MLB Trade Rumors: 2 Potential Landing Spots for Ketel Marte

The Arizona Diamondbacks were taking calls on three-time All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte this past summer. They didn't really want to trade him, but it was known around baseball that they were at least listening.

With a middling start to the season (26-24 going into Saturday's action and 3rd place in the NL West), will they eventually decide to waive the white flag, save some money and reload?

If so, Marte will still be able to bring them back a huge haul. But not if they wait too long. The 32-year-old is off to a slow start this season, with his lowest batting average (.241) and OPS (.713) in four years. He has only seven long balls, after averaging 30 home runs and an .890 OPS over the previous three seasons.

There are teams, however, that would have strong interest. He's an above-average defender at second, and has breakout power potential.

With that, we look at two potential landing spots if the Snakes decide to take calls again on Marte:

Toronto Blue Jays

Everybody loves Ernie Clement in Toronto. His role in the Jays' run to the World Series last fall was as important as any player on the roster. He set an MLB record for most postseason hits (30), and very nearly blasted the World Series-winning extra-base hit in the 9th inning of Game 7.

But the Jays are currently 21st in baseball in home runs. And 24th in slugging pct. (Vladdy, where are you?). As much as Clement is a staple of the team, those are areas where they could find an improvement, and Ernie could shift to a utility role.

"(Marte) should be on the Blue Jays' radar, as they need more pop arguably just as much as they need starting pitching," writes Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer.

Boston Red Sox

If there's one team that is far more desperate for power than the Blue Jays, it's the Red Sox. They rank second-last in the majors in both HR and SLG. How much longer can they continue to go with Marcelo Mayer at second? With a .216 average, two homers and a .588 OPS, the boost Boston would get from Marte would be enormous. The Red Sox, however, would have to decide if they still feel they can get serious enough to take a real run at a playoff spot in order to make a deal like this.