MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz on Possible Nolan Arenado Trade, Justin Turner, More
The 2020 MLB hot stove is more of a slow burn.
Given all the financial uncertainties attached to the COVID-19 pandemic, this probably surprises no one.
Saying that, the market is warming up with a smattering of signings and the occasional trade. The rumor mill is starting to hum, too, so we're breaking down the latest buzz here.
Arenado Trade a 'Realistic Possibility'
Nolan Arenado seems like the ideal trade target.
The 29-year-old deftly handles the hot corner—he has a Gold Glove to show for all eight of his MLB seasons—and he's just as productive with the bat. The career .293 hitter has contributed per-162-game averages of 35 homers, 97 runs and 114 RBI.
Normally, all of the above would make him a no-brainer keeper for his current club. But he's attached to an eight-year, $260 million extension that he signed in Feb. 2019, and that could be more than the Colorado Rockies are willing to handle.
That's why a source told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that an Arenado trade is a "realistic possibility," though they cautioned there would be several obstacles to overcome to broker the blockbuster.
With $199 million still owed to Arenado for the next six years, Colorado might face a reality in which he's only movable if the Rockies are willing to take back bloated contracts from his next club. The Rockies also might be limiting the pool of potential trade partners, as Saunders reported Rockies owner Dick Monfort is "extremely hesitant" to deal Arenado within the NL West.
It could be a while before anything moves on this front, but with an elite talent like this, it's easy to think clubs would be interested in prying him out of Colorado.
Justin Turner on Toronto's Radar
The Toronto Blue Jays have been connected with just about everyone under the sun this offseason.
Add Justin Turner to the list, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
Turner, who turned 36 in November, just helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to their first World Series championship since 1988. The third baseman has spent the past seven seasons in L.A. after previous stints with the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles. He was an All-Star in 2017 and a top-10 finisher in MVP voting during that season and the year prior.
With the Blue Jays bristling with young talent, they seem ready to accelerate their rise to relevance. An established veteran like Turner could do wonders for the clubhouse, although he probably isn't at the top of Toronto's ambitious (and extensive) wish list.
Musgrove, Frazier Generating Most Trade Talk in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates could be busy this offseason.
A previous report from Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said the Pirates "have had conversations" about Jameson Taillon and Josh Bell with the New York Yankees. Then, Heyman reported that Joe Musgrove and Adam Frazier "are the two Pirates whose names have come up most in trade talks."
Chances are, if you're a Pirates player whose name registers at all on the national radar, you might find yourself in the rumor mill this offseason.
Taillon and Bell might be the most recognizable, but they make for curious trade candidates. Taillon is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery in August 2019. Bell, an All-Star in 2019, had a brutal 2020 campaign in which he saw substantial declines in batting average (.277 to .226) and slugging percentage (.569 to .364). The Pirates would be selling painfully low if they moved either one.
Musgrove, meanwhile, delivered the best ERA of his career in 2020 (3.86), while Frazier nearly matched his career in home runs in just 58 games (seven, personal best is 10). Their trade values could be within the range where it makes sense for Pittsburgh to consider making a move.