No. 5: Trading for Charlie Morton and Clay Buchholz
The first trade on this list is actually two different trades with the same intentions and the same results in back-to-back years. The first was trading for Charlie Morton for the 2016 season, and the second was trading for Clay Buchholz for the 2017 season.
General manager Matt Klentak made both of these moves to provide some stability and veteran presence in the rotation. If they fulfilled that goal successfully, Klentak could try and trade them at the deadline for an extra prospect or two.
However, both trades ended the same way. Morton made four starts but tore his hamstring running to first base in the fourth, end his season before May even rolled around. Buchholz didn’t even last that long, making just two starts. He suffered a tear in the flexor-pronator mass of his right arm, which required season-ending surgery.
Buchholz and Morton were both brought in to stabilize in the rotation, but injuries kept them from ever doing that. While the team didn’t have to give up much for either of them, they still lost out in the deals because of the injuries.