Can’t stop the dealing: Nifty moves await GMs

Just one week remains before this year’s non-waiver Trade Deadline, and teams have thus far been relatively slow in wheeling and dealing. But if last year is any indication, this may just be the calm before the storm — with the Aroldis Chapman deal serving as the first raindrop to fall.

The 2015 season saw a flurry of trades — headlined by Yoenis Cespedes, David Price and Troy Tulowitzki — occur in the final days of July. Now that Chapman has been shipped from the Yankees to the Cubs for a package that includes elite shortstop Gleyber Torres — MLB’s 24th-best overall prospect  — look for some other significant pieces to be moved over the next seven days. The following blockbuster trades make sense for the clubs involved:

Chris Sale to the Rangers: The Rangers made one of the boldest moves at the deadline last year — acquiring Cole Hamels from the Phillies — and they have had had talks with the White Sox regarding Sale after his recent team-issued suspension. Chicago’s system has little talent overall, but that could change quickly if the club parts with someone of Sale’s stature. The cost would not be cheap, but placing Sale in the rotation with Hamels and Yu Darvish would make Texas the team to beat in the American League. Look for Rangers president of baseball operations and general manager Jon Daniels to pull off a blockbuster again this year, with the club possibly giving up a package with Jurickson Profar, corner infielder Joey Gallo and right-hander Dillon Tate — the latter two represent baseball’s seventh and 31st-best prospects,respectively — to acquire Chicago’s …

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