MLB Rumors: Skip Schumaker link, Phillies trade fit, Arozarena rumblings

With the MLB All-Star Game in the rearview mirror, the attention can now be turned to the upcoming trade deadline and then eventually onto the postseason race.

The most interesting part of 2024 is the fact that so many teams are still in the playoff hunt that it leaves so many questions unanswered. Which teams will sell? Obviously the White Sox and Athletics alongside a few others. Which teams will buy? The Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies and more will add to their roster, but after that, who knows?

It's interesting and still to be determined. All that we have to go off of right now are rumors and reports from those closest to league offices.

MLB Rumors: Rays set to listen to offers on Randy Arozarena

A trade for Randy Arozarena would be quite a tough one to put together. I mean, how do you even start? What's his value right now?

These are the kinds of questions that front offices around the league have been wondering and what they will begin exploring after the recent reports have emerged that the Tampa Bay Rays are listening to offers on some of their controllable players including Randy Arozarena.

Per Jon Morosi, the Rays are open to dealing Arozarena before the deadline.

Arozarena, 29, is in the midst of a career-worst year. He's slashing .202/.309/.362 with 12 homers and 16 doubles. The Rays outfielder still flashes his power on occasion, but his play has dropped drastically. He's attached to a contract that has two more years of team control.

In a trade for him, other teams will likely try to value him for the player he is right now while the Rays will hold onto the value of the player he was and the player that he could turn back to being. The real value on Arozarena is likely somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.

But it'll be interesting to see if the Rays can find a suitor for him. There are plenty of teams that will likely explore this option, including the Cincinnati Reds, the Seattle Mariners and even the Philadelphia Phillies.

MLB Rumors: Phillies continue to be linked to All-Star closer Tanner Scott

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the better teams in the league and that leaves them in the perfect position to be quite aggressive at the trade deadline. Thanks to their loaded farm system and a major league roster with very few holes, the Phillies have the opportunity to plug their holes with the best available options.

Two of the biggest concerns for Philadelphia is in their bullpen and in their outfield. While they're actively pursuing a right-handed hitting outfielder and that's well documented news, they are also looking into any bullpen option available. One name that keeps coming back to them is the Miami Marlins' All-Star closer, Tanner Scott.

Scott, 29, holds an ERA closer to 1.00 than it is 2.00. His WHIP also sits at 1.07, largely due to some command woes. But those command woes are very prevalent, where he's walked more batters than he's allowed hits, which is unheard of in the game today.

Scott has also mentioned recently that the goal is always to win the World Series. Obviously, that isn't the case with the Marlins this season, but if Scott lands in Philadelphia, he could be a crucial piece in reaching that ultimate goal.

MLB Rumors: Skip Schumaker linked to leave Marlins this offseason

Ken Rosenthal and Levi Weaver of The Athletic recently published an article where they discussed managers that could end up with different jobs next season. While the typical idea is that managers of bad teams part ways because they're not winning and they want to find a manager who can help them win. This is not the case with Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who could leave Miami because he's too good for the organization in its current state.

"Like Cora, he will be in demand as a free agent at the end of the season — perhaps even from a team that currently is satisfied with its existing manager," they wrote.

The direct connection for Schumaker is to the St. Louis Cardinals. Specifically, Rosenthal and Weaver noted Schumaker could leave for a team "satisfied with its existing manager." The Cards qualify.

The Cardinals' manager, Oli Marmol, has been on the hot seat for the entire season. The Cardinals are a talented team and they have been for the last few seasons, but they have yet to make it back to the Division Series in two seasons under his leadership.

Schumaker, best known for his playing days in St. Louis, would be the perfect candidate to replace Marmol if the Cardinals fall short again. It would be like the perfect homecoming to bring Schumaker back to the organization that gave him so much when he was a player.