Trade Deadline Moves Impact AL Playoff Race

by  |  August 2, 2018

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Rinse and repeat, this is your typical baseball fan on July 31, a day more stressful than any other major holiday. One can’t even begin to quantify the increased number of employee bathroom breaks across the globe, though Fangraphs is undoubtedly working on a formula for it.

For a non-baseball fan at the office, it might seem weird that Kevin from accounting was skulking around corners of the office, phone pressed against his leg, constantly checking for updates. For regular fans, it was nothing out of the ordinary.

This year’s deadline had a hefty amount of drama, which kicked off with the trade of Manny Machado to the Dodgers. A number of large names flew off the board, including Chris Archer, Robert Osuna, Jonathan Schoop and plenty more. A few deals left fans scratching their heads, as well, such as the Rays dealing for Tommy Pham (are they sellers or not?). At one point during Tuesday’s madness, a rumor surfaced that the Nationals had made Bryce Harper available, sparking a frenzy of fan-proposals and conspiracy theories that the Nationals had become sellers.

While it wasn’t true, the playoff landscape looks a bit different now. The AL playoff race in particular is a lot more interesting, with six teams all but guaranteed to race to the finish. Let’s take a look at the six contenders:

Cleveland Indians

Acquired: OF Oscar Mercado, CF Leonys Martin, RHP Kyle Dowdy, RP Brad Hand, RP Adam Cimber

Traded: OF Conner Capel, OF Jhon Torres, SS Willi Castro, C Francisco Mejia

Adding Hand was the best move the Indians could make to bolster their chances of going deep in the playoffs. Often overlooked this season due to a weak bullpen and an even weaker AL Central, the Indians actually pack quite the punch. They have a ridiculous rotation with Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger and Carlos Carrasco, not to mention a scary offense complete with Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.

Hand brings balance to a shaky cleanup crew and looks to continue an amazing season. If Andrew Miller regains his health in time for the playoffs, other AL powerhouses will have to start looking over their shoulders.

It’s possible the Indians missed out on adding a bat or two, but with a strong rotation and fixed bullpen, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Houston Astros

Acquired: RHP Roberto Osuna, RHP Ryan Pressly, C Martin Maldonado

Traded: RHP Ken Giles, RHP Hector Perez, RHP David Paulino, RHP Jorge Alcala, OF Gilberto Celestino, LHP Patrick Sandoval, international bonus pool money

Probably the only team in the American League not desperate in any one area was the Astros. Maldonado will serve as back-up to injured Brian McCann, and may prove beneficial in the years to come. He was arguably the best catcher available for a low price in a league currently experiencing catcher-drought (seriously, only four catchers are above a 2.0 WAR among qualified hitters).

Acquiring Osuna certainly makes things interesting for the Astro bullpen, but with Osuna’s recent legal troubles, he may not have an impact anytime soon. Héctor Rondón currently serves as the closer and has done a decent job so far, collecting 10 saves. Regardless of any bullpen issues the Astros might have, they look to be the clear number-two behind Boston.

New York Yankees

Received: RHP Lance Lynn, LHP J.A. Happ, LHP Zach Britton, international bonus pool money, cash considerations

Traded: RHP Luis Rijo, 1B/OF Tyler Austin, RHP Adam Warren, LHP Caleb Frare, 3B Brandon Drury, OF Billy McKinney, RHP Dillon Tate, RHP Cody Carroll, LHP Josh Rogers

Goodbye, Chasen Shreve. Hello, Zach Britton. Yankees fans rejoice in having a new elite-level lefty in the bullpen. Shreve was hung in digital effigy numerous times in the first-half of the 2018 campaign, blowing several leads and killing many comebacks by the Yanks.

trade deadline movesBritton will bring the final puzzle piece that the Yankees pen has been missing. Though not having the best season thus far, the Yankees are banking on Britton finding that 2016 dominant energy again with other elite arms surrounding him. Going for a combined (ERA) in the past month, the bullpen is arguably the Yankees strongest part of their team.

An addition of Red Sox-killer Happ should prove useful as well with the looming end of season AL East battle. Acquired for the small price of Drury and McKinney, Happ brings stability to a shaky back-end of the rotation. Former Twin Lynn joins Happ in the rotation, possibly as a sixth man to give some relief to the worn out Severino.

Oakland Athletics

Acquired: RHP Jeurys Familia

Traded: 3B William Toffey, RHP Bobby Wahl, international bonus pool money

Familia was bound to get a new home and was fortunate enough to land on a team that just wasn’t the Mets. Sporting a 2.45 ERA this year, Familia had been one of the very few bright spots for the Mets, saving 17 games.

Giving up Toffey and Wahl seem like a small price for a team that has a strong chance at the wild card. The A’s are sneaky contenders this year and will race against a strong Mariners team for chance to battle in the Wild Card game.

Seattle Mariners

Acquired: OF Cameron Maybin, RHP Adam Warren, LHP Zach Duke, RHP Sam Tuivailala

Traded: IF Bryson Brigman, RHP Chase De Jong, INF Ryan Costello, RHP Seth Elledge, international bonus pool money

The Mariners didn’t pull off any sexy trades this time around, but maybe they didn’t need to. In adding Duke, Tujvailala and Warren, the Mariners have a significantly deeper bullpen than before. Warren also brings post-season experience, which will prove useful in the march toward the AL playoff race.

Maybin is a decent upgrade from Guillermo Heredia, who looks to be the odd-man out in the Mariners outfield. Though none of the Mariner’s offensive trades are substantial, the return of Robinson Cano will bolster a recently struggling team swept by the Rockies before the All-Star Break.

Boston Red Sox

Acquired: 2B Ian Kinsler, RHP Nathan Eovaldi, cash considerations

Traded: RHP Ty Buttrey, LHP Williams Jerez, LHP Jalen Beeks

The Red Sox made small but impactful moves at the deadline. Trading Beeks for Eovaldi, who is having a solid year, adds depth to Boston’s rotation. Eovaldi has reinvented himself after missing the entire 2017 season for Tommy John surgery. Armed with an above-average fastball, he will look to exact revenge on a Yankees team that cut him loose two years ago.

Kinsler will give much-needed relief to a struggling Eduardo Núñez, who is at an abysmal -.0.4 WAR at the moment. Kinsler will likely be the starting second baseman, as Dustin Pedroia remains sidelined with a knee injury for the time being.

Both moves give Boston give extra depth to a team that seems to have an already limitless supply of runs and strikeouts. This Boston team is arguably the best in franchise history and the clear frontrunner to win not just the American League, but the World Series, as well, especially with these recent additions.