Rumor Roundup: A Monster Myers Move?

­­­­Wil Myers on his way out of Tampa Bay?

In case this offseason hasn’t already provided enough excitement and movement on the trade market, we’ve got the latest potential blockbuster trade to hit the rumor mill:

Sources: #Padres, #Rays discussing significant trade. Talks involve a number of players. Wil Myers would be main piece going to SD.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2014

Just two seasons after the Rays acquired Myers from the Royals as the centerpiece of their trade for James Shields, it appears that the 24-year-old outfielder could be on the move again.

As for the package the Rays could expect to receive in return for Myers, Jim Bowden of ESPN hears that prized catching prospect Austin Hedges has been discussed as a possible piece. Hedges, one of the top defensive backstops in the minor leagues, would be a sensible target for Tampa Bay, which prioritizes defense behind the plate enough that they were willing to give Jose Molina 247 plate appearances last season.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweeted that San Diego pitching prospect Burch Smith is being discussed as a trade chip that could head to Tampa Bay and Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish also mentioned that the Rays have recently inquired about pitching prospects R.J. Alvarez and Matt Wisler. Cotillo speculated that Alvarez, Wisler and Smith have likely been discussed in trade talks.

But as it turns out, this could end up being more than a straight swap between the Padres and Rays; a third #MysteryTeam is rumored to be entering the fray:

Sense among those in the know is that while Padres-Rays deal involving Wil Myers is straight-up, players dealt could be on the move again.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 17, 2014

Could be a similar situation to what happened with Andrew Heaney: traded to one team, onto another. GMs these days always five steps ahead.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 17, 2014

The idea of Tampa Bay shopping Myers is surprising considering he has five years of team control remaining and his value is at its lowest point. After an outstanding rookie campaign in 2013, Myers struggled through an injury-plagued sophomore season in which he posted a dreadful .231 True Average. Earlier this month, the BP Prospect staff listed Myers atop Tampa Bay’s 25-and-under list “despite the down year and the questions surrounding his plate coverage and aggressive approach” and “due to the tools-based upside he possesses as a first-division outfielder.”

Reports are indicating that there is growing optimism that the Rays plan on dealing their young slugger but it remains unlikely that they would do so without getting a major haul in return. The other pieces included in the deal and the possibility of a third team involved should be the talk of the trade market in the coming days.

Seattle still in on Ian Desmond

On Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal wrote that earlier this offseason the Mariners had rejected a trade proposal from the Nationals that would have sent Jordan Zimmermann and Ian Desmond to Seattle in exchange for Taijuan Walker and Brad Miller. By rejecting the offer, the Mariners have made it clear that they’re unwilling to push all their chips into the 2015 season if it comes at the expense of their long-term plans. However, Chris Cotillo reported yesterday that the Mariners remain a possible destination for Desmond.

Cotillo’s tweet comes at the end of a day in which the Mariners have been rumored to be close to acquiring a right-handed bat. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN first tweeted that he heard that Seattle was close to trading for a hitter and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times later tweeted that he expects the team to announce a trade within the next two to three days.

The obvious need for the Mariners to fill is in right field and it’s more likely that the rumored trade Crasnick and Divish are hearing involves a corner bat heading to Seattle. However, Desmond has been one of the top shortstops in the league the past two seasons and would be an immediate upgrade over a Brad Miller/Chris Taylor combination. The question remaining is how much future talent Seattle would be willing to part with to acquire an impact up-the-middle talent for a potential 2015 playoff run.

Teams inquiring about Garrett Jones

The Marlins continued their busy offseason yesterday by inking Michael Morse to a two-year deal that Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports is worth $16 million with performance bonuses.

Morse has shown minimal platoon splits over his career and it’s unlikely that the Marlins would fork up $8 million a year for Morse to serve the short end of a platoon with Garrett Jones. Jones was a righty killer during his early days in Pittsburgh but has since declined to being a below-average hitting first baseman that only managed just a .740 OPS against right-handed pitchers over the past two seasons.

The most likely role for Jones next season would be as a left-handed bat off the bench who could occasionally spell Morse at first base or play corner outfield when needed. But with the Fish on the hook for $5 million in Jones’ final season before free agency, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com writes that it is most likely that Jones will be dealt and that the club has already fielded several calls from teams interested in acquiring the 33-year-old.

Frisaro did not specify which teams had inquired about Jones but it seems unlikely that the Marlins would be able to get too much in return for an aging first baseman that is a defensive liability. Preliminary PECOTA projections peg Jones barely above replacement level and the presence of Justin Bour as a serviceable left-handed first base alternative off the bench makes Jones even more expendable for the Marlins.