MLB Trades: Rumor and Reality

The MLB trade deadline is approaching and many teams are in contention, including some with deep pockets. This has already made for some blockbuster deals, and we can only expect to see more. The trade of superstar, Manny Machado to The Los Angeles Dodgers is indisputably the biggest trade of the year and will remain so. Machado might have surpassed Bryce Harper this year as the most valuable free agent to be. Of course, that means The Dodgers bought Machado for only half a season, and they paid a hefty price tag for him. In order for this trade to turn a profit for The Dodgers one of two things must happen: they win The World Series, or they gain a leg up in signing Molten Manny going forward. The latter presents an interesting situation because Machado has insisted that he will play shortstop going forward. However, Corey Seager returns from injury next season and, in him, The Dodgers already have one of the premier young shortstops in baseball. Value for the Cleveland Indians: The Cleveland Indians scored the second biggest coup of the trade season so far and, if things don’t break the Dodger’s way, the Indians might wind up getting more value. The Tribe shipped away the top prospect in their organization, Francisco Mejía, to San Diego. Some might say moving from Cleveland to San Diego makes Mejía the biggest winner of the trade based solely on geography. But the Padres have added to an already loaded farm system. Meanwhile, the Indians have acquired one elite, left-handed bullpen arm in Brad Hand, who has been dominant over 2 seasons. Just as importantly… Hand has 3 seasons left on a favorable contract, making him an excellent asset. The Indians further reinforced their bullpen, the club’s greatest weakness, with Adam Cimber being thrown in. Cimber has emerged as a solid arm and, should he maintain, Cleveland will have two good relievers on great contracts. Deals in the Making: There are a ton of other potential deals out there, involving the likes of J.A. Happ, Kirby Yates, Cole Hamels, Jose Bautista and many other second-tier players. But the most talked about for sure is Mets ace and MLB ERA leader, Jacob DeGrom. An elite starter is a precious resource at any time. However, heading into the playoffs, they are even more valuable because long-term health concerns are reduced and their workload and influence on the series can be magnified. DeGrom could hand his new team 2 or 3 wins in a seven-game series along with a championship. Rumors have him going to big spenders. Either the Chicago Cubs or The New York Yankees figure to make a play for another ace, as both teams have lofty aspirations and disappointing rotations. But it’s entirely possible that The Mets extend DeGrom’s contract and choose to keep him as a centerpiece in a short-term rebuild, rather than blowing up the team, launching critical assets like DeGrom, and starting from scratch.