4:14 PM EST: It's been one of the most exciting trading deadlines in recent memory. We at Vavel Sports thank you for following along with our coverage. This is Harold Connett signing off and one again thank you for being with us.
4:08 PM EST: Who has the better rotation in the American League? The Oakland Athletics with Lester, Samardzija, Hammel, Gray, and Kazmir or Detroit Tigers with Verlander, Scherzer, Price, Sanchez, and Porcello. What a day in Major League Baseball.
4:02 PM EST: How good is the Detroit Tigers rotation? They now have the last three AL Cy Young winners: Scherzer, Price, and Verlander.
3:57 PM EST: The temptation to get David Price was too much for the Tigers as they have traded Drew Smyly, a player who they refused all day to give up.
3:56 PM EST: Seattle Mariners were the other team. Austin Jackson has just been removed from the Tigers game and will be shipped to Seattle.
3:55 PM EST: The trades today in the American League have completely changed the makeup of two division leaders, Athletics and Tigers, and made the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox a contender again come 2015.
3:51 PM EST: No word as of yet if there is a third team involved in Price trade to Detroit. If Price has been moved to Detroit then the Tigers have checked the Athletics trade for Jon Lester. What an exciting postseason we are in for.
3:49 PM EST: Ken Rosenthal reporting on MLB Network that the Detroit Tigers have traded for David Price. Unconfirmed report at this moment.
3:48 PM EST: Red Sox still making moves right up to the deadline as they have traded SS Stephen Drew to hated rival New York Yankees.
3:44 PM EST: Phillies may have more luck making moves at the waiver deadline next month.
3:43 PM EST: Phillies have to be the most disappointed club today as with 17 minutes remaining they have not been able to move any of their players.
3:36 PM EST: Rumors flying. Another scenario for Price three team trade has Seattle Mariners involved instead of Yankees.
3:35 PM EST: Joaquin Benoit still sitting in San Diego. Padres still searching for the right package.
3:30 PM EST: 30 minutes to go and all eyes are on Tampa Bay, Detroit, and New York as rumors swirl regarding three team deal involving David Price. Will it or won't it happen?
3:23 PM EST: Joel Sherman of the New York Post is reporting that the David Price trade is imminent and involving three teams, though he could not confirm the three team part. If true, that would explain the Yankees connection to Price trade as they would probably be picking up another player in the trade.
3:16 PM EST: Mark Fiensand, New York Yankees writer for New York Daily News is reporting that the Yankees are making a late hour push for David Price. I have no idea how the Yankees fashion a trade package when their minor league system doesn't have any Major League ready prospects that would tempt the Rays.
3:11 PM EST: Red Sox make another move as they trade left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to the Baltimore Orioles for left-handed pitching prospect Eduardo Rodriguez.
3:08 PM EST: NL East leading Washington Nationals have made a move. The Nationals pick up SS Asdrubal Cabrera from the Cleveland Indians for SS Zack Walters.
2:05 PM EST: MLB Network reporting that St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix for David Price along with Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners. They are also reporting that Pittsburgh Pirates are now a slight favorite. Isn't speculation a wonderful art?
3:02 PM EST: Taking a look at the division leaders: AL East leading Baltimore Orioles still searching for an arm in their rotation. AL Central leading Detroit Tigers searching for the right package for David Price that does not include Drew Smyly. AL West leading Oakland A's have rocked the trade market with their acquisition of Jon Lester. NL East leading Washington Nationals have been quiet. NL Central leading Milwauke Brewers acquired outfielder Gerardo Parra from the Arizona Diamondbacks. NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers still hunting for bullpen help.
2:56 PM EST: Trade news has slowed with just about an hour to go. Calm before the storm so take a deep breath and get ready for the final flurry.
2:54 PM EST: MLB scores: White Sox 4 Tigers 4 T 5th. Rockies 0 Cubs 0 T 3rd.
2:46 PM EST: Every time Tigers have inquired about a trade for a pitcher, the asking price has been Smyly. Tigers have refused to give up the lefty and it has ended trade discussions with teams.
2:43 PM EST: Rays want LHP Drew Smyly from the Tigers as part of package for Price. Tigers are very reluctant to give him up.
2:39 PM EST: Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers working hard to come up with package that can beat out Pirates for Price.
2:35 PM EST: Seattle Mariners have sent minor league pitchers Stephen Kohlscheen and Abraham Almonte to San Diego in Denorfia trade.
2:31 PM EST: Price to Pirates is about done according to several sources. Minor League outfielder Josh Bell and pitcher Tyler Glasnow are names being mentioned as part of Pirates package for Price. Everyone is being cautioned that deal is not a done deal.
2:27 PM EST: Dodgers once again have refused to part with their top prospects, Pederson, Seager, Urias. Rays apparently were making one last attempt to pry them from LA before pulling the trigger on Price trade. Pirates remain the front runner with 1 1/2 hours to go before deadline.
