Some say this trade deadline season was deadly dull. But even in the biggest sellers’ market maybe ever — with a pervasive, unreasonable love of prospects (excepting trade-happy Padres A.J. Preller, of course) and also a few obvious also-rans inexplicably clutching to players with limited control — some teams went beyond the incremental and made real impact.
Sure, big names Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert, Cody Bellinger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all stayed put. But even if no team hit a grand slam, several scored with moves — both buyers and sellers. Here’s my list of the best work.
They traded 12 of their top 15 prospects while building baseball’s best bullpen. Some figure Huntington Station’s own Preller is doing this because he needs to make the playoffs to keep his job. I say no. It’s just him. (And with beloved late owner Peter Seidler’s brother in some power now, it’s doubtful he’s in jeopardy.)
Anyway, the Padres now have a lockdown pen with Jason Adam and Tanner Scott joining arguably the game’s best closer Robert Suarez, and an outside shot to win the NL West.
Maybe they should get the top spot just for helping engineer two three-team trades. Regardless, they’re just behind the Padres for making good on their promise to go for impact, and ultimately importing Jack Flaherty, the best starter traded.
They did right by reeling in 18 prospects at a time hardly anyone wanted to give up prospects.
They gathered 13 prospects and three position players, and beautifully set themselves up for the future. The guess here is they will get the best out of Christopher Morel, too.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. may finally reach his potential now that he’s in a clubhouse with great professional stars Aaron Judge and others.
Mark Leiter Jr. is not just part of a family plan (his dad and uncle Al were Yankees, too), though some wonder if the Yankees should have been more aggressive to add back-end guys with even bigger stuff.
Though they continue to struggle and confound their own front office, Carlos Estevez bolsters a nice bullpen, and Austin Hays could be the right-handed outfield bat baseball’s best-balanced team needed.
Lucas Erceg brings a big arm as K.C. fights to make the playoffs following a 106-loss season.
Erick Fedde is a solid back-end starter contracted for next year at a reasonable rate ($7.5 million), and Tommy Pham brings energy and work ethic.
Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner aid an offense better than two teams — the Marlins and White Sox.
They added many bullpen arms and kept all their best prospects, exactly the right strategy.