Trade me Away
(Photo: 408)
Ever heard of Vince Moore, Donnie Elliott, or Melvin Nieves? Neither had I—until I started writing this piece.
Once considered promising prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization, all three quickly faded into obscurity as part of a lopsided trade that helped turn Atlanta into a perennial contender through the rest of the 1990’s and into the 2000’s.
In 1993, Atlanta found themselves eight games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West—yes, you read that right. Despite being on opposite coasts, both teams were in the same division at the time.
Atlanta was struggling offensively and needed to add some power to their lineup if they had any hope of catching San Francisco in the standings.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres, sitting at 36–57 on July 18 and already looking ahead to the next season, decided to make a deal with Atlanta for their prospects.
And who was the player Atlanta received in return? None other than future Hall of Famer Fred McGriff.
McGriff joined the Braves on July 20, 1993, and delivered in a big way over the final 68 games of the season:
.310 Batting Average
79 Hits
18 Doubles
19 Home Runs
55 RBIs
With McGriff in the lineup, Atlanta went 51-17, overtaking San Francisco to win the NL West by a single game. Atlanta advanced to the National League Championship Series (NLCS), where they fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.
The acquisition of McGriff at the 1993 Trade Deadline set the stage for a dominant stretch throughout the rest of the 1990s. After a strike-shortened 1994 season, Atlanta won the World Series in 1995, returned in 1996 but lost in six games to the New York Yankees, and made it back to the NLCS in 1997, losing to the eventual champion Florida Marlins in six games.
And the three players traded for McGriff?
Moore never reached the majors, and while Elliott and Nieves did, neither came close to matching McGriff’s production in Atlanta (1993–1997). McGriff posted a 12 WAR during that span. In contrast, Nieves had a -2.2 WAR, and Elliott managed just 1.1 WAR. Despite Nieves playing longer as a position player, his offensive numbers paled in comparison. “The Crime Dog” had more hits, home runs, RBIs, and total offensive production—and eventually earned a plaque in Cooperstown.
Today is MLB’s annual Trade Deadline—a date marked on every team’s calendar, whether they’re contenders or not. It’s the final day players on 40-man rosters can be traded, and after 6:01 p.m. EST today, no more trades can be made this season.
This unofficial holiday can be a turning point for many franchises. Teams already out of playoff contention, may look to move their top talent for future value. On the flip side, contenders use this window to acquire players who might push them toward the postseason, a pennant, or even a World Series title.
There have been countless memorable deadline deals. Each one has shaped the course of baseball history—altering team trajectories and rewriting futures.
Sometimes, all a team needs is one piece.
The Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays have made 27 Trade Deadline deals, which is the most all-time in MLB history (Photo: 408)
In 2002, the Montreal Expos believed they had a shot. With a lineup featuring Andrés Galarraga, Orlando Cabrera, Fernando Tatís, and Vladimir Guerrero, they sat at 53–54 and third in the NL East. They made a bold move, acquiring Bartolo Colón from the Cleveland Indians.
Colón delivered, going 11–6 with a 3.31 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 17 starts. But Montreal finished 30–25 down the stretch—respectable, but not enough. They ended up 19 games behind Atlanta and missed the playoffs.
What did they give up? Three top prospects: Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee, and Grady Sizemore—all of whom went on to have great MLB careers.
Other times, the right rentals change everything.
In 2015, the Kansas City Royals acquired Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist at the deadline. Both played crucial roles in Kansas City’s World Series run, which ended with a victory over the New York Mets.
In 2016, both World Series teams bolstered their bullpens:
Cleveland acquired Andrew Miller from the New York Yankees
The Chicago Cubs landed Aroldis Chapman, also from the Yankees
Miller pitched 7.2 dominant innings in the World Series, striking out nine. Chapman struck out 11 over five appearances and posted a 0.862 WHIP helping Chicago win its first World Series since 1908.
Other memorable deadline deals include:
Rick Sutcliffe traded from Cleveland to the Chicago Cubs - 1984: Sutcliffe would go 16-1 with a 2.69 ERA, and 155 strikeouts. He would help lead Chicago to the NLCS, where they lost in five games to San Diego
David Justice traded from Cleveland to the New York Yankees - 2000: Justice would hit 20 home runs and drive in 60 RBI’s in just 78 games. He hit 3 home runs in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), and would be named series MVP. He would help New York capture the ultimate prize, as well: a World Series title.
