Guardians receive interesting grade for their trade deadline moves
The Cleveland Guardians were able to come out the other end of MLB's Trade Deadline on Tuesday with two new faces that should play a big factor for them down the stretch. Cleveland was able to acquire outfielder Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals and starting pitcher Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants. While it would have been nice for the Guardians to make another notable move, it became quite clear by the way things were playing out up to Tuesday's 6 PM deadline that it was not going to be the case. A quick glance following the developments seems to indicate a successful deadline for the Guardians, but how did those on the national evaluate Cleveland's deadline?
As part of Jim Bowden's MLB trade deadline grades for all 30 teams: Savvy sellers, bold buyers get high marks appearing in The Athletic (subscription required) the Guardians' moves were viewed favorably, even though there are plenty of people who feel otherwise.
Regarding the deal for their newest outfielder, Bowden said, "Lane Thomas crushes left-handed pitching and can steal bases to help manufacture runs.". Adding an outfielder was an absolute must for the Guardians at the deadline, as nobody besides Steven Kwan has been a consistent threat at the plate. Bringing Thomas into the fold will provide Cleveland with another outfield regular that will allow them to mix and match their heavily relied-upon utility players elsewhere.
Bowden noted the state of Cleveland's rotation and how Cobb would help them in that regard, "Their biggest need was a veteran starter and they did a nice job filling it with Alex Cobb.". Cleveland has been able to get to the top spot in the American League despite having a pieced-together rotation. Adding someone with Cobb's track record and recent performance history should help solidify this group and get this team ready for October.
When it comes to taking care of what they needed to at the deadline, it is Bowden's belief that the Guardians clearly accomplished their goal, and it should help them continue what has been a very impressive season.
They achieved their goals of adding a veteran starter and an outfield bat. They begin August with the AL’s best record and will continue to be a legitimate World Series threat.
For their moves at the deadline, Cleveland received a "B" grade from Bowden, tied with Kansas City for the highest mark in the American League Central, while Minnesota was given a "C-". Considering that the Guardians are in the top spot in the division and the two teams chasing them did not receive a better grade, perhaps their acquisitions at the deadline will begin to be viewed in a more positive manner than they were initially. Of course, winning some games along the way and running away with the division will help in that regard. But for now, it appears the Guardians made out well in the eyes of those evaluating the entirety of MLB's Trade Deadline.