My Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2025

 It's odd talking about this specific trade deadline, because it doesn't SEEM like a lot of huge pieces came off the board, but they really did. This was a year without many BIG stars changing hands, maybe one or two [in deals that, to be frank, did not make my list], but a lot of the big deals concerned relief pitchers and utility guys. This was a year where Jose Caballero and Willi Castro getting dealt were both big deals, and it was warranted rather than 'this is all we have to talk about'. It honestly speaks to the quality of the relief pitching in this deadline, as it wasn't like 'who's gonna get this 29 year old having a fluke year?' or anything, like there were a lot of big relievers and closers getting dealt, and it all pretty much made sense.

And yes, we got through the deadline without Luis Robert, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcantara, Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease or even Paul Skenes getting traded. Yet it all seemed satisfying and not anticlimactic. I guess I'd call it a win, and not because of how both my teams did.

So, as is custom, I'm gonna rank my top 10 trade deadlines of this year. There'll be another post for the honorable mentions I still wanted to talk about, and another still about the ones where the GM's actions frankly puzzled me.

But let's get into it with a deal that honestly, by the end of the year, might be too lowly-ranked.

#10: Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Reds, Taylor Rogers to the Pirates [and eventually the Cubs], fellow CIN prospect to the Pirates.

The Reds filled a lot of smaller holes this deadline, but their biggest hole was at third base. They have tried Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson at third this season. None of them worked. So why not bring in a guy who can definitely play third base. Sneakily, Ke'Bryan Hayes has been having a nice year at the corner, and he continues to be one of the best defensive third basemen in the game. Now, granted, he's not *hitting*, but you never know when he'll go on a tear. I just think that Hayes was the corner stability the Reds needed, and even if he doesn't hit, he'll be a pretty nice piece of this Reds team as they head towards a potential playoff run. 

#9: Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, 3 prospects to the Diamondbacks

I've ranked this one so lowly because I honestly don't think the Rangers needed rotation help, especially considering that before they went on the streak they were gonna deal deGrom anyway. But...this still gives one of the best starters in the league to a rotation that already has deGrom, Eovaldi and Jack Leiter in it. That's honestly pretty scary to me. This will depend on whether or not the Rangers are as good as their July has been. Because they have the pieces in place, and only now are they starting to act like they're supposed to. I think there's a chance they keep rolling, but I also know how inconsistent the Rangers have been this year. Either way Kelly will help, and it's kind of wild to see the Rangers bring on a guy who squared off against them in the 2023 World Series.

#8: Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, 2 prospects to the Rockies

As far as a Cashman pull goes, it may not seem like much. Because of the Yankees' reluctance to trade some of its most prized prospects [Spencer Jones, George Lombard, Jasson Dominguez honestly], a lot of the bigger deadline weapons we were after didn't end up happening. Initially when the McMahon deal happened it felt like a poor consolation for Eugenio Suarez. But honestly, just from what I've seen from McMahon so far, I think we made the right decision. We needed a sure thing at third base, and McMahon is not only that everyday corner guy, but his contact hitting has revitalized the team. Already he's hitting .350 as a Yankee with 8 hits and 4 RBIs. He doesn't need to be the star, but he's steady, consistent and really impressive. Like Chisholm last year, McMahon just seems like just the kind of guy we need right now.

#7: Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano to the Padres, 5 prospects to the Orioles

Very smart move by A.J. Preller. There's another move I'll talk about tomorrow that was even sneakier in filling a need, but the Padres needed an outfield upgrade and one more thumper for the lineup, and they got two perfect pieces. Ryan O'Hearn in a lineup that already has Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill is dangerous. He will fit right in there. And Laureano going to this outfield is a blessing because he doesn't have to start every day. His defense makes him an upgrade over a lot of their other OF options, and he's a good bench bat when needed. I think Gavin Sheets should be getting more starts out there, but Laureano gives them flexibility. The trouble I had with him in Baltimore is that he was playing a starring role when he really should have been a backup, but that's more the fault of the team this year. 

Speaking of Orioles outfielders..

#6: Cedric Mullins to the Mets, 3 prospects to the Orioles

Going into this season, even before we knew the O's would have a drop-off, it was clear that Cedric Mullins was likely on the way out. He'd been there for eight seasons, came into his own right when the team needed him and was a marquee star as they built their youth movement. He'd done enough. The Mets now have an outfield of Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and Cedric Mullins. That's pretty excellent in my opinion. Mullins is still versatile, still quick, and still powerful. He now gets to help a team get to October. I see no real drawbacks here, though because Mullins is having a comparative down year I'm not sure if that'll carry over.

