3 Trade Destinations for Dee Gordon Following Return From IL

Cover Photo: Getty Images

The Seattle Mariners kicked off their team-wide fire sale by sending Jay Bruce to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. As to who will leave the Emerald City next is anyone's guess, but players like Kyle Seager, Edwin Encarnacion and Dee Gordon are all likely trade candidate as we approach the MLB Trade Deadline.

Gordon, who is currently on the IL, is having another solid season, slashing .281/.310/.369 with 19 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 45 games played, making him an enticing option for teams vying for a playoff spot. The nine-year veteran can play second base and the outfield, providing rare positional versatility from a player that typically bats at the top of the lineup.

With several teams likely looking for an upgrade of the 31-year-old's caliber, here are three possible trade destinations for Gordon as we head into the dog days of summer.

3. Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers sit in the second AL Wild Card spot with a 30-27 record. But with five teams within 2.5 games, the Rangers will likely need to upgrade to stay ahead of their competition, and a player like Gordon could be a great fit. He would provide an instant upgrade toward the top of their lineup with his elite base-stealing ability, and would also give Texas the ability to shake things up defensively with his position flexibility. While this might be the best on-field fit, an in-division trade is what keeps the Rangers at No. 3.

2. Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have really turned things around and are leading a very tight NL Wild Card race. With Ben Zobrist's return up in the air, adding a player like Gordon could be a seamless fit. Gordon has playoff pedigree and the wheels to fit anywhere he's shipped off to, and if the speedster ends up in Chicago he would likely take on a role that Zobrist has thrived in in recent years. Gordon could be enough to push the Cubs securely into the World Series contender conversation.

1. Cleveland Indians

Despite their early-season struggles, the Cleveland Indians are just two games out of the second AL Wild Card spot. And if they want to make their way up the standings, they could really use another bat. Gordon can play anywhere in the outfield and that's really where the Indians are lacking, currently starting Leonis Martin, Oscar Mercado and a combination of Jake Bauers, Greg Allen and Jordan Luplow. Gordon fits the mold in Cleveland and could be the missing piece the Indians need to get back into the postseason.

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Mike Esposito is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Esposito also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username espo6891. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.