The Major League Baseball trade deadline of July 31 is certain to bring a flurry of activity by contending teams, and the biggest prize appears to be Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The power-hitting infielder is likely to be pursued by a number of teams. Suarez is slashing .252/.325/.593 while blasting 36 home runs and driving in 86 runs. Suarez is a solid defensive third baseman who has also played shortstop in the past.
Since Suarez appears to be the most attractive trade piece available, the Diamondbacks are likely asking for a windfall in return. That could mean that if the Diamondbacks don't get what they want in return from teams like the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs or the New York Mets, they may end up keeping Suarez and not making the deal.
The idea behind that theory is that even though Suarez is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season, the Diamondbacks would keep him and attempt to re-sign him themselves in the offseason.
Still, that seems like a longshot. The Diamondbacks have a 50-53 record and they find themselves in fourth place in the National League West. They are 10 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers and they also trail the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants. They also trail six other teams in the National League Wild Card standings.
Diamondbacks appear to have solid talent, but too many teams to climb over
Manager Torey Lovullo appears to have a very talented roster, one that seemingly could make a run at a spot in the playoffs if there weren't so many teams to climb over.
However, that's the issue with a week to go before the trade deadline and just over two months to go in the season. While Suarez is clearly one of the top trade candidates, he may not be the only Diamondback who is likely to be on the move in the next week.
The Diamondbacks have a trio of pitchers who are likely to be considered very attractive by teams in the pennant race.
Starters Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt may all be the subject of possible trade rumors. All three of those starters have made 21 starts this season.
Kelly has a 12-8 reocrd with a 3.32 earned run average. He has struck out 118 batters in 122.0 innings. Gallen has a 7-11 record with a 5.58 ERA, but he has struck out 116 batters in 121.0 inning. Pfaadt is 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA.
