We're one month into the season, and while it's obviously too early to tell which offseason trades will benefit their teams the most, let's take a look at some of the hot starts for players who were traded this offseason:
- Roy Halladay: What more could you expect? Doc's been masterful for the Phils. He's already hurled three complete games and whiffed 39 hitters through 49 innings of 1.47 ERA ball, while walking just four. His 52.2% groundball rate's not too shabby either.
- Austin Jackson: For the time being, A-Jax has Tiger fans saying "Curtis who?" Jackson's 3-for-5 performance today raised his line for the season to .367/.420/.495. He's got 10 extra base hits and has swiped five bags in six tries. His 31.7% K-rate and absurd .514 BABIP entering today's game make him a lock to regress, but he's been everything Detroit has wanted and more so far.
- Kevin Millwood: Acquired by Baltimore for Chris Ray in order to stabilize their rotation, Millwood has been terrific through six starts despite not registering a win. He's fanned 32 batters in 40 innings against just 11 walks, and held batters to a .253 average en route to a tidy 3.15 ERA so far. It's been a tough season for Baltimore, but Millwood's been a bright spot. If he can keep this up, he could reach Type-A status or bring in some prospects at the deadline this summer.
- Carlos Silva: Tough to even fathom mentioning "The Chief" here, but despite a rough start in his last outing, he's gotten the job done. Silva's utilized good control (6 BB through 31 IP) to compile a 2.90 ERA as a key member of the Cubs' rotation thus far. He's even managed a 6.1 K/9, which is significantly higher than his career mark of 3.84.
- Rafael Soriano: After years of questionable ninth-inning solutions, the Rays grabbed a seemingly more solid option when they acquired Soriano. He's registered six saves in six tries this season while posting a 2.45 ERA. Soriano has K'ed nine batters through 11 innings and has helped the Rays to the best record in baseball.
- Adam Rosales: More under-the-radar than the other names on this list, Rosales has hit well in Oakland, posting a line of .323/.375/.462 while appearing at four positions. His versatility and offense have been a welcome addition for A's fans through the season's first month.
We saw our fair share of trades this offseason; who else comes to mind when discussing players who have thrived since being traded?
