Looking for the '87 pennant, Detroit acquired Doyle Alexander for some kid named John Smoltz
Remembering the trade that brought Smoltz to Atlanta
These days, the non-waiver Trade Deadline gets all the attention -- understandable, given that it's consistently one of the most bonkers days of the baseball year. But that "non-waiver" part is there for a reason -- teams can still trade any player that passes through waivers -- and the month of August would like to remind you that it's plenty capable of some epic trade shenanigans.
Case in point: On August 12, 1987, in the heat of a tight pennant race, the Detroit Tigers got starter Doyle Alexander from Atlanta, a seasoned veteran who was in the midst of yet another solid season for the Braves. And all Detroit had to give up was a 22-year-old prospect named John Smoltz.
In the Tigers' defense, the trade made plenty of sense at the time. Alexander was everything Detroit could've wanted -- the 36-year-old posted a 1.53 ERA over 11 starts down the stretch, finishing fourth in Cy Young Award voting as the Tigers won the AL East. Smoltz, for his part, was a 22nd-round Draft pick and the owner of a 5-10 record at Double-A Glen Falls.
But Braves scout John Hagemann saw something in him, and pressed Bobby Cox to make the deal.
We'd say things turned out pretty well.
Smoltz photo courtesy of Dodger Blue World