One question for every team in the National League, 4 hours until the deadline

New York Times

2 days ago

Here are the most pressing questions as the time ticks down toward the MLB trade deadline:
They are selling, right? The Braves have talent, but they also have a terrible record and very little chance of making a playoff run. The assumption has been that they'll sell — especially DH Marcell Ozuna — but so far, they've made only a minor trade of Rafael Montero while actually acquiring a bunch of spare parts for their rotation. Are they going to do something of substance or not?
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How much is Sandy Alcantara worth? He's 29 years old with a 6.36 ERA, but Alcantara also won a Cy Young Award three years ago. He still has a huge fastball, and his last two starts have been excellent. So, what's that worth? Alcantara has been one of the market's most intriguing trade candidates, and negotiations could come down to the wire. (Related: Same question for Edward Cabrera.)
Is Luis Robert Jr. their answer in center field? The rival Phillies also had a need in center field, and they addressed it within the hour by trading for Harrison Bader. But the Mets are also in the center field market, where there is perhaps safety in Cedric Mullins, but there's risk-reward upside in Robert (there's also Alek Thomas of the Diamondbacks). It's possible the Mets could try to add offense elsewhere.
Have they done enough? The Phillies have been trying to win for a few years now, and Wednesday night, Dave Dombrowski made his boldest deadline move since taking over the team's baseball ops (Jhoan Durán). This afternoon, he's followed by addressing the team's hold in center field (Harrison Bader). Is that enough? The Phillies are good as it is. Bullpen and a right-handed bat were their biggest needs. Does Dombrowski have one more move in him?
Could anyone convince them to trade MacKenzie Gore? Trading Michael Soroka to the Cubs was easy. Soroka was a pending free agent on a team going nowhere, and the Nationals had no reason to keep him, but they also weren't going to get a ton for him. Gore, on the other hand, would bring back a bounty. Buyers seem to be interested. Could one of them make an offer the Nationals can't refuse?
Is Matt Shaw the answer at third base? Heading into this week, the Cubs were known to be exploring the market for third basemen, despite Shaw having gotten hot in recent weeks. But that third base market has largely dried up with Eugenio Suárez, Ryan McMahon, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Ramon Urías traded. We're kind of assuming the Cubs will eventually get a starting pitcher, but could they take a shot on Yoán Moncada, Willi Castro or one of the other possibilities at third base? Or, is it Shaw's position the rest of the way?
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Do they have a meaningful hole left to fill? The Reds have been aggressive, perhaps more aggressive than anyone would have suspected just a few weeks ago. They've traded for a third baseman (Ke'Bryan Hayes) and a starter (Zack Littell), getting creative by moving pieces around to ultimately address needs in the outfield and the bullpen. Their priorities have been addressed. Is there more for Nick Krall to do?
What do they want? The Brewers are a bit tough to figure out this deadline. They've certainly played their way into buyer status, but they've so far made only a move to supplement at catcher (Danny Jansen). They've reportedly been in the market for a left-handed first baseman and a late-inning reliever. They could get creative with some of their rotation depth. The Brewers are good, but what exactly are they going to do to get even better?
Are they going to make another significant move? Trading away Ke'Bryan Hayes was a fairly bold move that opened some payroll for the coming years, but it doesn't mean the Pirates are fully selling. In fact, reporting suggests they're planning to hold only Mitch Keller, and it's no sure thing they'll trade either David Bednar or Dennis Santana. Could they be convinced to sell more meaningfully, or is it going to be just Hayes and maybe some rentals? Sounds like the Yankees are making them consider a Bednar move.
Will they do anything bigger than the Ryan Helsley trade? The Cardinals have traded away two relievers — Helsley and Steven Matz — and could trade at least one more (Phil Maton). Those are the obvious moves. More interesting and impactful are the possible trades of Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan. We're not expecting either one to move, but those trades would be eye-opening.
Will they trade both Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly? The Diamondbacks were expected to be aggressive at the deadline, and indeed they've traded both of their corner infielders (Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor). Now, they're in the final hours holding two keys to the starting pitching market. Gallen and Kelly are among the most intriguing arms on the table. Will the Diamondbacks move them both?
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How many relievers will they trade? The Rockies rarely do much at the deadline, but this year they've made a bold trade — by their standards — sending Ryan McMahon to the Yankees. Is this the year they keep going and actually start to rebuild? Relievers Jake Bird, Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen have been mentioned in various trade talks.
Does Andrew Friedman have a surprise up his sleeve? Last summer, the Dodgers made a big three-team trade for Michael Kopech and Tommy Edman, and then they delivered the final blockbuster by trading for Jack Flaherty in the final minutes before the deadline passed. The Dodgers have been relatively quiet (they just got reliever Brock Stewart from the Twins). Do they have an 11th-hour surprise in store?
Was the Mason Miller deal a setup to do more? A.J. Preller is always a wild card at the deadline, and Thursday he's pulled off a stunning deal for A's closer Mason Miller and left-handed starter JP Sears. Surely that's not all Preller has in mind. The Padres still need offense, and Preller could get creative with Dylan Cease and Robert Suarez. Grab your popcorn and watch what happens.
Will they trade closer Camilo Doval? The Giants looked like buyers for a while, but they reached the deadline trending in the wrong direction, and that's already cost them right-handed reliever Tyler Rogers. A more valuable piece of the Giants bullpen is closer Camilo Doval, who's had a resurgent season and comes with two more years of team control. Would the Giants continue to rebuild by trading him as well?