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1 hypothetical trade each AL East team should make

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While the coronavirus pandemic has caused MLB to institute a roster freeze, theScore editors have dreamed up one hypothetical trade each team should make once business gets back to normal, starting with the AL East.

AL EAST I NL EAST I AL CENTRAL I NL CENTRAL I AL WEST I NL WEST

Toronto Blue Jays

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Blue Jays receive Indians receive
SS Francisco Lindor 2B Cavan Biggio
SS Jordan Groshans
C Alejandro Kirk
P T.J. Zeuch

The Blue Jays are now run by the brain trust that originally drafted and developed Lindor, and with Cleveland seemingly unwilling to foot the bill for his ensuing extension, Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins should do everything in their power to land the superstar shortstop.

In this case, "everything in their power" means shipping out a major-league-ready infielder in Biggio, a top shortstop prospect in Groshans (ranked No. 75 overall by MLB Pipeline), a breakout slugging farmhand in Kirk, and a pitcher of some repute in Zeuch. Using the return the Red Sox got for Mookie Betts as a comparison, this might seem like a slight overpay. However, Lindor is under team control through 2021, and the Jays wouldn't be taking on David Price's contract like the Dodgers did.

With Lindor in their midst, Bo Bichette would have to shift over to second base - a move the young star already suggested he'd be willing to make - and the Blue Jays would become wild-card contenders earlier in their rebuild than expected.

New York Yankees

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Yankees receive Pirates receive
1B Josh Bell 3B Miguel Andujar
P Joe Musgrove OF Clint Frazier
P Keone Kela OF Estevan Florial

The Yankees already have a roster capable of winning a World Series, but as they learned last season, there's no such thing as too much depth and the club simply can't miss its window to win. The deal above checks every box for New York.

Bell gives the Yankees another 30-plus-homer bat and helps fill the void left by Edwin Encarnacion's departure. The 27-year-old would give the club some much-needed help from the left side of the plate and comes with two additional years of arbitration after earning a modest $4.8 million in 2020. Musgrove helps quell some of the long-term rotation concerns with Luis Severino set to miss the bulk of 2021 following Tommy John surgery and the potential losses of James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and J.A. Happ to free agency this winter. Musgrove enjoyed some solid seasons in Pittsburgh and is the type of controllable pitcher general manager Brian Cashman has shown a penchant for acquiring. Kela is on an expiring deal but would be another deadly bullpen piece to help New York win in 2020.

By dealing Andujar and Frazier, the Yankees rid themselves of some promising spare parts that just didn't have a clear path to the playing time their development requires. Rather than potentially waste their trade value, moving them to a rebuilding club that can risk rolling the dice makes sense for both parties. This move not only helps the Yankees win now, but also protects them in the future, while Pittsburgh would hope Andujar, Frazier, and Florial turn into core pieces.

Tampa Bay Rays

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Rays receive Braves receive
P Sean Newcomb P Charlie Morton
3B Austin Riley 2B Vidal Brujan
P Touki Toussaint

The Rays want to stay competitive, but let's face it: Their chief concern is maintaining a low payroll by stockpiling players with years of control left. By parting with their best pitcher - who has publicly stated his desire to retire early - and a prospect, Tampa Bay could acquire two post-hype pitchers and arguably fill their biggest need by landing a major-league-ready third baseman.

Morton's 2021 option is almost certainly going to be valued at the maximum $15 million. He would help the Braves in a title chase, and he's simply too good a piece for the Rays not to entertain flipping him. As for Brujan, it's not typically like the Rays to ship out prospects, but they have done it recently when the return is worthwhile, like when they sent Jesus Sanchez to the Miami Marlins as part of a package for Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards.

Newcomb will become arbitration-eligible following the 2020 campaign and has shown flashes of what made him a top prospect back when he was acquired for Andrelton Simmons in 2015. A high walk rate continues to hurt Newcomb ... and that just so happened to be Tyler Glasnow's problem before he was traded to Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Toussaint has five years of team control remaining beyond this season and just seems to need more regular start opportunities.

Boston Red Sox

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Red Sox receive Marlins receive
P Caleb Smith IF Michael Chavis
P Ryan Zeferjahn

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom inherited a deeply flawed roster with little starting pitching depth. That problem was only compounded after ace Chris Sale underwent Tommy John surgery.

With Boston forced to look outside the organization, Smith represents a solid middle-of-the-order arm that shouldn't cost too much, and he comes with four years of control. In 2019, he posted a 4.52 ERA and 9.9 K/9 while throwing a career-high 153 1/3 innings. These numbers aren't spectacular, but that's fine for the Red Sox; what they need is an MLB-caliber starter who is relatively cheap and who will be with the club as it attempts to compete in the near future.

Throughout the Marlins' rebuild, they've accumulated a decent amount of pitching depth, making the 28-year-old Smith the most expendable of their arms. Trading Chavis, the club's first-round pick in 2014, hurts a little for Boston, but the need for pitching is dire and the team's cupboard of valuable trade chips is somewhat limited. Chavis, 24, would address Miami's significant need for power, and his ability to play multiple positions would help any NL club. His 37% strikeout rate last season could be a cause for concern - and one reason why the Red Sox would be willing to part with him.

Baltimore Orioles

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Orioles receive Reds receive
P Jared Solomon P Alex Cobb

Jared Solomon is essentially a stand-in for "the best prospect the Orioles might be able to land for Alex Cobb."

Cobb, 32, is the last piece Baltimore possesses that might be worth something to another team. He's also owed some money, so it makes sense that the Orioles would look for a suitor. The Cincinnati Reds fit the bill as a resurgent club that lacks some starting depth.

Solomon is a 22-year-old right-hander who struggled at High-A last year but showed impressive strikeout stuff during his time in rookie ball.

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