We will be keeping you updated on the lastest news and rumors as Friday's MLB trade deadline apporaches.
THE RUMOR: MLB executives are "absolutely convinced" that Tigers lefty David Price is going to wind up with the Dodgers.
REPORTED BY: USA Today's Bob Nightengale
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THE DETAILS: The Dodgers will have to fork over top pitching prospect Julio Urias to get it done, but may have to up their price since the Yankees, Blue Jays and Astros plan to put in serious bids for the former Cy Young winner.
THIS SEASON: Price has lost two of his past three outings, but is still 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a great 138:29 K:BB ratio. Urias is 5-5 with a 2.69 ERA in 49 games started in the Dodgers minor league system since the Dodgers signed him as a 16-year-old.
OUR TAKE: Now just 18-years-old, Urias is the No. 2 Dodgers prospect behind Corey Seager and has every bit as much potential to become the next David Price. His three-pitch repertoire of fastball, curveball, and changeup have fooled batters to the tune of 234 strikeouts in 190 2/3 innings pitched. For comparison, Clayton Kershaw had 239 punch outs over 198 1/3 innings in 2014 when he won the NL MVP award. Granted the big leagues are a lot different that the minors, but you can see the type of potential Urias has.
As the Tigers fall further away from the AL Wild Card, they need to make a move with Price and Yoenis Cespedes, who will both be free agents next season. The Tigers will likely look at what the Phillies received from the Rangers for Cole Hamels (Matt Harrison and five prospects) and use that as leverage as the try to "reboot" for next season. The Yankees, Blue Jays and Astros do have deep farm systems to pull it off, especially the Yankees with prospects Aaron Judge in the outfield, first baseman Greg Bird and right-hander Luis Severino.
Since Price may turn out to be a rental unlike Hamels, who will paid $22.5 million each of the next three seasons, teams may be hesitant to unload such a big haul of prospects. The Rangers were second on our 2015 farm system ranks and they landed Hamels, could the Cubs, who sit at No. 1 pull off a big trade to get Price? The top-heavy Blue Jays farm has studs Aaron Sanchez, Daniel Norris and Dalton Pompey, while the Astros could send 2013 No. 1 pick Mark Appel and company to Detroit.