With the deadline in the rearview mirror, we’ll look back at each NL Central team’s trade activity over the past month.
Chicago Cubs
- Acquired 1B/DH José Martínez from Rays for two players to be named later or cash considerations
- Acquired LHP Andrew Chafin from Diamondbacks for a player to be named later
- Acquired LHP Josh Osich from Red Sox for a player to be named later
- Acquired OF Cameron Maybin from Tigers for INF Zack Short
Cincinnati Reds
- Acquired a player to be named later from Astros for LHP Brooks Raley
- Acquired OF Mark Payton from Athletics for cash considerations
- Acquired RHP Riley O’Brien from Rays for LHP Cody Reed
- Acquired OF Brian Goodwin from Angels for LHP Packy Naughton and a player to be named later or cash considerations
- Acquired RHP Archie Bradley from Diamondbacks for INF Josh VanMeter and OF Stuart Fairchild
Milwaukee Brewers
- Acquired three players to be named later (reportedly RHP Brandon Ramey, RHP Israel Puello and RHP Juan Geraldo) from Phillies for RHP David Phelps
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Acquired RHP Tyler Bashlor from Mets for cash considerations
- Acquired LHP Austin Davis from Phillies for a player to be named later and cash considerations
- Acquired international bonus pool space from White Sox for OF Jarrod Dyson
St. Louis Cardinals
- None
Recap: Epstein still dumpster diving for pen arms cause the cubs are broke, Reds needed another OFer for some reason, Milwaukee thinks they still have a chance with no pitching? ok, and cardinals did nothing.
Good take but forgot about the pirates.
So did everyone else.
So did Cherington.
I’d agree with all except the use of the term “broke”. Cheap (as in cheaper than they need or ought to be relative to their value as opposed to spending as a whole comparative to all teams) is what I’d have used.
I am not surprised that the Cardinals didn’t trade for anyone. The bullpen is good. They have a six man rotation. The lineup is okay. Plus, they have a lot of relief pitchers in the alternate training site that can contribute. The Cardinals are good.
Last year they didn’t do anything and got swept so bad in the NLCS.
Denial.
A disease most commonly found in America’s 3rd worst metropolitan area, along the Mississippi river, between Illinois and another hack state.
In this specific case, its almost bad enough to spit out your Cheerios….
Sounds like you think Illinois is a hack state.
Cards have really underperformed so far this year imo. Does not seem to me like the usual Cardinals. I know some of it can be blamed on this crazy year but when you get swept at home, by the putrid Pirates, as well as some other bad losses, it’s bad. Lol
Kinda hard to win consistently when you play double headers nearly everyday and resort to starting your 3rd string position players. This season is kinda a joke haha
Cardinals pitching looks pretty solid but they need some bats. That lineup has some major holes.
The cardinals pitching looks solid but that lineup has some serious holes.
Letting Ozuna walk and not replacing him was a major mistake and will be their doom in 2020.
I really thought St. Louis would try to add another bat to the mix. I kind of figured they would target Smoak type player to DH and in traditional St. Louis, he racks for a month.
The team that really surprised me is the White Sox, not that they need a lot of help anywhere but I thought they would add a been there done that veteran but maybe a lot of GM’s are looking at the season differently. It’s not the 162 game grind and teams do not need a veteran to hold the team together like in the past.
On the White Sox front, could you imagine if they actually would have landed Wheeler along with DK? They would have ran away with the AL Central.
Actually the ONLY thing the brewers have is pitching, especially bullpen pitching, hence the trade. Entire team can’t hit. They’re a 1 n done if they make the playoffs and that’s a HUGE if.
Could they have sold/traded away more? I guess, but I’m also guessing Sterns wanted a kings ransom for Hader (as he should).
Brewers stood pat on trading day minus the one deal for 3 really young prospects. Teams not going anywhere this season and many needs will have to be addressed next off season. (Mostly hitting)
AFsooner –
Good evaluation of the Brewers. Their hitting is an absolute nightmare. I know batting average isn’t the most important of stats, but when over half of your starting lineup is under .200, there’s a problem. I’m really amazed at how little coverage has been given to the rotten season by Keston Hiura, who is striking out at a ridiculous rate, not hitting for any kind of average or drawing walks, and continuing to play brutal defense. Last I checked, he was on pace to break the all-time strikeout record (on a per-game basis). Yelich, Smoak, Narvaez, Sogard, Hiura, Avi Garcia, Braun, and Gamel are all off to awful starts. Brock Holt and Logan Morrison were horrible too, but have since been cut. We have ONE player with an OPS over .780, and when Jedd Gyorko is your stud, there’s a big problem!
