MLB Power Rankings: Which teams made the right moves at the trade deadline?
By Kevin Henry
20) MLB Power Rankings: Minnesota Twins
Like Cincinnati, Minnesota seemed to shrug and say, “Nah, we’re good,” when it came to the MLB trade deadline. Outside of swapping Jorge Lopez for Dylan Floro last week, the Twins are exactly the team they were a week ago, and that’s a team that isn’t exactly running away with the AL Central. Maybe Minnesota’s front office knows this team can’t compete when it gets to the postseason and didn’t want to try to strengthen it by depleting its farm system, but this is a team not built for a deep run in October.
19) MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies
Maybe no team was under the microscope at the MLB trade deadline than the Rockies, a team that has been simply pedestrian in the past when it came to offloading potential trade chips. This year, however, Colorado wisely dealt away veterans on expiring contracts in Mike Moustakas, Randal Grichuk, Brad Hand, Pierce Johnson and C.J. Cron and got seven minor league pitchers back in return. Could the Rockies have done more? Sure, but the fact they did anything feels like a plan is actually coming together in Denver.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago Cubs
Jeimer Candelario is now a part of Wrigleyville, and Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman are still with the Cubs. Chicago is banking all of his potential run to the postseason on a pair of acquisitions in Candelario and Jose Cuas, a right-hander coming over for the Royals who may be sent to Triple-A. The Cubs have done fine for themselves in the first half, but it seems like, with Stroman struggling, Chicago put a tepid foot forward in an effort to gain ground in the NL Central and Wild Card.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals
Washington knew it had one big trade chip in Candelario and tried to see exactly how much they could get for him. Still basking in the glow of the harvest from last year’s Juan Soto and Josh Bell trade with the Padres, the Nationals simply had to see what the best offer was to add more to their farm system. A pair of top-20 prospects from the Cubs fit the bill nicely as Washington continues to build toward the future.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Cincinnati Reds
The youth movement is alive and well in Cincinnati and things are gelling well with the younger generation who is taking over the Reds (we see you, Elly De La Cruz) and the treasure that is Joey Votto. It’s a great story being written this season in the Queen City, and Cincinnati’s front office apparently thought things were fine as they were, bringing in reliever Sam Moll from Oakland as the big acquisition. We’ll see if their quiet deadline was the right move.