7 takeaways from the 2015 MLB trade deadline
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It's been less than 24 hours since the deadline passed, and there are still more questions than answers. Here are seven takeaways from a week that included blockbuster trades, failed medicals, and one surprise after another:
1. If you're looking for someone to blame for an underwhelming Friday, direct your complaints to none other than Padres general manager A.J. Preller. The same guy who turned the baseball world upside down last winter is proving he's just as unpredictable managing rosters as Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos. It's not all that surprising Preller chose to hang on to Justin Upton so he can ensure a compensation pick this winter, but it was rather curious he wasn't able to parlay Andrew Cashner or Ian Kennedy into something worthwhile given the demand for starting pitching.
2. Which leads one to believe Preller was asking for simply too much in return from teams like the Yankees, who refused to part with their top prospects now that they've finally retained some of them long enough to promote. Craig Kimbrel in that bullpen would have been unfair, but perhaps James Shields should have been the better target for Brian Cashman. Sure, he's showing signs of regression, and has a guaranteed $65 million coming his way, but what better fit than the deep-pocketed Yankees and their vulnerable pitching staff? Unless Cashman spends money in August, it looks like he's prepared to gamble on what has to be the smallest six-game division lead in the majors.
3. Speaking of Preller, he's not the only GM to blame for a relatively quiet deadline day. After all, Anthopoulos already traded for the best players earlier in the week. Hours after the deadline passed, the Blue Jays still had that All-Star shine and new car smell. With 20 percent of its roster either packing for north of the border, blowing a tire en route to Toronto, or scoring the winning run against the best team in the American League, Friday capped a wild week for the most dominant 53-win club in baseball. Anthopoulos' haul was impressive: a superstar shortstop, one of the best pitchers in baseball, two veteran relievers, and an upgrade in left field. We won't know the impact of Anthopoulos' deadline moves until October, but some quick and dirty Steamer math courtesy of FanGraphs predicts David Price, Troy Tulowitzki, Ben Revere, LaTroy Hawkins, and Mark Lowe will account for close to three wins more than the five players they're replacing.
4. Provided the roster reboot gets the Blue Jays into October, they'll have their hands full with a pair of teams who did well to round out their rosters for the stretch drive. The Royals and Astros both addressed their rotation, lineup, and overall versatility by acquiring very good starting nine players. Carlos Gomez, current struggles notwithstanding, gives Houston a scary blend of power, speed, and exceptional defense once the return of George Springer completes the picture. The Royals not only added Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist to the second-best record in baseball, they kept their rivals from obtaining the rental pair, too.
Related: Winners and losers from the 2015 MLB trade deadline
5. While the Royals and Astros (Blue Jays, Pirates, and Mets) were smart to fill holes, a few teams left us scratching our heads. Why wouldn't the Angels make a play to strengthen their rotation or top-heavy lineup with a playoff spot currently within their grasp? Ditto for the Nationals, who gambled by not adding offensive depth to mitigate their injured outfield and complement their elite pitching staff. The Red Sox, on the other hand, were smart not to make an irrational move. They have no choice but to bank on better production from Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez in 2016, and their Betts-Bogaerts-Castillo core promises to be more consistent with another year of seasoning. Cole Hamels would have been nice moving forward, but the thinking here is that they'll end up with an ace in free agency and retain their stockpile of assets.
6. Which is exactly the opposite of what the Rangers did. Much has been made of the Rangers' decision to cough up good prospects for Hamels, given that they're on the so-called outside-looking-in side of the playoff picture. But is three games back of the second wild card really considered the periphery? Is it that much of a stretch to sell the future for four years of control over a No. 1 left-handed arm? The Rangers could have the best 1-2 rotation punch in the AL next year, but with 27 of their final 30 games inside the division, there's way too much time left to look beyond this season.
7. And whether you're a GM, player, or fan, why would you? The last calendar year has been one of the most exciting stretches in recent memory, and you can bet the final two months of the season will be just as good. Entering Saturday, 18 of 30 teams were within 3 1/2 games of a playoff spot. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild (card) ride.