Eduardo Rodriguez, Dylan Cease, and the Trades That Didn’t Occur

Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer had been the celebrities of the commerce deadline, together with prospects Drew Gilbert, Kyle Manzardo, and Luisangel Acuña. The Mets, White Sox, and Cardinals had been the most important sellers, and the Rangers had been probably the most lively patrons of the season. These had been the names and groups that dominated the headlines on the busiest days of the baseball calendar. But as at all times, some groups stood pat and a few stars stayed put, and some of the trades that didn’t occur had been simply as attention-grabbing as many who did.

The most stunning non-trade of the deadline was that of Eduardo Rodriguez, who will stay with the Tigers by way of the top of the season. Detroit had each cause to buy the veteran, who’s within the midst of a profession 12 months with a 2.95 ERA and three.17 FIP in 15 begins. His efficiency caught the attention of a number of suitors, together with the Dodgers, Rays, Padres, Rangers, Reds, Diamondbacks, and Phillies. The Tigers, in the meantime, are already out of rivalry, and Rodriguez is definite to train his opt-out on the finish of the 12 months. And having already acquired the qualifying supply as soon as, he can not obtain it once more; if/when he leaves in free company, the Tigers will obtain no compensation in any respect. On high of all that, it was clearly a vendor’s marketplace for beginning pitching, so though the Tigers had little leverage, they might have nonetheless secured a sizeable return for his or her greatest commerce chip.

With the clock ticking on Tuesday, phrase got here out that the Tigers and Dodgers had reached an settlement to commerce Rodriguez. But he exercised his partial no-trade clause and vetoed the deal; as per his contract, he has the appropriate to refuse a commerce to 10 completely different groups, and the Dodgers are one among them. Rodriguez reportedly rejected the commerce to L.A. to remain nearer to household; his spouse and kids dwell in Miami. (Editor’s Note: this piece has been up to date to replicate reporting on Rodriguez’s reasoning in rejecting a commerce.) However, his reasoning for turning down the deal is hardly related, nor does it say something about his worth on the sphere. His no-trade safety is part of his contract, similar to his wage, bonuses, and choice years. He has each proper to make use of his no-trade clause nevertheless he sees match, simply as he has each proper to gather his paycheck and train his opt-out.

Still, it’s arduous to not view this flip of occasions as a failure on the a part of Scott Harris and the Tigers entrance workplace. There are 19 groups that Rodriguez couldn’t have refused a commerce to, and there’s an excellent probability no less than one among them would have favored so as to add a frontline beginning pitcher. Yet the Tigers wasted their time crafting a deal that might by no means come to be; by the point it fell by way of, it was too late to vary their plans.

Harris justified the end result, explaining, “There were some contractual headwinds that influenced [Rodriguez’s] market. There were a couple of terms in his contract that disqualified a lot of markets from pursuing him. So we were working with the market that we had.” Those imprecise excuses might be true, however they nonetheless come throughout as a poor protection. The Tigers blew their greatest alternative and got here away from the deadline with solely a single prospect of notice: Hao-Yu Lee, acquired in change for Michael Lorenzen. Impending free brokers José Cisnero and Chasen Shreve stay with the Tigers, as do greater commerce chips like Alex Lange, Jason Foley, and Kerry Carpenter, all of whom popped up in rumors forward of the deadline.

As Harris additionally talked about, there are worse fates than having “one of the best left-handed starters in baseball on the mound every five nights.” Be that as it could, one of many only a few advantages of being a crappy baseball workforce is the prospect to promote on the deadline. The Tigers couldn’t even handle that.

The White Sox dangled an ace of their very own on the commerce market, however in contrast to the Tigers, they confronted little stress to finalize a deal. Dylan Cease is arbitration eligible by way of 2025; if Rick Hahn needs to commerce him, he nonetheless has loads of time to take action. Furthermore, Chicago had a number of different gamers to promote, together with Lucas Giolito, Jake Burger, Lance Lynn, and a cornucopia of relievers. Still, contemplating the prospects the Mets bought again for Scherzer and Verlander, the White Sox might have fetched a fairly penny for the 2022 Cy Young runner-up. They appeared to choose up on this, as a result of after days of rejecting inquiries about Cease, they all of a sudden began listening to “more serious offers” hours earlier than the deadline. Ultimately, nevertheless, all of it got here to nothing, and Cease will make his scheduled begin this night towards the Rangers at Globe Life Field.

