Xander Bogaerts

The 2020 MLB season is only one month old, and the trade deadline is already right around the corner. General managers have until Aug. 31 to finalize any deals they may have in the works.

The condensed schedule probably makes it unlikely any landscape-altering trades are completed in the next week. The net effect of playoff expansion might mean diminishing those odds even further. Contending teams have a clear incentive to improve, but now more teams can plausibly tell themselves they're in the postseason hunt.

Here are some players who were the subject of trade rumors within the last few days.

Xander Bogaerts

If the Boston Red Sox were willing to trade Mookie Betts, then one would expect anybody on the roster could be moved for the right price.

Unlike Betts, Xander Bogaerts isn't nearing the end of his contract; it's quite the opposite. The two-time All-Star is in the first year of his six-year, $120 million extension. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal also spoke to a source who said the Red Sox see Bogaerts as "extremely important."

However, Rosenthal also noted Bogaerts will have a full no-trade clause added to his contract once he's credited with seven years of service time, which will happen at the end of this season.

Trade or not, the star shortstop may not see out the entirety of his contract in Boston, either. He can opt out and become a free agent in 2023. That leaves enough time for MLB to fully recover from the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, so his $20 million annual salary might not reflect his market value.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said on The Greg Hill Show the team doesn't feel any added pressure to trade Bogaerts before the deadline because of his impending no-trade clause:

"I don't want to get into specific contractual details although I saw what was reported. The one thing I would say is that I don't think something like that would change our approach here. We see him as a core player that we want to have here for a very long time. I know that news has been out there but it's not something that is at front of mind for us in terms of how we're approaching the deadline."

Bogaerts' opt-out could be another story when the time comes, since Boston parted ways with Betts when losing him as a free agent became a distinct possibility.

Trevor Bauer

The Cincinnati Reds are one of the teams who might have looked to sell in a normal season but could be approaching the deadline differently. Cincinnati is 11-15 but only 2.5 games off the second wild-card spot in the National League.

According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Reds' attitude is evident in their preference to hold on to Trevor Bauer, who's due to hit free agency in 2021.

Bauer would clearly be a big trade asset, even though the shorter regular season further limits how much he'd help a new team this year. The 2018 All-Star owns a 0.68 FIP and sits sixth among all pitchers in WAR (1.2), per FanGraphs.

FanGraphs gives the Reds a 48.2 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, and the front office appears to be looking to contend beyond 2020. Cincinnati immediately signed Sonny Gray to an extension upon acquiring him from the New York Yankees in January 2019, and the team added Nicholas Castellanos, Wade Miley and Mike Moustakas through free agency in the offseason.

Bauer projects to be the best starting pitcher on the market this winter.

Prior to the pandemic, the 30-year-old probably wasn't in a position to match the contracts of Gerrit Cole (nine years, $324 million) or Stephen Strasburg (seven years, $245 million), and the effects of the pandemic could hurt his earning power more.

The Reds might have a shot at re-signing Bauer, and if not, he's clearly worth a qualifying offer that would net Cincinnati a compensation pick if he signed elsewhere.

Barring a monster offer, trading Bauer wouldn't make any sense.

Trevor Rosenthal

Whereas neither Bogaerts nor Bauer will likely change teams this season, the same can't be said of Trevor Rosenthal.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand called Rosenthal "one of the hottest names on the trade market" and reported multiple teams have shown interest in the Kansas City Royals right-hander.

Rosenthal profiles as a prime trade candidate.

He only signed a $2 million minor league contract with the Royals, so he carries a minimal financial burden for any team acquiring him. Kansas City is also 5.5 games back in the American League wild-card race, so the front office is presumably looking to sell.

Rosenthal has made 11 appearances, striking out 14 batters and allowing one earned run and four walks over 10.1 innings.

Strengthening the bullpen is always a priority for contenders as they prepare for the stretch run and playoffs, and a dominant reliever is far more of a luxury than a necessity for somebody in the Royals' position.

Throw in the fact Rosenthal is hitting free agency and Kansas City has little reason to keep the 30-year-old beyond the deadline.