Carlos Beltrán traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Houston Astros - 2004: Beltrán was a huge spark plug into Houston’s offense, hitting 8 home runs in 12 playoff games, and almost leading Houston to the World Series.
Then there’s 2021—the year Atlanta rebuilt its entire outfield at the deadline.
With Ronald Acuña Jr. tearing his ACL July 10 of that season, Atlanta was in a bind. They didn’t panic or overpay for a superstar. Instead, they added four key outfielders:
Jorge Soler (from Kansas City)
Adam Duvall (from Miami)
Eddie Rosario (from Minnesota)
Joc Pederson (from the Chicago Cubs)
At the time, Atlanta sat in third place in the NL East, 5.5 games back. They surged to win the division by 6.5 games, and ultimately the World Series.
Soler was named World Series MVP, hitting .300 with a 1.191 OPS and three home runs in the series. All of Atlanta’s midseason acquisitions delivered in the Fall Classic—especially Adam Duvall, who hit two home runs and drove in six runs, and Eddie Rosario, who tallied five hits, scored five runs, and drew four walks.
Sometimes, the Trade Deadline gamble doesn’t pay off, like Bartolo Colón. Other times it does, and you get yourself a World Series MVP, like Jorge Soler. (Photo: 408)
After his stellar performance in the World Series, Rosario earned a one-year, $9 million contract with Atlanta. He became one of many players who, after serving as a half-season rental, parlayed that opportunity into a significant payday.
In 1998, the Seattle Mariners were 48–60 at the Trade Deadline. With the season slipping away, they needed to restock their farm system—even if it meant trading their best pitcher.
That pitcher was Randy Johnson, who was dealt to the Houston Astros in exchange for up-and-coming pitcher Freddy García and infielder Carlos Guillén. Trades like this can reshape a franchise—and redefine a player's legacy.
Johnson delivered an incredible stretch run with Houston, going 10–1, striking out 116 batters, and posting a 1.28 ERA. At the time of the trade, the Astros held a 3.5-game lead in the NL Central—a lead they would stretch to 13 games by season’s end.
Following that dominant run, Johnson signed a four-year, $52.4 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, helping them win their first title in 2001, where he was named co-World Series MVP.
Rental seasons also paid off handsomely for Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia after the 2008 season.
Teixeira was first traded in 2007 from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves. In return, Texas received shortstop Elvis Andrus, closer Neftalí Feliz, starter Matt Harrison, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Hindsight suggests the deal was worth it—Andrus, Feliz, and Harrison helped guide the Rangers to back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
With free agency looming after the 2008 season, Teixeira was dealt again—this time to the Anaheim Angels for Stephen Marek and Casey Kotchman. That year, across his time with Atlanta and Anaheim, Teixeira racked up 177 hits, 41 doubles, 33 home runs, 121 RBIs, and a .962 OPS—numbers that would help him land a mega contract that winter.
Meanwhile, Sabathia may be the ultimate trade deadline rental—a player who bet on himself and won big.
By the 2008 Trade Deadline, the Cleveland Indians were 47–60 and ready to move their ace. Like Teixeira, Sabathia was set to hit free agency and was widely expected to cash in.
Cleveland traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers, and the results were electric.
In just 17 starts, Sabathia went 14–3 with 130.2 innings pitched, 128 strikeouts, and a 1.65 ERA. Over the full season, he totaled 251 strikeouts in 253 innings, with 10 complete games and five shutouts. Down the stretch, Sabathia made his last three starts all on three days rest, and helped lead Milwaukee to the playoffs for the first time since 1982.
That offseason, both Teixeira and Sabathia signed with the New York Yankees. Teixeira inked an 8-year, $180 million deal; Sabathia signed a 7-year, $161 million contract. The pair became cornerstone pieces of the Yankees’ 2009 World Series championship team.
Randy Johnson, Mark Teixiera, and CC Sabathia were all traded at the Trade Deadline, and ended up earning big contracts and some “hardware” later in their careers (Photo: 408)
As deals are finalized leading up to today’s deadline, we may witness a move that rivals the impact of Soler, Chapman, or Sabathia.
The MLB Trade Deadline can make—or break—a team’s season. As the old adage goes, only time will tell.
Tick… tick… tick…
