Title trend
Recent champs have made key deals,
Is Sonny Gray that guy? Or is it J.D. Martinez? Perhaps Yu Darvish? There’s always at least one major leaguer changing teams at the trade deadline who ultimately contributes and pays off — with a World Series championship.
Teams have less than a week to decide if they want to make a deal — whether it’s for a rental player aimed at helping a team contend in October or for a prospect to help rebuild a franchise.
The flurry of deals between now and Monday’s 4 p.m. ET non-waiver deadline will provide plenty of noise.
But only the World Series will let us know which chip was most valuable.
A look at the last five World Series champions — and the crucial ingredient they added at the deadline. 2016 — Chicago Cubs acquire closer Aroldis Chapman
The deal: Traded by the New York Yankees for minor leaguers Rashad Crawford, Billy McKinney, Gleyber Torres and Adam Warren.
Deadline impact: Chapman saved 16 games for the Cubs and led the National League with a 15.5 strikeouts per nine ratio (minimum of 25 innings).
Postseason moment: Teary-eyed in the dugout after blowing the save in the eighth in- ning of Game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, Chapman recovered to pitch a perfect ninth and became the winning pitcher when the Cubs scored in the top of the 10th and held on for an 8-7 clinching victory. 2015 — Kansas City Royals acquire RHP Johnny Cueto and IF- OF Ben Zobrist
The deal: Cueto was traded by the Cincinnati Reds for Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed. Zobrist was traded by the Oakland Athletics for Aaron
Brooks and Sean Manaea.
Deadline impact: The Royals were cruising, so they could shrug off Cueto’s 4-7 record and 4.76 ERA in 13 starts. Zobrist became a super-utility specialist, splitting his time between second base and the outfield.
Postseason moment: Rebounding from a poor start (eight earned runs in two innings) in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Cueto made history by pitching a complete game in Game 2 of the World Series — the first by an AL pitcher since Jack Morris tossed a 10-inning masterpiece in Game 7 of the 1991 Fall Classic. Slotted in the No. 2 spot in the order, Zobrist scored 15 runs with 10 extrabase hits in 16 games. 2014 — San Francisco Giants acquire RHP Jake Peavy
The deal: Traded by the Boston Red Sox for minor league LHP Edwin Escobar and RHP Heath Hembree.
Deadline impact: With Matt Cain out for the season, Peavy found a fresh start in the Bay Area — going 6-4 with a 2.17
ERA after going 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA in Boston.
Postseason moment: After Madison Bumgarner pitched the Giants past the Pittsburgh Pirates in the wild-card game, Peavy made their extended run a reality with a road win vs. the Washington Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. 2013 — Boston Red Sox acquire Peavy
The deal: Traded by the Chicago White Sox as part of a three-team, six-player deal that sent Jose Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers and Avisail Garcia to the White Sox.
Deadline impact: Peavy went 4-1 with a 4.04 ERA in 10 starts.
Postseason moment: Gave up one run in 52⁄ innings of the 3 decisive Game 4 of the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Also purchased the duck boat he rode on during the World Series parade. 2012 — Giants acquire OF Hunter Pence
The deal: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies for C Tommy Joseph, RHP Seth Rosin and OF Nate Schierholtz.
Deadline impact: The Giants went on a 38-21 run after his arrival.
Postseason moment: Trailingin the NLDS,the CincinnatiPence’s Reds pregame2-0 speech before Game 3 ignited an epic comeback series win. He would score the go-ahead run in a 2-0 win in Game 3 of the World Series.