How Can These Trades Help Playoff Teams?
How Will These Trades Effect Our Playoff Teams? | Collab with Rylan Hulburt
Welcome to Leadoff Sports’s first collaboration with
of CFL Weekly. Today, we will be looking into our playoff team predictions and how the trades that each team made before the Trade Deadline on July 30 will affect them in their push for a World Series ring.Playoff Teams Predictions
Division Champions:
AL East: Baltimore Orioles
AL Central: Cleveland Guardians
AL West: Seattle Mariners
NL East: Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card Teams:
AL #1: New York Yankees
AL #2: Minnesota Twins
AL #3: Kansas City Royals
NL #1: Atlanta Braves
NL #2: Pittsburgh Pirates
NL #3: San Diego Padres
American League |
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles acquired Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez from the Philadelphia Phillies for Austin Hays and prospects. These bullpen additions will help them in late game situations to seal the win. They also got Eloy Jimenez from the White Sox, LHP Trevor Rogers from the Marlins, and Zach Eflin from the Rays. The Orioles got 2 starters, a great one and a good one. They also got a great power hitter and two good relievers to help them try to win the World Series, I think they can do it too.
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians felt set for the playoffs already, just adding Lane Thomas and Alex Cobb. The Nats got three prospects for Lane, who will help with power and defense for the Guardians. He hasn’t been too good so far, 3/26 with 12 strikeouts, and is 0 for his last 18. He is batting .244 this season with 8 home runs and 40 RBIs. He had 28 home runs last year with 86 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, .268 batting average, .783 OPS. If he gets back on track soon, the Guardians will be very dangerous, and have a real shot at the World Series.
New York Yankees
The Yankees got good pitching and power hitting this deadline. They traded for Jazz Chisholm from the Marlins, Enyel De Los Santos from the Padres, and Mark Leiter Jr from the Cubs. Leiter and De Los Santos are good arms, and Jazz Chisholm hit 4 home runs in a two game span with New York already. The Yankees have a really good chance at ring number 28.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners added a great outfielder and infielder during the trade deadline. They acquired Randy Arozarena from the Rays, and Justin Turner from the Blue Jays. Both are huge power threats as they can both go deep at any time. Randy is also a great fielder who will be an everyday outfielder and not DH, while I expect Turner to play third and DH, with these additions they have increased their chances by a ton, but I think they’ll still fall very short.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals have had a great start to their season led by star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Their best addition this deadline was a 3B/SS Paul DeJong from the Chicago White Sox for RHP Jarold Rosado. Paul DeJong is hitting .230 with 19 home runs and 45 RBIs with a .710 OPS in 352 at bats. Paul DeJong is going to be another power threat for the Royals. He will help them win, but I have many doubts about the Royals, and therefore don’t think they have a chance to win it all this year.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins added practically no one at the deadline, only acquiring Jay Harry. The only reason that are ahead of the Royals is because the Royals have played more games, therefore losing more games. The Twins are not better than the Royals and have no shot at the WS. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t make the playoffs.
National League |
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball this year. Before the deadline, this star-studded team was believed to be looking for a right-handed-hitting outfielder along with bullpen support. To start, the Phillies made a trade with the Orioles for outfielder Austin Hays, who according to manager Rob Thompson, will be the Phillies’ primary left fielder. So far in 10 games with Philadelphia, Hays has hit .278 with 3 XBH & 4 RBI. The Phillies would later make a deal with the LA Angels for closer Carlos Estévez. Phillies Manager Rob Thompson noted that Estévez will get the majority of 9th innings out of the bullpen. This year, Estévez has 20 saves along with a 0.72 WHIP. Lastly, the Phillies brought relief pitcher Tanner Banks to the City of Brotherly Love from the Southside of Chicago. Banks has pitched 53 innings this year in 44 games with a 1.21 WHIP. If the Phillies’ bullpen can stay strong in the postseason and the offense stays hot, this team is a definite World Series threat.
