Yankees and Mets among winners and losers of MLB trade deadline

As baseball players and owners discuss the future of the game, with this current collective agreement expiring on December 1, let’s hope they remember the glory of this 2021 trade deadline.

Are they sure they want to temper that by expanding the playoffs next year and beyond?

Because if that campaign included a 14-team playoff, the idea that Major League Baseball has been dreaming up for some time now, then the Cubs would have started playing two games on Friday in the last wild card spot in the National League (i.e. ‘is already with them dumping a few pieces), and the nationals four. Would these two proud franchises have quit smoking or prepared for one more race?

Of course, if you’re a Nats or Cubs fan, you might prefer the latter scenario. Yet baseball has arguably the best business deadline of any sport – the most exciting build-up, the biggest names changing clubs, and the most tantalizing post-trade scenarios – due to its high level for an invitation in October. . Mediocre teams can employ many scheming players who are mature for a trade. Less terrible teams. Last year, when it made sense to roll out a 16-team playoffs to align with the COVID-shortened 60-game schedule, the deadline turned out to be later than “48 more hours.”

Yes, broadcasters love playoff games and players and owners love the money. But if the deadline can’t generate the same kind of revenue as playoff games, can’t we say something about dominating the sports landscape (especially in non-Olympic years) for a week?

OK, it’s time to step out of the soapbox and figure out the winners and losers of this deadline:

Winners

1. Blue jays: The Twins stuck with their high asking price for frontline starting pitcher Jose Berrios, and Toronto met him, ditching Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson to land the best non-rental arm that moved, as well as the helpful relievers Brad Hand and Joakim Soria. What a way to celebrate their long awaited return to the Rogers Center. How difficult is the American League East going to be, with the upgrading of the four contenders.
2. White Sox: Craig Kimbrel’s pairing with Liam Hendriks gives them the best relieving box in the game. Cesar Hernandez brings veteran stability to second base. If Eloy Jimenez’s groin injury, suffered just days after returning from a season on the injured list, isn’t that bad, then these guys are set to soar into the playoffs.
3. Athletics: They didn’t mess around, taking Starling Marte from the Marlins – dropping pitcher Jesus Luzardo for hire – and Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison from the Nationals. The race for the AL wild cards will be a killer.
4. Yankees: Major improvements have arrived in the form of Joey Gallo, Andrew Heaney and Anthony Rizzo, and let’s see what Clay Holmes and Joely Rodriguez bring. They don’t rank higher as they dumped the very useful reliever Luis Cessa at the Reds (with Justin Wilson’s salary) in order to stay below the $ 210 million luxury tax threshold and couldn’t find taker for Luke Voit.
5. Dodge: They acquired the industry’s most accomplished starting pitcher, Max Scherzer, and perhaps best positional player, Trea Turner of Washington. They don’t rank higher as they still have to deal with the aftermath, on and off the pitch, of the $ 102 million pledge to a known terrible person, Trevor Bauer, currently on administrative leave in the midst of a sexual assault investigation.
6. Twins: They serve as an exception to the aforementioned rule that lousy teams usually don’t have a lot of attractive trading pieces. By getting a high return for Berrios and keeping their other high-cap players under control (Byron Buxton and Josh Donaldson), the most disappointing entity of 2021 may return to contention next year. Don’t trade impending free agent Michael Pineda surprised.
7. Rays: Two words: Nelson Cruz. Shawn Armstrong and Jordan Luplow add depth. The culture of this team is such that the trade of high leverage reliever Diego Castillo in Seattle is handled as usual and does not tip the boat.
8. Astros: They keep rolling, scandals and injuries be damned as they have added Kendall Graveman and Phil Maton to their enclosure. Get ready for more Dusty Baker in October.
9. (tie) Braves and Phillies: If the first two pursuers of the Mets do not impress in the standings, we must like their aggressiveness. Atlanta has brought in four outfielder (Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler) as well as reliever Richard Rodriguez from the All-Star break. And first-year Phillies president Dave Dombrowski lived up to his reputation by acquiring pitchers Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy from Rangers and bringing back Freddy Galvis, who started his career at the Land of Cheesesteaks, from the Orioles on Friday. .
10. (equality) Cubs and Nationals: There’s something to be said for ripping the bandage off, and boy, did these two franchises do that, shattering cores that each won a title. It is now up to these front offices to make the most of their yields and new salary flexibilities.

Losers

1. Sailors: You register your biggest win of the season, against rival Astros, on Monday. Tuesday, you trade your closest, Graveman, with the Astros. Face palm emoji. As Seattle ended up replacing Graveman by getting Castillo from the Rays, why would you want to play with a squad vying to end the longest playoff drought (20 years) of any North American professional sports team?
2. Rockies: Remember back in June, when the Cubs and Nationals were hanging on, when it looked like Trevor Story would be the best traded player? Instead, he stayed put and then told the Denver Post, “I’m confused and really have nothing good to say about the situation and how it unfolded.” Yeah. Best case scenario would be for the Rockies to tune in on a compensatory draft pick after Story rejects the qualifying offer, no easy assignment. Colorado have also retained future free agent Jon Gray and hope to sign him for an extension.
3. Red Sox: The AL’s biggest surprise team picked up the currently injured Kyle Schwarber of Washington and a pair of low-profile paddock arms, former Met Hansel Robles of the Twins and Austin Davis of the Pirates, a booty that pales in comparison to the Rays, Yankees and Blue Jays.
4. Mets: I’m going to allow the possibility that Javy Baez could be a season-changing and saving finish. He’s that kind of special player. While he doesn’t quite fit his stance, at least once his pal Francisco Lindor healed his oblique, and Jacob deGrom’s backhand shed stark light on the Mets’ inability to find help for throw past Rich Hill and Trevor Williams.
5. Parents: To be fair, they brought in Adam Frazier from the Pirates and Daniel Hudson from the Nats. However, general manager AJ Preller developed a reputation for big game hunting, and in this case the bigger game (Scherzer and Berrios) went elsewhere, Scherzer to rival Dodgers, while the superb Giants added Kris Bryant. .