Re-Grading 2025 MLB Trade Deadline's Biggest Deals 1 Month Later
This year's MLB trade deadline landed like an asteroid, with 50 trades going down just in the last 31 hours before the clock struck 6 p.m. ET on July 31.
Now that the dust has settled, it's time to re-examine the biggest deals from the deadline with a fresh perspective.
Though there are dozens to choose from, we zeroed in on 12 that still loom large over a month later. We have fresh grades to give them, which may or may not differ from the grades they got back on deadline day.
This time, the value gained and lost is no longer hypothetical—even if a month is still a small sample size in the grand scheme.
Texas Rangers Acquire Merrill Kelly
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The Deal: Texas Rangers get RHP Merrill Kelly; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Kohl Drake, LHP Mitch Bratt, RHP David Hagaman
July 31 Grades: B for Rangers, A for Diamondbacks
For the Rangers: A
Kelly was already having a solid season by way of an ERA in the low 3.00s through 22 starts for Arizona, and he's basically kept it rolling in Texas.
He has a 3.31 ERA in six starts, and has logged at least six innings in each of the last four. While the Rangers are only 3-3 in these games, it still feels like this trade has merely begun to pay off.
With Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle done for the season with injuries, Kelly is arguably the second-best starter the Rangers have after Jacob deGrom. With the playoffs still within reach, he may well get his shot to be a Game 2 starter.
For the Diamondbacks: A
MLB Pipeline had all three of the prospects Arizona scored in this deal within Texas' top 13, so it looked like a solid get for a rental hurler even at the time.
And now, even more so. Bratt and Hagaman are off to terrific starts for Arizona at Double-A and High-A, respectively, with the two notably having combined for 62 strikeouts and only seven walks over 19.2 innings.
New York Mets Acquire Cedric Mullins
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The Deal: New York Mets get CF Cedric Mullins; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Anthony Nunez, RHP Raimon Gómez, RHP Chandler Marsh
July 31 Grades: B for Mets, B for Orioles
For the Mets: D
The Mets added Mullins just when he was warming up again after a long cool stretch, but to say he hasn't kept up his momentum would be putting it lightly.
He is only 16-for-85 as a Met, and only one of those hits has left the yard. And he's especially frigid right now, with only one hit to show for his last eight games.
It also bears noting Mullins is tied at the bottom of the leaderboard with minus-17 Defensive Runs Saved, so he hasn't been the all-around center field upgrade the Mets were hoping for.
For the Orioles: C
This trade looked strong enough on paper at the time, and Nunez and Marsh have since done solid work in Baltimore's system. The former even got bumped to Triple-A, where he has struck out 12 of 39 in nine appearances.
Gomez is missing in action with a back injury, which is a tough way to bookend a year in which he returned from Tommy John surgery in April. The Orioles will have to wait to get a glimpse of his 104.5 mph fastball.
New York Yankees Acquire Ryan McMahon
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The Deal: New York Yankees get 3B Ryan McMahon; Colorado Rockies get LHP Griffin Herring, RHP Josh Grosz
July 31 Grades: B for Yankees, A for Rockies
For the Yankees: D
The Yankees were persistently linked to McMahon for about a year before they finally traded for him. And when they did, the deal figured to provide major relief for a major problem area at third base.
Instead, he somehow has a lower OPS (.677) as a Yankee than he did as a Rockie (.717). He has fanned in 32.2 percent of his plate appearances, and he's only getting colder with a .179 average since August 20.
McMahon is at least giving the Yankees his usual quality defense at third, where he has three Defensive Runs Saved already. But since it was offense they needed from the position, this isn't much of a bonus.
For the Rockies: A
For the Rockies, one of the primary benefits of this deal was getting the $32 million left on McMahon's contract off their books. It was a wise idea at the time, and they must be extra happy that money is the Yankees' problem now.
Meanwhile, MLB Pipeline ranks Herring as the Rockies' No. 9 prospect and they have already seen him strike out 39 batters in 25.0 innings at High-A. We'll see what he does at Coors Field down the line, but you gladly take early returns like those.
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New York Yankees Acquire Camilo Doval
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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
July 31 Grades: C for Yankees, B for Giants
For the Yankees: D
The Yankees initially got a C for the Doval deal because, even though he arrived with All-Star credentials and solid results, he also came with red flags.
Those included diminished velocity and an elevated walk rate, and the Yankees have been stung by both in the 14 appearances he has made for them. He's given up 13 hits and eight walks in 11.2 innings, serving up 10 runs (six earned) in the process.
The Yankees will have two more seasons to address Doval's issues after this one, and it helps that he's only 28 years old. For now, though, they have every right to regret this trade.
