MLB Power Rankings: The Top 20 Impact Waiver Trades of All-Time

With just three weeks left until the end of the MLB waiver trade deadline, teams are looking for that one final deal that can impact them in a positive way.

Over the course of baseball history, several transactions made in the final weeks of the season have done just that, benefiting either the buying or selling team in one way or another.

Bleacher Report will take a look at the 20 greatest MLB waiver trades of all time. We have included a couple of non-trades as well, waiver transactions that changed the fortunes of teams in the process.

20. Joe Blanton: Los Angeles Dodgers, 2012

It wouldn't be any fun if we didn't include at least one deal made already this season, and one that could have some impact.

Last week, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton probably breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had dodged a bullet in not being dealt before the end of the MLB non-waiver trade deadline.

However, that breath was short-lived.

Blanton was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 3 for a player to be named later, and within 48 hours made his first start for his new team.

It appeared that Blanton might be dealt to the Baltimore Orioles just prior to the deadline, but the two teams were unable to come to terms, which some reports suggesting that the O's wanted the Phillies to pick up a portion of the remaining money owed to Blanton.

The Dodgers took Blanton without asking for money, so the deal was quickly finalized on the Friday after the deadline. While the Dodgers will pay the remaining $3 million or so for Blanton, they essentially give up nothing in return.

The Dodgers won Blanton's first start as he tossed six innings of two-run ball.

19. Arthur Rhodes: St. Louis Cardinals, 2011

This was a transaction that came back to haunt the Texas Rangers.

Before last year's trade deadline, the Rangers had acquired relievers Mike Adams and Koji Uehara in separate deals. Rhodes was the casualty, being designated for assignment to make room for Adams on the 25-man roster.

Just three days later on Aug. 11, the Cardinals signed Rhodes for the rest of the season. While Rhodes was just OK in the final weeks of the regular season (4.15 ERA in 19 appearances), he was absolutely outstanding in the postseason, not allowing a run or a hit in eight appearances.

In the World Series against the Rangers, Rhodes faced his old teammates three times, setting down all three batters he faced to pick up a World Series ring.

18. Dave Hollins: Seattle Mariners, 1996

On Aug. 29, 1996, the Seattle Mariners were five games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West, and were looking to beef up for the final month of the regular season.

They acquired Dave Hollins for a player to be named later from the Minnesota Twins. Hollins was terrific down the stretch for the Mariners, hitting .351 with three homers and 25 RBI in just 28 games. However, Hollins' terrific offensive production wasn't enough as the Mariners finished 4.5 games behind the Rangers.

The player to be named later? None other than 21-year-old prospect David Ortiz.

17. Candy Maldonado: Toronto Blue Jays, 1991

On Aug. 9, 1991, the Toronto Blue Jays were five games in front of the Detroit Tigers in the AL East and looking to hang on to their lead for the final weeks of the regular season.

They acquired left fielder Candy Maldonado from the Milwaukee Brewers for Rob Wishnevski and William Suero.

Maldonado wasn't of much help immediately after the trade, but in 1992 was the everyday left fielder for the team that went on to win its first-ever World Series championship.

Maldonado came up huge in the ALCS for the Jays in 1992, hitting two home runs with six RBI in the six-game defeat of the Oakland Athletics.

16. Mark Whiten: Seattle Mariners, 1996

Just two weeks before the Seattle Mariners acquired infielder Dave Hollins from the Minnesota Twins for a very young David Ortiz in 1996, they made another acquisition.

On Aug. 14, the Mariners made a deal with the Atlanta Braves, acquiring outfielder Mark Whiten for minor league prospect Roger Blanco.

Whiten too did his part to help the Mariners, hitting .300 with 12 HR and 33 RBI in the final 40 games of the season, but as mentioned previously, it wasn't quite enough.

Ironically, both Whiten and Hollins had been traded for each other in July 1995.

15. Marlon Anderson: Los Angeles Dodgers, 2006

On Aug. 31, 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers were holding onto a slim three-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West.

On the final day before the waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers acquired outfielder Marlon Anderson from the Washington Nationals for pitcher Jhonny Nunez.

Anderson certainly did his part, hitting .375 with seven HR and 15 RBI in the final 25 games of the season for the Dodgers, but the Padres and Dodgers ended up tied at the top of the NL West at the end of regular season play, with the Padres capturing the title due to their 13-5 advantage over the Dodgers in head-to-head play.

Anderson hit .308 in the NLDS against the New York Mets, but the Dodgers were swept in three games.

14. Jose Bautista: Toronto Blue Jays, 2008

On Aug. 21, 2008, the Toronto Blue Jays entered into a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, acquiring well-traveled outfielder Jose Bautista for catcher Robinson Diaz.

The deal had no impact on the Jays at the time, well out of contention at the time and sitting in fourth place in the AL East Division.

