MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Post-Trade Deadline

The 2015 MLB non-waiver trade deadline is now behind us, and while it was not quite as eventful as last year's, it was still an exciting week around the league.

With so many deals taking place since we last published our power rankings on Monday, it's worth updating things in the aftermath of Friday's deadline.

Recent performance still played a role, as it does in the standard rankings, so the Houston Astros' sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, for example, was factored in here among others things. But the main focus was on what teams did at the deadline.

A look at each club's notable transactions this month, as well as a grade for overall activity on this year's trade market, was provided.

As always, the focus of these rankings was on where a team currently stands compared to the rest of the league.

With that being said, a club could receive an A grade for scooping up some good prospects at the deadline but still fall in the rankings due to the big league talent it gave up.

Just something to keep in mind.

30. Philadelphia Phillies (39-64, Previous: 30)

Deadline Deals

• July 28: RP Jonathan Papelbon traded to Washington Nationals for SP Nick Pivetta

• July 31: SP Cole Hamels, RP Jake Diekman traded to Texas Rangers for SP Matt Harrison, SP Jake Thompson, OF Nick Williams, C Jorge Alfaro, SP Alec Asher, SP Jerad Eickhoff

• July 31: LF Ben Revere traded to Toronto Blue Jays for RP Alberto Tirado, RP Jimmy Cordero

Deadline Overview

Unloading the likes of Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon and Ben Revere certainly isn't going to help the Philadelphia Phillies' chances of climbing out of the bottom spot in these rankings. But it does go a long way in furthering their rebuild.

The Hamels deal we've all been waiting for finally went down, and it didn't disappoint, with the Phillies picking up five prospects and an immediate rotation replacement in Matt Harrison.

The prospects they picked up rank as follows in the organization, per MLB.com's Prospect Watch:

• RHP Jake Thompson (No. 3)
• OF Nick Williams (No. 4)
• C Jorge Alfaro (No. 5)
• RHP Jerad Eickhoff (No. 14)
• RHP Alec Asher (No. 24)

Throw in the guys picked up in the other two trades:

• RHP Nick Pivetta (No. 13)
• RHP Alberto Tirado (No. 15)
• RHP Jimmy Cordero (NR, 32 G, 2.70 ERA, 8.3 K/9 across two levels)

Not a bad haul for a team in desperate need of young talent, especially from the Hamels deal, as the top three names in that trade are all close to big league-ready and could help as soon as next season.

Deadline Grade: A+

Finally, the Phillies have kicked their rebuild into action. Time will tell if these prospect pickups actually pay off, but don't be surprised if the Hamels deal winds up being compared to the Mark Teixeira-to-Atlanta return in the not-too-distant future.

29. Miami Marlins (42-60, Previous: 29)

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

SP Dan Haren

Deadline Deals

• July 24: RP Steve Cishek traded to St. Louis Cardinals for RP Kyle Barraclough

• July 30: SP Mat Latos, 1B Michael Morse traded to Los Angeles Dodgers for SP Jeff Brigham, SP Kevin Guzman, RP Victor Araujo

• July 31: SP Dan Haren traded to Chicago Cubs for SP Ivan Pineyro, SS Elliot Soto

Deadline Overview

The Miami Marlins' activity at the deadline was all about saving money, and they did that by moving the likes of Mat Latos, Dan Haren, Michael Morse and Steve Cishek.

Latos and Haren were both headed for free agency, while Morse is due $8.5 million next season. Cishek looked like a non-tender candidate after earning $6.65 million this year while losing the closer job.

The prospect returns didn't bring much in the way of impact talent, as Jeff Brigham (No. 23) and Ivan Pineyro (No. 27) are the only two who rank among the team's top 30, per MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Deadline Grade: B

Given the chips they had to work with, this was about as good as the Marlins could have hoped to do at the deadline.

Unloading some of Morse's remaining contract and bringing back a couple of useful pitching prospects for a pair of impending free agents made for a nice under-the-radar deadline. The challenge of building this team into a contender remains, though.

