The 2019 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone. July 31st, one of the most exciting days in baseball, was full of action this season as teams made moves at the last moment to try to improve their teams before the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers of this year’s trade deadline.

Winner: Houston Astros

The Astros emerged from Wednesday as the biggest winner in all of baseball at the deadline. The AL West leaders acquired All-Star starter Zack Greinke (owner of a 2.90 ERA and a 10-4 record) for a reasonable prospect load from the Arizona Diamondbacks. They’ll have Greinke, a likely future Hall of Famer, under control through the end of the 2021 season.

This move turns their rotation top three into baseball’s best and puts them in a commanding position to challenge for their second World Series crown over the past three seasons.

Winner: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves look to be headed for their second consecutive NL East title, but they’re looking to do better than their first-round exit last season. Their bullpen had major issues, and general manager Alex Anthopolous set out to do something about it.

The Braves acquired three quality relievers in Shane Greene, Mark Melancon, and Chris Martin, in exchange for none of the team’s top ten prospects. Greene, the owner of a 1.18 ERA in 2019 and an All-Star, is the team’s likely closer from here on out, while Melancon and Martin provide quality righty set-up arms. They upgraded their weak spot without giving up any of their best prospects. That counts as a win for me.

Loser: New York Yankees

The Yankees own the American League’s best record, yet they did nothing at the Trade Deadline in order to improve their chances of winning the franchise’s first title since 2009. In fact, the only move they made was an insignificant trade for a minor league lefty.

Many fans expected the Bronx Bombers to upgrade their rotation and/or bullpen at the deadline, but general manager Brian Cashman stated that the team simply didn’t close to making any moves. It hurts the club even more now that their main competition for the AL pennant this season, the Houston Astros, acquired Zack Greinke.

Loser: Boston Red Sox

The defending World Series champions have had a thoroughly disappointing 2019 season, yet they still find themselves in the mix of the Wild Card race at the beginning of August. They find themselves 2.5 games behind the Rays and could easily find themselves back in the playoffs.

The Sox, however, have major flaws, and the team did nothing to address those issues by the end of the deadline. The bullpen has been the team’s main sore spot, and GM Dave Dombrowski seems to have opted to believe that the team’s existing options will be enough down the stretch. It’s not an opinion that many others share.

The post The Winners and Losers of the 2019 MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Houston Astros pulled off a trade deadline shocker on Wednesday, completing a deal for Arizona Diamondbacks righty starter Zack Greinke.

Houston gave up a package include prospects Corbin Martin, J.B. Bukauskas, Seth Beer, and Joshua Rojas in exchange for the All-Star starter.

It’s a heavy prospect load in order to acquire the eccentric righty, but Houston didn’t think twice about pulling the trigger on a deal that brings the franchise yet another front-line starter.

The Astros will now march towards the playoffs with a rotation that features former Cy Young Award winners Justin Verlander and Greinke as well as a three-time All-Star in Gerrit Cole. It’s an enviable pitching trio and one that no other team in baseball can match, at least on paper.

Greinke, who is now 35 years old, has been excellent this season. In 23 starts, he’s pitched 146 innings and has accumulated a 10-4 record with a 2.90 ERA. He’s been a master of control, walking only 21 batters while striking out 135.

The only possible worry that the Astros will now have upon acquiring Greinke is his fat contract. The right-hander has been worth every penny of it so far, but he’s still owed $70 million over the next two seasons.

For now, though, the Astros will simply revel in the fact that they’ve added one of baseball’s best players at the trade deadline as they attempt to win their second world series since 2017.

The post Houston Astros Acquire Zack Greinke in Trade Deadline Stunner appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After the rumor mill surrounding Trevor Bauer and Yasiel Puig turned for weeks and weeks, Tuesday night saw them move on to new teams in what will go down as one of this year’s biggest moves.

The Reds acquired All-Star starting pitcher from the Indians while sending OF Yasiel Puig and LHP Scott Moss to Cleveland.

San Diego contributed prospects to make the deal a fit, sending OF Franmil Reyes, LHP Logan Allen, and 3B Victor Nova to the Indians to complete the trade. In exchange, they have acquired highly-rated OF prospect Taylor Trammel from Cincinnati.

