German_Force » Even with Saturday’s win

Greg Fiume/Getty ImagesThe MLB non-waiver trade deadline isn't until Tuesday http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , July 31, at 4 p.m. ET, but numerous teams are making big moves already. Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado is now a Los Angeles Dodger, and New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia headed west to join the Oakland Athletics' postseason quest.A few more deals should go down well before July 31, including one for Balitmore Orioles reliever Zach Britton, who is arguably the most coveted player left on the trading block.Here's a look at the latest news and rumors on him as well as Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas and Tampa Bay Rays starter Chris Archer. Zach BrittonTwo American League powerhouses have emerged as the leaders for Zach Britton, a two-time All-Star who managed 47 saves and a microscopic 0.54 ERA just two seasons ago.Per Jim Bowden of The Athletic:Jim Bowden JimBowdenGM#Astros #Yankees in the lead for Zach Britton but several other teams still in play as trade negotiations are rounding third and heading for home. #OriolesAfter a sweep of the Seattle Mariners gave the New York Yankees a 50-22 record, the Bronx Bombers are just 13-13 in their last 26 games, which include series splits with the last-place Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. A disheartening 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, in which ace Luis Severino looked shaky and Gary Sanchez loafed on the field and base paths, didn't inspire any confidence.The Yankees will likely make a move prior to the deadline to help right the ship, butNew York needs help in the starting rotation more than anything. Still, another bullpen arm can't hurt.The Houston Astros seem like a much more plausible destination for Britton. Houston's bullpen jumped from 17th in reliever ERA to second this year, thanks in part to the efforts of converted starter Collin McHugh (5-0, 0.96 ERA) and Hector Rondon (1.53 ERA).However Carlton Fisk Jersey , it can't hurt for Houston to improve on its pen, especially considering that the team had a 5.40 relief ERA in the postseason last year. It ended up not costing the team the World Series, but it did cost them some games. Adding Britton as insurance would help prevent a similar situation occurring again.Mike MoustakasThe bottom has fallen out on the Royals just three short years after winning the 2015 World Series. The core of that 2015 team has slowly dissipated over the past few campaigns: Notably, first baseman Eric Hosmer is a San Diego Padre, and outfielder Lorenzo Cain is now a Milwaukee Brewer.Per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and the MLB Network, Mike Moustakas could now be on the move:Jon Morosi jonmorosiSources: #Brewers have considered possibility of acquiring Mike Moustakas and moving Travis Shaw to 2B, but pitching may become the more urgent priority following Suter injury. MLBNetwork MLBMoose would join his ex-teammate Cain in Milwaukee, which is right in the thick of a playoff race. However, the Brewers are 3-11 in their last 14 games and in serious danger of missing the playoffs, especially with tough series looming against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.Milwaukee needs another bat or two in the lineup, and Moustakas could help fill that void. This season, the left-handed slugger has hit 19 home runs in addition to 59 RBI and a .770 OPS. Much of that damage has come against right-handers (15 homers, .808 OPS).The question is whether incumbent third baseman Travis Shaw, who has never played second base at any point during his big-league career http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-jose-abreu-jersey , could make the transition to the opposite side of the infield. If so, the Brewers lineup will have received a monstrous boost. If not, then this potential deal could falter. Chris ArcherThe Tampa Bay Rays are in an odd spot. On one end, the team has gone 11 games over .500 since a 4-13 start, which has resulted in a 51-49 record after 100 games.That's encouraging, but the American League is top heavy this year, and Tampa is still nine games back of the second wild-card spot.Tampa has a long road ahead to make the playoffs, and MLB.com isn't giving the Rays much of a shot (0.7 percent postseason projection).Therefore, the Rays could potentially look toward trading some veterans and rebuilding for a brighter future. Chris Archer has been the subject of trade rumors for a few years now, and that hasn't changed for this season.Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com:"According to a source, multiple teams have expressed serious interest in Archer, who is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA in 16 starts this season."Per Fangraphs, Archer has a career 3.44 xFIP and 25.8 percent strikeout rate. At this best, he is simply untouchable thanks in part to a nasty slider he throws 42.7 percent of the time. He has been hit hard of late (41.6 percent hard-hit rate in 2018), but his 13.5 percent swinging strike rate helps negate that contact.The two-time All-Star is a free agent prior to the 2020 season Melky Cabrera Jersey , when he will be 31 years old. He likely has a fat multi-year contract waiting for him in two years, which is why Tampa, the team with the third-lowest payroll in the bigs, may have incentive to move him sooner rather than later. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals turned in one of their best performances on the day the meaningful portion of their season ended.Rookie Austin Voth and four relievers combined on a one-hitter, and the Nationals beat the New York Mets 6-0 on Saturday, hours after they were eliminated from playoff contention.“It stings,” manager Dave Martinez said. “But we’ve still got seven more games. … These guys don’t quit. They came out ready to play today.”Matt Wieters and Trea Turner homered for Washington, and Bryce Harper added an RBI double.The Nationals’ loss Friday night, coupled with the Atlanta Braves’ win, knocked them out of the NL East race. Then, shortly after Saturday’s game began, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants on a 10th-inning homer, ending Washington’s slim wild card hopes.“It’s something where we felt like we had the talent in this clubhouse and we still feel like we have the talent in this clubhouse,” Wieters said. “We just didn’t play well enough and that’s why this game’s played on the field and not in the papers and that’s what’s great about it.”Favored to win a third straight division title, the Nationals slid into third place on June 22 and remained there.Ownership stood pat at the July trade deadline http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-jeff-keppinger-jersey , and the team responded by winning six of seven games. However, a four-game losing streak soon had the Nationals nine games out of first place in mid-August, and the team unloaded players including Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams.The team dealt with injuries to pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Sean Doolittle, as well as Adam Eaton, Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman, but even when healthy, Washington was unable to put together an extended winning stretch. The Nationals are 78-77 with seven games remaining after going 97-65 a year ago.“I think all of us in here would sit here and tell you we came here every day and did everything we could to try and win. At least I did. Because of that I can go home and be at peace with it,” Zimmerman said. “Obviously, it’s frustrating. You want to come out and win every year and have a chance to go into the playoffs.”Voth (1-1), making his second major league start, allowed only an infield single to Michael Conforto leading off the fourth inning. Voth struck out five with two walks in five innings.“He kept us off balance,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He had a good curveball I thought. He was able to throw it for strikes … and then he got it down when he needed to, and his fastball command was pretty good.”Even with Saturday’s win, the Nationals will lose the season series to the fourth-place Mets.Turner’s 18th homer of the season, a two-run shot Joe Crede Jersey , put Washington ahead in the third, and Wieters added a three-run homer off reliever Jerry Blevins in the sixth.New York’s Corey Oswalt (3-3) allowed two runs over five innings.Matt Grace, Justin Miller, Jimmy Cordero and Austen Williams each worked an inning for Washington in relief of Voth.Harper drew his 125th walk of the season, a career high and a Nationals record.STREAKINGWashington’s Anthony Rendon extended his on-base streak to 30 games with a sixth-inning double, and Turner extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a first-inning double.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: 2B Jeff McNeil was given the day off.Nationals: OF Eaton (sore and stiff left knee) was out of the starting lineup for the fifth time in six games.UP NEXTLHP Steven Matz (5-11, 4.18 ERA) makes his sixth start of the season against the Nationals, who will start RHP Erick Fedde (2-3, 5.02) in the series finale.