Major League Baseball’s exchange deadline time — which falls on July 30 out of 2024 — isn’t quite juicy as it used to be.
As modest, controllable youthful players have become quite possibly of the most sought after product in the game, most leaders live in feeling of dread toward making an exchange like the Montreal Exhibitions did in July of 2002. With an end goal to bet everything and make the postseason, Montreal obtained beginning pitcher Bartolo Colon from Cleveland.
Not in the least did the Exhibitions not wind up sniffing the end of the season games at 83-79, however they surrendered three future stars in the exchange, sending pitcher Bluff Lee, outfielder Grady Sizemore and second baseman Brandon Phillips back to Cleveland as a component of a five-player bundle. Executives have become significantly more prudent in dealings involving trade deadlines over the more than two decades since one of the most infamous trades in MLB history.
Additionally, the number of teams that are obvious sellers has decreased due to the addition of two additional wild-card spots per league. As a result, there are fewer established stars available for trade. For instance, the St. Louis Cardinals had a disheartening 71-91 mission a year prior.
While they exchanged starter Jordan Montgomery to the Texas Officers and reliever Jordan Hicks to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cardinals clutched center pieces, for example, third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
It’s reasonable to have some distrust about exactly the amount of an effect the offseason increases of Spear Lynn and Kyle Gibson will have in 2024, yet the Cardinals marked Sonny Dark and ought to have a sufficient to be in the special case race, at any rate, during exchange season.
In the event that the Cardinals are completely out of season finisher dispute when July rolls around and leader of baseball tasks John Mozeliak is prepared to raise a ruckus around town button, there would obviously be a lot of intrigued admirers with regards to their two Cooperstown-bound position players.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 NL MVP, can turn into a free specialist after the 2024 season. If the Cardinals decide to retool, Arenado, now 33, might be interested in joining a contender. However, the aforementioned factors make it unlikely that the Cardinals will trade either player this summer, particularly Arenado. Despite everything that has been said, a slew of additional stars could still be moved this summer.
Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres, SS/2B
1 OF 10
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 19
Age in 2024: 28 2023 Stats: .260/.351/.398, 17 HRs, 60 RBI, 75 BB, .749 OPS, 4.4 WAR
Contractual Status: $7 million salary in 2024; free agent after season
One of the most underrated players in baseball, Ha-Seong Kim won his first Gold Glove Award a season ago while getting some down-ballot MVP votes. 2024 figures to be an even crazier season for the 28-year-old. New Padres manager Mike Shildt announced that Kim will take over as the team’s shortstop, with Xander Bogaerts—who is entering just the second season of an 11-year, $280 million deal—moving to second base.
Closer Kenley Jansen, Boston Red Sox
2 of 10
Age in 2024: 36
2023 Details: 3-6, 44.2 IP, 29 SV, 3.63 Time, 3.66 FIP, 52 K’s, 1.1
Conflict Contractual Status: Free agent following the season with a salary of $16 million in 2024
It seems like the main way Kenley Jansen isn’t exchanged this mid year is assuming the Boston Red Sox choose to give him before the beginning of the time.
Attempting to sort out how the Red Sox will work has become progressively troublesome lately, yet there’s been sufficient smoke to accept new boss baseball official Craig Breslow has essentially measured what’s out there for the four-time Top pick.
Presently 36, Jansen isn’t a similar pitcher who won the Trevor Hoffman Grant as the best reliever in the Public Association in 2016 and 2017 with the Dodgers.
Despite this, Jansen has a lot of big-game experience and stands a chance of passing Billy Wagner, John Franco, and Francisco Rodriguez in 2024 to be in the top five all-time in saves.
Furthermore, between the Red Sox and Atlanta Overcomes, Jansen has been really compelling the most recent two years, posting a 3.48 Time and recording 70 recoveries. There’s consistently the opportunity at Jansen’s age that this is the year he simply doesn’t have it any longer. Due to his “general lat soreness,” he was already described as day-to-day early in spring training. Regardless of whether Jansen is solid by First day of the season, you stress over whether relievers with as much track on the tires as he has will hold up into October. However, given how desperate teams are for relief pitchers, Jansen will be used, if not sooner, this summer.
It will be fascinating to check whether battling groups view him as a nearer or set-up man, however there will be admirers for his administrations. Jansen conceded as of late that exchange bits of gossip have been “baffling.” There’s an undeniable opportunity they’ll die down for the main two or three months of the time, however the Red Sox seem as though they could be set out toward a last-place finish in the AL East for the third year straight.
Come July, Jansen’s name will probably be once again at the very front of the exchange market.
1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
3 of 10
Age in 2024:29
2023 Stats: 46 HRs, 118 RBI, 65 BB,.821 OPS, 2.8 WAR,.217/.318/.504
Contractual Status: 2024 salary of $20.5 million; next season, free agent
Pete Alonso has expressed a desire to remain a “lifelong Met,” but in actuality, he’ll probably test free agency in the upcoming offseason.
