If you go all the right back to the beginning, you’ll find that the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the initial publicly all-professional baseball team. Since its inception in 1869, the club has consistently sought innovative means of acquiring the most talented athletes.
Major League Baseball trades that work out well usually benefit both sides in the short and long term. Just like playing your favorite slots with Sloto Cash Bonus would make your gambling experience exciting, so learning more about MLB trades that have taken place previously.
There have always been teams willing to sacrifice everything for a shot at the championship, and some of those organizations have been willing to trade everything but the kitchen sink for one superstar player. Some people have struck gold, while others have suffered terrible losses. Indeed, we could look at the unsuccessful attempts, but what would be the point? Thus, let us examine the most noteworthy baseball trades that occurred during the deadline.
- Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs
In a three-player deal from 1982, Philadelphia Phillies sent Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Ivan DeJesus. Sandberg, who was transferred since the Phillies’ staff had written him off as a potential utility infielder, walked on to stardom, while Bowa and DeJesus did relatively little for the new teams.
He retired with 282 home runs, which was then the highest recorded by a second baseman, as well as a batting average of .285. Sandberg’s defensive prowess, however, was what ultimately earned him nine Gold Gloves as well as a spot in Cooperstown.
- The Braves acquire Fred McGriff
The Braves’ deal could go down as baseball’s most underappreciated trade ever. When the Braves signed McGriff on July 18, the team was eight games behind the first-place Giants in NL West.
Amazingly, due to a great pitching effort by Tom Glavine combined with clutch hitting by McGriff, Atlanta would win their division during the final regular-season game that year. At the end of the season, Freddie Mac hit.310 with 19 home runs with 3.2 WAR.
- Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees
For a long time in 2004, it appeared that A-Rod would be traded from the Texas Rangers to the Boston Red Sox.
Nevertheless, the MLBPA said no because it would have forced Rodriguez to take a pay cut. The New York Yankees swooped in to help the Rangers trade Rodriguez.
With Alfonso Soriano now playing for the Rangers, the Yankees were able to partner Derek Jeter and Rodriguez in the infield. Yet in 2004, the Red Sox had the last laugh by defeating the Yankees throughout the playoffs and going on to win the first World Series ever in 86 years.
- Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe to the Red Sox
The long-term impact of acquiring Varitek and Lowe makes this among the best moves in Baseball history. Neither player ever took the spotlight, yet both were crucial in the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series victory, which broke a curse that had lasted over a century.
With this transaction, Boston sent Heathcliff Slocumb to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for two players who would end up having a significant impact on the Red Sox in the years leading to the turn of the millennium.
- Roy Halladay to Philadelphia Phillies
After acquiring Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays in a massive MLB transaction, the Philadelphia Phillies looked like they were going to become a powerhouse after representing the NL there in two previous World Series.
Halladay, widely considered the best pitcher in the MLB at the time, had a huge impact on the Phillies upon his arrival, winning the NL Cy Young Award during his first season and landing in second place the following year.
Most notably, in the 2010 NL Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Halladay became the first pitcher since 1955 to throw a no-hitter during a postseason series.
- Cardinals acquire Lou Brock
This one’s going back to St. Louis for a little retro fun. The Cardinals, who were eighth in the National League standings and seven games behind the first-place Phillies as well as the Giants, were less concerned with making a postseason run this year than they were with signing Brock long-term.
The Redbirds lucked out and received the perfect combination of both worlds. Brock’s.348 batting average, 44 RBI, and 12 home runs helped lead the Cardinals to an incredible comeback against the Mickey Mantle-led Yankees and ultimately a World Series victory. Brock would spend the last 15 years of his professional life in St. Louis.
- John Smoltz to Braves
Smoltz was traded to the Atlanta Braves from the Detroit Tigers for Doyle Alexander, although this deal is credited as having occurred.
At one point in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Smoltz was a member of the Braves’ enviable starting pitching staff. Smoltz easily transitioned from starter to closer at the end of his playing career, becoming the only player in MLB history with over 200 victories and over 150 saves. In addition, seven times during Alexander’s career, he was traded.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that this is a subjective list that takes into account factors like how much of an instant influence they had on their team’s playoff push, how well they performed in the playoffs, how well their team did in the playoffs, and how the season ended.
Major League Baseball’s all-time largest trades, ranked by fan reaction at the time of the transaction.
