Sitting nearly two weeks removed from the MLB trade deadline, teams that made moves to set themselves up for success down the stretch already feel like they’ve swung and missed.
These five teams failed the most and are probably wishing for a do-over or that they didn’t do anything at all.
- Los Angeles Angels
The biggest loser on this list, the Angels should be ashamed of themselves. What a disgrace they are. Leading up to the trade deadline, the Angels were winning some games and were on the outskirts of a wild card spot, with the free agency of Shohei Ohtani looming overhead. The Angels season has been a judgment, with much to prove to keep Ohtani in Anaheim.
They took a shot at the deadline, acquiring Lucas Giolito, Randal Grichuk, and CJ Cron, but the team collectively fell off a cliff. They’ve lost eight of their last ten games; Giolito has an ERA of 9.00 as an Angel, with Grichuk and Cron batting under .210 in their time with the club. Now, the Angels are left with a bare farm system, a losing team, and a final six weeks of the best baseball player.
- San Diego Padres
Leading up to the deadline and immediately following, we didn’t understand the Padres’ decision to be trade deadline buyers, ending up with Rich Hill, Ji-Man Choi, and Scott Barlow. None have proven to be difference-makers. Given their standing in the wild card race and significant tradeable pieces that could have warranted a considerable return, the only decision seemed to be to sell. Well, they didn’t, and nothing has changed in San Diego.
They still sit four games out of the wild card, with three teams between the Padres and that coveted third spot. With the locker room slipping away and Juan Soto claiming the team “gave up” after getting swept by the Seattle Mariners. Too much needs to go the Padres way down the stretch to make the postseason possible. A fan can respect their team’s willingness to double down on a roster, but in this instance, it feels like a completely wasted opportunity where they could have been sitting on one of baseball’s top farm systems.
- Miami Marlins
The Marlins have been an interesting bunch this year. They’ve remained in the wild card hunt all year and been a fun story, but no one gave them the respect their record warranted. That seems to be an accurate assessment because the more we watch this team, the less they feel ready.
Miami bought at the deadline, acquiring David Robertson, Josh Bell, and Jake Burger. Robertson has already blown a save to the Philadelphia Phillies, who the Fins are chasing. Bell and Burger have been productive, but the rest of the roster has not impressed. They’re still winning games, but nothing about the current team shows that they’ll be able to withstand a tense playoff chase down the stretch. Continuing to watch this team fail to get over the hump makes me think the Marlins should have stood pat and continued to develop their farm system to be buyers down the line.
- Arizona Diamondbacks
What a fall from grace for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Through the middle of June, they seemed to be legit contenders. They were battling with the Los Angeles Dodgers for NL West supremacy and continuously found themselves near the top of the NL standings. Everything was going right until it wasn’t. The D-Backs have lost 25 of their last 32 games.
At the deadline, the D-Backs made two under-the-radar moves that seemed rather brilliant. Paul Sewald was killing it in Seattle and looked like an answer to a struggling Arizona bullpen. In only two appearances so far as a Diamondback, he’s blown one save embarrassingly. Tommy Pham looked like an intelligent acquisition to add outfield depth and versatility, but he’s only batting .160 in Arizona. Now sitting three games back of the wild card, it feels like a lost cause for the D-Backs.
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