Hopefully your favorite MLB team can deliver at today’s trade deadline…
…like America’s new favorite gymnast did last night.
MLB Trade Deadline Looms
What Happened: MLB’s trade deadline is 6:00 EST today, giving contending teams a few more hours to shore up any weaknesses heading into the home stretch of the season.
As usual, prices remain high, with virtually all contending teams searching for pitching, whether that’s starting depth or relievers to tighten up a leaky bullpen. Add in the amount of teams still hanging around in the chase for a wild card spot in both the AL and NL, and pulling off truly significant moves might prove difficult.
Why It Matters: Three starting pitchers loom as the biggest impact players who should be available at the right price today: White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet, Tigers righty Jack Flaherty, and Giants southpaw (and reigning Cy Young winner) Blake Snell.
Look for the Orioles to continue to add today; despite leading the AL East, they have worse odds than the Yankees to end the season as World Series champs, with Baltimore’s +700 odds trailing New York’s +550. Sure, the Bronx Bombers added Jazz Chisholm from Miami a few days ago, but that’s hardly a title-making move.
In the National League, you can be sure a Phillies front office led by David Dombrowski will be in the running for plenty of big name trade candidates, even after acquiring Carlos Estevez from the Angels to strengthen an already formidable relief corps. Philly has better odds than any team (+500) besides the Dodgers (+340) to capture the World Series this season; can they swing anymore deals to close that gap?
How We’re Feeling Today
In absolute awe of Stephen Nedoroscik, aka POMMEL HORSE DUDE.
Think of Nedoroscik as the Mariano Rivera of men’s gymnastics. He competes in a single event, the pommel horse, but does it better than anyone else. On Monday night, Team USA called Nedoroscik’s name to clinch a medal for his country and he delivered.
Nedoroscik closed out America’s meet with a performance that clinched bronze for himself and his teammates. As he sat patiently while his teammates nailed routine after routine, the Penn State product, to use a technical term, got the fuck in the zone while he waited for his chance at glory.
The pressure failed to rattle Nedoroscik, who was thrown in the air by his teammates after coming through in the clutch. With the hopes and dreams of his four teammates riding on the one event he participates in, he made sure they’ll leave Paris with medals.
The Look Ahead
James Paxton STRIKEOUTS – Fresh off being dumped by the Dodgers, Paxton makes his season debut with Boston after spending last season in Beantown. The veteran lefty was no longer needed in LA’s rotation, but the Red Sox will put him right to use today. Facing Seattle and their MLB-leading 1,105 strikeouts, Paxton’s 3.5 line today feels a little light, and considering he’s generated 4+ whiffs nine times this season, we think he might catch the American League off guard a bit in his return.
