Scanlon: Trade the Rays made a year ago looks like a win for everyone
The Tampa Bay Rays’ trade of shortstop Willy Adames to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Drew Rasmussen and J.P. Feyereisen looks like it will go down as a classic win-win.
At the time of the trade, one year ago this weekend, I thought it was a mistake by the Rays. Boy, was I wrong. And it hasn’t taken them long to prove it. Maybe next time I'll think twice before jumping to such conclusions.
Or maybe not.
Adames was, and continues to be, an excellent young shortstop and hitter, At the age of 24 he appeared to be the spirit of the Rays team that played the Dodgers in the 2020 World Series. Although currently out with a high ankle sprain, he has been even better for Milwaukee. He finished 16th in the National League MVP vote last year.
Few trades are win-win. Some are not even designed to be. Many professional sports transactions today are simply swaps of liabilities. Some trades are made primarily to trim payrolls. Hence the term "baseball trade," which is meant to describe a trade made strictly for the purpose of improving the rosters of both teams, free of business or financial considerations.
"People say there can't be win-win trades but I disagree. I think this is one," said Feyereisen, who has pitched in 15 games this season without giving up a run. "They (the Brewers) have a great bullpen as it is, and we basically needed to make room to bring up Wander (Franco), and now Ras has been unbelievable. Both teams got what they needed out of it and it worked out really well."
Really well.
"Especially with what Willy's doing now in Milwaukee," Rasmussen said. "They needed some middle-infield help, and on top of it he's been really offensive. And me and J.P. have done a pretty good job so far. So when both sides are happy, it's hard to complain."
At the time of the trade, Rasmussen was a spot starter for Milwaukee and Feyereisen was a self-described "whatever-inning type of guy" in a bullpen set up for Devin Williams and Josh Hader to pitch the eighth and ninth innings. Rasmussen and Feyereisen were expendable to Milwaukee.
To the Rays, who need a deep bullpen to make their system work, they have been valuable and reliable, especially this year. The trade boosted Tampa Bay's bullpen and starting rotation.
Since moving into the rotation full-time in August, Rasmussen is 7-1 with a 1.90 earned run average in 16 starts.
"What's Ras done since he's been here? I think I saw a stat where he's given up two or less runs in 18 of 19 starts so far," Feyereisen said. "He's been unbelievable."
"Things have worked out really well since being here," said Rasmussen. "I couldn't be happier to be here, and the opportunity I've been given is a blessing. I thank the Lord every day for getting started over here and for how things are going."
And he brought Feyereisen along with him.
"We always knew his stuff was really good, and he's going to make you hit it to get on base," Rasmussen noted. "He's uber-competitive and his stuff's elite. I love seeing him have success. He's a great guy; you can ask anyone in this clubhouse. We all love him and we all root for him. The start he's having is incredible."
Feyereisen's season to this point as been the equivalent of throwing one-hit and two-hit complete games. He has given up three hits in 18 1/3 innings.
All trades have to be judged from the perspective of different points in time. What looks like a great trade now might not look so great five years from now. Some players get better, others don't. Some get traded again, and again. Some players get hurt. Some thrive in their circumstance, some don't. Every day is a winding road.
But right now, a year out, this looks a trade from which everyone came out a winner.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Scanlon: Trade the Rays made a year ago looks like a win for everyone
