Early Grades for Every Top 2013 MLB Trade Deadline Acquisition

We're now a week removed from the 2013 MLB trade deadline, and while some guys who were dealt in July have only been with their new teams for a short time, we can at least take a look at the early returns to this point.

More players will no doubt be on the move via waivers in August, but the July trade season was dominated by pitching and was one of the quietest deadlines in recent memory as a whole.

Still, there are several players wearing new uniforms who could have a significant impact on the postseason races. What follows are my grades for their performance with their new teams to this point.

To clarify, this is simply looking at how the new acquisition has performed since being traded and does not take into account previous performance or the details of the trade itself.

*All-Star reliever Jesse Crain was acquired at the deadline by the Tampa Bay Rays but remains sidelined with a strained shoulder, so he was not included on this list.

2B Alberto Callaspo, Oakland Athletics

Post-Trade Stats

5 G, 0-for-11, 1 R

Player Overview

Acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for prospect Grant Green, Alberto Callaspo had spent the past three-plus seasons as a third baseman, but the A's acquired him to bolster their offense at second base.

That was his primary position while playing for the Kansas City Royals back in 2009, and he'll now serve as the left-handed side of a platoon with Eric Sogard the rest of the way.

He's hit .299/.345/.413 in his career against left-handed pitching and gives the A's a versatile infielder who is more than just a rental player, as he's signed for $4.875 million next season, per Spotrac.

Grade: D-

SS Jose Iglesias, Detroit Tigers

Post-Trade Stats

5 G, 3-for-19, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Player Overview

The Tigers made a solid forward-thinking move when they acquired Jose Iglesias from the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that saw them ship outfielder Avisail Garcia to the Chicago White Sox.

Known as a glove-first shortstop, the 23-year-old Iglesias hit .330/.376/.409 in 64 games with Boston before the trade. However, he'd fallen back to earth with a .205/.247/.217 line in the month of July before the trade.

He probably won't be an offensive asset for the Tigers' stretch run. But with Jhonny Peralta suspended for the rest of the season as a result of the Biogenesis scandal, he gives the team a solid replacement who should provide plus defense if nothing else.

Grade: C-

LF Alfonso Soriano, New York Yankees

Post-Trade Stats

10 G, 8-for-38, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R

Player Overview

Looking to add some pop to their makeshift lineup, the New York Yankees reunited with slugger Alfonso Soriano, who played with the team from 1999-2003.

It remains to be seen if that will be enough for the Yankees to make a late-season push, as they are currently 10.5 games back in the AL East and trailing five teams in the wild-card race.

The 37-year-old went 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and walk-off single in his third game with the team, but is just 4-for-33 with one RBI in his other eight games.

Grade: C

RF Justin Maxwell, Kansas City Royals

Post-Trade Stats

5 G, 4-for-9, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

Player Overview

In his first extended action at the big league level last year, Justin Maxwell posted a .764 OPS with 18 home runs and 53 RBI in 315 at-bats.

He didn't play as often this season, posting a .241/.311/.387 line with two home runs and eight RBI in 137 at-bats, but the Astros still managed to find a taker at the deadline in the Royals.

The 29-year-old has already delivered a walk-off home run and gone 3-for-3 as a pinch hitter since joining the surging Royals. He's also under team control through 2016, adding to his value as a trade acquisition, and he should be a solid platoon bat down the stretch.

Grade: A

SP Scott Feldman, Baltimore Orioles

Post-Trade Stats

6 GS, 2-3, 5.70 ERA, 10 BB, 23 K, 36.1 IP

Player Overview

Signed to a one-year, $6 million deal in the offseason to help fill out the Chicago Cubs' rotation, Scott Feldman turned things around in a big way and became a valuable trade chip for the club to flip at the deadline.

In 15 starts in Chicago, he was 7-6 with a 3.46 ERA, and the Baltimore Orioles acquired him in early July as one of the first moves of this year's trade season.

He's not been nearly as sharp since, leading to the team's acquisition of Bud Norris in a later deal, but he has made quality starts in three of his six outings in Baltimore.

Grade: C+

SP Matt Garza, Texas Rangers

Post-Trade Stats

3 GS, 1-1, 2.82 ERA, 4 BB, 16 K, 22.1 IP

Player Overview

Through he was injured to start the season, Matt Garza came back with a vengeance and went 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA in 11 starts with the Cubs before being dealt to Texas.

He was red-hot at the time of the trade, going 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his final five starts with the Cubs, and the Texas Rangers paid a steep price to acquire what was the prize of the deadline as a result.

The loss of Nelson Cruz to suspension begs the question of whether or not the Rangers would have been better off adding a bat, but Garza gives them a front-line arm for the playoff push nonetheless.

Grade: B+

SP Ian Kennedy, San Diego Padres

Post-Trade Stats

1 GS, 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 4 BB, 6 K, 5.2 IP

Player Overview

The San Diego Padres were looking to add a front-line arm to an inconsistent starting rotation. They bought low on right-hander Ian Kennedy with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were looking to unload the struggling pitcher. 

Kennedy was 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts for Arizona this season, but is just two years removed from a breakout campaign in which he went 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA and finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting.

He earned $4.27 million this season in his first season of arbitration eligibility, so while he won't come particularly cheap, he is under team control through 2015. If he can return to form, he'll give the Padres the ace they've sorely needed.

Grade: B

SP Ricky Nolasco, Los Angeles Dodgers

Post-Trade Stats

5 GS, 2-1, 3.54 ERA, 10 BB, 22 K, 28 IP

Player Overview

One of the first deals of the July trade market was the Los Angeles Dodgers' acquisition of Ricky Nolasco from the Miami Marlins, a free-agent-to-be who was all but a sure thing to be moved before the deadline passed.

Though never an ace, Nolasco has been a solid workhorse throughout his career and entered the season at 76-64 with a 4.49 ERA in seven big league seasons.

He was 5-8 with a 3.85 ERA in 18 starts with the Marlins, and seeing as the Dodgers didn't need anything more than a durable arm to fill out their rotation, he was the ideal pickup for their playoff push.

Grade: A

SP Bud Norris, Baltimore Orioles

Post-Trade Stats

2 GS, 2-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 BB, 13 K, 12 IP

Player Overview

Though they acquired Scott Feldman early on in July, the Orioles still weren't confident that their shaky starting rotation was strong enough to get them to the postseason, and they made another deal in the hours leading up to the deadline to acquire Bud Norris from Houston.

Given the fact he's under team control through 2015 and has been very durable over the past four seasons, the team didn't give up all that much to acquire him, and he should help it beyond its stretch run this season.

He struck out eight and allowed just two runs in six innings of work in his debut and followed that up by allowing one run in six innings in his second start. If he can keep pitching like that down the stretch, it will go a long way in helping the Orioles' postseason chances.

Grade: A

SP Jake Peavy, Boston Red Sox

Post-Trade Stats

1 GS, 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 2 BB, 7 K, 7 IP

Player Overview

Once one of the top pitchers in all of baseball back in his days with the Padres, Jake Peavy ran into injury problems and made just 51 starts from 2009-2011.

He managed to stay healthy last season, though, and over 32 starts, he went 11-12 with a 3.37 ERA and made the AL All-Star team. While the White Sox declined their $22 million option on Peavy in the offseason, they quickly re-signed him to a two-year, $29 million deal shortly thereafter.

The White Sox opted to move Peavy at the deadline, even though the pitching market was thin. In 13 starts in Chicago, he was 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA, and the Red Sox will look for him to provide a front-line, veteran presence atop their rotation.

Grade: A

RP Scott Downs, Atlanta Braves

Post-Trade Stats

4 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 4 K, 3.2 IP

Player Overview

Since moving to the bullpen full-time back in 2007, Scott Downs has been one of the most consistent left-handed relievers in all of baseball, pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays and Angels.

Over the past six seasons, he appeared in 379 games and posted a 2.30 ERA while also recording 25 saves over that span.

With both Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty out for the season, the Atlanta Braves needed another southpaw to fill out their bullpen. Downs had a 1.84 ERA in 43 appearances with the Angels prior to the trade and should be a key arm for them the rest of the way.

Grade: A

RP Francisco Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles

Post-Trade Stats

4 G, 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1 BB, 5 K, 4 IP

Player Overview

Still a free agent when the season began, Francisco Rodriguez signed with the Milwaukee Brewers on April 17, and after John Axford faltered and Jim Henderson was injured, he found himself closing games once again.

All told, he was 10-of-10 on save chances with a 1.09 ERA in 25 appearances for the Brewers, and the team had no trouble flipping him at the deadline to an Orioles team looking to bolster their 'pen.

The Orioles don't need K-Rod to close, with Jim Johnson currently leading the AL in saves, but he was expected to serve as one of the primary setup men. However, he's allowed a run in three of his first four outings with the team.

Grade: F

RP Marc Rzepczynski, Cleveland Indians

Post-Trade Stats

3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 BB, 2 K, 2.1 IP

Player Overview

As the lone left-hander in the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen last season, Marc Rzepczynski got plenty of work, and he made 70 total appearances with a 4.24 ERA while holding left-handers to a .682 OPS.

However, after struggling to a 7.88 ERA early this season, he was sent down to the minors. With Randy Choate (42 G, 2.70 ERA) added in the offseason and rookie Kevin Siegrist (20 G, 0.98 ERA) stepping up, Rzepczynski never won his job back, and the team moved him at the deadline as a result.

Much like the Cardinals last season, the Indians had only one left-hander in their 'pen as well, and it was the struggling Rich Hill (44 G, 6.07 ERA). It wasn't the flashiest move, but it was a must for the contending Indians.

Grade: A

RP Joe Thatcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

Post-Trade Stats

3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 IP

Player Overview

Looking to pick up a left-handed arm to fill out the back end of their bullpen, the Diamondbacks sold low on starter Ian Kennedy and acquired Joe Thatcher in a package of players from the Padres.

If Kennedy returns to form, it will have been a steep price to pay. But given the way he'd pitched this season, it was an understandable move, and they got a reliever in Thatcher who is controlled through the 2014 season.

Tony Sipp was sent to the minors shortly after this deal, leaving Thatcher as the only southpaw in the bullpen, and he'll be relied upon heavily down the stretch.

Grade: B+

RP Matt Thornton, Boston Red Sox

Post-Trade Stats

10 G, 0-1, 2.16 ERA, 2 BB, 6 K, 8.1 IP

Player Overview

Since joining the White Sox prior to the 2006 season, left-hander Matt Thornton has appeared in 522 games with a 3.26 ERA and 9.4 K/9 while pitching in at least 50 games each season.

The 36-year-old posted a 3.86 ERA in 40 appearances with the White Sox this season, and as a proven veteran left-hander, there was no shortage of teams interested in him.

With Andrew Bailey injured, Thornton was a big pickup for the contending Red Sox, and he has already been used plenty and pitched well since being acquired on July 12.

Grade: B

RP Jose Veras, Detroit Tigers

Post-Trade Stats

4 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 2 K, 4.1 IP

Player Overview

A career setup man with a 4.01 ERA entering the season, 32-year-old Jose Veras was signed to a one-year, $2 million deal by the Houston Astros in the offseason to serve as their closer.

The right-hander made 72 appearances out of the Brewers bullpen in 2012 with a 3.63 ERA, and he was solid in Houston, converting 19-of-22 save chances with a 2.93 ERA.

Following the emergence of Joaquin Benoit as a viable closer option, Detroit no longer needed a ninth-inning arm at the deadline. It went after Veras anyway, though, and he'll assume Benoit's eighth-inning role while proving some ninth-inning insurance should anything happen.

Grade: A