It is possible Melton may go to the Rays in a deal for Diaz anyway. Baez is the one the Rays really like, but Melton too. Astros really want another bat.
Very few buying teams are happy right now. I guess M's fans are somewhat happy. They didn't get what they hoped, but at least they got a 40 year old Turner and a near all star corner outfielder as well. Astros fans are going to be upset either way - if the Astros move Melton/Baez for Diaz, they will be angry. If the Astros don't do it, the Astros will be a bat short. I do know this - if I am an Orioles fan, I am not terribly happy
Caleb Ferguson this year is giving up 14 baserunners per 9 innings..... Astros are putting a lot of pressure on their pitching coaches to work magic.
That Rogers deal was an overpay but adding Eflin was good. The Arozarena deal looks like the best trade of the season so far.
Hunter "Souther Thunder" Strickland has been traded to the LA Dodgers for the Dodgers AAA affiliate roster.
And it could very easily end up being the worst. For Tampa to have moved him that early, clearly they liked what they got back and that alone would make me pause if I was the one trading with Tampa.
The Orioles paid a lot for Eflin. The outfielder they dealt is a highly prized player and they dealt to high recent draft picks - at least they can start Eflin in the playoffs though and not be embarrased. Yeah, Arozarena on paper appears to be the best trade, but they even gave up a polarizing prospect some people think highly of for him.
That would make me very happy if Melton was the centerpiece of that trade. Like, Melton, Chas and Whitley or something like that.
I don’t really care about Loperfido, Bloss, or Wagner. None will probably ever be anything remotely close to special. We got a MOR starter to eat some innings. I’m more upset about not getting a bat. If we get Diaz I’ll be happy with the trade deadline.
love it. Gotta also love the subsequent posts: "he’ll come in during the ALCS and throw 2 shoutout innings against us… all because they allowed him to grow facial hair”
Yep- and that's what started me on my doom loop- that's a dude that would have fit us like a glove and we should have been willing to give up a lot for him. And Seattle didn't have to give up that much. Like- Jake, Melton, Bloss and Whitley a lot.
I like having guys you can waste in non-competitive games... even moreso if they're already paid and you don't have to worry about coddling their ego or unlocking another level.
Perhaps... what was Scott's baserunners/9 innings before this season? And I'm fully expecting Scott to be awful in 2025 (with Ferguson all of a sudden becoming the 2022 version of himself)... because thats what these bullpen guys do.
