There have already been several deals during this MLB trade deadline period that could be defined as surprising. There likely will be several more by Tuesday at 6 p.m.
One thing I’ve learned in my years of covering baseball is what we think we know – what baseball people tell us, especially on the record – leading up to the trade deadline has a way of going up in smoke when teams start to put their pencils and cell phones down.
In that spirit, here are six trades that I would like to see happen before Tuesday’s deadline to add a little intrigue to the pennant races. Will they happen? Likely not. But are they reasonable? Well, I think so. You may not, though, which is why this is always a fun exercise.
Related: Why Baltimore Orioles should cash in prospects for a deep playoff push
St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles strike MLB trade deadline deal
- St. Louis Cardinals trade LHP Jordan Montgomery and RHP Jordan Hicks
- Baltimore Orioles trade LHP DL Hall, OF Dylan Beavers, and RHP Justin Armbruester
The Orioles need another starter toward the top of the rotation, which currently is without a left-hander. Montgomery spent six years pitching for the New York Yankees in the AL East, so he understands the pressure-packed division. Hicks has been erratic in his career, but he piles up strikeouts and can be a solid, late-inning bridge.
Both are pending free agents, so the Orioles may balk at giving up the 24-year-old Hall, a former first-rounder who is rehabbing at the club’s facility in Sarasota but is expected to be ready to return to the majors next month; as well as Beavers, 21, a first-round supplemental pick last year; and Armbruester, 24, who has pitched his way to Triple-A this year. Heading into 2023, Baseball America had the three ranked fifth, 11th and 21st, respectively in a deep Orioles system.
The problem with this match is that the Cardinals are well-stocked in young middle infielders and outfielders, an Orioles strength. Therefore, in any sale, they’d probably seek upper-tier pitching, which is the Orioles’ organizational weakness. So, these teams may not be a good fit. If the Orioles swapped in catcher Samuel Basallo, however, a deal more likely could get done. But the organization wants to hang on to the 18-year-old backstop.
Related: MLB MVP race 2023: Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker among rising AL, NL MVP candidates
Blake Snell, Josh Hader land with Atlanta Braves
- San Diego Padres trade LHP Blake Snell and LHP Josh Hader
- Atlanta Braves trade LHP Jared Shuster, LHP Dylan Dodd, RHP Spencer Schwellenbach, and RHP Mike Soroka
No other team in baseball could afford to give up this kind of pitching upside for two rentals, but the Braves develop arms as well as anyone. And this would make the best team in baseball even better. Snell makes that rotation unstoppable, and you don’t get a better bullpen piece than Hader.
The Padres don’t appear to be of the selling mindset, but they have dismantled the upper levels of their farm system recently, and this group could help fill that void. We all know Soroka’s injury history, but he doesn’t turn 26 until this week, so he’d be an interesting flier.
Boston Red Sox add arms at MLB trade deadline
- Detroit Tigers trade LHP Eduardo Rodriguez and RHP José Cisnero
- Boston Red Sox trade INF Bobby Dalbec, RHP Bryan Mata, and RHP Luis Perales
The Red Sox are in an interesting spot in that they looked like possible sellers until a torrid July put them into the thick of the AL Wild Card race. Their only way to sustain the July momentum is to pitch well. And, to help there, the Red Sox could turn to an old friend; Rodriguez, who pitched his first six seasons in Boston. He’d be a huge lift to that rotation, even if he opts out of his contract this offseason. The dependable Cisnero would add another stable bullpen arm.
There may be no minor leaguer that needs a change of scenery more than Dalbec, who was once a top prospect, failed to live up to the hype with the Red Sox and is currently buried at Triple-A, where he has hit 25 homers. He’s 28 now, but he can play multiple positions and is under team control through 2026. Mata, 24, has dealt with a shoulder injury but has a high upside, and Perales is 20 and raw but has a blazing arm.
Related: MLB trade rumors: 35 latest rumors, including news on Shohei Ohtani, Yankees, Astros and Mets
Philadelphia Phillies add talent to the mix
- Colorado Rockies trade OF Randal Grichuk and LHP Brad Hand
- Philadelphia Phillies trade OF Jhailyn Ortiz and RHP Christian McGowan
The Phillies are going to do something. Team president Dave Dombrowski can’t help himself this time of year. He loves tinkering at the trade deadline and he’ll probably do something bigger than this. But I can’t have all blockbusters, right?
The Phillies could use outfield help and Grichuk is a solid defender and has hit this year for the Rockies. Hand pitched for the Phillies last year and was mostly solid. He left as a free agent and has struggled in Colorado. Another veteran relief arm wouldn’t hurt the Phillies as they push to retain their NL crown, but they’d likely choose to buy out Hand’s 2024 option this offseason for an additional $500,000.
I don’t know the Phillies system well, so I picked two prospects who are at least interesting, if not impactful. Ortiz, signed by the Phillies for $4 million in 2015, was outrighted earlier this year and is playing in Double-A. He’s still just 24 and had some success at Triple-A this year, so maybe there’s something left to discover. McGowan, 23, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and just began to pitch in the Florida Complex League, but he has some upside.
Related: MLB trade tracker: MLB trades today with grades and analysis
New York Yankees get in on Juan Soto blockbuster trade
- San Diego Padres trade OF Juan Soto
- New York Yankees trade INF Oswald Peraza, OF Jasson Domínguez and RHP Deivi García
OK, no way this happens. But I wrote trades that I’d like to see because they would be intriguing, remember?
The Yankees can’t sleepwalk through the rest of the season and potentially finish last in the American League East. That’s impossible to imagine, and their fans would revolt. Adding an outfielder while making a splash potentially could turn their season around. Soto, 24, isn’t just a rental; he is signed through next year, too. If they made a move like this, they’d still have to find some pitching, and maybe the Yankees wouldn’t have a whole lot left to trade after I dismantled part of their system.
Again, the Padres reportedly aren’t looking to sell. But if they added the prospects I suggested in the two above deals, their system would be in much better shape.
Related: Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros among 4 MLB teams pursuing Justin Verlander trade
Justin Verlander exercises no-trade clause to go back to Houston
- New York Mets trade RHP Justin Verlander and cash
- Houston Astros trade RHP Brandon Bielak, OF/INF Ryan Clifford, and OF/INF Pedro León
Yes, you can go home again at 40. Quickly. The Mets are selling, and seeing Verlander back with the Astros months after he left them for an $86.7 million, two-year deal this offseason would turn the sport on its ear for more than a minute. Perhaps more than any other deal besides Soto to the Yankees.
I’m not sure what the Mets would need to acquire to make this happen; it’s probably too light of a package for a team that is trying to save face. Bielak, however, immediately could be inserted into the Mets’ rotation and the two prospects are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Astros system. There also would have to be money exchanged, I’d imagine.
But the real GMs can work that out.
Dan Connolly is an MLB Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.