The MLB trade deadline has come and gone. As expected, the Washington Nationals parted ways with outfielder Juan Soto. Last month, Soto declined a 15-year $440 million contract extension. The Nats traded the 23-year old Dominican born Soto to the San Diego Padres along with first baseman Josh Bell in exchange for first baseman Luke Voit, pitcher MacKenzie Gore and two minor leaguers. Soto and Bell join a lineup which Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis, Jr., who has been injured all season. That is a fearsome foursome.
The package was initially going to include Eric Hosmer, but Hosmer nixed being involved in the deal. Instead, the Padres shipped Hosmer up to Boston.
After a half season in Anaheim, Noah Syndergaard returns to the NL East, but in a Phillies uniform where he can reminisce about his Mets days with Zack Wheeler while competing for a NL Wild Card berth. The Phillies have also reunited with David Robertson acquiring the veteran reliever from the Chicago Cubs.
Perhaps the strangest trade of all is the Toronto Blue Jays acquisition of second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield from the Kansas City Royals. Merrifield was among 10 players who did not make the Royals' road trip to Toronto last month because he was unvaccinated. He upended Royals fans when he said he would get vaccinated for a contender who ended up playing against the Blue Jays. Well, now he's going to Toronto and now he's going to get vaccinated.
No one (and I mean no one) is happier to leave New York than Joey Gallo who was been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after struggling mightily in The Bronx since being acquired from the Texas Rangers during last year's trade deadline. I would not be surprised if Gallo loves L.A.
The Yankees have added outfielder Harrison Bader from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Jordan Montgomery. It is a curious acquisition for the Yankees given Bader has plantar fasciitis in his right foot and hasn't played since late June.
The Minnesota Twins have added a trio of pitchers - starting pitcher Tyler Mahle from the Cincinnati Reds, reliever Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles closer Jorge Lopez. I really feel sorry for Orioles fans. The team has played beyond expectations and the Angelos family rewards them by trading away Trey Mancini to Houston and now Lopez who is having a breakout season.
Lopez is not the only closer who was dealt though. The Los Angeles Angels dealt their closer Raisel Iglesias (who they lured away from the Cincinnati Reds in the off-season) to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jesse Chavez and southpaw Tucker Davidson.
Of course, there will be other deals but those will need to go through waivers. Although there was a lot of movement today all eyes will be on Juan Soto in San Diego given that Soto powered his way to a World Series ring for Washington in 2019 - their first in franchise history. The Padres are looking for their first World Series title and, with respect to Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis, Jr., Soto is now their franchise player.
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