Throughout the season, the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week, we debated whether MLB should move the trade deadline back. This week, we’re going to tackle the contenders with the greatest deadline needs.
Which contender needs to be most aggressive at the trade deadline?
R.J. Anderson: I’ll go with the Cubs. They have all the incentive in the world to push to win that division, and they have the pieces to improve their roster meaningfully. I don’t think they have to burn the ships, so to speak, but I think they have the most at stake here.
Dayn Perry: I’ll say the Astros in a bit of a surprise. They’re in the market for a third baseman in light of Isaac Paredes’ uncertain status moving forward, and they also may make a move to fortify the rotation. As well, the Astros, like any other serious contender, will be monitoring the bullpen market. I think Houston will come out as one of the most active contenders.
Matt Snyder: The Yankees. Prime Aaron Judge is one of the biggest forces in MLB history, and at age 33, that clock is ticking. They haven’t won the World Series since 2009 and that’s an eternity in Yankees years. They just went to the World Series last season, but left a sour taste in the mouths of their fans. They have several holes on the roster, but the American League is the easier league this season and is wide open.
Mike Axisa: All of them? There isn’t a standout great team this season. All the top teams are flawed and have room for improvement. To pick one team, I’ll say the Cubs. They’re neck-and-neck with the Brewers in the NL Central and I think there are more ways for them to upgrade their roster than Milwaukee. Also, it’s their only guaranteed year with Kyle Tucker, so there should be some urgency. Every win the Cubs add at the deadline moves them closer to a division title and potentially a Wild Card Series bye, which would up their World Series odds enormously. I’ll say the Cubs with an honorable mention to the Astros, Dodgers, and Yankees.
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