The trade deadline plays a crucial role in a team’s annual success, particularly in the postseason and sometimes even the World Series. However, not all acquisitions live up to expectations. Performance is key, and some players acquired at the deadline have struggled this season. For teams vying for the postseason or a World Series run, the trade deadline is especially important.
Trade Deadline Acquisitions Who Have Underperformed
Randy Arozarena
Randy Arozarena has shown flashes of strong performance for the Seattle Mariners recently, but he needs to step up for a team that has been struggling. Despite hitting three home runs in his first 28 games with Seattle, his impact on the team’s fortunes has been limited. Before the trade, Arozarena was beginning to find his rhythm with the Tampa Bay Rays, batting .211 across 100 games and on track for a career-high in home runs. He was dealt to the Mariners at a time when they were desperately holding on in the American League West.
However, since the trade, both Arozarena and the Mariners have faltered. Seattle now sits 3 1/2 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros in the AL West. Although Arozarena’s batting average has improved to .242 with the Mariners—better than his .211 with the Rays—his power numbers have dipped, and the team remains in a difficult position.
Bryan De La Cruz
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to underperform each year, and they’ve collapsed once again. Bryan De La Cruz, who started the season strong with the Miami Marlins, has been a disappointment for the Pirates. During his time with the Marlins, De La Cruz hit 18 home runs in 105 games while batting .245.
Since joining the Pirates, De La Cruz has struggled, batting just .233 with one home run. He is now projected to finish the season with only 23 home runs, a drop from his earlier pace of nearly 30 before leaving Miami. Expected to be a powerful hitter for Pittsburgh, De La Cruz has instead contributed to the team’s recent struggles. The Pirates have fallen nine games below .500 and are far from being a contender for a National League Wild Card spot.
Isaac Paredes
The Chicago Cubs traded Christopher Morel’s power-hitting bat and another reliever to the Rays in exchange for Isaac Paredes. Paredes has been a major disappointment for the Cubs, hitting just .158 with only three home runs in 26 games. Despite the Cubs’ recent hot streak, Paredes needs to step up his performance, especially if the Cubs want to catch up to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card race.
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