The MLB Winter Meetings were a relatively quiet time. Over the last two season, the “Hot Stove” has been pretty frosty. And while not a lot happened some big moves did go down. So we will cover them right here but for a more in-depth review of many of the moves that went down during the MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, NV tune into The Laracuente Ledger Podcast. But without further ado here are the top three biggest moves of the MLB Winter Meetings.
3. Tanner Roark to the Cincinnati Reds
Tanner has been a decent right-hander for the Washington Nationals over the last several years. But over the last couple has struggled more a bit more than the Nats wanted. Thus Roark would be traded for a 25-year-old right named Tanner Rainey. The interesting and somewhat questionable aspect about this deal for Washington is the fact that they are looking for starting pitching. So trading off an established veteran for an unproven rookie with only seven big league innings under his belt is a puzzling move. But time will be the judge of this move.
2. Andrew McCutchen Signs a 3 Year $50 Million with the Philadelphia Phillies
Andrew McCutchen has quietly had a fantastic career in the MLB. And while not the same MVP level superstar he once was, Cutch is still a durable and capable major league player. And this signing by Philadelphia allows them to have a solid veteran in a better-suited position than the player they signed last offseason Carlos Santana (since he displaced Rhys Hoskins.) McCutchen will provide the Phils with solid defense in a corner spot and a good top of the order kind of bat that can work counts.
1. 3 Team Trade between the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, and Tampa Bay Rays
This deal came down at the very end of the MLB Winter Meetings, and we explain more in detail, again on The Laracuente Ledger. But for all parties involved it seems like a good deal. The Mariners get Edwin Encarnacion to replace the lost power of Nelson Cruz. The Indians get Carlos Santana back, along with the versatile Jake Bauers. And the Tampa Bay Rays get Yandy Diaz and a Player to be Named Later. For each team, this move addresses one of the clubs needs. Now that being said I don’t expect any club to be done making moves. But this trade helps get things moving in the right direction.