All issues thought of, Cease by no means appeared that prone to be traded. The White Sox had increased priorities this summer time and no cause to promote low on Cease after his sluggish begin in 2023. Neither his 4.15 ERA nor his 3.57 FIP replicate the ace-level pitcher he could be. Over his final ten begins, he has a 3.34 ERA and a 2.66 FIP; if he pitches extra like that down the stretch, his commerce worth shall be even increased within the offseason. What’s extra, it’s potential Chicago may very well be seeking to signal him to a long-term extension. Still simply 27 years outdated, there’s little danger that he’ll begin to decline earlier than the White Sox subsequent subject a aggressive workforce. They play within the AL Central, in any case, and with an excellent offseason, they may very well be contenders once more as quickly as subsequent season.

With Rodriguez and Cease staying put, the one frontline arms to vary palms on the deadline had been Scherzer and Verlander, leaving a number of contending groups with holes of their rotations excessive and dry. The Orioles turned to Jack Flaherty, a high-quality pitcher however hardly the ace they had been looking for. The Dodgers struck a last-minute deal for Ryan Yarbrough; the previous Royal will present them with left-handed depth however not far more. Meanwhile, the Rangers, who secured the companies of Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery, come out wanting even higher than they did when the trades had been first introduced.

When it involves bats, some vital names stayed put: Teoscar Hernández, Adam Duvall, Lane Thomas, Dylan Carlson, and Tyler O’Neill. Salvador Perez and Harrison Bader had been briefly made out there on deadline day, however the probabilities of both being moved had been small. Similarly, Jonathan India’s title got here up in rumors within the days earlier than the deadline, however he was solely ever shifting in a really sudden blockbuster.

Neither Hernández nor Duvall made a lot sense as commerce candidates both; they play for contending groups, they usually’re each struggling to hit as of late. Given the dearth of right-handed bats in the marketplace, they every got here up of their fair proportion of rumors, however in the end, the Mariners and Red Sox didn’t obtain any affords they favored sufficient to drag the set off, and it’s not arduous to see why. The potential good thing about a hot-hitting Hernández or Duvall down the stretch far outweighs no matter return they might get for 2 months of a slumping veteran.

Thomas and his 114 wRC+ might have garnered a stronger return, however Washington by no means appeared too eager to commerce him. He is arbitration eligible by way of 2025, and if the Nationals suppose he can show himself as an on a regular basis nook outfielder, and never simply the quick aspect of a platoon, they’d be smart to carry onto him a bit of longer. The Nats had a quiet deadline this 12 months, buying and selling Jeimer Candelario, the piece they wanted to promote, however holding onto different commerce chips like Thomas and Kyle Finnegan.

The Cardinals, alternatively, had been something however quiet. Carlson and O’Neill had been by no means apparent commerce chips, however as soon as rumors of the approaching fireplace sale started, their names popped up as younger, controllable alternate options to the likes of Hernández, Duvall, Randal Grichuk, and Tommy Pham. St. Louis would have been promoting low on each, although, and with every beneath contract previous this season, there was little stress to make a transfer. Indeed, the one gamers the Cardinals dealt had been impending free brokers: Montgomery, Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Chris Stratton, and Paul DeJong. Carlson and O’Neill survived the deadline, as did reliever Giovanny Gallegos, who’s beneath contract by way of 2024. Unsurprisingly, superstars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt are additionally staying in St. Louis. In different phrases, the Cardinals don’t plan to be down within the basement for lengthy. The prospects they bought again level to the same conclusion.

Like the Cardinals, the Mets had been supposed contenders who ended up promoting massive, however it doesn’t appear to be they are going to be again in rivalry in 2024, they usually definitely weren’t simply buying and selling leases. That being so, it’s a bit of stunning they didn’t discover a new residence for reliever Brooks Raley. The left-hander has an affordable $6.5 million membership choice for 2024, and given his 2.37 ERA in 46 video games, he appeared like a protected wager to be dealt. Then once more, patrons may need been scared by his unsustainable 88.1% strand proportion, declining velocity, and excessive fly ball price. He has nonetheless accomplished a superb job limiting arduous contact, however his xFIP and SIERA are greater than a full run increased than final season. That’s to not say he wouldn’t enhance a number of contending groups’ bullpens, however he might not have been in as excessive demand as his floor stats would have you ever imagine.

With affect commerce candidates at such a premium, the deadline might have gone one among two methods. We might have seen a shopping for frenzy, the place contending groups handed over piles of prospects for any improve they might get their palms on. Instead, nevertheless, we bought one of many extra placid deadlines in current reminiscence. Rodriguez remains to be on the Tigers. Cease remains to be on the White Sox. And it’s time for the stretch run to start.