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Expect Many Competing Buyers at the Deadline in the National League


Photo via sportslogos.net

After highlighting the top of the American League, let's shift to the needs of playoff contenders in the NL. The teams are placed in order of best record entering July 22.

Chicago Cubs

Needs: Starting pitcher, reliever, bench bat

Top Prospects (per MLB.com): RHP Adbert Alzolay, SS Amaris Ademan, RHP Oscar De La Cruz, RHP Jose Albertos, RHP Alex Lange

The Cubs have a decent starting rotation, but it has generally been stronger in the past. Jon Lester is still dependable, and it's fair to assume that Kyle Hendricks and José Quintana will improve, but there are plenty of question marks behind them. Tyler Chatwood may not be a big league starter (nor is Eddie Butler, who they used as one frequently last year), Mike Montgomery would ideally be a multi-purpose reliever, and Drew Smyly (who is qualified) is recovering from Tommy John surgery and hasn't pitched yet this season. However, the biggest conundrum has been free agent signee Yu Darvish, who has only made eight starts and struggled mightily in the process. Acquiring a potential postseason starter may be a wise move, especially considering their wealth of position players with which to work.

The need for a reliever is partly due to currently having six pitchers on the disabled list, including closer Brandon Morrow. Speaking of Morrow, he isn't a true closer, although he has held up very well thus far. They added a potential long man in Jesse Chavez, via the Texas Rangers, and Montgomery will eventually return to this group. Even so, the bullpen is a little light. Workload has also been a bit of an issue, as current co-closers Steve Cishek and Carl Edwards Jr. have each appeared in at least 45 of the teams 98 games.

Asking for a bench bat is bordering on downright greedy, because they have plenty of depth there. It never hurts to have pinch hitters in the postseason, though, and the players they have are more accustomed to starting than coming off the bench.

Philadelphia Phillies

Needs: Starting pitcher, reliever, high-profile bat

Aaron Nola has been among the best pitchers in the league this year, and Jake Arrieta is an asset as a No. 2 starter. The rest of the rotation is hard to gage, though. Zach Eflin has far exceeded his past production, while Nick Pivetta and Vince Velasquez have been wildly inconsistent. Jerad Eickhoff should return at some point, but he would only be a back of the rotation piece, if anything.

The bullpen is a work in progress, at best. Seranthony Dominguez has emerged as a legitimate closer, and Pat Neshek has been solid in limited duty after getting a late start to his season. They might be the only two members who belong in the big leagues.

The offense doesn't necessarily have any holes (except for shortstop), but it's just lacking oomf. Most of their hitters are flirting with league average in terms of OPS. Having Rhys Hoskins be your top hitter (no disrespect, please don't hurt me) isn't sufficient, especially when a player with a swing as complex and difficult to time as Odúbel Herrera's is the next best.

Milwaukee Brewers

Needs: Middle infielder, starting pitcher, reliever

Top Prospects: 2B Keston Hiura, RHP Corbin Burnes, 3B Lucas Erceg, RHP Luis Ortiz, OF Brett Phillips

Jesús Aguilar has been a revelation at first base, and Travis Shaw has once again been solid at third, but the Brewers simply can't find anyone serviceable up the middle. Jonathan Villar is a great base stealing threat, but he's less so at the plate and in the field (and he's currently on the DL anyway). They gave slick fielding shortstop prospect Orlando Arcia a chance, but he struggled immensely at the plate and has been optioned to AAA. They missed out on Manny Machado, but that doesn't mean they should stop trying. Asdrúbal Cabrera would be a solid upgrade.

This season (and much of last season), they've had polar opposite luck with starting pitchers. Nearly everyone they have tried, from fizzled out top prospects like Chase Anderson to journeymen like Jhoulys Chacín, has pitched to a sub-4.00 ERA. At some point, that luck will likely run out. They faded down the stretch last season predominately for this same reason.

Milwaukee has been equally fortunate with the bullpen. There are definitely pieces in place that should be able to stick. Josh Hader (regardless of what you think of his Twitter activity) and Jeremy Jeffress appear qualified to serve as setup men, as does Corey Knebel. However, Knebel is currently the team's closer. That's a bit dicey.

Atlanta Braves

Needs: Reliever, center fielder, veteran bench bat

Top Prospects: RHP Mike Soroka, RHP Kyle Wright, LHP Luiz Gohara, RHP Ian Anderson, LHP Kolby Allard

As bizarre as it sounds, the Braves are one of the more complete teams in baseball. Their rotation, bullpen and lineup all appear to be stronger than the team they're jockeying for position with in the NL East. The biggest thing they are lacking, particularly in their pitching staff, is veteran leadership.

