Met Out of Dodge

 

Okay, so, to recap: only two of the Mets' 2026 additions actually left the team at the deadline. Freddy Peralta and Luke Weaver, all ironically traded to smaller market teams. Which means Bo Bichette, Luis Robert, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Marcus Semien are still with the team. So the Mets, in retaining those pieces, hang onto a combined....-1.9 WAR. Which means everything that either Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing has given to this team on a come-up, those combined guys have taken away. 

The Mets lineup that remains is very similar to the one that was here before, except now they're faced with the soggy decisions they made heading into the year. Semien isn't hitting, he's got a .208 average and keeps striking out. Bichette has been a disaster, only hitting .256 with 11 homers and [a team-leading] 55 RBIs, but completely without any substance, much like his father towards the end of his career. Polanco's batting .144 in 30 games, clearly injury-hampered and off his game. Robert has also been injury-stunted, and his .189 average through 37 games is pretty much par for the course from his Sox era, sad to say. The attempt to reinvigorate the lineup has pulled it down completely, and the guys who've kept the team alive are the tentpoles [Lindor and Soto] and the two new kids [Benge and Ewing]. Lindor's missed a lot of time, but he's not got 9 homers and 25 RBIs in 58 games, and is finally feeling like himself again. Soto is still hurt, but WAS pulling peak Soto numbers and saving the team. Beyond that, though? Any chance at lineup depth has rotted away. Francisco Alvarez is here, healthy and hitting, and at 24 his ceiling's still high, but will his success even be with the Mets anymore? Brett Baty had a chance for a permanent role in the infield but, despite playing in more games than most of the team, he's hitting .219 and still very much a day-to-day bit player. Ronny Mauricio has still refused to factor into the team's success, and Nick Morabito wasn't ready on a brief day-trip from Syracuse. I have even less of an idea of where this team is going than I did last year, and the idea was that adding all the stars would HELP.

I at least know the direction of the rotation. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton and eventually Jonah Tong when he manages to stay in the bigs, they will be fine. Not 2015 rotation good, but they're all pretty impressive and they fill me with more hope than the lineup. McLean is a little shaky, but he's got his ERA down to 3.29, and he has 148 strikeouts and a 1.122 WHIP. Thronton's got a 2.88 ERA in 6 starts and looks to be a keeper. Scott is still cruising along with a 3.15 ERA. The Mets also did the unthinkable and brought up the imitable Jefry Yan, a 29-year-old career minor league closer who leaps into the air on a strikeout. The Guardians fans were polarized by him, but I think a basket case like Yan is perfect for the Mets. The stakes are low, the season's over, it's Jefry Yan time. Why not?

So yeah, not really too much left for the Mets to accomplish this year, other than spoiling some NL East wannabe playoff guys. I guess they tried, but they can't buy a championship with artificial depth. Next year will hopefully be a few steps closer to a better approach.

Coming Tomorrow- Ironically a former Mets farmhand, who pitched overseas, came back and unwittingly joined a competitor. 

The 2026 Trade Deadline Deals That I Didn't Get

 It's inevitable every year. There are trade deadline moves that immediately move the needle for their teams. There are moves that are under the radar and helpful without being completely huge for baseball. There are moves that fulfill a need without being flashy, and there are moves that do something minor while being very flashy. And then...there are the moves made because so much publicity has arisen around trade deadline week, and every team feels pressured to contribute in some way, regardless of whether or not they actually need to. And when you're working to please someone other than yourself, you can make some really boneheaded moves.

That's what this post is gonna cover today. Some moves that, on paper, don't really make all that much sense, and may have been pretty shiny at the time but will fade very quickly. In the past, teams have made this list by going all in when they really shouldn't have, or making a move that it becomes very clear they will regret, or helping the other side more than you're helping yourself. There's a lot of stuff like that in here. 

We're gonna start off with one I kinda get. And move into the land of the stupefying. 

-Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees, Jake Bird and 3 prospects to the Nationals

Okay. So on paper, this is good because it brings a surefire, ripe power hitter with contact perks to Yankee stadium, and like Heliot Ramos, Garcia's the exact kind of hitter this roster needs more of. The other night he hit his 24th home run of the season, far and away his most in a season since coming up in 2020. The way he went from a singles-heavy, extra part infield type to an incredible power hitter with genuine spark...that spoke volumes. Us getting him, I still think that's a good move. The issue is now we have three third baseman, one of whom is a defensive boon [or is at least average]. For right now, yes it makes sense because Stanton's still out and Rice can DH, plus Goldschmidt can face lefties. People are going to start coming back. And if we have a lineup where Bellinger, Judge and Stanton are all active, that means Ben Rice, Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos will all need to be in the lineup, and that means Goldschmidt, Spencer Jones, Jasson Dominguez and Trent Grisham will become even less valuable. It's a clog is what it is. The Yanks should have honestly shopped Grisham. Because now, even though it PACKS the lineup, it makes long-term sustainability a lot shakier with so many great choices for so few positions. So yeah, a move that looks cool, but doesn't make as much sense as it should.

