southsiders given that Cease is a Cy Young candidate under club control through 2025.
And really, it’s a situation where the Astros are likely to have to keep dreaming, even if the White Sox could be moved off of Cease. Houston was outside of the Top 20 of the preseason farm system rankings on MLB Pipeline. It would likely take a huge prospect haul for the White Sox to build for the future if they do blow up this current roster, and that’s something the Astros organization in its current state can’t offer.
With that said, a play for Giolito could still very much be in the cards.
MLB Rumors: Yankees selling at trade deadline not as farfetched as it seems
What will the last-place New York Yankees do at the trade deadline in just over two weeks? Even in last-place, conventional thinking based on the history of this organization would be that, with the Yanks still over .500 relatively comfortably for the season, that Brian Cashman and the front office will be aggressive to make upgrades and push for the playoffs.
This ain’t your grandpa’s Yankees, though.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) reported on Wednesday that the Yankees’ desire to get underneath the highest Luxury Tax threshhold could ultimately play a major factor in how they operate at the deadline. Rosenthal noted that, though fans will be unhappy, New York could look to sell before Aug. 1, with the caveat that they would also try to switch things up by buying on cheaper options for the club.
"“But as disappointing as the Yankees have been, as close as they are to getting under the highest threshold, an all-in approach appears unlikely. Instead, the team might try to buy and sell, exploring deals to improve the roster, but at a potentially lower cost.”"
The insider noted that the Yankees could try to move on from the likes of Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and other potential free agents after this season to save some money, replacing them with cheaper options. Rosenthal also floated the possibility of trading Gleyber Torres to make way for the cheaper Oswald Peraza to take his place on the big-league roster.
One thing that is clear from this reporting, the Yankees aren’t waiving the white flag in selling — they still want to contend. It just might feel like that for fans as they look to cut salary.
MLB Rumors: Braves trade for Cubs SP Kyle Hendricks named a perfect match
For a few weeks now, the trade deadline plans for the Atlanta Braves have seemingly been focused on the NL East leaders upgrading the bullpen and potentially looking to add another outfield bat. But things are always changing quickly leading up to the deadline, and such could be the case with the Braves.
It’s no secret that Atlanta has pieced together quality starting pitching despite having a revolving door with their fifth starter and with Max Fried and Kyle Wright essentially missing the entire season to this point. Yet, the emergence of Bryce Elder has helped mask that as he’s given them a No. 3 starter who has been reliable.
Or at least he had been. In his bookend starts around the All-Star break, Elder has been shelled and run off the mound before the end of the fourth inning against the Rays and Diamondbacks. This isn’t to say that he’s going to continue to perform poorly, but it is a concerning recent trend that could heighten the need to trade for a starter.
Luckily, MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand has an answer to address that need by way of a trade with the Chicago Cubs. In a recent column creating perfect trade matches throughout the league, Feinsand listed Cubs veteran righty Kyle Hendricks as a great target for the Braves.
In 10 starts this season, Hendricks has been quite good with a 3.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, which has been improving after he was clearly shaking off some rust as he returned from injury earlier in the year. But Hendricks is also a pending free agent and, with the Cubs falling out of contention, he’s an asset they can acquire future pieces for at the deadline.
For the Braves, he would represent stability in the middle of the rotation and give Atlanta much-needed depth, especially if they were to suffer another injury that thinned the group of starters again. And with Hendricks being a rental for the end of the season, the price would also be right for the Braves.
Point being, Feinsand might be onto something with this match between the Braves and Cubs at the trade deadline.