28. Colorado Rockies (43-57, Previous: 27)

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

SS Jose Reyes

Deadline Deals

• July 28: SS Troy Tulowitzki, RP LaTroy Hawkins traded to Toronto Blue Jays for SS Jose Reyes, SP Jeff Hoffman, SP Miguel Castro, SP Jesus Tinoco

Deadline Overview

The Colorado Rockies finally pulled the trigger on moving Troy Tulowitzki, signaling the beginning of an overdue rebuild for the franchise.

Pitching has long been the issue, and they landed some great arms in the deal in Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro and Jesus Tinoco.

Hoffman was the big prize, as he has ace-caliber stuff and has bounced back nicely from the Tommy John surgery that caused him to slip to the No. 9 spot in the 2014 draft.

Castro and Tinoco also have the potential to make an impact in the big league rotation, though, and they now rank as the team's No. 10 and No. 18 prospects, respectively, per MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Now the question is if the team pulls the trigger on moving outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who has rebuilt a good amount of value with his recent hot streak.

Deadline Grade: A

Landing an immediate replacement for Tulowitzki in Jose Reyes and still saving some money and picking up a nice prospect haul was as good as the team could have hoped for when it came to moving the face of the franchise.

More than anything, the move symbolizes the organization's acceptance that what it has been doing isn't working, and it's potentially a big step in the right direction.

27. Milwaukee Brewers (44-59, Previous: 26)

Deadline Deals

• July 23: 3B Aramis Ramirez traded to Pittsburgh Pirates for RP Yhonathan Barrios

• July 30: CF Carlos Gomez, SP Mike Fiers traded to Houston Astros for CF Brett Phillips, RF Domingo Santana, SP Josh Hader, SP Adrian Houser

• July 31: RP Jonathan Broxton traded to St. Louis Cardinals for OF Malik Collymore

• July 31: OF Gerardo Parra traded to Baltimore Orioles for SP Zach Davies

Deadline Overview

While they were unable to find any takers for struggling starters Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza, the Milwaukee Brewers were still plenty busy at the trade deadline.

The big move was the blockbuster deal that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to the Houston Astros. In exchange they picked up a pair of front-line minor leaguers.

Brett Phillips was the No. 21 prospect in the sport in Baseball America's midseason top-50 rankings, and he has the potential to be a future star and the long-term replacement for Gomez in center field.

Joining him in the package from Houston was outfielder Domingo Santana, who is still just 22 years old and is currently hitting .320/.426/.582 with 18 doubles and 16 home runs in Triple-A.

Throw in the addition of right-hander Zach Davies (No. 11) in the deal that sent Gerardo Parra to the Baltimore Orioles, and lefty Josh Hader (No. 15), who was also part of the Gomez package, and the team landed four prospects who currently rank among its top 15, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch. Phillips and Santana were second and fourth, respectively.

Deadline Grade: A

Packaging Gomez with Fiers was a smart move by the Brewers, and the 30-year-old Fiers really wasn't a long-term piece of the puzzle despite his remaining years of team control.

The Brewers added two potential future stars to a thin farm system, got a great return for a rental player in Parra and were even able to save some money in the deal that sent Jonathan Broxton to the St. Louis Cardinals.

26. Cincinnati Reds (46-54, Previous: 28)

Deadline Deals

• July 26: SP Johnny Cueto traded to Kansas City Royals for SP Brandon Finnegan, SP Cody Reed, SP John Lamb
  
  
• July 30: SP Mike Leake traded to San Francisco Giants for SP Keury Mella, 1B/3B Adam Duvall

Deadline Overview

The Cincinnati Reds spent plenty of time on the phones talking about the likes of Jay Bruce and Aroldis Chapman, but in the end, their two upcoming free agents in the rotation were all they wound up moving.

As a result, rehabbing Homer Bailey is now the last man standing (sort of) from the starting rotation the team trotted out during the 2014 season.

