MLB Teams with Playoff Potential
Written by: Charles Vakassian
Following the MLB trade deadline, there are several teams that have seen leaps in improvement, at least on paper. Some of those teams did so in the hopes of grabbing a playoff spot this season. Here are 3 teams who saw improvement at the deadline, and could be sleeper playoff teams.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays had themselves a really good deadline, bringing in Brad Hand and Jose Berrios to shore up their pitching. The Toronto lineup is already terrifying, with the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, and George Springer mashing baseballs. Now with Berrios slotting in next to Hyun Jin Ryu in the rotation, and Brad Hand at the back of the bullpen, the Blue Jays are poised to make a run and sneak into the playoffs, although it will be tough, with the Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees all ahead of them at the moment
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies were a little more quiet at the deadline, although they did acquire Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy to help their pitching staff. But in a weak NL East, the division can be had, and a Mets team without Jacob Degrom may struggle. With key contributions from core players like Harper, Realmuto, and McCutchen, and timely pitching, the Phillies can slide into the playoffs.
Cincinnati Reds
This one is more of a long shot, but cannot be ruled out. The Reds went out and gave their bullpen a huge boost, getting 3 new relievers in Mychal Givens, Luis Cessa, and Justin Wilson. They have key players close to returning in Nick Senzel, Mike Moustakas, and Nick Castellanos. They have one of the easier remaining schedules in the National League. 5 games back of a wild card spot, these Reds can be dangerous when everything clicks
Comments