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Based on the rumors, there have been a lot of discussions this trade deadline. Despite that, there hasn’t been much action. Some of that should change Monday. While the biggest names on the market may stay put, a significant amount of talent could still move before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
With that in mind, here are five stories to watch as the 2016 trade deadline nears.
WHO IS GOING TO GET BREWERS CATCHER JONATHAN LUCROY
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy is as good as gone. The club already confirmed as much, coming to terms with the Cleveland Indians on a deal. Cleveland was one of the clubs on Lucroy no-trade list, and he opted to veto that deal.
Despite that, it remains incredibly likely the Brewers will get rid of the 30-year-old catcher. The club is probably gathering the best offers it has received thus far, and holding out hope one club gets desperate and ups their package as the deadline nears. Lucroy, who is hitting .300/.360/.484 this season, makes a lot of sense for the Texas Rangers. He’s been tied to that club in the latest rumors as well.
WHERE WILL JAY BRUCE GO
Bruce is in a similar position to Lucroy. It doesn’t make any sense for the Cincinnati Reds to hold onto the 29-year-old outfielder, so it’s assumed he’ll wind up somewhere else. Bruce has experienced a nice bounce-back year, hitting .265/.316/.559, with 25 home runs over*402 plate appearances. He also has a team option worth $13 million for next season, a reasonable price if he can continue to produce at this level.
Bruce has been on the trading block for what feels like forever now, but it looks like he might actually go this time. A number of clubs could use a power-hitting outfielder, including the Giants, Dodgers, Indians and Mets.
The New York Yankees won’t say that they are selling, but it certainly looks like they are parting with pieces*for future talent. Beltran fits firmly in that group. The 39-year-old is having a strong season, slashing .301/.342/.538, with 21 home runs. His contract is up at the end of the year, making him the perfect rental for a team just one piece away.
Injuries have sapped Beltran’s defensive prowess, so he probably fits better on an American League club. He could be a nice fallback for whatever club misses out on Bruce. The Rangers, Astros, Indians and Boston all have interest, according to Jon Heyman.
WHAT ARE THE WHITE SOX DOING?
Will they or won’t they? That’s been the big question for about a week now. It’s unclear whether the Chicago White Sox are actually willing to sell, but they hold two incredibly valuable pieces in Chris Sale and Jose Quintana.
The team took its first steps toward tearing things down Sunday by dealing reliever Zach Duke, but that doesn’t signify that the team is willing to go into full teardown mode just yet. Even if they don’t fully decide to rebuild, David Robertson could get moved to a club desperate for a reliever. There’s a good chance the team decides to stand pat, but if they are truly willing to sell,*general manager Rick Hahn will be fielding plenty of phone calls.
Young starters with years of control are a hot commodity around baseball, and the Rays have a lot of them. Given the team’s struggles this season, they could opt to deal Matt Moore, Jake Odorizzi or Chris Archer if it nets them younger talent that could help the club in future seasons. That may seem unlikely, as all three of those players currently factor into the team’s future, but it’s possible they’ll get overwhelmed with a deal.
Infielder Steve Pearce should go. While he’s not an exciting name, he has hit .309./388/.520 over 232 plate appearances. He can certainly help a team down the stretch. The Rays will very likely make at least one move Monday, it just won’t be one everyone will get excited about.
OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Oakland Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick is in the final year of his contract and the A’s are going nowhere fast. The 29-year-old has hit .301/.373/.456 over 268 plate appearances and should have plenty of value.
- After a solid bounce-back year, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jeremy Hellickson should go as well. The Phillies were reportedly asking quite a bit for Hellickson a few days ago, but could lower their demands as the deadline nears. Hellickson has a 3.70 ERA over 131 1/3 innings.
- The San Diego Padres already started selling off parts by dealing Matt Kemp on Saturday. That should continue with catcher Derek Norris on Monday. Norris doesn’t have as much value as Lucroy, so he could go shortly after Lucroy is off the market.
- The Yankees have also made pitcher Ivan Nova available for trade. The 29-year-old has struggled this season, posting a 4.90 ERA over 97 1/3 innings, but should cost less than most pitchers on the market.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik