It has only been four weeks, so it’s too soon to judge with finality how this year’s trade deadline maneuvers will play out. That said, we’re already half of the way through the period — the regular season portion, at least — for which rental players were acquired. Even players with future control are usually added first and foremost for their immediate contributions (though there are some exceptions). It’d be awfully premature to say anything conclusive about the prospect side of any deals, but we do now have some additional information with which to work.
So, that’s why we’re going to take a glance back over our shoulders at the moves (and major non-moves) that organizations made in the run-up to this year’s trade deadline. We already covered the AL Central; now we’ll go over to the National League’s middle division.
Cardinals
When the Cards dropped five of six games after the trade deadline, it looked as if they may be on the brink of a collapse. But the club recovered with a stirring, 19-5 run. So … what caused it? A big deadline blockbuster? Multiple, well-conceived additions? Not so much.
The only move the Cards made this summer was a roster-management swap in which they sent veteran infielder Jedd Gyorko to the Dodgers. He’s playing a limited role in L.A. and hasn’t yet done anything of note. Back in St. Louis, the Cards remain laden with position-player options. A deep September roster will help the club mix and match down the stretch, though cramming talent onto a postseason roster will be more difficult.
When the Cards held pat at the deadline, it was fair to wonder whether the team’s uncertain place in the standings was a significant factor. Now, there’s little question that the club has the inside track to a divisional appearance, if not more. It was arguable at the time that the club ought to cash in some of its many solid young assets in pursuit of a higher-end starter or center fielder. So far, the decision not to do so hasn’t hurt (far from it). We’ll see how it plays out over the final month and beyond.
Cubs
The Cubbies’ biggest mid-season acquisition came not via trade, but by way of signing. But closer Craig Kimbrel hasn’t had the biggest impact. That honor would go to outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, who burst to life after being sent to Chicago. He carries a 1.060 OPS through thirty games. The move did cost two pitchers (Paul Richan and Alex Lange) that now feature among the top thirty or so Tigers farmhands. The former has shown well since the deal, carrying a 29:2 K/BB ratio over five High-A starts.
Also more helpful to this point than Kimbrel is veteran reliever David Phelps, who has been excellent since coming over. He has allowed just two earned runs in 13 appearances. That deal could still cost in the long run. It cost the Cubbies Tom Hatch, a Double-A starter who has compiled 35 1/3 innings of 2.80 ERA pitching with an intriguing 34:2 K/BB ratio since the swap.
A low-risk shot on Derek Holland hasn’t really paid dividends, as he wasn’t terribly effective before hitting the injured list. But he could still return and provide an important pen presence late in the season. Brad Wieck, acquired when the club gave up on Carl Edwards Jr., has added a bit of lefty relief depth. Edwards was knocked around before hitting the IL, so there aren’t any regrets there.
There was also a sort of hot-stove miniseries regarding the Cubs catching situation. The team added Martin Maldonado but then sent him on to the Astros for Tony Kemp. When starter Willson Contreras went down with a significant injury, the club picked up Jonathan Lucroy. The club was simply acting on the needs it had before it, but this series of moves hasn’t really worked out. Maldonado would be preferable to Lucroy at this stage of their respective careers; Kemp has struggled badly at the plate and doesn’t seem all that necessary to a roster with a wide variety of infield/outfield-capable players.
While the Cubs are now staring at a three-game deficit in the NL Central, they’ve moved into strong Wild Card position. It’s hard to say they realistically could or should have done much more at the deadline.
Brewers
The Milwaukee org has fallen off the pace since the deadline, playing sub-.500 ball over the month of August. That drop coincided with the rise of the Redbirds … in spite of the fact that the Brew Crew front office was far more active on the trade market — and generally successful in unearthing value.
Adding Jordan Lyles, at the cost of pitching prospect Cody Ponce, has been a clear win to this point. The 28-year-old Lyles has a 2.51 ERA through six starts in Milwaukee. Ponce, a former second-round pick, could yet emerge but hasn’t done anything since the deal to suggest the Brewers made a big mistake by parting with him.
Improving the bullpen was also a key need and the Brewers accomplished that in their swap with the Giants. Lefty Drew Pomeranz has turned on the afterburners of late. Overall, he has allowed just four earned runs with a 22:7 K/BB ratio over 13 2/3 innings. Righty Ray Black has just two strikeouts in his 6 2/3 innings but has managed to keep opponents to just a pair of earned runs. It’ll be interesting to see whether former top prospect Mauricio Dubon makes the Milwaukee org pay for parting with him. He’d likely be playing a significant role there with Keston Hiura injured; instead, he’s getting a full MLB showcase with the Giants.
The Brewers’ other trade hasn’t yet added value but also hasn’t hurt much. Though Jesus Aguilar started out hot after the Brewers sent him to the Rays, he has fallen back to an unremarkable .279/.351/.412 overall slash with his new club. The hurler acquired in return, Jake Faria, has been knocked around a bit in three MLB appearances.
Reds
The Cincinnati front office turned in what was arguably the most interesting overall package of deadline moves. With only an outside chance at a postseason run this season, but a keen desire to contend as soon as possible, the focus was on the near-future.
First and foremost was the surprising move to bring in veteran righty Trevor Bauer. After picking up multiple short-term starters in the prior offseason, the Reds were in need of another reload entering 2020. In that respect, going for Bauer made for an early shopping trip. He has struggled quite a bit working to an 8.40 ERA in thirty innings, though he’s still sporting a 37:13 K/BB ratio. It just hasn’t been a great follow-up season for a pitcher who landed sixth in the Cy Young voting last year. The Reds are betting he’ll figure out how to return to dominance over the offseason.
The cost for Bauer was fairly steep. Outfielder Yasiel Puig is a pending free agent, but he could’ve been cashed in otherwise. Top prospect Taylor Trammell isn’t tearing up Double-A with the Padres organization, but remains a highly regarded player. And then there’s the other, least-known aspect of the swap. Lefty Scott Moss was pitching well before the swap but has impressed all the more since. He even overcame the treacherous International League in a late stint, allowing just four earned runs on a dozen hits with 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 2/3 innings.
Having picked up Bauer, the Reds proceeded to ship out pending free agent starter Tanner Roark. That helped cover the late-2019 salary of the new rotation piece and also landed the team a new prospect in recent second-round pick Jameson Hannah. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a shining season thus far for Hannah, who struggled to a .224/.325/.299 slash in 78 plate appearances after the deal.
Otherwise, the Reds don’t regret dumping Scooter Gennett, whose feel-good tenure in Cincinnati ended in bitterness. He didn’t last long in San Francisco. The club added righty Justin Grimm for depth, but he hasn’t been called upon.
Pirates
The Pirates were within 2.5 games of the division lead as late as July 7th, but it has been an unmitigated disaster ever since. It was already clear that this wasn’t going to be the team’s year by the time the deadline hit, but that didn’t set the stage for a sell-off.
The deadline period ended up being rather quiet. After the aforementioned Lyles deal, the Pirates swapped Corey Dickerson to the Phillies for some international bonus capacity and a PTBNL. Something may ultimately come of the acquired assets — Ponce seems like a good bet to appear in the majors at some point — but it was hardly a moment of note.
It could’ve been different. The Pirates discussed Felipe Vazquez with the Dodgers and could’ve come away with some serious talent for the high-end reliever. The club also could’ve held trade talks on Starling Marte, Josh Bell, or others. But it’s also plenty understandable that the organization decided against rushing into a decision on such significant assets. The pressure of the deadline might’ve spiked Vazquez’s value, but it could also be that the Bucs can get as much or more by shopping him over the winter (if they decide to do so at all). There’s always injury risk, but he has only continued to excel. While there is an argument to be made that the organization ought to pursue a different direction after another disappointing season, the club still has every opportunity to do so after holding tight this summer.
Funny how the cubs huge payroll still chasing the Cinderella under the radar St.Louis Cardinals. Loud mouth cub fans have left the building.
And the ankle biting Card fans are back, in standard gloating mode, even tho they haven’t won anything yet.
Neither have the cubs so what’s your point lmao
I don’t see any Cub fan gloating? Was that a little over your head, Gobby?
