Tag: Trade Deadline

Evaluating the Chris Archer Trade

The Pittsburg Pirates made big splashes landing Chris Archer and Keone Kela the day of the 2018 Trade Deadline. The newest acquisition’s give the Pirates a shot to land a Wild Card spot in 2018, but more importantly are under contract for multiple years allowing for some time to improve and really contend in the near future. I love the strategy here as well as the trade for both sides. The Pirates get a pitcher who could be a true ace now that he is finally apart of a real organization. Archer currently owns a 3-5 record but has a 4.31 ERA with 102 Ks in 96 IP. I could see Archer stepping up when needed in a postseason race. He is under control through 2021 and is only 29-years-old.

The Rays finally admitted defeat and dealt a man who deserved to be released from the torture that was suiting up for Tampa Bay for five seasons. They made the right move by dealing him with years of eligibility as they are not seriously contending anytime soon and the return was significantly higher than what a rental of his talent would haul in.

Austin Meadows  is hitting .292 with 5 HRs, 13 RBIs and a .795 OPS through 49 games this season. Meadows is a 23-year-old left-handed outfielder that projects to be a big time impact player in coming years. It is a little surprising the Pirates were willing to deal Meadows even for a stud like Archer. He has a ton of potential and is a guy to keep on your radar in the coming years.

Tyler Glasnow has been a prospect for the Pirates for a while now and has finally hit somewhat of a stride. Glasnow is a massive 6’8″, 220 lb right-hander that is only 24-years-old and under contract through 2022. Since moving into a bullpen role full time in 2018 Glasnow has put up a 4.34 ERA with 72 Ks in 56 IP. While the ERA is a little high, the strikeout rate is promising and he’s only 24. He is someone to get excited about as well.

Overall I love the move to trade for controllable talent in Pittsburg as well as the decision to deal Archer for maximum value as a player with years of contract control. Archer should be fun to watch as a Pirate while Tampa is on it’s way to building a solid foundation with Meadows and Glasnow.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

MLB Deadline Frenzy: Archer, Dozier, Ramos, Schoop, and Pham among names Traded on Final Day; Harper stays put

Alrighty, the MLB Trade Deadline was pretty exciting today if I do say so myself. And as I fill in for the usual baseball writer, I will go in order of the big time deals that went down since Ian Kinsler last night!

First off, Bryce Harper will remain with the Washington Nationals despite being a free agent at season’s end. Nats still believe they have a chance.

Now on to the real deals.

983931704-0

Reliever Keone Kela will now become the Pirates set up man as they remain in the hunt for a playoff spot being just 3.5 GB in a season that no one expected them to truly compete. The combination of Kela and Vazquez give them two players with a combined ERA of around 3.10, while combining for 47 saves as well. This was an interesting move due to the fact no one would know if they would be buyers or sellers.

Rating: A-

usa_today_10265990-0

This deal comes as a surprise due to the fact that Tommy Pham was a phenomenal player just last season for the Cardinals. However, after some frustration on both sides, it seems as though that this would not work out well in the end. Pham had a 11th place finish for the MVP last year, and while that is not much to write about, he had a great year batting .306 and totaling over 20 HR and SBs. This season, he is struggling, but the Rays were able to buy low here and get them a good core piece for their rebuild.

Rating: B, however could turn out really well.

martin-leonys-getty-ftr_w43b3la4vwnj1hhc8im7v592q

This is bit of a minor deal that gives the Cleveland Indians a platoon for center field as Martin has been great against righties all season long, while Rajai Davis thrives against lefties. This deal should set them up real nice for the post season in all aspects of their team.

Rating: C, Doesn’t shake up the team but gives them a consistent outfield for the season

brad-ziegler-3-fe

Can confirm that the Diamondbacks have completed the trade to bring back Brad Ziegler to the team. In his last 28 appearances, Ziegler has a 0.64 ERA and is now a very big piece for the Diamondbacks to add as they continue forward on a hopeful playoff spot. The submariner is a solid addition to the back end of the Diamondbacks bullpen, could very much be in line to be the setup guy for the time being.

