The Winners and Losers of the 2022 MLB trade deadline

The losers of the 2022 MLB trade deadline

Boston Red Sox

Buy or sell … choose one. The Red Sox were unable to choose at this year’s deadline. Instead, they sort of bought by adding first baseman Eric Hosmer, catcher Reese McGuire, and outfielder Tommy Pham, while also trading away their starting catcher Christian Vasquez.

After all of these additions and subtractions, the team still has numerous roster holes. Both the bullpen and starting pitching are still unfit to survive in the playoffs. If you want to make a playoff run with this team then go all out! Commit! Get an elite starter, and get some bullpen help! Losing in the Wild Card does nothing for you, and if you think the Red Sox can beat the Yankees or Astros in a playoff series with their current starting pitching, then you need to watch more baseball.

A World Series is the goal. A World Series should always be the goal. Making the Wild Card and losing in the first round serves your franchise no purpose. Especially when Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha, JD Martinez, and even Xander Bogaerts could have been dealt for some real solid prospects.

St. Louis Cardinals

Based on win percentage, the Cardinals have the easiest second-half schedule remaining schedule in the MLB. Currently, they are sitting in the third Wild Card spot, and are two games back of first place in the NL Central behind Milwaukee. The Cardinals are basically guaranteed to make the playoffs, yet they refused to acquire quality, long-term starting pitching, which is a desperate need.

But let’s hold that thought for a minute. The Cards were also deep into the Juan Soto sweepstakes but pulled out because they were unwilling to give up their top prospect, third baseman Jordan Walker. Does Nolan Arenado not exist?

Regardless, the Cardinals started their deadline by trading for Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana, someone I had on my early deadline list. Quintana has bounced back very nicely this year with a 3.50 ERA (3.23 FIP), and I think he can help eat innings in the playoffs after great starts against the Dodgers and Padres. He joins Adam Wainwright as yet another aging veteran on the starting staff.

The Cardinals also added Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery, who I really like. He’s not elite, but he’s a great 3-4 starter in a playoff rotation who can give you quality playoff innings. What I don’t like is giving up a 3 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) player in center fielder Harrison Bader to acquire him. Bader, whose currently on the injured list, brings many important skillsets to a team, especially a playoff contender. He’s incredibly fast, he’s probably the best defensive center fielder in baseball, and can hit for power (sometimes). By trading Bader, the Cardinals are really cutting their outfield depth to its limits and losing his incredible defense.

Overall losing out on Soto, trading a fan favorite in Bader, and failing to add any depth to their lineup makes the Cardinals a loser. They also have no elite long-term starting pitching. Adam Wainwright can’t be good forever!