Funny how hurt you are about the Cards looking up at the Cubs the last 4 seasons. Still plenty of time for them to overtake the Cards, too.
Yep, seven big games with the Cards in the last couple of weeks. And the Cards also have to play the Nats and Dbacks while the Cubs get the Reds and Pirates. I hear Yogi saying something from the Other Side.
I think it’s absolutely hilarious how cubs fans memories start at 2015. Every single time lmao.
Funny how I haven’t forgotten before 2015. I’m 30 and have suffered through plenty of downs with the few ups there have been. I just think it’s funny how the Cards haven’t been the powerhouse they were since their GM went to Houston. Big changes coming to the Central this offseason. Highly doubt many positive ones will be for STL.
Exactly right about the cub fan memories before 2015. Cards have a very young pitching staff that will only get better in time. No one else in the Central has anything close. Looks to me like the Cards are getting ready to dominate as they have for the last 20 years. The smug fans like to bring up lack of playoffs for the Cards but even during there small down time they still finished over .500. Never tanking always competeing.
They won’t dominate in this division. The way it’s shaping up, it’s going to be a 3 team battle for the foreseeable future. Just one Cubs fans opinion.
Luhnow was not the Cardinals GM.
There is also plenty of time for the Cubs to fall out of the wildcard race and fall behind Milwaukee as well. But then again logic isn’t one of Bane’s strengths.
The Cards are not a Cinderella team. they are in the mix every year.
Yeah basically the Cardinals were under performing until recently and the Cubs are also under performing over all. No one in the central has room to talk smack
The team leading the Central absolutely does have room to talk smack. In case anyone forgets, records are thrown out and everyone is on equal footing after the wildcard game, who cares how you got there?
You don’t talk smack (if ever), til you actually win. Just leading means squat til it’s won.
It wouldn’t be much of a rivalry if you weren’t allowed to talk smack. Poor take.
The smug fans talk smack year round wether they win or not.
True….Rondon !! Beware or the last 3 weeks of each season!!! Everything generally changes at that point in the regular season!!!
My Reds got you all beat as they battle it out for another season in last place
Sigh
I feel you brother.. a LOT of games pissed away by the bullpen and/or mercurial offense, they could easily be in the wildcard hunt.. here’s to next year, go brew crew I guess (got family up there, love Miller park)
The Brewers did okay in Aguilar trade but they had absolutely no business trading Dubon, he should be sharing short with Arcia right now. Pomeranz and Black . That is going to hurt them no doubt. Now they are going to look for a possible competition next year for short and it will cost them some money like bringing in Iglesias or even Didi. Should spend the rest of the year at Grisham and Taylor to see if they can start in outfield and truly commit to Braun at first. Right now the payroll will is going to go from 130 million to 50 million. I believe you have Woodruff, Houser, Suter ,( resign Lyles) for your starters and actually go out and get Wheeler for a signing. Brewers gotta start giving these young guys a chance like they did back when they started this rebuild, only way your going to find out what you got.
Their young guys just aren’t very good. The industry knows that. The Brewers are not young and lack difference making youth. This wasn’t a rebuild success story as much as it was a crazy fortunate final six week stretch in 2018:
Thanks for dubon though from a giants fan. Kids gonna be good. I can see him as a 280/340/480 type guy with 20 SB and 15-20 HR every year.
I love Stubby’s enthusiasm for the Brewers and especially for the young guys but that comes with a cost. This season the Crew was counting on THREE young pitchers to jump into the rotation and, as good as they all looked at the end of ’18, only one made it and now he’s hurt. And for a small market team, big signings are a disaster waiting to happen. This should be a fascinating off season for the Brewers. I still think our biggest asset is Sterns’ ability to see upside in players that others can’t see.
So the Pirates wanted to address the catcher position yet probably turned down a deal around Ruiz for a relief pitcher. Makes sense with how dysfunctional they are.
If it were only ruiz and nothing much more, I can see why they turned the deal down. There was no pressing need to trade him at the deadline as he is signed through 2021 and 2 team options for 22 and 23. No need to rush and take a lower tier offer. What they got for Cole was probably the best they could have gotten considering he was only under control for the end of last season and this season. He was having his 2 worst seasons of his career before the trade. If he were just a relief pitcher you have a point. He is the best relief pitcher that can be acquired at this moment.