-Ryan Zeferjahn to the Cubs, Moises Ballesteros and a prospect to the Angels

Like the Garcia deal, on paper it works. Zeferjahn's a terrific relief piece with some untouchable stuff, the Cubs need relief help, it all fits. Giving up Ballesteros, especially after how great he was in April and how much potential he has, is a little suspect. I still think he had promise with this team, and while he did go cold, resulting in the demotion, the Cubs still could have done something with him. Then again they were also shopping Matt Shaw before he got hurt, so who knows. Ballesteros in Anaheim, a lot like Nacho Alvarez in Anaheim, could be a fun development, and he could get to some of the work he was going to get to in Chicago there. So short term, good for the Cubs. Long term...I don't know. Josh Fields was a good short term choice for the Dodgers, but then Yordan Alvarez wasn't worth it.

Speaking of Cubs moves: 

-Braxton Garrett to the Cubs, 2 prospects to the Marlins.

Here's the deal. Because the Cubs made some very nice moves to help the rotation, they got Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, that's very good. Braxton Garrett...hm. So Braxton Garrett struggled on a come up with the Marlins in the early 2020s, found his stuff over two seasons in 2022 and 2023, got hurt midway through the 2024 season, missed all of 2025, made 2 starts this year and got lit up, but has a 2.90 ERA in Jacksonville and has been kept there since mid-May due to Janson Junk, Ryan Gusto and Tyler Phillips being better choices I suppose. And...this is the guy the Cubs would rather start games for them than Jameson Taillon. I mean, there is evidence that Garrett is back, but I feel like if he was back they wouldn't make Tyler Phillips a starter again to keep him down. So...it's mostly the lack of MLB success in recent years that makes me wonder if this is going to work. But...I suppose we'll see how he does down the stretch. Obviously the Marlins aren't suffering, Junk and Gusto have been fine I suppose. 

-Kris Bubic to the Dodgers, Carlos Duran to the Royals

The Dodgers have a history of poaching oft-injured starters from the Royals at the trade deadline and then not even using them. This happened with Homer Bailey. It happened with Danny Duffy. And now it's happening with Kris Bubic, who is still injured [second one in a row to feature an injured guy], and will not immediately factor into the Dodgers' rotation. KEEP IN MIND. The Dodgers already have Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Gavin Stone on the 60. And now they have Bubic there. In addition to Shohei Ohtani, who isn't really pitching right now. THEY...DO NOT NEED ANOTHER INJURED STARTER. They barely even need another STARTER, Eric Lauer, Roki Sasaki, Justin Wrobleski and now Tarik Skubal have been FINE filling in for the big guys. You're gonna have like 5 good starters stuck doing spot relief jobs, which...seemed to work fine last year, but...it just felt like a 'hat on a hat' kind of move. Getting Bubic in addition to Skubal because they could.

-Josh Smith to the Blue Jays, Adam Macko and 1 prospect to the Rangers

Okay cool, now we get into the 'what the hell are you doing??' moves. The Rangers got a new catcher days before the deadline, lost a ton of games, then started losing and decided they were gonna shop Eovaldi, Gore and deGrom, none of whom actually got dealt. But they did deal Josh Smith, a very good infield piece in the midst of a very bad season, and someone who I think could have continued to aid the Rangers as a depth/fill-in guy, even with Josh Jung, Jake Burger and Ezequiel Duran all doing their jobs. I do think the Jays adding Josh Smith as another 'uncommon man' for the infield contact strategy is ultimately a good idea, and Smith will find a nice niche in Toronto, but...neither teams needed to make this move because the Jays didn't need to buy and the Rangers didn't need to sell. So this benefits the Jays but I don't even know if they needed to even do it. 

AND ON THAT SAME SUBJECT,

-Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays, Arjun Nimmala and 2 prospects to the Angels.

So like...the Blue Jays aren't competing this year. They're below .500, they're in last, and they've won less than the Orioles, who sold more. But they still made numerous moves at the deadline TO BUY...and also to sell. So I have no idea what they accomplished, and why. Jose Soriano is a fantastic starting piece with a high ceiling in the midst of a great season. I do not see the point of him going from one last place team to another. Someone like the Cubs or the Phillies or the White Sox or the Braves could have gotten him and it'd have made more sense. But the Jays dealing one of their biggest prospects for Soriano, maybe it makes more sense if the Jays are better next year, which...will they be? Who knows. But at the moment, it feels like the Jays are trying to fall upward. They're trying to still be a good team with good pieces without actually winning the games necessary to be a good team. Highly illogical.

It gets worse.

-Spencer Arrighetti to the Blue Jays, Daulton Varsho to the Astros.

This one broke me. Why would EITHER TEAM AGREE TO THIS?? Like, okay...the Astros are currently in first place in the AL West. I can comfortably say 'by default', because the Mariners are the better team, they just aren't winning games right now. The Astros are 3 games above .500 and are trying to hold onto this momentum as tightly as possible, knowing they have a weaker core than usual, an older core, and a lot of untested pieces. So...why the hell do they give away Spencer Arrighetti? Why? I don't understand it. Arrighetti is a young, talented pitcher with a high K rate who had some excellent starts for them this year. Without him, the Astros' rotation reads Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert, Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier. Four of them have been hurt for the majority of this season, two of them are still struggling to come back from their injuries, and the one with the most pressure is the guy who was pitching in Japan last year. I would rather have Spencer Arrighetti in this rotation than a hurt Javier or Blanco. But the Astros thought that the key to helping out the crowded, fractured rotation was dealing the youngest guy there, and one of the few people in the rotation to not really get hurt this year. And they dealt him for Daulton Varsho, who's a good piece with offensive perks and a great center field arm but isn't complete. Astros fans, when the news came out, were slamming this deal, saying they traded a great arm for 'another Jake Meyers'. Varsho may help, but this is Jesus Sanchez thinking again, a minor move that distracts from the fact that the problems that needed to be solved are still there, and now worse. If the Astros make the playoffs, it'll be in spite of boneheaded decisions like this, and solely because nobody could stop them. 

So yeah. The usual amount of shenanigans. Let's see how many of these simply make more sense as we go. 

The 2026 Trade Deadline Deals That Just Missed the List

 In whittling the list down to only ten entries yesterday, I found myself, as usual, with enough entries for two other lists. One is going to consist of the deals I couldn't really understand. That'll be tomorrow probably. This list is going to be a ton of the deals from yesterday that I do understand, but not enough to top the 10 that made the list. These are good trades, quality trades, from good organizations. They vary from 'fine' to 'genuinely good and basically #11'

So here we go, in ascending order:

-Logan O'Hoppe and Chase Silseth to the Rangers, Angel Arredondo to the, heh, Angels

Why it works: The Rangers have been stuck between two backup catchers all year, and O'Hoppe, as mediocre as he's been lately, gives them a genuine starting option to go forward.

Why it didn't make the list: Right after making this list, the Rangers lost a few more games, slid to second and are now even less of a competitor than they were, so this was the highest profile trade the Rangers made. In fact, they nearly sold, actively shopping Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, and actually dealing one of their infielders. Needless to say, it was a disappointing deadline for the Rangers, and this being their only acquisition...hurts.

-Brenton Doyle to the White Sox, 2 prospects to the Rockies

Why it Works: Doyle could be a nice depth OF choice for the Sox, and could swap in with Braden Montgomery and Sam Antonacci when needed. He's not what he was a few years ago, and has been pretty bad the last few years, but he could still be helpful as a bench bat.

Why it didn't make the list: This is a useful move, but it doesn't propel the White Sox forward like some of their other moves. Doyle may also crap out in Chicago as well.

-Dean Kremer to the Twins, Jhomnardo Reyes to the Orioles

Why it works: Kremer is a very steady sixth starter who often jumps in and makes the opportunity his own when needed, and even through injuries this year has provided strong work for the O's. The Twins have lacked back-end rotation stability, and have been shuffling between first and second year guys like Zebby Matthews and Connor Prielipp without much success. Kremer gives them a nice assurance.

Why it didn't make the list: Because there's still two teams in the Twins's way, and they both had much better deadline additions. Kremer is nice and all but isn't Jack Morris.

-Brent Suter to the Braves, Nacho Alvarez to the Angels

Why it works: win-win for the Braves. Not only do they get a worthy bullpen addition, with Suter's excellent work both as a longman and a spot guy, but Nacho Alvarez doesn't have to wait in Gwinnett for Austin Riley to get hurt anymore. 

Why it didn't make the list: Purely a functionality move, not exactly an exclamation point. Similarly,

-Tyler Mahle to the Braves, Anthony Molina to the Giants

Why it works: Mahle will take over for the recently-injured Reynaldo Lopez and help Chris Sale, Martin Perez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder keep this team a competitor. The back half of the rotation was an issue, Mahle's a well-known mid rotation sleeper hit when healthy, this buttresses an already strong Braves team.

