MLB Rumors: Pirates trade chatter includes Rich Hill, Carlos Santana, Austin Hedges, and others
It's looking like another rebuilding year for the Pittsburgh Pirates again. After a blazing start to 2023, the Pirates are sitting in fourth place in the NL Central with a very miniscule chance of making the playoffs.
If Pittsburgh wants to recoup young talent for the future, there are a select handful of players they could put on the trade block.
The most highly rumored candidates are Rich Hill, Carlos Santana, Ji Man Choi, and Austin Hedges: the 43-year-old Hill still poses as a decent starter, Santana could fill in as a nice pinch-hitter for needy teams, Choi could bounce back from his injury and enjoy better production at the plate, and Hedges boasts strong defensive acumen.
None of those names are major headliners, and they may only attract mild interest in August. The more desirable pieces most likely won't get moved: Cutch, David Bednar, and Mitch Keller, to name a few.
Overall, it's slim pickings in Pittsburgh for potential buyers.
MLB Rumors: The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright bomb is about to go off
As firm sellers at the trade deadline, the St. Louis Cardinals have a tough decision to make on aging pitcher Adam Wainwright. Wainwright, who landed on the injured list last week with a shoulder issue, is in his last season with the Cardinals as he publicly said he plans to retire at the end of the 2023 season. So that should be that, right?
Per the media buzz, there's still a small chance Wainwright could get traded in August, assuming this season isn't his last.
Wainwright spent his entire 18-year career in St. Louis, and it feels more likely than not that the franchise will respect his wishes and whatever he chooses to do. At 41 years old and in the twilight years of his career, not to mention his troubling decline, Wainwright would only give the Cards a measly return, anyway.
On Waino's future, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said:
"He certainly wants to come back and pitch; he really wants to prove he can do this. But we also have to be realistic. If it's not going to happen, then that page may have to be turned."
With a 7.66 ERA this year, Wainwright may not be in the Cardinals' short-term plans, and they could feel the need to offload him as soon as possible.
MLB Rumors: Giants look like interested buyers in Cardinals fire sale
Who's going to get the best deals from the Cardinals' imminent fire sale? The San Francisco Giants are one hungry buyer who could snatch up some of St. Louis' best roster pieces, as recent reports suggest they will be aggressive at the deadline.
Sitting third in the NL West with a 49-41 record, the moves that San Francisco make in August could determine the club's playoff success.
Heading into the trade deadline, the Giants' biggest need might be reliable pitchers, and the Cards happen to have a few tantalizing options for sale.
Lefty Jordan Montgomery is expected to be the most popular trade candidate this year; the 31-year-old has a 3.23 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 27 walks. Alongside Montgomery, Jack Flaherty could serve as a more budget-friendly option given his inferior stats.
Both those guys could feasibly plug into the Giants' pitching corps and provide much-needed depth — Montgomery could join the top-three rotation while Flaherty could help fill out the backend, assuming the two sides agree on a reasonable trade.
If the Giants wanted to go super aggressive, they could pursue Cards superstars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, two sluggers who would immediately provide a boost in San Francisco's hitting department.
Lots of options for San Francisco to sift through this summer. It's all about making the right deal.