2:21 PM EST: Word out of Tampa Bay is that the Pittsburgh Pirates are now the front runner for David Price.
2:19 PM EST: According to MLB.com, The Seattle Mariners have acquired outfielder Chris Denorfia from the San Diego Padres.
2:17 PM EST: The New York Yankees have made a move but it isn't a trade yet. The Yankees have claimed pitcher Esmil Rogers off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.
2:15 PM EST: Also in the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers have acquired outfielder Gerardo Parra from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor leaguers Mitch Haniger and pitcher Anthony Banda
2:11 PM EST: With the moves that division rival St. Louis Cardinals have made, the Pittsburgh Pirates are moving forward aggressively in pursuit of David Price.
2:06 PM EST: Latest David Price trade information: Trade to Los Angeles Dodgers is a growing possibility with minor league outfielder Joc Pederson's name being prominently mentioned.
2:04 PM EST: The New York Yankees also confirm that Byrd trade report is false.
2:02 PM EST: Sherman states that a fake Twitter account using his name is the source of the false reports that are now circulating regarding the Byrd trade.
2:01 PM EST: Joel Sherman with New York Post is reporting that Byrd report is false and the trade has not yet happened.
1:56 PM EST: Jim Bowden of ESPN is confirming that the Byrd trade has been completed.
1:56 PM EST: Word coming out of New York is that the Yankees have made the trade for Marlon Byrd. Awaiting more information.
1:53 PM EST: The Rays came into today with the mindset that unless they were overwhelmed with an unbeliveable offer they would keep Price. The Dodgers have the payroll and the players to take on Price. The trades the Cardinals have made in the last few hours may have lit a fire under the Dodgers to make the move. Will be interesting to see who it is and what they are giving up.
1:47 PM EST: MLB Network's Joel Sherman is reporting that David Price WILL be traded to an unknown team by 4 PM EDT deadline.
1:43 PM EST: Giants continuing to talk with Rangers in attempt to work out deal for outfielder Alex Rios.
1:34 PM EST: 2 1/2 hours to go until the deadline and the Yankees are quiet. Orioles still searching for starting pitching and Dodgers hunting for bullpen help and maybe another starter.
1:25 PM EST: Red Sox aren't done yet! According to Jon Morosi, the Red Sox are working on a deal to trade left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to the Detroit Tigers.
1:18 PM EST: The Athletics have decided that pitching is the way to win the AL West over the Angels and their power bats that include Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. They have left a big hole in the middle of their lineup by trading away Yoenis Cespedes. Its a gamble that Billy Beane must be confident will work out as the A's search for their first World Series appearance since 1990.
1:11 PM EST: John Lackey has only made one career appearance in St. Louis which came in Game 4 of last year's World Series.
1:07 PM EST: Derrick Goold, St Louis Post-Dispatch's Cardinals beat writer is reporting that Cardinals players and those traded are completely stunned by the moves that have been made by their club over the last few hours.
12:57 PM EST: If the Red Sox can manage to resign Jon Lester in the offseason then today would have to go down as the greatest day of trades for one team in MLB history,
12:56 PM EST: If you have questions or comments you can reach me on Twitter @haroldjlconnett or [email protected].
12:54 PM EST: The Red Sox are dumping players but are receiving quality in return. Not what you usually see from a last place team at the trading deadline. Of course, you don't often see a World Series Champion in last place at the deadline.
12:51 PM EST: Peter Gammons is reporting that the Red Sox will receive pitcher Joe Kelly and right fielder Allen Craig from the Cardinals for John Lackey.
12:47 PM EST: In the last 10 days the Red Sox have traded away three of their five starters from last year's World Series: Jake Peavy, Jon Lester, and John Lackey. Wow! What a difference a year makes for the World Series Champions.
12:40 PM EST: News beginning to break that the St. Louis Cardinals have acquired John Lackey from the Boston Red Sox.
12:39 PM EST: The Colorado Rockies have designated third baseman Ryan Wheeler for assignment. I don't expect much in the way of a big trading day for the Rockies.
12:36 PM EST: An example of the kind of issues that the Phillies are having to deal with when trying to move their players. Marlon Byrd's contract calls for Byrd to receive $8 million in 2015 with an $8 million vesting option for 2016. Byrd also has a no-trade clause which must be dealt with before he goes anyhwere.
12:24 PM EST: The Dodgers and Yankees are both attempting to work out a trade with the Padres for reliever Joaquin Benoit according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
12:21 PM EST: Money is the main reason the Phillies are unable to move anybody as of yet. Many clubs have been unable to take on the financial obligations that are stilled owed to the players on their contracts.
12:21 PM EST: Phillies continue talks with Yankees regarding Marlon Byrd. Royals are beginning to fall out of contention for Byrd due to financial constraints. Yankees looking more and more like a fit but nothing is settled as of yet.
