Guerrero Jr., Crochet among coveted players ahead of MLB's trade deadline

PHOENIX (AP) — Unless you're the Chicago White Sox — yikes! — there's a lot of parity in Major League Baseball these days.

There are very few teams that look invincible. There aren't many teams that are flat-out awful. And since 12 out of the sport's 30 teams will make the playoffs in October, there is still some hope for most franchises.

Which brings us to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The moves have already started. The D-backs added left-hander A.J. Puk, the Mariners grabbed outfielder Randy Arozarena, the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the Orioles now have right-hander Zach Eflin.

A handful of players still on the market — think Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or the White Sox's Garrett Crochet — could swing a playoff race.

The Arizona Diamondbacks squeezed into the playoffs with an 84-78 record last season, went on a crazy run, and made it all the way to the World Series before losing to the Texas Rangers. The D-backs were bold at last year's trade deadline — adding closer Paul Sewald and outfielder Tommy Pham — which helped them excel over the final months.

The D-backs have been busy again around 2024's deadline, grabbing Puk to solidify the bullpen. Arizona GM Mike Hazen said because so many teams are interested in improving, he made the decision to try and beat the pack. The D-backs gave up prized minor league prospect Deyvison De Los Santos in the trade with the Marlins that landed Puk.

“You just can't say you want to go and improve your team and then not go and do it,” Hazen said. “That sometimes mean paying a little more, or adding a second player to get it done.”

Here are a few more players on the market who could help a contender down the stretch:

1B VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR., BLUE JAYS

Guerrero is a four-time All-Star but still just 25 years old. He also has a year of control remaining before he hits the market after the 2025 season. That means the Blue Jays will almost certainly want a huge haul to part ways with the slugger, who was batting .297 with 18 homers heading into Saturday's games. Some of Guerrero's teammates — particularly lefty Yusei Kikuchi — could also be on the move.

3B LUIS RENGIFO, ANGELS

The 27-year-old Rengifo has defensive versatility, playing second, shorstop, third and can even handle a cameo in the outfield. He's also a strong hitter and has speed with a .308 batting average and 23 stolen bases. Like Guerrero, he has a year of control remaining on his contract.

DH BRENT ROOKER, ATHLETICS

The 29-year-old slugger is a late bloomer who has been a bright spot for the A's over the past couple years. He's hit 55 homers over the past two seasons and was an All-Star in 2023. He's still under team control for the next three seasons, but considering Oakland is in the midst of a rebuild, his value might never be higher.

LHP GARRETT CROCHET, WHITE SOX

The 25-year-old made the move to the rotation this season and has responded with an All-Star campaign, leading the American League with 157 strikeouts in just 111 1/3 innings. His huge upside is mitigated by the fact that he missed the entire 2022 season and much of 2023 after having Tommy John surgery. It's anyone's guess how his arm will respond to the added workload. He has two years of team control remaining after this season. His teammate — outfielder Luis Robert Jr. — should also garner ample interest.

RHP JACK FLAHERTY, TIGERS

The 28-year-old has re-established himself as one of the game's better pitchers with a 7-5 record, 2.95 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 106 2/3 innings. The Tigers are still hanging around the edges of the AL wild-card race, so they might not be sellers, but teams will certainly be asking about Flaherty.

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