CarterHud

          The Chicago Cubs have acquired C Martin Maldonado from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for LHP Mike Montgomery.

          The Cubs might need a catcher if Willson Contreras\’ injury is worse than they think. Maldonado is a very good defensive catcher, and a serviceable backup. He is a good backup catcher, and while the price of Montgomery isn\’t great, he is a rental, and better than backup Victor Caratini.

          Maldonado, 32, has a .227 average with six homers, six homers and 17 RBIs in 263 Plate Appearances for the Royals this year. In his MLB career for the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros, Maldonado has a .220 average with 57 homers and 210 RBIs in 2232 Plate Appearances.

          The Royals are a rebuilding team and a rental catcher like Maldonado is useless to them, especially with Salvador Perez returning next year. In return, they get a major league pitcher that is controllable. Montgomery will fill the open 5th starter role after Homer Bailey was traded to Oakland. Montgomery has come out of the bullpen and started throughout his career. He got the final out for the Cubs when they won the 2016 World Series, and was originally a Royals 1st rounder in 2008, but was traded in the crazy Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi for James Shields and Wade Davis deal.

           Montgomery, 30, has a 5.67 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 27 innings for the Cubs this year. In his MLB career for the Cubs and Seattle Mariners, Montgomery has a 3.72 ERA with 360 strikeouts in 471.2 innings.

Photo from Getty Images

     The Ottawa Senators have acquired F Artem Anisimov from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for F Zack Smith.

     The Blackhawks need cap space. Both Anisimov and Smith have two more years left on their contract, but Smith has a lower cap hit. Smith is more of a fourth line center, a role that Anisimov might of had to be this season. Smith gives less value, but more cap space.

     Smith, 31, scored nine goals with 19 assists for 28 points in 70 games this past season for the Sens. In his NHL career, all in Ottawa, the former third rounder has scored 94 goals with 99 assists for 193 points in 612 games.

     The Senators are terrible, and need better players. Also, they were under the cap floor, and this trade gets them over. Anisimov has been a consistent 15-20 goal scorer in his career, and can be a top six center for them.

     Anisimov, 31, scored 15 goals with 22 assists for 37 points in 78 games for the Blackhawks this past season. In his NHL career for Chicago, New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, Anisimov has scored 163 goals with 184 assists for 347 points in 703 games.

Photo from NBC

         The Oakland Athletics have acquired RHP Homer Bailey from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for IF Kevin Merrell.

          Bailey is not a very serviceable starting pitcher, but he is having his best season since 2014. Also, he is hot as of late, with a 2.48 ERA in his last five starts, dating back to June 13. The only American League pitchers with a minimum of 25 innings pitched since that day with a lower ERA are recently traded Andrew Cashner, Gerrit Cole, Shane Bieber, Lance Lynn, and the A\’s very own Mike Fiers (per Elias Sports Bureau). Also, he is a bargain, as he is getting paid at the league minimum, and the A\’s are only paying him about $250k. The Dodgers are paying the remainder of his salary, as they acquired him from the Reds this offseason, and immediately DFA\’d him.

           Bailey, 33, has a 4.80 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 90 innings for the Royals this season. In his MLB career for the Royals and Cincinnati Reds, Bailey has a 4.58 ERA with 1082 strikeouts in 1320.1 innings.

           I love this trade for the Royals. They trade Bailey, who was a Spring Training invitee on a minor league deal earning the league minimum, and has only pitched well as of late. In return, they get Merrell, the A\’s 17th best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, which is a steal for a player of Bailey\’s caliber. Merrell has good speed, something the Royals prioritize. He was a first round pick, 33rd overall, by the A\’s in 2017. He also is already at AA, and as GM Dayton Moore pointed out, he doesn\’t need to be put on the 40 man roster for two more seasons before becoming Rule 5 Draft eligible.

            Merrell, 23, has a .246 average with two homers, 34 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 318 Plate Appearances for AA Midland. In his three year minor league career, he has a .277 average with four homers, 68 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 778 Plate Appearances.

Photo from NBC

          The Boston Red Sox have acquired RHP Andrew Cashner and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for INF Noelberth Romero and OF Elio Prado.

          The Red Sox need a fifth starter, as when Nathan Eovaldi returns from the IL, they plan to use him as their closer, as they need bullpen arms. With Eovaldi in the bullpen, the team needed a fifth starter. They get that in Cashner. Cashner has had success on a terrible Orioles team this season, which is a good sign. He has won nine games this season. The Orioles have won 27 games. They were rumored to be interested in Zach Wheeler, who has a higher ERA than Cashner. Also, they get a starter and don\’t give up a top 30 prospect, especially Jarren Duran, their 9th best prospect per MLB Pipeline, who has been rumored in trades, and could be dealt for a reliever.

            Cashner, 32, has a 3.83 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 96.1 innings for the Orioles this season. In his MLB career for the Orioles, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs, Cashner has a 4.00 ERA with 859 strikeouts in 1142.1 innings.

             The Orioles have the least amount of wins in the MLB (27), most amount of losses (63), and are the most amount of games back (31.5). It is very clear that they are once again sellers. They don\’t have to talent to sell as they did last year, trading Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, Kevin Gausman, Brad Brach, Zack Britton and Darren O\’Day. Cashner will be a free agent after this season, and his good season made it likely he would be dealt. Other players with multiple years left like Trey Mancini, Jonathan Villar, Dylan Bundy and Mychal Givens could be traded as well. In return, they get two seventeen year olds from the Dominican Summer League. The Orioles are trading for guys that wouldn\’t be in the majors for a while, because, well…. they won\’t be good for a while.

             Romero, 17, has a .264 batting average with two homers, 13 RBIs and two stolen bases in 123 Plate Appearances in the Dominican Summer League. Despite the fact that he is six feet tall, he is listed at just 145 pounds.

              Prado, 17, is hitting .303 with three homers, 26 RBIs and nine stolen bases in the Dominican Summer League. He is also considered underweight, as he is also 6\’0 and 160 pounds.

      The Buffalo Sabres have acquired D Henri Jokijarju from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for F Alex Nylander.

      I love this trade for the Sabres. Nylander has been a bust since being drafted 8th overall in 2016. Jokijarju got some NHL experience this past season, and is a budding defenseman. The Sabres have too many right handed defensemen, and Jokijarju adds to that. Rasmus Ristolainen will likely be traded, the team could bury the final year of Zach Bogosian\’s deal, and Jokijarju could go to the AHL.  Colin Miller, Brandon Montour and Casey Nelson are also options, though they are likely starters.

       Jokijarju, 20, debuted in 2018-19, scoring 12 points, all assists, in 38 games. He was drafted 29th overall in 2017.

       The Blackhawks have made many changes to their defense, but I still think Jokijarju could have made the team. Nylander hasn\’t lived up to expectations, and has struggled in the AHL. Like Dylan Strome, Nylander can be another high pick turned around in Chicago, but it doesn\’t look good for them at the moment.

        Nylander, 21, scored two goals with two assists in 12 games this past season. In his NHL career, he has scored three goals with three assists for six points in 19 games.