The Jays took a chance on Bautista, who had at that time been given up on by four different organizations.

It's safe to say that the Jays' chance paid off.

13. Jeff Conine: Florida Marlins, 2003

Jeff Conine was an original member of the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993 and was an integral part of the team that captured their first-ever World Series in 1997.

Six years later, Conine was headed back home once again.

The Marlins, deadlocked in a tight race for the National League Wild Card, acquired Conine on Aug. 31, 2003 from the Baltimore Orioles for Denny Bautista and minor leaguer Don Levinski.

It was a key move for the Marlins, as Conine's savvy veteran presence was a definite factor down the stretch.

During the postseason, Conine hit .367 in helping the Marlins win their second World Series championship.

12. Tony Armas, Jr.: Boston Red Sox, 1997

On Aug. 13, 1997, the Boston Red Sox shipped catcher Mike Stanley and minor league prospect Randy Brown to the New York Yankees, receiving prospect pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. and a player to be named later.

Armas, the son of former Red Sox center fielder Tony Armas, never played a game for the Red Sox, but he became a key piece in a later trade that would benefit the Red Sox for years to come.

In November 1997, the Red Sox shipped prospect pitcher Carl Pavano and a player to be named later to the Montreal Expos for NL Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez.

A month later, the player to be named later was Armas, Jr..

11. Bert Blyleven: Minnesota Twins, 1985

For starting pitcher Bert Blyleven, his trade back to the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 1, 1985 was a coming home of sorts—his debut came in a Twins uniform in 1970.

The Twins acquired Blyleven from the Pittsburgh Pirates for SS Jay Bell, P Curt Wardle, OF Jim Weaver and P Rich Yett.

Blyleven was indeed home again, and while the trade didn't yield instant dividends, he was the anchor of a starting rotation that would help the Twins win their first World Series title in 1987.

10. Jon Rauch: Minnesota Twins, 2009

On Aug. 28, 2009, the Minnesota Twins were sitting at .500 (64-64) and 4.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central Division.

They acquired reliever Jon Rauch from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Kevin Mulvey. Rauch's arrival coincided with a tremendous run to the finish.

The Twins would win 23 of their remaining 35 games, with Rauch providing spectacular relief along the way. In 17 appearances, Rauch was 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA, helping the Twins catch the Tigers on the final day of the regular season to force a one-game playoff.

Rauch got two outs in the top of the seventh inning and the Twins went on the defeat the Tigers 6-5 in 12 innings to win the AL Central Division title.

Rauch was terrific in 2010 as well, picking up 21 saves after Joe Nathan went down with season-ending Tommy John surgery.

9. Alejandro Pena: Atlanta Braves, 1991

On Aug. 28, 1991, the Atlanta Braves were in a battle in the National League West Division with the Los Angeles Dodgers, both with 69-56 records.

The Braves made a move to bolster their bullpen, sending Tony Castillo and Joe Roa to the New York Mets for reliever Alejandro Pena.

Pena was enjoying an outstanding season for the Mets, posting a 6-1 record and 2.71 ERA in 44 appearances.

But during his time with the Braves, Pena outdid himself, helping out manager Bobby Cox by posting a 1.40 ERA in 15 appearances down the stretch. The Braves held off the Dodgers, capturing the division title.

Pena delivered for the Braves in the NLCS as well, allowing just one hit over 4.1 innings in four appearances, as the Braves bested the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games to move on to the World Series.

Pena's luck finally ran out in Game 7 of the World Series however, giving up the game and Series-winning hit to Gene Larkin in the bottom of the 10th inning.

8. Cody Ross: San Francisco Giants, 2010

On Aug. 22, 2010, Florida Marlins outfielder Cody Ross was at a crossroads in his career.

After enjoying a solid career in his four-plus years with the Marlins, he was placed on waivers, not knowing what direction his career path would take.

The San Francisco Giants answered that question.

The Giants claimed Ross, and while he didn't do anything particularly special during the final 33 games of the regular season (.288, 3 HR, 7 RBI), the postseason was an altogether different story.

Ross caught fire in the playoffs,hitting .286 with a homer and four RBI in the Giants' four-game series win over the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

Ross followed that up with an even better NLCS, hitting .350 with three HR and five RBI, helping the Giants defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to capture the National League pennant.

Ross capped off his season with another homer and two RBI against the Texas Rangers, helping the Giants capture their first World Series championship in 56 years.

7. Zane Smith: Pittsburgh Pirates, 1990

On August 8, 1990, the Pittsburgh Pirates were in a tight battle with the New York Mets, leading the NL East Division by just 1.5 games.

They made a move to strengthen their rotation, obtaining Zane Smith from the Montreal Expos for Moises Alou, Willie Green and Scott Ruskin.

