The MLB trade deadline passes at 6 p.m. today. It may only be the deadline today, but there have already been plenty of fireworks. As of Tuesday, 28 of the 30 MLB teams had already made trades, and only two teams had trades pending. Oakland Athletics And that Minnesota TwinsThat being said, it’s quite likely that the two teams will get a deal done at some point on Tuesday, and it’s also likely that a number of teams will make last-minute deals before the deadline.
As for the notion of “buyers” and “sellers” at the deadline, things have changed a bit when it comes to how teams do business, mainly due to the expansion of the postseason, giving more teams than ever before a shot at winning. ESPN’s Jeff Passan explains it in this post:
Just because the Cubs are considering moving players from their current roster doesn’t mean they’re selling. Just because they acquired Isaac Paredes doesn’t mean they’re buying. Modern baseball is a game of chance, and it’s far from binary. It’s fundamentally…
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2024
just, Chicago Cubs Just because they are considering moving players from their current roster doesn’t mean they are selling. Just because they acquired Isaac Paredes doesn’t mean they are buying. Modern baseball is a game of chance and is far from a binary. Understanding how a team operates and what motivates it is a fundamental tenet. There are certainly buyers and sellers, but ultimately teams see themselves as collectors of value, and the only question is, are they collecting that value for today or for the future?
That’s why the Cubs This may mean moving some current contributors to other teams. Team Bring it in Isaac Paredes. It’s also why there are so many trade partners, in addition to the usual practice of championship-contending teams raiding teams with an eye on the future. Already, the AL East leaders Baltimore Orioles Make a deal National League East Division Leaders Philadelphia Philliesso we’re in a very interesting time when it comes to finding negotiating partners.
It also explains why the three-team deal was made. St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.
According to sources, the trade involves three teams and seven players.
The Dodgers acquired UT Tommy Edman and RP Michael Kopech.
Cardinals acquire: starter Erick Fedde, outfielder Tommy Pham.
The White Sox acquired three infield prospects from the Dodgers: Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albatus and Geral Pérez.
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) July 29, 2024
Now, it would have been natural for either the Dodgers or Cardinals to make a deal to acquire a player from the White Sox. After all, the Dodgers are essentially guaranteed a spot in the postseason, the Cardinals are in the middle of a tight battle for a Wild Card spot, and the White Sox are incredibly moribund. It’s pretty clear who needs help now and who should be trying to rebuild for the future.
Instead, we have a three-team battleground where each team got what they wanted: the White Sox bolstered their farm team with this move, the Dodgers bolstered their bench and bullpen, and the Cardinals filled two areas of weakness and feel good about having Tommy Pham back. Each team got what they wanted, so don’t be surprised if these three teams continue to be busy on deadline day.
With the White Sox in particular expected to continue to move forward, a complete dismantling seems the only realistic path forward for Chicago, who have only managed to win 27 games so far this season, currently tying a franchise record. 15 consecutive losses — This broke their previous record of 14 games set earlier this season. As stated earlier this season, the White Sox situation is incredibly tough right now, and moving players like Luis Robert Jr., Garrett Crochet and Paul DeJong will likely make it even worse. Things will get worse for the White Sox before they get better, and it would be understandable if die-hard Pale Horse fans decided to give up on this season (if they haven’t already) after seeing the team get the job done at the trade deadline.
Speaking of teams that haven’t finished their work: New York Yankees The Yankees won’t be done trading after acquiring second baseman-turned-center fielder-turned-third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Miami Marlins. In fact, the Yankees may be the poster child for a team that might sell in order to buy. He wants to stay Nestor Cortes is a regular in New York’s starting rotation, but is currently on the market and may end up playing for another team by the end of the day. At the same time, the Yankees are reportedly looking to acquire another starting pitcher as they continue to strengthen their lineup and relief corps. New York will definitely be a team to watch as today’s transactions are completed.
Teams that are always focused on deadlines Tampa Bay RaysWe may be a little removed from the “don’t trade with the Rays” days, but this team knows how to navigate the trade market, having already managed to land two top prospects from division rival Baltimore. instead They signed Zach Eflin and also received a significant amount of money from the Mariners. instead They signed Randy Arozarena. Those deals made sense for the buyers, but it also made sense for the Rays to continue adding talent to their farm system given how they’ve operated as an organization for so long.
The Rays are an example of a team that will use the deadline to decide which direction to go in, even if they’re technically still in the postseason race. The Rays are just 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot, but their playoff odds are just 13%, according to FanGraphs. But that hasn’t stopped teams from trying in the past (the 2021 World Series champions are Atlanta Braves (The Rays had just a 17 percent chance of making the postseason as of July 31, the day after that season’s trade deadline.) But that’s also reason enough for a team to decide to sell, which is why it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rays go on to trade players like Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz before the deadline passes.
Finally, reunions could continue across MLB. One of the trades the Rays made was send Amed Rosario has been traded to the Dodgers. For the second year in a row Amed Rosario was traded to Chavez Lavine near the deadline. Meanwhile, the Braves Acquired They acquired 2021 World Series champion Jorge Soler and relief pitcher Luke Jackson after their successful 2021 campaign. This comes after Atlanta acquired Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario earlier this season, as well as the aforementioned return of Tommy Pham to St. Louis and James Paxton. return To Boston Red Sox From the Dodgers. Class reunions seem to be popular right now, but who knows what will happen. San Diego Padres decide Find a way to reunite With Blake Snell.
With nearly every team already busy at the deadline, it’s hard to imagine things will quiet down heading into this afternoon and evening. The postseason situation is still a bit of a mess (especially both wild card races), but things are already becoming clearer with each deal that gets made, and once the deadline passes and trade deals are done, playoff contention could suddenly become a lot easier to predict. It’s already an exciting time for deals (unless you’re a Twins or Athletics fan), but it would be a shocker if the excitement didn’t continue through tonight at 6 p.m.
