Potential Trade Targets/Partners (to Aquire An "Ace")

[HakunaSakata]

At this point I feel like if the Orioles truly want to add a TOR SP to their roster they're going to have to do it via trade. Rodon's basically the last true ace left and I don't seem them giving him the six year contract that he's looking for (probably the right move). With that in mind, what teams do you think we match-up with the best and who would you target? I'll start. 

The Marlins: 

A few days ago Jon Heyman (grain of salt) reported that -  Ahead of the Winter Meetings, the Marlins have made it clearly known that Sandy Alcantara will not be traded, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Heyman adds that the Fish will listen to offers on “almost anyone” else. I also remember reading earlier in the offseason that Marlins were looking to upgrade they're offense.

How would you feel about a Cedric Mullins for Pablo Lopez swap? Lopez is a year younger than Mullins (27) and under contract for two more seasons. When I plugged the potential trade into the analyzer on this website it basically came back as dead even. I also like Trevor Rogers as a potential cheaper trade target. He has a much lower floor, but probably a higher ceiling than Lopez. He's also younger (25) and would probably be much cheaper to acquire  (Santander?) since it's possible the Marlins might be ready to move on from him after last season. Could be a good reclamation project and more importantly he's a lefty. 

[RZNJ]

Mullins for Lopez is tempting.   I would certainly look to doing a deal without Cedric but I might have to pull the trigger on that one and come up with a backup solution for CF.

[Sports Guy]

Lopez is good And I would like to get him.

But he’s not an ace. He may not even be a #2 starter.

[interloper]

I didn't expect this thread to be another Lopez thread based on the title.

Would like to have him but he's no ace.

[tabletop]

Mullins is a 3+ WAR gold glove candidate CF with potential to be a 4-5 WAR guy with some luck (6 WAR in the 30/30 season) who is just entering arbitration and just turned 28.

I highly doubt they are trading him and if they do I'd be shocked if it's just for a #2/3 starter like Lopez. It's one thing to trade Mancini whose contract is up in a few months or cashing in on Lopez having his first good year but it's another thing to trade someone like Mullins. Not only would it be difficult to replace what he brings to the team but it would also look terrible to say you're building a team from within and going to use free agency and trades to compliment the team and then trade one of your star players.

[theobird]

I would like to go after Singer of the Royals. It would take a lot, but I think we might be able to pry him away for Urias, Hays and DL Hall. Does that seem like a do-able deal?

[RZNJ]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Lopez is good And I would like to get him.

But he’s not an ace. He may not even be a #2 starter.

Not an ace. Agreed.  But Elias can sell him as #1-#3 starter.   He's easily a #3.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, tabletop said:

Mullins is a 3+ WAR gold glove candidate CF with potential to be a 4-5 WAR guy with some luck (6 WAR in the 30/30 season) who is just entering arbitration and just turned 28.

I highly doubt they are trading him and if they do I'd be shocked if it's just for a #2/3 starter like Lopez. It's one thing to trade Mancini whose contract is up in a few months or cashing in on Lopez having his first good year but it's another thing to trade someone like Mullins. Not only would it be difficult to replace what he brings to the team but it would also look terrible to say you're building a team from within and going to use free agency and trades to compliment the team and then trade one of your star players.

Lopez had his good first full season but it's not his first good season.   He's been slowly ramping up innings each year.   He was good in 2020 and 2021.

[interloper]

Others will disagree, but I also think the more Elias touts his gold glove caliber defense at SS and CF, as he did yesterday, the less likely he is to deal those players. It's clearly a part of their Zoom pitches to SPs. Not that he wouldn't make a deal if something really good came up, just that I don't think he's out there floating Mullins around. 

I think he should be though.

Edited December 6, 2022 by interloper

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Not an ace. Agreed.  But Elias can sell him as #1-#3 starter.   He's easily a #3.

Yea he’s easily a 3, with 2 upside. Would love to get him.  Needs a large improvement to be a 1.

[tabletop]

9 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Lopez had his good first full season but it's not his first good season.   He's been slowly ramping up innings each year.   He was good in 2020 and 2021.

I was talking about Jorge Lopez.

[Jim'sKid26]

I would be watching the Padres situation closely. I think Snell can be had.

The Milwaukee situation has become less clear with recent statements by management that they are not trading SP. Both Burnes and Woodruff are appealing but will take a bunch of good prospects to get. Burnes is 2 years away from FA.

Would Cleveland trade Beiber? I'm not sure I'm a believer but I would certainly enquire.

The Marlins would likely want prospects for Lopez in addition to anyone not named Mullins.

 

Just my $0.02

[OriolesMagic83]

2 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

I would be watching the Padres situation closely. I think Snell can be had.

The Milwaukee situation has become less clear with recent statements by management that they are not trading SP. Both Burnes and Woodruff are appealing but will take a bunch of good prospects to get. Burnes is 2 years away from FA.

Would Cleveland trade Beiber? I'm not sure I'm a believer but I would certainly enquire.

The Marlins would likely want prospects for Lopez in addition to anyone not named Mullins.

 

Just my $0.02

Would definitely like to see what it would take to get Snell.  He has been TOR in the past and has the upside, the O's lack other than of course GrayRod and Hall. 

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Would definitely like to see what it would take to get Snell.  He has been TOR in the past and has the upside, the O's lack other than of course GrayRod and Hall. 

Guys like Snell and Rogers of the Marlins are guys you take a chance on when the top of your rotation is set.   We need someone with more certainty than either of those two guys.     

[Sports Guy]

Definitely would love to add Snell.