Rating: B+

The CF Cameron Maybin has been a solid player in his long career. Maybin isn’t have his absolute best season, but gives the Mariners a solid CF now that Dee Gordon will be playing second base more often than not due to Cano being ineligible for a possible playoff run. Maybin has become a solid fixture in the league, and with career numbers of a .255 BA and being a solid fielder, this should work out well for the playoff push. Mariners made a lot of moves going in.

Rating: C+

wilra

This is a big time move for the Phillies, adding the AL All-Star to their team for essentially nothing it feels. Ramos has been fantastic this season in his first season truly back from injury, swinging .297 with 14 HR and 53 RBI. His .834 OPS and 2.4 WAR is also a big get for the Phillies. Getting a catcher who can also swing the bat this well means a lot for a team, giving them an edge going forward.

Rating: A, best deal so far

kevin-gausman-1400

To answer the Phillies, the Braves decided to bolster their rotation by acquiring the RHP for a chance to make it back to the playoffs. While his numbers are nothing to jump up and down for, a WAR of 2.3 and an middle-to-end of the rotation numbers all season long gives the Braves another inning eater who could be crucial down the line for them.

Rating: B-, could become even better if he continues his ways and improves.

usatsi_9527139

BLOCKBUSTER: This trade was the biggest to this moment, as Dozier, a former All-Star and Gold Glover, has been a prolific offensive player for the Twins in past seasons, involving his past three seasons where he has hit 28, 42, and 34 HRs. Dozier now joins a lineup that needed some help even though they have studs all throughout. The players they sent were not too hurtful to their roster, and this betters them for the long run adding such a big time player. First Machado, now Dozier, this was surely a great deadline for the Dodgers, as they look to get hot for the playoff run.

web-chris-archer-rays-pitcher-1533064199

BLOCKBUSTER: A huge trade went down right before the deadline, as the Pittsburgh Pirates went all in this deadline, adding Kela earlier on and now Chris Archer. Archer has been an ace for the Rays for a while now. He has been a strikeout machine for the Rays, however he hasn’t always been the best version of Archer we would expect. Yet, the Rays managed to acquire OF Austin Meadows who has been fantastic in his time in the big leagues, and also got a pitcher in Glasnow who may be able to adjust now on a new team. Chris Archer comes with an more than just the rest of this season, making it an overall valuable trade for the Rays. Pirates look to storm their way into the playoffs with these two moves.

959972762-0

The final big time trade of the day involves the Brewers once again adding an infielder. The Brewers have been all in on making the playoffs this season, and with adding Mike Moustakas and now Jonathan Schoop means that they certainly mean business. Schoop hit 32 HR last year and drove in 105 RBI, and while he has struggled this year, you can’t blame him considering how bad the Orioles have been all season. This gives Schoop a chance to play for a real time team.

 

And this caps off a big time Trade Deadline for the MLB, and now expect some deals to happen through the waiver process.

 

Regardless, who do you think made the best deal today? Worst?

 

Let us know!!!

 

-Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

Sources: Red Sox have acquired former All-Star 2B Ian Kinsler

The Trade Deadline in the world of baseball will give you so many trades that you lose track. This now makes two trades for the Red Sox within the last week, three total if you include the Steve Pearce trade. So far, the Red Sox have been pretty successful with their acquisitions of Pearce and Eovaldi, and now they may have acquired the biggest name in a few years deadline wise. Ian Kinsler is on his way to Boston to become the second baseman for what you can expect to be the rest of this season, meaning that Dustin Pedroia is not coming back any time soon. Kinsler, 36, has forever been a phenomenal fielder and a great hitter. While his usual offensive numbers are down this season, he still has been a solid player per usual for a player like him.

Per Evan Drelich, the Sox received Kinsler and cash for minor leaguer Ps William Jerez and Ty Buttrey. This deal was one that can only help their team, considering the money and the fact that Kinsler has ranked as the second best defensive second baseman in all of baseball this season.

This trade is a great move by Boston, especially with Kinsler being as hot as he has been all season. Even if his .239 Batting Average isn’t lighting the world on fire, he still is able to display power and the ability to swipe a bag every now and then. As he goes to a team with all the talent that the Red Sox has, he should mesh real nicely and hopefully help the Red Sox move forward in their hopes to getting back to the World Series for the first time in years. Brock Holt should head back to being a solid bench player, while Nunez fills in for Devers at third base for the time being.

