Some MLB front offices sent a lot of employees home for Monday and Tuesday to give those folks a much-deserved break. But the calls between teams have continued as contenders search for roster upgrades and non-contenders try to maximize the return on their trade assets with the deadline now just 19 days away.
The teams most in need of trade help:
1. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have a solid lead in the American League West, but their rotation has been wrecked by injuries in recent weeks and they have hemorrhaged runs. Texas allowed eight or more runs in six of the final nine games before the All-Star break, and the Astros have been cutting into the deficit; on June 28, Houston was 10 games out of first place, but it has cut that to 5½ games.
Yu Darvish is expected back soon, but in this first season following Tommy John surgery, the Rangers can't necessarily count on him remaining healthy for the rest of the season. Colby Lewis and Derek Holland are out indefinitely, and each has a long history of ailments and setbacks.
The Rangers are as well-suited as any team in baseball to make trades thanks to the depth of their farm system, which is why rival executives expect them to do something significant before the deadline. Maybe that'll be adding a starting pitcher, such as the Padres' Drew Pomeranz or the Rays' Jake Odorizzi, or maybe it'll be building a shutdown bullpen through the addition of one of the best available relievers.
Either way, Texas has a lot to offer and a lot to gain through deal-making.
Pomeranz shrugged off a report about the Rangers' interest in him, but some rival officials believe the Padres' best possible play is to move Pomeranz before the trade deadline to take advantage of the current value of a player who has had a lot of inconsistency in his major league performance. The 27-year-old has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he reaches six years of service time, and the Padres are probably not going to be turned around before Pomeranz reaches free agency. There is such an incredible dearth of starting pitching in the trade market now that the Padres could get good pieces for him.
It's worth remembering this: The Rangers and Padres talked about a deal in spring training that would've sent Jurickson Profar to San Diego in return for catcher Derek Norris and pitcher Andrew Cashner, but that discussion ended because of concerns over Cashner's medical history. It would make sense that the Padres would continue to focus on Profar, who could help San Diego address its need for middle-infield help.
Dennis Lin writes that Padres GM A.J. Preller is "infatuated" with Profar.