Los Angeles Dodgers
If you look at the Dodgers’s roster, you’d think they didn’t have much to upgrade, with Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, & Teoscar Hernandez being their top players. However, LA made multiple moves to make their lineup even better than before. With pitching being a weakness for the Dodgers, LA started the deadline by sending LHP James Paxton to the Red Sox before being apart of a 3-team trade in which they acquired RHP Michael Kopech from the Chicago White Sox & SS Tommy Edman from the Cardinals. The Dodgers also made two smaller moves— one in a deal with Tampa Bay for SS Amed Rosario & another in signing free agent SS Nick Ahmed. Los Angeles then added Jack Flaherty to their starting rotation in a trade with Detroit. The Dodgers’ last trade before the deadline however, was for veteran center fielder, Kevin Kiermaier. This year, Kopech has gone 2-8 with a 4.44 ERA out of the bullpen. Edman was placed on the 60 day IL with a right wrist sprain that is a result of his wrist surgery he underwent in October. Kiermaier, who is expected to retire after this season has hit .188/.232/.532 in 84 games this season with 4 home runs and 18 RBIs. Although they have talent everywhere, I do think the Dodgers pitching needs to perform well along with the entire roster staying healthy, they are 100% a World Series team.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers, who are currently first place in the National League Central, haven’t been looked at as one of the best teams in the league this season, however, their front office must have a lot of confidence in their team as they only made two notable trades at the deadline to upgrade their rotation. Milwaukee’s first trade, which was an early trade with the Tampa Bay Rays added RHP Aaron Civale, who has gone 2-8 with a 5.14 ERA & a 1.41 WHIP this season. In addition to Civale, Milwaukee also acquired RHP Frankie Montas from the Cincinnati Reds to help bolster their starting rotation. This season, Montas has posted a 5-8 record with a 5.03 earned run average & a 1.45 WHIP. The Brew Crew fell in the Wild Card last year but if the team can stay strong along with Christian Yelich getting healthy, they could go deep into the playoffs.
Atlanta Braves
The Braves had been considered the best team in Major League Baseball the past 3 seasons before losing to the Phillies in the NLDS the past two years. Unlike past years however, the Phillies have led the NL East almost this whole season. Whether the Braves enter the playoffs with the bye as NL East Champs or with a Wild Card spot, they certainly upgraded their roster at the deadline. First of all, Atlanta signed veteran UTL Whit Merrifield to backup Ozzie Albies at second and play left field. However, the Braves’ only significant trade was with the San Francisco Giants when they acquired RHP Luke Johnson & former Brave, OF Jorge Soler. Soler has hit .235/.326/.730 in 99 games this season while Johnson has gone 4-2 with a 5.08 ERA & a 1.38 WHIP this year. Although Atlanta has struggled this season & they are without Spencer Strider & Ronald Acuna Jr., the Braves still have a lot of talent and could definitely go deep into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh has had some ups and some downs this season but they are still in the position to make a wild card if they can finish the regular season strong. As a result of struggling this season, the Pirates made many trades, however the trades that I think will effect the Pirates’ season are the only ones that will be mentioned. Pittsburgh’s first major trade was with the Toronto Blue Jays when they acquired utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be used as a bench support for depth. IKF has hit .290/.334/.758 with 7 home runs & 35 runs batted in. Then, Pittsburgh received outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from the Miami Marlins who has hit .240/.282/.686 this season with 18 home runs & 52 RBIs. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a lot of playoff experience but if they can make it to the postseason, the Buccos could get hot and make a run but even if they don’t, they get experience for future years.
San Diego Padres
The Padres are looking to get back into the playoffs this year after losing to the Phillies in the 2022 NLCS & not making the playoffs last season. Although they are 4 games back from the Dodgers in first place of the NL West, the Padres only made a few moves before the deadline, mainly focusing on pitching. To begin, San Diego traded 3 prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Jason Adam who has gone 5-2 with a 2.34 ERA this season in 50 IP. The Padres then later made a trade for highly sought after reliever Tanner Scott & RHP Bryan Hoeing. This season, Scott has posted a 6-5 record with a 1.31 ERA & a 1.00 WHIP. Lastly, the Padres made a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates for Martin Perez who has gone 2-5 with a 4.96 ERA & a 1.57 WHIP this year. The Padres have playoff experience from 2022 & they added some good players, but I don’t think they have a chance at a World Series just yet.
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