Why it didn't make the list: Mahle was having a very okay year in SF, and we're never sure when there's gonna be another injury with him. I think about when the Twins dealt for him at the deadline a while ago hoping he'd bring them far and he got hurt pretty soon into it. Hopefully something similar doesn't happen here. 

And while we're on the subject of Braves slick moves:

-Eli White to the Red Sox, Tyler Uberstine to the Braves

Why it works: The Braves now have Ronald Acuna, Mauricio Dubon, Michael Harris, Mike Yastrzemski and, in the minors, Brewer Hicklen, to play the outfield. All of them are versatile, fulfill many needs, and can hit better than Eli White. White was here for his defense, but on a team with Harris and Yaz it didn't make much sense. I think he'll be better on a Myles Straw-type role on the Sox, meshing with that M.O.

Why it didn't make the list: Because the Braves's highest profile move of the deadline might have been selling White. Which is what happens when Jacob deGrom nixes a trade to Atlanta at the last minute.

-Jeff Hoffman to the Twins, 3 prospects to the Blue Jays

Why it works: There weren't a lot of closing options dealt this year. Kirby Yates maybe, but that's a gamble. Lot of middle relief guys. Jeff Hoffman can close, and the Twins might need him to. The hope is he'll be better in Minneapolis than he was in Toronto, and harken back to his Phils numbers. 

Why it didn't make the list: Because the return of Hoffman's better numbers still isn't a definite, and it may be more of the same. Also, see earlier remark about the Twins maybe putting the cart before the horse here.

-Brooks Raley to the Phillies, 2 prospects to the Mets

Why it works: David Robertson is retired, so the next best thing is trading for Raley, a 38-year-old relief specialist who will definitely be better than a lot of in-house options for the Phils. Raley's having a nice season, and he, along with Caleb Killian will attempt to class up this bullpen [once again]

Why it didn't make the list: I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending. 

-Huascar Brazoban to the White Sox, 2 prospects to the Mets

Why it works: More fun with the Mets' pen. Brazoban is younger, more ferocious and has a higher ceiling, plus the White Sox just need a guy like him to coast behind. If they are, in fact, gearing up for a stretch run, fixing the bullpen is the right idea, as the previous incarnation of it left a lot to be desired. 

Why it didn't make the list: This is a very good nuts & bolts move but because the White Sox didn't need a ton of front-facing spots filled, I can't say it moves the needle much. 

-Luis Castillo to the White Sox, Nolan Jones, Seranthony Dominguez and Boston Smith to the Mariners

Why it works: The Mariners, thankfully, did not sell, but they made Castillo available, as he was clogging up roster space and making it harder for Kade Anderson to eventually make his debut. He also wasn't having a great year, but glints of his former glory did come through here and there. The Mariners were able to deal him without damaging their attempt to compete, and got back a solid October bullpen piece in Dominguez and a potential under-the-radar spoiler in Jones. The White Sox finally bring some name brand recognition to their rotation, and slotting in Castillo will add depth that Noah Schultz was not completely bringing. 

Why it didn't make the list: Because I don't think this is peak Castillo we're dealing with sadly, and they didn't bring him on to be the ace.

-Dustin May, Jojo Romero to the Brewers, 2 prospects to the Cardinals

Why it works: The Brewers didn't really need to do a ton this deadline, though they apparently offered a nice deal for Skubal which was turned down. This one still does a lot, as May provides for a solid late-rotation starter to possibly displace Robert Gasser or Brandon Sproat, while Romero slides in behind Megill and Uribe to make for an excellent potential October bullpen. The rich getting richer in a much more subtle way than the Dodgers.

Why it didn't make the list: Because the Brewers' biggest move of the deadline was getting Dustin May. I wish I didn't have to put it like that, but I do.

-Robbie Ray to the Padres, 2 prospects to the Giants

Why it works: A less anonymous Padres rotation, after it looked like they were gonna deal King. Ray could be a solid ace piece, and will really help this team going forward. He's in the midst of a true comeback year, and has cemented himself as one of the last few classic starters we have left.

Why it didn't make the list: The Padres are far from a shoo-in for the playoffs, and have so many obvious flaws that I don't know if I can fully embrace their will to compete yet.

-Jo Adell to the Guardians, Jacob Cozart to the Angels

Why It Works: The Guardians did a ton of underrated stuff this deadline. The Nathaniel Lowe move. Adding Craig Yoho. This was probably my favorite thing they did, even if it wasn’t as big as Foster Griffin. Jo Adell is a genuine power bar, a great outfielder and an exclamation point on a lineup that prefers to hide. They needed a Jo Adell, and they needed a lineup piece to prove they weren’t running it back.

Why it didn't make the list: Yasiel Puig looked like a sure bet too. Adell, like Rhys Hoskins, has incredible upsides in between frustration. Which will it be?

