Sneaky MLB Trade Deadline Pickups That Will Impact AL and NL Playoff Races
The best trade deadline move is not always the one that dominates the headlines.
Last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers stole the show by acquiring Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Washington Nationals, but small-scale pickups Eddie Rosario (National League Championship Series MVP) and Jorge Soler (World Series MVP) proved to be arguably the biggest additions of all, helping the Atlanta Braves go from sub-.500 to World Series champions.
Which sneaky acquisitions could have major impacts on this year's playoff races?
We highlighted 10 under-the-radar playersโyou won't find Juan Soto or Luis Castillo on this listโwho have chances to move the needle for their new teams during the postseason push.
Honorable Mentions
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OF Robbie Grossman, Atlanta Braves
The Braves did a fantastic job shoring up their outfield last summer by adding Eddie Rosario, Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall and Joc Pederson via trades. Now they're hoping Grossman can provide a similar spark. The switch-hitter is batting .208 with a 76 OPS+ in 321 plate appearances, but he's only a year removed from posting a 114 OPS+ with 23 home runs and 20 steals.
OF Tyler Naquin, New York Mets
Acquired to be a left-handed-hitting complement to right-handed corner outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha, Naquin is 6-for-18 with four extra-base hits in his first five games with the Mets. He had a 19-homer, 70-RBI season in 2021, and he is capable of stepping into a large role if needed.
RHP Zach Pop, Toronto Blue Jays
His 3.98 ERA in 68 career appearances might not jump off the screen, but Pop is a ground-ball machine who can fill a key middle relief role. The 25-year-old has generated a 63.1 percent ground-ball rate this year, good for fourth among pitchers with at least 20 innings.
LHP Will Smith, Houston Astros
With Blake Taylor on the injured list, the Astros bullpen was entirely right-handed prior to the acquisition of Smith in a one-for-one swap for Jake Odorizzi. The 33-year-old has a 4.38 ERA with five saves and 10 holds in 43 appearances, and he logged 11 scoreless innings last postseason, including four each in the NLCS and World Series.
CF Harrison Bader, New York Yankees
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With a 3.77 ERA and 108 ERA+ in 51 starts over the past two seasons, left-hander Jordan Montgomery was quietly a rock-solid rotation option for the New York Yankees.
So, more than a few eyebrows raised when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday for Harrison Bader, who is on the injured list with plantar fasciitis.
However, since the Yankees added Frankie Montas via trade and Domingo German rejoined the rotation Monday, the front office traded from a position of depth to address perhaps the biggest hole on the roster.
Aaron Hicks is 0-for-23 in his last seven games and is providing below-average defense in center field (-5 DRS, -9.9 UZR/150), so once he is healthy, Bader should be a significant upgrade.
The 28-year-old had a 3.9-WAR season in 2021, and he signed a two-year, $10.4 million extension in April.
RHP Anthony Bass, Toronto Blue Jays
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Right-hander Anthony Bass spent the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 season with the Toronto Blue Jays, posting a 3.51 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 21 strikeouts in 25.2 innings while nailing down a team-high seven saves in nine opportunities.
He turned that performance into a two-year, $5 million deal with the Miami Marlins that included a $3 million club option and $1 million buyout for 2023. After a solid 2021 campaign in a setup role, he has been one of the most effective late-inning relievers in baseball this year.
The 34-year-old pitched to a 1.41 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP with a career-high 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 45 appearances before he was traded Tuesday with Zach Pop for prospect Jordan Groshans.
He joins Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza in helping to bridge the gap to closer Jordan Romano in a bullpen that ranks 14th in the majors with a 3.88 ERA.
IF Brandon Drury, San Diego Padres
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Lost in the trades for Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Josh Haderโand Joe Musgrove's five-year, $100 million extensionโthe San Diego Padres acquired versatile slugger Brandon Drury from the Cincinnati Reds.
After signing a minor league deal in late March, Drury hit .274/.335/.520 for a 126 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 92 games with the Reds while playing all four infield spots, right field and designated hitter.
Soto's debut was the big story Wednesday, but Drury stole the show, launching a first-inning grand slam in a 9-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
The 29-year-old has made one start at second base and one at DH, and he'll likely fill a super-utility role while flying under the radar on a loaded roster.
RHP Scott Effross, New York Yankees
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Get used to seeing Scott Effross in Yankees pinstripes.
The 28-year-old was a revelation this season in the Chicago Cubs bullpen, posting a 2.66 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings with 13 holds in 47 appearances before he was dealt for pitching prospect Hayden Wesneski.
Despite his age, he began the season with rookie eligibility, which means he's controllable via arbitration through the 2027 season.
With a low-90s sinker and a sweeping slider plus a funky sidearm delivery, he has a chance to emerge as the primary setup man for closer Clay Holmes, helping to ease the loss of Michael King.