The youth will be more of an issue in the bullpen than the rotation. Mike Foltynewicz has been great all year, Aníbal Sánchez has channeled his old self this season, and Julio Teheran has been pitching well in spite of his 4.00 ERA. A back end anchored by Arodys Vizcaíno, though, may have difficulties in the heat of the playoff chase and beyond.

Again, the position players have met expectations and, in many cases, exceeded them. The only thing that may be missing, outside of depth — Charlie Culberson and Kurt Suzuki have been the only real sources of production — is a veteran pinch hitter, as well as someone to spell Ender Inciarte in center field (although that could just as easily be LF Ronald Acuña Jr.'s job.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Needs: Second baseman, center fielder, reliever

Second base may have been addressed with the acquisition of Machado, although it's not entirely clear what utility man Chris Taylor's role will be now that he isn't the everyday shortstop. Whatever happens, Max Muncy can't be a middle infielder any longer. He needs to be dialed back to being solely a corner infielder.

Part of the trickle-down of having Muncy in a corner (predominately first base) is that it pushes Cody Bellinger into the outfield, often center. Neither he nor Joc Pederson (add Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to that list as well, if you wish) should be playing in the middle. If nothing else, a potential defensive replacement is necessary. Kiké Hernández would be more optimal on that end — that also applies to second base, depending on where Taylor is placed — but his bat doesn't play up as well.

Clayton Kershaw isn't quite the ace he once was, but the starting rotation is deeper than it often is. The bullpen, however, is much like always. Kenley Jansen is still one of the better closers in the game, but the Dodgers still haven't figured out how to consistently get the ball from the starter to him. That quest often includes Ross Stripling, who is currently in the rotation, but they need more depth than that anyway.

Colorado Rockies

Needs: Starting pitcher, reliever, corner bat

Top Prospects: SS/2B Brendan Rodgers, 3B Colton Welker, RHP Peter Lambert, RHP Riley Pint, SS Ryan Vilade

The odds of the Rockies adding a solid starter are slim. No major league pitcher wants to wind up at Coors Field. Nonetheless, there are holes there. Kyle Freeland and Tyler Anderson have been rather successful. Everyone else in the rotation owns an ERA of at least 5.00.

Elevated ERAs are to be expected, but the Colorado bullpen has been ugly. Adam Ottavino has been sensational, Wade Davis has 28 saves, and Scott Oberg has a respectable 3.10 mark. Everyone else is flirting with 6.00, at best. Enough said.

First base and left field are supposed to be among the two most prolific positions offensively. Nothing against Ian Desmond and Gerardo Parra, but there aren't particularly dependable hitters. They would also form a perfect platoon, if the Rockies were able to acquire a first base type. After all, Desmond spent much of the two prior seasons as a left fielder, and this is his first season as a full-time first baseman.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Needs: Starting pitcher, middle infielder, outfielder

Zack Greinke still is the pitcher he's been, Patrick Corbin has pitched very well, and Robbie Ray should return closer to last year's form at some point. Even if that happens and Corbin stays where he's been, Shelby Miller can't be counted on to be healthy nor effective, so they need one more legitimate postseason starter.

Daniel Descalso has been the team's third-best hitter. Can that really be counted on going forward? The combination of Nick Ahmed, Ketel Marte and Chris Owings has provided below-average offense, despite being thought highly of. Maybe they add a player here, maybe they wait for seemingly inevitable improvement, but they need something from at least one of those spots in the lineup. Upgrading over 3B Jake Lamb may accomplish the same thing, provided they can package him in the return.

Let's pretend A.J. Pollock stays healthy and keeps performing at this level. David Peralta can hit, Steven Souza Jr. hasn't done so (and he's also been hurt), Jon Jay has a clear ceiling, and Jarrod Dyson is essentially defense-only. That's not great, but passable. Now what happens if Pollock suffers another setback? Yeah, adding to the outfield is probably a good idea.

San Francisco Giants

Needs: Outfielder, infield depth, veteran pitcher

Top Prospects: OF Heliot Ramos, OF/1B Chris Shaw, OF Steven Duggar, RHP Tyler Beede, OF Sandro Fabian

There Giants actually aren't as needy as you might think. Much like the Braves, they're pretty solid everywhere across the field, with the biggest exception being center field. As Hunter Pence has entered a free fall, Gorkys Hernández and Steven Duggar have been forced to play unexpectedly large roles. Duggar, a top prospect in the system, has struggled out of the gate in the big leagues.

Evan Longoria is currently on the DL, but fan favorite (no slight towards Longoria) Pablo Sandoval has hit better than the team likely expected, given his struggles in Boston. The Brandon brothers (Belt and Crawford) have both done their parts, and Alen Hanson has played well with Joe Panik out. However, they'd likely feel more comfortable with one more guy in the mix, especially because Hanson may be asked to play in the outfield more down the stretch.