In exchange for the four starters the Reds have moved (Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Mat Latos, Alfredo Simon), they have landed the following:

• RHP Anthony DeSclafani (MLB rotation)
• SS Eugenio Suarez (MLB lineup)
• LHP Brandon Finnegan (Future starter)
• RHP Keury Mella (No. 5 prospect, per MLB.com)
• LHP Cody Reed (No. 9 prospect)
• RHP Jonathon Crawford (No. 13 prospect)
• LHP John Lamb (No. 21 prospect)
• C Chad Wallach (No. 27 prospect)
• 3B Adam Duvall (26 HR in Triple-A)

Not bad.

Deadline Grade: A

The Cueto deal looks like a good one for both sides and a fair return package for two months of one of the best starters in the game.

It's the fact that they were able to land Mella from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Leake that vaults their grade up to an A here. He has a chance to be the best out of all of the above-mentioned acquisitions.

25. Oakland Athletics (45-58, Previous: 23)

Deadline Deals

• July 23: SP Scott Kazmir traded to Houston Astros for C Jacob Nottingham, SP Daniel Mengden 

• July 27: RP Tyler Clippard traded to New York Mets for SP Casey Meisner

• July 28: UT Ben Zobrist traded to Kansas City Royals for SP Sean Manaea, SP/RP Aaron Brooks

Deadline Overview

The Oakland Athletics got all of their wheeling and dealing out of the way early, and in the end, it was the three guys everyone expected to be traded who landed elsewhere.

Scott Kazmir, Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard are all headed for free agency this coming offseason, and the team was able to land some quality prospects in return for those rental pieces.

Left-hander Sean Manaea (No. 3), catcher Jacob Nottingham (No. 8), right-hander Casey Meisner (No. 11) and right-hander Daniel Mengden (No. 25) all rank among the team's top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Deadline Grade: B+

The Athletics got a solid prospect haul for their three expiring contracts, but one can't help but wonder if Kazmir would have netted them more if they had waited until Friday to deal him.

With David Price and Cueto off the market, he would have been the top arm available. They had no way of knowing how the rest of the pitching market would shake out, though, and in the end, they still got a solid return for him.

24. Atlanta Braves (46-56, Previous: 19)

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

IF Hector Olivera

Deadline Deals

• July 24: 3B Juan Uribe, UT Kelly Johnson traded to New York Mets for SP Robert Whalen, SP John Gant

• July 30: SP Alex Wood, RP Jim Johnson, RP Luis Avilan, 2B Jose Peraza, SP Bronson Arroyo traded to Los Angeles Dodgers for IF Hector Olivera, RP Paco Rodriguez, SP Zack Bird

Deadline Overview

After unloading veterans Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson in a trade with the New York Mets last week, the Braves jumped head-first into a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.

In the end, they essentially turned Alex Wood and Jose Peraza into Hector Olivera and Zack Bird, while unloading the contract of Bronson Arroyo they picked up earlier this season in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Olivera has yet to see the big leagues, but he signed a six-year, $62.5 million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason after defecting from Cuba.

He's hitting .348/.392/.493 in 19 games so far this season, already reaching Triple-A. But he's also already 30 years old.

At any rate, he figures to be a key piece of what the Braves are doing going forward.

Deadline Grade: C

This was an aggressive move by the Braves, and it was one made with an eye on taking the next step toward contending.

However, Olivera has a chance to be a solid bat, but he wasn't worth giving up Wood.

The starter is 24 years old, is under team control through 2019 and has proven that his 2014 was no fluke with another strong performance this year. At the very least, he's a quality No. 3 starter with upside, and that's not worth a 30-year-old who has yet to prove himself and is signed for six years.

23. Seattle Mariners (46-57, Previous: 18)

Deadline Deals

• July 30: OF Dustin Ackley traded to New York Yankees for OF Ramon Flores, RP Jose Ramirez

• July 31: RP Mark Lowe traded to Toronto Blue Jays for SP Nick Wells, RP Rob Rasmussen, SP Jake Brentz

• July 31: SP J.A. Happ traded to Pittsburgh Pirates for SP Adrian Sampson

Deadline Overview

A strong case can be made for the Seattle Mariners being the most disappointing team of 2015, and their status as sellers at the deadline only further emphasized that.

