MLB Rumors: Dodgers' unconvincing attempt to recruit Eduardo Rodriguez
The story of the MLB trade deadline was the Los Angeles Dodgers' attempt — and failure — to acquire Eduardo Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers. A deal was in place, but Rodriguez nixed it in the 11th hour by invoking an obscure no-trade clause in his contract.
While Rodriguez has since offered an explanation for the decision, it's strange that both sides were so far along in discussions for a player capable of vetoing the trade. One has to imagine there was reason to believe, at one point or another, that Rodriguez would sign off on the trade. Ultimately, it hit a snag. The specific snag, we may never know.
That said, we certainly can't give credit to the Dodgers' recruitment technique. Mookie Betts, who was once teammates with Rodriguez in Boston, sent the southpaw a rather uninspiring text message ahead of the 6 PM deadline on Tuesday.
"I texted him, I don't care what you do," Betts told The Athletic. "If you come, cool. If you don't, cool. Our relationship is not based off that. We'll always be boys. I didn't give a d**n what he did."
Great! It's good and healthy for players to have relationships outside of work, but also… Mookie, you could've made a stronger pitch here. The Dodgers were eager to bolster their bullpen ahead of the stretch run. When the Rodriguez trade fell through, LA was left holding a big bag of nothing. It was probably worth a "hey man! would love to have you here!" at the very least.
MLB Rumors: Mets hope things work out with Pete Alonso
Another lame recruiting pitch to fuel your Thursday afternoon! The Mets, after sparking Pete Alonso trade rumors at the deadline, did not end up trading their star first baseman. Instead, the pitching staff was gutted, Tommy Pham was shipped to the desert, and the Mets hung a sharp turn toward the MLB basement.
That probably doesn't make Alonso feel great. It's not uncommon for players involved in trade rumors to feel undervalued and unappreciated. Alonso has spent his entire five-year career with the Mets, delivering three All-Star campaigns, two 40-plus home run seasons, and two 120-plus RBI seasons. He's arguably the best power hitter in the National League.
Ask Mets Owner Steve Cohen, however, and the best he can offer up is "I hope it works out."
Ultimately, there's not much else Cohen can really say here. Alonso's contract expires next season and of course, the Mets probably want to work something out long-term. Losing him for nothing would be a serious detriment to the organization. That said, New York probably didn't help its odds of keeping Alonso around by listening to trade offers all week. That doesn't exactly imply the unwavering commitment a star of Alonso's caliber might desire.
We can't know the future, but the Mets have a pivotal 2024 season coming up. With Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer out of the picture, New York clearly doesn't intend to compete any time soon. If that's the case, is there really a future for prime Alonso in New York?
MLB Rumors: Red Sox almost trade locker room anchor Justin Turner
The Boston Red Sox famously traded catcher Christian Vázquez at the 2022 deadline, which set off a chain reaction of displeasure in the locker room. Naturally, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom wouldn't make the same mistake twice, right? Right??
Wrong! Well, not entirely wrong, but dangerously close to wrong. The Red Sox were engaged in extensive talks centered on trading infield star Justin Turner to the Miami Marlins before the Aug. 1 deadline, according to Levi Weaver and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Talks eventually died, but another centerpiece of the locker room culture in Boston was almost dealt in the middle of a competitive season.
There's more to winning than raw numbers. It's the classic debate of X's and O's versus team chemistry. Can you win a championship with players who don't like or understand each other? Perhaps, as sports history is littered with a wide variety of examples to back both sides of the argument. But with the Red Sox, it's clear the talent necessary to compete is already in place. To risk another bout of turmoil midseason is risky business for Bloom and the front office.
Turner has been tremendous for Boston all season, splitting .286/.356/.481 at the plate with 17 dingers and 71 RBIs. Oscillating between the infield and DH, Turner has been central to the Red Sox on and off the field. It's hard to imagine a worthwhile trade, even if the Marlins are flushed with pitching talent. Surely there were better avenues to explore to upgrade the bullpen.