They don't necessarily need a veteran pitcher. Their staff has actually held up nicely and they have three experienced starters at the top of the rotation. Adding anyone from Chris Archer to Zach Britton could give them more of an edge on the mound, though.

St. Louis Cardinals

Needs: Reliever, high-profile bat, solid defensive player

Top Prospects: RHP Alex Reyes, OF Tyler O'Neill, RHP Dakota Hudson, RHP Ryan Helsley, RHP Andrew Knizner

This list of needs — plus a managerial firing — probably indicates that the Cardinals aren't legitimate contenders. Nonetheless, they're over .500, and they won't be sellers.

Bud Norris has been solid, but he isn't a closer. Greg Holland has been in the past, but he probably doesn't even deserve to be on a roster this year. Jordan Hicks has a definite chance to be a closer, but it's tough to bet on him as that guy now, either. The bullpen depth is decent, but knocking guys back a peg would help.

Their position players haven't performed like prototypical Cardinals. Beyond Matt Carpenter, José Martínez and Yadier Molina, none have been more than league-average hitters. The even larger problem, however, has been defense. Martinez has been a major liability at first base, and he can only get on the field if Carpenter is playing somewhere other than first. Dexter Fowler, who has moved to right field, has struggled in both areas, and Marcell Ozuna has also been a disappointment thus far.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Needs: Starting pitcher, reliever, second baseman

Top Prospects: RHP Mitch Keller, RHP Shane Baz, 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, SS Cole Tucker, OF Bryan Reynolds

If the Pirates are looking for Ivan Nova or Jameson Taillon to be an ace, they're doing themselves a disservice. Taillon is their only starter with an ERA below 4.00, and it's not by a lot. Unless they can find a way to add Jacob deGrom, there is no one player who will fix the rotational deficiencies.

The bullpen only goes four deep with reliable arms. That alone is problematic, but the larger concern is its youth. The team's oldest reliever is 28 years old. In other words, it's untested, which is generally the opposite of the postseason formula.

Josh Harrison is viewed as one of the top middle infield trade chips in baseball, but it's fair to question why that is the case. He's a utility player that can't play the defensive premium positions (shortstop and center field), but more importantly, he isn't a great hitter. His career OPS is almost exactly league average, and his .249.291/.340 slash line this season makes him almost uncarriable on a roster, especially at $10 million or higher each season through 2020. They don't only need to upgrade over him, they need him gone.

Washington Nationals

Needs: Starting pitcher, reliever, catcher

Top Prospects: OF Victor Robles, SS Carter Kieboom, RHP Erick Fedde, LHP Seth Romero, SS/2B Luis Garcia

The Nationals are much more qualified to be buyers than many of the teams listed above them. They have arguably the best pitcher in baseball, at least one of the most dynamic hitters in the league (who's also in his final season under contract), and a bevy of very talented complimentary players.

With that said, there's a reason why they're right at the .500 mark. Part of it is health, but it's also due to general holes. Entering the season, the No. 5 starter spot was the biggest question mark on the roster. A.J. Cole won the battle and was promptly designated for assignment. Jeremy Hellickson has been mostly good, but unreliable and injury prone. Fedde filled in and suffered a shoulder injury, just after Stephen Strasburg went down himself. Tanner Roark has struggled all season, and Gio Gonzalez has taken a major dip lately, as well, only making the need to add an arm more glaring.

The bullpen has been overworked. The top guys have pitched a lot, but the entire relief staff has been taxed too much off the mound, as well. Rookie manager Dave Martinez is still trying to get a feel for when to get guys warming up and ready to enter the game while also not risking sitting them down and restarting the process later.The Nationals already added Kelvin Herrera, but closer Sean Doolittle suffered a stress reaction in his foot and could be on the shelf for a while, neutralizing the move.

Many position players have been injured and playing themselves into shape up until this point. That is becoming less and less true as time goes on, and that adds the depth that the lineup — such as the one they trotted onto the fill on Saturday — appears to have on paper.

The lone exception is at catcher. Matt Wieters, who has already had two separate DL stints this season, has now seen his average drop below .200, and his power is effectively gone. His backups have been every bit as bad, hence the J.T. Realmuto rumors.

Take a look at Bryce Harper's production. Do you really think he'll continue to hit for that low of an average all season? Plus, he just had a sensational performance at the Home Run Derby. He is poised to heat up — even if it's only relative to where he has been thus far in 2018 — and that alone makes the Nationals a threat. They're clearly contenders for that reason, so expect them to flex their muscles a bit in the coming week.

It's doubtful that all of these teams will be looking for significant upgrades, but they are all within five games of a postseason berth. Upgrading in some area and experiencing one brief hot streak could be all it takes to get over the hump.

Up next, we'll analyze some of the top trade targets that these teams, as well as buyers in the AL, are surely analyzing, followed by an attempt to place them in organizations where they best fit.

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