Right on target Brewer analysis. This team is a joke and I was saying that back in February. This is what you get when the entire offseason is spent on signing Craig Counsell clones and/or a team that looks like a small town in the Northwoods softball team. First time in my life when I no longer make an effort to watch the Brewers. Hell if it wasn’t for Ueck, I’d probably turn them off completely. Don’t even get me started on the “new” uniforms.
Cubs made some useful moves. Brewer’s Cards did nothing to improve team. Reds went in hard past 2 years so might as well double down and go for it. Some pirate fans feared BC would get robbed like NH. Well fear not, pirates are safe as they had nothing of value.
Funny. I already expected to see a ChiSox whatever his name is comment.
I’m sadly disappointed in you.
Probably passed out drunk
At least he isnt home commenting on here and playing video games, drinking warm Dr Pepper by the case.
Describing your weekends Clepto?
I was going to ask in the other thread about the rangers why he was bringing up the cubs in the comment section, doesn’t that schtick get old and boring?
Weak minds are easily amused.
No significant moves here. Cubs seem to have done the most (though still not much) to improve their team for this season. The Reds did a little, mostly with the addition of Archie Bradley, but I think Bradley’s too inconsistent to really improve the Reds bullpen. Brewers actually made their team less competitive in 2020 by losing Phelps.
Fairchild.
As a Cubs fan, I’m glad the Reds let him go.
Why are people surprised the brewers didn’t do much other than trade 1 bullpen arm away?
They can’t hit, and have/had very little in the way of assets to acquire any help. And Phelps may have been squeezed out by the emergence of Devin Williams anyway. They have plenty of relief arms should the offense wake up and be consistent down the stretch.
It’s interesting, a lot of the top contending teams did not do much of anything, the Cubs I feel made the biggest move as far NL Central teams are concerned acquiring Jose Martinez (who I hated with a passion on the Cardinals with his obnoxious batting stance).
I kind of feel with the uncertainty regarding the season that no team was willing to pull the trigger on a true impact player that was a pure rental. The Padres and Marlins added impact players but players who had a least one more year of control.
I’m not going to lie, I half expected to see the Cubs ship off Bryant for next to nothing just so they could get under the luxury tax threshold.
Cubs – B – made some solid upgrades for cheap, but probably should have made a bigger one or two.
Reds – A – added strong players for very little, even if they may not make the playoffs this year anyway.
Brewers – F – dropped the ball and sold. Phelps was sold for very little and shouldn’t have even been sold at all.
Cards – D – Probably were wise to hold, but should have considered using the deadline to clear up the roster jumble they are soon to face with players returning.
Hard to rate teams until it is clear what the returns all are. Trades shouldn’t be solely rated on the current season’s impacts.
Dark Side –
I’m not going to analyze your whole post, but your take on the Brewers couldn’t be more off base. Why not sell Phelps? He’s an upcoming free agent who’s pitched 13 whole innings this year, meaning he’s due for about the same amount the rest of the year. For another 13 innings of Phelps, they got 3 very young, promising arms. The last time they did a trade like this (Adam Lind), one of the young pitchers acquired turned out to be Freddy Peralta. The Brewers are going NOWHERE this year with the absolutely pathetic offense they’re trotting out there every day. See my above post for more details on just how sad the situation is. Their only strength is the bullpen, and with Josh Hader, Devin Williams (becoming a dominant force), along with the impending return of Corey Knebel, the emerging Drew Rasmussen, and Freddy Peralta, they can certainly cover those few innings that they will be missing out on from Phelps
Let’s call it like it is, Counsell & Stearns have built in biases and vastly over rated for their judgment of talent. Especially Stearns!! Yes, he acquired Yelich, Cain & Hader. Now let’s talk about all of the talent he traded away.
Good luck to the Bucco’s with Tyler Bashlor. Always seemed like he had decent stuff, but never could put it together for a series of batters or a few good innings strung together. Hope he works out for you.