-Lars Nootbaar to the Diamondbacks, 3 prospects to the Cardinals

Why it works: The D-Backs didn’t do much at all but arguably this was all they needed. Nootbaar, like many Cards outfielders, was past his sell-by date and seems to be a great fit for the Arizona offense, in addition to great defense. 

Why it didn't make the list: like the Padres, the D-Backs aren’t quite a postseason lock and need to do a lot to catch up to the pack. Plus, much like Lourdes Gurriel, who he will be covering for, Noorbaar has a tendency to get hurt when things are going well. 

-Casey Mize and Gage Workman to the Padres, 2 prospects to the Tigers

Why it works: A terrific pitching piece goes to a team that needs the help. Mize, Ray and King are all ace material and could singlehandedly claw this team back to prominence. Mize’s upsides, as we’ve seen in the last few years, are dominant, well pitched stretches with low run output. Better here than Detroit arguably.

Why it didn't make the list: it nearly did, and I think the Padres-ness of it all prevented it. Who knows, maybe if they make a real run this’ll look better.

-Luke Weaver to the Pirates, Sammy Stafura to the Mets

Why it works: One of the best relief pieces on the board goes to a team that desperately needed bullpen help. The idea is that Weaver will close, and I think he’ll be terrific at it, and further legitimize this underrated Pirates team. Plus, something very fitting about the Pirates old closer succeeding for the Yanks while the Yankees’ old closer gets to do well in Pittsburgh. The Dream Weaver will fit right in. 

Why it didn't make the list: basically #11, and I think the dividing line was clear after the Ramos move. Weaver’s addition makes the Pirates better but they’re gonna need to do the rest themselves. 

Tomorrow, you will get a post containing the trade deadline deals that are still vexing me. Hopefully this is also nice content.

Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2026

 Well...a lot happened this time around. 

Following the brass today was HARROWING. So much was happening, and so quickly. Almost evenly displaced as well, like there'd be a move, I'd have time to make a custom of them, and the next two moves would be up. And I think it was all a well rounded bunch. Last year the emphasis was on relief pitching, this year it was a little of everything. Some teams needed starting help, some teams needed outfield bats, some teams needed catchers [and some needed catchers and somehow forgot to deal for any]. A lot went down, even to the point where, after the BIG MOVE happened a few days ago, I was worried nothing would top it. And...I mean, we'll get to it, but there certainly was competition. 

I have a lot of other posts planned for deadline week, I have a 'best of the rest' one planned, I have a 'the ones I didn't understand' post in a bit. But we've got to do the top 10. This kept sliding by the whole day and got to the point where it is now. One spot stayed the same. And...yeah.

Anyway, we start with one I really didn't think was gonna happen this deadline:

#10: Heliot Ramos to the Yankees, 2 prospects to the Giants

So, the Yankees went into the deadline looking for bullpen work and a catching upgrade, and got neither. So Heliot Ramos, a very savvy lineup addition, makes it to the end of this list without going forward. Let me just stress that I love this move, Ramos is young, controllable, and powerful. He's been hurt for a bit but he's hitting .264 with 9 homers and 34 RBIs in 74 games. He's a ferocious hitter with a huge upside and a lot to accomplish, and...he gets to hit in Yankee stadium. The tricky part is it crowds the outfield a bit. Right now it's Ramos/Jones/Dominguez/Grisham, and eventually Bellinger and Judge are gonna come back and it's gonna get even more crowded. It's bad enough that Paul Goldschmidt's gonna have even less at-bats now [more on that in another post], now we're crowding the active roster. It's gonna be worth it if Ramos continues his very strong work, which is very likely.

#9: Taylor Ward to the Mariners, 3 prospects to the Orioles

The Mariners have the kind of team that should work more in concept, because you have Randy Arozarena, Brendan Donovan, Julio Rodriguez, Dominic Canzone and Josh Naylor there and the contact game is ailing. So in comes Taylor Ward to make it even more ridiculous. Ward's having another excellent season, but it's a very contact heavy one without much need for power. He only has 7 homers and 30 RBIs, and that is appalling from a guy who's had 100 RBIs and 36 homers JUST A SEASON AGO. Wouldn't a trip to Seattle be a fun time to start power-hitting? Ward's an excellent outfield bat with some versatility and perks, and he could be the lineup piece that the Mariners need to save their season. I just think he really fits with what they're doing in Seattle. I'm also really happy the Mariners didn't deal Kirby or Emerson. Yes, that prevents against the possibility of stretch Kade, but their rotation is excellent and didn't need to be broken up beyond Castillo.

