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We have reached that point in the baseball season which the true fans and the sports media love. The trade deadline, where teams have one last real chance to make the roster adjustments needed to compete for the next World Series. Or the opportunity for teams out of contention to unload contract to help fuel a potential rebuild. Did any team really help their chances?
In the modern day version of baseball, there are more teams in contention around the trade deadline than in the past. Before the additional wildcards, the trade deadline seemed to be just how can the New York Yankees take on the talent needed to pad their history. Now, general managers really have to understand whether they are a truly a contender or pretender to know if buying or selling is right for their team.
We have seen teams completely change their fortunes at the deadline. Remember the Atlanta Braves championship team that key pieces were added at that end of July, going from under .500 to World Champion. And we have seen teams make big trades that have not panned out or not enough to make the desired effect come to fruition.
The team that made the biggest swings was the Seattle Mariners, who are currently the last team in the playoff field, if the season ended today. They are 4.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the race for the AL West title. They acquired 2 of the best hitters who were available in the hopes that this could push them into real contention.
The New York Yankees are trying to reverse course and rise back to the top of the AL East. But, they will need to ride out an injury to their star in Aaron Judge. So they added probably the most players. None are the big names that their fans might have wanted or thought they could get apparently. But the historic rivals did much less, so they may be able to hold the Boston Red Sox off if these new additions help their offense.
Our Philadelphia Phillies added top end talent that hopefully will help propel them in the division and through October. Landing the best closer on the market in Johan Dhuran as well as another outfielder to boost their offense in Harrison Bader. In response, their division rival the New York Mets bolstered their bullpen as well. The division is going all the way to the end I believe.
The Boston Red Sox who made the biggest trade of the year well before the All Star break and the trade deadline did not do much to solidify their areas of need. Although, they have reversed their fortunes and will make the field if they keep their current spot. They have closed the gap in their division and are in the wild card field.
The hope for my Phillies, the Yankees, the Mets, and others who made major moves is that the current can gel and win consistently. Also that they did not trade away future talent that could have helped them compete in the future. That is always the risk that you trade away a star who leads another team to consistent contention for years.