12:18 PM EST: The Baltimore Orioles are still in need of pitching and have contacted the New York Mets regarding Bartolo Colon.
12:13 PM EST: Since the Jon Lester trade to the Oakland A's the activity regarding David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays has increased significantly. Will the Rays make the decision that their recent hot streak is for real and keep their prized lefty? Or will the Rays make the trade and look to 2015? Stay tuned right here for the latest information.
12:10 PM EST: This is Harold Connett back from the night shift and ready to take you through the coming hours as our MLB Trade Deadline coverage continues here on Vavel Sports.
12:03 PM EST: One thing to look for over these next few hours will be how aggressive the "small-market" franchises are. The Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates are both right in the thick of the playoff races in their leagues.
11:58 AM EST: During these kinds of events always remember to check your sources. Verify that who you are getting your information from is the real deal. It looks as though MLB Network was duped by a fake Ken Rosenthal account.
11:54 AM EST: Rumblings around the water cooler are saying that talks for David Price have increased after the Lester deal was announced.
11:52 AM EST: Where will the next big chip fall? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.
11:43 AM EST: My VAVEL USA colleague Liam McMahon had this to say about today's trades for the Oakland A's, "Given that the A's have now picked up another outfielder with some pop, it seems likely that Fuld and Gomes will form some sort of platoon in an effort to replace Cespedes' production. Even though Billy Beane is going all in with Jon Lester, he clearly is still somewhat thinking about Moneyball with his replacement of Cespedes."
11:34 AM EST: It seems like we've hit a bit of a lull right now. The trade deadline is set for 4:00 PM EST.
11:30 AM EST: David Ortiz just tweeted a good-bye message to Jon Lester in the last few minutes. He said "Wishing my man Jon Lester all the best, Red Sox Nation and the Large Father will miss you!"
11:26 AM EST: One player that we will be looking is David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are currently 5.5 games out for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Could this be the year that they finally let him go?
11:22 AM EST: The Kansas City Royals are in talks for A.J. Burnett from the Philadelphia Phillies. Ken Rosenthal tweets that there is "no indication that a deal is close."
11:17 AM EST: An update to the Milone for Fuld deal. The Twins have sent Milone down to Triple-A Rochester for the time being. Kennys Vargas is replacing Fuld's spot on the roster.
11:12 AM EST: Another name that is being tossed around is Phillies outfielder Marlon Byrd. He seems to be the best power hitter available but his $8 million contract in 2015 while he is 36-years-old currently could be a snag for any potential suitors.
11:04 AM EST: Apparently the A's had a Yoenis Cespedes T-Shirt giveaway scheduled for this Saturday. Oops.
11:02 AM EST: Jon Morosi of FOX Sports 1 has tweeted out that the A's-Twins deal is complete. Tommy Milone goes to Minnesota for outfielder Sam Fuld.
11:00 AM EST: The Twins have reportedly called up 23-year-old Kennys Vargas. A move that could be trade-related, hold on folks today is going to be a fun day!
10:55 AM EST: Ken Rosenthal is reporting that a source has told him that the A's have indeed traded Tommy Milone to the Minnesota Twins. As of now, that is all we have heard. We'll see if that news breaks shortly.
10:51 AM EST: Yes, there is a lot of talk that maybe the A's paid too much for Lester who is obviously a "rental" player and will not sign long-term with the club. Billy Beane though must see something special with this group of players because he is going all-in for the club's first championship since 1989.
10:45 AM EST: As mentioned earlier but my colleagues, the power possessed by Cespedes in the tiny confines of Fenway Park could result in a huge number of home runs for the Red Sox over the next season and a half.
10:43 AM EST: Good morning, my name is Matthew Evans and I'll be filling in for the next bit of time. How about that trade this morning? The MLB-leading Oakland A's adding another ace to their already sterling rotation.
10:39 AM EST: A’s could now use Tommy Milone to get a bat to replace Cespedes.
10:36 AM EST: Now the Pirates and Cardinals are left scrambling. Does one of them pony up for Price?
10:33 AM EST: The Angels are only 2.5 games back of the Athletics in the AL West. Do they now look to make a big splash?
10:28 AM EST: Considering they were losing Lester at the end of this season anyways, I see no way the Red Sox lost this deal. You could argue that Oakland should not have made this trade, but I see it as a win for both sides.
10:24 AM EST: Cespedes will become a costless agent after next season, and the Red Sox will certainly look to re-acquire Lester in costless agency this off-season (I doubt he returns though).
10:19 AM EST: Cespedes will have scary power playing a majority of his games in Fenway though. I expect 35-40 homeruns out of him next season.
10:17 AM EST: After years of bowing out in the post-season, the Athletics are making sure that they have built a team who will have playoff success this year.
10:15 AM EST: What a way to kick off the day of the trade deadline. It was getting very slow there for a while, but boy did things pick up quickly!
