NHL Trade Review: Kings Acquire Arvidsson

The Los Angeles Kings have acquired winger Viktor Arvidsson from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2021 2nd round pick (#40 overall) and a 2022 3rd round pick.

The Kings have little star power, instead settling for a team of potential roster players this year. It obviously did not work out, as they missed the playoffs again. With a ton of draft picks over the next two seasons, the Kings had a surplus so they could acquire a proven player. Arvidsson is just that. He scored a Nashville record 34 goals in 58 games in 2018-19, but has struggled since. His shooting percentage this past year was just 6.6 percent, but he was injured at the tail end of the year, costing him six regular season games and four in the postseason. He has dropped from a first-line winger to a second-liner, but that is still good value. The team is buying low and they now have a new forward who they can protect in the expansion draft, which will be important later. Arvidsson is also cheap, with three more years left on his contract at a cheap $4.25 million.

After this trade, the Kings still have the 49th overall pick thanks to the Blues, a pick traded twice before going to L.A. for Alec Martinez. They also have two third round picks this year (Jack Campbell trade) and a third next year (Jeff Carter).

Arvidsson, 28, scored 10 goals with 15 assists for 25 points in 50 games for the Predators in 2020-21. In his NHL career, all in Nashville, Arvidsson has scored 127 goals with 112 assists for 239 points in 385 games.

Arvidsson was a key Predator in their run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, but his time in Nashville had come to an end. He had less than 20 goals in each of the last two seasons, and has been constantly hurt. The real threat to the franchise was the upcoming expansion draft, where Arvidsson was a candidate to be selected. This gives them value for him before he inevitably left, or if they planned on protecting him, an extra player to protect. The team will still be in a sticky spot this month, as one of defensemen Dante Fabbro and Alex Carrier, or forwards Matt Duchene and Calle Jarnkrok will likely be taken. The team also clears up some cap space, and gets a fine return for a slumping player.

MLB Trade Review: Blue Jays and Marlins Make Four Player Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired RHP Adam Cimber and OF Corey Dickerson from the Miami Marlins in exchange for IF Joe Panik and RHP Andrew McInvale. Miami will also send a small amount of cash to Toronto.

This is an interesting trade at first glance, as the veteran Dickerson would appear to be the headliner. He is a three-time 20+ home run hitter, with a career OPS of .816. However, Dickerson has been on the injured list for the past two weeks with a foot injury, and is currently in a walking boot. There is doubt that he could return this year, although the chances are high. With a crowded outfield that contains Randal Grichuk, George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. confined to three spots, a healthy Dickerson would not be much more than a lefty bench bat. His purpose in this trade is really for the Blue Jays to eat money. Dickerson still has $4.5 million remaining on his contract before becoming a free agent at the end of the year. If Dickerson returns before the trade deadline, then the Blue Jays, even as buyers, could look to flip him for a low-level prospect in McInvale’s range.

The acquisition of Cimber is the key here. The Blue Jays could be a much better team, but their bullpen has killed them. Jordan Romano has been the lone trustworthy arm as of late, forcing a change. Cimber is a submariner with MLB success. Despite a very low strikeout percentage, he has a 3.88 xERA and a 2.9 barrel percentage on the season. Toronto also has him for two additional seasons after 2021. The return is low, as Panik is a replaceable infielder and the headliner here.

Cimber, 30, has a 2.88 ERA with 21 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 1.194 WHIP in 34.1 innings pitched for the Marlins this season. In his MLB career for the Marlins, Cleveland Indians, and San Diego Padres, Cimber has a 3.69 ERA with 125 strikeouts, 49 walks, and a 1.266 WHIP in 170.2 innings.

Dickerson, 32, has hit two home runs with a .260 average, two stolen bases, and a .699 OPS in 224 Plate Appearances for the Marlins this season. In his MLB career for the Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Colorado Rockies, Dickerson has hit 124 home runs with a .282 average, 26 stolen bases, and an .816 OPS in 3348 Plate Appearances.

