Top Hitter, Starter & Reliever To Be Traded Named by Panel of 40 MLB Executives
MLB insider and former GM Jim Bowden has surveyed 40 major league executives, mostly GMs and presidents of baseball operations, to get their votes on who the best players to be traded at the deadline later this month will be.
We look now at the No. 1 hitter, the top starting pitcher and top reliever that the execs predicted to be traded:
Best Hitter to be Traded:
Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Naylor was the hitter mentioned more than any other among the 40 executives, as the best position player to be traded. And while the D-Backs say they'll be buyers, "Opposing teams believe they’ll be sellers, or at least open to trading their impending free-agent bats for more pitching," writes Bowden.
Naylor is having another strong season in his first year in the desert, batting .299 entering Tuesday's play, with 11 homers, 58 RBIs, an .828 OPS and a 129 OPS+.
Teams who could be suitors for Naylor at trade deadline:
The Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox.
Best Starting Pitcher to be Traded:
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
This one isn't much of a surprise, as he has been atop everyone's trade board since the offseason. But a dreadful start to the season tamped down all the trade talk, while teams waited to see if the former Cy Young winner could return to form. And while he did that through his first four starts in June, he has been lit up again in his last two outings.
But as Bowden notes, "it makes sense for some teams to try to trade for an ace now, as it would be a lot less expensive than trying to sign a starter like Dylan Cease or Michael King in free agency this winter."
Teams who could be suitors for Alcantara at trade deadline:
The Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and several more, as we listed here.
Best Relief Pitcher to be Traded:
Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Bowden says he was "the overwhelming choice" as the reliever most likely to be traded this month. Even at age 37, Chapman is dealing at a rate that rivals or surpasses his best seasons in a 7-time All-Star career. He has a 1.25 ERA and 0.78 WHIP over 39 appearances with 15 saves and 53 strikeouts in 36 innings.
One fly in the ointment here: The Red Sox are firmly in the playoff hunt, just one game back of a Wild Card spot entering Tuesday's play.
Teams who could be suitors for Chapman at trade deadline:
The Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers are among the many playoff-bound teams who would love to get their hands on the Cuban closer.
Photo: © Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
