Pittsburgh a surprise trade deadline player
Bob Nightengale: Aggressive Pirates land pitchers Chris Archer, Keone Kela
Virtually every contender is at least a little bit stronger after Tuesday’s non-waivers trade deadline, having picked the carcasses of several teams that have long since given up.
With that in mind, here’s a ranking of the top eight World Series contenders after the flurry of Tuesday’s activity subsides.
1. Dodgers
What they did: Got Manny Machado early and Brian Dozier late, giving them a powerpacked infield flanked by Justin Turner and Max Muncy. All four players, by the way, did not start the season on their active roster. John Axford gives them one more fungible arm for the bullpen.
What they didn’t do: Augment the starting rotation. Ross Stripling is leaking oil, but the Dodgers figure to attack the rest of the season and the postseason with a multitude of arms in a variety of roles. Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood will head the rotation; when it comes playoff time, expect brief bursts from the likes of Stripling, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda and powerful Walker Buehler, be it in abbreviated starts or multiple-inning relief appearances.
Consensus: The best thing the Dodgers have going for them is their National League citizenship; they should pull away from the West and be aligned to overwhelm the NL field. They are not better than the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros or Indians, but they only have to worry about beating one of them.
2. Astros
What they did: Added suspended closer Roberto Osuna and shipped off deposed closer Ken Giles. Acquired catcher Martin Maldonado from the Angels.
What they didn’t do: Add to infield depth after injuries to Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve. Correa is set to begin a rehab assignment soon; he’s been out since June 25 with a back ailment.
Consensus: Houston is bound for its third playoff berth in four years and could avoid the Yankees or Red Sox until the American League Championship Series. That bodes particularly well for survival.
3. Red Sox
What they did: Added starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and second baseman Ian Kinsler.
What they didn’t do: Add a lefty reliever, or any reliever, to a bullpen that’s been solid but approaching overuse.
Consensus: Had they won the Zach Britton sweepstakes, the Red Sox might be atop this list. Instead, they are dangerous but imperfect. Assuming they can avoid the wild-card game and have something in the tank should they meet the Yankees in an AL Division Series, an epic ALCS could await.
4. Cubs
What they did: Added lefty starter Cole Hamels and reliever Brandon Kintzler.
What they didn’t do: Dig deep for a longer-term rotation solution such as Chris Archer.
Consensus: After all the hubbub of 2016, it’s odd to view the Cubs as sleepers, but that’s where they are. Whether they slide up or down this list in two months will depend on Yu Darvish’s health and whether Hamels gets the expected bump of pitching in Wrigley Field rather than in Arlington, Texas.
5. Indians
What they did: Added relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber and outfielder Leonys Martin.
What they didn’t do: Trade for Manny Machado or add to the starting rotation.
Consensus: Like the Cubs, the Indians are old news but should not be underestimated. They’ll have all of September to fine-tune; they already have an eight-game lead and will come nowhere near contending for the best record. Tight races throughout the rest of the AL might be their best ally.
6. Yankees
What they did: Added reliever Zach Britton and starters J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn.
What they didn’t do: Gaze into a crystal ball to realize Aaron Judge was going to miss a few weeks with a wrist injury. No worries: They still have plenty of outfield firepower.
Consensus: Great moves by GM Brian Cashman, but they might come too late to catch the Red Sox. Can the Yankees piece together a wild-card win and have enough in the tank to topple Boston or Houston? If so, rookie manager Aaron Boone might be wearing a ring.
7. Phillies
What they did: Traded for catcher Wilson Ramos, infielder Asdrubal Cabrera and reliever Aaron Loup.
What they didn’t do: Add rotation depth for a starting quintet that may run out of gas.
Consensus: They will have to hold off an aggressive Braves club and a not-quitting Nationals squad down the stretch. But if ace Aaron Nola is rested and ready for a Game 1, they could make a lot of noise.
8. Brewers
What they did: Traded for infielders Mike Moustakas and Jonathan Schoop and reliever Joakim Soria.
What they didn’t do: Replace injured starter Brent Suter, who is headed for Tommy John surgery.
Consensus: The Brewers will be a good case study in how deadline aggression buoys a clubhouse. Milwaukee went above and beyond; now we’ll see if the lads respond.