Even in a shortened and unique year, the MLB trade deadline is still an intriguing moment of the regular season.

Without question, 2020 has introduced a new set of challenges. Since there are 16 playoff spots instead of 10, more teams are "in the hunt" than usual. Franchises that could have traded a big name for prospects may be hesitant to swing a deal.

Additionally, there's a definite risk in trading anyone. At any moment, MLB could suspend the season. All 30 teams are hoping to avoid that happening, but it's a plausible event in a bad scenario.

Between those two factors, the Aug. 31 deadline might not be very active. But that's not stopping the hot stove from cooking.

How Big is Boston's Rebuild?

Only two years removed from winning the World Series, the Boston Red Sox find themselves in a problematic spot.

In short: They're not good.

As the organization enters a rebuilding period under new executive Chaim Bloom, some tough conversations are coming.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox have to decide whether Xander Bogaerts will be a cornerstone piece of their future because he has full no-trade protection as of Sep. 6. The upcoming deadline, then, is Boston's last chance to freely trade the star shortstop.

Further complicating the discussion is that the 27-year-old holds an opt-out clause following the 2022 season.

"A team that acquires Bogaerts would have him for at least three pennant races," Rosenthal wrote. "The Red Sox are almost obligated to see what he might bring back."

Sure, Bogaerts may enter free agency in 2022 and return to Boston with a raise anyway. Still, the risk is evident.

Rosenthal added that the Red Sox consider Bogaerts an "extremely important" player, so a trade isn't necessarily likely. But as Chaim and Co. build a long-term vision, the first major decision is determining the Aruban's place in the team's future.

Need Pitching? Ask the Giants

Looking at the National League standings, only the Pittsburgh Pirates are basically eliminated. However, the San Francisco Giants aren't terribly far from that inglorious label.

During the next week, the Giants must settle on whether they're a playoff contender or better off dealing a few players. And if they enter the market as sellers, Jon Heyman of MLB Network notes the team has several pitchers of value.

The featured target of the group, Johnny Cueto, has a 4.35 ERA in 31 innings this season. While that's not stellar by any means, the veteran has thrown a couple of terrific games recently.

The 34-year-old's appeal is his All-Star upside. Prior to Tommy John surgery in 2018, he was one of MLB's most dominant pitchers. Since he's signed through 2022, per Spotrac, he is an appealing option if another team believes in his recovery.

Granted, the $22 million Cueto is due next season is an obstacle. The Giants might need to include some money in a trade.

Financial considerations are less of a problem with Drew Smyly, Kevin Gausman and Tony Watson. All three are headed to free agency this offseason, according to Spotrac. If the Giants can bring back a prospect of value for Smyly, Gausman or Watson, the offer should receive heavy consideration.

San Francisco is a short winning streak from changing the narrative. But another skid may compel the front office to officially embrace the selling role at the 2020 trade deadline.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

There is no hiding the fact the Boston Red Sox are no longer perennial contenders in the American League.

All the concerns about the pitching staff prior to the start of the year were amplified when Chris Sale underwent Tommy John surgery, and the Mookie Betts trade deprived the franchise of one of its best and brightest stars.

Indeed, Boston's staff has struggled at a historic rate, with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez also out for the year due to a heart condition related to his bout with COVID-19.

Additionally, stars like J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers have scuttled out of the gate, while Andrew Benintendi is hitting below the Mendoza Line. 

The result has been a 7-18 record, and that includes a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Boston's struggles would seem to suggest it will be a major seller at the deadline. Guys like Mitch Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr. are on expiring contracts, and Martinez can opt out of his contract at the end of the year, if he so chooses. 

The Red Sox have 25th-best farm in baseball, per MLB.com, and new team president Chaim Bloom and Co. need to start adding young assets as they build for the future.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggested now might be the best time to trade star shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The X-Man is coming off a career year and signed a lucrative extension ahead of the 2019 season.

But Rosenthal noted Bogaerts will gain a full no-trade clause once he reaches his seventh year of big league service, meaning it could be now or never. Bogaerts would also likely net the Red Sox the biggest haul of any player on the roster, if they could find a suitor to make the financials work.

