MLB Trade Deadline: When Sellers Should Be Buyers

At the MLB trade deadline, it is easy to look at a team and say they should either be buyers or sellers. For some teams, the answer is that they should be both.

Legendary NFL head coach Bill Parcells once said “You are what your record says you are.” That is particularly true around this time of year, as the MLB trade deadline is getting ever closer. Teams are essentially divided into two categories – buyers or sellers. Teams with bad records should sell, and teams with good records should buy. It’s cut and dry, black and white.

At least, it is in theory. However, there are those teams that disappointed, teams that were expected to be playoff contenders that just, for whatever reason, fell flat. Then there are those teams that are looking forward to next year, expecting to contend despite being in a rebuilding stage for years.

For example, let us take a look at the San Francisco Giants. A slow start, coupled with an injury to Madison Bumgarner, doomed the Giants to mediocrity. Amongst the worst teams in the league, the Giants have all the attributes of a seller. However, with Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija, and the possibility that Johnny Cueto will not opt out of his contract, San Francisco could have a formidable rotation. Bringing in a viable left fielder, or some controllable bullpen arms, could make sense as they look to next year.

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The same holds true for a team like the Atlanta Braves. While they are firmly sellers, having traded Jaime Garcia to the Twins, there is no question that they have been playing better over the past month or so. Yet, that does not mean that the Braves should not trade players like R. A. Dickey and Brandon Phillips should the opportunity present itself. Meanwhile, if there is an established major league player that can help Atlanta for 2018, it would make sense to target that player.

The same idea holds true throughout the league. As quite a few teams are in that limbo between being in a rebuild and becoming viable contenders, there may be more teams looking to both buy and sell this year than before.

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It is not always cut and dry as to whether or not a team should be a seller. At this MLB trade deadline, that line is even more blurred.