MLB Trade Deadline 2025 Live Grades for Every Trade
After months of buildup, the 2025 MLB trade deadline is finally a thing of the past. It came and went at 6 p.m. ET.
This is where we were handing out live grades for every trade that made it across the finish line, and there ended up being a ton of them.
Each grade is based on the general balance of the deal. How well the buyer filled a need matters, but so does the price paid. And for sellers, all that matters is whether they got good value for what they gave up.
The deals are presented in chronological order from newest to oldest.
Cubs Acquire Willi Castro
1 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get INF/OF Willi Castro; Minnesota Twins get RHP Ryan Gallagher, RHP Sam Armstrong
For the Cubs: B
There pretty much isn't a position that Castro can't play, but you have to figure that the 2024 All-Star will mostly play third base on the North Side.
It's been the one problem area for the Cubs offensively, producing a .575 OPS and just four home runs. He has a .743 OPS and 10 homers this year, with good peripherals that may portend even better production to come.
For the Twins: A
Castro's contract only runs through the rest of this year, so the Twins did well to leverage his trade value into at least one promising prospect.
That is Gallagher, who has a 3.43 ERA in 16 starts across High-A and Double-A. He throws strikes and has an above-average fastball and changeup, the combination of which had him ranked as the Cubs' No. 8 prospect for MLB Pipeline.
Brewers Acquire Shelby Miller, Jordan Montgomery
2 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Milwaukee Brewers get RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Jordan Montgomery; Arizona Diamondbacks get PTBNL or cash considerations
For the Brewers: D
There's frankly too much risk for comfort going on with this deal. Montgomery is out for the year after having Tommy John surgery, so the payoff hinges on Miller making a strong recovery from a forearm injury that put him on the IL on July 5.
If he does, perhaps he can resemble the guy who had a 1.98 ERA through 37 appearances for Arizona. If not, the Brewers will have taken on a little over $2 million in salary for nothing.
For the Diamondbacks: F
The D-backs saved a couple million dollars in this deal. That's it. That's the return. It would be disappointing even if there wasn't backstory with Montgomery, but there is and it's not pretty.
The best hope is that the player to be named later will unexpectedly turn out to be a big-name player in a few years' time. It's happened before, even if it is rare.
Rays Acquire Adrian Houser
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Adrian Houser; Chicago White Sox get INF Curtis Mead, RHP Duncan Davitt, RHP Ben Peoples
For the Rays: C
Houser is a guy we liked heading into the trade deadline, but more so as a rental for a contender in need of rotation help. The Rays are barely a contender, so it's odd to see them sending three players to another team for a mere rental.
He will bring stability to their rotation, if for no other reason than he keeps the ball on the ground. But unless the Rays rally to make the playoffs, it'll feel like a waste.
For the White Sox: A
The White Sox picked Houser up off the Rangers' scrapheap just two months ago, so it's remarkable that they were able to get any kind of trade value out of him.
The interesting name for them here is Mead, who was a top-100 prospect just last year. Iffy performances both in the majors and at Triple-A have tanked his stock, yet the Australia native is still just 24. Perhaps the change of scenery will help.
As to the two pitchers, Davitt and Peoples both got attention from Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan of FanGraphs in February. Davitt throws a ton of strikes, while Peoples is a likely relief prospect with a good fastball.
Royals Acquire Mike Yastrzemski
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get OF Mike Yastrzemski; San Francisco Giants get RHP Yunior Marte
For the Royals: B
The Royals have gotten comically bad offense from their outfield in 2025, with its collective 61 wRC+ falling well short of the next-worst mark in the majors: the Cleveland Guardians at 81.
Even a generally average hitter like Yastrzemski promises to be a boon in this respect, though the Royals would do well to only line him up against righties. He has a .759 OPS against them, compared to a .398 OPS against lefties.
For the Giants: B
This will do for an acceptable return for a pending free-agent outfielder with middling numbers, much less one who's also 34 years old.
Marte is a bit of a unit at 6'5", 230 pounds, and he has a 2.74 ERA in 19 starts at the Single-A level this year. He is probably going to be a reliever in the long run, with the bright side of that otherwise dim outlook being that his fastball will play up.
Royals Acquire Bailey Falter
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get LHP Bailey Falter; Pittsburgh Pirates get LHP Evan Sisk, 1B Callan Moss
For the Royals: B
The Royals are ostensibly still in the AL playoff race, but injuries to Kris Bubic, Cole Ragans, Alec Marsh and Michael Lorenzen have thinned out their rotation to a dangerous degree.
Falter can help stop the bleeding, perhaps long enough to ensure the Royals stay in the chase for October. He isn't as good as his 3.73 ERA, but all the Royals need him to do is pitch to contact (i.e., his specialty) and let Kauffman Stadium and their defense do the rest.
For the Pirates: D
Falter is what he is, which is a back-end starter on a one-year deal. Yet he's been having a good enough season that the Bucs could have hoped for a better return than, well, this.
Sisk has a solid floor as a lefty reliever, but is a 28-year-old rookie. Moss was an undrafted free agent last year, though he has put up good numbers at Single-A (177 wRC+) and High-A (123 wRC+) since then.
Tigers Acquire Charlie Morton
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Detroit Tigers acquire RHP Charlie Morton, cash considerations; Baltimore Orioles get LHP Micah Ashman
For the Tigers: B
This is a feel-good story for Morton, who goes from a last-place team to a first-place team. His chances of getting his third World Series ring are considerably greater as a result.
It also ought to be a feel-good story for Tigers fans. The club needed another starter even after adding Chris Paddack. And despite his overall 5.42 ERA for the season, Morton has pitched a lot more like his usual self with a 3.88 ERA and 61 strikeouts over his last 11 starts.
For the Orioles: D
The Orioles did right by Morton in trading him to a contender, but this is not the kind of return that should have warranted them including cash.
Ashman was an 11th-round pick a year ago. He does have a 1.49 ERA and a 5.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio across two levels of the minors, but he's probably a left-handed specialist in the long run.
Blue Jays Acquire Louis Varland, Ty France
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Louis Varland, 1B Ty France; Minnesota Twins get OF Alan Roden, LHP Kendry Rojas
For the Blue Jays: B
It's unclear what the Blue Jays want with France. He's a first baseman all the way, and they already have a pretty good one in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Even as a pinch-hitter against lefties, France doesn't inspire much in the way of confidence.
Varland, on the other hand, is a good get. He runs his fastball at an average of 97.9 mph, and he's very good at throwing strikes and getting ground balls. He is 27 and under club control all the way through 2030.
For the Twins: B
The Twins didn't save much money by trading Varland and France, but at least they got some intriguing talent back for them.
Roden has a .917 OPS at Triple-A to underscore what could be more offensive upside than he has shown (i.e., .589 OPS) in limited major league action. Rojas got a good review from Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs in April, notably for how well his fastball plays in the strike zone.
Reds Acquire Miguel Andujar
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Cincinnati Reds get 3B/LF Miguel Andujar; Athletics get RHP Kenya Huggins
For the Reds: B
Andujar won't be needed at third base, as that's the only position where fellow newcomer Ke'Bryan Hayes has value on account of his Gold Glove-winning defense.
It's more likely that Andujar will split time with Gavin Lux and Jake Fraley in the outfield corners, while serving as a pinch-hitter otherwise. He owes his 110 OPS+ to mashing lefties, against whom he has a 1.036 OPS this year.