10:10 AM EST: Oakland’s playoff rotation will now be: Lester, Gray, Samardzija and Kazmir. Absolutely loaded.
10:07 AM EST: Boston will also receive Oakland’s competitive balance draft pick next season, with cash considerations also heading to the A’s.
10:04 AM EST: After trading Addison Russell earlier this month and now Cespedes, the A’s are mortgaging the future for a World Series ring this season. Beane and his staff rightly believe that this team is set up to win now, and they are going for the jugular.
10:01 AM EST: The A’s are going to be a very tough team to deal with in the playoffs. Their pitching staff is incredible, and they will be very hard to beat in a short playoff series. This move is them going All In for this season. It does not set them up well for the future, but that does not matter now. Billy Beane is pushing all of his chips in the middle.
9:57 AM EST: Also being confirmed by Ken Rosenthal. Cespedes has two years remaining on his deal at $21 million.
9:54 AM EST: Passan confirms the deal as well. Cespedes heading to Boston for Lester. Unbelieveable.
9:52 AM EST: If this is true, the Red Sox did an absolute incredible job of getting value in this deal, and I question what the A’s are thinking.
9:49 AM EST: Alex Speier of WEEI in Boston is reporting that Lester and Gomes are heading to Oakland for Yoenis Cespedes! WHOA!
9:45 AM EST: Passan saying Lester is heading to the West Coast. Billy Beane and the A’s are the obvious connection.
9:42 AM EST: Team trading for Lester is still unknown.
9:40 AM EST: Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets: “Source: Jon Lester has been traded.”
9:38 AM EST: While Lester appears to be their main focus, the Red Sox are interested in moving RHP John Lackey as well. Pirates, Royals and Marlins have had rumored interest.
9:31 AM EST: Buster Olney just mentioned Arizona OF Gerardo Parra as a possible target for the Yankees.
9:27 AM EST: Emilio Bonifacio remains likely to be dealt by the Cubs at some point today. He is a valuable player who simply makes more sense on a contending team. Royals and Giants are the teams most mentioned on Bonifacio.
9:24 AM EST: Jon Heyman reports that the Orioles have “Inquired on Colon.” Mets appear uncertain whether they should trade him or not.
9:17 AM EST: This is purely speculation on my part, but I could certainly envision a scenario today where the Pirates land Lester, and the Cardinals respond by upping the ante and make a deal for Price. They certainly have the prospects to make the deal work. These two teams are both fighting it out (with the Brewers) for the NL Central crown, and adding a high impact starter like Lester or Price could catapult either team straight to the top.
9:13 AM EST: Price rumors are certainly starting to heat up again.
9:09 AM EST: Interesting tweet from Ken Rosenthal. "Expecting someone to take a big run at #Rays Price today. Exec said, "Wouldn't they have already?" Yes, but wild things happen on final day."
9:02 AM EST: While most see Lester ending up in Pittsburgh or St. Louis, do not count out Beane and the A’s. They are clearly going for it this season, and Lester would certainly help them out.
9:00 AM EST: Jerry Crasnick of ESPN just tweeted “After seeing how Jason Hammel has pitched, I can buy the idea of #athletics making a big Lester push today.” After pitching fantastically with the Cubs, Hammel has been awful in his four starts with the A’s. He is 0-4 with a 9.53 ERA and 2.118 WHIP since joining Oakland earlier this month.
8:57 AM EST: Slow morning thus far, but I still expect things to pick up fairly soon. So many moving parts on the day of the deadline with all teams talking to each other.
8:46 AM EST: According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, four teams have called the Indians about SS Asdrubal Cabrera. The Nationals, Blue Jays and two un-named clubs.
8:41 AM EST: Very informative interview with one of the best in the business, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.
8:39 AM EST: Heyman also claims that the Yankees are focusing on Joaquin Benoit of the Padres, and he does not see the Mets making a deal unless Colon is moved.
8:36 AM EST: Heyman says Seattle and Kansas City needs to be the most aggressive team today, with Boston being the most interesting team. Both Seattle and KC have not won anything in recent memory and need to take advantage of this chance.
8:34 AM EST: Heyman also said that he strongly expects Lester to be moved, and thinks a Price move is certainly possible.
8:33 AM EST: Jon Heyman just said on WFAN 660 AM that he would be “shocked” if the Rockies traded either Troy Tulowitzki or Carlos Gonzalez.
8:31 AM EST: The Seattle Mariners should be an interesting team today. Looking for offense and pitching across the board. I would be surprised if they did nothing today.
8:25 AM EST: The Athletics' inclusion in recent Lester rumors is interesting to me. Billy Beane proved in the Samardzija trade with the Cubs that he is going for it this season. However, after trading their top two prospects (Addison Russell Billy McKinney) to the Cubs in that deal, it is hard to see what they have left that could entice the Red Sox.
