Off Topic » A massive divide exists between contending

MLB teams vying for a postseason berth and struggling teams playing out the string.That is most notably the case in the American League http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-jay-buhner-jersey , where MLB.com only gives six of 15 teams a three percent chance or better to make the postseason.The competition is a bit more balanced in the National League, but four teams in the senior circuit are 15 games under .500 or worse.Due to that imbalance, many players on non-contending teams have been involved in trade rumors. You can take a look at the latest news on four of them below.Zach BrittonThe Baltimore Orioles sit 40.5 games in back of the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East. They need to undergo a massive rebuild and started that process by trading superstar shortstop Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers for five prospects.Left-handed reliever Zach Britton appears to the next Orioles on the move, and he has no shortage of teams after him, perJerry Crasnick of ESPN:Jerry Crasnick jcrasnickThe #Orioles are barreling ahead with Zach Britton trade talks now that they鈥檝e moved Machado and officially declared a rebuild. #Cubs, #Yankees, #Redsox, #SfGiants Denard Span Jersey , #Astros and #Phillies are among the teams in the mix.Britton has battled forearm and Achilles injuries over the past two years, which has caused regression after a phenomenal three-year stretch (2014-2016) in which he posted a 1.38 ERA, per Baseball Reference.However, the southpaw has thrown seven straight scoreless frames dating back to late June, allowing just three hits during that time. While he may not return to that old 2014-2016 form this year, a healthy Britton would undoubtedly be an asset to any team's pen.On the Orioles' side, they have to be happy knowing that the Cleveland Indians traded for the other big left-handed reliever name on the block in Brad Hand, formerly of the San Diego Padres. That may increase the asking price for Britton Guillermo Heredia Jersey , who is clearly the best southpaw reliever left (and arguably the best one overall).Of note, keep an eye on the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves, two teams fighting for the NL East crown who have below-average bullpens (the Phils rank 17th in ERA, while the Braves are 19th). It wouldn't be surprising at all to see Britton pitching for one of them down the stretch. Adrian BeltreWith the Texas Rangers sitting in last place in the American League West, it seems inevitable that a few players will find new homes before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.However, one of their stars doesn't look like he will be headed anywhere, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com:"The Rangers aren't expected to trade veteran third basemanAdrian Beltreunless circumstances change drastically. They would prefer to keep Beltre for his leadership qualities and try to re-sign him for next season. Beltre has also indicated a willingness to return, and Daniels made it clear that the future Hall of Famer's value to the Rangers is above what they normally would consider in a trade situation."Beltre was a key member of the 2011 American League pennant-winning Rangers team that was one out away from beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. He's been phenomenal ever since joining the team prior to that campaign http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-ben-gamel-jersey , hitting .307 with an .869 OPS. Although the 39-year-old is now in the twilight of his career, he is still effective, hitting .286 alongside a .739 OPS.As Sullivan noted, Beltre's value to the team is more than a typical third baseman hitting .286. He's one of the best players in team history and will forever be a legend in Arlington, Texas. Although the Rangers would likely get a decent return for Beltre, who could help a contending team down the stretch with his solid bat and glove, they may be better off keeping him.Jacob deGrom and Noah SyndergaardAfter starting the season 11-1, the New York Mets have gone 29-54 over their past 81 games Mike Marjama Jersey , dropping them into last place in the National League East. They are 13.0 games behind in the NL wild-card race and need to make some moves as they look toward the future.Starting pitchers Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard have been talked about in trade rumors, andJames Wagner of theNew York Times said:Jerry Crasnick jcrasnickThe #Braves have talked to the #Orioles about Zach Britton, so you can add them to the list of teams in the mix. Atlanta needs bullpen help and has a lot of talent in the system. A lot depends on how deep Alex Anthopoulos is willing to dig for a rental player.The Mets' stance makes perfect sense: At their best, deGrom and Syndergaard are two of the best pitchers in the league. DeGrom is in top form right now, pitching to a 1.68 ERA over his first 19 starts this year. He's also struck out 149 batters in 123.1 innings.During his five-year career with the team, deGrom has never had worse than a 3.53 ERA, and he's also struck out more than one batter per inning in four of his five seasons.Thor is phenomenal at his peak: In 2016, he struck out 218 batters in 183.2 innings and posted a 2.60 ERA. He has battled injuries over the past two years and has started only 19 games since April 2017 http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-mitch-haniger-jersey , but Syndergaard still has a solid 2.97 ERA during that time.While the Mets may be better off trading one (or both) in order to restock the farm system and start a complete rebuild, they shouldn't do so unless they receive excellent offers in return. Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia won't be back this season.Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced Friday (h/t MassLive's Chris Cotillo) that the All-Star second baseman will be out for the remainder of the campaign after having another operation on his knee in July. Cora added Pedroia will be ready to start the 2019 campaign.The 35-year-old has been hampered by knee problems this season. The four-time All-Star had offseason cartilage restoration surgery last October and was expected to miss the first two months of 2018.The Red Sox activated Pedroia from the disabled list on May 25, and he made his first appearance the following day against the Atlanta Braves. He played just three games before going back on the 10-day disabled liston June 2 with inflammation in his surgically repaired knee.Despite Pedroia's prolonged absence, the Red Sox have been one of the best teams in Major League Baseball. Theyhave the best record in Major League Baseball at 97-44 and their magic number to clinch the American League East is 13.With Pedroia out of action, Cora will likely continue to use Ian Kinsler as his primary second baseman. Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt are versatile options who can start at the position when needed.