Today was pretty hectic trade day with trades being made right up to the deadline. We saw a lot of big names move, but we also saw a lot of big names stay put. Let's break down the biggest trades of the day.
White Sox get: Jake Peavy
Padres get: Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Dexter Carter, and Adam Russell
Breakdown: The White Sox land a front of the line starter in Peavy, but don't expect him to return until the end of August. The Padres, on the other hand, land the White Sox top pitching prospect in Poreda, who hasn't fallen short of expectations while working in the Sox bullpen. They also get Dexter Carter, who is 6-2 in 19 starts this season with a 3.13 ERA. Clayton Richard has pitched well in his last two starts, and is ready to go when the Padres need him this weekend.
Red Sox get: Victor Martinez
Indians get: Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Bryan Price.
Breakdown: The Red Sox land the power hitter they need in Martinez, which suggests that Jason Varitek will not be back in Boston in 2010. With David Ortiz on the decline, Martinez will definitely help Kevin Youkilis in the middle of that order. Although the Indians land Masterson, they were not able to acquire Clay Buchholz, which was originally offered. Hagadone, 23, is 0-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 9 games this season while Price, who is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. With Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez gone, the Indians are obviously stocking up for the future.
Reds get: Scott Rolen
Blue Jays get: Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart.
Breakdown: The Reds land a proven third baseman with a great bat and knowledge of the division. On the other hand, the Blue Jays land an inconsistent third baseman who is hitting .206 on the year with 5 home runs. This deal is somewhat confusing for both sides, as the Reds don't seem ready to compete in the NL Central and gave up some valuable chips to acquire the 34 year old Rolen. While he is having a good season, he seemed like a better fit for a contender. The Jays, meanwhile, will hope a change of scenery can help get Encarnacion to fulfill his potential.
Marlins get: Nick Johnson
Nationals get: LHP Aaron Thompson
Breakdown: Johnson provides the big bat the Marlins were sorely lacking behind Hanley Ramirez. While his defense leaves something to be desired, adding his bat to that lineup is sure to provide a boost as we enter the home stretch of the season. Thompson, a lefty pitcher at the Double-A level, was a first round pick in 2005 and was 5-9 with a 4.11 ERA so far this year.