Examining The 2020 Trade Deadline Moves of Each AL Central Team

This year's trade deadline came a month later than the July 31st date that we typically circle on our baseball calendars, but hey, it's 2020, so why not do things a little differently. 

The White Sox, Twins and Indians all currently possess playoff spots, while Detroit resides just two games back of the final AL wild card entering today's 20-game MLB schedule. Let's examine what the five AL Central teams chose to do at the deadline.

Tigers

With the exception of a last-minute deal that moved veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin out of a crowded Detroit outfield and into a Cubs uniform, the Tigers decided to stand pat.

General manager Al Avila indicated that the team might add pitching depth after shutting down prospects Matt Manning and Alex Faedo due to right forearm strains. 

In response to the injuries, Avila helped reunite Tigers fans with a familiar name when the team claimed Dereck Rodriguez off waivers from San Francisco. Dereck is the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, who played for the Tigers from 2004-2008. 

There was speculation around whether or not the Tigers would move Jonathan Schoop, but the team promptly shut down any inquiries regarding their home run leader. 

Daniel Norris also garnered interest after taking his talents to the Tigers bullpen this season. Six of his seven appearances in 2020 have come as a long reliever. 

The left-hander's name swirled among rumors connected to the Tampa Bay Rays, although the Tigers opted to keep Norris in Detroit.

The decision to not ship away veterans in return for promising prospects is a polarizing subject in Detroit. Whether you love it, hate it, or sit somewhere in the middle--the Tigers appear to be all-in on an unexpected playoff push. 

White Sox

Aside from acquiring Jarrod Dyson last Friday, The White Sox decided to stand pat at the deadline--motivated by keeping an eye on both the present and the future. 

"It came down to not wanting to do anything that was going to compromise what we're excited about over the better part of the next decade around here," said White Sox GM Rick Hahn.

The White Sox (23-15) are currently second in the AL Central and are in pursuit of their first division title since 2008. Chicago's mixture of young players with explosive potential and established, consistent veterans created one of baseball's most potent lineups. 

The South Siders set a franchise record 53 home runs in August, but it wasn't all about their hot hitting. Chicago's pitching staff also boasted a major league-best 2.55 ERA through the first 29 games of August.

Considering the injuries to veteran starter Gio Gonzalez and reliever Aaron Bummer--it felt practical for the White Sox to add to their staff.

Chicago had reportedly been interested in right-hander Mike Clevinger, who the Indians ultimately traded to the Padres. Lance Lynn is another right-handed name that was attached to the White Sox and sought after by multiple teams but remained with the Rangers. 

The White Sox held a meeting last Sunday that reportedly included seven veteran players, manager Rick Renteria, GM Rick Hahn, Vice President Ken Williams and longtime Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Evidently, they elected to keep the chemistry intact.

A rebuilding project began in 2016 and is now moving full steam ahead with one of baseball's most scintillating rosters, despite not making any notable deadline deals.

Twins

The Twins also remained quiet at the deadline amid their worst stretch of this shortened season. Tuesday's 3-2 win over the White Sox ended a six-game losing streak that dropped the Twins (22-16) to third place in the division. 

Without any deals at the deadline, the Twins' hopes seem to rest on the return of multiple key players coming off the injured list.

"We believe we have the players here to win and to succeed and to get the job done," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after the deadline. 

"These five-game stretches, these periods of time, of course, they affect you and they're not easy to get through, but we have all of the talent, we have the players, and our guys are going to be ready to go today when we step out there on the field." 

So far, that philosophy has worked out; Minnesota has won back-to-back games since activating center fielder Byron Buxton along with reinstating pitcher Michael Pineda on Tuesday. 

A day later, Josh Donaldson made a resounding return to the lineup with hits in each of his first two plate appearances. Donaldson's bat drove in two of Minnesota's eight runs on Wednesday and should continue to reignite an offense that fell asleep during their six-game skid leading up to the deadline. 

Indians

The Indians possessed one of baseball's most coveted arms heading into the 2020 trade deadline. Cleveland opted to move right-hander Mike Clevinger to the Padres in exchange for six players, half of whom are minor leaguers.

The deal also sent outfielder Greg Allen to a burgeoning San Diego club that's on track for their first postseason appearance since 2006. In return, the Indians received Padres reliever Cal Quantrill, outfielder Josh Naylor and catcher Austin Hedges to go along with the three minor league prospects.

Reminiscent of Chicago's philosophy, this was a move made with both the present and future in mind. The contract of all-star shortstop Francisco Lindor runs through 2021, and it'll be difficult for Cleveland to match what other teams might be able to offer him.

San Diego's farm system is one of the best in baseball, which is notable when you consider that two of the three prospects acquired in the Clevinger deal are infielders: shortstop Gabriel Arias and utility Infielder Owen Miller. The Indians also acquired left-handed pitcher Joey Cantillo.

Meanwhile, Cleveland is first in the AL Central with a half-game lead on the White Sox heading into Friday's schedule. Even without Clevinger, the Indians have the pieces in their rotation to maintain the starting pitching that's played an integral role in their 23-14 record. 

The Indians were reportedly hoping to add one of baseball's most consistent hitters, Starling Marte, to their inconsistent lineup. In the end, the Marlins ended up acquiring the two-time Gold Glove award winner. 

Royals 

The most notable deal in Kansas City took place about 48 hours prior to Monday's deadline when the Royals dealt reliever Trevor Rosenthal to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Edward Olivares. 

Rosenthal will provide a veteran presence at the backend of a Padres bullpen that has been beleaguered by injuries and inconsistency this season.

Olivares, an athletic outfielder with wonderful instincts on the base-paths and excellent speed--recorded his first two hits in a Royals uniform during Thursday's 11-6 loss to the White Sox. 

For the time being, Kansas City's deadline deals are predicated upon building for a brighter future. That theme remained present in their other acquisition of infielder/outfielder Lucius Fox from the Rays in exchange for trading Brett Phillips. 

Fox becomes the Royals' No. 26 prospect in a farm system currently ranked 10th according to MLB pipeline. 

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