#5: Josh Naylor to the Mariners, 2 prospects to the D-Backs

The Mariners, even in the midst of a division battle that's getting much more competitive, made some really nice moves to boost the lethality of their lineup. Naylor at the corner in T-Mobile Park is definitely a step up. Even in a year that's not quite to the quality of his Cleveland run, Naylor is still an excellent contact hitter, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs. In Seattle he vastly improves the 1st base situation and adds another surefire bat to a lineup that, even before this weekend, ranked as one of the most troublesome ones in the AL. If October is on the Mariners' mind this year, which it is, they've also procured an excellent postseason performer. 

#4: Jhoan Duran to the Phillies, Mick Abel and another prospect to the Twins

Finally, the Phillies get a legit answer in the ninth after every other closing option fell apart. And yes, I am aware of how often we use the trade deadline to get a surefire closer that then struggles to save games once he gets here. It happened with Ian Kennedy, it happened with David Robertson, it happened with Carlos Estevez. However, Jhoan Duran is under 30. He's also still in his prime, in the midst of a great season, and is scarily dominant. He is the missing link for a bullpen that's honestly coming into its own. Though, to be fair, if our bullpen IS, in fact, cursed, then you'll file this away with the others. I just have hope that he'll be the one, though. 

#3: David Bednar to the Yankees, 3 prospects to the Pirates

Like the Phillies, the Yankees also went through some aggravation to find a ninth inning man this year. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have been spottier in save situations this year, and it's clear that both should be in setup roles. All that remained was a better, more reliable closer. And since June I'd say, David Bednar has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball. I only attribute his struggles to moments leading up to and following an injury- everything else has been fantastic. Pittsburgh fans loved him, and hopefully he'll appeal to Yankee fans as well. I just think he's a pretty reliable bet in the ninth, though I do worry he'll go back to his April luck in a bigger stadium. 

#2: Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to the Padres, Leo de Vries and three other prospects to the Athletics

This one is so high because I did not think the A's were going to deal Mason Miller, as he's a young, controllable phenom that I thought they'd keep until Vegas. But evidently the GM got an offer from A.J. Preller that he couldn't refuse, and I think Leo de Vries was part of that, despite the fact that Jacob Wilson also exists. Mason Miller is a terrific closer and unbelievable hard-throwing pitcher, but putting him in a minor league stadium did not do him justice. He gives the Padres an even safer bet in the ninth than Robert Suarez, and he could be closing there for years. And in a deadline season where the Padres still dealt some excess arms [Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek got dealt, more on that tomorrow], J.P. Sears is a very smart late-rotation addition that not only adds yet another ex-Yankee to this rotation [alongside Vazquez and King], but puts a consistent, reliable starter alongside Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease. I'd put that against the Dodgers' circus of arm strains anyday.

But of course, as wild as it was to see a trade that actually got Mason Miller out of Sacramento, it could not take the top spot. The top spot had to go to a fit so perfect that I could have sworn I'd seen it before...

#1: Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, Tyler Locklear and 2 prospects to the Diamondbacks

Look, some things are just clear. We know Geno in Seattle works, it worked a couple years ago. We know Geno's having an excellent season, and right at the trade he became the D-Backs' WAR leader this season. We know he can hit home runs and for contact. We know he's still in his prime. And we know he and Josh Naylor were on the same wavelength. Putting him back into this lineup makes it clear that the Mariners have the best lineup in the division now. They have more assets than Houston, more clear power hitters than Texas, and better pitching security than either. And yes, the Astros had a similar reunion today, and you're probably wondering why it's not at this spot. Without getting fully into a rant I'll have later on...Eugenio Suarez has a space meant for him. He doesn't have to squeeze into someone else's for a month or so. 

For now, the Mariners just bulked up their lineup with someone they know works in Seattle, and they just made a major stake towards the East title. It's gonna make the rest of the season very interesting, that's for sure.

Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the trades that didn't make this list, and why.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Giants

 

The Giants this year were the antithesis to the Dodgers, for those weary of the Dodgers' despotic rule over the league. The Giants paid a lot of money to make their team great this year, and they still manage to finish in fourth place. Not everyone's as perfect as the L.A. brass, it seems.

