Weekly Takes - Monday, August 7th Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, August 7th Edition

1. Kyle Dubas won the Erik Karlsson trade in the sense that he significantly improved the Penguins odds of making the playoffs in 2023-2024.

But that is all he did.

They are not a Cup contender and they are destined to be one of the worst teams in the league three years from now.

Taking the Pittsburgh job was always about power and nothing more.

2. Paul DeJong is a nice fit for the Blue Jays in the sense that he has hit lefties well this season and that he provides elite defence at an important position.

Once Bo Bichette returns, he will be a nice bat to have in the lineup against lefties, allowing Daulton Varsho to no longer be an everyday player.

It would have been great to see the Jays land a bigger bat, but it is not as though a lot of big bats were moved to other teams at the deadline either.

The reality is, the most significant addition the Jays can make is getting internal improvement from their expected stars.

3. The Mets tried to buy their way to a championship, but it failed miserably, and now they are correcting their mistakes by trading veterans for prospects, even if it means taking a step back for a season or two.

They could be scary moving forward once they actually develop a high-end prospect system. A high-end prospect system plus money to spend is a dangerous combination.

4. It is tough to blame the Angels for not trading Shohei Ohtani, as you owe it to your fan base to go all-in for a championship when you have the two best players of the generation on your team.

But there has never been a more significant indictment on a management staff than what is happening now in Anaheim.

You kept Ohtani and made multiple splashes at the deadline, and yet are not even going to sniff a playoff spot.

That says a lot about the team-building that has been going on in the last half-decade.

5. Overall, my winners and losers from the trade deadline…

Winners…

• Rangers

• Astros

• Marlins

Losers…

• Orioles

• Dodgers

The Astros needed to add an impact starter and they did, while I love the Marlins bolstering their lineup.

I am surprised the Orioles and Dodgers did not add to their rotation, though it was not for the lack of trying from the Dodgers.

6. It is tough to deem the Yankees “losers,” as they had nothing to sell, while buying was not an option given how depleted their rotation is.

They are stuck in no man’s land.

7. Richie Layera leaving Toronto FC for the Whitecaps of all teams is the final blow to a core that cannot be blown up soon enough, starting at the top with Bill Manning, who should not be trusted at all to lead the team through a rebuild.