The Marlins had their year of fun in 2020, but they are back to being bad this year, sitting in the NL East basement with a 33-44 record. That sounds like a seller to me. This trade is not an obvious “blow it up” move like when they traded Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna, but it is a nice rebuilding piece. They bought low on Cimber in the offseason and now sell him high. Panik is not much more than a bench player, but they do get a young AA pitcher in McInvale, a 2019 37th round pick out of Liberty having a solid season in the New Hampshire bullpen. They save money moving from Dickerson to Panik, who is also a free agent after this season.

Panik, 30, has hit two home runs with a .246 average and a .644 OPS in 123 Plate Appearances for the Blue Jays this season. In his MLB career for the Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets, Panik has hit 41 home runs with 20 stolen bases, a .268 average, and a .711 OPS in 2965 Plate Appearances.

McInvale, 24, has a 2.18 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 20.2 innings for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats this year. For the Fisher Cats and High-A Vancouver, he has a 2.55 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 24.2 innings pitched.

MLB Trade Review: Brewers Acquire Adames

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired SS Willy Adames and RHP Trevor Richards from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHPs JP Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen.

In classic Rays conditions, this trade appears to be very lopsided against them at first look, but will most likely not end up that way. Adames is one of their core locker room players, but his present and future role on the team was always complicated. He made his debut in 2018 years after being acquired from Detroit as the young headliner in the David Price trade. He then became the team’s starting shortstop, but at this moment, that is a massive surplus for Tampa Bay. Prospect Taylor Walls could get the call to replace Adames after starting the AAA season with a .958 OPS. The Rays also have Vidal Brujan, who is a highly rated prospect, and of course, the league’s top prospect, Wander Franco. Franco could be seen by the end of the season, but probably not now, unless the Rays get aggressive.

With Brandon Lowe at second base, and Joey Wendle plus Yandy Diaz as third base options, Adames could not even move positions. A trade was imminent. They throw in a starting option in Richards to get two solid bullpen pieces back. Rasmussen came onto the scene when he struck out 21 in 15.1 innings as a rookie for the Brewers last year. His average fastball velocity is 97.1 mph, with a great average spin rate of 2521. The pitch has a 29.1 percent whiff rate, which is really good for a heater. Rasmussen is young and controllable, while Feyereisen is more of the latter. In 2021, he is in the top-ten percent of pitchers in xERA (2.42), xBA (.161), xSLG (.253), wOBA (.209), and xwOBA (.250). Add a 97th percentile spin rate on his fastball, and Feyereisen has backend of the bullpen potential.

Rasmussen, 25, has a 4.24 ERA with 25 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 1.471 WHIP and a 3.84 FIP in 17 innings for the Brewers this year. In his MLB career, all for Milwaukee, Rasmussen has a 5.01 ERA with 46 strikeouts, 21 walks, a 1.577 WHIP, and a 4.27 FIP in 32.1 innings.

Feyereisen, 28, as a 3.26 ERA with 20 strikeouts, 11 walks, a 1.086 WHIP and a 4.12 FIP in 19.1 innings pitched. In his MLB career, all for the Brewers, he has a 4.08 ERA with 27 strikeouts, 16 walks, a 1.047 WHIP and a 5.32 FIP in 28.2 innings. Plus, Feyereisen has given up just 14 hits in his career for a 4.4 H/9.

This trade signals the reducing of playing time for Luis Urias, a former top prospect who was acquired for Trent Grisham less than two years ago. He was given the starting shortstop job when Orlando Arcia was traded to Atlanta, but he has a .676 OPS this year with -7 outs above average. Both Urias and Adames are young, but I’m not sure this trade is it for the Brewers. Sure, Adames has a 14.8 barrel percentage this year. But he constantly strikes out, at a 35.9 percent rate in 2021. He has struggled offensively this year, and is not that much better on defense, with -3 outs above average. He is going to be the Brewers shortstop until hitting free agency after 2023. Adames did have a 127 OPS+ last year, but his OBP is just .254 prior to the trade. Richards does not look like more than a spot starter/long-relief option. He was one of Tampa’s worst pitchers in 2020, and while his strikeout rate has increased this year, he still has a 4.51 xER with a .276 xBA and .458 xSLG against. Given the Rays’ history of success in trades like this, the Brewers should proceed cautiously.

