Three teams that failed at the MLB Trade Deadline
By David Hill
Sports are simple – there is a winner and a loser. The results are immediate; we know who wins and loses. The same cannot be said when a trade is done. Sometimes, the answer is immediate, but in the case of the MLB Trade Deadline, those deals often take years to determine.
Nonetheless, there are those teams who, sometimes through no fault of their own, end up taking a giant L when it comes to the deadline. Other teams take a loss through their own inactions. Or, sometimes a deal is so bad that it is immediately clear that they got the worst of the trade.
Three losers at the MLB Trade Deadline
Let’s take a look at three teams that ended up on the losing side of the MLB Trade Deadline.
San Diego Padres
This loss is through no fault of their own. The San Diego Padres did what they could to improve their roster, and for a time on Thursday, appeared to solidly be in the winner category.
They had fired the first salvo in the NL West, adding Adam Frazier as another depth option. Almost immediately thereafter, they announced that Eric Hosmer was on the trade block, and that they would attach a top four prospect in their system for someone to take him on. Then they appeared to have a trade in place for Max Scherzer, which would have made them a formidable foe in the postseason.
Not only did the Scherzer deal fall apart, but he ended up in one of the worst possible places – the Dodgers. Instead of having the Nationals’ former ace fronting their rotation, they have to face him over the final two months of the season. Hosmer is still on the roster, pushing the Padres over the luxury tax although he is a superfluous piece on the roster.
To make matters worse, Fernando Tatis Jr. left Friday’s game with an injury after sliding into third base. As the deadline passed hours before, the Padres are unable to make a deal to add someone. They do have impressive depth on the roster, but depending on how long he is sidelined, they will be in a difficult spot.
The San Diego Padres appeared to be well on their way to winning the trade deadline. Instead, they were one of the biggest losers through no fault of their own.