YES. That wasn’t hard. We hear complaints most every summer about a lack of action, but this time they’re legit. But just what kind of a lull are we talking about? How slow has it been?
[RELATED: A Buyer’s Guide To Stashing Depth At The Trade Deadline]
Teams have been quite miserly with swaps in the run-up to the 2019 deadline — a fact that’s all the more notable given the lack of an August trade period. We have seen Edwin Encarnacion and Jay Bruce move on from the Mariners — Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto is doing his part, even if his peers are still napping — but otherwise the chief deals have involved Andrew Cashner, Homer Bailey, and Martin Maldonado. Each of those players obviously has had success in the majors, but it’s fair to say that none is at anything close to his peak value.
Well, if we aren’t getting any juicy new deals this year, then we’ll just re-live deadlines past. As shown below, we’ve seen some rather significant swaps in the run-ups to each trade deadline over the past five years. Only the 2015 trade period rivals this year’s for a lack of scenery at this stage of the proceedings. There were ultimately some huge trades that year, but virtually all of them occurred between the early period and deadline day itself, which was rather quiet apart from one notable swap that has ultimately had a massive impact on the Mets organization.
[To help you on your trip down memory lane, I’ve included some useful links. The relevant year includes our full database entries from the start of June through to July 25th in each season. If you click the names of the headlining veteran player(s), you’ll go straight to our post for the relevant swap. Trades are ordered from most recent to earliest. We’re looking specifically at deals involving players that were seen as significant pieces for contenders at the time they were swapped, not just interesting trades. Thus, no further discussion of Marco Gonzales, Chris Taylor, and others that happened to be dealt in a deadline run-up.]
Nate Eovaldi; Zach Britton; Jeurys Familia; Brad Hand; Manny Machado; Kelvin Herrera
Anthony Swarzak; Eduardo Nunez; Trevor Cahill; Jaime Garcia; Sergio Romo; David Phelps; David Robertson/Todd Frazier/Tommy Kahnle; J.D. Martinez; Sean Doolittle/Ryan Madson; Jose Quintana
Aroldis Chapman; Mike Montgomery; Drew Pomeranz; Brad Ziegler; Bud Norris; Kelly Johnson; James Shields
Kelly Johnson/Juan Uribe; Steve Cishek; Scott Kazmir; Alejandro De Aza; Mark Trumbo
Kendrys Morales; Joakim Soria; Chase Headley; Huston Street; Brandon McCarthy; Jeff Samardzija/Jason Hammel; Jason Grilli/Ernesto Frieri
So many teams in the hunt that everyone is waiting until the last minute to get transactional.
To be fair the deadline is still 6 days away.
All the players listed were traded before July 26th in the relevant year. So, even if this deadline period ultimately delivers fireworks, I think we can already say that it has developed at a laggardly pace compared to recent seasons.
Thank you
I think the biggest contributor to the lack of trades was the massive run of extensions this offseason. There is a large group of big name players locked for the foreseeable future. At least some of them would have been classical trade deadline fodder in the past. Now they are less likely to move.
The tightness of the pack is the other obvious reason.
They have been more DFA Trades so far. When one happens others will follow. Also Deadline needs to be moved to midnight and GM Trade Meetings.
I, for one, hate the new trade deadline rules. If there’s not going to be an August 31 waiver deadline then extend the non-waiver till at least August 15th.
I like 8/15 as well. Things will be a little more defined by then
Yes and it has to do with teams wanting to be crowned The MLB Farm Champions and over exaggerating prospects. Teams rather not make the playoffs or exit in the first round because they don’t want to part with prospects ranked in the lower top 100’s.
Red Sox, Astros, Cubs, Royals, Giants… the last 5 WS champs. All teams built primarily through the farm. So that might have something to do with prospects continuing to carry tremendous value.
exactly. the team that blows everything on one year ultimately ends up regretting their decision. sometimes even if it pans out (see: chapman to cubs trade. sure, it helped them win a world series but theyd probably love to have had gleyber at SS or 2B right now instead of the recently DFAd Addison Russel)
Russell wasn’t DFA’d, he was optioned.
