In this weeks Inside the Clubhouse, FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray gives an early preview of the baseball trade deadline and 5 players to watch.
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is over two months away, but some preliminary trade conversations have already taken place. Here are five early trade candidates to watch for… including potential teams to watch.
MLB trade deadline candidates: Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox
The chances of Dylan Cease being traded are slim. After all, he is signed for two more years and any acquiring team would have him for three postseason runs. It would require a substantial haul for any potential acquiring team, especially with Cease coming off a season in which he posted a 2.20 ERA and finished second in the American League Cy Young voting. Yes, Cease has a 4.78 ERA this season, but if he is on the market — there is no indication that he is — he would likely be the best starter available.
MLB trade deadline candidates: Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox
Tim Anderson is under contract through 2023 and has a $14 million team option for 2024, which the Chicago White Sox seem all but certain to pick up. That player option could make Anderson more enticing for any potential acquiring team, especially since he wouldn't necessarily be a rental. He would make a ton of sense for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are in need of a shortstop upgrade.
MLB trade deadline candidates: Alex Cobb, San Francisco Giants
With the Giants at 20-23 and seemingly trying to start a youth movement on their roster, it's entirely possible they look to move some veterans before the deadline. Cobb, 35, would be an enticing trade chip — he's posted a 1.94 ERA in 51 innings — and has a team option for the 2024 season. He will be among the most intriguing pitchers on the market and should draw widespread interest from contending teams.
MLB trade deadline candidates: Joc Pederson, San Francisco Giants
The moment the San Francisco Giants extended the qualifying offer to Pederson, he felt like an obvious candidate to be flipped at the 2023 trade deadline. In 26 games this season, he's hit five home runs and 18 RBI and hit only .235/.351/.494. But part of the intrigue with Pederson is his extensive postseason experience — he's played in 79 games and hit .256/.332/.482 with an .814 OPS, 12 home runs and 29 RBI — which will surely lead to interest, with one potential fit being the Atlanta Braves.
MLB trade deadline candidates: Aroldis Chapman, Kansas City Royals
When the Kansas City Royals signed Aroldis Chapman to a one-year deal, they envisioned him having a role in the late innings and flipping him for prospects at the deadline. Sure enough, Chapman has drawn early trade interest and posted a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings this season — which would be his best numbers since 2022. Considering his experience, and that his fastball is still very capable of consistently touching 100+ mph, he should draw plenty of interest from contending teams.