While they held on to their most talked-about trade chip in starter Hisashi Iwakuma, they dealt a trio of other players in Dustin Ackley, Mark Lowe and J.A. Happ.

Considering Happ and Lowe were set to become free agents and Ackley was a prime change-of-scenery candidate, they netted a decent return.

Nick Wells (No. 21), Ramon Flores (No. 26), Jose Ramirez (No. 29) and Jake Brentz (No. 30) all earned a place in the team's top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Deadline Grade: B-

The Mariners probably could have been even more aggressive sellers given their record, with guys like Iwakuma and center fielder Austin Jackson both headed for free agency.

They got good value out of the guys they traded, though, especially Lowe, who was signed to a minor league deal before the season started, and the team managed to turn him into three useful pitching prospects.

22. Boston Red Sox (45-58, Previous: 22)

Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

1B Mike Napoli

Deadline Deals

• July 27: RF Shane Victorino traded to Los Angeles Angels for IF Josh Rutledge

Deadline Overview

There was no team busier than the Boston Red Sox at last year's trade deadline, as they were in full-blown fire-sale mode.

This time around, things were considerably quieter, as their only move came when they shipped veteran Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for utility infielder Josh Rutledge.

Keep an eye on first baseman Mike Napoli, who could wind up being moved during the August waiver trade window ahead of his upcoming free agency.

Other than that, expect the Red Sox to get a good look at a number of young players during the final months of the season as they evaluate their roster for 2016 and beyond.

Deadline Grade: C

There really wasn't much the Red Sox could do in terms of trading off pieces on the roster, but it has to be something of a disappointment that the book is now officially closed on acquiring Hamels.

One can't help but wonder how differently things would have gone this season if they had pulled the trigger on acquiring him during the offseason or signed one of the market's other top arms.

21. Cleveland Indians (47-54, Previous: 24)

Deadline Deals

• July 28: OF David Murphy traded to Los Angeles Angels for SS Eric Stamets
  
  
• July 30: 1B/OF Brandon Moss traded to St. Louis Cardinals for SP Rob Kaminsky

• July 31: RP Marc Rzepczynski traded to San Diego Padres for UT Abraham Almonte

Deadline Overview

Many writers, myself included, had the Cleveland Indians poised for a strong second half and perhaps a push back into contention. But that has not been the case, as they are 5-8 with a minus-17 run differential in the second half.

While they did not sell off any controllable pieces, they moved a pair of bats in Brandon Moss and David Murphy, as well as lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski.

The Murphy and Rzepczynski trades didn't bring much to speak of in the prospect department, but the team picked up a great young arm from the St. Louis Cardinals in Rob Kaminsky in the Moss deal.

The 20-year-old lefty has gone 6-5 with a 2.09 ERA, 1.162 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 94.2 innings at the High-A level this season. He immediately becomes the team's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Deadline Grade: A+

Essentially, the Indians turned Joey Wendle—a fringe prospect at second base—into Kaminsky by way of Moss in less than a year. Not bad.

20. Detroit Tigers (50-52, Previous: 16)

Deadline Deals

• July 30: SP David Price traded to Toronto Blue Jays for SP Daniel Norris, SP Matthew Boyd, SP Jairo Labourt

• July 30: RP Joakim Soria traded to Pittsburgh Pirates for SS JaCoby Jones

• July 31: LF Yoenis Cespedes traded to New York Mets for SP Michael Fulmer, SP Luis Cessa

Deadline Overview

The Detroit Tigers announced a couple of days ago that they were "rebooting" and open for business on the trade market, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. And business was booming over the past two days.

The team shipped David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays for three high-ceiling pitching prospects in Daniel Norris, Matthew Boyd and Jairo Labourt. Norris will immediately replace Price in the rotation, while Boyd has already seen big league action this season as well.