Yet do the Astros win the WS without Justin Verlander?
Moreover, do the Cubs win without Jon Lester. Or do the Royals win without Johnny Cueto?
And did you seriously lump the Red Sox in with the rest? They had a few homegrown prospects, but that team was full of free agent acquisitions. Most of whom were acquired when they were able to pawn off their last big free agents on the Dodgers the year before.
“Full of free agent acquisitions” is vastly overstating it. Unless I’m missing someone, the FAs were JD, Moreland, Nunez, Price and Porcello.
BoSox paid pretty high MiLB price for Chris Sale that got them the trophy.
As much as other teams listed. position players (regulars) with exception of Moreland and Martinez all developed from within the system. Can take pitching from any of the teams and loaded with trade/FA acquisitions and more non farm players from among the regular positional players as well in a couple cases.
the same can be said about Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Gonzo that year and Correa. Throw in Morton the hero of game 7 acquired through free agency
Boston only had a homegrown guy at C, SS, 3B, LF, CF, RF. Thats only 6 of 9 in the every day lineup including the league MVP. Add in a guy off the bench and a couple of arms.pretty high homegrown WAR and gave up other farm talent to get Sale and Kimbrel.
Porcello was acquired via trade for Cespedes.
astros don’t win the WS W/O verlander trade and signing McCann/Morton so while its not 100 percent farm it does play a big role for sure but there is something to be said for over valuing your own prospects ie Tucker
Giants traded for Mike Leake in 2015. Database doesn’t show it.
Read the article before commenting.
Hmm, wasn’t 2015 the year Anthopoulis traded for Price, Tulowitzky, Revere, and someone else. Made the playoffs and won GM of the year?
Then left Toronto…
Again, read the article before commenting.
*Thumbs up emoji*
Maybe it’s a slow deadline because nearly every contending team needs pitching far more than they do bats. The market is very specific. Homeruns, and scoring runs in general, are at an all time high.
I also think that since there is only ONE true deadline this year that front offices are having to do a lot more due diligence before making swift and impactful trades. That likely means it takes a little longer to pull the trigger on deals…
What happen to Andrew Miller for Clint Frazier trade 2016?
And for the third time, read the article before commenting.
The hard July 31st deadline was supposed to make things more exciting but here we are on the 25th and there haven’t been any major trades yet
“Patience, young grasshopper.”
– Kwai Chang Caine
Patience isn’t working for me anymore. Especially seeing the Yankees rotation lately
I’m sure the beatdown the Pinstripes just took will move things along. Cashman has to react to Sherman’s article tomorrow…amongst the rest. Cant settle for a 9.5 game lead on the division…not with that rotation anyways.
The AL East race is pretty much wrapped up but it’s the postseason I’m worried about. Can’t have pitchers giving up 5+ runs in fewer than 4 innings
No one wants to set the market on a trade. Particularly if teams like the Giants don’t sell. If the Giants don’t give up all those relievers 2nd tier relievers like Givens, Diekman etc all shoot up in value. If the Mets truly keep Wheeler off the market and Mad Bum is off then guys like Minor and Robbie Ray are suddenly more enticing.
With all that being said I’m hoping we get a deal any minute now. It’d be nice to have something.
If enough teams pull back their pitching, .1 WAR Diekman may net 100x that in a trade
Mets are public about Thor being available which likely means Degrom could also be on the move. I think bauer and madbum both stay seeing as those teams are in the hunt. Apparently Greinke can be had at a discount salary (based on the return they’ll eat money to move him) and dont forget that lesser, cheaper options may be a shred way for a contender to fill the back end of a rotation. Jays may have 2 of the best relievers available and both will be gone for relatively cheap, the priority and main focus on the market is starters…
Also Diamondbacks are a head of Giants in West.
Tied
that is a good point about setting the market a lot of these gms are worried about getting robbed and or looking bad in the trade.
I could see the Padres and Mets matching up for Syndergaard.