This trade will shake up the baseball landscape, sending two of the game’s biggest and most controversial figures from one Ohio team to another.

Bauer, who was in the news over the weekend after throwing a tantrum and tossing a ball over the outfield wall in Kansas City after a bad outing, heads to a Reds team that believes that his electric arm will help them compete for a playoff spot in 2020.

Meanwhile, Cleveland acquires the talented Puig, who was ironically involved in a bench-clearing brawl in the Reds’ game against the Pirates on Tuesday night before the trade. He’s expected to help their outfield as they compete for the AL Central crown.

This move will almost certainly go down as one of, if not the, biggest swaps at this year’s Trade Deadline.

The post Reds Acquire Trevor Bauer, Indians Get Yasiel Puig in Blockbuster Three-Team Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Texas Rangers might have been surprising playoff contenders for the first half of the season, but with the team now at 50-50 and 6.5 games out of the Wild Card chase, it appears that they will look to sell some of their top assets.

It appears that lefty starter Mike Minor could be on the move at the trade deadline, who promises to be one of the more promising names available this summer.

Minor, a 31-year-old veteran, has put up a career season for Texas so far in 2019.

The Vanderbilt alum currently sports an 8-5 record along with a stellar 2.86 ERA, which is good for 8th among qualified starters in the MLB.

The New York Yankees have reportedly been considering Minor as a possibility, as they’ve had scouts watching his past outings.

Other teams mentioned as potential fits for Minor include the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, the team which drafted Minor back in 2009 and with which he spent the first several seasons of his Major League career.

Minor’s current contract runs through the end of the 2020 season. If Texas decides to trade the lefty, they’ll almost certainly get something good in return.

The post Rangers Reportedly Looking to Deal LHP Mike Minor appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After starting catcher Willson Contreras hit the injured list with a right foot strain on Monday, the Chicago Cubs worked very quickly to add another catcher to his roster.

So quickly, in fact, that they traded for Royals catcher Martín Maldonado just hours after placing Contreras on the IL.

The Cubs traded left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery, a long-term member of their staff that recorded the final out of their 2016 World Series championship, in exchange for the 32-year-old backstop.

Maldonado, the winner of the 2017 AL Gold Glove during his time with the Los Angeles Angels, is expected to take Contreras’s starting place during the star’s injury absence and then slot into the Cubs’ roster as a capable backup after his return.

The Puerto Rican catcher isn’t known as much as an offensive threat, as he’s only totaled a .220 career batting average with 57 home runs in a decade-long career that dates back to 2011. He is, however, highly respected for his defensive work behind a plate, something that the Cubs’ front office valued highly.

Montgomery, on the other hand, had struggled for the Cubs out of the bullpen this season, posting a 5.67 ERA.

Now, the Cubs have a safety cushion at the catching position which will give them added security during the season’s final stretch run.

The post Cubs Acquire Catcher Martín Maldonado from Royals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Detroit Tigers, mired in the last place in the AL Central with a lousy 28-58 record, are expected to become one of the “sellers” at this year’s MLB trade deadline.

Starting pitching Matthew Boyd, the team’s ace appears to be one of the players that are going to attract the most interest from other teams as July 31st approaches.

Boyd has been one of the top strikeout artists in the league this season, ranking fourth among qualified starters with a 32.0% strikeout rate. It’s been a breakout season for the 29-year-old lefty, who has ridden an improved slider/cutter combination to the highest punchout totals of his career.

While the former Oregon State Beaver has still been hampered somewhat by giving up his fair share of home runs, his 2019 ERA of 3.87 is easily the best of his career. Boyd has been the lone shining light in one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball.

With three years of team control left on his contract, the price for Boyd is expected to be substantial. Playoff contenders that are looking to upgrade their starting rotation will undoubtedly look to Boyd as one of their options as the end of the season gets closer.

Teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Boyd include the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays.

