Wackiest MLB trade stories in league history: 20. The Los Angeles Angels get Mike Cisco for free
It’s all about being fair when it comes to trades. Sometimes on the surface, things can appear to be a bit one-sided. Especially when in MLB transactions.
When it comes to other sports leagues such as the NBA and the NFL, active players that are on rosters are usually the biggest trade chip. That, along with draft picks, is the normal base for a trade. Yet, when it comes to the MLB, prospects who haven’t played a single game in the big leagues are often what teams target.
This time around, the Philadelphia Phillies decided to lend a helping hand to the Los Angels on the house.
Mike Cisco wasn’t considered one of the Phillies’ most treasured assets from a prospect perspective. He was a decent reliever in Double-A as well as Triple-A but he wasn’t knocking anyone’s socks off. Still, the Angels believed they could tap into his hidden potential and not only got the Phillies to trade him to them in 2013 but they somehow found a way to get them to do it for nothing in return.
While Cisco never made the jump to the big leagues, the Phillies did them a huge favor by handing them a solid prospect for absolutely nothing in return.