One of my former clients was a big game hunter. His favorite office photo was of his African campsite one night with around 30 sets of eyes peering from the nearby trees. They were cheetahs ready to pounce. At 5:00 p.m. Çentral today, August 3, those will be the eyes of MLB fans evaluating trade deadline moves made by the 30 MLB general managers. Let’s take a look at some Big Name Hunting at or around the trade deadline in MLB history:

Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. After Kansas City’s somewhat lackluster first half in 2015, GM Dayton Moore acquired Johnny Cueto from the Reds on July 26 and Ben Zobrist from the Athletics on July 28 for prospects. It’s exactly what his Royals needed. Cueto had a brilliant second half leading the KC pitching staff and Zobrist stabilized the team with clutch hitting and sensational defense. Cueto threw a complete game gem in Game 2 of the World Series against the Mets. Kansas City was soon celebrating its 5-game dominance of the Mets, capturing the Royals’ first world championship in 30 years.

Max Scherzer. At the Trade Deadline in 2021, the Nationals dangled their ace righthander, Max Scherzer, out there looking for a big return. Washington was still fresh off its 2019 world championship behind Max but looking to rebuild. The Dodgers landed Scherzer on July 30 with a boatload of prospects in return. Scherzer led LA into the NL playoffs and finished third in the NL Cy Young. The eventual world champs, the Braves, ended Dodger hopes in the NLCS. Scherzer’s tenure with LA was short lived. Among the notable players Washington received in the trade were its current star catcher, Keibert Ruiz, and pitcher Josiah Gray. Gray made the 2023 NL All-Star team but has suffered from arm injuries since then.

CC Sabathia. The big lefthander had a wonderful MLB career, spanning 8 seasons with the Indians (2001-2008) and 11 seasons with the Yankees (2009-2019). It’s what happened in between that matters here. Cleveland, knowing that CC’s free agency was pending at the end of 2008, sent him to Milwaukee at the trade deadline for prospects. Sabathia had quite the second half, incredibly delivering 7 complete games out of the 17 he started. He led the Brew Crew to the NL playoffs, Milwaukee’s first postseason appearance in 26 years. The next season CC went to the Yankees and led them to a World Series title.

Lou Brock. In 1964 the Trade Deadline, June 15, was a lot earlier than it is today. That day will always go down in Cardinals history as one to remember, but in Chicago one to forget. The Cubs traded Brock to St. Louis as part of a six-player trade. Chicago’s highlight player in return was a pitcher named Ernie Broglio. Brock would take the Cardinals to three World Series in the 1960s (winning two, 1964 and 1967), become an all-time great base stealer (938 total), and a first ballot Hall of Famer. Broglio, not so much. When you hear “Brock for Broglio” nowadays it is simply the catchphrase for a lopsided deal.

Justin Verlander. I will always have strong reservations about how the Astros captured the 2017 world championship. There is a good, non-trash can story that came out of it though involving Verlander. Justin had spent his first 12 ½ seasons with the Tigers, capturing the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2006 and first of three Cy Youngs in 2011. He was dealt to Houston at the Trade Deadline in 2017, and quickly became the anchor of the Astros pitching staff. Houston beat Boston in the ALDS and the Yankees in the ALCS (as Verlander was named ALCS MVP). In a thrilling seven-game World Series with the Dodgers, the Astros won it all. It would be the first of two world championships for Verlander (the other, in 2022).

Manny Ramirez. Manny will always be a legend in Cleveland where he started (1993-2000) and in Boston (2001-2008) where he helped the Red Sox end a long Series drought out in 2004 and then again in 2007. What you might not remember is that Ramirez is a key figure in Dodger blue history as well. He was traded to LA at the 2008 Trade Deadline and his bat became instantly hot. In just 53 games after the trade, Ramirez hit .396 with 17 HRs. Manny sparked the Dodgers to its NLCS appearance.

Tom Seaver. I’ll never forget this one. On the night of June 15, 1977, I was at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium with friends when the news arrived that the Mets had traded Seaver to the Reds for four players (one of whom, the late Pat Zachary, would be my fantasy baseball coach in 1999 and a great friend). The Big Red Machine was fresh off its World Series wins in 1975 and 1976. Cincinnati celebrated big time landing Seaver. It no doubt meant that a three-peat would happen in October. While Seaver enjoyed a very good second half in 1977 ultimately winning 21 games for the season, the Dodgers spoiled all of the joy by winning the NL West and National League.

Pete Crow-Armstrong. Sometimes you just have to know when to say goodbye. The Cubs won the Series in 2016 behind its core of Rizzo, Bryant, and Lester, but there were some new faces that helped as well. One of them was Javier Baez. Baez in his early years played shortstop exceptionally, batted with power, and ran the bases like no one else in the NL. His soft spot was clearly a slider away. In a 2021 Trade Deadline deal, Baez was sent to the Mets with others for an unknown centerfielder, PCA. Pete has become one of the great stars in baseball today, a prime candidate for the 2026 NL Most Valuable Player award.

Jake Arrieta. One of the most important mid-season trades that led to the Cubs 2016 world championship happened three years earlier on July 2, 2013. In a non-descript trade Chicago sent Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger to Baltimore for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop. In 2015, Arrieta led the MLB in wins with 22, pitched a no-hitter, and won the NL Cy Young. He followed that with a 2016 All-Star appearance and helped lead the Cubs finally to baseball’s promised land. You just never know when that non Big Name Hunted might become a linchpin to success.

Tarik Skubal. You might have thought that this Big Name would be closer to the top of the list. I just couldn’t do it. Before landing with the Dodgers in a trade with the Tigers on Saturday night, Skubal might have been the biggest pitching option we have seen available at the Trade Deadline in quite some time. Tarik has won the last two AL Cy Young awards. This year he is sporting a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 96 innings and just 14 walks. He’s literally at the top of his game. The Tigers received in return three prospects from Los Angeles, including their number one, outfielder Zyhir Hope. I guess hope is the key word for MLB teams not named the Dodgers. LA is certainly playing by the rules with this star-studded team and enormous payroll, but it leaves a disappointing taste in the mouths of all baseball fans. The end result might just be that the other MLB owners simply say enough is enough, and we won’t see baseball until long after the December 1 expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.

You just never know which side of the Big Name Hunting your favorite team might be on! Good luck at the Trade Deadline today!

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach