MLB Trade Rumors: 5 Players That Could Be Dealt Before 2018 Waiver Deadline

MLB teams have until Friday night to trade for players that will be eligible for a postseason roster spot. Numerous players have cleared waivers ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline and could be dealt within the next few hours.

Veterans like Adam Jones and Joe Mauer can be dealt anywhere, though it isn’t likely that they’ll be traded from the teams that they’ve become synonymous with. The Toronto Blue Jays probably want to trade Josh Donaldson, but his injury issues will likely keep him north of the border for the remainder of the 2018 season.

What players will be dealt? Here are five players that have cleared waivers and could be wearing new uniforms on Saturday:

Gio Gonzalez

The Washington Nationals committed to being sellers last week, and they might not be done making trades. Of all the players on the roster that have cleared waivers, Gonzalez has garnered the most interest, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. The starter gave up six runs in five innings Wednesday to raise his ERA to 4.57 on the season, though he could be an attractive option for a contender in need of rotation depth. He isn’t owed any money in 2019 and is just a year removed from finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young race.

Kendrys Morales

Maybe no contender will trade for Morales since he’s set to make $12 million as a 35-year-old next year, but he’s arguably been the most productive hitter of any player that could realistically be dealt. After recently hitting a home run in seven straight games, the DH has a .281/.371/.545 slash line since the All-Star break. Morales averaged 26.7 homers from 2015-2017, and the Blue Jays have been as active as any seller over the last two months.

Curtis Granderson

Granderson might be the most likely Blue Jay to be dealt, considering he can play the outfield and will be a free agent in November. The New York Yankees seem to be a good fit since they are lacking in outfield depth and Granderson has already had success playing in the Bronx, though if a deal hasn’t happened yet one might not be coming. Toronto could be motivated to trade Granderson somewhere because they’ve got a crop of young outfielders that they are committed to giving playing time.

Andrew McCutchen

The San Francisco Giants held onto McCutchen at the July 31 trade deadline with hopes of competing for a playoff spot, but their postseason chances are essentially nonexistent. With a losing record, the Giants are in fourth place and seven games behind the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. They are even further out of the wild-card race. A free-agent-to-be, McCutchen and his .371 on-base percentage since the All-Star break can be a valuable contributor to a World Series contender.

Francisco Liriano

Even though Liriano’s numbers (3-9, 4.82 ERA, 1.52 WHIP) suggest that there won’t be a market for him, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the veteran get dealt. Pitchers that can get out left-handers are always in demand, and lefties have a paltry .458 OPS against Liriano in 2018. The Houston Astros acquired Liriano before the 2017 trade deadline when he had a 5.88 ERA, and the Detroit Tigers have no reason to keep the 34-year-old.