MLB Rumors: White Sox-Reds trade around Jonathan India
The Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds could make a trade that works out for both sides.
Chicago wants controllable assets which factor in their competitive window. For a 2024 reset, there's few assets better than India, a former NL Rookie of the Year who has taken a minor step back since winning the award. The only reason India is on the outs in Cincinnati is because they want to avoid his arbitration years, and they have several up-and-coming prospects who can fill the void.
As Vincent Parise of Southside Showdown points out, adding a player like India is a decision the White Sox wouldn't regret:
"The White Sox could have had India in that draft but they selected Nick Madrigal one spot ahead instead. Of course, that was one of many big mistakes made during the rebuild process.
If the Reds are moving India, the Sox should be all over it. He'd step right in and be the second baseman for the future. They'd be getting some really good years of his prime as they try to retool."
For Cincinnati, now would be a great opportunity to add starting pitching. Either Lucas Giolito or Lance Lynn — two of the better starting pitchers on the open market — would immediately jump to the top of the Reds rotation. If the Reds front office plays their cards right, they could feasibly add both in a trade package centered around India.
MLB Rumors: NY Mets aren't ready to sell
The Mets aren't yet ready to sell, losing any leverage they may have a week ahead of the MLB trade deadline. New York isn't going anywhere this season, as they're seven games under .500 and 18.5 games back in the NL East. The NL Wild Card isn't within reach, either, leaving some pundits to wonder what the Mets are waiting for.
Per Andy Martino of SNY, Eppler is slow-playing the deadline:
"With rival scouts following the Mets' potential rental players like David Robertson and Tommy Pham, and controllable players like Jose Quintana and Mark Canha, the industry is waiting to see what the Mets will do. Word even surfaced late Monday of outside interest in the ultra-pricey Justin Verlander.
Between now and Aug. 1, Mets GM Billy Eppler and owner Steve Cohen must weigh the returns for their players and decide if those returns are worth spiraling into a 90-plus loss, post-fire sale season."
So, what's with the holdup? Cohen is on the record suggesting it would be silly for the Mets to buy at the deadline. Perhaps a strategy that involves both strategies — selling geared towards 2024 success — makes some sense.
New York has pricey assets, including Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Eppler would be wise to get at least one of those players off the Mets payroll heading into a free-agency season which includes Shohei Ohtani. But what do I know?
MLB Rumors: A Braves trade package for Adam Duvall
Adam Duvall is a Gold Glover and former All-Star. He got off to a red-hot start with the Boston Red Sox this season prior to an untimely injury. Now that Duvall is back in full force, his former team has some interest in him. Per MassLive, the Atlanta Braves are interested in a reunion with Duvall.
Duvall helped the Braves win a World Series in 2021. He's been traded four times in his MLB career, and a fifth could be around the corner if Alex Anthopoulos can put together a worthwhile trade package for a player like Duvall.
Anthopoulos spent much of his Monday wheeling and dealing, acquiring two strong-armed relief pitchers on the cheap. The Braves bullpen is a sore spot as of now, but once their rotation is fully healthy, they're expected to have a surplus. This is where Atlanta could help Boston in the AL Wild Card chase, making a trade between two contenders all the more likely.
As MLB Trade Rumors notes, "some potential exists for Atlanta and Boston to line up on a deal that would address mutual needs on the big league roster. Both clubs are looking for pitching, but as MLB.com's Mark Bowman notes, the Braves might have something of a bullpen surplus once all of their relievers start to return from the injured list. Speculatively, one of those Atlanta relievers might be of interest to the Red Sox, even if Boston needs rotation help more directly than another bullpen arm."
As to who those relief pitchers may be, it depends on how highly the Braves value Duvall. The Red Sox are relatively desperate for pitching, which plays right into Anthopoulos' hand.