If Kinsler can manage to remain with that OPS, this is a big win for a Trade Deadline deal.

So what do you think? Was this a good move? OR do you think the Sox should have looked elsewhere?

 

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

MLB Trade Deadline Eve Recap

Osuna to Astros

The Astros made a splash move to acquire All-Star reliever Roberto Osuna with less than 48 hours until the deadline. They acquire Osuna in exchange for Ken Giles who’s has been garbage this season (0-2, 4.99 ERA) and has an attitude problem, RHP prospect David Paulino who was a top prospect before getting popped for PEDs, and minor league RHP Hector Perez. Osuna has a career 2.87 ERA, with 253 Ks in 223 IP and has converted 104/124 Save opportunities. With Osuna under control through 2020 and only 23-years-old this deal seems like a slam dunk for the Astros. I have no idea how they managed to pull this off. It should be noted that Osuna is suspended until August 5th for domestic violence.

Image result for roberto osuna

Zach Duke to Mariners

Zach Duke has been a solid reliever for the Twins with a 3.62 ERA in 37.1 IP. Duke is nothing special but can get the job done and will help the Mariners bullpen. The Twins get RHP Chase De Jong, a 33-year-old bum with a 6.35 ERA and corner infield prospect Ryan Costello.

See the source image

Adam Warren to Mariners

The Yankees continue their unusual trade deadline by trading away yet another Major League reliever, this time 30-year-old righty Adam Warren. Warren has been a big part of the Yankees bullpen with a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings of work this season. Losing Warren weakens the depth of the Yankees bullpen much like the trade of Chasen Shreve. The Yankees will get “future considerations” for Warren or in other words they essentially just gave him away for free. I do not get what the Yankees are trying to accomplish by trading MLB players for lesser pieces. The Evil Empire seems confused lately as they are trading away players to make their Major League roster worse while trailing the Red Sox 5.5 games. What the Yankees are doing makes absolutely no sense, there is no positive to making these moves, I’m just confused.

Image result for adam warren

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

The Red Sox may be in on Adrian Beltre reunion

Rumors of Adrian Beltre returning to Boston have been floating around for years. Beltre came to Boston on a one year prove it deal in 2010 and did just that. He hit .321 with a league leading 49 doubles, 28 dingers, 102 runs driven in, and a .919 OPS during his time in Boston. That season has left the fans wanting more, and they might finally get it.

Last night, Rafael Devers pulled up running the bases with a hamstring injury and has been placed on the disabled list for the second time this month. With the deadline fast approaching we would hope Dombrowski would not go into the thick of a playoff race with a Tzu-Wei Lin/Eduardo Nunez timeshare at third, moving Brock Holt to a full time spot at second. Beltre is certainly on the trade block, and was a healthy scratch from todays lineup meaning a deal may be already in the works. Beltre has a full no trade clause meaning he can reject any team he desires. It would seem unlikely that he would say no to playing for a Boston fanbase that adores him and for a Red Sox team with the best record in baseball.

The biggest rumor swirling around is Beltre to Atlanta, but Ken Rosenthal says otherwise:

Hopefully the Red Sox somehow get this done, even if it does cost Michael Chavis who is a steroid using bum. In his age 39 season Beltre has a .292 AVG, 5 HRs, 33 RBIs and a .747 OPS after missing time early in the season with a hamstring injury. He has a higher batting average and OPS than Devers and is about 50 times the defender with five Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves. Beltre could serve as a useful mentor especially on the defensive side of the ball. Here’s how the lineup could shake out come playoff time:

  1. CF Mookie Betts
  2. LF Andrew Benintendi
  3. RF J.D. Martinez
  4. 1B Mitch Moreland
  5. SS Xander Bogaerts
  6. 3B Adrian Beltre
  7. DH Rafael Devers
  8. 2B Eduardo Nunez/Brandon Philips!?!
  9. C Christian Vasquez/Sandy Leon

I’m keeping Bradley on the bench if we could add Beltre and using Steve Pierce to get some spot starts and clutch hits. Bradley will be well over his July hot streak and back to his offensive deficiency. This lineup would be a lot stronger than what we are currently rolling out there. Also side note: Blake Swihart is playing third base as we speak this team needs an upgrade and soon.

