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MLB Trade Deadline: 15 trades that need to happen

By Joshua Sadlock

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 30: Brad Brach #35 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 30, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rays won 6-4. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 30: Brad Brach #35 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 30, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rays won 6-4. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

10. Brad Brach to the Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks have already pulled off one of the more interesting trades of the deadline period by dealing for Tigers slugger J.D. Martinez. There wasn’t really much question that the Diamondbacks had one of the best lineups in the National League, but they filled their only weakness in left field with Martinez.

Trading for Martinez won’t matter much for the Diamondbacks if they are unable to get past the Wild Card Game. That’s where they are headed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on pace to win over 110 games. As Brach’s Baltimore Orioles learned the hard way last year, the play-in game is essentially a coin flip with each team sending out their best pitchers.

The Diamondbacks have what is possibly the best top three to a rotation in baseball with Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and Zack Godley. Fernando Rodney is an acceptable closer for a 162-game grind, but he is not the man you want on the mound in a winner-take-all game. He has walked over five per nine and has generally been a roller coaster off and on all season. Brach has closing experience from earlier this season.

Arizona does not have a great farm system, but their number-one prospect Anthony Banda could blossom into a number-three starter at the MLB level. That’s a good place to start trade talks with the Orioles, who will always need starting pitching.

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