A prospect mired in an organisation with a lack of opportunity. A long-time veteran looking like his best days are behind him. A pitcher playing in a hitter-friendly environment.
There are several different types of players who qualify as “change of scenery” candidates, those underperforming in their current situation who may benefit from a move to a new organisation. With the Trade Deadline less than two months away, let’s take a look at eight players (listed alphabetically) who may fall into that category. (All stats through Sunday.)
Burger hit 63 home runs and 51 doubles with a .793 OPS with the White Sox and Marlins in 2023-2024, but his two seasons in Texas haven’t seen the same type of power production. The 30-year-old hit 16 home runs and 15 doubles with a .687 OPS in his first season with the Rangers, and while he has 10 homers in 63 games this season, his .705 OPS is largely the result of a paltry .290 on-base percentage, the second straight season he’s sat below .300.
Burger is earning $3.2 million this season and is arbitration-eligible for two more years, and while he hasn’t been the same hitter in Texas, he’s shown he can be a serious power threat in the past. MLB Pipeline ranked the Rangers at No. 25 on this year’s organizational rankings after Texas dealt a haul of prospects for MacKenzie Gore this winter, so Burger could be an intriguing piece of a deal for a team looking for raw power
Mahle signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Giants last winter after posting a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts while also missing three months with right shoulder fatigue. Injuries have been a significant issue for the 31-year-old, but when he’s been healthy, he’s shown the ability to be a solid presence in a rotation.
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