Trading Gore or Urias and Patino or Urias and Morejon would pretty much be impossible for anyone to beat, but trading Gore for Thor would seem kinda dumb.
The Mets say they want guys who can help them win next season so Urias and Morejon plus some filler does fit that bill
Thor isnt with getting u patino or gore, not even 1 for 1
Thor to the yanks…Mets dont want him in the NL.
Why would the Mets care?
Hahaha
Shields for Tatis Jr…woof
Cmon. Bartolo got his trot around the bags out of the deal. Call it a wash.
With 2 Wildcards, almost every team still has a shot. While it may make the playoff race more exciting, it certainly puts a damper on the trade deadline.
7 teams still alive (approx .550 win % min) in the AL, until/if the Angels make a run making it 8.
9 teams still alive (approx .505 win % min) in the NL.
This year could be one of the best coming down the stretch to the deadline.
I think that is exactly what MLB is shooting for and in my opinion that is a good thing.
Yes. With so many teams “in the hunt”, and as the Giants showed during their three championship years, just get in and see what happens…so why sell?
“I’m gonna make him an offer he cant refuse.”
– Don Cashma… *Don Corleone
Now I’ve seen it all..lol
That picture of Cespedes in the link about seems like he was looking into a crystal ball.
Jeff,
Where are the 2014 Red Sox trades of Lester, Lackey and Miller?
I believe they were all made on deadline day. I wasn’t looking at all deals in a given trade deadline, just the ones made before the final week or so.
From my perspective, it has been a slow trading season. I know the rumors are 99% just rumors. However, I predicted and maybe just hoped the Tigers would have traded Nicholas Castellanos off long ago. The team can’t move forward accommodating while showcasing him.
I don’t think its the asking price as much as it is the lack of need for a defensively deficient RH hitter. The Tigers had a similar issue with JD Martinez. It took a meltdown from ARI’s RF Yasmany Tomas to create the demand. Martinez is better player.
Many people, myself included, said that July 31st is too early if there is to be only one trade deadline. It should be August 15th.
Too many teams still in it, not enough clarity with regards to needs, etc.
Watch out come this Weekend it will happen a dozen of Trades. No Trade Deadline like you can do in OTTP Trading all year round.
2/3 of the season should be plenty of time to decide whether you’re a buyer or seller.
I still think the trade deadline should have been moved to August15th. Teams like the Pirates would know they aren’t contending and start moving what pieces they have.
Some of the greatest trades happened in August. But we don’t do that no more -_-
Theres been less than 5 trades thus far. The bust trade the Cubs made. Maldonado for Montgomery. Maldonado is still Ohfer with the cubs with 1 walk the rest Ks and groundouts and weak flyball. Among with 4 errors.
Maldonado hasn’t even made 4 errors this year. Let alone with the cubs. He has 11 Abs. Why don’t you wait a little while buddy.
Ben zobrist was traded near the deadline. To the royals. For sean manea and aaron brooks. Manaea only has a no hitter under his name. I’ll take a world series championship over that all day. Zobrist won 2 of them in a row. MVP 2016 WS
The vast majority of summer trades do not lead to winning the World Series, but they give the press something to write about and some fans something to talk/complain about. Too many trades seem to be made in desperation or to satisfy fans, e.g. Pirates trading for Archer last year. I have always been a fan of the long term approach, build a long term contender, not a one-shot wonder.
I have to agree and folks need to realize baseball right now is in a wave of talented young players and more coming. Teams that are willing to trade for a nice package of young talent are wishful thinking and right now the fact that teams like the mets for example are hoping for a wealth of these young prospects are in a delima as they are admitting the fact that 1. the current cast cannot get them there, no 2 their current farm does not project help on the way. That being written their scouting has failed them as to why they do not have some of these prospects in the first place I would say examine their approach to the draft and their picks. Now what is available is excess prospects and they can rebuild that way but wishful dreaming will leave them exactly where they are at today.
Want to add few teams are going to part with their valued prospects that is the fact.
You mean “group” of young talent. There human beings not items, I don’t know why people keep saying package or piece’s.