8:22 AM EST: Dodgers appear to be out on Lester according to Peter Gammons. Pirates, Cardinals and Athletics appear to be his most likely destinations. I still think Lester gets dealt. The Red Sox have no reason to hold on to him anymore.
8:08 AM EST: Starting pitching appears to be on the top of the list for the Royals. Ian Kennedy, Bartolo Colon, A.J. Burnett and John Lackey would all make a ton of sense for them.
8:01 AM EST: It will be interesting to see if the Royals do anything today. They are right in the thick of things at 54-52 and it has been a long time since they have been to the post-season. I expect them to make at least a minor move or two at some point today.
7:44 AM EST: Buster Olney just tweeted that Mark Appel had a good first outing in Double-A last night. Appel (2013 first overall pick by Houston Astros) has struggled a bit in his short professional career, so it is nice to see him start strong at Double-A.
7:40 AM EST: While it appears unlikely that the D-Backs actually trade Miley (he is only 27-years-old), it is interesting that his name is being mentioned. Miley was fantastic as a rookie and has been very solid ever since, he would be a good pick-up for the Marlins or any other team.
7:38 AM EST: The Miami Marlins have made it no secret that they are looking for starting pitching help. One name that appeared interesting to me when mentioned in connection to them is Diamondbacks’ LHP Wade Miley.
7:19 AM EST: I still think it is unlikely, but if a team (Cardinals?) gets desperate, Price could easily be moved, if said team is willing to pony up the prospects.
7:18 AM EST: David Price being traded appears to be a longshot at this point, but while the Tampa Bay Rays are playing much better recently, they have not made up any ground in the AL East standings. I also find it interesting that nobody in the organization has said that they were not trading Price yet.
7:12 AM EST: Most scouts expect Castillo to be able to handle centerfield in the big leagues, and he has the upside to be a top of the order hitter. Tons of teams are in on Castillo right now, and he is currently holding private workouts.
7:11 AM EST: Not exactly trade deadline related, but interesting nonetheless. 27-year-old Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo is expected to make his decision fairly soon. He has great speed and athleticism, and while his skills are raw, he is very talented. Castillo may not be on the level of Yasiel Puig or Jose Abreu, but he has a chance to be a very good MLB player.
7:04 AM EST: How do the Phillies think being inactive at the deadline is the right move? It is beyond time to tear that dumpster fire down and start from scratch. Must be rough being a fan of that team right now.
7:02 AM EST: Buster Olney's latest tweet agrees with my take on the Phillies. "What's most surprising about PHI's inaction is this: It's so clear that the current team/plan isn't working. In the standings,or the stands."
7:00 AM EST: The market for left-handed relief pitchers appears to have a lot of competition. Andrew Miller (Boston), Neil Cotts (Texas), Tony Sipp (Houston), Antonio Bastardo (Philadelphia), Alex Torres (San Diego), James Russell (Cubs) and Wesley Wright (Cubs) are all readily available and would help many contenders.
6:49 AM EST: Asdrubal Cabrera is an interesting name who is being shopped. The Cleveland Indians’ shortstop becomes a costless agent this off-season, and while he has struggled this season, he certainly has some value. The Washington Nationals are looking for some help along the infield, and have reportedly checked in on Cabrera.
6:44 AM EST: Chicago White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham would be another interesting 2B option for the Giants. While he will never set the world on fire offensively, he is a great defender who you can always count on. The White Sox seem motivated to move him as well.
6:29 AM EST: Keep an eye on the Cubs’ outfield duo of Justin Ruggiano and Chris Coghlan today. Both players have been very good this season, and while they could each represent some value to the Cubs next season, they would surely deal them for the right price.
6:22 AM EST: My gut tells me that Lester ends up with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they look to make a big move for the stretch run. That would make them the favorites in the NL Central in my eyes.
6:21 AM EST: I think the Red Sox do end up dealing Jon Lester at some point today, and most will be surprised on the light return they receive. He is good, no doubt about that, but he is in the last year of his deal with an extension seeming to be impossible at this point. Sure, there are a few teams involved and that will drive up the price, but I think Boston fans will be somewhat disappointed in the return.
6:15 AM EST: Their reported offer to the Dodgers of Cole Hamels for Joc Pederson, Julio Urais and Corey Seager is an absolute joke. Sure, Hamels is a good, established MLB pitcher, but his massive contract offers almost zero value. Pederson, Urais and Seager are all commonly thought of as top 30ish prospects in the entire game. That offer was complete trash.
6:13 AM EST: The Phillies are a baffling team to me right now. At 47-61, they are in last place in the NL East with no signs of getting better anytime soon. On top of that, they are a team full of expensive veterans who are far past their prime. This team should be trying to get rid of some of these guys for pennies on the dollar, but Ruben Amaro is asking for the moon on all of his players.