Second side note: Beltre is great for baseball and could use a bigger audience:

Image result for beltre gif
Beltre does NOT like his head touched

 

Image result for beltre gif
Stare Down
Image result for Beltre Andrus GIF
Just being a clown

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

 

 

Yankees just got worse

Today the Yankees made a move that just makes no sense. On July 24th the Evil Empire made a splash move to trade for a once elite closer who is still in his prime. It appeared that the Yankees were trying to bolster that bullpen with a bunch of studs. I wrote about how that move improved the Yankees team and why they made the move here:

Why would the Yankees trade for a bullpen arm?

However today the Yankees traded away a quality bullpen arm in Chasen Shreve (2-2 with a 4.26 ERA, in 38 IP with 46 Ks and 18 BBs). Zach Britton has a 1-0 record with a 3.57 ERA in 17.2 IP and 15 Ks to 12 BBs. Britton has been slightly better but nothing special so far this season. Now Britton takes Shreve’s place instead of the Yankees just outright adding another above average relief pitcher. Instead of lengthening the bullpen depth they just got slightly better for two top 15 prospects.

Now the question is, who did they get for Shreve? The answer… Luke Voit. WHO? A 27-year-old minor league first basemen who is hitting .299 with 9 HRs and 36 RBIs in 271 at-bats at the AAA level. In other words an older prospect who is having a solid season for a minor league affiliate of the 4th place Cardinals. I have no idea how Luke Voit is going to help the New York Yankees playoff push more than a reliever with a 4.26 ERA.

The Yankees could use help at first base with a 25th best .701 OPS out of the first base position, but why on earth would they trade for Luke Voit? The should have called the Rangers and asked for Adrian Beltre and moved Andujar to 1st. They could have made a move for plenty of other bats not named Luke Voit who you have never heard of until today unless you are a Cardinals fan or know too much about baseball like me. To put this in Bostonian terms, the Yankees just gave up a quality 6th or 7th inning reliever for Sam Travis.

This article isn’t to slander Zach Britton, he absolutely has the talent to get back into a groove and become Britton of years past who was one of the best relivers in the game. I’m just questioning why a contender with a good farm system is trading away major league pieces for role players who are not even MLB ready.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Mike Moustakas headed to Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers officially traded for Mike Moustakas today (7/28/18) in exchange for OF Brett Phillips (Brewers #10 Prospect) and RHP Jorge Lopez. Phillips will go directly to the Royals MLB roster as he is no longer blocked by the talented Brewers outfield crop. Phillips hit .276 with 4 HRs, 12 RBIs, and a .799 OPS in 87 at-bats last season. He is 24-years-old and will be under Royals control through 2023. Lopez is a 25-year-old with an up and down professional career thus far. This season he has a 2.75 ERA in 19.1 IP with the Brewers after getting slapped around at the AAA level with a 5.65 ERA in 28.2 IP. He is essentially a throw in here while Phillips was the piece that got the deal done.

The Brewers will move Shaw over the second base, which was a problem area for them offensively. Shaw will move over with a .249 AVG, 19 HRs, and 59 RBIs. His .812 OPS is quite the upgrade out of the second base position. Moustakas will man third base with almost identical numbers: .249 AVG, 20 HRs, 62 RBIs, and a .778 OPS. Moose will lengthen their lineup and give them a boost during this intense National League Central Division race that is currently separated by one game. Moose also has plenty of playoff experience with back to back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015. Moose has hit only .222 in the postseason but has 6 HRs and 15 RBIs in 117 at-bats. His numbers do not jump off the page but Moose came up in some huge spots for the Royals during that two year window. This is an interesting add that should impact the NL Central race.

See the source image
Clutch Homerun in Game Three of the ALDS in 2014, two games after hitting a game winning homer in the 11th

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Trading for Nathan Eovaldi was a good baseball decision for both teams

Nathan Eovaldi is 3-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 57 IP. He has a 0.98 WHIP in 10 starts. Eovaldi has been a solid starter so far and will benefit this Red Sox pitching staff. He can throw as hard as any other starter and can pitch deep into games. Drew Pomeranz’s time in a Boston uniform is ending this offseason, and his time as a weekly starter may be ending much sooner.

Eovaldi is an interesting addition though he is not the flashy name fans are looking for. This deadline will feature more mundane players than years past. There aren’t any Yu Darvish’s or Justin Verlander’s in this years trade deadline. That said, getting a guy like Eovaldi who has a quality arm and more upside than the average 28-year-old is a good baseball decision. Dombrowski only gave up LHP Jalen Beeks who has showed promise with a 2.89 ERA in AAA Pawtucket but has a 12.79 ERA in 6.1 IP for the Red Sox this season. It will be interesting to see how Beeks performs at the Major League level with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays are adding a 25-year-old pitcher that has been dominate at the AAA level, one tier below the big leagues. They get Beeks for a player that has costed them virtually nothing and would not have had any effect on the club long term. For Beeks, he will get his first real shot at the Major League level, where I believe has a good shot of succeeding. This is a win-win for both sides as the Red Sox get some much needed pitching depth and the Rays acquire a legit prospect for very little cost.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Why would the Yankees trade for a bullpen arm?

The Yankees traded their #9 (Dillon Tate RHP) and #15 (Cody Carrol RH Reliver) prospects as well as LHP prospect Josh Rodgers in exchange for now former Orioles Closer Zach Britton. The Yankees already have the best bullpen in baseball with a 2.76 ERA. The question is, why trade for another reliver when there starters are only 13th in the league with a 4.02 ERA and lack depth?

Answer: The game has changed and the market for starters is terrible.

The Yankees are gearing up for a playoff run, and that requires a strong bullpen. Gone are the days of number two and three starters pitching deep into postseason games. In today’s game the objective of a postseason starter is to keep their team in the game for four or five innings before handing it over to the bullpen. Closers are used to get out of jams in the 6th or 7th, and aces are coming out of the bullpen to get saves. There is no such thing as a standard bullpen usage in the playoffs or set roles, unlike in the regular season where their is a 7th, 8th, and 9th inning guy. With the lack of quality starting pitching on the Yankees staff, they will be calling to the bullpen as early as possible. With the extra rest and bullpen depth, the Evil Empire will just have to get their starters not named Severino to the 4th or 5th before employing the arms of Aroldis Chapman (2.03 ERA), Adam Warren (2.39 ERA), Dillon Betances (2.49 ERA), Chad Green (2.63 ERA), David Robertson (3.05 ERA), Luis Cessa (3.10 ERA) and now Zach Britton (3.45 ERA) in whichever order they please.

The other reason is that the current market for starters is so bad that they had to get creative to figure out how to improve their pitching staff. The best guys available are aging veterans who are having solid seasons, nobody is doing anything special. The Yankees still may be in the market for a quality arm like J.A. Happ (10-6, 4.18 ERA) but he isn’t scaring anyone, even if it does make the team better.

See the source image
Current Red Sox Steve Pierce taking Happ deep prior to Happ giving up a grand slam to future MVP Mookie Betts

While on the surface the move seems a little strange, give props where it is due. Yankees GM Brian Cashman made a great move to acquire yet another lethal bullpen arm, even if he did overspend a little. The Orioles did a phenomenal job as well considering Britton was not expected to bring in a haul that included two top fifteen prospects in an above average farm system. This is a move that I love to see as a baseball fan, and hate as a Red Sox fan… your move Dombrowski. (Eovaldi doesn’t count)

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Chris Archer should be dealt this Trade Deadline

According to Ken Rosenthal, Chris Archer is drawing significant interest on the market:

Is 2018 the year Archer is finally moved? The Rays have been in a constant state of almost competing for a playoff spot the last few years, currently sitting at 50-49. While I respect the idea of trying to put out the best roster they can as a low market team, (instead of joining the myriad of teams out of contention) it may be time for the Rays to deal Archer. They should get out of Tampa by relocating and completely rebuild, hopefully with less cheap owners. Archer might finally escape Tampa Bay.