I think the biggest summation of their season was Jung Hoo Lee. Huge star in the Korean leagues, signed to a big contract and expected to be a big piece of the team going forward. The 25-year-old center fielder had a slow start, but by mid-May he was beginning to get the hang of the majors, hitting .267 with 38 hits, 8 RBIs and 2 homers. Then he gets his shoulder injured, is out for the rest of the season, and the Grandson of Wind is lost for the rest of his rookie season. As usual in San Francisco, 'so much for that'.

2025 Prediction: Well barring further catastrophe, he's gonna hit .300 and be everything he was supposed to be, just a year late. 

Because of the hit to the rotation early in the season, Kyle Harrison went from a lower-tier 'we'll give him a shot' type from 2023 to one of the most crucial rotation pieces of the season for the Giants. And ultimately, with how beat up the rotation would be all year, even while missing 9 games he still made the 2nd-most starts of anyone, behind Logan Webb. Harrison was, at the very least, durable, with 7 wins and 118 Ks, plus a 4.56 ERA, in 24 starts. His first half was better than his second half, because I think the strain started getting to him. 

2025 Prediction: Lower ERA, though I think being one or two pegs lower in the rotation will do him better at 24.

Though Tyler Fitzgerald would be the more noteworthy infield addition, Brett Wisely's presence in the infield schematic changed things dramatically, and provided an alternative to the now-waning Thairo Estrada experiment. Wisely's biggest perk is his defensive versatility, as he was an above-average infield threat at both 2B and SS, settling in at 2nd to round out the year. He's not THE BEST at the plate, only hitting .238 this year with 31 RBIs in 91 games, but he's a very handy guy to have around.

2024 Prediction: The Giants have answers at 1st, Short and 3rd, and I reckon they're gonna plug in a free agent at 2nd. Wisely will be better off as a utility guy, but he'll have some cool moments next year.

Three years after a massive come-up, Camilo Doval found himself demoted after fumbling the closing job.  The 26 year old came off of a season where he led the NL in saves, and now was struggling not to blow any, despite finishing the year with 23. The earned runs just grew this year, he had a 4.88 ERA after never finishing a season under 3. He's young enough to turn it around, but in a year where Emmanuel Clase, his closest contemporary, got even stronger, Doval took a huge step back.

2025 Prediction: Narrowly secures the ninth again, and has a better year of it. I expect a few more human moments but not as many as 2024. 

The relief duo of Taylor and Tyler Rogers continues to be one of the most fun aspects of these teams, because once again both of them were excellent, consistent and equally powerful. Taylor had the more traditionally dominant season, with a 2.40 ERA and 64 Ks in as many games. Tyler, meanwhile, led the team in appearances with 77, had a 2.82 ERA with 51 Ks, and a much lower 1.038 WHIP. It's really cool that these are two fundamentally different pitchers in terms of approach, yet they're still brothers who have some similar tendencies. 

2025 Prediction: Tyler's gonna have the better season again, but I think Taylor might be dealt at the deadline if things don't go SF's way again.

So, to recap, the Mariners dealt Robbie Ray to the Giants in exchange for Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani, Disco didn't pitch a game with either team he was traded to, Haniger was subpar all year, and Robbie Ray only made 7 starts. But...to me, the Giants still win the trade because the 7 starts of Robbie Ray that they did get were honestly pretty damn good. Barring two light-ups, Ray only gave up 1 or 2 runs during most of his starts, and went 5 hitless innings upon being activated in July. He finished the year with a 4.70 ERA, a 3-2 record and 43 Ks. We are slowly getting back to peak Robbie Ray.

2025 Prediction: For the first time since 2022, this guy really feels untouchable.

In all the shuffling of injured starters, a promising rookie that got a taste late in the year was Hayden Birdsong, a 22-year-old prospect drafted late in the 2022 draft. Birdsong got 16 starts in the majors, and held a 4.75 ERA with 88 Ks. Clearly this is a young kid getting his feet wet, but there were some tremendous starts this year, like his 5th one, where he went 6 inning against the Rockies, and struck out 12 while only giving up 2 runs. That, hopefully, will be closer to the norm for Birdsong going forward.

