A lot went down prior to Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline. More deals could be coming in August, but for now, let’s rank July’s trades by how much impact the moves will have on each team’s roster:
15. Brewers add another infielder in Schoop
To Brewers To Orioles
2B Jonathan Schoop 2B Jonathan Villar
SP Luis Ortiz SS Jean Carmona
Jonathan Schoop is a puzzling addition for the Brewers, but only in the wake of the Mike Moustakas deal, which will be addressed later. Before the Moustakas trade, the Brewers’ biggest need was a middle infielder, and adding Schoop to play second would have been ideal. However, under the current roster construction, Schoop will likely slot in at shortstop – a position he’s played for all of 23 innings over the past year and a half. That’s not optimal defensively, but offensively, Schoop should move the needle in Milwaukee’s favor.
14. Dozier finally goes to L.A.
To Dodgers To Twins
2B Brian Dozier 2B Logan Forsythe
OF Luke Raley
SP Devin Smeltzer
Brian Dozier moving to the Dodgers feels like it’s been a rumor for years. Amazingly, it took until the 2018 deadline to complete the trade, when Los Angeles has a noticeably lesser need for the second baseman. Dozier will likely displace a combination of Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez, who have proven their value this year. However, shipping off Logan Forsythe – who never panned out with the Dodgers – and low-level prospects gives the team surplus value.
13. Orioles move Gausman for prospects
To Braves To Orioles
SP Kevin Gausman SP Bruce Zimmermann
RP Darren O’Day RP Evan Phillips
C Brett Cumberland
IF Jean Carlos Encarnacion
An impact starter was likely at the top of the Braves’ trade-deadline wishlist. Instead, Atlanta added Adam Duvall and a middle-of-the-rotation arm in Kevin Gausman. It’s a start for a team that’s a 1/2 game back of the wild card and the NL East lead, but it might not be enough. The Braves are competitive a year earlier than expected, and they’re likely still taking the long view. Paying the acquisition cost for rentals probably wasn’t in their plans.
By: Brandon Wile, Michael Bradburn