What they got for Cole was Awful.
And a reliever is useless to them. With the way they go up and down you have to make a trade.
They traded Cole at a low point, and refused to give up Vasquez at his highest point.
Not a good way to do business.
I correct myself, Cole was traded in the off season before last season so Houston got 2 years of Cole but the rest stands. He was coming of 2 ugly season and if he had a third, it would have been even less back. The did not refuse to give up Vasquez. They refused to give him up for what was being offered. If they were not being offered top return for the best reliever available then Huntington did well to hold on to Vasquez. If they traded Vasquez for a middling return, you would have been right there complaining about the return.
Lyles has just been lucky. His FIP is 4.55
I have no idea what the Reds are doing. They traded away two good prospects in Downs & Gray for Kemp, Wood & Puig. Then cut Kemp, and traded away Trammell & Puig for Bauer.
Right now, Puig, Kemp, Bauer & Farmer have combined for War. And the cost to acquire such talent is Trammell (I don’t care for him, but he is likely to still be a top-35 prospects, and Downs and Gray are likely to be top-100 prospects as early as next year.
And for what purpose? They were very unlikely to be .500 this year, and unlikely to be .500 next year. I understand rebuilding, and over-the-top moves when you are ready. But the Reds weren’t nearly ready to compete this year or next year probably.
It feels like a complete waste of building blocks. In a loaded LAD system, Downs & Gray are already their #7/8 prospects.
Gray currently sits at #99 on the MLBPipeline top 100. Why don’t you care for Trammell?
It might be more fair to say I don’t like him at his current prospect rating. He has a fairly high amount of strikeouts for a guy that is not a big power guy. And he projects to be a leftfielder. Hard to get excited about that.
As a RS fan, I feel it’s bit like trying to compare Chavis as a 2B or as a 1B. If Chavis sticks as a 2B, I think he’s a player. If his fielding forces him to 1st, then he becomes just okay. If Trammell stuck in CF, I might like him a little more.
NL Central is a dumpster fire from top to bottom. Every team is due for a major rebuild soon. Reds might make some noise if they spend money, but they don’t so they won’t.
Meanwhile 2020 begins the 8th year of that vaunted White Sox rebuild!
You can’t be calling out division dumpster fires when the Sox are the median of the AL Central.
Reds = National League version of the White Sox…….”might make some noise if they spend money, but they don’t so they won’t.”
You misspelled AL Central
Dumpster fire is a bit much.
There are no great teams but no awful teams like balt, KC, Det, ect.
Don’t forget the White Sox! Awful with their prospects not panning out.
Hard pass on this assessment. The Cardinals have a very young rotation that should be anchored by two well above-average arms in Flaherty and Hudson for the foreseeable future and tons of talent in their young outfielders. They will be just fine.
I wonder white Sox fans are a laughing stock of MLB with such comments like this lol
AL Central is the vocal point of rebuilding. Every team in that division has been rebuilding since Royals won their last World Series. Indians look to be going into a double rebuild soon lol. St Louis Cards is probably the only organization in the NL Central that doesn’t have to worry about a rebuild or a catastrophic change. The other clubs in the division, there will be some sort of rebuild or change. Cubs need to make some changes to withstand the Cardinals. Brewers need a few tweaks. Reds and Pirates need to completely take down and rebuild. Cardinals have this division for the next few years until one of the other 4 organizations make the necessary changes or rebuilds.
This is coming from a Pirates fan prospective. But I think Cubbies are in serious trouble going forward unless they move a piece or two and add pitching. Until then, it’s Cardinals division to lose.
The reds are already in a rebuild.
The PIrates do not need a rebuild.They need a good manager and coaching staff to teach fundamentals.Unitil they get it their best will be mediocrity.
They need some enthusiasm from management,and no more bs from upper management.Say what you want about the Reds,but they changed course and made some deals and went from a poor pitching staff to a good one overnight.That is what the GM needs to do in Pittsburgh to finally give some hope to a struggling franchise.
I think that the Cubs and Brewers have reached as good as they get.The Pirates need to take advantage of that next year.
