[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team is now 65-47, now just 5 games up in the AL Central, after a terrible 10-17 July, including losing 5 of the last 6 games. With this, my fears about the team were confirmed, setting up a big trade deadline.

The team's AL Ranks:

Runs Scored: 4th
OPS: 3rd
Runs Allowed: 1st
ERA: 1st
SP ERA: 1st
RP ERA: 4th
Defensive Efficiency: 1st
Zone Rating: 1st

News Dump

GM U7Gohan worked tirelessly in the final days of the deadline to upgrade the team substantially, despite high asking prices by selling teams, with MLB pieces highly coveted by said teams. He was hamstrung by no financial flexibility whatsoever due to the contracts he signed, but he knew what he was getting into. With that said, he made four trades to address the team's biggest weaknesses.

Trade 1: Milwaukee Brewers

Outbound: SP Zach Plesac (2.5, 2.5)

Inbound: RP Jake Cousins (3.0, 3.0) (100% Retained), 2B Gavin Dugas (0.5, 1.5)

The first move we made was an aggressive one, sending Zach Plesac, who had been a quality #3 SP for the last 2 seasons, out to get a reliever. Plesac, however, had shown signs of declining this season and was getting more and more expensive in arbitration, while also blocking a spot that could go to promising pitching prospects. Cousins is a groundballer with good stuff and movement that can really benefit from our elite defense, and has team control with a cheap arbitration cost. Dugas is a lottery ticket to sweeten the deal.

In a corresponding move, RP Brad Boxberger was released.

Trade 2: San Francisco Giants

Outbound: 2B Nolan McLean (1.5, 2.5), C Bryan Lavastida (2.5, 2.5), RP Nick Mikolajchak (2.5, 2.5), LF Steven Kwan (2.0, 2.5)

Inbound: 1B J.C. Correa (2.5, 4.0)

Correa was offered by the Giants in some bigger deals I tried to make, and it seemed my scout valued him more highly than the Giants did as well as relative to the market available for hitters, so I worked hard to get this deal done with Bo Naylor's continual struggles. Each piece was highly valued by the Giants in this trade, with McLean coming off a Prospects All-Star Game appearance and having promising ratings as a reliever in addition to being a mediocre 2B. Lavastida was worth the price being the backup catcher, and I wasn't too concerned giving up the other pieces. Correa will take full-time 1B duties, pushing Vinnie Pasquantino to DH, and he has only 1 year of service time.

Trade 3: San Diego Padres

Outbound: RP Joey Cantillo (2.5, 2.5), SP Robert Cruz (2.0, 2.5), SP Wardquelin Vasquez (2.0, 2.0), 2B Milan Tolentino (1.0, 2.0), RP Seranthony Dominguez (2.5, 2.5)

Inbound: C Luis Campusano (3.0, 3.5), RP Marlon Perez (3.0, 4.5) (10% Retained)

With my financial situation, I realized I would not be able to extend Austin Hedges, and his bat is basically unplayable at this point anyway despite his stellar handling of the catcher position. Campusano became available and stood out above the overall market value for what I was shopping around, so I worked to get this deal done at the same time as the deal with the Giants, as the structure of the two deals would depend upon each other. Campusano is in his first year of arbitration and brings a well-rounded offensive and defensive profile that can hold down the catcher position for the next 3 years. Perez gives me another high-ceiling reliever, which the farm system lacks, as well.

Trade 4: Oakland Athletics

Outbound: SP Ryan Murphy (2.5, 2.5), SS Owen Miller (2.5, 2.5)

Inbound: SP A.J. Puk (3.0, 3.0), SP Jake Pfennings (2.0, 2.5)

Puk made a surprise All-Star appearance this year, and while he profiles more as a reliever, he gives me the sort of swingman I can use to either bolster the pen or rotation, a valuable asset with the amount of high-minors SP depth I have. Pfennings gives me another addition to that depth. Murphy was a former Top 100 prospect but has struggled in the minors the last 2 seasons and doesn't have a standout profile. Miller is 27 and his most promising days are long behind him.

Additionally, SP Cody Morris (2.5, 3.0) was recalled from AAA Columbus. In a corresponding move, C Bo Naylor was optioned to AAA Columbus.