6:07 AM EST: The Giants would make the most sense for me when it comes to Bonifacio. They have a huge hole at 2B that he could fill on a regular basis, while giving them incredible flexibility on defense. With so many teams interested, the Cubs will not just give him away, but the Giants appear to be the team who should be most motivated in landing him.
6:05 AM EST: Emilio Bonifacio still appears to be on the move for the Cubs. Plenty of teams appear to be interested in the versatile utility-man, as he is an ideal bench candidate. Bonifacio said after last night’s game that his agent told him he would be moved before the deadline, but the receiving team was still unknown. Royals, Giants and Mariners have all commonly been connected to the speedy utility player.
5:59 AM EST: Good morning ladies and gentleman! As Kevin just told you, my name is Dan Schmelzer, and I am here as your host for the next few hours. It appears that things have been fairly quiet on the trade front throughout the night, but expect things to pick up, as teams collect themselves for the deadline at 4 PM ET.
5:53 AM EST: Alright everyone, this is Kevin Charity, and I am out. My man Dan Schmelzer will be taking over. It's been fun. Hopefully we will see some deals soon!
5:43 AM EST: Buster Olney tweets that the Phillies aren't close to any moves. There have been a few reports that the team is willing to eat millions to bring in some young talent. As of now, Cole Hamels, is not moving, nor is Cliff Lee. No one wants to touch Ryan Howard. The Phillies are in a bad spot.
5:19 A.M. EST: With all of the players that will be switching teams, it is also interesting to see what prospects could move. We saw #7 MLB.com prospect Addision Russell get moved for Jeff Samardzija, but would any other prospects switch organizations? I already mentioned Corey Seager, but Dodgers prosect Joc Pederson is another guy to look.
5:00 A.M. EST: Not really a trade rumor, but Eric Chavez has decided to hang up the spikes and retire. He is from my hometown of San Diego, California. The guy was an absolute beast early in his career with Oakland. If it weren't for injuries, he could have made the Hall of Fame. He retires right away, leaving $1 million on the table. Enjoy the next phase of your career, Eric!
4:56 A.M. EST: Peter Gammons is up! He is tweeting away, but there is still no news to report. The baseball world is sleeping. If something breaks in the next hour, you will hear it here first!
4:34 A.M. EST: I am curious to see what the Dodgers are offering for Jon Lester. I have seen Corey Seager live and the kind can absolutely rake. He plays shortstop, but will probably need to slide to third. If I am Boston, he is the prospect that I am targeting.
4:15 A.M. EST: Nothing is going down here in the middle of the night. The biggest writers on Twitter have not had any morsels of information in several hours. As we get closer to the morning, we should start hearing more details.
4:06 A.M. EST: According to multiple sources, teams have called Houston about starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel, however, the Astros are reluctant to move him. Unless the Astros are overwhelmed, it makes little sense to move him. The Astros control him through 2019, and isn't even eligible for arbitration until 2016. He should be a guy that Houston should be building with.
3:48 A.M. EST: Joel Sherman of the New York Times reported that the Astros are trying to move the outfielder/DH, but there has not been a lot of traction on a deal. Carter is a slugger who reminds me of Rob Deer -- a guy with cartoonish power, but with an inability to do much else. He has 21 homers on the year, but he strikes out a ton and is awful defensively. He would be good for a team searching for some pop. The Mariners aren't interested. Perhaps Baltimore could be interested. Not much traction on Carter, however.
3:43 A.M. EST: The Houston Astros have made a ton of news lately with their failure to sign top pick Brady Aiken, but they have a few trade pieces that should interest a few contending teams. Lets take a look at Chris Carter.
3:17 A.M. EST: The Padres have an interesting dilemma with both Ian Kennedy and Joaquin Benoit. Kennedy is eligible for arbitration one last time in 2015, and Benoit is under contract for 2015, with a vesting option for 2016. Rumors have it that the Padres want to hold onto both players. I do not expect either player to change teams.
3:11 A.M. EST: The Padres have already moved Huston Street and Chase Headley. They have also fielded calls for Chris Denorfia, Ian Kennedy and Joaquin Benoit. The Royals and Mariners have been linked to Denorfia. I think Kansas City is the best fit for him. He historically mashes left-handed pitching and plays all three outfielders. The Padres have no incentive to hold onto him, as he is a costless agent after the season. I think Denorfia ends up with the Royals.
3:09 A.M. EST: First, lets breakdown some of the sellers. I am going to start with the San Diego Padres.
3:03 A.M. EST: Hello my fellow insomniacs and early risers! I am Kevin Charity and I cover the San Diego Padres for Vavel. Hopefully something will break here in the middle of the night. Anyway, I will make some predictions here. Buckle up and put another pot of coffee on!
3:00 A.M. EST: That is all for me, Harold Connett. I now hand you over to Kevin Charity for more MLB chat as Vavel Sports takes you up to the MLB Trade Deadline at 4:00 PM EDT.
