Well, that was a fun week. While the final day before the 4 p.m. ET MLB trade deadline may not have been quite as exciting as last year’s (though the Mets hit a nice buzzer-beater), there were plenty of exciting rumors flying around. Besides, the week leading up to July 31 was as busy as in recent years, resulting in nearly anything seeming possible.
So which teams made the right additions, either filling key holes or increasing a strength on their rosters? Which clubs fell short of pulling off a deal that could be the difference in making the playoffs or gaining an edge in the postseason? Here are how the winners and losers line up, now that the smoke has cleared from an explosive 2015 trade deadline season.
Winner: Blue Jays
Toronto nabbed the biggest prize on the trade market in David Price, providing the No. 1 starter the team has coveted for years and an ace that could easily influence a wild-card playoff or game one of a postseason series. But GM Alex Anthopoulos also made the most unexpected trade deadline deal, getting Troy Tulowitzki from the Rockies. And he somehow did so without surrendering one of his best young pitchers (allowing him to save that ammunition for a Price trade). The Blue Jays also strengthened their bullpen by acquiring Mark Lowe and his 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings from the Mariners, along with LaTroy Hawkins in the Tulowitzki deal.
Winner: Astros
One of the most fun things about following baseball is to watch a team develop into a contender after years of losing (four straight seasons of 90 or more losses in Houston’s case) and then really go for it when a playoff bid (and postseason run) is there for the taking. Here’s the thing about hoarding all those prospects by trading veterans and getting high draft picks: Not only will they hopefully develop into major leaguers and cornerstone players, but they can be used to get help for a pennant race.
Scott Kazmir was the veteran starter the rotation needed, but GM Jeff Luhnow also scored a younger arm with strikeout stuff in Mike Fiers. Carlos Gomez adds another power bat without sacrificing defense, while providing outfield depth (and lessening the need to rush George Springer back). And even up to the buzzer, the Astros were pursuing Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman to improve an already strong bullpen. This is a team that could make a sneaky move in August.
TORONTO, CANADA – JULY 31: Johnny Cueto #47 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31, 2015 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Winner: Royals
GM Dayton Moore didn’t necessarily have to make a deal. Kansas City has a comfortable lead in the AL Central and looks like the best team in the league. But getting a top-flight starting pitcher and a bat to replace the injured Alex Gordon would certainly be a decisive blow against any possible rivals and make the Royals a much tougher postseason opponent. Acquiring Johnny Cueto was a potential knockout punch, but adding a top arm looks even more important with the improvements that the Blue Jays and Astros made. Ben Zobrist can both fill in for Gordon or provide a potential upgrade at second base, while giving Ned Yost the luxury of lineup flexibility.
Winner: Mets
GM Sandy Alderson probably deserved to be called a winner for getting Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to strengthen the lineup, along with Tyler Clippard to provide a strong late-inning reliever. But had the Mets not been able to recover from the Carlos Gomez trade with the Brewers falling apart, it would have been difficult to overcome the perception that they lost out badly. However, getting Cespedes — arguably a better player, especially this season — without having to give up major league talent like Zack Wheeler and Wilmer Flores has to be viewed as a win. The outfield has the big bat it sorely needed, and Cespedes could be a star in the New York spotlight.
Loser: Padres
For a guy who was the darling of the MLB Winter Meetings and offseason, and who reportedly doesn’t need to sleep much, A.J. Preller was pretty darn quiet — almost as if he fell asleep. At the very least, trading Justin Upton seemed to be inevitable, but San Diego is apparently content to get a compensatory draft pick when he leaves as a free agent. The market for corner outfielders turned out to be less lucrative than previously believed.
Craig Kimbrel? Nope. Tyson Ross? Still a Padre. Andrew Cashner? Not going anywhere. To be fair, those players (along with James Shields) are still under club control for multiple seasons and can help make a run next season, so Preller was under no pressure to trade them. And he did acquire lefty Marc Rzepczynski to help the bullpen. Still — Joaquin Benoit, Will Venable, Ian Kennedy are all pieces that could have recouped some of the prospects the Padres traded over the winter.
Loser: Cardinals
In fairness to GM John Mozeliak, a bit of desperation might have set in after Matt Holliday suffered what could be a season-ending quad strain. And getting a left-handed bat that could play first base (and is under club control through next year) was probably a better fit for the St. Louis lineup. But shouldn’t a top pitching prospect like Rob Kaminsky yield a higher impact, more consistent bat like Upton or Yoenis Cespedes? Would Adam Lind from the Brewers have cost less? The Cards also added bullpen depth and a strikeout arm which should help reduce the burden on Trevor Rosenthal and Kevin Siegrist in Jonathan Broxton.
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 25: on July 25, 2015 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Cole Hamels #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a no hitter. The Philliess won 5-0. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Winner: Rangers
If Price was the best pitcher available on the trade market, Cole Hamels was a very close second and may have been a bigger prize since he’s under contract through 2018. Texas had to pay a hefty price of six players — including three of their top five prospects, according to Baseball America — but GM Jon Daniels finally has a No. 1 starter, something that’s eluded his team for years. Not trading Yovani Gallardo was something of a surprise, but with the Rangers on the fringes of the playoff race, there was no urgency to make a deal. Besides, the Texas native may want to re-sign.