#8: Kevin Gausman to the Cubs, 2 prospects to the Blue Jays

The Jays had a really weird deadline, because they both sold and bought at the same time. And arguably they should have committed more to one than both. Ultimately, they chose to part with one of their longest-tenured stars, the mighty Kevin Gausman, where he will become something the Cubs have desperately needed this year: an actual ace. Justin Steele's been hurt, Cade Horton's out for a while, Shota Imanaga's struggled. They need stability, and Gausman is a veteran arm with postseason experience who can back up the already strong offense. This is a downslope of a year compared to his peak, as he is 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA, but he's still a fundamentally strong pitcher with a lot of great starts left in him. I think he will greatly aid the Cubs down the stretch. Perhaps not as much as someone a little further down, but enough to land on this list.

#7: Luis Arraez and Caleb Killian to the Phillies, 2 prospects to the Giants

This is arguably a little low, but it's down here because the Phillies really needed a better option at fourth or fifth starter and didn't get one. They also needed an outfield bat...and didn't get one. So Luis Arraez, as good as he is, is an odd consolation for so many pieces of this lineup that needed help, and if we miss out on a World Series, it could be Dombrowski's fault for not going further. However...the Phillies now have Luis Arraez. And that's a very good thing. One of the best contact hitters in the game, and a terrific defensive 2nd baseman, joins this lineup, and moving Stott, Bohm and Harper around supremely improves the defense in general. Arraez is electric wherever he is, and the Phils could see that fully going forward. We also got Caleb Killian, who's a terrific bullpen arm with a great upside. Very much a win for Philly, even if the team isn't fully improved by this deadline.

#6: Foster Griffin to the Guardians, 4 prospects to the Nationals.

The Guardians had a sneakily good deadline, bringing on a lot of pieces that lift this team up to where they can really chase Chicago. Foster Griffin was their best move, because their fifth man in the rotation was Slade Cecconi, and as good as he can be, they could do better. Their rotation is now Messick, Williams, Bibee, Griffin and Cantillo, and that's among the best in the bigs. Griffin isn't an ace, but he's an excellent mid-rotation arm with 12 wins and a 3.05 ERA under his belt, and that's from playing for a very okay Nationals team. He'll thrive in a playoff environment in Cleveland, and build on this belated rookie season to become an even bigger force going forward. 

#5: Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs, Francisco Rojas to the Mets

This one ways a little more than Gausman to me for the Cubs pitching additions, because Holmes, until the injury, was having the best season of his career, and one of the only good seasons on the Mets. Through 9 games he had a 2.39 ERA, and was proving that the Mets moving him to the rotation was a good idea after all. The idea is that once Holmes is active [as well as Braxton Garrett], he'll be able to aid the Cubs rotation, and I see him as a front-facing integral arm that could lead them through some postseason games. Tyrone Taylor's also an excellent outfield depth option for this team, and could be very helpful on a postseason roster. The Cubs weren't fully ready before, and now they are.

#4: Freddy Peralta to the Rays, 3 prospects to the Mets

This deal will work out if the thesis, that the Mets were just a really poor fit for Peralta, is true. Peralta succeeded in Milwaukee, a small market team built on contact and pitching. That's also the Rays. Low budget, small core, close wins, and an impressive rotation. Peralta levels it up, as good as Rasmussen and Martinez have been. Shane McClanahan's gonna miss some time, and Peralta will be relied upon to deliver Brewers numbers as an ace for a Rays team with a shot at a #1 seed. Peralta's 4.99 ERA will need to come down if the Rays want to take advantage of this deadline, and I have a feeling it will. Meanwhile, Jett Williams is still chilling in the Brewers' farm system, and Brandon Sproat is getting all kinds of starts, so...lolMets.

#3: Liam Hicks to the Rays, Brayden Taylor and 2 prospects to the Marlins.

I like this one a little better for the Rays, simply because it fixes a lot of problems. It ups their catching game, ensuring Nick Fortes doesn't have to start behind the plate as much. It also gives them a proven contact bat with some kick against righthanded pitchers, and a very well-trusted lineup presence. I think he's just one of those guys who can pop into any lineup and just dive right in with excellent production, so I think he'll love Tampa. And also, he drains the Rays' farm system a little more so other teams can have a chance. Just a really cool, sneaky move by the Rays that positions them further towards a late run.

#2: Adley Rutschman and Jake Rogers to the Red Sox, Carlos Narvaez and 4 prospects to the Orioles.

I would say since Varitek left, the Red Sox have had a revolving door at catcher. So many guys that could have been the one, or should have. Victor Martinez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Sandy Leon, Christian Vasquez, Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and the list goes on and on. So to finally have an answer at catcher, and for it to be Adley Rutschman a terrific hitting catcher whose team already foreshadowed this move by signing Samuel Basallo to a multi-year deal...that is huge. Rutschman's having another great season, but it did feel like this O's team was moving past the need for him. With this Boston team he'll fit right in, and be another huge lineup piece of a team that's quickly becoming a serious wild card threat. Very much a case of giving a team exactly the guy they need going forward.