2:55 A.M. EST: Zach Grienke had another great night for a potent Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff. In the Dodgers extra inning win over the Atlanta Braves, Grienke pitched eight innings, giving up just one run on five hits, striking out 13 and walking one.
2:49 A.M. EST: Baltimore Orioles continue to lead the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East by 2 1/2 games. The Tampa Bay Rays are 17-6 since July 1 and sit eight games back in the division, 5 1/2 games out of the wild card. With 54 games remaining do the Rays have a chance to pass the five teams in front of them to at least clinch a wild card? That is the decision that the Rays must decide today before the 4 PM EDT trade deadline. If they are in the playoff chase then they hold on to David Price. If not then they make the trade that brings in someone's prized minor league talent. I say they are in it and hold on to Price.
2: 24 A.M. EST: After a 16 inning marathon on Tuesday night between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs, the two teams only needed 10 innings on Wednesday as the Rockies won 6-4. Brandon Barnes hit a RBI single in the 10th to break the tie and Drew Stubbs followed home on a wild pitch by Cubs reliever Wesley Wright (0-2) to give the Rockies the victory. Rob Schahill (1-0) who was called up earlier in the day, pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.
2:17 A.M. EST: The San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 at AT&T Park. The Pirates led the game 5-4 in the sixth with runners on second and third. Chris Stewart drew a one-out walk and Travis Snider, standing at second, mistakenly thought there was a runner already at first and began heading toward third. Giants reliever Jean Machi received the ball back from the catcher and threw to shortstop Brandon Crawford who get Snider. Crawford threw the ball back to Machi who then threw to third baseman Pablo Sandoval to catch Gaby Sanchez leaning off the bag for the out. A double baserunning blunder that ended up snapping the Pirates three game winning streak and snapping the Giants six game losing streak.
2:03 A.M. EST: The Washington Nationals defeated the Miami Marlins 4-3 at Marlins Park to snap the Marlins' six-game winning streak. The Marlins scored two runs in the ninth off of Drew Storen to nearly pull off another comeback win. Tanner Roark (11-6) allowed on run in seven innings to pick up his fourth straight win.
1:56 A.M. EST: The stumbling Cincinnati Reds, 2-10 since the All-Star Break, continue to fall as they lose 5-4 to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ballpark. The Diamondbacks win the series as Wade Miley (7-7) improves to 4-1 in his last five starts. Devin Mesoraco hit a three-run homer off of Addison Reed in the ninth to pull the Reds to within a run. The Reds' four runs snapped the club's streak of 11 games scoring three runs or less, their longest since 1967.
1:40 A.M. EST: J.P. Howell (3-3) picks up the win for the Dodgers while David Hale (3-3) gets the loss. Matt Kemp goes 3-for-4 with two RBI's, his second RBI driving in the winning run.
1:36 A.M. EST: Matt Kemp singles to left, scoring Justin Turner to give the Dodgers the 3-2 victory in the bottom of the 10th.
1:36 A.M. EST: David Hale throws a wild pitch which advances winning run in Justin Turner to second.
1:33 A.M. EST: The Dodgers have the winning run on first with nobody out and Matt Kemp at the plate in the bottom of the 10th facing David Hale on the mound.
1:31 A.M. EST: San Diego Padres reliever Dale Thayer retires the St. Louis Cardinals in order in the ninth to clinch the 12-1 victory at Petco Park. Jesse Hahn (7-2) picks up the win for the Padres after pitching seven innings, giving up just one run on four hits. Jedd Gyorko goes 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI's.
1:26 A.M. EST: Finals in the National League have the New York Mets downing the Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 at Citi Field. Zach Wheeler (6-8) gives up just two runs in 6 2/3 innings while Daniel Murphy's three run homer in the fifth put the Mets in the lead for good.
1:20 A.M. EST: In the National League, two games are still in progress. In the top of the 10th inning the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied at two. Heading to the top of the ninth, the St. Louis Cardinals will be coming to bat with alot of work to do as they trail the San Diego Padres 12-1.
1:17 A.M. EST: Texas Rangers outfielder Alex Rios is a trade target of the Seattle Mariners and the San Francisco Giants.
1:14 A.M. EST: Due to John Lackey's low 2015 base salary of $500,000, teams not quite in contention like the Miami Marlins have made overtures to the Boston Red Sox in an attempt to acquire the right-hander.
1:10 A.M. EST: Jon Morosi promising that it will be a "lightning round" of trades heading up to 4 PM EDT trade deadline.
1:09 A.M. EST: Jon Morosi reporting on Fox Sports 1 that there will be alot of dramatics heading up to the 4 PM EDT deadline for Jon Lester.
1:04 A.M. EST: The Kansas City Royals scored three runs in the sixth inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 at Kauffman Stadium. Royals reliever Jason Fraser (2-1) came on with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth. He struck out Chris Colabello to end the inning without allowing a run.
