Back in the day, the MLB trade deadline used to be on June 15. It was that way for more than 60 years.
Then, in the mid 1980s, it was moved to the end of July. It remained there for 35 years.
In 2022, the deadline was made more flexible, but it remained in late July or early August. Now, Bleacher Report is wondering what would happen if it were even later than that.
Analyst Kerry Miller has revealed one trade the Cleveland Guardians wish they could make right now, and it should come as no surprise that they would try to acquire a power hitter to help out their lineup.
“Any bat with some pop,” Miller wrote. “The Guardians have seven players who have hit at least a dozen home runs this season, but none of them have more than 15. Any bat would be nice, regardless of position. The Guardians have mostly been using their DH spot as a way to keep key players in the lineup while giving them a day off from playing the field, so they could plug and play just about anyone capable of homering on occasion.”
The Guardians have been looking for that type of hitter for the entire season. Cleveland did add outfielder Jo Adell at this year’s Aug. 3 deadline, and he has provided six home runs in 42 games since his arrival.
Despite ranking 27th in the majors in home runs entering the final week of the season, the playoffs are clearly in sight for the Guardians, with a one-game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central with six left to play. It would be a four-game lead for the final AL Wild Card, which almost assures that Cleveland will be in the postseason for a third straight year.
It should be noted that the Guardians, led by Angel Martinez’s 17 home runs, have hit more homers this season than the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in baseball. In recent history, the Kansas City Royals reached the 2014 World Series without any player hitting more than 15 homers.
Cleveland could have solved this problem internally had it made a different decision when rosters expanded this month. Prospect Ralphy Velazquez has hit 29 home runs in the minors this season, with 15 in August alone, yet the organization chose not to promote him, with the ramifications of a potential labor stoppage next season taken into account.
So, the Guardians will go forward with the players on hand, which has proven to be good enough for another September rally and a potential division title.
NEXT: Chris Antonetti Makes Jose Ramirez's Impact On Guardians Crystal Clear
