Diamondbacks trade rumors: Aaron Blair shift may signal pending trades

Diamondbacks' top prospect Aaron Blair had his start switched from Wednesday to Friday, according to a source. While that two-day shift may not seem significant at any other time of the year, it could signal that Arizona is about to make a trade.

One theory is that Arizona is shifting Blair in order to line him up for a promotion in case they trade a starter like Rubby De La Rosa, or, in a more likely scenario, Jeremy Hellickson. Blair has never appeared in the majors but has spent part of this season with Triple-A Reno and is considered a candidate for a major-league promotion at 23 years old.

Another possibility is that the D-Backs are looking to include Blair in a trade. Arizona has made a formal offer to the Reds for closer Aroldis Chapman, according to sources, meaning that Blair, who is widely ranked as one of the best prospects in the team's system, could be a centerpiece. The team may have shifted Blair to start after the trade deadline to protect him from potentially getting injured in his scheduled start on Wednesday.

Might be nothing, might be something.