With the MLB wavier deadline just around the corner, several big names remain options on the market. Chase Utley was officially swept off the market by the Los Angeles Dodgers and now the biggest names that remain are players like Jose Reyes and pitcher James Shields. The San Diego Padres opted to stay put at the trade deadline despite a number of rumors surrounding the team. However, with the waiver deadline approaching, Shields is back on the block.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Shields has cleared waivers with the Padres and is available for the taking. During the non-waiver deadline, both the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees showed interest along with the Los Angeles Dodgers. As all three teams push for the playoffs and deal with injuries, they could begin to eye the pitcher once again.
With inconsistencies in their pitching, the Yankees could still be eyeing a trade at the waiver deadline. According to general manager Brian Cashman, the team is being cautious with what kind of contracts they bring on. After Chase Utley was sent to the Dodgers, Cashman made it clear that Jose Reyes and Martin Prado were not options for the team because of their price tags. Shields could be considered in the same boat, but with Michael Pineda injured and Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia not being overly consistent, adding Shields to the mix is not a bad option.
The same can be said for the Chicago Cubs. Jon Lester has hit a rough patch in his season and while Jake Arrieta is thriving at the moment the Cubs could use another strong starter. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have already sent out ticket info for the playoffs to their fans which some might say is wishful thinking despite the team's record. Adding another starter for insurance is not a bad idea.
The Dodgers are the other team potentially eyeing a trade despite just acquiring Utley. At the moment, the team has a four-man rotation going as they maximize Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. Mat Latos has been demoted to the bullpen after going 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts. Latos was acquired from the Miami Marlins and has since struggled out west. Manager Don Mattingly told the media that he was unsure how long Latos would be in the pen, but that he had improvements to make.
"Mat's a pro and understands you're going to try to line up your rotation the best way possible and kind of acknowledged he hasn't pitched his best to this point, but I think this gives him a chance to work on what he's doing and be ready to go when we get there," Mattingly said, via ESPN.com.