The post Tigers Ace Matthew Boyd Reportedly Drawing Trade Interest appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone. July 31st, one of the most exciting days in baseball, was full of action this season as teams made moves at the last moment to try to improve their teams before the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers of this year’s trade deadline.

Winner: Houston Astros

The Astros emerged from Wednesday as the biggest winner in all of baseball at the deadline. The AL West leaders acquired All-Star starter Zack Greinke (owner of a 2.90 ERA and a 10-4 record) for a reasonable prospect load from the Arizona Diamondbacks. They’ll have Greinke, a likely future Hall of Famer, under control through the end of the 2021 season.

This move turns their rotation top three into baseball’s best and puts them in a commanding position to challenge for their second World Series crown over the past three seasons.

Winner: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves look to be headed for their second consecutive NL East title, but they’re looking to do better than their first-round exit last season. Their bullpen had major issues, and general manager Alex Anthopolous set out to do something about it.

The Braves acquired three quality relievers in Shane Greene, Mark Melancon, and Chris Martin, in exchange for none of the team’s top ten prospects. Greene, the owner of a 1.18 ERA in 2019 and an All-Star, is the team’s likely closer from here on out, while Melancon and Martin provide quality righty set-up arms. They upgraded their weak spot without giving up any of their best prospects. That counts as a win for me.

Loser: New York Yankees

The Yankees own the American League’s best record, yet they did nothing at the Trade Deadline in order to improve their chances of winning the franchise’s first title since 2009. In fact, the only move they made was an insignificant trade for a minor league lefty.

Many fans expected the Bronx Bombers to upgrade their rotation and/or bullpen at the deadline, but general manager Brian Cashman stated that the team simply didn’t close to making any moves. It hurts the club even more now that their main competition for the AL pennant this season, the Houston Astros, acquired Zack Greinke.

Loser: Boston Red Sox

The defending World Series champions have had a thoroughly disappointing 2019 season, yet they still find themselves in the mix of the Wild Card race at the beginning of August. They find themselves 2.5 games behind the Rays and could easily find themselves back in the playoffs.

The Sox, however, have major flaws, and the team did nothing to address those issues by the end of the deadline. The bullpen has been the team’s main sore spot, and GM Dave Dombrowski seems to have opted to believe that the team’s existing options will be enough down the stretch. It’s not an opinion that many others share.

The post The Winners and Losers of the 2019 MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Houston Astros pulled off a trade deadline shocker on Wednesday, completing a deal for Arizona Diamondbacks righty starter Zack Greinke.

Houston gave up a package include prospects Corbin Martin, J.B. Bukauskas, Seth Beer, and Joshua Rojas in exchange for the All-Star starter.

It’s a heavy prospect load in order to acquire the eccentric righty, but Houston didn’t think twice about pulling the trigger on a deal that brings the franchise yet another front-line starter.

The Astros will now march towards the playoffs with a rotation that features former Cy Young Award winners Justin Verlander and Greinke as well as a three-time All-Star in Gerrit Cole. It’s an enviable pitching trio and one that no other team in baseball can match, at least on paper.

Greinke, who is now 35 years old, has been excellent this season. In 23 starts, he’s pitched 146 innings and has accumulated a 10-4 record with a 2.90 ERA. He’s been a master of control, walking only 21 batters while striking out 135.

The only possible worry that the Astros will now have upon acquiring Greinke is his fat contract. The right-hander has been worth every penny of it so far, but he’s still owed $70 million over the next two seasons.

For now, though, the Astros will simply revel in the fact that they’ve added one of baseball’s best players at the trade deadline as they attempt to win their second world series since 2017.

The post Houston Astros Acquire Zack Greinke in Trade Deadline Stunner appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After the rumor mill surrounding Trevor Bauer and Yasiel Puig turned for weeks and weeks, Tuesday night saw them move on to new teams in what will go down as one of this year’s biggest moves.

The Reds acquired All-Star starting pitcher from the Indians while sending OF Yasiel Puig and LHP Scott Moss to Cleveland.

San Diego contributed prospects to make the deal a fit, sending OF Franmil Reyes, LHP Logan Allen, and 3B Victor Nova to the Indians to complete the trade. In exchange, they have acquired highly-rated OF prospect Taylor Trammel from Cincinnati.

