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MLB Trade Deadline: 5 biggest winners

By Cody Williams

Jun 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Matt Kemp (27) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Matt Kemp (27) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mark Melancon (35) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mark Melancon (35) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Washington Nationals

Much of the time when you think about winners at the MLB Trade Deadline, you think about teams putting themselves in better positions either right now or for the future depending on the current state of their organization. A lot of the time, that type of assessment involves these franchises making a plethora of moves at the deadline. However, you have to like what the Washington Nationals did despite the fact that it wasn’t much at all when you really break it down.

As the Nationals currently sit atop their division in the NL East, they are holding onto a four-game lead over the Miami Marlins and watched their closest competition make moves to improve at the deadline. That essentially left Washington needing to improve in some way and they did just that. Knowing that they had a gaping hole at the back-end of the bullpen in the closer role, the Nats went out and got one of the best available closers on the market in Mark Melancon.

While that one move wouldn’t make most teams a winner at the MLB Trade Deadline, it does for the Nationals as it puts them in an even more favorable position to compete for a World Series. Sure, you have a team like the Chicago Cubs doing the same with an arguably better closer in Chapman—but where’s the moral guidance in that? I like the Nationals not giving up too many big-time prospects so to fill a void in their roster that makes them more dangerous.

Next: No. 3 Yankees

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