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TRADE RUMORS: WEST DIVISIONS UPDATE
Oakland makes first move; could be first of several
07/11/2019
By MLB.com Staff

You would think season-ending injuries to pitchers German Marquez and Bryan Shaw in the last week would accelerate the timeline somewhat for Colorado to make a move before the deadline, but general manager Jeff Bridich isn't panicking. MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports that the Rox are going to continue to take their time evaluating players, and not to expect a deal prior to the All-Star break. With the recent signings of Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon to major extensions, cash will be tight; and Bridich will likely have to get creative to strike a deal. --David LoPietro

Some teams are interested in Angels righty Alex Meyer, who has a 4.03 ERA and ninety-five strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings, but as a reliever, not a starter. The idea being that he can go two to three innings full-bore, bringing his upper-90's heat and devastating change and curveball. His issue has been walks, as he has issued fifty free passes. He could be a huge middle-innings weapon as a follow-up to a left-handed starter, or a spot starter that could give five good innings. His two-seamer has tons of late life, making life tough for hitters on the right side of the plate. RHB are hitting .211 against the six-foot-nine righty in 2019. --Jason Frampton

Oakland is now six games back in the wildcard, and have already unloaded closer Liam Hendriks to the Mets for a pair of prospects. Now it appears that starting pitcher Andrew Triggs may be next, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Phillies, White Sox, and Red Sox have inquired about the 30-year-old righty, who has a 4.86 ERA and eighty-seven strikeouts in 100 innings of work. Teams have also inquired about ace Sean Manaea, but David Forst's asking price is understandably so high that they eventually gave up on trying, as Manaea is having a Cy Young-type year and has years of control left. The Hendriks trade could set off a cascade of deals from the A's, as standouts Khris Davis and Matt Wieters would likely be moved as well. --David LoPietro

The Dodgers have received both Corey Seager and Clayton Kershaw back from the disabled list earlier this month, so it's like getting two big-time players at the break. But what do the Dodgers do to improve the club? They've already acquired Trevor Rosenthal from Kansas City, and could stand to improve their bench or supplement their bullpen even further. Farhan Zaidi doesn't have a lot of capital in terms of prospects to give; and they already paid a pretty significant price to get Rosenthal, so they're going to have to think outside the box with any additional moves they make. --Jason Frampton

Houston ranks in the top five in most offensive categories in the American League, but that is where they are looking to improve the club. Sam Melton of the Houston Chronicle wrote in his latest piece that GM Jeff Luhnow is looking to add another bat, preferably a left-handed one, to the lineup. Melton also noted that the Astros might be willing to take on additional salary for any player they acquire, so they would be swimming in a pretty deep pool. The Astros are seemingly banking on veterans Collin McHugh and Justin Verlander, who have combined for a 4.51 ERA in 2019, to turn it on in the post-season. --Evan Jones