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The most lopsided MLB trade deadline deals
The Indians got Corey Kluber at the 2010 trade deadline for virtually nothing. USA TODAY Sports

The most lopsided MLB trade deadline deals

There are always numerous deals completed around the MLB trade deadline. Sometimes those deals work out for both parties involved — other times, not so much. Here we chronicle some of the most lopsided MLB deals made at the trade deadline. Of course, these trades were made with the intent of improving each time, but the lopsided nature of them smells a little of desperation.  

 
1 of 25

Cubs trade Lou Brock to Cardinals for Ernie Broglio (1964)

Cubs trade Lou Brock to Cardinals for Ernie Broglio (1964)
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

A legendary trade in the minds of Cardinals fans, Brock was a developing speedster who went on to have a Hall of Fame career in St. Louis. Ernie Broglio was terrible in his last two-plus years with the Cubs, going 7-19 with a 5.40 ERA. There were other pieces involved in the deal as well, but this was such a lopsided deal that "Brock for Broglio" has become the common MLB nomenclature to describe lopsided trades. 

 
2 of 25

Tigers trade John Smoltz to Braves for Doyle Alexander (1987)

Tigers trade John Smoltz to Braves for Doyle Alexander (1987)
Rick Stewart / Getty Images

Arguably the move that set up the National League dynasty for Atlanta, Smoltz had a Hall of Fame career with the Braves going 210-147 with 154 saves and a 3.26 ERA over 20 seasons with the team. In defense of Alexander and the Tigers, the veteran starter went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 11 starts down the stretch for Detroit before faltering in his final two seasons.

 
3 of 25

Mets trade Tom Seaver to Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman (1977)

Mets trade Tom Seaver to Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman (1977)
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Seaver won three Cy Young Awards with the Mets, but he had plenty of great pitching left in him after getting sent to Cincy. He posted a 3.18 ERA in six seasons with the Reds. Zachry and Henderson had a few good years in New York but not enough to offset the loss of Seaver.

 
4 of 25

Yankees trade Jay Buhner to Mariners for Ken Phelps (1988)

Yankees trade Jay Buhner to Mariners for Ken Phelps (1988)
Mitchell Layton / Getty Images

The trade that will forever live in infamy after it was criticized by Frank Costanza on "Seinfeld," Buhner had a terrific career in Seattle, hitting 307 home runs in 14 seasons. Phelps was past his prime when the deal happened and hit .240 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI in 292 at-bats for the Yankees over two years.

 
5 of 25

Rangers trade Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez and Scott Fletcher to White Sox for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique (1989)

Rangers trade Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez and Scott Fletcher to White Sox for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique (1989)
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Baines had a terrific career but didn't do much for the Rangers in 1989-90. Sosa's power-hitter exploits are well-documented with the Cubs, and he developed his stroke over three years with the South Siders. Alvarez was also a nice return in the deal for the White Sox, posting an impressive 3.76 ERA over seven seasons for the team. 

 
6 of 25

Expos trade Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris to Mariners for Mark Langston (1989)

Expos trade Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris to Mariners for Mark Langston (1989)
Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Montreal didn't exercise much patience with its lanky young lefty, trading Johnson to Seattle for Langston. Langston was terrific for Montreal in 24 starts before leaving for the Angels in free agency, but that's no consolation for what the Big Unit did in Seattle. Johnson went 130-74 with a 3.42 ERA and finished top three in Cy Young voting four times in 10 seasons with the M's.

 
7 of 25

Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to Astros for Larry Andersen (1990)

Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to Astros for Larry Andersen (1990)
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

Boston got one month and 15 relief appearances from Andersen. Meanwhile, Bagwell turned himself into one of baseball's elite hitters from 1991-2004 and was inducted in the Hall of Fame.

 
8 of 25

Padres trade Fred McGriff to Braves for Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore (1993)

Padres trade Fred McGriff to Braves for Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore (1993)
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McGriff's time in Atlanta was somewhat brief but still highly productive. Over five seasons, he posted an .885 OPS and hit 130 home runs. None of the players in San Diego's return produced anything of note for the Padres.

 
9 of 25

Mariners trade Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb (1997)

Mariners trade Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb (1997)
Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

Slocumb wasn't having a good year in 1997, but that didn't stop the Mariners from trading two very good prospects for the closer. He had 10 saves for the M's in 1997 and a 5.32 ERA for Seattle the following year. Lowe spent eight seasons with Boston, going 70-55 with a 3.72 ERA. Varitek was even better, serving as Boston's catcher and team captain throughout his career. He hit 193 home runs for his career and made three All-Star appearances over 15 seasons. The battery mates were key players who helped reversed the curse.

 
10 of 25

A's trade Mark McGwire to Cardinals for T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick and Blake Stein (1997)

A's trade Mark McGwire to Cardinals for T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick and Blake Stein (1997)
Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Figuring they couldn't afford his price tag in free agency, the Athletics shipped McGwire to St. Louis for three young pitchers. Those three pitchers are now known more for their inclusion in the McGwire trade than their prowess on the mound. McGwire proceeded to hit a then record 70 homers in 1998 and 65 in 1999 before fighting through injuries in his last two seasons.

 
11 of 25

Astros trade Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen and John Halama to Mariners for Randy Johnson (1998)

Astros trade Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen and John Halama to Mariners for Randy Johnson (1998)
Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images

Johnson's second mention was far less favorable for the team retaining his services. The Big Unit went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA in 11 starts for the Astros in 1998 before leaving in the offseason to sign with Arizona. Garcia, Guillen and Halama each had strong years with the M's. Garcia made two All-Star appearances in six years, Guillen replaced Alex Rodriguez at shortstop for a few years before becoming a star in Detroit and Halama made a positive contribution as a fifth starter.

 
12 of 25

Blue Jays trade Michael Young and Darwin Cubillan to Rangers for Esteban Loaiza (2000)

Blue Jays trade Michael Young and Darwin Cubillan to Rangers for Esteban Loaiza (2000)
John Williamson / Getty Images

Few scouts saw Young's future coming, with 2,375 career hits and seven All-Star appearances. That doesn't make the move any easier to swallow for Jays fans, especially after Loaiza produced a 4.96 ERA over three years.

 
13 of 25

Phillies trade Curt Schilling to Diamondbacks for Travis Lee, Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla and Nelson Figueroa (2000)

Phillies trade Curt Schilling to Diamondbacks for Travis Lee, Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla and Nelson Figueroa (2000)
Harry How / Getty Images

Arizona gave up a huge package of young players for Schilling, but it was more than worth it. Schilling became ace 1-B behind Randy Johnson over four years, going 58-28 with a 3.14 ERA while finishing second place twice in the Cy Young voting. He also helped the team win its only World Series in 2001. Daal, Lee and Padilla all made contributions in Philly, but not nearly enough to offset the loss of an ace.

 
14 of 25

Expos trade Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens to Indians for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew (2002)

Expos trade Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens to Indians for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew (2002)
Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

Given what Sizemore, Lee and Phillips eventually became, this trade could be regarded as one of the worst moves ever. Aggressive GM Omar Minaya acquired Colon for the young package of players, but he made only 17 starts with the team. Sizemore made three All-Star appearances in eight seasons with Cleveland, Lee won the Cy Young in 2008, and Phillips, now in Atlanta, has made three All-Star appearances and won four Gold Gloves after getting dealt to Cincinnati.

 
15 of 25

Pirates trade Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton to Cubs for Jose Hernandez, Bobby Hill and Matt Bruback (2003)

Pirates trade Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton to Cubs for Jose Hernandez, Bobby Hill and Matt Bruback (2003)
Joe Robbins / Getty Images

Pittsburgh gave Ramirez away to the Cubs, where he became an elite power hitter during his prime. Ramirez had three 30-plus home run seasons and hit 239 homers over nine years for the Cubbies. Hernandez played only 58 games for the Pirates, and Hill made a limited contribution in 2004-05.

 
16 of 25

Mets trade Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz to Rays for Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato (2004)

Mets trade Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz to Rays for Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato (2004)
Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images

Mets fans still complain about trading Kazmir for Zambrano, even as the lefty has seen major peaks and valleys during his career. Kazmir made two All-Star appearances in six years with Tampa Bay, posting a 3.92 ERA. Zambrano had an ultimately forgettable 4.42 ERA in 201.2 innings with the Mets.

 
17 of 25

Mariners trade Shin-Soo Choo and Shawn Nottingham to Indians for Ben Broussard (2006)

Mariners trade Shin-Soo Choo and Shawn Nottingham to Indians for Ben Broussard (2006)
Christian Peterson / Getty Images

A solid, if unspectacular, hitting prospect for the M's, Choo was shipped to Cleveland for minimal return in 2006. He went on to produce an .853 OPS in seven seasons with the Indians, while Broussard only remained in the majors through 2008.

 
18 of 25

Mariners trade Asdrubal Cabrera to Indians for Eduardo Perez (2006)

Mariners trade Asdrubal Cabrera to Indians for Eduardo Perez (2006)
Jason Miller / Getty Images

Seattle was in the business of giving away prospects during the Bill Bavasi era, getting minimal return for Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo. Cabrera had several solid years with Cleveland, producing a .742 OPS and two All-Star appearances in eight seasons. Perez hit .195 in 87 at-bats for the Mariners before retiring.

 
19 of 25

Braves trade Neftali Feliz, Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Beau Jones to Rangers for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay (2007)

Braves trade Neftali Feliz, Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Beau Jones to Rangers for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay (2007)
Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

Desperate for a bat, Atlanta traded an excellent package of young talent for Teixeira. Big Tex hit .295 with 37 home runs and 134 RBI in 589 at-bats over two seasons for the Braves but was shipped to the Angels at the following trade deadline. The Texas package went on to make big contributions during the organization's playoff runs in forthcoming years, with Andrus still producing for the team.

 
20 of 25

Pirates trade Jose Bautista to Blue Jays for Robinzon Diaz (2008)

Pirates trade Jose Bautista to Blue Jays for Robinzon Diaz (2008)
Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images

Scouts loved Bautista's upside, which explains why he was moved five times from 2004-08 despite limited production. Pittsburgh moved him for a catching prospect in an overlooked deadline deal. Bautista made hitting adjustments with Toronto late in 2009 and proceeded to hit 97 home runs over the following two seasons and had a string of six consecutive All-Star appearances.

 
21 of 25

Padres trade Corey Kluber to Indians for Ryan Ludwick in three-team deal (2010)

Padres trade Corey Kluber to Indians for Ryan Ludwick in three-team deal (2010)
USA TODAY Sports

In a three-team deal between the Padres, Indians and Cardinals, Cleveland sent veteran pitcher Jake Westbrook to the Cards, St. Louis traded Ryan Ludwick to San Diego and the Pads moved a young prospect named Corey Kluber to the Indians. Ludwick was terrible with the Padres, hitting just .228 with a .659 OPS over parts of two seasons, while Westbrook was decent for St. Louis, going 36-32 over four seasons with a 4.27 ERA. Kluber, however, has become one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, helping Cleveland reach the World Series in 2016. He’s made two consecutive All-Star appearances, won the AL Cy Young in 2014 and owns a 3.28 ERA and 65-47 record.

 
22 of 25

Rangers trade Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter to Orioles for Koji Uehara (2011)

Rangers trade Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter to Orioles for Koji Uehara (2011)
Patrick Smith / Getty Images

Texas saw upside in Davis after a strong rookie season, but it had little time for patience looking to make a World Series run in 2011. The Rangers traded the power-hitting third baseman along with the plus-armed Hunter for a setup man in Uehara. Hunter has become an accomplished setup man in his own right, while Davis has 211 home runs since the beginning of 2012.

 
23 of 25

Mariners trade Doug Fister and David Pauley to Tigers for Francisco Martinez, Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells and Chance Ruffin (2011)

Mariners trade Doug Fister and David Pauley to Tigers for Francisco Martinez, Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells and Chance Ruffin (2011)
Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Apparently thinking they were selling high during Fister's breakout season, the Mariners traded the right-hander to Detroit for a package of young players. Fister went 32-20 with a 3.29 ERA in three years with the Tigers, while only Furbush made a notable contribution for Seattle.

 
24 of 25

Rangers traded Kyle Hendricks and Christian Villanueva to Cubs for Ryan Dempster (2012)

Rangers traded Kyle Hendricks and Christian Villanueva to Cubs for Ryan Dempster (2012)
Chris Humphreys / USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Dempster was a very solid pitcher for the Cubs, so it looked like a nice move when the Rangers added him in the hopes of getting over the hump. Instead, he provided just 12 starts and a 5.09 ERA with the Rangers before going to Boston the next year. Meanwhile, Hendricks led baseball with a 2.13 ERA last year in helping the Cubs win the World Series, finishing third in Cy Young voting. To date, he’s 35-20 with a 3.06 ERA in his career.

 
25 of 25

Rangers trades Carl Edwards, Justin Grimm, Mike Olt and Neil Ramirez to Cubs for Matt Garza (2013)

Rangers trades Carl Edwards, Justin Grimm, Mike Olt and Neil Ramirez to Cubs for Matt Garza (2013)
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

This was a major overpay for the Rangers. Garza had a 4.38 ERA in 13 starts for the Rangers before signing with Milwaukee in free agency. Grimm and Edwards have become notable bullpen arms for the Cubs, while Ramirez was effective in limited duty and is now with the Mets.

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