MLB Trades 2019: Grading Top Moves Before Deadline Ends

The New York Mets made the first major splash ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline Sunday by acquiring Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a pair of prospects. 

The move caught plenty of people off guard since the Mets were expected by many to be one of the top sellers ahead of Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. 

Instead, the Mets went in the opposite direction and added a piece to their rotation, which now boasts Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz.

Stroman's shift from the American League East to National League East was not the first trade made over the last seven days, but it might turn out to be the most significant. 

Before the Mets stole our attention, Minnesota and Oakland improved their respective relief units over the weekend in order to help with their postseason pushes. 

Grading Top MLB Trades

Marcus Stroman to Mets

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

The Mets brought in one of the top pitching trade targets in Stroman, and since he comes with a year of team control left on his contract, it could be seen as a positive move. 

From a price standpoint, the Mets shipped minor league arms Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson to the Blue Jays.

The Mets do not have the strongest farm system in the majors, but they had enough in their arsenal for Toronto to approve of the package. 

Some could view the exchange as the Mets paying a low price for Stroman since both Kay and Woods-Richardson were not ranked in MLB.com's top 100 prospects. 

The price point could also serve as a measuring stick for the rest of the trade market, although that could change as the hours wind down and teams get more desperate. 

At the moment, the Mets have four strong arms in their rotation, but that might not be the case by the time the deadline hits Wednesday afternoon.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Mets plan to keep Stroman and the likelihood of moving Wheeler or Syndergaard is strong.

Without factoring any other moves into the grade of the Stroman deal, it seems like a good transaction by the Mets, who have an All-Star arm on staff for at least another season. 

Even if they let go of Wheeler and/or Syndergaard, the Mets have an ace in their rotation and can make a case to contend next season. 

Although he possesses a 6-11 record, Stroman has a 2.96 ERA and has struck out 99 batters and walked only 35. 

In his last three starts, Stroman conceded four earned runs to the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. 

Adding Stroman to the rotation could make a difference in the playoff hunt, but the Mets' wild-card status will likely be determined by any other moves they make. 

Even if the Mets do not make a push in August and September, they set themselves up for some success on the mound in 2020 regardless of whether they decide to move Wheeler or Syndergaard.

While it may seem harsh to call Stroman a contingency plan because of the type of player he is, that is how the trade could be looked at if other deals are approved, and in that case, it was smart of the Mets to pull the trigger on the deal before other teams swooped in with better offers. 

Grade: B

Sergio Romo to Minnesota

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Minnesota added bullpen help Saturday by bringing in Sergio Romo from the Miami Marlins. 

The Twins also acquired Single-A pitcher Chris Vallimont in the deal that sent first-base prospect Lewin Diaz and a player to be named later to the Marlins. 

Romo provides Minnesota with an experienced arm in the middle of one of the most heated playoff races in baseball.

The three-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants is 2-0 with a 3.58 ERA and 17 saves in 2019. 

The Athletic's Dan Hayes pointed out that Taylor Rogers is expected to still receive the save opportunities and that Minnesota is looking to add more pieces. 

Romo has not conceded an earned run over 6.2 innings of work in July, and he only threw in back-to-back days on two occasions this month.

That is also a positive for the Twins, who are getting a fresh arm to reinforce the setup slots ahead of Rogers. 

It has to be noted Romo is 36 and has not pitched in the postseason since 2016, but he still carries value for a team holding on to a two-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central. 

Romo was not the best option on the market, but he also did not cost much since Diaz was rated as the No. 30 prospect in the Minnesota farm system. 

Because the Twins added a player with experience in a spot of need, the move has to be viewed as a positive at the moment. 

Grade: A- 

Jake Diekman to Oakland

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Oakland paid a steeper price to bring in Jake Diekman from the Kansas City Royals, as they shipped two players back to the bottom team in the AL Central. 

Double-A outfielder Dairon Blanco and Arizona Rookie League pitcher Ismael Aquino were sent to Kansas City. 

On the surface, it looks like the Athletics did not give up much in order to improve a key portion of their roster.

Oakland manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com's Martin Gallegos that Diekman allows the Athletics to have more flexibility with matchups when it comes to using Ryan Buchter, who is also left-handed. 

"It allows me to match up more with [Ryan] Buchter to maybe get a key left-hander out earlier in the game," Melvin said. "You can run him through an inning and not worry about the matchup. He was sought after by quite a few teams, so we're lucky to get him."

With the exception of a July 7 outing against Washington in which he gave up two earned runs, Diekman has had a solid last month.

With the addition of Diekman, Oakland has one of the most formidable bullpen units in the league, with Blake Treinen, Liam Hendriks, Yusmeiro Petit and Joakim Soria also part of that group. 

If Oakland, who currently holds the second wild-card spot in the AL, qualifies for the postseason, it could be tough to break down in the latter innings, which is a quality you must have in order to win tight games at that stage of the season. 

Grade: B+

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from MLB.com.