Adames, 25, has hit five home runs with a stolen base, a .197 average and a .625 OPS in 142 Plate Appearances for the Rays this year. In his MLB career, all for Tampa Bay, Adames has hit 43 home runs with 13 stolen bases, a .254 average and a .740 OPS in 1254 Plate Appearances.

Richards, 28, has a 4.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts, three walks, a 1.000 WHIP, and a 3.38 FIP in 12 innings for the Rays this year. In his MLB career for Tampa Bay and the Miami Marlins, Richards has a 4.42 ERA with 300 strikeouts, 124 walks, a 1.390 WHIP, and a 4.32 FIP in 305.2 innings.

MLB Trade Review: Angels acquire Strickland

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired RHP Hunter Strickland from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

The Angels needed a bullpen upgrade. Their bullpen has thrown the fifth-most innings in the league, and at 5.32, they have the fourth-worst ERA. Strickland will be a big boost. He has closing experience, and has looked great after making the Rays on a minor league deal. His 2.94 xERA suggests that he has been lucky, but that is still very good. Strickland also has allowed a .212 xBA and a .335 xSLG. Walks have been an issue for him, but since 2019 he has been able to keep his walk rate under ten percent.

Strickland, 32, has a 1.69 ERA with 16 strikeouts, a 1.250 WHIP, and a 3.04 FIP in 16 innings for the Rays this year. In his MLB career for the Rays, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Seattle Mariners, and New York Mets Strickland has a 3.14 ERA with 249 strikeouts, a 1.209 WHIP, 21 saves, and a 3.62 FIP in 269.2 innings.

The Rays did not believe that they would need Strickland, but injuries made them put him on the roster. The return of Pete Fairbanks and Diego Castillo, plus the emergence of Luis Patino and Josh Fleming had made Strickland expendable. He has no more options left, and there was a good chance the Rays were about to designate him for assignment anyways.

MLB Trade Review: Yankees and Giants make a deal

The New York Yankees have acquired LHP Wandy Peralta from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for OF Mike Tauchman.

This is a deal that seemingly came out of nowhere. The Yankees bullpen has actually been their strength this year, while the offense has been terrible. So, trading a hitter for a reliever wouldn’t make sense on the outside. But, Tauchman was a part of the problem. After looking like the next Yankees discovery in 2019, he has not hit a home run since then, and his only value has been defensive. Now that Clint Frazier has improved and Brett Gardner is on the roster, Tauchman became expendable. You could argue that getting rid of him would benefit their offense, although not when Tyler Wade was recalled to replace him. Unlike Tauchman, Peralta still has a minor-league option. He can be a better middle relief left-hander than Lucas Luetge, who has struggled this year. Peralta has struggled this year, but he had a 3.29 ERA in 25 games last year. He also has limited batters to an 84.5 mph average exit velocity this year, with a very good 2.80 xERA. Batters hit .133 against his slider last year, but they are 8-for-15 against the pitch this year. He has the potential to be a solid pick-up.

For San Francisco, these sellers are looking for talent, and Tauchman may have that. He hit 13 home runs with a .865 OPS in 87 games in 2019 but has looked lost since then. He still had a 12.6 BB% last year, and his defensive value helps the Giants. If given regular at-bats, Tauchman can be a lot better than a middle relief pitcher.

Peralta, 29, has a 5.40 ERA with eight strikeouts, a 3.82 FIP, and a 1.680 WHIP for the Giants this year. In his MLB career for San Francisco and the Cincinnati Reds, Peralta has a 4.72 ERA with 158 strikeouts, a 4.84 FIP, and a 1.490 WHIP in 192.2 innings.

Tauchman, 30, is 3-for-14 with a .552 OPS and two stolen bases for the Yankees this year. In his MLB career for New York and the Colorado Rockies, Tauchman has hit 13 home runs with 16 stolen bases, a .250 average, and a .752 OPS in 492 Plate Appearances.