Fansided

The 30 worst trades in MLB history

By David Rouben

Oct 18, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning in game two of the NLCS at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning in game two of the NLCS at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of baseballs prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of baseballs prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /

As MLB teams get set for the offseason, GMs are reminded how important trading can be by looking back at the worst trades in MLB history.

The MLB offseason is upon us, and the Kansas City Royals are enjoying their time as World Series champions. Their success demonstrates that a full team contribution is what leads to results.

The Royals also built their core through the draft and trading, as two key contributors to their World Series run – Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar – were acquired in a trade with the Brewers. The BBWAA awards were also a great example of how important trades can be to building a team, since both the NL CY Young Winner and AL MVP were acquired in a deal.

A boneheaded move by a GM can ruin a team’s reputation.  Before the Cubs acquired Jake Arrieta, they were known to make a lot of poor moves. Also, the Red Sox valuing $100,000 over Babe Ruth is what led the team to be cursed for 86 years. However, a traded player isn’t the most important part of a team’s core. Drafting and developing good prospects to build a team’s identity then trading for an established player is usually a surefire way to success. The Cubs’ core mainly consists of young talent that made impressive strides last season. Because most of their players have yet to reach their prime and are already playing at a high level, that is why people are expecting the Cubs to remain contenders for many years to come.

In this list of the worst MLB trades ever, it’s hard to imagine the GM on the losing side of the deal didn’t have the best intentions in mind. Even the Babe Ruth trade, $100,000 is just under $1.2 million today – the rumor is that they used the money to finance the production of No, No, Nanette. But as they say, hindsight is always 20-20. Nevertheless, the end result wound up being nothing short of hilarious – or if you’re that team’s fan, cringe-worthy. With that in mind, let’s get to the list.

Next: Honorable Mentions

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