2020 Trade #03 | Completed March 24th | # of Objections: 0

There’s always a battle, a back-and-forth, over who we select to be our 15th and final keeper at the end of each season. Do you keep the young guy with potential or the veteran player who will definitely get playing time next year? Do you keep the utility hitter or the utility pitcher? Each manager has a different method of answering those questions, examplifed by the two managers involved in this trade: The San Francisco Studs and The Thor and His Hammers. The Studs are looking to lock up young potential in David Fletcher, while Thor looks to address needs in their pitching staff during the 2021 redraft. That’s the beauty of quality trades, both teams can benefit and that seems to be exactly what resulted from this transaction.

SAN FRANCISCO STUDS REACTION:

The Studs find themselves with a roster full of talented youth, guys like Fernando Tatis Jr, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert, just to name a few. But also found on that list is Nick Madrigal, who hasn’t necessarily earned himself a big league roster spot with the White Sox yet, so The Stud’s GM wasn’t taking any chances for the 2020 season, “This trade was made more-or-less as a form of insurance for Madrigal, in case he isn’t up in The Show right away. My team is built on youth and while Fletcher adds to that youth, he also provides multi-position eligibility right now.” Walking that strategy out, The Studs can add David Fletcher to their roster, move Nick Madrigal down to a minor league spot and part ways with one of their lower-ceiling prospects. Long term however, Madrigal will play everyday for the Sox, and when that time comes, The Stud’s plan to, “drop one of my bottom end Starting Pitchers for Madrigal when he’s up so it never hurt my team at all.”

THE THOR AND HIS HAMMER’S REACTION:

The Thor and His Hammer’s have been by far the most active team in the Trade Market so far this season, and echoed their commitment to the future in this deal with The Studs, “We were happy to get a deal done with the Studs. We’ve been in talks for a few weeks now and couldn’t really get anything done but when I knew it was time to put Fletcher on the block I knew who to send him to.” The Thor’s GM has now secured three picks in the 3rd Round of the 2021 draft are rightfully-so, “looking forward to using [them] next season.” David Fletcher was formally added to the trading block before this move was completed, every team in the league had an opportunity to go get him, and when asked about why they were looking to part with Fletcher, Thor’s GM said, “We knew we had to make up for the loss of Price and Osuna,” who were traded earlier in the season, “so we took a deep look at the wire and were able to pick up a couple players due for a comeback,” referring to Taijuan Walker and Kyle Freeland. “There are a few more free agents that we believe could secure a fifth spot in their rotation and become breakout players, eventually turning into middle-of-the-rotation guys. We are keeping an eye out for those guys that could help us replace what we’ve lost in pitching. Our sticks are fine for now. We are focused on arms, and to starting to fill these holes we’ve been seeing in our staff.” It’s quite clear that once the 2020 MLB season gets started, The Thor will be out in full force scouting for those pitchers that can take their team to the promised land in 2021.