However, Rosenthal also reported people in Boston's organization feel Bogaerts is "extremely important" to the franchise moving forward, and it would seem Bloom agrees.

While Bloom said he is unwilling to deem any one player "safe," he also suggested the Red Sox want Bogaerts (and Devers) on their roster for the long haul (h/t Ian Browne of MLB.com):

"Those guys are core players for us and they're incredibly important to our future, just as they've been important here for a while. As I said earlier, I think philosophically I don't like to think in terms of absolute no's, but those guys are key players for us and we're very hopeful they're going to be part of our next championship group."

To Bloom's point, Bogaerts is still young. He will only be 28 years old in October, meaning he still has a sizable chunk of his baseball prime remaining.

Perhaps Bloom also feels the Red Sox could be just a pitcher or two away from contending. Sale will be back in the mix next year, and Rodriguez will also hopefully be healthy enough to pitch.

Things seem bleak for the Red Sox at present, but Bloom seems optimistic the Red Sox can build around the likes of Bogaerts and Devers as they hope to be more competitive in the near future.

Andrelton Simmons Close to Returning   

The Los Angeles Angels are another team struggling out of the gates, thanks mostly to pitching woes. 

Despite the heroics of Mike Trout and production from unheralded players like Brian Goodwin and infielder David Fletcher, the Angels are just a half-game above the AL West cellar with an 8-17 record.

But the Halos might get a boost from the impending return of shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who has been on the injured list since July 28 because of an ankle injury.

Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reported Simmons joined the team in San Francisco and also worked out prior to Wednesday's game against the Giants, and it seems the former Gold Glove winner could be back on the field within the next day or two.

The 30-year-old was struggling to start the season, notching just three hits in 16 at-bats. But perhaps Simmons can infuse some more production in L.A.'s lineup.

Simmons was also hampered by injuries in 2019, resulting in just 103 games and a .673 OPS. But he can be productive when healthy, posting a career-high .754 OPS and 75 RBI in 2018.

Of course, Simmons also provides exceptional defense. He ranked second among shortstops with 16 outs above average (OAA) in 2019, per Baseball Savant. 

Simmons might have been a potential trade candidate if healthy, given he is on an expiring contract. Instead, the Angels will hope he can help them be more respectable as the season rolls along.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.

Look into the Baseball Reference wins above replacement (WAR) leaders for 2019 and you will find a pair of Texas Rangers: left-hander Mike Minor and right-hander Lance Lynn.

Minor ranked first bWAR for pitchers, while Lynn ranked third. And both placed ahead of American League Cy Young Award-winner Justin Verlander and former Astros ace Gerrit Cole.

Some purists might argue Baseball Reference WAR is not a good estimation of pitchers. Indeed, Minor falls to 19th on the FanGraphs WAR (fWAR) leaderboard. Lynn, on the other hand, ranked third in fWAR last year, still ahead of Verlander and just behind National League Cy Young Award-winner Jacob deGrom.

All this is to say, Lynn is an incredibly valuable arm to have in the rotation. With the 2020 trade deadline rapidly approaching, it would seem opposing teams agree.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Friday that the Rangers are "already drawing interest" when it comes to the 33-year-old and his availability, though he also stated the team (10-12) might choose to retain their ace given they could be fighting for a playoff spot in the expanded bracket. Rosenthal also noted Lynn is also under contract through next year.

On the one hand, the Rangers absolutely need the Indianapolis native in the rotation in order to make the playoffs.

He has been arguably the best pitcher in the early goings of 2020. He is 3-0 with a 1.11 ERA in five starts, including a complete game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday. He has given up just 12 hits in 32.1 innings of work, also striking out 36 and giving up just two homers.

Simultaneously, it seems unlikely the Rangers will contend for a title in the near future, and Lynn might not have many peak years left. 

Texas might be able to leverage the additional year of control into a big haul. Lynn has been one of the most underrated pitchers of the past eight-plus years. He ranks 16th in fWAR between 2012 and 2019. Aside from a lackluster 2018 campaign, he has never posted an ERA above 4.00. Not to mention, he is posting the highest strikeout rates of his career.

