Fansided

Top 10 MLB Trade Deadline day deals since 2001

By Connor Muldowney

Sep 30, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jon Lester (31) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jon Lester (31) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) rounds the bases after he hit a solo home run during the first inning against Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Kendall Graveman (31), not in picture, at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) rounds the bases after he hit a solo home run during the first inning against Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Kendall Graveman (31), not in picture, at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports /

HM: Jays get Encarnacion from Reds for Scott Rolen

Looking back on this one, not many people thought the Toronto Blue Jays were getting much in return for Scott Rolen, one of the best third basemen in baseball at the time.

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Blue Jays appear likely to wait until after trade deadline to activate Hyun Jin Ryu
Blue Jays appear likely to wait until after trade deadline to activate Hyun Jin Ryu /

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    • Rolen, a former National League Rookie of the Year in 1997, was a Gold Glove-caliber infielder basically every year for the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, but his career was coming to an end in 2009 when he was dealt to the Reds.

    Watching Rolen play third base back in the early-2000s was a real treat as he brought his best stuff to the table every game. He finished his career following the trade with 36 homers and 182 RBI over three-plus seasons.

    As for Edwin Encarnacion, it took the then-26-year-old slugger quite a while to warm up to his new team. The Blue Jays didn’t know if they would ever be rewarded for giving up Rolen, but he has since turned into one of the best power hitters in the game today — after being released a couple of times by the Jays and then reclaimed.

    Since the trade, Edwin has hit an impressive 177 home runs and 497 RBI while his average over the past four seasons, sans 2015, has been over .260 regularly.

    It’s safe to say the Blue Jays were the real winners of this trade as Encarnacion is now in a lineup with Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki. Now that’s pretty scary.

    Next: 10. Phillies trade Pence to Giants

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