One Deadline Move Each AL Powerhouse Needs to Make

By Zane Robidoux
Twitter: @zrobidoeee

Between the Red Sox, Astros, Yankees and recently the Mariners, there has been no shortage of excitement atop the American League this year. All four teams are poised to make deep October runs, but in order to do so may need to do a bit of tweaking to their rosters. Not a lot needs to be done, but one acquisition could change a team completely. In order to make that leap from one of the best, to THE best, here’s one trade that each team should make by the deadline.

Red Sox: Second Base

Even though they have the best offense in baseball, the Red Sox have had absolutely no productivity out of the second base position all year.

Eduardo Nunez has been filling in at second base this year in the absence of Dustin Pedroia, who was supposed to make a return at the end of May but played only 3 games before heading back to the disabled list. Nunez had been used in more of a utility man role in the past, so maybe part of the reason for his lack in productivity has been the amount of time actually spent playing recently. However you look at it, Nunez’s splits of .250/5 HR/19 RBI don’t help the Red Sox at all on the offensive end.

Adding a player like Scooter Gennett, who is quietly having an All-Star caliber season for Cincinnati (.336/13 HR/54 RBI), could bolster the bottom of the Red Sox order with some adjustment.  This could help the Red Sox in the one area that has seemed to plague them all season. What price tag he would come at is up for question, and for the Red Sox this move would be all based on if they want to drain their depleted farm system even more than they already have.   

Yankees and Mariners: Starting Pitching

These two teams are clumped together because they are in similar situations. While the Mariners could use a bit of outfield help, starting pitching is more of a glaring need for them if they plan to do much in the playoffs. 

One great thing for both of these teams is that they have an ace.

For the Mariners, James Paxton is having a fantastic year, continuing what he did in 2017, with a 3.39 ERA and 145 strikeouts; he even sprinkled in a no hitter for good measure. He has solidified himself at the top of the rotation and potential game 1 starter down the road. Yet after him the rotation drops off a bit. 

Wade LeBlanc and Marco Gonzales are both having solid years, but the bottom of the rotation, including Felix Hernandez, is where the holes are more prevalent. The Mariners could use someone who could compete with Paxton for the Ace role on this team, not to take it from him, but to have a bonafied 1/2 punch at the top of the rotation. In doing that, they could bump LeBlanc and Gonzales back a day, and take a bit of the stress off of them come the postseason. 

In my mind, someone like Jacob deGrom (who’s dominance this year has been incredible) seems like a great fit, however I think Chris Archer of the Rays would be more doable at this point. He would come at a lower cost, and even though he has been struggling as of late, he has the ability to be an ace like he has been in the past. A change of scenery could be all he really needs (see Matt Harvey and the Reds).

For the Yankees, Luis Severino is having a Cy Young caliber season, with 13 wins and an ERA below two. He has thrived in New York and is feared by hitters league wide. But after Severino in the rotation, there’s really not much to be worried about if you’re another team.

CC Sabathia has been good, with an ERA of 3.02 coupled with his 8 wins, so no real complaints there. Sonny Grey and Masahiro Tanaka however, have been downright awful. Even with his 7-2 record, Tanaka boasts an ERA of 4.58, and Grey’s is even worse at 5.44. Those would be the Yankees possible game 3 pitchers come October, and as an opposing team, I wouldn’t be that worried. 

What the Yankees need, much like the Mariners, is a guy to take a bit of the pressure of Severino and CC. A great fit for this team would be Texas Rangers SP Cole Hamels. He has an ERA currently of 4.05, but before a start on July 1^st where he gave up 7 runs in 5 innings of work, it had been hovering around the mid 3’s and had consistently been getting better since the beginning of the season. Knowing the Yankees, I expect a move to be made, but wouldn't be surprised if they bring out the big guns to somehow snag deGrom instead. 

Astros: Closer 

Out of the four teams mentioned, the Astros seem to have the most complete roster. They have the best starting rotation in baseball, and the lineup is solid from 1-9.  One move they could make would be on the back end of their bullpen, specifically a closer. 

Ken Giles has been their closer this season and has converted 11/11 save opportunities. He has an ERA just over 4, but that has come from just 3 bad outings this year, so there’s no real reason to worry when he takes the mound.

But for the Astros to make the position that much more solid, adding someone like Jeurys Familia of the Mets could make the all the difference. He has struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks and does have 4 blown saves on the season. But, going for more of a two-man closer role instead of sticking with the one would give the Astros and manager A.J Hinch a bit of a cushion when it comes to closing out games. On top of that, it gives the Astros an out if one of them starts to struggle down the line. 

The way the American League is shaping up, this postseason is going to be one for the ages. Seeing one or more of these teams take that next step and make a trade is going to be what makes, or breaks, how they will fare come October.