MLB Betting Lines Report: Was the 13-player, Three-team Trade Really Necessary?

Recently we saw the deal between the Dodgers and Marlins, which involved right-hander Mat Latos and slugger Michael Morse, put on hold after the Braves also got dragged into the deal. In the end, we had an incredible 13-player exchange amongst the three teams, resulting in a resounding shake-up of the MLB betting lines. In the deal, the Dodgers had the lion’s share of acquisitions, getting five pitchers—Mat Latos, Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan, and Bronson Arroyo. On top of those pitchers, they got Michael Morse and Jose Peraza as first and second batters, respectively. The Braves walked away with Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez and Zachary Bird, while the Marlins received Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo and Kevin Guzman. But the question still lingers, was this deal necessary? To answer that, let’s try to assess the underlying value in the trades and how they could influence the team’s performance in the baseball betting lines for the rest of the season and, possibly, the years to come.

MLB Betting Lines Report: Was the 13-player, Three-team Trade Really Necessary?

   

The LA Dodgers

In a bid to ensure conclude the next two months in strong fashion and with titles for the franchise, it makes sense that the Dodgers went all out to retool their armory. The absence of Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu for the better parts of the year is a risk no team would want to live with,especially if there’s a way they can help it. The acquisition of Latos and Wood will boost the Dodgers, as they will immediately fill gaping holes in the team, while Johnson will take over as a right-hander in the bullpen. Latos’ first match last was not the best, but it still proved that the Dodgers traded wisely after the 5-3 win over the Angels. He did not allow a hit until the third inning or a run until the sixth. Ranked as the 26th-best prospect in MLB, Peraza has probably been signed as an asset for the future. The only signing that does not make sense at this time is Arroyo, who is still recovering from an injury that may keep him out for the rest of the year. From the trades, it is clear that the Dodgers want to hold on to their lead in the division and wade off competition in the division until the end of the season. As we all know, it takes a team that has the depth to survive the regular season and the playoffs.

The Atlanta Braves

The Braves,who finished second in their division last year with their first losing season since 2008, are seemingly headed the right way after making deadline trade brave moves. They surrendered top infield prospect Jose Peraza in return for the 30-year-old Cuban defector Hector Olivera, who definitely brings experience to the team.  While at Dodgers, Olivera hit a combined .348 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games at three different levels in 2015, vindicating him as a good signing. Also, they seem to have benefited by selling Arroyo, who has not batted this season, though it does not make sense that they again acquired another injured player in left-hander Paco Rodriguez. Currently placed third in the division and in a position not so far from making it to the playoff as a wildcard team, the reinforcements are not fittingly sufficient, but the new acquisitions should keep them competitively relevant in the race for the postseason games.

The Miami Marlins

In a trade that seems to have a little something for all, the Marlins saved themselves from the Latos (owed $3.94 million) and Morse (owed $11.5 million) contracts, and still managed to add depth to their squad. For a team that has not made it to the playoffs since 2003, and has had some really bad run of results in recent years, a change could be justified as they attempt to start their rebuilding agenda right now. The Marlins are currently fourth in the NL east division and are nowhere near making it to the playoffs. This should be considered as shot in the arm for them, adding impetus for a strong finish to the season and keeping the fans hopeful of more to come in the future. Sources: Wikipedia.org: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Marlins MLBtraderumors.com: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/08/dodgers-nearing-deal-to-acquire-mat-latos-michael-morse.html