For the A's: B
This is probably as good a return as the A's were going to get for Andujar, who was only signed for the rest of this year.
Huggins is in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery, and it's going reasonably well with a 3.69 ERA over 63.1 innings at the Single-A level. The 6'3", 215-pound right-hander will hopefully add velocity to a heater that can already touch 97 mph.
Twins, Rays Swap Griffin Jax, Taj Bradley
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Griffin Jax; Minnesota Twins get RHP Taj Bradley
For the Rays: C
The Rays have faded from the AL playoff race, so it's frankly a bit odd to see them swapping out a young starter who was recently a top prospect for a 30-year-old reliever.
That said, Bradley didn't capitalize on the chances the Rays gave him, whereas Jax is a known quantity as a strikeout maestro. He has 72 strikeouts in only 46.0 innings this year, and will remain under club control through 2027.
For the Twins: B
The fact that Bradley has been a disappointment—i.e., 4.70 ERA in 69 appearances—is what keeps this trade from netting the Twins an A. However, there should be no mistake that they have a fun talent to work with.
Bradley was a top-100 prospect in 2023, and it's not the quality of his stuff that has held him back in the majors. As he's still only 24 and controlled through 2029, the Twins can hope that a change of scenery will fully unlock his potential.
Cubs Acquire Taylor Rogers
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get LHP Taylor Rogers; Pittsburgh Pirates get OF Ivan Brethowr
For the Cubs: B
The bulk of Rogers' $12 million salary is being paid by the Giants and Reds, the latter of whom had only just traded him to Pittsburgh on Wednesday as part of the Ke'Bryan Hayes trade.
As a third left-hander in Chicago's pen, he's arguably a redundant presence on the North Side. He is a generally reliable reliever, however, and especially against left-handed hitters. They have a .562 OPS against him for his career.
For the Pirates: B
The Bucs never figured to hold onto Rogers, and this trade has seen them turn him into an interesting prospect.
Brethowr is 6'6", 250 pounds and therefore should come into some power as he advances. As is, he's shown good command of the zone with a .398 OBP at High-A.
Rangers Acquire Phil Maton
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Texas Rangers get RHP Phil Maton; St. Louis Cardinals get LHP Mason Molina, RHP Skylar Hales
For the Rangers: A
The Rangers already had a strong bullpen, with the unit ranking fourth in MLB with a 3.37 ERA. Yet even if it didn't need Maton, there's never anything wrong with adding another quality reliever.
Maton's main trait is silencing right-handed batters, which he has done to the tune of a .582 OPS this year. It's even better than his usual performance, and the Rangers hope he will keep it up for at least the last two months of his contract.
For the Cardinals: B
The Cardinals haven't robbed the Rangers in this trade, but they did well to get two prospects who ranked near the bottom of Texas' top 30 for MLB Pipeline.
As he has made it as far as Triple-A, Hales is a candidate to help them sooner rather than later. Though he has a 7.64 ERA this year, he also has a fastball that can touch 100 mph.
Astros Acquire Carlos Correa
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Houston Astros get 3B Carlos Correa, $33 million; Minnesota Twins get LHP Matt Mikulski
For the Astros: B
This grade recognizes that there is a significant amount of risk in this trade for the Astros. Correa has been a below-average hitter in two of the last three years, and he had major durability questions even before he turned 30 last September.
Yet with Isaac Paredes out due to a hamstring strain, getting Correa back and convincing him to play third base feels like nothing short of a miracle for Houston. And given that he's a three-time All-Star with a feel for the moment in big games, the Astros are absolutely right if they think this move will light a fire under him.
Correa has $103.4 million still owed to him through 2028, so even the $33 million the Twins are kicking in only puts a small dent in what Houston is now on the hook for. On the plus side, they didn't have to give up a big prospect to close the deal.
For the Twins: F
This is a pure salary dump by the Twins, which is partially understandable but mostly just plain frustrating.
True, Correa probably doesn't have enough value at this point to command a better haul. It's also true that he forced their hand, and that Houston was the only place he wanted to go.
But since Mikulski is at best a middling prospect, this amounts to the Twins simply giving Correa away. Maybe it's good for the team's bottom line, but it's terrible for the fans.
Padres Acquire Nestor Cortes
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: San Diego Padres get LHP Nestor Cortes; Milwaukee Brewers get OF Brandon Lockridge
For the Padres: C
Cortes had trouble with his elbow toward the end of 2024, and it didn't go away after he moved to Milwaukee over the winter. He made only two starts before going on the IL with a flexor strain, where he's remained ever since.
The 2022 All-Star was about ready to return from a rehab assignment, however, so the Padres do stand to get help from him down the stretch. He should eat some innings as a starter or as a long reliever.
For the Brewers: B
The Brewers didn't have much use for a healthy Cortes, so trading him was the right call. And in this case, they have gotten back a potentially useful player.
Lockridge is a 28-year-old with MLB experience and a solid track record in the high minors. To wit, he has cleared a .800 OPS at Triple-A in each of the last two seasons.
Yankees Acquire Camilo Doval
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get RHP Camilo Doval; San Francisco Giants get RHP Trystan Vrieling, C/3B Jesus Rodriguez, 1B/3B Parks Harber, LHP Carlos De La Rosa
For the Yankees: C
It's saying something that Doval is only the third-best reliever acquired by the Yankees on Thursday. He was an All-Star in 2023, and he's in the middle of a solid season marked by a 3.09 ERA in 2025.
He doesn't throw as hard as he used to, however, and that has helped bring his strikeout rate (9.6 per nine innings) into closer alignment with what has always been a high walk rate (4.6 per nine innings).
Even if he is controlled through 2027, a profile like this could come back to burn the Yankees.
For the Giants: B
The Giants went for quantity over quality with this haul, but Vrieling and Rodriguez are two guys who could help them in the not-too-distant future.
Each has advanced into the high minors, with Rodriguez in particular showing promise at the Triple-A level. Albeit without much power, he's hit .317 in 78 games there this season.
Red Sox Acquire Dustin May
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Boston Red Sox get RHP Dustin May; Los Angeles Dodgers get James Tibbs III
For the Red Sox: D
It's not May's fault that he isn't Joe Ryan, but it still hurts for Red Sox fans that he's all they got after reportedly making a late run at the Twins All-Star.
May is at least healthy this year after making single-digit appearances in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and then missing all of 2024, and he can definitely still spin the ball. Alas, the velocity on his fastball is diminished, and his 4.85 ERA is almost exactly where it should be.
He'll eat some innings for Boston down the stretch, but then he'll be a free agent this winter.
For the Dodgers: A
The Red Sox had just gotten Tibbs in the Rafael Devers trade in June, and he had been ranked by MLB Pipeline as their No. 5 prospect.
As such, it's not a bad look for the Dodgers that they were able to get him back for a rental with sinking value. And if Tibbs does make something of his above-average power, it'll be that much sweeter when the Giants feel the sting of it. It was them who drafted Tibbs in the first round just last year.
Yankees Acquire José Caballero
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get SS José Caballero; Tampa Bay Rays get OF Everson Pereira, PTBNL
For the Yankees: A
Caballero will slot nicely into the utility spot that Oswald Peraza vacated earlier on Thursday. He's a good defender pretty much everywhere he plays, and the 104 bases he's stolen in just 328 games are a testament to his speed.
Meanwhile, there goes Pereira. He was a top prospect once upon a time, but the Yankees have clearly given up on him. The lesson is that at a certain point, a solid minor league track record doesn't mean much.
