As the trade deadline approaches, it’s interesting to see the gameplan for several teams contending for a place in the postseason. The New York Mets might not make a move at all, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking at starting pitchers, while the Texas Rangers are mostly confusing with their needs but what their front office is saying.
For the Mets, who have the sixth best bullpen in the majors this season, they have been trying to sign a reliever in free agency, missing out on Kevin Jepsen who signed a free agency deal with the Tampa Bay Rays last week. They don’t want to pay too much through a trade for a reliever, and so their eyes are open for some kind of bargain deal, which might be out there to be found, but it might not be a good enough player to actually offer them some sort of upgrade.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, are looking to add a starting pitcher. Like the Mets, they’re trailing in their division, and might have to settle for a Wild Card spot. The Dodgers are specifically looking at Chris Archer of the Rays, who has a thing or two to do with the Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who worked for the Rays and was the one who got Archer. Archer is having a slight dip in performance compared to the previous three years, but his age and contract make him a very attractive target for a lot of teams, including the Miami Marlins.
The Rangers have constantly been linked to Jonathan Lucroy, who is having a fantastic season for the Milwaukee Brewers. Lucroy has been linked to trades since before the season began, recently expressing his desire to play for a contender. Surprisingly, Jon Daniels, the Rangers general manager, has said his team is more interested in adding a pitcher via trade, looking at players that they can control beyond this season, making it a bit more difficult to find the right fit. Lucroy might still be moved, although not too many teams are looking to improve their catcher situation.