MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand After 2023 Trade Deadline
As the dust settles on a busy 2023 MLB trade deadline, it's time for an updated look at how all 30 teams stack up heading into the season's final two months.
The addition of an extra wild-card spot last season meant more buyers and fewer sellers this summer. Entering play Thursday, 20 teams were still within five games of a postseason berth.
A recent hot stretch was enough to convince the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres to all pivot to buying at the deadline. That took some of the top potential trade chips off the market.
Nevertheless, this year's deadline reshaped the MLB landscape. Along with recent performance, this week's power rankings will also take into account what each team did during this year's trade window.
Our weekly rankings will be moving to Monday mornings for the remainder of the season, starting next week. See you there!
Note: Statistics and analysis reflect games through Tuesday. Team records have been updated to include Wednesday's results.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Oakland Athletics (30-79)
Previous Rank: 29
The Athletics traded away Jace Peterson, Sam Moll and Shintaro Fujinami ahead of the deadline, but they failed to find a taker for upcoming free agents Trevor May and Tony Kemp, and they also didn't flip controllable starter Paul Blackburn. After an 8-15 month of July, they are on pace for a franchise-record 117 losses.
29. Kansas City Royals (34-75)
Previous Rank: 30
With an extra-inning victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday, the Royals extended their winning streak to a season-high four games. They have some holes to plug on the pitching staff after trading Ryan Yarbrough, Scott Barlow and José Cuas at the deadline, and they also flipped controllable infielder Nicky Lopez.
28. Chicago White Sox (43-66)
Previous Rank: 28
After trading Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Reynaldo López, Keynan Middleton and Kendall Graveman at the deadline, the White Sox are going to be scraping to cobble together a viable pitching staff over the final two months. The front office stopped short of a full-blown fire sale, but there could be more moves coming this offseason, as it's clear the window of contention has slammed shut on the South Side.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Colorado Rockies (42-66)
Previous Rank: 26
The Rockies unloaded veterans CJ Cron, Randal Grichuk, Pierce Johnson and Brad Hand at the deadline, and they will spend the final two months trying to avoid the first 100-loss season in franchise history. According to Tankathon, they have the toughest remaining schedule of any team in baseball.
26. St. Louis Cardinals (48-61)
Previous Rank: 24
The Cardinals stopped short of moving any controllable pieces, but they traded Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Paul DeJong and Chris Stratton leading up to the deadline. A resurgent Steven Matz has a 1.69 ERA in 26.2 innings over five starts since returning to the rotation in early July, and he can still be a key part of the team's rotation in 2024 with two years and $25 million left on his contract.
25. Pittsburgh Pirates (48-59)
Previous Rank: 27
After series wins over the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies last week, the Pirates are well-positioned to continue playing spoiler with upcoming series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs before the calendar flips to September. They did a nice job maximizing their expendable trade chips at the deadline, turning Carlos Santana, Rich Hill, Ji Man Choi and Austin Hedges into prospects and international bonus pool money.
Nos. 24-22
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24. Washington Nationals (46-63)
Previous Rank: 25
Outside of flipping rental bat Jeimer Candelario to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a pair of high-ceiling prospects, the Nationals had a quiet trade deadline. That should give them a real chance to overtake the New York Mets in the NL East standings. They could still move outfielder Lane Thomas during the offseason on the heels of his breakout season, as his two remaining years of club control don't necessarily line up with the team's next window of contention.
23. New York Mets (50-57)
Previous Rank: 22
The Mets waved the white flag by trading away Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, while also flipping upcoming free agents David Robertson, Tommy Pham and Mark Canha. The result is a vastly improved farm system and a massive step backward for a team that had title aspirations and a record-setting payroll. Scherzer then revealed on his way out the door that the front office plans to retool next season with an eye on contending again in 2025 and 2026, so more big moves could be coming this winter.
22. Detroit Tigers (48-60)
Previous Rank: 23
The Tigers traded rental starter Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies for infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee, but that was their only summer trade, as fellow starter Eduardo Rodriguez vetoed a potential deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Whether that means he plans to opt into the final three years of his contract remains to be seen, but with him still around and the bullpen left intact, the Tigers slot in ahead of the teams that aggressively sold.
Nos. 21-19
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21. Cleveland Guardians (53-56)
Previous Rank: 21
The Guardians flipped controllable starter Aaron Civale for MLB-ready prospect Kyle Manzardo, turned Amed Rosario into Noah Syndergaard, and swapped bad contracts by trading Josh Bell for Jean Segura (since released) and prospect Kahlil Watson to save roughly $9 million. Overall, it was a successful (albeit unconventional) trade deadline for a team that is still within striking distance of the AL Central title.