RHP Michael Fulmer, Minnesota Twins
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The Minnesota Twins had a busy deadline day, acquiring controllable starter Tyler Mahle and All-Star closer Jorge Lopez in their two headlining moves, but they also added rental reliever Michael Fulmer to further bolster the pitching staff.
Fulmer, 29, was once a rising start in the Detroit Tigers starting rotation. He won American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2016 and was an All-Star in 2017, but he regressed badly in 2018 and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019.
The right-hander shifted to the bullpen in 2021 and started his relief career with a 2.97 ERA, nine holds and 14 saves in 52 appearances, employing a more slider-heavy approach.
He's now throwing that pitch a whopping 65.2 percent of the time, limiting hitters to a .165 average. He slotted in alongside flame-thrower Jhoan Duran as a setup man for Lopez in his first appearance Wednesday. With 20 blown saves in 41 chances, the Twins were in desperate need of late-inning help.
1B Trey Mancini, Houston Astros
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A year after winning the AL batting title, first baseman Yuli Gurriel has been a non-factor for the Houston Astros.
The 38-year-old is hitting .242/.291/.389, and his batted-ball metrics are among the worst in baseball. He ranks in the 27th percentile in average exit velocity and 25th percentile in hard-hit rate.
Houston now has a clear upgrade in Trey Mancini, who has a 114 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 43 RBI in 95 games plus four 20-homer seasons from his time with the Baltimore Orioles. Going from Camden Yards (28th in park factor home runs) to Minute Maid Park (14th) should lead to an uptick in power production.
The Astros also did well to add Christian Vazquez, but with Martin Maldonado entrenched as the starting catcher, Mancini stands to make the bigger impact.
CF Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
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The Philadelphia Phillies finally have a center fielder.
The position has been a revolving door over the past five seasons with five different Opening Day starters, and four players have made at least 15 starts at the position this season.
Now they have the 24-year-old Brandon Marsh penciled in for the foreseeable future after acquiring him from the Los Angeles Angels for top catching prospect Logan O'Hoppe, who was blocked by J.T. Realmuto with Philadelphia.
It has been a trying couple of months for Marsh, who is hitting .181/.242/.315 with a 41.1 percent strikeout rate in 163 plate appearances since the beginning of June, but his minor league track record and physical tools provide plenty of reasons for optimism.
Marsh was the No. 38 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2021 season, and he hit .288/.371/.440 with a manageable 24.3 percent strikeout rate in 1,331 plate appearances across four years in the minors.
Phillies center fielders have hit .203/.254/.287 for an MLB-worst .541 OPS, so anything close to that production would represent a major upgrade.
RHP Chris Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers did not make a major splash at the trade deadline, but that doesn't mean they didn't improve. Buying low on slugger Joey Gallo was the move that made headlines, but Chris Martin also has a chance to be a key addition.
The 36-year-old reliever was acquired from the Cubs for utility man Zach McKinstry on July 30, and he has already made three appearances.
The 6'8" right-hander has a 4.19 ERA and an excellent 41-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 34.1 innings. He filled a setup role in the Atlanta bullpen last season with a 3.95 ERA and 13 holds in 46 games and closed the year with a pair of scoreless appearances in the World Series.
He's now providing needed veteran experience alongside Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips ahead of closer Craig Kimbrel, helping to fill the void left when Daniel Hudson suffered a season-ending knee injury in June.
RHP Jake Odorizzi, Atlanta Braves
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With Spencer Strider rapidly approaching a career high in innings and Ian Anderson having inconsistency issues, Atlanta entered the deadline in search of rotation depth.
It found it in Jake Odorizzi, whom it acquired in a swap of veteran arms for reliever Will Smith of Houston.
Odorizzi, 32, was an All-Star in 2019 and is in the second season of a two-year, $20.3 million deal that includes a $6.5 million player option and $3.3 million buyout for 2023.
He has a 3.75 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 60 innings over 12 starts, and his presence will allow the Braves to keep an eye on Strider's innings down the stretch so he can be a factor in the postseason.
LF David Peralta, Tampa Bay Rays
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The Tampa Bay Rays have a new-look outfield after acquiring David Peralta and Jose Siri to help ease the fact that Manuel Margot (sprained knee), Kevin Kiermaier (hip inflammation) and Harold Ramirez (fractured thumb) are on the injured list.
Siri has gone 2-for-11 with seven strikeouts in his first three games, and he's hitting just .178 with a 53 OPS+ in 158 plate appearances this season, so his impact might be limited to what he can do with his glove. The 27-year-old has tallied nine defensive runs saved in 378 innings in the outfield this season.
On the other hand, Peralta has a 116 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 12 home runs and 42 RBI. He could slot into a run-production role in the middle of the lineup while splitting time between left field and designated hitter.
The 34-year-old is in the final season of a three-year, $22 million deal and is searching for just his second trip to the postseason. He reached the National League Division Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Thursday.
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