Indeed, with agent Scott Boras representing Alonso, New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns stated that testing the open market following the 2024 season is “probably the most likely outcome.” That doesn’t mean he won’t eventually go back to Queens, but the Mets might be forced to deal Alonso this summer in exchange for a big return if he ends up losing him in free agency the following winter.
SS Willy Adames, Milwaukee Brewers
4 of 10
28 years old in 2024
2023 stats: 24 HR, 80 RBI, 71 BB,.717 OPS, 3.4 WAR,.217/.310/.407
Contractual Status: 2024 salary of $12.25 million; next season, free agent
2021 NL If the Milwaukee Brewers had not traded Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles earlier this month, he would have been by far the most sought-after player on the trade market this summer.
Since the Brewers aren’t likely to be big contenders, Willy Adames should be quite popular this summer. Never discount the possibility that Adames was shopped, even if they are in the playoff picture. I believe Ortiz is now ready to start in the major leagues at shortstop for the Athletics’ Keith Law.
RHP Shane Bieber, Cleveland Guardians
Shane Bieber’s lack of a clear future is likely the reason the low-budget Cleveland Guardians have kept him around thus far as he prepares for his contract year.
In the 2020 season, which was cut short by the epidemic, Bieber was the AL Cy Young Award winner. In 2022, he pitched well over 200 innings. But he was limited by injuries in 2021 and 2023, and since winning the junior circuit’s top pitching award, he has noticed declines in both his fastball velocity and K/9.
if recent history is any indicator, Bieber has performed better in even years than odd ones, so 2024 should be a strong one for the two-time All-Star. Should the Guardians be in contention this summer, don’t rule out the possibility that they hold on to Bieber and issue him a qualifying offer after the season.
That scenario might be even more likely if Bieber struggles with injuries again in 2024 and Cleveland gets the sense accepting the qualifying offer is a real possibility. But a healthy Bieber—even if he’s not the same pitcher he was in 2019 and 2020—is probably too valuable for Cleveland to lose for nothing more than draft compensation next winter. Cleveland subtracted last summer even while it was still in contention during what proved to be manager Terry Francona’s final season at the helm. Why are we to believe that the Guardians wouldn’t do the same thing again in 2024 with Bieber?
Cease’s trade candidacy would be more appealing if he pitches like he did in 2022—when he finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting—as opposed to 2023.
Granted, his 3.72 FIP suggests the 4.58 ERA Cease posted a year ago may not have been an entirely fair representation of his season. But if Cease resembles the pitcher who posted a 2.20 ERA and 3.10 FIP over 184 innings in 2022, teams will be lining up to acquire his services.
Closer David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates
8 OF 10
Age in 2024: 29 2023 Stats: 3-3, 67.1 IP, 39 SV, 2.00 ERA, 2.53 FIP, 80 K’s, 2.3 WAR
Contractual Status: $4.51 million salary in 2024; free agent after 2026 season A slew of teams that seemingly made sense as suitors for Josh Hader this offseason—the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, among others—ultimately watched him sign what seems like a reasonable five-year, $95 million deal with the Houston Astros.
Don’t be surprised if those three teams decide they need to add a star closer as they attempt to make a World Series run by the trade deadline. Either Jansen or Clase could also be candidates, but it’s possible that David Bednar is the top reliever who will be moved before the trade deadline.
1B Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers
9 OF 10
Age in 2024: 31
2022 Stats (missed entirety of 2023 season): .246/.332/.462, 30 HRs, 79 RBI, 72 BB, .794 OPS, 2.3 WAR
Contractual Status: $12 million salary in 2024; player opt-out available after season Rhys Hoskins spent six years with the Phillies, becoming a player in Philadelphia who fans were sorry to see go, even if moving Bryce Harper to first base on a full-time basis made sense. His time with the Brewers might not be quite as memorable.
Hoskins missed the entirety of the 2023 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee late in spring training, or else he likely would have been looking at a three- or four-year deal in free agency. If he’s able to return to being the 30-home run, 85-RBI guy in 2024, there’s a good chance he’ll opt out of his contract next winter and return to the free-agent market.
DH/LF Eloy Jiménez, Chicago White Sox
10 OF 10
Age in 2024: 27
2023 Stats: .272/.317/.441, 18 HRs, 64 RBI, 30 BB, .758 OPS, 0.4 WAR
Contractual Status: $13 million salary in 2024; club options available for 2025 and 2026 seasons
2025 season, with affordable $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, so Chicago probably won’t be inclined to move its most valuable position player. However, while Eloy Jiménez has a similarly team-friendly contract, prying him away from the White Sox might be more realistic than getting Robert. Availability has been the 27-year-old’s biggest issue in his five-year career. Since winning a Silver Slugger Award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Jiménez has played in just 259 of a possible 486 games over the last three campaigns.
Availability has been the 27-year-old’s biggest issue in his five-year career. Since winning a Silver Slugger Award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Jiménez has played in just 259 of a possible 486 games over the last three campaigns.