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 the team that could most use Shohei Ohtani. This week we're going to tackle first-place clubs that need an upgrade.
Which first-place team most needs to make a splash at the trade deadline?
R.J. Anderson: I would say the Brewers. As I type this, they have the smallest division lead in the majors. Beyond that, the clock is ticking on this core. Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames, and Brandon Woodruff will all reach free agency after next season. I doubt the Brewers will do anything wild -- no Shohei Ohtani here -- but they need to make some moves all the same.
Dayn Perry: I'll go with the Rangers. The Astros are hot on their heels and themselves figure to be active at the deadline. If Texas is going to cling to first place and secure a bye, then they'll need to add more bullpen depth before the deadline and maybe even fortify the rotation. You could also make a case for adding another outfield bat to the mix. That's a long to-do list given the relative paucity of sellers this year.
Matt Snyder: It's time for Orioles GM Mike Elias to stop slow-playing this thing and realize sometimes the championship window can close quickly on a team. This might be their best chance to win it all and the pitching desperately needs more depth. Yennier Cano is already showing signs of fatigue and it might not be long before Félix Bautista does the same at the back end. They already needed more in the bullpen, too. In the rotation, Kyle Bradish will top his last season innings total sometime in August, Tyler Wells has already hit his career high, Dean Kremer will hit his career high probably next week. Cole Irvin has been a bust. That leaves Grayson Rodriguez -- it's tough to count on the rookie right now -- and Kyle Gibson. They don't have to empty the farm to grab multiple aces or anything. That wouldn't even be possible this year. They instead need to shed some of that prospect depth for veteran stalwarts in the rotation to help down the stretch and in the playoffs. Eduardo Rodriguez/Lucas Giolito/Marcus Stroman (if the Cubs sell) types would be great. Late-inning bullpen depth to take some of the pressure off Cano is needed, too.
Mike Axisa: I'm with R.J., it's the Brewers. The clock is ticking on that core -- Adames, Burnes, and Woodruff are all a year away from free agency, manager Craig Counsell is no lock to return next season, Christian Yelich only has so many prime years remaining, etc. -- and I'm sure they want to get across the finish line sooner rather than later. Milwaukee badly needs a middle-of-the-lineup bat (and maybe another bat on top of that) and more pitching can never hurt. The Rangers are probably the "correct" answer here with the Astros breathing down their neck, but I think it's the Brewers. They went to the postseason four straight years from 2018-21 and have just one series win to show for it. It's time to take that next step.