12:55 A.M. EST: The Texas Rangers earned a rare series win and ruined Derek Jeter's farewell to Arlington in their 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Colby Lewis (7-8) pitched seven innings, retiring the last 13 batters he faced while giving up two runs on four hits in the win. Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda (7-7) took the loss.
12:49 A.M. EST: The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-1 at Fenway Park to sweep the series. Mark Beuhrle (11-7) pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on six hits to earn his first win since June 1. The rebounding Blue Jays have now won five straight.
12:41 A.M. EST: Detroit Tigers starter Max Scherzer (13-3) allowed just one run on five hits in seven innings of work as the Tigers down the Chicago White Sox 7-2. Jose Abreu singled in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games. The Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak.
12:30 A.M. EST: Corey Kluber is the only pitcher in MLB history to face 28 batters or less in consecutive starts lasting at least nine innings.
12:27 A.M. EST: Felix Hernandez has 14 straight starts of at least seven innings pitched while allowing two runs or less, the longest streak since 1900. Hernandez passed Tom Seaver who had 13 in 1971.
12:23 A.M. EST: Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber (11-6) continues to impress as he outdueled Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (11-3) in the Indians 2-0 win at Progressive Field. Kluber stepped forward to stake his claim to ace status on the same day that the Indians traded away opening day starter Justin Masterson to St. Louis. Kluber's complete game effort came on just 85 pitches. He added an exclamation point in the ninth when he retired the side on just eight pitches.
12:13 A.M. EST: The AL East leading Baltimore Orioles defeat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Rookie Kevin Gausman (5-3), who has emerged as a strength in the Orioles rotation, pitched seven strong innings while giving up just three runs on three hits. Gausman retired the first 14 batters he faced in his first. The Orioles have now won seven of their last nine games.
12:05 A.M. EST: From Ken Rosenthal: Cardinals and Pirates pushing the hardest for Jon Lester while Dodgers still remain in the running.
12:02 A.M. EST: Taking a look at the MLB scoreboard: In the American League the AL West leading Oakland A's had a terrible night in Houston as the Astros scored six runs in the first off of Jason Hammel to win 8-1. Astros starter Dallas Keuchel (10-7) tossed a four-hitter in his fourth complete game of the season. Hammel (0-4) continues to struggle for the A's and remains winless since the trade. He was 8-4 with the Chicago Cubs this season.
11:49 P.M. EST: A strange night in San Francisco as it was first reported that the Giants had enough of newly-acquired second baseman Dan Uggla and his 0-for-11 at the plate and had released him. Later on the report had been retracted and Uggla is still with the Giants.
11:42 P.M. EST: The Boston Red Sox, as of now still holding on to Jon Lester, have acquired lefty Felix Doubront from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later.
11:39 P.M. EST: This is Harold Connett and here is a quick recap of today's MLB trades: St. Louis Cardinals have traded for right-hander Justin Masterson from the Cleveland Indians for outfielder James Ramsey.
11:32 P.M. EST: It has been my pleasure to give you guys all the up to date action on the MLB Trade Deadline. I am Karl Capen, signing off and handing you over to Harold Connett who will take you East Coast people through the twilight hours and you West Coast people through your evening. Enjoy!
11:25 P.M. EST: According to Jon Morosi, he believes that Jon Lester WILL be traded tonight to either the Pittsburgh Pirates or Los Angeles Dodgers. Stay tuned to VAVEL USA everybody!
11:20 P.M. EST: Liam McMahon VAVEL USA: "Now that the Twins have said that Josh Willingham is not on the trading block, the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners have to look elsewhere for a corner outfielder with some power. A player they could look for is Marlon Byrd, but the fact that he is due $8 million next year could dissuade them from making a deal
11:10 P.M. EST: Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that the San Diego Padres are seeming more interested in trading relief pitcher Joaquin Benoit than Ian Kennedy. Although, there is still the strong possibility that the Padres won't make any trade with these players.
11:05 P.M. EST: Still do not believe the New York Mets are looking to trade away anybody. They are playing the best baseball they have in a long time and GM Sandy Alderson is skidish to trade away any top prospects or veterans at this time. Daniel Murphy was the Mets lone All-Star this year and his name has quietly been on the trade market. Doubt he will be shipped away though.
11:02 P.M. EST: Rosenthal also reports that the Washington Nationals are looking for another infielder to replace Ryan Zimmerman as he is on the DL. Names like Asdrubal Cabrera of the Indians and Daniel Murphy of the Mets have been floating around to suit their needs. Nothing confirmed for sure yet.
10:58 P.M. EST: Ken Rosenthal via Twitter states that Houston Astros ace pitcher Dallas Keuchel could be an interesting name floating around more tomorrow. Keuchel has no pennant race or playoff experiance