2025 Prediction: The Giants have several immovables near the top of the rotation next year, people like Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison, then Jordan Hicks. So theoretically there is room for Birdsong in the 2025 rotation, and I think he makes it thanks to a strong spring. I also think he's gonna make a name for self with this season in a way people aren't expecting.

The sole real splash the Giants made at the trade deadline was bringing Mark Canha over from Detroit, which would, in itself, make more room for Parker Meadows over there. Kind of a win-win. Canha was solid in 32 games as a 1st base fill-in for LaMonte Wade, hitting .288 with 21 hits and 4 RBIs. More importantly, Canha's big contribution was sampling some of the dirt at the Coliseum after playing in the last Bay Area series there. He's played for both teams now, and it's very important to him.

2025 Prediction: I honestly think the A's should sign him, that'd be a draw for the Sacramento crowd. 

Coming Tomorrow- Several key members of a Guardians team very close to going the distance. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Giants

 

2021 proved that Kaplerball could work in San Francisco. 2022 proved that it had its limits. And 2023 proved that maybe Kaplerball didn't lead to long-term success if it led to a largely-unknown Giants team that had to rely on secondhand guys to do the heavy lifting rather than many of their homegrown guys. 

The Giants actually had a strong run midyear, and were making a definite run at a playoff spot, but were hindered by a lot of injuries to big pieces, as well as being completely outmatched by Arizona and LA. Hell, by the end, the Padres got more September momentum than the Giants, and relegated them to 4th place. And with that, Kaplerball was over, Bob Melvin headed back to Northern California, and the team will be starting over next year.

I think one of the big discrepancies in the Giants' 2023 story was the GM's want to get contracts while Kapler's whole approach was playing moneyball. Remember, before the injury scared people away, Carlos Correa had signed a huge, multi-year deal in San Francisco, and even if that was voided, the Giants were linked to Aaron Judge [or his long lost cousin Arson]. Eventually they settled for Michael Conforto, who had mostly recovered from injuries sustained following the 2021 season. Conforto still missed about a month of play, and only hit .239 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs, which isn't the best showing from someone the Giants figured would be a marquee star, especially in the wake of Correa and Judge not happening. I will add that Concerto's 58 RBIs was the third highest amount on the Giants. Funnily enough, the 2nd and 1st in RBI, Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis, are also ex-Mets. 

2024 Prediction: A much better year that will lead to A.) a midyear trade to a competition, B.) a team giving him a nice amount of money on a contract post-2024, or C.) both.

The other guy the Giants signed during the offseason to amount for not getting Judge was Mitch Haniger, a hard-hitting ex-Mariners outfielder who always gets injured. Take a wild guess what happened. Limited to 61 games, Haniger only hit 6 home runs with a .209 average. 

2024 Prediction: He will hit more than 6 home runs. But he will not play 150 games.

One of the coolest things the Giants did this year was reunite the Rogers brothers in the same bullpen. Tyler Rogers had been a mainstay for the Giants, his brother Taylor had a rough year in 2022 between the Padres and Brewers. Bringing them together was a plan that worked for both brothers, and for the bullpen as a whole. Taylor, out of the ninth for the first time in several years thanks to Camilo Doval, was a lot better-implemented in middle relief, with a 3.83 ERA, 64 Ks and a 1.239 WHIP. I think roles like these can be good for him before somebody slots him back into a closing role.

2024 Prediction: Will save a few games but has a complete return-to-form year as a relief piece.

Meanwhile, Taylor's side-armer brother Tyler continued his impressive run in SF, leading the team in IP, and notching a 3.04 ERA with 60 Ks and a 1.149 WHIP. Rogers is the most statistically impressive of the brothers, even if he's the most anonymous, but he's really become a big piece of these Giants bullpens, and given a new approach he'll probably continue to impress.

2024 Prediction: Will come down a bit from this year but still make all his marks.

Sean Manaea had some great seasons for the A's back before he wore out his arm too much. The past two seasons have been the result of hard-throwing habits in his 20s, and I really don't think there's much else for Manaea to do. The Giants had Manaea start for 10 games, realized he wasn't as good anymore, and eventually allowed him to work long relief. Though the relief appearances did patch his ERA, he ended with a 4.44, and a 1.241 WHIP. 

2024 Prediction: A lower-key team brings him on and he does what he can, though his days of primetime moments might be behind him.