For the Giants: A
This looked like a quantity-over-quality trade for the Giants, but that wasn't a bad thing considering Doval had lost value since his All-Star breakout in 2023.
Cut to now, and Rodríguez looks like a real prize. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Giants' No. 16 prospect, and he's made a quick impression by batting .333 in 25 games for the club's Triple-A squad.
New York Yankees Acquire David Bednar
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The Deal: New York Yankees get RHP David Bednar; Pittsburgh Pirates get C/1B Rafael Flores, C/1B Edgleen Perez, CF Brian Sanchez
July 31 Grades: A for Yankees, B for Pirates
For the Yankees: A
Though we didn't even touch on their disastrous trade for Jake Bird, we finally come to a deadline deal that the Yankees have won.
Bednar had been on a sustained hot streak when the Yankees got him from the Bucs, and it has continued in the 11 appearances he's made in pinstripes. Nine of those appearances have been scoreless, and he's fanned 20 of the 54 batters he's faced.
With Luke Weaver and Devin Williams each having struggled in the role, the closer role seems to be Bednar's by default.
It's a double win for the Yankees, as Bednar will remain under their control through 2026 after those two hit free agency this winter.
For the Pirates: B
This trade never felt like a robbery on the high seas for the Pirates, but Flores and Perez both rank among their top 30 prospects for MLB Pipeline, and one of them has already made a strong first impression.
That is Flores, who has homered five times (all since August 20) and put up a .867 OPS in 25 games at Triple-A. He'll be a candidate to lift the Bucs offense as soon as Opening Day next year.
New York Mets Acquire Ryan Helsley
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The Deal: New York Mets get RHP Ryan Helsley; St. Louis Cardinals get INF Jesus Baez, RHP Nate Dohm, RHP Frank Elissalt
July 31 Grades: B for Mets, A for Cardinals
For the Mets: F
Helsley's 100 mph heat made him an All-Star in 2022 and 2024, and he was red-hot when the Mets traded for him. His last 11 appearances for the Cardinals yielded just one run.
Alas, his tenure with the Mets has been an abject disaster. He made his 14th appearance for them on Wednesday and allowed three more earned runs, bringing his total as a Met to 14 through 11.0 innings. He's also allowed 19 hits and eight walks.
Mets fans have lost so much faith in Helsley that "Ryan Helsley DFA" was trending on X on Wednesday. It's not what you want for any reliever, much less one who was meant to set up for Edwin Díaz.
For the Cardinals: B
Baez and Dohm rank among the Cardinals' top 30 prospects for MLB Pipeline, so this deal still looks good on paper just on their account.
Neither they nor Elissalt have impressed in the Cardinals system, however. For their parts, Baez's OPS is about 100 points lower than where it was in the Mets system and Dohm has a 5.11 ERA in five starts. Both are playing at the High-A level.
San Diego Padres Acquire Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano
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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
July 31 Grades: B for Padres, A for Orioles
For the Padres: A
This was a lot for the Padres to give up, but it was going to be worth it in the short run if O'Hearn and Laureano boosted the offense.
They have done so, with O'Hearn posting a solid .743 OPS and Laureano taking off to the tune of a .950 OPS. They are part of the reason the Padres are scoring 4.7 runs per game since August 1, compared to 4.1 through July 31.
With the Padres still struggling to hit the ball over the fence, it would be nice to see more power from O'Hearn, who has only three homers with the team. But as long as the runs are there, home runs can wait.
For the Orioles: B
Though Bateman and Hightower rank among their top 30 prospects at MLB Pipeline, this is a quantity-over-quality trade that is going to need more time before the Orioles can count it as a win.
Bateman was the best player in the deal for the Orioles, and his time in their system has been a mixed bag. He was merely OK in two appearances at Single-A, and he has given up seven runs (all earned) in 6.2 innings for their High-A club.
Seattle Mariners Acquire Josh Naylor
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The Deal: Seattle Mariners get 1B Josh Naylor; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Ashton Izzi
July 31 Grades: A for Mariners, C for Diamondbacks
For the Mariners: C
The Mariners weren't even getting replacement-level production from first base before Naylor came aboard, so even his 1.0 rWAR in 35 games looks like sweet nectar in context.
His OPS is down 111 points from where it was in Arizona, though, and he's gone cold in batting .197/.222/.279 in his last 17 games. He's walked just twice in this span and stolen only one base after swiping 11 in his first 14 games as a Mariner.
One thing Naylor has done is bring a different attitude to the clubhouse, but it is still fair to say the shine has worn off this trade.
For the Diamondbacks: C
This still doesn't look like much of a return for Arizona, and it doesn't help that Garcia flopped so hard in his first audition that he was sent to Triple-A after only three appearances as a D-back.