The move certainly paid off, as the Pirates went 31-23 the rest of the way and Smith was simply magnificent down the stretch. Smith posted a 6-2 record, a 1.30 ERA, three complete games, two shutouts and a 0.842 WHIP.

Unfortunately, Smith lost steam in the postseason, losing two games to the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. Smith would go on to win 16 games the following season, including a win over the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 NLCS.

6. Woody Williams: St. Louis Cardinals, 2001

On Aug. 2, 2001, the St. Louis Cardinals were just two games above .500, a full 7.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central Division and buried behind several teams in the race for the lone Wild Card spot.

In a move to shore up their starting rotation, the Cardinals acquired Woody Williams from the San Diego Padres for outfielder Ray Lankford.

Williams provided the spark the Cardinals needed, pitching brilliantly down the stretch. Williams was 7-1 in 11 starts with a 2.28 ERA, as the Cardinals won 39 of their final 56 games to capture the Wild Card.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Williams wasn't available to pitch every game in the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While Williams won his lone start with a fabulous seven-inning effort, the Cards lost in five games.

Williams would go on to pitch the best baseball of his career in St. Louis, compiling a record of 45-22 with a 3.53 ERA.

5. David Cone: Toronto Blue Jays, 1992

Four days before the end of the waiver deadline in 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays made a bid to strengthen their starting rotation for the final month of the season and the playoffs.

Locked in a tight battle at the time in the American League East with the Baltimore Orioles, the Jays acquired David Cone on Aug. 27 from the New York Mets for second baseman Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson.

Cone would post a 2.55 ERA in seven starts for the Jays and would make four more meaningful starts in the postseason as well, helping the Jays win their first-ever World Series title.

4. Dave Henderson and Spike Owen: Boston Red Sox, 1986

On Aug. 19, 1986, the Boston Red Sox enjoyed a 5.5 game lead in the American League East Division over the New York Yankees, but they were taking no chances.

They pulled off a deal with the Seattle Mariners, obtaining outfielder Dave Henderson and shortstop Spike Owen. The Mariners received shortstop Rey Quinones and three players to be named later.

Neither actually did much to contribute for the rest of the regular season, both hitting under .200 in the final six weeks of the season.

However, Henderson's spot in Red Sox lore was cemented in Game 5 of the ALCS against the California Angels, crushing a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning off reliever Donnie Moore to put the Sox ahead 6-5.

Henderson would later hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th as well, giving the Red Sox a 7-6 victory. The Angels never recovered, leading the Red Sox back to the World Series for the first time in 11 years.

Henderson also hit .400 with two homers and five RBI in the seven-game loss to the Mets as well.

3. Larry Walker: St. Louis Cardinals, 2004

Outfielder Larry Walker was at the end of his career in 2004, spending 16 fruitful years with the Montreal Expos and Colorado Rockies.

However, 2004 was a different story as Walker endured an injury-riddled season with the Rockies.

The St. Louis Cardinals came calling nonetheless, acquiring Walker from the Rockies on Aug. 6 for Jason Burch, Luis Martinez and Chris Narveson.

Walker found the fountain of youth with the Cards, hitting .280 with 11 HR and 27 RBI in 44 games as the Cardinals won the NL Central Division title.

Walker certainly did his part to pitch in during the postseason as well, hitting .293 with six HR and 11 RBI, but it wasn't enough as his Cardinals were swept in the World Series by the Boston Red Sox.

But for that brief period, the old Walker became the Walker of old.

 

2. Larry Andersen: 1990, Boston Red Sox

In late August 1990, the Boston Red Sox sacrificed the future for the present, and the sacrifice came back to haunt them for years.

The Sox made the decision to bolster their bullpen for the stretch run, acquiring reliever Larry Andersen from the Houston Astros on Aug. 30. In return, the Red Sox received a promising prospect—first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who at that time had yet to play above the Double-A level.

Andersen was in fact helpful as the Sox went on to win the AL East Division before being swept in the ALCS by the Oakland Athletics.

Bagwell simply went on to become the greatest hitter in Astros history.

1. Doyle Alexander: Detroit Tigers, 1987

On Aug. 12, 1987, the Detroit Tigers were trailing the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East Division and were looking to make a push.

The Tigers acquired starting pitcher Doyle Alexander from the Atlanta Braves for young pitching prospect John Smoltz.

Alexander was absolutely outstanding for the Tigers, posting a 9-0 record and 1.53 ERA in 11 starts, and the Tigers won 33 of their remaining 51 games to overtake the Jays for the AL East title.

However, the Tigers lost the ALCS to the Minnesota Twins in five games, and Alexander was out of baseball two years later.

Smoltz teamed with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine for many years to lead the Braves to 14 consecutive NL East titles and a World Series championship in 1995. Smoltz is the only man in MLB history to record 200 wins and 150 saves, ending his fabulous career in 2009 with a likely place in the Hall of Fame sometime in the near future.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

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