Otherwise NH should be canned too,
Say what you want about the Reds,but they changed course and made some deals and went from a poor pitching staff to a good one overnight.
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Cincinnati also traded away Downs, Gray, Long, a draft pick, Trammell & Moss to become a .460 team. Good for 12th place in the NL.
And most of the pitchers were already on the team already. They added Gray, Bauer & Wood, for a combined 12-13, with an ERA of 4.05.
As an organization, they took a major step backwards this year. They will be ~ 7 games better than last year, but traded away a lot of prospects for those 7 wins.
Joe-the Reds were stagnant for five years.
Maybe not everything worked but management tried and mixed it up for a change last year.
The Pirates idea of trying was a trade for Archer then becoming a turtle again.
They need to do anything half way reasonable to finally show their fans that they care about winning.
‘Mixing it up for a change’, imo, is about the worst rationale for a trade as I can imagine.
They traded for three guys from LA, with big salaries, in exchange for two good prospects. The Reds had no chance of winning this year. They weren’t going from 67 wins to 90 wins. And the three players they acquired It worked our worse than could have reasonably been predicted, so that’s not the GM’s fault.
But even if they were intent on getting slightly better, with no chance of making the playoffs, they’d have been better off spending the same amount of money on a mid-tier FA like Brantley.
Y’all need a l/t plan.
I do not follow the Reds as closely as you do but maybe their long term plan was not working.
I follow the Pirates closely and they have been mired in mediocrity for four years now.NH tried something with Archer that has basically failed because he overvalued him and was hoodwinked by the Rays.
Then this year he did not nothing but sign Lyles and Chisenhall.My point is much more on the Pirates than the Reds.NH needs to do something to give the fans hope that the Pirates can compete for the division crown next year.
Yes,the Reds probably were unrealistic,and maybe strayed from the long term plan.But they gave at least some of their fans hope that something was going to change.
Sometimes all the small market teams can hope for is hope.
And the Astros lucked out on Brantley’s health unlike the Indians did for years.
Addition by subtraction, they unloaded Bailey…
Please fellow Cardinal fans shut up and be humble. Be happy we’ve made a run and are sitting where we are. The Cubs have a ton of guys with a long history of success. Their season depends solely on those type guys playing to their potential. To say the Cardinals have a better franchise history goes without question it’s a ridiculous point to make. But the Cubs are legit now and in win now mode you can’t keep going back to that. If you want to discuss who’s better it’s not about the past 100 years or even 2015 it’s about 2019. That’s all the players and front offices are focused on I assure you. Even if you want to say one is better I think both have a great shot to get in the playoffs and are dangerous to other NL teams in the playoffs. Any team can beat another at the right time but the AL has a couple juggernauts I think we’d both have trouble topping. The Astros are great and just keep adding.
Verlander-Cole-Grienke with that lineup is stupid good
Neither team would get past the division series
I remember when Cubs fans were tearing apart the idea of trading for Castellanos. That was fun.
3-8 against Houston, Oakland and LA. World beaters against the Sisters of the We Quit After July 31st.
My issue with the Pirates is that they traded Cole away in January (?) and then traded FOR Archer in July. Like the Reds, both trades worked out worse than expected, but I am not sure what his l/t plan was. It feels like he gave up after the 2017 season, by trading Cole, but the personnel looks a lot better than their record did.
It’s 20/20 hindsight and all, but had he kept Cole, then he probably would’ve kept Meadows, Glasnow & Baz.
Imagine a rotation of Cole, Taillon, Glasnow, Williams. Injuries aside, that would be pretty good.
HE went against his nature I think with the Archer trade.Also,against any long term plan.I do not have a problem with that,but I do have a problem with it not being successful.If you make the trade,make sure that you do your homework.NH did not.I see Archer running around dumping water on guys while he is injured.Like Kela,he has. Ten cent head.NH should have known thatIt is turning into a bad trade.I give them two-three years.Archer is talented but I think clueless.
NH used his usual plan in trading a player at least one year before free agency.I cannot argue with that.Teh question remains should he have waited one half or one year to do so.An injury could occur and he would get nothing.I cannot fault him for the Cole trade as I think that he got as much as he could.