For the Rays: B
After three years, the Rays knew what Caballero was: a useful defender with good speed, but not enough offensive upside to work as an everyday player.
As they need to look for upside where they can, you can't fault them for wanting to chance it with Pereira. He is only 24, after all, so it may be that a change of scenery (and regular looks at his former team) is all he needs to bust out.
Texas Rangers Acquire Merrill Kelly
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Texas Rangers get RHP Merrill Kelly; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Kohl Drake, LHP Mitch Bratt, RHP David Hagaman
For the Rangers: B
The Rangers have shrugged off a slow start and played their way into contention in large part because of their rotation, but it needed another reliable arm to go with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
Kelly fits the bill nicely. He's posted ERAs in the 3.00s in three of the last four seasons, including this one. He's also on a heater with a 2.56 ERA in his last 10 starts.
He is a rental, so a three-for-one trade like this naturally carries some risk for a team that is only in wild-card contention. But then again, both Kelly and the Rangers know from 2023 that just getting in is what matters.
For the Diamondbacks: A
The Diamondbacks set a goal of replenishing their pitching ahead of the deadline, and this trade certainly accomplishes that.
Drake, Bratt and Hagaman were all among the Rangers' top 13 prospects for MLB Pipeline. Drake is the closest to being ready for the majors, as he's made it to Triple-A while posting a 3.10 ERA in 16 appearances overall. He's a 6'5", 220-pounder with a good fastball and curveball.
Angels Acquire Oswald Peraza
18 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Los Angeles Angels get INF Oswald Peraza; New York Yankees get OF Wilberson De Pena, international bonus pool money
For the Angels: D
The Angels already have two light-hitting utility infielders on their bench in Scott Kingery and Kevin Newman, but what's one more for good measure?
Yes, that was sarcasm. Though Peraza was a top-100 prospect as recently as 2023 and he's still only 25, he only has a .548 OPS to show for 429 plate appearances in the majors.
The one bit of good news for the Angels is that Peraza is a good defender, and they need more of those given that they rank last in MLB with minus-33 Outs Above Average.
For the Yankees: C
The Yankees turned Peraza into something, at least, though it could be the international money that really pays off for them in the long run.
De Pena is an 18-year-old who hasn't hit much in the Dominican Summer League, posting a .651 OPS last year and a .747 OPS this year.
Padres Acquire Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: San Diego Padres get OF/1B/DH Ryan O'Hearn, OF Ramón Laureano; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Boston Bateman, INF Cobb Hightower, RHP Tyson Neighbors, INF/OF Victor Figueroa, INF Brandon Butterworth, RHP Tanner Smith
For the Padres: B
The Padres are a weak offensive team in general, and especially in terms of power. Only one team has hit fewer home runs than they have.
This trade mercifully brings some thump to San Diego's everyday lineup, as O'Hearn and Laureano have combined for 28 home runs this year. They could complement each other as platoon hitters, though Laureano has actually fared well with a .930 OPS against right-handers.
Even still, this is a lot to give up for two guys who are only signed for the rest of this year—though Laureano has a team option for 2026. And this is not exactly an anonymous package, as four of those six prospects had ranked within the Padres' top 30 for MLB Pipeline.
For the Orioles: A
The catch is that San Diego had a thin system even before dealing Leo De Vries to the Athletics in the Mason Miller blockbuster, but it's hard to fault the O's for pushing for as much bulk as they did.
Bateman, Hightower, Neighbors and Figueroa are the guys who were ranked within San Diego's top 30, with Bateman leading the way at No. 4. He was a second-rounder in the draft last year, and suffice it to say that any 6'8", 240-pound lefty with a hard fastball and plus curveball is worth some excitement.
Keep an eye on Neighbors as a guy who could make himself known in Baltimore's pen as soon as next year. He has three plus pitches, and they have served him well as he's put up a 1.85 ERA and 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors this year.
Dodgers Acquire Alex Call
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Los Angeles Dodgers get OF Alex Call; Washington Nationals get RHP Eriq Swan, RHP Sean Paul Liñan
For the Dodgers: C
This is a bench-boosting move for the Dodgers, and a solid one on paper. Call can play all three outfield spots, and is a solid bat-to-ball hitter with a strong track record in platoon matchups against left-handed pitching.
Yet even if he is under club control through 2029, he's also 30 years old. It's therefore eye-opening to see him coming from Washington in exchange for two prospects from the Dodgers' top 30 at MLB Pipeline.
For the Nationals: A
Those two players are Swan and Liñan, who ranked No. 16 and No. 20 within Los Angeles' farm system.
Swan has a plus fastball and slider, not to mention good extension out of his 6'6", 240-pound frame. Liñan has a plus changeup and is in something of a breakout year in the minors, where he's posted a 2.78 ERA amid a rise to Triple-A.
Astros Acquire Jesús Sánchez
21 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Houston Astros get OF Jesús Sánchez; Miami Marlins get RHP Ryan Gusto, INF Chase Jaworsky, OF Esmil Valencia
For the Astros: B
This deal dropped while everyone was still abuzz over the Carlos Correa news, and the main complaint about it is that three players is a lot for a platoon outfielder.
Yet it is a job that Sánchez is good at. He has a .814 OPS and nine homers against right-handed pitching this year, and there's some stuff in his Statcast profile (i.e., 93rd percentile bat speed) which suggests there may be more potential waiting to be unlocked.
He fits the Astros as a semi-regular in left field for the rest of 2025, and his club control could keep him in Houston through 2027.
For the Marlins: C
This grade might be a little too harsh, but the reality is that this just isn't a very inspiring return for a guy who had been one of Miami's top trade chips.
Gusto is a usable major league pitcher, but probably more of a long man than a No. 5 starter. And while Jaworsky was Houston's No. 13 prospect for MLB Pipeline, it's a weak system and he projects as a utility infielder with speed.
Padres Acquire Will Wagner
22 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: San Diego Padres get INF Will Wagner; Toronto Blue Jays get C Brandon Valenzuela
For the Padres: C
This isn't a bad trade. It's just more of a "Sure, why not?" trade that, if nothing else, gives the Padres a little extra infield depth.
The most notable thing about Wagner is that his dad went into the Hall of Fame just this past weekend. The other thing to know about him is that he's a versatile defensive infielder who has struggled to keep up offensively in 2025, posting a .634 OPS over 132 plate appearances.
Wagner is 27 and will be under club control through 2030.
For the Blue Jays: B
Wagner was little more than a spare part on Toronto's roster, whereas Valenzuela could find himself sharing time with Alejandro Kirk before too long.
He has some power to offer as a switch-hitter, but it's his defensive skills that will carry him. He is seen as being deft behind the plate, with a strong arm to keep the running game in check.
Yankees Acquire Jake Bird
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get RHP Jake Bird; Colorado Rockies get 2B Roc Riggio, LHP Ben Shields
For the Yankees: A
This is yet another win for the Yankees bullpen, which had previously been bolstered with David Bednar. Even if Bird isn't a two-time All-Star in his own right, he's a late-bloomer who throws filth.
It doesn't show in his 4.73 ERA, but Coors Field shoulders some of the blame for that. What matters is that he has a 26.3 strikeout percentage, with a sweeper and curveball that both have whiff rates in the 30 percent range. The latter of those two pitches could play up even more outside of Denver.
Bird is already 29, but controlled through 2028. Like Bednar, he could remain in pinstripes well beyond 2025.