This was a good year for rookies in the Giants' system finally helping the MLB cause. Their smartest call-up might have been Ryan Walker, a 27-year-old who, fun fact, has the exact same birthdate as I do [down to the year], who'd been a minor league mainstay for a while. Walker became the Giants' flex piece, starting some games, being in for long relief and staying til the end. Alongside his versatility, Walker finished the year with a 3.23 ERA and 68 strikeouts. 

2024 Prediction: An expanded role, possibly as a relief piece but perhaps even starting more games. Either way, the Giants are gonna pick a role for Walker and stick with it.

The theme of several Giants' call-ups from this year was that their defensive abilities were awesome but they hadn't figured out how to hit in the majors yet. Luis Matos didn't even have much defensive ability to speak for. The 21-year-old was speedy, and did what he could in center, but he only hit .250 and struggled even as a contact bat.

2024 Prediction: Of all the Giants' rookies that struggled offensively this year, Matos has the best chance of finally coming into his own. 

Meanwhile, Kyle Harrison was a late pitching call-up that got off to some excellent work almost immediately, with 6 shutout innings and 11 strikeouts in his second-ever career start against the similarly struggling Reds. Harrison eventually evened out to a 4.15 ERA with 35 Ks, and it was a beginning to a career that instilled the fans with confidence going forward, especially considering the number of older starting options still hanging around.

2024 Prediction: 10 wins, Rookie of the Year votes, talks of a larger contract.

And with all the new blood entering this team, it's hard to face the fact that Brandon Crawford, the last remaining survivor of the Bochy-ball runs of the early-2010s, might have played his last game as a Giant. Crawford, at 36, didn't have much left to prove, and hit below .200 in 93 games, but it was important for him to ride out his last season under the contract, and he got to leave on a heroic note. 

2024 Prediction: I kinda think he'll retire, mostly because I can't really imagine him wanting to suit up for anyone else.

Coming Tomorrow- A few remainders of a very strange season in Cleveland. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Brewers

 

By the end of May, the Milwaukee Brewers were still one of the best teams in baseball, confidently on first, and doing a ton of things right. Then June happened.

On one hand, the Brewers don't have a ton to be disappointed about in 2022, they still finished above .500 and got great campaigns out of Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames and, in the absence of Josh Hader, Devin Williams. But...they still lost Josh Hader, they're still struggling to get late-2010s Christian Yelich back, and the Cardinals are now firmly the alpha in the NL Central. The moves they've made so far for the 2023 season have involved trading away Hunter Renfroe and Kolten Wong, and gaining Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro. The oddsmakers would say that, despite a reported reluctance to trade Burnes or Adames, they're looking at a lower-key year. However, if the Brewers are gonna lay slightly low in 2023, does that mean that the Cardinals are gonna waltz to October? I certainly hope not.

The biggest breakout, ironically as his brother was also breaking out in Baltimore, was infielder Luis Urias. Long gestating after being traded for Zach Davies back in the day, Urias finally came to full prominence with the Brewers, with 47 RBIs and 16 homers, as well as a 3.1 WAR. While the Brewers have been using efficient answers at third of late, Urias is definitely a favorite to start there in 2023, and could use this season as a ramp up to glory.

2023 Prediction: A 25-homer year. At some point, he and his brother are gonna have some sort of dramatic face-off. Maybe in the ASG, maybe in an interleague match.

Freddy Peralta, the third head of the Brewers' pitching hydra, missed a ton of time this year due to injuries. He only made 17 starts, but he finished the year with a 3.58 ERA and still managed 86 strikeouts. Even with Eric Lauer coming to prominence, Peralta is still a trusted and respected rotation choice in Milwaukee.

2023 Prediction: Fuller season, but may struggle with a high ERA. 

Jace Peterson was the Brewers' main choice at third this year. Peterson is also my pick for the single most overrated player of the season. This is a guy who would rate strongly in WAR all year without doing a single damned thing worthy of any note during the season. Look, he hit .236 with 68 hits, and that's in a full season. And people were calling this guy an integral part of this team. It's great if you're a strong corner infielder, but you've gotta have more dimensions than that these days. 

2023 Prediction: Yeah, Oakland is a much better place for this guy. He'll do alright for the A's, but eventually they're gonna develop people that erase the need for someone like him.