But of course...nothing was gonna top the #1 piece on the board. Even if you disagree with its existence, this deal needed to be #1.

#1: Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers, River Ryan, Zyhir Hope and 1 other prospect to the Tigers

So. The best team in baseball got the best pitcher in baseball. In 16 starts, Skubal had a 2.79 ERA, 7 wins, 116 Ks and a 2.9 WAR. He's still in his peak, is effortlessly brilliant, and was never gonna stay in Detroit. The Dodgers taking him happened because they had a well-stocked farm system where even their lower tier prospects were more than other teams were offering. It's disappointing that, like a lot of recent Dodger developments, nobody else could stop it from happening. But now Sku gets to help the Dodgers go for a threepeat, and it's gonna make electric October baseball even if they don't get all the way. It's also gonna add fuel to the fire that Skubal will, in all likelihood, choose to stay in LA going forward. Definitely shifts the balance of the game, which is what the trade deadline is for. 

So yeah. A lot happened. A lot of teams won. And now the Dodgers are even scarier. Sets up the last third perfectly.

Sometime tomorrow there'll be a 'best of the rest' post most likely, with a lot of other deals that didn't make this list. 

The Month of Living Dangerously

 

So. After a 21-4 July, which is an incredibly odd thing to type out, the Boston Red Sox have gone from punchline of the division to a serious wild card threat. Not much has changed. Chad Tracy's managing now. Brayan Bello was demoted to middle relief in favor of Patrick Sandoval. Anthony Siegler's been up, Romy Gonzalez has been healthy. Everything else has been the same, personnel-wise. So...I think the key is that everything that wasn't working about this team from the start is working now. That includes Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez and Caleb Durbin, who all had really rough starts and have become some of the highlights of the team.

Durbin is a strange case, because he had a better hitting season last year with Milwaukee. He's doing fine this year, he has 10 home runs and 44 RBIs, but the hook has been his improved defense at third, which it just feels like the Sox haven't really had in a while. Gray and Suarez have both settled in and are in the midst of excellent seasons. Gray is 13-2 with a 2.93 ERA, a comeback season if I've ever seen one. Suarez has a 3.15 ERA and 105 Ks, very much a middle of the rotation year like the ones he had in Philly. And around that you have two standout seasons from young starters, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, and they've been very helpful. Bennett, in 11 starts, is 6-4 with a 2.74 ERA, and Toller has a 3.30 ERA and 110 Ks. The closest thing to a knockout, K-heavy ace, Garrett Crochet, is still out with an injury, and the guys who are left, while not bad, are just steady, formidable guys that do the work. 

That's really how you'd describe a lot of this Sox team. A lot of guys on the same page, not elbowing each other for the stardom, just lining up and performing. Masataka Yoshida, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Romy Gonzalez have always given me that idea, just consistent performers who get up there and do something cool and it doesn't have to be about them. Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin, therefore, fit right in, and Anthony Siegler seems to have gotten this memo as well. Which is why the 'look at me' guys haven't always done as well. Jarren Duran is STILL trying to work back up to something decent, but he's still hitting .199 despite 13 homers and 56 RBIs. Roman Anthony is hurt yet again, and was hitting .229 before the fact. Trevor Story's once again missing a large chunk of the year. Contreras is the closest thing to a big star, and he certainly had his big ego moment with Cade Cavalli, but even he's sort of dialed into the group mentality and doesn't have to be THE guy, despite being far and away the best offensive performer on the team. 

It's been cool seeing this Sox team come to prominence, and after adding Curtis Mead they look to keep adding pieces in the next few hours and make a run. The issue I have is that we're still not sure if they're a Blue Jays 2.0 type team that doesn't let up, or if July was it and they're about to go back downhill, now with even more cargo. I think they will remain a player, I just don't know if they'll be as unstoppable as they were last month. Then again, it has been a while since the Sox have won a World Series, and this could be the kind of team that shocks everyone. 

Coming Tonight: Probably a Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals post, if I'm up to it. 

Complete(ly Miserable)

 

Here's something true. Earlier today, in the midst of a 3-10 season with a 7 ERA and a league-leading 81 earned runs, Kyle Freeland of the Rockies notched his first ever complete game. This game was against the Royals at home, which honestly makes sense. It wasn't even a complete game shutout, there was a run scored. But something like this, in the midst of a lost season for both the Rockies and Freeland, is something close to a season highlight. 