The Rangers have a choice to make. Do they want to keep the band together and see how far Lynn can take them? Or do they want to add to a farm system ranked 21st in baseball by MLB.com entering this year?

Retaining Lynn gives the Rangers the best chance to stay in the playoff hunt, but moving him might net them a pair of premium prospects who could compete for a contender in the next few years.

Either way, Lynn is a name to keep an eye on in the next couple of weeks.

Is Bogaerts Boston's New Centerpiece?   

Red Sox fans lamented the loss of star outfielder Mookie Betts this past offseason. With the team struggling, it would seem more positional stars are susceptible. 

Indeed, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy said last week on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" the team does not have any player deemed off limits in a potential trade (h/t Ryan Hannable of WEEI):

“You look at this team and we still have a really young group of core players that you'd like to see with the Red Sox for a long, long time. We'd never label anyone untouchable, just given the fact that sometimes to re-tool and restructure for the future, you do have to sometimes make difficult decisions, as you saw with the Mookie (Betts) transaction. I don't think anybody would be untouchable as it were, but there are certainly guys who have grown up in the system that we'd like to keep with the Sox for a long, long time."

Might this mean Boston would be open to trading designated hitter J.D. Martinez or Xander Bogaerts?

Martinez would appear to be the more logical option. He has a player option in each of the next two offseasons, per Spotrac, and could choose to seek a new home on a team with a more competitive future. At the same time, those opt-outs might make for a lesser haul than if Boston traded the "X-Man."

Bogaerts signed a six-year, $120 million extension with the club prior to the start of last season. The deal keeps the shortstop in Boston through 2025, with a vesting option for 2026. Although any club acquiring him would be saddling themselves with a lofty financial commitment, they would also be acquiring a legitimate star.

The 27-year-old had an enormous 2019, slashing .309/.384/.555 with 33 homers and 117 RBI en route to finishing fifth in the AL MVP Award voting. He has driven in at least 100 runs in each of the last two seasons, and he has also already won three Silver Slugger Awards at his position.

Rosenthal reported the Red Sox see Bogaerts as an "extremely important" piece going forward, which makes sense given he is a star at a premium position. Not to mention, it might be "preposterous," as Rosenthal said, to trade him shortly after giving him a lucrative extension.

If the Red Sox find the right suitor, though, they could get a large haul to restock the farm, something they desperately need going forward.

Boston's farm was ranked 25th in baseball by MLB.com, and that was only because they added Jeter Downs as part of the Betts trade.

Speaking of Downs, he looms as an eventual successor to Bogaerts. Perhaps the Red Sox will trade their current shortstop in the hopes the 22-year-old is the star of the future.

In any case, the Red Sox are likely to be sellers at the deadline, lending plenty of intrigue to the status of their positional stars.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.

With the Boston Red Sox currently owning the American League's worst record, the franchise may soon have to shift its attention to shaping its roster for the future—and Xander Bogaerts could continue to be in its long-term plans.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox believe Bogaerts is "extremely important" to their rebuilding effort.

At the end of last season, Red Sox owner John Henry publicly stated his intention to cut payroll to get under MLB's luxury-tax threshold.

"This year we need to be under the CBT [competitive balance tax], and that was something we've known for more than a year now," Henry told reporters. "If you don't reset there are penalties, so we've known for some time now we needed to reset, as other clubs have done."

Per FanGraphs, Boston decreased its payroll from $242 million in 2019 to $179 million in 2020. The biggest move was trading Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs and Connor Wong.

MLB.com ranked Boston's farm system 25th coming into this season, with Downs and Triston Casas as its only top 100 prospects.

Even though the Red Sox still have the third-highest prorated payroll in MLB—behind the Dodgers and New York Yankees—their .261 winning percentage (6-17) is the worst in the AL so far this season. The offense ranks 19th in OPS (.726), and the pitching staff's 6.06 ERA ranks last in MLB.

Bogaerts signed a six-year, $120 million contract extension with Boston in April 2019. He will earn $20 million every season through 2026, but the deal includes an opt-out after 2022.

