The Major League Baseball trading deadline is still a few weeks away, but with a number of teams already way out of contention, it's never too early to take a look at some of the names that could be traded, including players like Cliff Lee, Giancarlo Stanton, Chase Utley, Justin Morneau as well as Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford.
According to Jeff Passan at Yahoo, those are all names that may come up in talks and some of the biggest teams looking to deal with be the Chicago Cubs, White Sox, Seattle Mariners, Miami Marlins, Brewers, Twins, NY Mets and the Houston Astros among others. Those teams are looking at lost seasons and with some contenders looking for depth, pitching and hitting, general managers are already starting to spin the wheels on potential moves.
There are some teams in the middle of the back and near the bottom that are hoping to get on the right track in the Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies and Angels, while the Yankees, Orioles, Pirates and Athletics all are in contention and may deal to try and push themselves over the top. Some teams like the Blue Jays, Rays and Rockies may stay quiet, but ones like the Padres and Giants are in position to make some noise. July 31 is the deadline and if teams are looking to make major moves like the Marlins and Red Sox did last season, now is the time to set the groundwork.
Cliff Lee remains the biggest starting pitching target out there with the Phillies and since the team is in the middle of the pack, a lucrative trade could be coming. Lee likely will control his own destiny, as he has a 21-team no trade clause in his contract, but if names like the Cardinals, Giants or Tigers come knocking, he may try and win himself a championship. The Rangers could make another go at him after dealing with some bad pitching of late, but that is unlikely, while the Red Sox could be a wild card.
Lee's teammate Chase Utley is also likely gone, as he is 34-years-old and coming off injuries and while the Phillies won't get much for him, getting something may be worth it. He also has a 21 team no trade clause so that could be difficult and he is a bit of an icon in Philly after being drafted there (just ask Mac from It's Always Sunny).
Giancarlo Stanton has come up a lot in trades because the Marlins trade everyone, but the team has said that they want to sign him long term, but the worse the team plays the harder that will become. Stanton is the only elite player left on the team and they actually could save a great deal in the long-term if they trade him before he becomes an arbitration player. Any number of teams would be interested.
Some other big names include Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford from the dodgers, as Matt Kemp isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and others could come up, but it is likely those two first. Other names include Justin Morneau, Oliver Perez, Jesse Crain and Matt Garza as well as more Cubs players like Alfonso Soriano.