Even if the Rockies are visibly better than they were last year, you can still tell this isn't really another marquee year for them. Though admittedly there's better pitching than usual, trotting Michael Lorenzen and Kyle Freeland out there every few days isn't doing this team any favors. I keep hearing rumors that they're gonna try and trade Lorenzen, but I'm not sure if Coors Field is the problem or if Lorenzen's just cooked. He's got a 1.806 WHIP, leads the league in hits allowed and has a 6.34 ERA, despite making all his starts and striking out 80. Obviously pitching at Coors has ballooned the ERA, but let's be clear, his away ERA is still 5.16, with more hits allowed. Are teams thinking he's just gonna bounce back once he's out of the purple? The opposite might happen if Tomoyuki Sugano's dealt, I have no idea if his numbers will be better anywhere else. He seems like the kind of low-velocity, high-craftsmanship pitcher that's made for the Rockies, and putting him on a competitor might expose just how inconsequential he'd be for, y'know, a good team. Sort of like the Ryan McMahon conversation.

What I will say is that, barring a few negative WAR seasons [including from former prized prospect Ezequiel Tovar], this lineup isn't much of an issue. Assuming we're losing Hunter Goodman in the next 24 hours, as somebody like Boston or Tampa or the Cubs could go for him, the Rockies will be down to Braxton Fulford or Brett Sullivan behind the plate. Beyond that, there's still plenty of options for general offensive lunacy. Cole Carrigg's having a very nice rookie season, hitting .292 with an .891 OPS, plus 5 homers and 26 RBIs in 43 games. T.J. Rumfield seems to be the answer at first, he's a .297 hitter with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs. Kyle Karros is also putting together an excellent contact-friendly campaign at third, and Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy have gone from novelty pickups to genuinely helpful offensive pieces. 

If people leave, and they will, the hope is that the guys who were supposed to be a factor but weren't [Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck, Zac Even] can eventually take over and continue to build this lineup. I think overall a better pitching staff would help, as they competed in the mid-2010s because they had Freeland, Marquez, Senzatela and Gray all healthy and thriving, so they need something like that again. Having Gabriel Hughes in position to help is one thing, but if Hughes, Dollander, Feltner and Sean Sullivan could lock in and produce something consistent, then we can actually talk about this team scraping out of last. Until then, expect a lot of teams like this.

Coming Tomorrow- He was traded to make room for an infielder who still hasn't been promoted yet, and is still managing to feel like a positive addition to his team. 

Half-Price Halos

 

Well, at least the deadline waffling you can find anywhere else in the league isn't present with the Angels, heavily regarded as the worst team in the league. Everyone's on the table. Zach Neto, Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, Jo Adell, probably Jorge Soler, possibly even Mike Trout. They're not even cagey about it. They already dealt Logan O'Hoppe to Texas, they scratched Jose Soriano from his weekend start, the Red Sox and Phillies are both linked to Neto. It's completely transparent. 

I say...the majority of that bunch will go. Neto, Soriano, Detmers, all for sure. Maybe some relievers. Maybe one or two rentals. Trout I'm still not sure about. But when it's all over, it will leave a much slimmer, much less populated Angels team. Which we kind of already have.

If people leave Nolan Schanuel might be one of the few remaining Angels everyday guys. He's not exactly the greatest building block to leave behind, but he's alright. He's currently hitting .279 with 6 homers and 37 RBIs, very much a fine effort. I think if Trout goes he might be forced onto the marquee, which is odd for a guy who was an interloper into this roster just a few years ago. It's just proof that the Angels seriously need to beckon on a rebuild, and the failure of guys like Christian Moore or Denzer Guzman [or Caden Dana] to really catch fire has made things even more disappointing. Cause then you're left with a Schanuel or an Oswald Peraza or a Wade Meckler and that's what's holding up the team. If Soriano and Detmers go, big starts are going to Walbert Ureña, who's good but a rookie, Grayson Rodriguez and Ryan Johnson, who both have 7.50 ERAs, and probably Sam Aldegheri or George Klassen, who've had even worse luck in the bigs.

And like there aren't too many prospect heir apparents ready for a bit either. No real pitching guys, save for Klassen or Dana, but neither are all that great this year. Is it nearly time for Nelson Rada? Cause that's basically all that they have right now who's anywhere near ready. Everything else is short-term solutions and guys who are available and can start for a minor league team, because if guys get traded this will be one.

I'm not saying they shouldn't trade these guys. They're all high value. I just think it reestablishes the failure of the current CBA to prevent tanking, because if they cash in now, they're gonna be the worst team in the league next year and will 100% rebuild and sacrifice the next few years, because that's all the Angels ownership knows how to do right now. We didn't have a 2024 White Sox level bad team this year, but if Trout gets traded we just might.

Coming Tonight: A rookie outfielder for a team that might be losing a few pieces as well.