For the Rockies: B
Bird was a relative unknown at the outset of this year, so it can be counted as a win for the Rockies that he has netted the organization two promising prospects.
Riggio has had a breakout year in 2025, posting a .937 OPS with 18 home runs in 62 games. Shields has come out of nowhere since he was signed as a non-drafted free agent, using an above-average curveball and slider mix to post a 3.03 ERA in nine minor league appearances this year.
Perhaps the Rockies could have done better to capitalize on Bird's stock, but we can also grant that it has gone a little backward lately. He had posted a 13.20 ERA in his last 17 appearances as a Rockie.
Mets Acquire Cedric Mullins
24 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: New York Mets get CF Cedric Mullins; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Anthony Nunez, RHP Raimon Gómez, RHP Chandler Marsh
For the Mets: B
This is the center field upgrade the Mets had been seeking, even if Mullins is no longer the All-Star who went off for a 30-30 season back in 2021.
He still offers an above-average bat with healthy doses of power (15 HR) and speed (14 SB). And while defensive metrics are all over the place on his play in center, Outs Above Average consistently rates his defense as a positive.
Mullins is only a rental for the last two months of the season, so this is a steep package in the abstract. But the Mets obviously have World Series aspirations, and none of the three players going to Baltimore is a can't-miss type of prospect.
For the Orioles: B
According to MLB Pipeline, Nunez and Gómez ranked as the Mets' No. 14 and No. 30 prospects, respectively.
Nunez is an interesting prospect. He was drafted as an infielder all the way back in 2019, but is now a righty relief prospect with a plus changeup and slider. Gómez has a downright plus-plus fastball, touching 104.5 mph on it earlier this year.
Though neither of these guys is a sure thing, you can't fault the O's for aiming for upside on a rental who, merits notwithstanding, has been worth 0.1 rWAR in 2025.
Yankees Acquire David Bednar
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get RHP David Bednar; Pittsburgh Pirates get C/1B Rafael Flores, C/1B Edgleen Perez, CF Brian Sanchez
For the Yankees: A
The bullpen has been a major letdown for the Yankees in 2025, in large part because Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have not been the two-headed monster they envisioned. Williams has a 5.01 ERA, while Weaver has a 6.60 ERA in his last 15 outings.
Bednar should be able to help in a big way. He was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, and he's long since shrugged off a tough run that lasted through 2024 and into the early portion of this year. His last 39 appearances have yielded a 1.70 ERA, 50 strikeouts and eight walks over 37.0 innings.
The 30-year-old is controlled through 2026, giving the Yankees some preemptive protection in case Williams walks as a free agent this winter. And even if they did give up a lot, at least they held onto Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr.
For the Pirates: B
After what the A's got for Mason Miller, this deal doesn't quite feel like robbery for the Bucs. And yet, any time a team can get two promising prospects for a reliever is a good time.
Flores was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Yankees' No. 8 prospect, and he cuts an impressive figure at 6'4", 232 pounds. He has power potential to match, even if he isn't necessarily guaranteed to tap into it as an everyday catcher.
Perez, who was New York's No. 14 prospect, has more of a defense-first profile as a catcher. Which is good, because his bat has been humbled to the tune of a .604 OPS at Single-A this year.
Padres Acquire Freddy Fermin
26 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: San Diego Padres get C Freddy Fermin; Kansas City Royals get RHP Ryan Bergert, RHP Stephen Kolek
For the Padres: B
Fermin had a promising breakthrough at the dish in 2023, but his offensive returns have diminished since then. This year, he only has a .648 OPS through 208 plate appearances.
However, what the Padres really need from their catchers is better defense. Fermin should provide it, as he's a good blocker with an elite pop time to second base. Though he's 30 years old, he's also not going to be eligible for free agency until after 2029.
For the Royals: B
The Royals have lost their partner in crime for Salvador Perez, who's in the last guaranteed year of his contract. But Fermin isn't exactly a type to build around, so trading him made sense.
In exchange, the Royals have gotten two controllable pitchers who already have major league experience. Bergert is the more promising of the two, as he's a 25-year-old with rising action on his fastball and two usable breaking balls in his slider and sweeper.
Dodgers Acquire Brock Stewart
27 of 57
Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Los Angeles Dodgers get RHP Brock Stewart; Minnesota Twins get OF James Outman
For the Dodgers: A
The Dodgers were meant to have an elite bullpen in 2025, but it's proven to be a disaster. It ranks in the bottom 10 of MLB for ERA and in the top 10 for meltdowns.
Into this mix comes Stewart, who was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2014. He is precisely the kind of reliever you would expect them to covet in 2025. He does come with some injury baggage, but he has a 2.38 ERA that is backed by excellent readings on his four-seamer, sweeper and changeup.
Though Stewart is 33, there is also the bonus that he is under team control through 2027. Health permitting, this could be a steal for the Dodgers.
For the Twins: A
Outman was third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, but promptly fell out of favor in Los Angeles in 2024 and even more so in 2025.
Still, the idea of this trade deserves an A anyway. Stewart didn't have much long-term upside for the Twins, whereas Outman is a 28-year-old who has crushed Triple-A pitching for a .970 OPS and 20 homers this year. He may yet have something to offer, both in 2025 and beyond.
Phillies Acquire Harrison Bader
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Philadelphia Phillies get OF Harrison Bader; Minnesota Twins get OF Hendry Mendez, RHP Geremy Villoria
For the Phillies: A
A team with championship aspirations like the Phillies has no business having such a bad outfield. Theirs has produced minus-0.2 rWAR, the third-worst mark in the majors.
In Bader, they're introducing one of our hidden gems of the trade deadline to the mix. Though he is best known for his Gold Glove-caliber defense, he has a 111 OPS+ and 11 homers for the season. He's also been hot with a .952 OPS for July.
With the Phillies, Bader is at least a platoon partner for Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh, who bat left-handed. If he stays warm, he could supplant one as a starter.
For the Twins: A
The Phillies deserve their A on account of how Bader is an instant upgrade for a bad outfield, but the Twins made sure they paid for it.
B/R's Joel Reuter ranked Mendez as the No. 9 prospect in the Phillies' system. He's had a breakout year at Double-A, posting a .374 OBP and teasing more power with eight home runs.
Villoria is playing in the Dominican Summer League as a mere 16-year-old, so he's a very long-term upside play for the Twins.
Tigers Acquire Kyle Finnegan
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Detroit Tigers get RHP Kyle Finnegan; Washington Nationals get RHP Josh Randall, RHP R.J. Sales
For the Tigers: D
It seems that Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has a thing for notable, yet generally unimpressive right-handed relievers. First it was Rafael Montero and Paul Sewald. Now it's Finnegan.
He was an All-Star last year, but he also got non-tendered during the winter and has been short of average with a 91 ERA+ this year. He's still running his fastball up to 96.2 mph, but it hasn't done him much good, as his strikeout rate has fallen to a career-low 19.6 percent.
For the Nationals: A
Maybe the Tigers know something about Finnegan that the rest of us don't, but it sure looks like the Nationals have somehow parlayed a mediocre reliever on an expiring contract into a surprisingly robust package.
Randall had ranked as Detroit's No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He's a sinker-slider guy who has walked only 15 batters in 17 starts in the minors this year. Sales was a 10th-round pick in 2024 and has done well with a 2.71 ERA in 16 appearances at the Single-A level.
Padres Acquire Mason Miller, JP Sears
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: San Diego Padres get RHP Mason Miller, LHP JP Sears; Athletics get SS Leo De Vries, RHP Braden Nett, RHP Henry Baez, RHP Eduarniel Núñez
For the Padres: B
For the Padres, there is almost certainly another shoe or two that will drop after this trade. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, both Dylan Cease and Robert Suarez could subsequently be on the move out of San Diego.
The cost here is also a huge one for the Padres. De Vries ranks as the No. 3 prospect in the league for MLB Pipeline, owing to a projection as a do-it-all shortstop. He alone represents a ton of value to surrender for a closer and a back-end starter.
That said, Miller has a strong case as the single most unhittable pitcher in MLB right now. The righty averages over 100 mph on the fastball and has fanned 41 percent of the batters he's faced since the start of last year. He is also just 26 and under club control through 2029.
For the A's: A
As dominant as Miller has been, the A's can vouch that even he is prone to the usual volatility of relievers. His ERA was over 5.00 as recently as June 20 of this year.
To cash in a player like that plus Sears for one of the elite prospects in the game is a win, and the other three pieces of the deal only make it sweeter.
Nett, Baez and Núñez were ranked by MLB Pipeline as San Diego's No. 3, No. 13 and No. 17 prospects, respectively. Nett, particularly, has a high-90s heater and a slider that misses plenty of bats, and he could be in the majors as soon as 2026.
Blue Jays Acquire Shane Bieber
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Shane Bieber; Cleveland Guardians get RHP Khal Stephen
For the Blue Jays: C
Though the Blue Jays are tied atop the American League with a 64-46 record, they have succeeded very much in spite of a rotation that ranks 24th with a 4.51 ERA.
To expect Bieber to be a savior is asking a lot. He had his share of both ups and downs after winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2020, and he's still not back from the Tommy John surgery that he had early last year.
This said, he has posted a 1.59 ERA and gotten into the mid-90s with his fastball during a rehab assignment. Even if it is a pure upside play for Toronto, at least the upside is real.
For the Guardians: A
The Guardians took a rehabbing ace on a one-year deal and turned him into the Blue Jays' No. 4 prospect, as ranked by B/R's Joel Reuter. This is probably the best they were going to do in a Bieber trade.
Stephen has an above-average fastball and changeup, and his 2.06 ERA in the minors comes with a walk rate of just 1.77 per nine innings. He could be a mid-rotation starter sooner rather than later.
Tigers Acquire Paul Sewald
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Date: July 31, 2025
The Deal: Detroit Tigers get RHP Paul Sewald; Cleveland Guardians get PTBNL or cash
For the Tigers: D
Tigers fans might have hoped something better was in store after the trade for Rafael Montero. Instead, the Tigers turned around and traded for yet another middling reliever with this deal.
Sewald isn't getting hit as hard in 2025 as he did in 2024, but his fastball is down yet another tick to 90.3 mph and hitters have had an easy time elevating and pulling the ball off him. It's a recipe for a home run nightmare.
For the Guardians: D
This is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.
While we don't yet know for sure what the Guardians are getting out of this trade, the gist of it is that they signed Sewald for $7 million just to end up pretty much giving him away.
Mariners Acquire Eugenio Suárez
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Seattle Mariners get 3B Eugenio Suárez; Arizona Diamondbacks get 1B Tyler Locklear, RHP Hunter Cranton, RHP Juan Burgos
For the Mariners: A
The Mariners salary-dumped Eugenio Suárez on the Diamondbacks a little under two years ago. Now here they are expending three prospects to get him back.
It's worth it, though. With 36 home runs this year and 56 since the 2024 All-Star break, Suárez had been the top hitter on the market. And he fits the Mariners like a glove, as he'll slot right into a third base spot that has produced only five homers all year. As a result, they now have a World Series-caliber lineup.
Though this deal is sending three prospects to Arizona in exchange for a two-month rental, not one of the players is a top-100 talent. Which is remarkable, given that the Mariners have eight of those for MLB Pipeline.
For the Diamondbacks: D
If the D-backs are high on Locklear, well, that is fair. He's a major league-ready first baseman who has been on a tear at Triple-A with a 1.140 OPS and 16 homers since the start of June.
As a general rule, though, right-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing first baseman only tend to get so valuable. And while Cranton and Burgos both have live arms, only Burgos is ready to help in the bigs now.
Frankly, it's an underwhelming package for a guy who had arguably been the best overall player on the trade market.
Red Sox Acquire Steven Matz
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Boston Red Sox get LHP Steven Matz; St. Louis Cardinals get 1B Blaze Jordan
For the Red Sox: C
After falling well short of expectations in his first three years in St. Louis, Matz has reclaimed some dignity as a reliever in 2025. He's been especially lethal against lefties, holding them to a .179 average and .442 OPS.
It is no fault of his, however, that he's an odd fit for a Boston bullpen that already had four left-handers in it. One or more of them could get bumped accordingly, but this feels like the Red Sox adding to a collection in lieu of addressing a real need.
For the Cardinals: C
If nothing else, you have to love Jordan's straight-to-video action hero name. And he already occupies a solid spot in the Cardinals' system, with MLB Pipeline ranking him as their No. 19 prospect.
The profile here is risky, however. Jordan does put the bat on the ball, but with little in-game power and without speed or defensive skills to elevate his value otherwise. If the Cardinals can't get more power out of him, there will be nothing to see.
Astros Acquire Ramón Urías
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Houston Astros get INF Ramón Urías; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Twine Palmer
For the Astros: D
Maybe the Astros were never going to get Eugenio Suárez, but it's a cruel switcheroo to go from teasing a move like that to settling for Urías.
To be fair, he is a Gold Glover who can still pick it at the hot corner. But he's replacing Isaac Paredes, who had been having an excellent offensive season before landing on the IL with a serious hamstring injury. Even though Urías does have some pop, he isn't going to replace Paredes' thump in the batter's box.
For the Orioles: B
This isn't necessarily a steal for the Orioles, but Palmer is a legitimately interesting prospect who could have a big league career just by virtue of being different.
He's 6'5", 200 pounds and there is some deception in his over-the-top delivery. He had posted a 2.13 ERA for the Astros' Single-A club, albeit with a modest 2.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Cubs Acquire Andrew Kittredge
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get RHP Andrew Kittredge; Baltimore Orioles get SS Wilfri De La Cruz
For the Cubs: A
Kittredge becomes the seventh new addition to the Cubs' bullpen just since the start of the offseason, and he has the potential to be one of the better ones.
He pitches off a trusty slider that has held batters to a sub-.200 average in each of the last three years, and it's naturally especially tough on righty batters. They have just a .175 average against him in 2025.
This trade has cost the Cubs a real prospect, but it helps that Kittredge is not necessarily a rental. He has a $9 million club option for 2026.
For the Orioles: B
The only reason this is a B is because De La Cruz is a project prospect. He only just signed in January and is still just 17 years old.
He was a well-regarded international prospect, however, and his 27 games in the Dominican Summer League show some promising results. Most notably, more walks than strikeouts and a .442 OBP.
Reds Acquire Zack Littell
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Cincinnati Reds get RHP Zack Littell; Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Brian Van Belle (from CIN), C Hunter Feduccia (from LAD); Los Angeles Dodgers get LHP Adam Serwinowski (from CIN), RHP Paul Gervase (from TBR), C Ben Rortvedt (from TBR)
For the Reds: B
The Reds needed to reinforce a rotation that has had its depth shredded by injuries, and this deal accomplishes that by delivering a guy who's been sneaky-good for the last two years.
Though Littell maxes out at around 90 pitches, he has a 3.60 ERA to show for 51 starts over the last two seasons. His superpower is not walking batters, though his home run rate (1.8 per nine innings) is a huge potential weakness at Great American Ball Park.
For the Rays: D
The Rays typically know what they're doing with trades, but this feels like a weak return for such a solid pitcher.
Feduccia has a career .808 OPS in the minors, but is 28 years old and isn't known for being a strong handler of the running game from behind the plate. Van Belle is pushing 29 and doesn't offer much beyond sharp control.
For the Dodgers: A
The Dodgers get an A largely because they're somehow getting the best prospect out of this deal, which is Serwinowski.
Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs had him ranked as the Reds' No. 6 prospect in May, remarking that the lefty has a solid fastball-slider combination that he throws from a deceptive delivery. As he misses plenty of bats, he could be a reliever if starting doesn't work out.
Tigers Acquire Rafael Montero
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Detroit Tigers get RHP Rafael Montero; Atlanta Braves get INF Jim Jarvis
For the Tigers: D
It's hard to get excited about a team adding a middle reliever. And in this case, the Tigers haven't even added a good one.
Yes, Montero does still have some swing-and-miss (i.e., 76th percentile whiff rate) and an ability to induce ground balls. But the 34-year-old has also been struggling with walks for the last two seasons, which makes it that much harder to excuse his 5.06 ERA.
For the Braves: C
The Braves get the better grade here just for being able to trade Montero at all. He didn't have much in the way of value, even with $7.7 million of his $11.5 million salary being covered by the Astros.
That said, Jarvis is at best a fringe prospect. He's a power-light infielder with a .242 average at Double-A, where the 24-year-old is slightly older than the competition.
Cubs Acquire Michael Soroka
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get RHP Michael Soroka; Washington Nationals get OF Christian Franklin, SS Ronny Cruz
For the Cubs: C
Only three teams have gotten less WAR from their starting pitchers than the Cubs, so to call an impact starter a real need for them would be underselling it.
Soroka was an impact starter in 2019, but not really since then. He has some solid peripherals going for him this year, but he isn't a ground-ball pitcher and he's been hit even harder in 2025 than he was in 2024. As such, his 4.87 ERA isn't wholly unearned despite his 3.32 expected ERA.
The Cubs could look to get some bulk from the 27-year-old during the stretch run before shifting him to the bullpen for October, thus returning him to a role he had success in last year. Which is fine, but they need to aim higher.
For the Nationals: B
The Nationals signed Soroka for $9 million over the winter in hopes that he would rebuild value as a starter, and he only sort of did. Turning him into two prospects is therefore a solid win.
Cruz is a long-term upside play, as he's only 18 and playing in the Dominican Summer League. But Franklin can help as soon as next year, as he had posted a .820 OPS for Chicago's Triple-A affiliate.
For MLB Pipeline, Franklin and Cruz had ranked as the Cubs' No. 14 and No. 13 prospects, respectively.
Mets Acquire Ryan Helsley
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: New York Mets get RHP Ryan Helsley; St. Louis Cardinals get INF Jesus Baez, RHP Nate Dohm, RHP Frank Elissalt
For the Mets: B
Helsley is down to his last two months before free agency, and he has been nowhere near as dominant in 2025 as he was between 2022 and 2024.
This said, he's still chucking his fastball at an average of 99.3 mph and getting a 45.6 whiff rate on his slider. He has also been on an upswing for a while now, posting a 0.82 ERA in 11 appearances over the last month or so.
So, even if handing over three prospects for him is an overpay on paper, the Mets' side of this is easy enough to see. The gamble is that Helsley and Edwin Díaz will be shutting doors in October, and it's a good one.
For the Cardinals: A
Baez and Dohm had ranked as the Mets' No. 8 and No. 14 respective prospects for MLB Pipeline, so they alone make this a good return for a rental reliever.
Baez profiles as a power-hitting infielder, albeit one whose defensive home will have to be figured out. While Dohm has a history of arm injuries, he has missed his share of bats in racking up 77 strikeouts in 62.2 innings in his first year as a pro.
Elissalt is more of a down-ballot prospect, yet he has shown promise as a reliever in the minors. In 13 games in that role, he has limited hitters to a .500 OPS.
Phillies Acquire Jhoan Duran
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Philadelphia Phillies get RHP Jhoan Duran; Minnesota Twins get RHP Mick Abel, C Eduardo Tait
For the Phillies: A
Relief pitching has been a consistent thorn in the Phillies' side for the better part of the last decade. And so it goes in 2025, as their pen ranks 24th with a 4.33 ERA.
In Duran, they're getting arguably the best possible solution to the problem. Even if he doesn't miss as many bats as you'd expect, his triple-digit heat and deadly splinker have thus far resulted in a career 2.47 ERA.
What's more, he is only 27 and under club control for two more years after 2025. The Phillies have thus gotten a good one for the foreseeable future, and it feels that much sweeter knowing how many other suitors they had to fend off.
For the Twins: C
Though this trade checks out at Baseball Trade Values, it feels light on the Twins' end.
Abel has a live arm that has averaged 96.0 mph on the fastball in the majors this year, but the hype that accompanied him when he was a first-round pick in 2020 has largely faded.
Tait, meanwhile, is generally regarded as a top-100 prospect, including by MLB Pipeline. Yet even if his power potential is legit, that he's DH'd (36 times) nearly as often as he's caught (39) in 2025 underscores how iffy it is that he'll be able to stick at catcher.
Mariners Acquire Caleb Ferguson
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Seattle Mariners get LHP Caleb Ferguson; Pittsburgh Pirates get RHP Jeter Martinez
For the Mariners: C
This grade is very much on a curve, as Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has recently talked a big game about being "aggressive" in his search for relief help.
Seattle did need another lefty, though, and Ferguson is a good one who has held left-handed batters to a .439 OPS in 2025. He's also a soft contact merchant in general, ranking in the 100th percentile for his exit velocity and hard-hit rate.
For the Pirates: A
The Bucs took a rental lefty reliever who profiles as a middle reliever for Seattle and turned him into a prospect who had rated well even in a deep farm system.
The 19-year-old is a projectable 6'4", 180 pounds, with a fastball and slider that both grade as above average. Despite his 6.18 ERA in 16 starts at Single-A, he has potential even if he has to be moved to the pen someday.
Mets Acquire Tyler Rogers
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: New York Mets get RHP Tyler Rogers; San Francisco Giants get RHP José Buttó, RHP Blade Tidwell, OF Drew Gilbert
For the Mets: B
It must be said that this is a pretty steep price to pay for a 34-year-old reliever on an expiring contract. Buttó has MLB experience, and Tidwell and Gilbert had been well-regarded prospects in the Mets system.
Then again, Rogers has a 2.79 ERA for his career and is rocking a 1.80 ERA through 53 appearances this year. He's not going to walk anyone, and he is one of the surest things for a ground ball as exists in today's game.
He is instantly one of New York's top relievers, albeit not quite as highly rated as the other guy they got on Wednesday.
For the Giants: A
Once again, hats off to the Giants for somehow turning Rogers into a usable major league righty and two prospects. It feels like a case of Buster Posey using the Mets' desperation for a World Series against them.
Tidwell is likely a reliever in the long run, as his profile is short on control but buoyed by a strong fastball-slider combination. Gilbert isn't going to hit for power, but he has a good sense for the strike zone and enough athleticism to hack it in Oracle Park's big outfield.
Though the Giants' 2025 season is going awry, all three of these guys could help them in 2026.
Reds Acquire Ke'Bryan Hayes
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Cincinnati Reds get 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes; Pittsburgh Pirates get LHP Taylor Rogers, SS Sammy Stafura, cash considerations
For the Reds: B
Noelvi Marte has had a breakout offensive season for the Reds, but his defense at third base has been such a problem that he had recently gotten looks at right field.
That figures to be his new home now Hayes is aboard. Though his bat has never developed (i.e., career 86 OPS+) into anything special, he's on the short list for the best defenders in the game. He has a Gold Glove and is the overall MLB leader with 91 Defensive Runs Saved since 2020.
Hayes has four guaranteed years left on his eight-year, $70 million contract, but each will pay out just seven figures. For what he is, it was really only a bad contract for the Pirates.
For the Pirates: A
As he's making $12 million in the last year of his contract, Rogers is pretty much a salary-dump component in this deal. There would seem to be a decent chance of him getting traded again before Thursday's deadline.
The real draw here is Stafura, who's a speed- and defense-oriented prospect who had been rocking a .804 OPS for the Reds' Single-A affiliate. He is now ranked by MLB Pipeline as Pittsburgh's No. 7 prospect.
Perhaps it's a reach to give this an A for the Bucs, but turning what was basically an albatross contract into a real prospect is a nice bit of business.
Braves Acquire Tyler Kinley
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Atlanta Braves get RHP Tyler Kinley; Colorado Rockies get RHP Austin Smith
For the Braves: B
This is as much a play for 2026 as it is for the rest of 2025, as Kinley has a $5 million option that could be picked up by the Braves if he pitches well.
He's a better bet to do so in Atlanta than he ever was in Denver. He comes across the country with a career 5.08 ERA, but Coors Field didn't exactly play to his strengths. He's a soft contact kind of pitcher, and impressively so with exit velocity and a hard-hit rate in the top 10 percent.
For the Rockies: B
This is also an upside play for the Rockies, and a solid one given they have swapped a semi-functional (to put it kindly) reliever for an intriguing relief prospect.
Smith gets solid extension out of his 6'4", 210-pound frame, and he has been clocked as fast as 98 mph prior to UCL surgery in 2023. If the Rockies can get him back there, he'll have at least some hope of succeeding at Coors Field.
Angels Acquire Andrew Chafin, Luis García
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: Los Angeles Angels get LHP Andrew Chafin, RHP Luis García; Washington Nationals get LHP Jake Eder, 1B Sam Brown
For the Angels: C
The Angels are two games below .500 and likely a long shot to make the playoffs, so it's interesting to see them making a deal like this.
Their bullpen had been undermanned, though, and Chafin and García are exactly the kinds of guys you call on for such a situation. The former has been getting lefties out consistently for over a decade, while the latter still has a high-90s heater even at 38 years of age.
For the Nationals: D
It's nice that the Nats got something for Chafin and García, but you have to wonder if they might have gotten more if they had dealt one or both to an actual contender.
Eder is a Quad-A sort of pitcher with a 5.30 ERA in the minors, while Brown is a primary first baseman with a .358 slugging percentage. Neither promises much in the way of impact.
Yankees Acquire Austin Slater
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Date: July 30, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get OF Austin Slater; Chicago White Sox get RHP Gage Ziehl
For the Yankees: B
Slater is pretty much a poor man's Randal Grichuk, but nobody can say the Yankees didn't need him. With Aaron Judge out, their outfield consists of two left-handed hitters and a switch-hitter who struggles from the right side.
This is where the right-handed-hitting Slater can help, both as a spot starter and pinch hitter. He has a .798 OPS vs. lefties for his career, and a .859 OPS with all five of his homers against them this year.
For the White Sox: A
Slater isn't the kind of guy you'd expect to fetch any kind of prospect, yet Ziehl is suddenly ranked as Chicago's No. 14 prospect by MLB Pipeline.
He gives off back-end starter vibes, albeit one with good control. Should he have to move to the bullpen, his above average slider could allow him to carve out a solid career in such a role.
Blue Jays Acquire RHP Seranthony Domínguez
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Date: July 29, 2025
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Seranthony Domínguez, cash; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Juaron Watts-Brown
For the Blue Jays: B
The warning with Domínguez is that he's been wild in 2025, issuing 24 free passes in 42.2 innings. Him having to get himself out of trouble of his own making has been a theme.
Yet as seen in his 3.16 ERA, he has largely been able to do so. That is mostly owed to a 31.5 strikeout percentage, for which he can thank a high-90s fastball and two deadly swing-and-miss pitches in a sweeper and splitter.
In all, not a bad addition to a Blue Jays bullpen that is already second in the league in strikeout rate.
For the Orioles: A
Domínguez is on an expiring contract, so the O's had to get rid of him somehow. That they had to eat some money to make it happen is not ideal.
And yet, they've gotten back a guy who had been Toronto's No. 10 prospect and is now their No. 8 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Watts-Brown is having a breakout year, making 19 starts at two separate levels and posting a 3.54 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 89 innings.
If Watts-Brown's development as a starter falters, his slider could make him an effective reliever in the long run.
Rays Acquire Nick Fortes
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Date: July 29, 2025
The Deal: Tampa Bay Rays get C Nick Fortes; Miami Marlins get OF Matthew Etzel
For the Rays: B
The Jansen trade opened a need at catcher for the Rays, and this deal has filled it with a guy who's under their control through 2028.
Not a bad swap, considering Jansen was on a one-year contract. And while Fortes doesn't have Jansen's bat (he has a 70 OPS+ in five seasons), he's a strong defender who offers elite framing and a quick pop time.
For the Marlins: D
The short of it is that the Marlins have swapped out a useful, controllable major league catcher for a long-shot prospect.
Though Etzel does crack their top 30 for MLB Pipeline, it's only at No. 30 and his profile is as risky as they come. He can run, but he doesn't have any power and the hit tool is suspect. To wit, he's batting .230 at Double-A.
Brewers Acquire Danny Jansen
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Date: July 28, 2025
The Deal: Milwaukee Brewers get C Danny Jansen, cash; Tampa Bay Rays get INF Jadher Areinamo
For the Brewers: A
The Brewers didn't necessarily need to deepen their catching depth chart, but to do so with Jansen represents a nice little coup.
He's spent the bulk of his career as a roughly league-average hitter with pop, and so it goes in 2025 to the tune of a 96 OPS+ and 11 home runs. He can also handle himself behind the dish, especially with blocking.
He'll back up William Contreras in Milwaukee, which will make it that much easier for the Brewers to DH him or give him days off to keep him fresh for October.
For the Rays: B
As Jansen is earning $8.5 million, it's not the biggest surprise that the Rays had to kick in some cash to close this deal with Milwaukee, a fellow small-market team.
On the plus side, Areinamo now ranks as their No. 25 prospect for MLB Pipeline. He's a .297 hitter in the minors and has shown increased power with 11 home runs at High-A this year.
Tigers Acquire Chris Paddack
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Date: July 28, 2025
The Deal: Detroit Tigers get RHP Chris Paddack, RHP Randy Dobnak; Minnesota Twins get C Enrique Jimenez
For the Tigers: C
This one feels a bit like a desperation move for the Tigers, who made the deal in the wake of losing Reese Olson for the rest of the year with a strained shoulder.
Whereas Olson had a 3.15 ERA in 13 starts, Paddack's ERA has hovered right around 5.00 ever since his short-lived breakout with San Diego in 2019. He'll eat innings, but keeping hits and runs off the board is not really his thing.
Dobnak is pretty much a throw-in, as he has had minimal success in 39 major league appearances scattered over seven years.
For the Twins: B
Paddack is only signed through the end of this year, while the chances of the Tigers picking up a $6 million option for 2026 seem slim.
This trade shipped off two middling rentals, in other words, so you have to hand it to the Twins for getting a real prospect out of it. Jimenez is now ranked by MLB Pipeline as Minnesota's No. 20 prospect, and he projects as a strong defender with some ability to get on base.
Braves Acquire Erick Fedde
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Date: July 27, 2025
The Deal: Atlanta Braves get RHP Erick Fedde; St. Louis Cardinals get PTBNL or cash considerations
For the Braves: C
With all five members of their Opening Day rotation on the injured list, the Braves just needed warm bodies for their rotation. To this end, at least, Fedde suffices.
He's fallen a long way from his breakout (3.30 ERA, 177.1 IP) in 2024, posting a 5.22 ERA in 20 starts for St. Louis before going to Atlanta. The Cardinals had DFA'd him, a signal they had given up hoping he would build value.
For the Cardinals: D
There is about $2.7 million remaining on Fedde's $7.5 million salary for this year, and that money will be paid out by the Cardinals.
Whatever cash they get will help offset that expense, but the better hope is the player to be named later miraculously turns out to be a productive major leaguer. Hey, it happened once upon a time with David Ortiz.
Yankees Acquire Amed Rosario
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Date: July 27, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get INF Amed Rosario; Washington Nationals get RHP Clayton Beeter, OF Browm Martinez
For the Yankees: B
Right off the bat, it's a little odd that the Yankees felt compelled to give up two prospects for Rosario, who is basically a replacement-level player at this stage of his career.
This said, at least it's easy to see how he fits on their roster. He's a versatile defender who offers speed and an effective bat against lefties, against whom he has a .829 OPS this year.
Expect him to get some spot starts at second base and third base, where he fits nicely as a platoon partner for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon.
For the Nationals: A
Beeter is an actual prospect who now ranks at No. 20 in Washington's system for MLB Pipeline. He is strictly a reliever at this point, but his plus fastball-slider combination gives him what he needs to find success in such a role.
As an 18-year-old playing in the Dominican Summer League, Martinez is a long-term upside play for the Nationals. There is some potential there, as seen in his 1.139 OPS through 18 games.
Royals Acquire Randal Grichuk
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Date: July 27, 2025
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get OF Randal Grichuk; Arizona Diamondbacks get RHP Andrew Hoffmann
For the Royals: B
With a 61 wRC+, the Royals have by far the worst offensive outfield in the league. This is where Grichuk will spend some time, though he'll also likely see time at DH.
Rather than a Big Impact type of guy, the 33-year-old has a more humble profile as a platoon bat against lefties. He did the job especially well in 2024 with a .913 OPS against southpaws, but he has a more modest .771 OPS this year.
The Royals didn't give up much to get Grichuk, though, and he's only signed for this year on a $5 million salary.
For the Diamondbacks: B
The D-backs didn't rob the Royals in this trade, but they got what they needed: A pitcher who can contribute in 2026.
Hoffmann had a 2.25 ERA for Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate, with 55 strikeouts in 40.0 innings. He can run his fastball up in the mid-90s, and with good extension by way of a 6'5", 210-pound frame.
Yankees Acquire Ryan McMahon
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Date: July 26, 2025
The Deal: New York Yankees get 3B Ryan McMahon; Colorado Rockies get LHP Griffin Herring, RHP Josh Grosz
For the Yankees: B
Even setting aside his strong start for the Yankees, this trade felt like a good one even at the time it was struck.
Third base had been an obvious area of need for the team, as nobody but Jazz Chisholm Jr. (who's now back at second) had provided any kind of reliability there.
In addressing the issue with McMahon, the Yankees have signed up to get elite defense and potentially more offense than expected.
Despite his .717 OPS as a Rockie, McMahon's metrics include exit velocity in the 96th percentile and a hard-hit rate in the 85th percentile. And while he isn't a dead-pull hitter, no lefty with power has ever disagreed with Yankee Stadium's short porch.
For the Rockies: A
Yes, the Rockies come out looking better in this deal, and here's why: Herring and Grosz are now ranked by MLB Pipeline as their No. 5 and No. 18 prospects, respectively, making this a fairly strong return.
It's a better-than-expected haul for a player whose returns during a six-year, $70 million contract had been diminishing. And that deal still has two years and $32 million left on it.
The long-term question is whether Herring or Grosz will be able to hack it at Coors Field. It's a tough assignment, but the former (plus slider) and the latter (above average fastball) each offer something to work with.
Mets Acquire Gregory Soto
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Date: July 25, 2025
The Deal: New York Mets get LHP Gregory Soto; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Wellington Aracena, RHP Cameron Foster
For the Mets: B
For most of this year, the Mets' bullpen has struck an awkward balance between generally being fine while also feeling undermanned.
As it especially needed another lefty to help out Brooks Raley, the trade for Soto checks a box if nothing else. It's just best not to read too much into him being a two-time All-Star, as recent years have seen him settle into an existence as a league-average pitcher who primarily dominates platoon matchups.
Soto, 30, does have the fastball and slider to come in and punch people out as needed, though. And while he is only a rental for the rest of the year, only one of the prospects New York gave up is a prospect of note.
For the Orioles: B
Soto wasn't exactly a shiny trade chip, so the O's are to be commended for somehow turning him into two prospects.
Of the two, Aracena has real promise. The 20-year-old's control needs a lot of work, but he has a fastball that has gotten as high as 101 mph. He also has a plus cutter that could be developed into a primary weapon.
Foster had a breakout with a 1.01 ERA in 19 appearances with the Mets' Double-A affiliate, and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs likes his slider. He is already 26, however.
Mariners Acquire Josh Naylor
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Date: July 24, 2025
The Deal: Seattle Mariners get 1B Josh Naylor; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Ashton Izzi
For the Mariners: A
The Mariners got decent power from Rowdy Tellez while he was manning first base, but those days ended in June when he was DFA'd. And the position had been an on-base black hole, posting a .298 OBP before Naylor came aboard.
The 28-year-old is a big upgrade just in this respect, as he's an advanced hitter with a .272 average and .335 OBP across the last four seasons. He also has power to offer, even if last year's 31 home runs may be his permanent high-water mark.
Naylor is only signed through the rest of this year, but the Mariners didn't overpay to get him for two months. Garcia and Izzi were two prospects they could afford to lose.
For the Diamondbacks: C
Though neither Garcia nor Izzi was among Seattle's top 10 prospects, the caveat there is that this is arguably still the best farm system in MLB.
If not as a starter, Garcia has promise as a reliever by way of a plus fastball-slider combination. Izzi's stock has faded a bit since his breakout year in 2024, but his 6'3", 165-pound frame and above average fastball give Arizona something to work with.
Yet even if it's not a nothing package, it feels underwhelming. The D-backs should have been able to do better than two project pitchers for an All-Star-caliber first baseman, even if he is a rental.