At least Izzi is off to a solid start in the organization, posting a 3.58 ERA in six appearances at High-A. He's coming off his best start yet, having pitched six scoreless, one-hit innings with nine strikeouts on Tuesday.
Seattle Mariners Acquire Eugenio Suárez
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The Deal: Seattle Mariners get 3B Eugenio Suárez; Arizona Diamondbacks get 1B Tyler Locklear, RHP Hunter Cranton, RHP Juan Burgos
July 31 Grades: A for Mariners, D for Diamondbacks
For the Mariners: D
There was every reason to think Suárez was going to be a massive upgrade for the Mariners at third base. He arrived with 36 home runs, whereas the M's had gotten only five from the hot corner all year.
It's been a letdown, to say the least. Suárez is slashing .195/.258/.407 in 31 games as a Mariner, which have been nearly evenly split between wins (16) and losses (15).
As the Mariners downgraded defensively in going from Ben Williamson to Suárez at third, this trade simply hasn't fixed what was one of Seattle's biggest pre-deadline problems.
For the Diamondbacks: F
If there's a saving grace for the Mariners, it's that Arizona is somehow getting even less out of this deal.
Locklear has met his chance at first base with a .524 OPS in 27 games, while Burgos has an 8.10 ERA in nine appearances out of the bullpen. And while MLB Pipeline does rank Cranton among the club's top 30 prospects, he's barely pitched this year because of injuries.
Philadelphia Phillies Acquire Jhoan Duran
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The Deal: Philadelphia Phillies get RHP Jhoan Duran; Minnesota Twins get RHP Mick Abel, C Eduardo Tait
July 31 Grades: A for Phillies, C for Twins
For the Phillies: A
The Phillies got an A partially for effort, as Duran was arguably the best possible upgrade for a bullpen that ranked 24th in ERA at the time.
It has fared better (i.e., 15th in ERA) since then, and Duran has helped by posting a 1.69 ERA in 13 appearances, with nine saves in 10 tries. He did get a scare on that comebacker off his leg in August, but he seems to have shaken it off. He's made three straight perfect outings.
Duran will remain under the Phillies' control for two more seasons, and he'll only turn 28 on January 8, 2026. There's no reason to think he'll stop being an elite closer any time soon.
For the Twins: D
Abel made only two appearances for the Twins after a strong showing at Triple-A, but he was promptly sent back down after giving up 12 runs (11 earned) in 4.0 innings.
For his part, MLB Pipeline still has Tait ranked as the league's No. 52 prospect. Yet he continues to have an iffy offensive season at High-A, notably posting a .294 OBP and only three home runs since landing in the Twins system.
San Diego Padres Acquire Mason Miller, JP Sears
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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
July 31 Grades: B for Padres, A for Athletics
For the Padres: A
Sears has a 5.25 ERA in three starts as a Padre, but that's a "whatever" storyline in context of Miller's current standing in the bullpen.
He promised to bring even further lethality to the best relief corps in the league, and he has by posting a 1.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts (including three in an immaculate inning on Wednesday) in 12.0 innings. And with Jason Adam done for the year, Miller's presence is that much more important.
The Padres control Miller for another four seasons after 2025, and it's not out of the question that they'll look to make him a starter at some point.
For the Athletics: B
It's too early to completely rewrite the history of this trade, but the A's can't be happy with what they have seen from De Vries so far. He has a .516 OPS in 11 games for their Double-A squad.
The good news is he remains MLB Pipeline's No. 3 overall prospect. The further bad news is the other players in the deal haven't covered for De Vries, with Nett and Baez both posting ERAs in the 5.00s at Double-A.
Houston Astros Acquire Carlos Correa
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The Deal: Houston Astros get 3B Carlos Correa, $33 million; Minnesota Twins get LHP Matt Mikulski
July 31 Grades: B for Astros, F for Twins
For the Astros: C
This was the biggest stunner of the deadline, and the only issue with the Astros' end of it is that they became responsible for $70 million of the $103 million Correa is owed through 2028.
That's not a small amount of money for a player who has shown signs of decline in two of the last three seasons, including this one. He seemed to be revived when he got off to a strong start back with Houston, but he now has a .588 OPS in his last 20 games and a .716 OPS for the season.
Shifting him to third base was the right move, at least. Whereas Correa was at minus-11 with his Defensive Runs Saved at shortstop for the Twins, he's at a relatively inoffensive zero DRS for the Astros at third so far.
For the Twins: F
Even if the Astros have taken on a depreciating asset, that doesn't absolve the Twins from mockery for having made this trade in the first place.
They basically made the deal as a favor to Correa, which would have been fine if they had offloaded more money and/or gotten real talent back. They failed to do either, and Mikulski even has a 10.80 ERA for their High-A team to reinforce the point.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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