10 All-Stars were traded in the week leading up to what is officially the wildest MLB trade deadline in modern history.
All three teams atop the National League West geared up for what is going to be an incredible postseason push, the short-porch bombers are back in the Bronx, and the midwest talent has been dispersed throughout the league as clubs clear their decks to build for the future.
Hold onto your hats as we check in on how the biggest stars of the trade deadline are doing in their new homes.
Anthony Rizzo: New York Yankees
The first of three power hitters traded by the Chicago Cubs has gone 5-9 at the plate for the Yanks, smacking a home run in each of his first two games and totaling three RBIs. New York swept the Miami Marlins over the weekend, largely because Rizzo carried the offense through a low-scoring affair.
Javier Baez: New York Mets
Baez recently tormented the Cincinnati Reds with a walk-off and an accentuated bat flip in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he picked right back up in his first game as a Met, smashing a home run en route to a 5-4 victory. He has only hit 1-8 in two games with New York but looks lively and should help them restore some order to their batting inconsistencies ahead of the playoffs.
Kris Bryant: San Francisco Giants
Our trio of former Cubs followed his former teammates’ lead and hit a homer in his first and lone appearance in a Giants uniform, going 1-4 at the plate with an RBI in a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros. San Fran’s uniform suits Bryant, and his talent meets the needs of the club— he could be the difference in helping them reach the World Series if they are to advance out of the National League and past a Los Angeles Dodgers team that made three incredible acquisitions at the trade deadline.
Craig Kimbrel: Chicago White Sox
Another former Cub, Kimbrel has made two appearances for the White Sox and tossed one scoreless, hitless inning in each. He has not been granted a decision yet, and the team is 1-1 when he plays, but he is already doing exactly what he was employed to.
Adam Frazier: San Diego Padres
Frazier led the league in hits and had a .327 batting average when the Pittsburgh Pirates sent him to the West Coast, but he has struggled to settle into life as a Padre. Frazier has gone 4-24 with zero home runs and RBIs in six games in San Diego, during which the team is 3-3. The Padres sacrificed three Minor-League players to get Frazier, whose performance will be integral in deciding whether or not the club will make a run deep into the playoffs.
Starling Marte: Oakland Athletics
Marte has hit 5-16 since the Miami Marlins dealt him to the A’s, who recently won three of four games against the Los Angeles Angels with Marte in the lineup. The 32-year-old center fielder is not much of a deep threat, but his consistent batting is already benefiting an Oakland team that sought him out days before the trade deadline hit.
Richard Rodriguez: Atlanta Braves
Rodriguez has made two one-inning appearances for the Braves, lasting one inning in each and failing to allow a run. Rodgriguez was 4-2 with 14 saves and a 2.82 ERA with the Pittsburgh Pirates this season and is continuing his high level of play, just in a new location.
Eduardo Escobar: Milwaukee Brewers
Escobar hit a solo shot in his Milwaukee debut after the Arizona Diamondbacks sent him across the country, but he has been blanked ever since, posting a 1-10 record at the plate for his new team. Escobar was brought in to blast home runs, so a lower batting average will not be a major concern, but he has to get back on track soon or risk losing the support of his new fans.
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Grant Mitchell is a sportswriter and multimedia contributor for the Sports 2.0 Network dealing with basketball, football, soccer, and other major sports: you can connect with him on Twitter @milemitchell to stay up to date with the latest sports news and to engage personally with him.