A two-time All-Star, Bogaerts finished fifth in AL MVP voting last year with a .309/.384/.555 slash line, 33 home runs and 117 RBI. The 27-year-old is hitting .257/.329/.473 with four homers in 21 games this season.

Entering the 2020 campaign, the Boston Red Sox were at least a fringe playoff hopeful. Now, about two weeks into the season, they look like the worst team in the American League East.

For a club that won the World Series in 2018, that's a steep and alarming fall.

Yes, we're dealing with a small sample size. But none of the numbers bode well for Boston in the early going.

Through 11 games entering play Wednesday, the Sox own a 3-8 record and are already six games back of the first-place New York Yankees. They have a minus-15 run differential, the worst in the division. Their pitching staff ranks 28th in ERA (5.78) and 30th in WHIP (1.52). Nathan Eovaldi has surrendered 19 hits in 16 innings and is the ostensible staff ace. Their offense, meanwhile, has been middle-of-the-pack at best with a 16th-ranked .724 OPS.

Their three-game sweep at the hands of the Yanks and slugger Aaron Judge last weekend exposed the chasm between the two rivals.

As Alex Speier of the Boston Globe put it, "... in a short 60-game slate, every flaw is magnified, every small pothole feeling expansive. Within that context, the Red Sox feel as if they've fallen into a ravine, with no exit in sight."

Erstwhile ace Chris Sale is out following Tommy John surgery. Franchise right fielder Mookie Betts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February along with veteran left-hander David Price. Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez is lost for the season because of COVID-19.

The Yankees are the team to beat in the division. The Tampa Bay Rays, despite an uneven start, have the pitching and the depth to keep pace. The upstart Toronto Blue Jays are bursting with young talent. Even the lowly Baltimore Orioles, the presumed AL East doormats, have surprised with a 5-4 start.

And things aren't going to get easier for Boston. After an off day Thursday, the Red Sox will play eight of 11 against the Rays and Yankees. They could be buried well before September.

Painful as it may be for the Beantown faithful, it appears Boston's best option is to sell any bankable veterans and move toward a full-scale retool—if not an outright rebuild.

The Sox have a number of impending free agents who could draw interest ahead of the Aug. 31 trade deadline, including outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Pillar, first baseman Mitch Moreland (club option) and closer Brandon Workman.

Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom should work the phones, unload what he can and restock a thin farm system we ranked No. 25 in June after the 2020 amateur draft. Most troublingly, with all of Boston's pitching woes at the MLB level, only one of its top five prospects is a pitcher (right-hander Bryan Mata at No. 4).

Speaking of Bloom, he's gone on quite a creaky carnival ride since taking the helm in Eastern Massachusetts.

In January, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora for his role in the 2017 Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. In February, they traded Betts and Price. In April, they were punished by the league for their own sign-stealing shenanigans.

"I don't think anybody could have possibly imagined a lot of what has gone on over the last eight, nine months," Bloom said, per ESPN.com's Joon Lee. "I mean, I think a lot of the stuff that we went through as an organization, even prior to the pandemic shutting down our sport, would have seemed like a pretty remote possibility."

Clearly, it's time to reach for the reset button.

There is talent on the roster. Third baseman Rafael Devers and shortstop Xander Bogaerts are both All-Star-caliber building blocks. Outfielders Andrew Benintendi and Alex Verdugo (the latter acquired in the Betts trade) have considerable upside.

But the lack of pitching either at the big league or MiLB level is a glaring red flag. This club is not built to compete right now, even with the expanded 16-team playoff format.

Boston needs to acquire what young talent it can in what should be a seller's market and look to the future.

A last-place finish less than two years after hoisting a Commissioner's Trophy would be a tough look for a proud franchise. Here's what would be worse: the Sox clinging to illusions of contending and either standing pat or buying at the deadline.

The Red Sox have won four titles since they busted the Curse of the Bambino in 2004, more than any other team during that 16-season stretch. 

Hold on to those happy memories, Boston fans. Because there are going to be some serious bumps in the road before the next one.

All statistics current as of Wednesday and courtesy of Baseball Reference.