The MLB trade deadline was over six weeks ago now, and some of those deals are already having outsized impact. Some of them were the ones we expected, but there have been plenty of surprises as well.
The trade that everyone is talking about, of course, has been Tarik Skubal going to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It panned out for both the Dodgers and Skubal, with the left-hander being dominant across his first seven outings. But which other deals have panned out so far, and could loom large as we enter October?
Here are some thoughts on Skubal and other moves that I liked from the deadline that will have an impact on the World Series chase.
RHP Tyler Mahle to the Braves
Atlanta and Alex Anthopoulos tried hard to acquire a frontline starter at the trade deadline, with Jacob deGrom emerging as the team’s top target.
deGrom, of course, wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause and stayed with the Rangers. So the Braves acquired Mahle from the San Francisco Giants, and the move has looked like a stroke of genius. In seven starts, Mahle has a 1.25 ERA and a 38/6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. It wasn't the sort of big, flashy move that fans prefer at the deadline, but a deal that was once an afterthought has made a massive impact – and reminded some folks across the league of when Anthopoulos acquired Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler to cement the Braves’ World Series run in 2021.
RHP Clay Holmes to the Cubs
At the trade deadline, the two names I heard most from rival evaluators were Reid Detmers and Clay Holmes.
Holmes was a player plenty of teams wanted. Badly. Ultimately, he went to the Cubs, and has posted a 3.46 ERA in seven outings in Chicago. They envisioned him being a crucial element of their rotation with his ability to generate ground balls in front of an elite infield defense. He’ll be a difference-maker in October, and he will have a very lucrative market in the winter.
LHP Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers
I mean, I have to put him here. The best pitcher in baseball going to the best team in baseball that has won two World Series in a row.
Skubal has impressed Dodgers people with how he’s acclimated to being in Los Angeles. He’s fit in well in the clubhouse. He has a 2.93 ERA in seven starts with the Dodgers. It’s almost a two-month sales pitch for the team to show Skubal what life could be like, how they go about their business and how they treat players and their families. They will be in the bidding this winter, but so will other big-market teams like the New York Mets and many others.
1B Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees
The Yankees really wanted Luis Garcia Jr. at the deadline, and after they acquired him, manager Aaron Boone couldn’t hide his excitement — specifically, about the power he could add to a fading lineup.
That’s more than lived up to the hype in the Bronx, with Garcia Jr. hitting seven home runs while slashing .306/.341/.524 in 34 games with the Yankees. On the season, he’s hitting .289/.320/.551 with 30 home runs and 91 RBI. He’s precisely what this team needed at the deadline, and with Aaron Judge finally back, the Yankees have a one-two punch that will put fear into teams come OCtober. Really good, smart acquisition here that has drawn praise from rivals.
C Liam Hicks to the Rays
“Best move of the deadline that no one is talking about.”
That’s a text I received from an executive last week. Well, now someone is talking about it! Tampa Bay was aggressively in the market for a catcher at the deadline and was successful in prying Hicks out of Miami. The Marlins were not looking to trade Hicks; Erik Neander and the front office just gave Miami exactly what they sought. Hicks has hit .298/.385/.479 with four home runs and 17 RBI with his new team, making a dangerous Rays team that much more so.
LHP Erik Miller to the Red Sox
There were a couple moments in the days leading up to the deadline when I thought this was happening, or at least close. Ultimately, it went down on deadline day, and sent Marcelo Mayer to the Giants — an indication of what the Red Sox thought of Miller.
He’s been tremendous in Boston, with a 1.23 ERA in 15 games. He has a 2.28 ERA and 70 strikeouts on the season. He’ll need to harness the control a bit both now and in the postseason, but he’s going to be an impactful player down the stretch. Remember the name Erik Miller.
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