That completes our trade deadline, a very busy one indeed. My biggest concern for now is making sure the rotation is strong enough in the coming seasons and making sure our farm system does not lose too much talent.

In other news, SS Carlos Correa was diagnosed with a concussion and will miss 5 weeks on the IL. In a corresponding move, SS Angel Martinez has been recalled from AAA Columbus.


Notable Performances

Hitters:

C Luis Campusano: .252/.311/.390, 97 OPS+, 1.7 WAR
C Austin Hedges: .173/.220/.306, 43 OPS+, 0.6 WAR
1B J.C. Correa: .281/.333/.392, 106 OPS+
1B Vinnie Pasquantino: .269/.343/.541, 139 OPS+
2B Andres Gimenez: .301/.345/.507, 131 OPS+, 14 SB, 4.8 WAR
2B Bryson Stott: .182/.285/.292, 60 OPS+, -0.3 WAR
SS Carlos Correa: .265/.367/.478, 131 OPS+, 5.3 WAR
SS Jermaine Palacios: .262/.292/.369, 81 OPS+, 0.1 WAR
3B Jose Ramirez: .258/.332/.538, 135 OPS+, 7 SB, 3.8 WAR
LF George Valera: .255/.345/.463, 120 OPS+, 2.6 WAR
LF Oscar Mercado: .228/.333/.281, 72 OPS+, -0.1 WAR
CF Michael A. Taylor: .226/.275/.337, 68 OPS+, 0.4 WAR
RF Kyle Tucker: .312/.368/.494, 135 OPS+, 5 SB, 3.2 WAR

Pitchers:

SP Shane Bieber: 3.09 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 1.06 WHIP, 10.9 K/9, 3.9 fWAR
SP Sandy Alcantara: 3.47 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 2.1 fWAR
SP Sean Hjelle: 2.59 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 1.21 WHIP, 6.0 K/9, 2.3 fWAR
SP A.J. Puk: 3.20 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 6.9 K/9, 0.8 fWAR (as SP)
SP Cody Morris: -

CL Emmanuel Clase: 3.48 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 1.2 fWAR
RP James Karinchak: 2.80 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 0.99 WHIP, 14.3 K/9, 0.5 fWAR
RP Jakob Hernandez: 3.02 ERA, 4.13 FIP, 1.03 WHIP, 12.1 K/9, 0.3 fWAR
RP Marlon Perez: 2.01 ERA, 4.29 FIP, 0.77 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, 0.1 fWAR
RP R.J. Dabovich: 1.59 ERA, 2.35 FIP, 0.92 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 0.8 fWAR
RP Denny Bentley: 2.79 ERA, 3.94 FIP, 1.50 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, 0.2 fWAR
RP Jake Cousins: 2.88 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 0.99 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 0.4 fWAR
RP Tanner Burns: 4.99 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 1.9 fWAR (as SP)


Minor League Report

Post-Trade Deadline, our farm system now ranks 19th in MLB with the same four Top 100 prospects.

Player Development

MLB SP Sean Hjelle (3.0, 3.5) -> (3.5, 3.5)
MLB CL Emmanuel Clase (4.5, 4.5) -> (5.0, 5.0)
MLB SP Shane Bieber (3.5, 4.0) -> (4.0, 4.0)
MLB 1B J.C. Correa (2.5, 4.0) -> (3.0, 5.0)
MiLB 1B Jhonkensy Noel (2.5, 3.0) -> (2.0, 2.5)
MiLB C Alfredo Vera (0.5, 3.0) -> (0.5, 2.5)

Around the League

Standings

AL Seeding:

1. Guardians (65-47)
2. Yankees (62-48)
3. Rangers (59-53)
4. Orioles (62-50)
5. Rays (61-51)
6. Royals (59-51)

NL Seeding:

1. Dodgers (68-42)
2. Cubs (66-45)
3. Braves (61-52)
4. Giants (64-50)
5. Pirates (61-50)
6. Cardinals (60-51)

League Leaders

AL:

Hitter WAR:

1. Mike Trout (LAA) - 5.7
2. Adley Rutschman (BAL) - 5.4
3. Carlos Correa (CLE) - 5.3

AVG:

1. Ryan McKenna (BAL) - .317
2. Luis Robert (CHW) - .316
3. Adam Frazier (LAA) - .315

OPS:

1. Adley Rutschman (BAL) - .971
2. Mike Trout (LAA) - .954
3. Josh Jung (TEX) - .949

HR:

1. Aaron Judge (NYY) - 34
2. Vinnie Pasquantino (CLE) - 28
3. Jose Ramirez (CLE) - 28

RBI:

1. Vinnie Pasquantino (CLE) - 88
2. Jose Ramirez (CLE) - 78
3. Aaron Judge (NYY) - 77

SB:

1. Vidal Brujan (TBR) - 39
2. Enrique Bradfield Jr. (BOS) - 36
3. Julio Rodriguez (SEA) - 35

Pitcher fWAR:

1. Jacob deGrom (DET) - 7.4
2. Gerrit Cole (NYY) - 4.7
3. Austin Warren (LAA) - 4.2

ERA:

1. Grayson Rodriguez (BAL) - 2.47
2. Framber Valdez (HOU) - 2.50
3. Sean Hjelle (CLE) - 2.59

Strikeouts:

1. Jacob deGrom (DET) - 209
2. Gerrit Cole (NYY) - 202
3. Shane Bieber (CLE) - 201

Wins:

1. Sean Hjelle (CLE) - 14
2. Shane Bieber (CLE) - 13
3. Gerrit Cole (NYY) - 13

SV:

1. Tim Herrin (KCR) - 31
2. Andres Munoz (SEA) - 29
3. Tommy Kahnle (OAK) - 28

NL:

Hitter WAR:

1. Patrick Bailey (SFG) - 6.2
2. Ezequiel Tovar (COL) - 4.9
3. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SDP) - 4.3

AVG:

1. Patrick Bailey (SFG) - .337
2. Elehuris Montero (COL) - .333
3. Ezequiel Tovar (COL) - .321

OPS:

1. Juan Soto (WSH) - .987
2. Patrick Bailey (SFG) - .982
3. Bryce Harper (PHI) - .981

HR:

1. Kristian Robinson (ARI) - 33
2. Mookie Betts (LAD) - 31
3. Oneil Cruz (PIT) - 30

RBI:

1. Oneil Cruz (PIT) - 86
2. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) - 80
3. Kristian Robinson (ARI) - 79

SB.

1. Esteury Ruiz (STL) - 33
2. Myles Straw (MIA) - 31
3. Garrett Mitchell (MIL) - 28

Pitcher fWAR:

1. Julio Urias (LAD) - 4.0
2. Kyle Wright (ATL) - 3.9
3. Andrew Heaney (LAD) - 3.8

ERA:

1. Luis Castillo (CHC) - 2.66
2. Julio Urias (LAD) - 2.85
3. Gregory Santos (SFG) - 2.90

Strikeouts:

1. Freddy Peralta (MIL) - 172
2. Lyon Richardson (CIN) - 168
3. Aaron Nola (PHI) - 163

Wins:

1. Nick Lodolo (CIN) - 13
2. Julio Urias (LAD) - 13
3. Luis Castillo (CHC) - 12

SV:

1. Yerry De Los Santos (PIT) - 34
2. Josh Hader (MIL) - 30
3. Tony Santillan (CIN) - 29

Major Trades

Orioles C Gary Sanchez (3.0, 3.0) to Tigers
White Sox CL Taylor Rogers (4.5, 4.5) to Rangers for C Sam Huff (3.0, 3.0)
Angels CL Raisel Iglesias (4.5, 4.5) to Dodgers
Padres RF Teoscar Hernandez (3.0, 3.0) to White Sox

Major Extensions

SP Tarik Skubal (3.0, 3.0) signs with Tigers for $54.4M/5yr
CF Kyle Lewis (3.0, 3.0) signs with Mariners for $41.4M/3yr


Pretty snoozer trade deadline around the league, aside from us, to be honest. We will see how the new moves impact the team, as there is a lot of upside but also a fairly low floor for how the new additions could perform. We'll need to break this skid to stay ahead of the Royals, and do so without Carlos Correa, so we'll check back in a month to see if we do just that.