TRIBE, REDS, PADRES MAKE THREE-TEAM BLOCKBUSTER DEAL!
In a three-team trade, the Cleveland Indians acquired outfielder Yasiel Puig and pitcher Scott Moss from the Cincinnati Reds, and outfielder Franmil Reyes, pitcher Logan Allen and infielder Victor Nova from the San Diego Padres; the Reds acquired pitcher Trevor Bauer from Cleveland, and the Padres acquired outfielder Taylor Trammell from Cincinnati.
What does it give the Cleveland Guardians
Wow! Now this is an old-fashioned blockbuster trade if ever there was one. Puig and Reyes bring significant clout and run-producing ability to the Indians. Both have played mostly right field this season for their respective clubs but Puig is the better defender. Expect the fiery Cuban to play right field in Cleveland, with Reyes either taking over as the main designated hitter or shifting over to left field. Allen adds starting pitching depth for the system, while Nova is an intriguing teen who can play third base and switch-hit. Moss appears to be a throw-in, but he too has decent stuff. The Tribe did exceptionally well here because they dealt from a position of strength (starting pitching, the most difficult commodity to acquire in MLB).
What does it give the Cincinnati Reds
In Bauer, the Reds get a very good starting pitcher who moves across the state of Ohio to give Cincinnati a much stronger rotation going forward. He is signed through 2020 (unlike Puig, who can become a free agent this off-season) and has both durability and big-game experience. The Reds paid a steep price in order to land Bauer, giving up their starting right-fielder (Puig), their top prospect (arguably) in Trammell and another marginal prospect in Moss, but Bauer may be worth it in the end. Look for Josh VanMeter to get more at-bats in the outfield now that Puig has moved on. Also look for the Reds to move a starter before the July 31 trade deadline as they now have a surplus. Tanner Roark is a good candidate to be dealt.
What does it give the
For the Padres, this trade is all about landing a top outfield prospect with plenty of untapped, toolsy upside in Trammell. The left-handed batter, who turns 22 in September, has an outstanding power/speed package and has already reached Double-A ball this season. However, he has struggled to generate a lot of home-run power and is also not hitting for average in 2019. Still, San Diego sees Trammell as a future cornerstone outfielder, which is why they were willing to trade their current right-fielder (24-year-old Reyes), a 19-year-old infield prospect in Nova and a decent pitching prospect in Allen for him. Trammell may not have the defensive ability to play center field (he is currently a left-fielder), so he must develop on offense.
Fantasy impact
Puig moves to the American League for the first time in his career, so he might need to adjust quickly to his new situation (especially with Cleveland in contention in the AL Central division). Still, his fantasy stock is at the very least steady following this trade (with a bit of upside). Bauer moves to a non-contender (this season), but the Reds may be able to provide him with better run support than what he was receiving in Cleveland. So, he too sees his value remain steady. If the Reds contend next season, Bauer could blossom once more. Trammell was already on the fantasy radar but his stock takes a bit of a hit moving from the Reds organization to the Padres. He should be scooped up anyway if by some chance he remains available in all keeper formats. Allen looks like a fantasy sleeper now that he moves to Cleveland, a team with a history of turning young pitchers into solid MLB (and fantasy) contributors. Nova is intriguing but very raw, while Moss is a name to stash away for future reference. All that said, Reyes could prove to be the biggest winner after this trade--especially if he gets the opportunity to be used mostly as a designated hitter in Cleveland. With less defense to worry about, Reyes might blossom into an elite slugger in the AL.
