MLB Rumors: Astros longshot trade, Cardinals surprise alive, Crochet’s iffy future

As expected the American League is stacked with contenders. The National League, however, has underperformed almost across the board. With a few notable exceptions (lookin' at you, Philadelphia), we really haven't seen the level of excellence we are accustomed to from the NL powerhouses. Atlanta is shrouded in injuries, the Craig Counsell-Cubs experience has been rocky at best, the reigning league champs from Arizona are... below .500.

All this is to say, the MLB trade deadline is a little more than a month away, and a lot can change. Teams falling behind in the loaded AL might concede the race and sell off valuable trade chips. Teams on the bubble in a winnable NL, meanwhile, could be motivated to operate with aggression.

As the July 30 cutoff date edges closer, here are some MLB rumors worth your attention.

MLB Rumors: White Sox 'iffy' to trade Garrett Crochet after dominant start

The Chicago White Sox are the worst team in baseball and the front office is expected to act accordingly at the trade deadline. Just about everybody is up for grabs as Chicago tries to position itself for the future. From ascending stars to past-prime vets, there's something for just about every interested team to trade for.

One of the flashier names in trade rumors is Garrett Crochet. The 24-year-old has moved into the starting rotation and dominated, posting a 6-5 record across 15 starts with a 3.16 ERA and league-best 0.895 WHIP. In 82.2 innings pitched, the hard-throwing southpaw has 116 strikeouts. That leads the American League.

Obviously teams want in. Crochet is at the very beginning of his prime with two years of arbitration eligibility left on his contract after this season. The White Sox can surely get a healthy return package, even with concerns about Crochet's durability as a first-time starter. According to Jon Heyman on B/R Walk-Off, however, the prospects of a Crochet trade are "iffy" at best.

"Other teams love [Crochet]. Among the strikeout leaders in the American League in his first year as a starter. I think he's probably a bullpen piece for a contender. With those innings — his [previous career] high in innings was 54. He is way over that already."

Other teams love Crochet, but between his clear value to Chicago and his potentially diminished worth on a contender, he is not a trade lock. Heyman expects veteran Erick Fedde to find a new home, and Crochet is still very much available for the right bid, but Chicago ought not to part with a gifted young pitcher unless absolutely necessary. Crochet looks like a building block, not trade fodder.

MLB Rumors: Nolan Arenado trade is still in cards for Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are a game below .500, which happens to be smack in the middle of the NL Wild Card race right now. There isn't much faith in John Mozeliak or Oli Marmol at this point, but St. Louis has an expensive roster that — on the surface — is geared toward winning games.

As such, there has been plenty of speculation about the Cardinals buying at the trade deadline, rather than selling. If St. Louis can add a fifth starter, improve its outfield depth, and perhaps add another impact bat, all of a sudden the Cardinals are situated very favorably in the NL. We saw the Diamondbacks make it to the World Series as an 84-win Wild Card team last autumn. Anything is possible.

Jon Heyman on B/R Walk-Off thinks St. Louis fans need to prepare for the opposite outcome. When talking about potential longshot trade chips, he serves up Nolan Arenado on a silver platter. It sure sounds like the talented corner infielder is still worth monitoring, especially if the Cardinals lose momentum over the next month.

This isn't the most forceful or confident comment of Heyman's career, but he clearly believes Arenado's future with the Cards is uncertain. An eight-time All-Star, including three straight appearances before this season, Arenado has the resumé to appeal to contenders around the league.

His production hasn't been great this season (.256/.310/.372 with six home runs in 266 AB), but Arenado is signed through the 2027 campaign at roughly $19 million annually. On one hand, that's team control of a great talent. On the other, Arenado is 33 years old and potentially on the decline, so there is downside risk.

In the end, it could come down to how much teams are willing to offer for the 10-time Gold Glove third baseman. Arenado clearly has the ability to elevate a contender, but his market probably isn't as robust as it once was.

MLB Rumors: Astros 'longshot' trade chips include Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman

The Houston Astros want to be buyers at the trade deadline, not sellers. Houston has been to the ALCS seven straight years, a remarkable accomplishment rooted in aggressive management and a complete commitment to winning at the highest level (sometimes a little too much commitment, if ya catch my drift).

Right now, however, that streak is looking awfully close to breaking. We aren't even halfway through the season, but the Astros are 33-40 under the new leadership of Joe Espada. There have been moments of positivity, brief flashes of hope, but the Astros continue to take one step forward, followed by two steps back.

If Houston can't right the ship over the next month and close the sizable gap between them and the first-place Seattle Mariners (44-31), that could lead to a shift in strategy from the front office. On B/R Walk-Off, Jon Heyman lays out two "longshot" trade candidates of varying probabilities: Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker.

Bregman has been involved in trade rumors since the offseason. He's in the final year of his contract with a murky future in Houston, at best. Of course the Astros are going to dangle him in the open market to see what bites — especially if their record doesn't improve.

Tucker is a bit harder to believe, and even Heyman admits it. But, it's still a name to watch in case the Astros really decide to reset.

"Would they trade [Kyle] Tucker? I doubt it, but listen — the category is surprise, longshot players who could be moved. So, I'm going to throw Tucker in there. Longshot, but obviously teams will be asking."

The Astros are still widely expected to move in the opposite direction, but sometimes fate intervenes. Houston does not look like a Wild Card team right now, much less a threat to crack the ALCS for an eighth straight season. We could be looking at fresh blood in the playoffs. The Astros have been ravaged by injuries already, the latest sending Justin Verlander to the IL.

If more injuries stack up and the losses follow suit, don't be surprised if some of Houston's trademark sluggers end up wearing new threads in August.