20. Seattle Mariners (56-52)
Previous Rank: 18
The Mariners took advantage of a seller's market and traded closer Paul Sewald to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Josh Rojas, MLB-ready outfield prospect Dominic Canzone and shortstop prospect Ryan Bliss. They also bought low on Trent Thornton in a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and dumped veteran AJ Pollock on the San Francisco Giants. For a team hovering on the fringe of contention, it was a smart approach to the deadline.
19. Miami Marlins (58-51)
Previous Rank: 16
The Marlins have a 4-11 record in their last 15 games entering play on Wednesday, and during that skid, they have fallen from the top NL wild-card spot to tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first spot on the outside of the playoff picture. Will adding Josh Bell and Jake Burger to the lineup and David Robertson and Jorge López to the bullpen be enough to right the ship?
Nos. 18-16
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18. New York Yankees (56-52)
Previous Rank: 14
With a 10-15 record and minus-34 run differential, the Yankees closed out July in last place in the AL East standings, so it wasn't surprising to see them take a reserved approach to the trade deadline. They added rental reliever Keynan Middleton and bought low on former top prospect Spencer Howard, but if they are going to make a late playoff push it will fall on an underperforming roster to right the ship.
17. San Diego Padres (54-55)
Previous Rank: 20
The Padres looked like potential sellers before they swept the Texas Rangers last week and closed out July with an 8-5 record over their final 13 games. Rather than trading Blake Snell and Josh Hader, they pivoted to buying and added Scott Barlow, Rich Hill, Ji-Man Choi and Garrett Cooper. Can a team that has not won more than three consecutive games all year get hot over the final two months?
16. Arizona Diamondbacks (57-52)
Previous Rank: 12
The D-backs have converted just 28 of 47 save chances, making the deal to acquire closer Paul Sewald potentially one of the most impactful trades of the deadline. They also added outfielder Tommy Pham and utility man Jace Peterson—who replaces Josh Rojas after he was included in the Sewald return package—while flipping veteran reliever Andrew Chafin in a seller's market for lefty relievers. Now they will look to rebound from an ugly 8-16 showing in July.
Nos. 15-13
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15. Minnesota Twins (55-54)
Previous Rank: 13
The only move the Twins made leading up to the deadline was to flip reliever Jorge López to the Miami Marlins for their own underperforming bullpen piece in Dylan Floro. They hold a two-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central standings entering play on Wednesday. The two teams still have six games head-to-head, but the Twins have a far easier remaining schedule, per Tankathon.
14. Chicago Cubs (55-53)
Previous Rank: 19
The Cubs used a 10-1 stretch of games that included an eight-game winning streak to climb back into the NL wild-card picture, and that was enough for them to pivot away from trading Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman to instead buy at the trade deadline. Corner infielder Jeimer Candelario was acquired as an upgrade over the underperforming Trey Mancini, while controllable reliever José Cuas was a nice under-the-radar addition to the bullpen.
13. Los Angeles Angels (56-53)
Previous Rank: 17
Another team that moved from seller to buyer with a strong finish to July, the Angels went 11-4 to close out the month. They pulled Shohei Ohtani from the trade block, swung a blockbuster deal to add Lucas Giolito to the starting rotation, and bolstered the offense with C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. With 18 remaining games against the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, the road ahead will be a tough one.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Boston Red Sox (57-51)
Previous Rank: 10
Swapping out Enrique Hernández for Luis Urías in two separate deals was the extent of the Red Sox trade deadline activity, but their biggest stretch-run reinforcements will come in the form of Trevor Story and Chris Sale eventually returning from the injured list. An upcoming 10-game stretch against the Royals, Tigers and Nationals will be a golden opportunity to make up some ground in the standings.
11. Cincinnati Reds (59-51)
Previous Rank: 8
With Hunter Greene (Aug. 20) and Nick Lodolo (Aug. 31) both expected to return before the calendar flips to September, the Reds will rely on their own in-house talent to bolster a starting rotation that has been a glaring weakness this year. They did add a solid bullpen piece in Oakland lefty reliever Sam Moll, who has elite batted-ball metrics.
10. San Francisco Giants (60-49)
Previous Rank: 15
The Giants lost six in a row before picking up a pair of series wins last week. That coupled with an injury to Anthony DeSclafani convinced them to move away from the idea of trading one of their starting pitchers, and they will get a boost in the not-too-distant future when Mitch Haniger and Thairo Estrada return from the injured list. After an 18-8 record in June and a 12-13 record in July, it's hard to know what to make of their contending upside.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Milwaukee Brewers (58-51)
Previous Rank: 7
The Brewers have made some nice additions over the past week, adding veterans Carlos Santana, Mark Canha and Andrew Chafin without parting with any of their top-tier prospect talent. They are the favorites in what still feels like a wide-open NL Central race, and two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff is on the rehab trail to provide another major addition to the roster.
8. Toronto Blue Jays (60-49)
Previous Rank: 9
The Blue Jays made three separate trades with the Cardinals leading up to the deadline, acquiring Jordan Hicks, Paul DeJong and Génesis Cabrera, and they also received some good news on deadline day when it was revealed that there was no structural damage to Bo Bichette's knee. Left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu also made his season debut on Tuesday, and he could be a major addition to the starting rotation.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (58-50)
Previous Rank: 11
The Phillies are 33-19 since the beginning of June, and they have seven games next week against the Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals to further solidify their standing as a top-tier contender. Acquiring Michael Lorenzen in exchange for second-tier prospect Hao-Yu Lee gives them one of baseball's best rotations alongside Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and Ranger Suárez.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Los Angeles Dodgers (61-45)
Previous Rank: 4
A trade deadline haul of Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Ryan Yarbrough, Amed Rosario and Enrique Hernández is probably not what most Dodgers fans had in mind, but those additions have undoubtedly improved the roster. Meanwhile, the potential return of Walker Buehler could be a major X-factor, even if he is limited to a bullpen role.
5. Houston Astros (62-47)
Previous Rank: 6
The Astros brought back Justin Verlander in a blockbuster deal with the New York Mets, and a few hours later Framber Valdez threw a no-hitter after struggling to a 7.00 ERA over his previous five starts. Suddenly the starting rotation is once again looking like a strength, and the bullpen will also benefit from the addition of Kendall Graveman. The Astros vs. Rangers battle for the AL West title is going to be a good one.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (66-45)
Previous Rank: 5
The Rays dropped out of the No. 1 slot and fell several spots in the rankings while going 8-16 in July, but they ended on a high note with a road series win over the Houston Astros. They dodged a bullet with Zach Eflin not missing significant time and also added Aaron Civale in a deadline deal with the Cleveland Guardians, giving the starting rotation the potential to shoulder some of the load as the offense has cooled off a bit.
Nos. 3-1
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3. Texas Rangers (62-46)
Previous Rank: 3
With Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery added to the starting rotation, the Rangers are ready to push for their first postseason appearance since 2016. Getting Corey Seager (sprained thumb) and Jonah Heim (strained wrist) healthy will be important, though they did pick up defensive standout Austin Hedges to provide some depth behind the plate.
2. Baltimore Orioles (66-42)
Previous Rank: 2
The Orioles moved into first place in the AL East standings on July 19, and they have held at least a share of the lead since then while going 17-9 with a plus-30 run differential in July. The deadline addition of Jack Flaherty and the return of Grayson Rodriguez to the majors have improved the starting rotation's outlook, and that group will be the key to their postseason run.
1. Atlanta Braves (69-37)
Previous Rank: 1
The Braves have leveled off a bit since their 21-4 month of June, but they remain baseball's best team and the current favorites to win the World Series. There was no flashy pickup at the deadline, but slick-fielding Nicky Lopez fills a role on the bench and Brad Hand is a proven late-inning arm who will pitch some big innings out of the bullpen. At this point, Alex Anthopoulos and company have earned the benefit of the doubt on their deadline approach.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Baltimore Orioles
3. Texas Rangers
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Houston Astros
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
7. Philadelphia Phillies
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. San Francisco Giants
11. Cincinnati Reds
12. Boston Red Sox
13. Los Angeles Angels
14. Chicago Cubs
15. Minnesota Twins
16. Arizona Diamondbacks
17. San Diego Padres
18. New York Yankees
19. Miami Marlins
20. Seattle Mariners
21. Cleveland Guardians
22. Detroit Tigers
23. New York Mets
24. Washington Nationals
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
26. St. Louis Cardinals
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Chicago White Sox
29. Kansas City Royals
30. Oakland Athletics
Postseason Odds Following Deadline Day
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Now seems like the perfect time to check in on the latest postseason odds for each team, courtesy of FanGraphs:
American League
Tampa Bay Rays: 96.7%
Baltimore Orioles: 93.1%
Houston Astros 88.9%
Texas Rangers: 81.7%
Minnesota Twins: 78.7%
Toronto Blue Jays: 67.6%
Boston Red Sox: 24.0%
New York Yankees: 20.8%
Cleveland Guardians: 19.6%
Seattle Mariners: 15.9%
Los Angeles Angels: 11.1%
Detroit Tigers: 1.8%
Chicago White Sox: 0.0%
Kansas City Royals: 0.0%
Oakland Athletics: 0.0%
National League
Atlanta Braves: 100.0%
Los Angeles Dodgers: 97.3%
San Francisco Giants: 70.9%
Philadelphia Phillies: 67.8%
Milwaukee Brewers: 64.7%
Miami Marlins: 46.8%
San Diego Padres: 46.1%
Cincinnati Reds: 36.0%
Chicago Cubs: 34.4%
Arizona Diamondbacks: 30.4%
New York Mets: 4.4%
St. Louis Cardinals: 0.9%
Pittsburgh Pirates: 0.2%
Colorado Rockies: 0.0%
Washington Nationals: 0.0%
2023 Deadline All-Traded Team
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1B Jeimer Candelario (WAS to CHC)
100 G, 424 PA, 131 OPS+, .265/.348/.488, 49 XBH (16 HR), 53 RBI, 3.3 WAR
2B Devin Mann (LAD to KC)
89 G, 386 PA, .307/.402/.541, 48 XBH (14 HR), 71 RBI at Triple-A
3B Jake Burger (CWS to MIA)
88 G, 323 PA, 115 OPS+, .214/.279/.527, 41 XBH (25 HR), 52 RBI, 1.3 WAR
SS Paul DeJong (STL to TOR)
82 G, 306 PA, 93 OPS+, .233/.297/.412, 24 XBH (13 HR), 32 RBI, 0.8 WAR
OF Tommy Pham (NYM to ARI)
79 G, 264 PA, 126 OPS+, .268/.348/.472, 26 XBH (10 HR), 36 RBI, 1.3 WAR
OF Mark Canha (NYM to MIL)
90 G, 307 PA, 101 OPS+, .242/.342/.377, 22 XBH (6 HR), 29 RBI, 1.4 WAR
OF Randal Grichuk (COL to LAA)
66 G, 271 PA, 123 OPS+, .310/.365/.504, 29 XBH (9 HR), 28 RBI, 1.1 WAR
DH Carlos Santana (PIT to MIL)
98 G, 410 PA, 96 OPS+, .231/.317/.408, 38 XBH (13 HR), 54 RBI, 1.6 WAR
SP Justin Verlander (NYM to HOU)
16 GS, 3.15 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 31 BB, 81 K, 94.1 IP, 2.1 WAR
SP Lucas Giolito (CWS to LAA)
22 GS, 3.85 ERA, 4.55 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 43 BB, 136 K, 126.1 IP, 2.6 WAR
SP Max Scherzer (NYM to TEX)
19 GS, 4.01 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.19 WHIP, 30 BB, 121 K, 107.2 IP, 2.0 WAR
SP Jordan Montgomery (STL to TEX)
21 GS, 3.43 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 1.25 WHIP, 35 BB, 108 K, 121.0 IP, 2.2 WAR
SP Michael Lorenzen (DET to PHI)
18 GS, 3.58 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 1.10 WHIP, 27 BB, 83 K, 105.2 IP, 2.0 WAR
RP Paul Sewald (SEA to ARI)
45 G, 21/24 SV, 2.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 12.6 K/9, 0.8 WAR
AL Award Rankings
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AL MVP
1. Shohei Ohtani, LAA
2. Kyle Tucker, HOU
3. Adolis García, TEX
4. Yandy Díaz, TB
5. Luis Robert Jr., CWS
6. José Ramírez, CLE
7. Bo Bichette, TOR
8. Wander Franco, TB
9. Marcus Semien, TEX
10. Isaac Paredes, TB
AL Cy Young
1. Gerrit Cole, NYY
2. Nathan Eovaldi, TEX
3. Luis Castillo, SEA
4. Framber Valdez, HOU
5. Kevin Gausman, TOR
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Josh Jung, TEX
2. Gunnar Henderson, BAL
3. Masataka Yoshida, BOS
NL Award Rankings
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NL MVP
1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
2. Freddie Freeman, LAD
3. Juan Soto, SD
4. Corbin Carroll, ARI
5. Mookie Betts, LAD
6. Matt Olson, ATL
7. Luis Arraez, MIA
8. Christian Yelich, MIL
9. Sean Murphy, ATL
10. Cody Bellinger, CHC
NL Cy Young
1. Blake Snell, SD
2. Zac Gallen, ARI
3. Justin Steele, CHC
4. Bryce Elder, ATL
5. Jesus Luzardo, MIA
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Corbin Carroll, ARI
2. Matt McLain, CIN
3. Kodai Senga, NYM
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