Being traded midseason is difficult for any player. Picking up your entire life, saying goodbye to your teammates, and then being expected to mesh with a new ball club is a tall task for any player. However, some MLB players have not only meshed with their new teams but have become a cornerstone in their team.
Many players were traded at the deadline this season, with some already making an immediate impact on their new squads. Which players have made a splash in their first few games, and which has been the best?
In a deal that included two superstars, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were sent to the Dodgers. The Dodgers were chasing the red-hot Giants for the NL West crown and needed Scherzer to add life to their depleted bullpen. Scherzer provided the boost they needed and delivered exceptional pitching performances.
Scherzer was dialed in in his debut, striking out ten batters through seven innings. This foretold Scherzer’s performance the rest of the season, as he would go 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 1.96 FIP, and 0.82 WHIP in 11 regular-season starts for the Dodgers. His performance on the mound elevated the Dodgers’ play and earned them a spot in the NLCS.
After winning the AL Cy Young award for the Cleveland Indians, Sabathia was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers right before the All-Star Break. His first outing in Milwaukee was less than spectacular as he went six complete, allowing five hits and three runs, two of which were earned, all on 97 pitches, but he did earn the win.
This poor performance lit a fire in CC, who went on to have an unbelievable season in Milwaukee. Over 17 starts for his new club, he went 11–2 with a 1.65 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings. This included seven complete games and three shutouts. More importantly than any stat, CC Sabathia’s contributions on the mound propelled the Brewers to the playoffs for the first time in 25 years.
After being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox in July 2008, Manny Ramirez experienced a remarkable career resurgence. Although his debut game with the Dodgers was modest, as he went 2-for-4, it was clear that Ramirez was beginning to find his rhythm. In his second game, he hit his first home run for the Dodgers, and by his third game, he had already added another home run to his tally. Ramirez continued to impress with four hits in one game and another home run.
Ramirez was unbelievable throughout his first month in Los Angeles, batting .415, launching nine home runs, and driving in 25 RBIs. Ramirez would go on to have an incredible rest of the season, even finishing fourth in the NL MVP votes, even though he spent only around a third of the season in the NL.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the most recent blockbuster trade in the MLB. The Miami superstar was traded to the Bronx, and it didn’t take long for Chisholm to become a fan favorite. His debut was alright, as he helped contribute to a Yankees win over the Red Sox, but he turned it up in his second and third appearances.
Against the NL-leading Phillies, Chisholm got right to work, launching a homer in the second. He wasn’t done there, as in the ninth, Chisholm added a second home run—this one coming against backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, in a 14-4 blowout win.
A game later, the music kept playing for Jazz as he had yet another two-homer outing. Chisholm hit a solo homer off Aaron Nola in the sixth inning, then gave his team the lead with a three-run shot off Matt Strahm in the seventh. He became the first Yankee to hit four homers in their first three games.
Randy Johnson was sent to Houston from Seattle, shocking the baseball world in 1998. Johnson was still among the best aces in the game, and his debut with the Astros was legendary. Johnson took the mound in the Houston Astrodome against the San Diego Padres and immediately got to work. He set the tone early in the game with a series of strikeouts and strong defensive support from his team. No one could touch Johnson for the rest of the game as he fanned 12 batters en route to a shutout.
Johnson’s addition to the Astros aided the team in their push to the playoffs. His moxy on the mound mixed with a 10-1 record, a 1.28 ERA, and 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings created a winning combination in Houston.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Randy Johnson of the Houston Astros throws a pitch in the first inning 29 September against the San Diego Padres in game one of the Division Series at the Houston Astro Dome in Houston, TX. The Padres won the MLB game 2-1. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