While Peralta missed time due to injuries, Adrian Houser also only made 21 starts, but he struggled comparatively, with a 4.73 ERA and a 6-10 record. Houser has always been a back-half guy for this rotation, but he's slipping even further from where he was.

2023 Prediction: When the big guns in this rotation get traded, as they may at some point, it will be Houser's job to lead the gang, and he'll only do a serviceable job of it.

Tyrone Taylor finally had a season that got people to notice him, after being caught in the Trent Grisham/Mark Mathias/Jonathan Davis huddle of backup outfielders for too long. Taylor hit .233, but with 51 RBIs and 17 home runs. This was his fullest season as a starting choice, and in the absence of Lorenzo Cain, and now Hunter Renfroe, he's looking to be an even bigger piece of this team.

2023 Prediction: Full breakout numbers. 

Omar Narvaez was injured for a huge chunk of this season, so the Brewers were very lucky they'd snatched Victor Caratini from San Diego during the offseason. Caratini, while a serviceable backup catcher, still made the most of a starring role, and had 34 RBIs and 9 homers, despite not doing wholly great at the plate. 

2023 Prediction: Caratini is the new Manny Pina, sad to say, and next season he'll have more acceptable backup numbers.

The Brewers are still doing what they can to make something out of Keston Hiura, despite him coming nowhere near their promise for him. At best, he's a sloppy defensive corner infielder with occasional power perks. At worst, he's listless at the plate and taking starts away from Tellez. Hiura actually hit 14 homers this season as a backup, which was as many as Yelich hit funnily enough. That said, he was also 6th in strikeouts, and that's with only 86 games. So there's still a ton of issues, but at least his power numbers can still be useful. 

2023 Prediction: I bet this is the year they give up on him.

Aaron Ashby has been the heralded pitching guy for the Brewers of late, and this is from a system that also has Jake Cousins and Ethan Small. Ashby got a ton of starting opportunities in 2022, and, despite a 2-10 record, had a 4.44 ERA and 126 strikeouts. Not brilliant, but for a rookie adjusting to consistent starts in the majors, it's a decent shake of things.

2023 Prediction: This season's gonna be the closest approximation of his stuff, and he's really gonna aid this rotation with a breakout year.

The Padres' return for Josh Hader was, well, a pretty great closer in his own right. Despite some ERA issues, Taylor Rogers had cooked up a pretty nice season for his first non-Twins effort, notching 28 saves in 42 games. Then he landed in Milwaukee, and things went south, as his ERA went to 5.48 and both control issues and the presence of Devin Williams led to him only getting 3 saves out of it. On the whole, he got 84 Ks in 2022, which is his second most, but he set a career mark with earned runs, which isn't great.

2023 Prediction: Someone's gonna take a flyer on him, though probably not with him in mind to definitely close. Maybe the Twins reunite with him. He'll be back in the ninth eventually though.

Tomorrow, some extra Cardinals from the team I swore was gonna beat the Phillies easily.

Fine, I Didn't Want to go to LA Anyway

 

"You know a few weeks ago, when I was "snubbed" by the Academy..."

-Adam Sandler receiving an Independent Spirit Award in 2020.

It can't be easy for a lot of these guys. I know the All-Star Game is just a friendly play-in, with no real stakes and not a ton of incentive, but it still must hurt when not only the fans but the manager and commissioner don't think you're good enough to be on a roster. I was watching Brandon Hyde inform the whole Orioles locker room that Jorge Lopez had gotten in, and I felt so bad for people like Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Tyler Wells, who all had a shot at it themselves. It's gotta be tough, like 'hey, happy for you', hide behind some humility, but MAN...

I figured I'd go through all 30 teams and talk about one guy from each who must feel really bummed out right now regarding the ASG rosters.

Angels: Taylor Ward. Had a great first month and a half, came off to an amazing start as a contact hitting outfielder, then once the team dried up everyone stopped talking about him. 

Astros: Jeremy Pena. Probably one of the best assets for the Astros this year, and a Rookie of the Year candidate, trapped behind a tough SS battle with Bogaerts, Bichette and Anderson

A's: Frankie Montas is the most well-known pitcher there, and while he's not having as good a season as Blackburn, could have used an ASG nod to make himself known to competitors like Blackburn will.

Blue Jays: Bo Bichette, honestly. I kinda thought he'd make it on.

Braves: Austin Riley is becoming one of the best assets in the game and he's unlucky enough to be a third baseman in the NL at the same time as Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado.

Brewers: Christian Yelich used to be a big draw for ASG votes, and now couldn't even make that work. He's not having a 2018-caliber year, but he's also not completely terrible either.

Cardinals: Miles Mikolas should have been on there and everyone knows it. None of this Ryan Helsley crap.

Cubs: I dunno if anyone other than Contreras and Happ deserved it. Maybe David Robertson I guess?

D-Backs: Christian Walker had an excellent start and has a bit more name recognition than Joe Mantiply, but, as established, Brian Snitker wasn't looking for name recognition for his relief picks.

Dodgers: Freddie Freeman. The guy had a real chance at starting at 1st, and was one of the few final ballot losers to not make the roster. I think he's having a great season, and this has gotta hurt.

Giants: I could easily give it to Yaz, but for Logan Webb and Carlos Rodon to be pitching the way they have and not get anything for it kinda sucks. [UPDATE, 7/12: One down]

Guardians: I guess maybe Shane Bieber, but I honestly think their picks were pretty valid.

Mariners: Injury be damned, Ty France. Dude was so close to starting and now he's not even in the conversation. 

Marlins: Pablo Lopez got off to a huge start and was then eclipsed by Sandy Alcantara. I think they should have had him on as well.

Mets: Brandon Nimmo, who has a higher WAR than Marte, McNeil or Diaz.

Nationals: JOSH BELL. I know, it makes more sense to have Juan Soto play in the All-Star Game, but Bell is having the better season, and might even be a trade piece.

Orioles: As discussed, Cedric Mullins

Padres: Guy at the top of the post, Taylor Rogers. Having an excellent season as closer, kind of figured he'd be a shoo-in considering his saves totals. I suppose Ryan Helsley was more important.

Phillies: Aaron Nola. Everybody said Wheeler when this came out, I think Nola's having the better year. 

Pirates: Ke'Bryan Hayes. I'm aware of the clog at 3rd base, but Hayes is playing like a star this year. Jazz Chisholm is getting the treatment Hayes deserves. 

Rangers: Corey Seager. I noticed a theme in all of this of ex-Dodgers returning to LA. You have Joc Pederson, Albert Pujols and, I suppose, Manny Machado all in there. I kinda thought Seager would also want to get in on that, seeing as he's playing really well right now.

Rays: You know what? I think they did fine with McClanahan.

Red Sox: Logically I should say J.D. Martinez [UPDATE, 7/12: well..], but John Schreiber ought to be pissed that Clay Holmes and Ryan Helsley are in and he's not. 

Reds: Brandon Drury was the guy who I thought was gonna be their rep. I get it from a positional standpoint.

Rockies: Daniel Bard would have been a more realistic bullpen choice.

Royals: Scott Barlow, again with the bullpen managing. 

Tigers: Again, Soto [and Cabrera] counts as good enough representation.

Twins: Simply because a great portion of his old teammates will be there, Carlos Correa. 

White Sox: Liam Hendriks should have been a shoo-in. Possibly Luis Robert as well.

Yankees: Honestly, they did pretty well. Between Judge, Stanton, Cole, Trevino, Cortes and Holmes, I don't think I could have asked for any more. Maybe Gleyber's a little salty, I dunno, but the six guys that are going are the 6 best guys for it.

So yeah. Some people have a reason to be mad, some teams did just well enough. Hopefully a few of these will be righted in the next week or so once people start dropping out.

Coming Tomorrow- A guy who just hit a home run as I was writing this post. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Twins

 

Suffice to say, the Twins' follow-up to their monster 2019 was a bit of a letdown. Yes, they won the AL Central this year, but they did so after trailing the Indians and White Sox for half the season and slipping into first at the very last minute...followed by a first-round loss to the SEVENTH-SEEDED ASTROS. Losing to a strong Yankees team last year is one thing, but losing to a team that finished 29-31 is another thing entirely. 

Miguel Sano is the perfect example of this Twins team. Yes, he was back and healthy this year, which was nice, but he also struck out 90 times in 53 games, while hitting .204 with 13 home runs and 25 RBIs. Yes, those are good power stats, but they came at the expense of contact hitting and striking out a bunch of times. So Sano still remains a double-edged sword for the Twins- keep him and continue to lead the league in power hitting, or dump him and actually get someone good to play 1st base.

