MLB Trades: Spare Parts Who Blossomed into Stars

Each season, we see multiple trades go down throughout all of MLB. Some are blockbuster deals and others are simply a swap of relievers.

But it's not very common that both sides come out winners. And it's even less common that one of the "throw-in" players becomes a star.

So, let's take a look at some of the spare parts included in trades who ended up making a much bigger impact than expected. 

Jeff Kent to the San Francisco Giants

Cleveland Indians second baseman Jeff Kent was a throw-in sent to the San Francisco Giants along with Julian Tavarez and Jose Vizcaino in return for Matt Williams.

While the trade of Williams, the Giants' former third baseman, was very unpopular, Kent quickly made fans forget about him.

Over the next six seasons in San Francisco, Kent proved to be an invaluable bat behind Barry Bonds in the lineup. With the Giants, he batted .297 while hitting 175 home runs and 689 RBI with an OPS of .903.

Kent also won the 2000 NL MVP award.

Francisco Liriano to the Minnesota Twins

In 2004, Single-A pitcher Francisco Liriano was traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Minnesota Twins along with Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser for catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Pierzynski only ended up spending a season in San Francisco, but Liriano has been with Minnesota ever since. 

Liriano has battled multiple injuries, but when he's healthy, he is one of the best pitchers out there. So far in his career, he is 47-42 with an ERA of 4.19 and 679 strikeouts.

Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox

Pitcher Derek Lowe and catcher Jason Varitek were the only two players sent to the Boston Red Sox from the Seattle Mariners for reliever Heathcliff Slocumb, so they weren't exactly spare parts.

But no one expected the two of them to blossom into such quality players in Boston.

Both were key members of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox—Lowe won all three series-ending games, and Varitek was the starting catcher.

Lowe saved 42 games in 2000 and won 21 games in 2002—named to the All-Star team both times. Varitek was named to three All-Star teams and also won the 2007 World Series with the Red Sox.

Jorge De La Rosa to the Colorado Rockies

When you think of a "player to be named later," you don't generally think of a pitcher who went 16-9 with a 4.38 ERA to help a team make it into the playoffs.

But that's exactly what Jorge De La Rosa did in 2009.

Just before the 2008 season, he was sent to the Colorado Rockies by the Kansas City Royals as a player to be named later in a previous deal that put reliever Ramon Ramirez in Kansas City.

De La Rosa is currently injured but is expected to be a big part of the Rockies rotation when he returns.

Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox

Thirty-four-year-old third baseman Mike Lowell was sent to the Boston Red Sox merely as a cash dump so that the Red Sox could also acquire pitcher Josh Beckett.

Well, Mike Lowell proved he still had some baseball left in him.

He ended up playing five more years in Boston, where he hit .290 with 374 RBI and an .841 OPS.

Lowell retired a fan favorite in 2010—but not before winning the 2007 World Series MVP award.