This trade will shake up the baseball landscape, sending two of the game’s biggest and most controversial figures from one Ohio team to another.

Bauer, who was in the news over the weekend after throwing a tantrum and tossing a ball over the outfield wall in Kansas City after a bad outing, heads to a Reds team that believes that his electric arm will help them compete for a playoff spot in 2020.

Meanwhile, Cleveland acquires the talented Puig, who was ironically involved in a bench-clearing brawl in the Reds’ game against the Pirates on Tuesday night before the trade. He’s expected to help their outfield as they compete for the AL Central crown.

This move will almost certainly go down as one of, if not the, biggest swaps at this year’s Trade Deadline.

The post Reds Acquire Trevor Bauer, Indians Get Yasiel Puig in Blockbuster Three-Team Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Texas Rangers might have been surprising playoff contenders for the first half of the season, but with the team now at 50-50 and 6.5 games out of the Wild Card chase, it appears that they will look to sell some of their top assets.

It appears that lefty starter Mike Minor could be on the move at the trade deadline, who promises to be one of the more promising names available this summer.

Minor, a 31-year-old veteran, has put up a career season for Texas so far in 2019.

The Vanderbilt alum currently sports an 8-5 record along with a stellar 2.86 ERA, which is good for 8th among qualified starters in the MLB.

The New York Yankees have reportedly been considering Minor as a possibility, as they’ve had scouts watching his past outings.

Other teams mentioned as potential fits for Minor include the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, the team which drafted Minor back in 2009 and with which he spent the first several seasons of his Major League career.

Minor’s current contract runs through the end of the 2020 season. If Texas decides to trade the lefty, they’ll almost certainly get something good in return.

The post Rangers Reportedly Looking to Deal LHP Mike Minor appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After starting catcher Willson Contreras hit the injured list with a right foot strain on Monday, the Chicago Cubs worked very quickly to add another catcher to his roster.

So quickly, in fact, that they traded for Royals catcher Martín Maldonado just hours after placing Contreras on the IL.

The Cubs traded left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery, a long-term member of their staff that recorded the final out of their 2016 World Series championship, in exchange for the 32-year-old backstop.

Maldonado, the winner of the 2017 AL Gold Glove during his time with the Los Angeles Angels, is expected to take Contreras’s starting place during the star’s injury absence and then slot into the Cubs’ roster as a capable backup after his return.

The Puerto Rican catcher isn’t known as much as an offensive threat, as he’s only totaled a .220 career batting average with 57 home runs in a decade-long career that dates back to 2011. He is, however, highly respected for his defensive work behind a plate, something that the Cubs’ front office valued highly.

Montgomery, on the other hand, had struggled for the Cubs out of the bullpen this season, posting a 5.67 ERA.

Now, the Cubs have a safety cushion at the catching position which will give them added security during the season’s final stretch run.

The post Cubs Acquire Catcher Martín Maldonado from Royals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Detroit Tigers, mired in the last place in the AL Central with a lousy 28-58 record, are expected to become one of the “sellers” at this year’s MLB trade deadline.

Starting pitching Matthew Boyd, the team’s ace appears to be one of the players that are going to attract the most interest from other teams as July 31st approaches.

Boyd has been one of the top strikeout artists in the league this season, ranking fourth among qualified starters with a 32.0% strikeout rate. It’s been a breakout season for the 29-year-old lefty, who has ridden an improved slider/cutter combination to the highest punchout totals of his career.

While the former Oregon State Beaver has still been hampered somewhat by giving up his fair share of home runs, his 2019 ERA of 3.87 is easily the best of his career. Boyd has been the lone shining light in one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball.

With three years of team control left on his contract, the price for Boyd is expected to be substantial. Playoff contenders that are looking to upgrade their starting rotation will undoubtedly look to Boyd as one of their options as the end of the season gets closer.

Teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Boyd include the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays.

The post Tigers Ace Matthew Boyd Reportedly Drawing Trade Interest appeared first on SportzBonanza.