Being an All-Star doesn't preclude a player from being dealt. Just ask Andrew Miller, Mark Melancon or Jonathan Lucroy, three of seven All-Stars in 2016 who were traded after the appearing in the game but before the trade deadline last season.
While none of the bigger names taking the field in Miami this year -- Clayton Kershaw, Bryce Harper or Mookie Betts -- will be on the move, there are players who could be traded before the 2017 deadline. Who are they? Our experts discuss which All-Stars could draw interest in the next few weeks.
Will it be a first baseman?
Additionally, Alonso doesn't make big dollars, just $4 million. Any team that makes a move for him would be on the hook for just $1.3 million for August and September. It's not a great market for the Athletics to move him, because few contenders are looking for a first-base/DH type, and there are a lot available. However, the Yankees could be a match, or maybe the Royals if Brandon Moss doesn't start to hit. It's a great time for Oakland to try to glean some value in return for a player having a career performance. -- Buster Olney
The All-Star most likely to be traded is Alonso. He changed his swing in the offseason, is getting the ball in the air more often and has had the best first half of his career. He hits with power now, and, for years, has saved A's infielders throwing errors with his ability to pick balls out of the dirt. The A's are not a contender. They are building with younger players, and they have others who could replace Alonso at first base.
So, the logical move would be to trade Alonso to the Yankees, who have moved up their timetable to win, have prospects to deal and need a first baseman. Yankees first basemen, through Saturday, were hitting .198, lowest in the American League, and had an OPS of .672, second lowest to the Angels' first basemen. The Yankees have designated Chris Carter for assignment twice. There's no telling if they will get anything from Greg Bird (on the DL with a bruised ankle). Trading for Yonder Alonso simply makes sense for the Yankees. -- Tim Kurkjian
Or will it be a reliever?
Pat Neshek, Philadelphia Phillies: While there's a high degree of likelihood that the A's trade Alonso -- the Yankees could certainly use an upgrade at first base -- there's a 100 percent certainty the Phillies will trade Neshek. The Phillies have been out of the race since about two weeks into the season, so there's no reason for them to keep the 36-year-old Neshek around. In fact, this is exactly why they acquired the reliever from the Astros in the offseason, with the hope he'd have a good first half and they could then flip him for a prospect.
Neshek is a little tricky for managers to use, because with his sidearm delivery you want him to face as many righties as possible. So he's a matchup guy, not somebody you can pitch at any time (although he's held lefties to a .188 average so far).
The obvious candidate is the Nationals, but their priority is finding a closer. So I'll go with the Brewers, who can use bullpen depth behind All-Star closer Corey Knebel. In fact, as Neshek sits next to Knebel in the National League bullpen, he'll probably ask Knebel about traffic in Milwaukee, the best Starbucks on the way to the ballpark, and the name of the clubhouse guy to send his jersey measurements. -- David Schoenfield
Brad Hand, San Diego Padres: It seems like there is basically a zero percent chance Hand is still with the Padres on Aug. 1. From San Diego's standpoint, when you've got an elite lefty setup reliever -- a volatile bunch in the best of circumstances -- and you're at least a couple of years away from contention, you've got to get Hand gone while the getting is good.
Think of the package: He's a lefty, with a K-rate of 11.5 per nine innings, is a reliable strike thrower, gets out lefty and righty hitters and has two more years of team control before he hits free agency. There isn't a contender in the majors who can't use a guy like that.
There are two teams to watch in particular: Texas and Washington, a pair of clubs suffering from celebrated high-leverage relief problems and who rank 28th and 29th, respectively, in wOBA allowed by relievers against lefty hitters. Both could turn Hand into a closer, or use his presence to turn someone else into a closer.
I'm going to say he winds up with the Rangers, as I suspect Nationals GM Mike Rizzo will target a more conventional closing option and the prospects he's willing to part with will be used in that transaction. A dark horse here is the Milwaukee Brewers, who aren't as much in win-now mode as the other teams, but do need to shore up their bullpen and have a deeper stash of prospects to offer than Texas or Washington. -- Bradford Doolittle
Much of the reliever buzz has involved Hand, but while the Padres lefty has been dominating (0.96 WHIP, 11 K's per nine), his contract status -- he has two more years of team control beyond 2017 -- may price out most if not all of this year's suitors. The more affordable bullpen buy is Neshek, who becomes a free agent after this season and therefore shouldn't cost much in the way of prospects.
Of the teams currently in playoff position, the Nationals, whose bullpen ranks last in the majors in ERA, are by far the most in need of relief. But they want a closer, and Neshek doesn't exactly fit the bill. If the Nats spring for a pair of relievers, then maybe Neshek ends up there anyway. Otherwise, I think he goes to Milwaukee. -- Eddie Matz