Image result for chris archer gif
Archer Realizing His Time in TB Could Be Ending

Archer has been solid this season with a 4.30 ERA in 16 games after missing time with a left abdominal strain. He has showed signs of his elite past this season and at only 29-years-old the right-hander may just need a change of scenery. In 2015 Archer posted a 3.23 ERA in 212 IP, with 252 Ks to 66 BBs. Archer could still blossom into a dominate starter if placed on a contender. Chris Archer went only 31-29 between 2013-2015 despite pitching like an ace for three straight seasons (3.26 ERA in 535.1 IP).

Archer has a unique contract situation. He could become a free agent after 2019, but has club options in 2020 and 2021 worth $8,250,000. That number is an absolute steal for Archer which would allow Tampa to really drive up his price. To add to that, Archer is far more talented than the other names being thrown around this deadline excluding deGrom who will not get dealt. The team that deals for him will be keeping him for a long time, so where could he end up?

New York Yankees

No chance. The Yankees will be  mentioned a lot and will have plenty of interest but not even the Rays would trade a guy of his talent in division until 2021. They need a starter more than any other contender but will not be acquiring Chris Archer’s talents.

Image result for yankees

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are also in need of a starter, but will not land David Price’s successor for the same reason as the Yankees. That and the fact that they have zero talented prospects.

Image result for red sox team

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are somehow 59-40 with a -5 run differential. They win close games by the skin of their teeth with a closer in Edwin Diaz who has been unstoppable. They could really use some ace like pitching behind James Paxton with a starting pitcher team ERA of 4.06, 15th in the league. The Mariners sit six games behind the Astros and are being chased by the Athletics who are only trailing by three games and are officially buyers. Adding Archer would give the Mariners some insurance on their way to Wild Card spot number two.

Image result for mariners 2018

Philadelphia Phillies 

General manager Matt Klentak has suggested a desire to obtain a young, skilled and controllable starting pitcher according to Brad Berreman of fansided.com. Archer definitely fits that description. However, before todays game Klentak said “We’re very encouraged about not only the five here but also what we have in Triple-A, and we’re hopeful that’s going to mean that we can stay out of the starting pitcher trade market at the Deadline, because if you can avoid it, that is definitely a market to avoid.” It feels like he is referring more to rentals than a guy like Archer but this quote certainly leads me to believe Archer to Phillies is nowhere near in the works.

See the source image

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have a starting pitcher team ERA of 3.91, 10th in the MLB. They are currently 56-45, 3.5 games back of the Cubs and hold the second Wild Card spot. They have a young, talented core that Archer could become a huge part of. They have the prospects to get the deal done and the talent to contend.

See the source image

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are in a really good spot with their starters posting a 3.57 ERA, 5th in the league. That said the Braves are another team that have talked about trading for controllable guys rather than rentals. Adding Archer would create a rotation that would consist of All-Star Mike Foltynewicz (7-5, 2.66 ERA), Sean Newcomb (8-5, 3.51 ERA), Julio Teheran (7-6, 4.00 ERA) Chris Archer (3-4, 4.30 ERA), and Anibal Sanchez (5-2, 2.88 ERA). The Braves have the firepower in the farm system to make the deal and would create a young, controllable pitching core to a team that already has young position players like Freeman, Albies, Acuna Jr., and Swanson.

Image result for braves 2018

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks are in the hunt to win the National League West Division. They currently sit 1.5 games back with a 54-46 record. Arizona was willing to make a splash as one of the teams in the Machado sweepstakes and should now shift their attention to Archer. The Diamondbacks have a starting pitcher team ERA of 4.12, 16th in the league. They could use a boost in the rotation, and Archer could be that guy. They have the prospects and may need to make a blockbuster trade to counter the Dodgers acquisition of Manny Machado.

Image result for diamonbacks 2018

Recap:

There is no guarantee Chris Archer goes anywhere, but if he does, this is the list of teams who will make a call for him if they haven’t already. Teams like the Cubs may call as well, but this is the list of teams I think should look into shaking up their rotation’s.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports