MLB Trade Deadline: A pair of under-radar reliever deals
As the MLB trade deadline closed yesterday, a number of “small” deals for players flew a bit under the radar. Here are a pair.
In the busy flurry of deals at the end of the MLB Trade Deadline on Tuesday, a pair of relievers went to contenders that could come into play pretty heavily as we come down the stretch run of the 2018 season.
Philadelphia Phillies acquire LHRP Aaron Loup from the Toronto Blue Jays for RHP Jacob Waguespack
The Phillies shored up their bullpen with Loup, a very effective pitcher from the left side, especially as a LOOGY. Though his ERA in 2018 sits at 4.54, his numbers against left-handed hitters show a 250-point better OPS allowed against lefties than righties. There’s also reason for belief that Loup has better days coming, as he’s seen an incredible .385 BABIP against this season.
For Loup, a free agent after the 2018 season, the Phillies only had to give up Waguespack, a pitcher that the Phillies signed after he went undrafted out of the University of Mississippi in 2015. The 6’6″ righty has good angle on his pitches and works around the zone. He saw a big velocity spike in 2017 and has held that this year, though he is more about a mix of 4-5 average to fringe-average pitches (outside of mid-90s heat) rather than an elite single pitch.
Arizona Diamondbacks acquire LHRP Jake Diekman for RHRP Wei-Chieh Huang and a player to be named
This is the rare deal that I come away really liking for both teams. For the Diamondbacks, they have quietly assembled arguably the best bullpen in the National League, with a variety of arm angles and looks from both sides that will keep hitters off balance all game long.
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Diekman has pitched to a 3.69 ERA over 39 innings this year, but he has an impressive 48 strikeouts. The side-armer works with reverse platoon splits, with a 200-point better OPS allowed against right-handed hitters than against lefty batters. He’ll be a free agent after the season.
In exchange, the Rangers get a very intriguing arm in Taiwanese righty Wei-Chieh Huang, a pitcher the Diamondbcks originally signed for $450K in 2014. He’s completed his military commitment and is free to pitch, but his time missed has really made him much better from the bullpen, where he’s found a very effective home, striking out 78 over 58 1/3 innings this season with a 2.31 ERA between high-A and AA ball.
His velocity is not elite, but he has deception in his delivery, comes with a fastball that tops out in the mid-90s from the bullpen, and his curve has really played up in the move. On top of that potential, the Rangers also got a PTBNL. Solid deal both ways.
That should mean that Call to the Pen has a profile of every deal that went down on Tuesday at the MLB Trade Deadline. Did we miss one? Comment below!