2021 Prediction: He's gonna lose a starting gig and get DFA'd by July. 

Jorge Polanco, one of the most overrated players in the game right now, had, you guessed it, an okay year at short after his HUGE 2019. Almost as if his 2019 was a fluke or something. Anyway, Polanco hit .258 with 19 RBIs, giving him a WAR of 0, his lowest since 2016. The one thing setting him apart in past years, his batting numbers, have declined. 

2021 Prediction: Either traded at the deadline or made a bench player thanks to a rookie call-up.

Meanwhile, Luis Arraez, the team's second baseman, is going the exact opposite direction as Polanco. Arraez, who spent 32 games starting at 2nd, hit .321 this year with 36 hits and 13 RBIs, a pretty solid offensive register for the rising defensive infielder. Arraez has a strong hold on the position for 2021, and looks to be a key piece in the next stage of this team.

2021 Prediction: A gold glove, or at least consideration for one, and some great contact stats upon Arraez' first full-season performance. 

Mitch Garver's stock took a big hit in 2020, with injuries limiting him to 23 games, and a .167 average with only 2 homers limiting him even further. The once-strong backstop felt like he was taking a step backwards from his breakout last year, and it was tough to see.

2021 Prediction: An improvement in terms of average, but he'll have to contend with Ryan Jeffers for the starting gig now.

Randy Dobnak had an immaculate start for the Twins this season, going 5-2 in his first 7 starts, with a 2.43 ERA and 17 strikeouts. Dobnak wasn't exactly a fireballer, but he had good control, and was fantastic at keeping opposing offenses at bay. His 6.75 ERA in September dive-bombed his strong season, and led to him being phased out as a starter as the playoffs began.  

2021 Prediction: More control, a few more strikeouts, and a held rotation position throughout the season.

Rich Hill's late career success is just a really heartwarming factor of this modern era of baseball. Everyone wrote him off after 2009, and since 2015 he's been 43-22 with a 2.92 ERA and 584 strikeouts, seeing playoff time with Los Angeles and Minnesota, and impressing the hell out of people despite injuries limiting his seasons. His 2020 was only 8 games, but he had a 2-2 record, a 3.03 ERA and 31 strikeouts. At age 40, those are excellent stats. 

2021 Prediction: He still wants to play. I honestly think Minnesota re-signs him. If not, maybe he returns to his hometown team in Boston. 

Marwin Gonzalez spent his second season as the stock utility man in Minnesota as a backup for Josh Donaldson at 3rd, which paid off when Donaldson hit the IL early in the season. Gonzalez hit .211 with 5 homers and 22 RBIs over 55 games, which isn't GREAT, but it's not bad at all, especially given Donaldson's disappointing year.

2021 Prediction: More utility work elsewhere. 

Taylor Rogers continued to be a strong choice for the ninth for the Twins.  Rogers notched 9 saves in 21 appearances, and struck out 24, despite a 4 ERA weakening his WAR numbers. 

2021 Prediction: 30 saves and a low ERA again.

Of course, one of the flashiest bullpen options for the Twins continued to be Sergio Romo, who followed up his strong, low-ERA year last year with a more human one with a 4 ERA and some horseplay resulting in an ejection. Romo is still one of the more trusted relievers in the game, but he's beginning to lose his footing while keeping his character fully intact. 

2021 Prediction: More setup work somewhere. Maybe the Phils sign him, that'd be something..

In Mitch Garver's absence, the Twins called up Ryan Jeffers to catch for a bit, and he had a heck of an audition, batting .273 with 7 RBIs and 3 homers in 26 games. He seems more of a contact type than Garver, and while he does have 'backup' written all over him, him and Mitch Garver vying for a starting job next year is gonna be interesting.

2021 Prediction: Will get the backup gig, but will still hit .280 with some RBIs. 

And after finishing a suspension, Michael Pineda still made some starts for the Twins this year, and did fairly well, with a 2-0 record and a 3.38 ERA in 5 starts, with 25 Ks. Again, his status as an elite fireballer has completely subsided, but he's still useful for a few starts here and there.

2021 Prediction: A fuller season, but I bet the magic begins to wear off for Pineda here.

Coming Tomorrow- The White Sox team that finally figured out how to make the playoffs.