The expanded playoffs have allowed too many teams to believe there’s a chance they could be in serious contention with just around 80 wins. That’s a trap.
Yes, yes, there is the argument of the 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks, who snuck into the postseason with 84 wins in the regular season before surprising all the way to the Fall Classic. Let’s call them the Cinderella-story exception. There’s a better option than trying to emulate the D-backs, and that involves fading teams selling their best assets in a trade market that is ripe for superstars and desperate for starters and position players.
Sure, selling — and selling big — is an upsetting signal to fan bases that the rest of the season will be stale and uninteresting. But there’s plenty of space for teams that are out of the race to be opportunistic about their future by using their leverage to receive exciting prospect…
