MLB Trade Deadline: 15 trades that need to happen
The 2017 MLB Trade Deadline has already been off to a crazy start, and these 15 deals could spice it up even more.
Out of nowhere, the 2017 MLB trade season is up and running in full force. Over the past week, Jose Quintana has gone from the Chicago White Sox to the Chicago Cubs, J.D. Martinez has joined the Arizona Diamondbacks to cement one of the best offenses in the National League, Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson have gone to the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees pulled the rug out from under the Boston Red Sox to take away the third baseman they have needed since trading away Travis Shaw.
Rumors are also flying hot and heavy about the Baltimore Orioles trio of elite relievers, including Zach Britton. Multiple World Series contenders have been sniffing around him. The Oakland Athletics have to decide if now is the time to move Sonny Gray when his value may have peaked.
It is shaping up to be a hectic next ten days before the deadline, and more big names like Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish could be made available, adding even more intrigue to one of the most interesting trade deadlines in years. With the American League still very bunched up, teams will be looking to push themselves higher in the standings. Meanwhile, over in the National League, the playoff picture is mostly locked in. It’s now up to the top contenders to battle it out in an arms race to solidify their status as top World Series contenders.
While we have no way of predicting how things will play out when GMs start working the phones and wheeling and dealing, these 15 trades make the most sense for all parties involved.
15. Raisel Iglesias to the Nationals
Trading for Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle is nice, but the Washington Nationals could still use a truly elite closer to round out their bullpen heading in to the playoffs. Thanks to their strong starting rotation, the Nationals do not necessarily have to “bullpen” their way through the playoffs like the Cleveland Indians did last year, but pinning all your hopes on Madson, Doolittle, Matt Albers and Koda Glover feels just a touch below what the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs could be rolling out come October.
Trading for Zach Britton makes the most sense for the Nationals, but the Baltimore Orioles have never traded with them and are not about to start now. Raisel Iglesias may be the next best option and the closer of the future for the Nationals. The Cincinnati Reds ninth-inning man is under team control through 2022.
Iglesias initially came up with the Reds as a starter after being brought over from Cuba. His career has really taken off in the bullpen, and he has a 2.20 ERA and 10.1 K/9 over the past two years since converting. Iglesias has the type of swing-and-miss stuff that plays exceptionally well in the postseason. Put him back-to-back with Doolittle, who is striking out 12.5 per nine this year, and the Nationals would have a bullpen to rival any other World Series contender. The only thing keeping the Nats from acquiring Iglesias is the Reds hesitancy to move him. Top-five overall prospect Victor Robles may have to go to Cincinnati to entice them to move their closer.