Grading every team’s World Series chances after the trade deadline
By Brad Weiss
With the 2018 MLB Trade Deadline in the rearview mirror, we grade each team’s World Series chances for the rest of the season.
The 2018 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone, and for some of the teams in first place in their respective divisions, they definitely got better. There are a lot of teams that are way out of the race, and some of them emptied their roster, as they have already begun to look towards the 2019 season.
With the Trade Deadline in the rearview mirror, we take a look at each team’s chances of making it to the World Series.
*All records and statistics are as of July 31 before the trade deadline.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks entered play on July 31 only 0.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West, so you knew they were going to be players at the trade deadline. The D-Backs pulled off a couple of moves to bolster their bullpen, and if they can get into the playoffs, they are going to be a tough team to beat.
The Diamondbacks began making moves prior to the deadline, as they traded with the Minnesota Twins for third baseman Eduardo Escobar. Escobar was hitting .274 at the time of the trade, and leading the American League with 37 doubles, and joins a Diamondbacks lineup that is one of the best in the National League.
With the Diamondbacks, Escobar will take his place next to Nick Ahmed on the left side of the infield, and has gotten off to a fast start, hitting .500 in his first four games with the team. The Diamondbacks were a playoff team last season, and with the piece in place heading into August, they should be back there in 2018.
On Tuesday, the Diamondbacks made a move to solidify their bullpen, bringing in Brad Ziegler from the Miami Marlins. Ziegler has appeared in a team-high 53 games for the Marlins this season, including 23 appearances where he has finished the game.
Arizona has their work cut out for them the rest of the way, as the NL West has some good teams in it that are all in the running for the division title. They are getting big seasons from their big boppers in David Peralta, Paul Goldschmidt, and A.J. Pollock, and Zack Grienke has been a true Ace one again.