Loser: Orioles
Maybe it’s not realistic to view Baltimore as a contender in the AL East or wild-card races, but the O’s are actually tied with the Blue Jays in the standings. Getting Gerardo Parra provides a much-needed bat in left field, and while not as impactful as Upton or Cespedes could have been, he might actually be more consistent and is having an excellent season. But was that enough, with a six-game deficit to make up in the AL East and Toronto making significant additions? Another starting pitcher or help at first base could have made a difference, but the Orioles seem content to see what happens with the roster they have.
Loser: Yankees
The Yanks have a relatively comfortable lead in the AL East, but Toronto looks poised to make a run at them and you also have to wonder if this team has enough to compete with the Royals or potential opponents like the Astros, Angels or Blue Jays in the postseason. Curiously, GM Brian Cashman targeted closers like Kimbrel and Carter Capps to add to a strength, but perhaps starting pitching or even some middle infield help should have been more of a priority. Dustin Ackley provides depth, but isn’t going to make much of an impact in the AL standings.
Loser: Cubs
It doesn’t quite feel fair to put the Cubs in this category, since the future for this team is bright and the front office likely didn’t want to make a hasty grab at a short-term fix. But the Cubs are only two games away from a wild-card spot and face a dogfight with the Giants and Mets, and could surely benefit from a trade deadline boost.
Dan Haren is a decent, but underwhelming addition especially when rumors had the team pursuing Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner or maybe even Price. At the very least, shouldn’t Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have sought additional bullpen help or an upgrade in left field for some players (Starlin Castro, Javier Baez) that are now arguably expendable but have plenty of upside to offer?
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 20: Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Philadelphia Phillies points to the infield after the final out of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park on July 20, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 5-3. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Winner: Phillies
Ruben Amaro Jr. should have done this a year ago maybe three years ago but he finally accepted reality and used the valuable trade chips he had to infuse the organization with young talent and shed bloated payroll. Ask Rangers fans if their team gave up too much for Hamels and their profanity-fueled reaction will tell you that the Phillies hit it big with the five prospects received in that trade, at least three of whom could be future cornerstones. Trading Jonathan Papelbon eliminated an expensive headache, while dealing off Revere alleviated an outfield logjam. Getting young talent and organizational depth in return was a bonus.
Loser: Drew Storen
As the Nationals’ closer, Storen has 29 saves in 31 opportunities, a 1.64 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 38.1 innings. He did absolutely nothing to lose his job (except fall apart in the 2012 postseason), yet Papelbon will be taking it. The 27-year-old seems ready to ask for a trade after the season. Maybe being part of a championship bullpen will change his mind.
Winner: Giants
If the bar was set at getting Price or Hamels, or adding a bat like Upton, Gomez or Cespedes, then trading for Mike Leake could be viewed as a disappointment. However, Leake was having a very good season for a bad Reds team and figures to be even better pitching in AT&T Park with a stronger team supporting him. Yes, an impact hitter would have been great, but the Giants are already playing good baseball and positioned well in the standings. They’re a better team after adding Leake, which might be all that’s necessary to beat out the competition in the NL West or wild-card races.
Winner: Reds
With no hope of making the playoffs, trading Cueto and Leake was crucial. And GM Walt Jocketty took advantage of a competitive trade market to get some top pitching prospects in return. Maybe he should have pushed even further by dealing Jay Bruce and Aroldis Chapman, but there’s no urgency to do so if teams weren’t offering enough to make a trade worthwhile. Cincinnati could revisit possible deals in the offseason under more favorable circumstances and could very well trade Marlon Byrd before Aug. 31. Most importantly, Jocketty didn’t lose two valuable assets for nothing, which would have been shameful.
OAKLAND, CA – MAY 26: David Price #14 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning at O.co Coliseum on May 26, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
Winner: Tigers
Detroit wasn’t as far back in the playoff race as the Reds, but the chances of qualifying for the postseason were dim. Even dimmer was the likelihood of re-signing Price. Finally putting him on the trade market and soliciting frenzied bids resulted in adding much-needed young pitching to the organization. Daniel Norris automatically becomes a top-three starter for the Tigers. GM Dave Dombrowski didn’t have as much leverage with Cespedes (who wouldn’t yield a compensatory draft pick through free agency) and Joakim Soria (no contenders needed a closer who’s not lights-out), but still got some promising young talent in return, improving a bleak farm system.
Draw: Dodgers
This might be unfair, but not getting Price, Cueto or Hamels has to be seen as a loss — especially when prospects were available to make such a deal happen. Adding Mat Latos and Alex Wood certainly strengthens the rotation, but in an extremely competitive National League (and with the Giants breathing down their neck in the NL West), landing another top-flight starter could have been provided a significant edge in the division race and postseason. Getting another right-handed bat to pair with Andre Ethier or Joc Pederson in the outfield also would have been beneficial. With a big payroll that can absorb huge contracts, maybe the Dodgers will make an impact move before Aug. 31. But for now, it feels like Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi didn’t do enough.
Draw: Angels
While interim GM Bill Stoneman didn’t make a splashy addition, getting David Murphy, David DeJesus and Shane Victorino at least plugs an outfield hole with quantity and versatility, if not major impact. Some infield reinforcements may have also helped. But does the starting rotation really have enough at this point to hold off the Astros in the NL West or compete in a postseason series? If Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson recover from injuries, maybe that question doesn’t need to be asked. But why not try to eliminate that question in the first place?
