WILKES-BARRE, PA – Monday is the most exciting day of the regular season in Major League Baseball.
It’s trade deadline day!
This is a make-or-break point for many teams. It doesn’t even matter if the team is in the playoff hunt or not.
Take the New York Yankees for example. Trading Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran last year jump-started the rebuild, so much so that the Yankees are the favorites to win the AL East heading into the deadline.
Taking all this into account, here are a few trades that teams SHOULD make. The key word is should.
Enjoy!
Justin Verlander to the Yankees. This trade is probably the most unlikely of the batch, but it’s an interesting idea.
Why? Well both teams are looking to unload some salary – Justin Verlander for the Detroit Tigers and Jacoby Ellsbury for the Yankees – and have needs that each player could fill.
With the injury to Michael Pineda and the likely innings limits ahead for younger members of the Yankees’ staff, starting pitching is still a need. While Verlander isn’t the ace he once was, he’s still a valuable, front-of-the rotation arm.
Ellsbury wouldn’t be the only piece the Tigers would receive, but outfield is definitely a need and it would help New York take on Verlander’s contract. The Yankees could offer some combination of Jorge Mateo and Chance Adams or Domingo Acevedo along with Ellsbury.
However, Sonny Gray and the Yankees is a much more likely marriage.
Yu Darvish to the Dodgers. With Clayton Kershaw on the disabled list with a back injury once again, Los Angeles is in need of starting pitching.
What was once a strength for the Dodgers is now a weakness. Kershaw and Brandon McCarthy on the DL and pitching sensation Julio Urias done for the season, Los Angeles could use some help in its rotation.
The Dodgers have the offense to contend for a World Series title, but Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kenta Maeda aren’t going to cut it. Yu Darvish is the best pitcher available and could fit right in.
Ervin Santana to the Nationals. Like the Dodgers, the Washington Nationals could also use some help in 
the rotation with Stephen Strasburg on the DL. Strasburg said that the injury wasn’t a big deal and he’ll likely miss just one start, but he’s almost always injured. That’s the problem.
Strasburg’s a top-10 talent when healthy, and while Ervin Santana isn’t Strasburg, he’s the next best thing that also won’t break the bank.
The Twins have made it known that they’re definitely sellers and while the Nationals don’t have the best prospects at Triple-A, they have some talent in the lower levels.
Asdrubal Cabrera and Addison Reed to the Indians. Cleveland has been red-hot as of late, and there are reports that the Indians are looking for a utility man and reliever. The Mets have both of those positions available.
New York has made it clear that they’re looking to reload and make a run in 2018. What better way to bring in a haul of talented prospects, and at the same time clear out a path for top prospect Amed Rosario?
It’s time to call Rosario up and trading Asdrubal Cabrera, and Addison Reed, will do just that.
Come back tomorrow for Ben Whitney and please follow us on Twitter at @ByDJEberle, @MeetTheMatts & @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