Detroit also moved closer Joakim Soria in exchange for shortstop JaCoby Jones, and it exchanged slugger Yoenis Cespedes for two more pitching prospects in Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa.

To give a better picture of where those guys fall in the farm system rankings: Norris (No. 1), Fulmer (No. 5), Boyd (No. 8), Cessa (No. 9), Jones (No. 13) and Labourt (No. 15) all now rank among the team's top 15 prospects, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

Deadline Grade: A+

At just two games under .500 and with a high-priced roster built to win now, general manager Dave Dombrowski easily could have dragged his feet and hoped the team got hot down the stretch.

Instead, he was proactive in moving his top trade chips and restocked what was widely recognized as the worst farm system in baseball. Well played, sir.

19. Arizona Diamondbacks (49-51, Previous: 25)

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

RP Brad Ziegler

Deadline Deals

• None

Deadline Overview

The big news for the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline was the team's pursuit of Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, as reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Nothing came to pass, and Chapman wound up staying put. But it's something the two sides could revisit during the upcoming offseason.

Meanwhile, the team is playing perhaps its best baseball of the season right now.

The Diamondbacks have won five in a row and are 12-11 with a plus-19 run differential in July. They aren't in a position to contend in the NL West, but at the very least, they should be able to make a run at a winning record.

Deadline Grade: B

The Diamondbacks did their due diligence at the deadline, checking in on controllable pieces like Chapman with their sights set on next season.

Their only real trade chip was reliever Brad Ziegler, who's having a great season with 17 saves and a 1.21 ERA. He has a team-friendly $5.5 million option for next season, though, and if the club has plans of contending, he'll be a key piece of the puzzle.

18. Tampa Bay Rays (51-52, Previous: 17)

Deadline Deals

• July 28: OF David DeJesus traded to Los Angeles Angels for SP Eduar Lopez

• July 31: RP Kevin Jepsen traded to Minnesota Twins for SP Chih-Wei Hu, SP Alexis Tapia

Deadline Overview

It's funny when you realize the Tampa Bay Rays are only one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East standings, as they employed two contrasting strategies at the deadline.

The cost-conscious Rays are never ones to make a splash at the deadline, and this time around, they opted to unload the salaries of reliever Kevin Jepsen and outfielder David DeJesus.

Jepsen was a solid bullpen arm and one who had a year of team control remaining, but they were able to land a solid prospect for him in right-hander Chih-Wei Hu.

The Taiwanese righty has gone 6-3 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.147 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 90.2 innings this season, and the 21-year-old recently made the jump from High-A straight to Triple-A.

Deadline Grade: A

Unloading some salary and netting a solid prospect for an expendable bullpen arm? That's business as usual for the Rays, as they continue to make the best of a tough situation.

17. Chicago White Sox (49-51, Previous: 20)

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

SP Jeff Samardzija

Deadline Deals

• None

Deadline Overview

The Chicago White Sox looked like clear sellers before rattling off a seven-game winning streak that was finally snapped by the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

With that, they are now very much in the playoff picture at 3.5 games back for the second AL wild-card spot, and they opted to stand pat as a result.

Right-hander Jeff Samardzija and his expiring contract was their top trade chip, and they could still dangle him in waivers if the team falls out of the running over the next couple of weeks.

For now, a club that entered the season with lofty expectations and disappointed early looks to have new life in its hunt for a playoff spot.

Deadline Grade: B

It was only a question of whether the White Sox were going to trade Samardzija, as they didn't have much else in the way of movable pieces.

In the end, holding on to him and seeing how this season shakes out was the right move. At the very least, they'll be able to extend a qualifying offer to him and receive some draft-pick compensation in the offseason.

16. San Diego Padres (49-53, Previous: 21)

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

LF Justin Upton

Deadline Deals

• July 31: RP Marc Rzepczynski acquired from Cleveland Indians for UT Abraham Almonte

Deadline Overview

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the San Diego Padres opted against selling off pieces—as many expected they would—because GM A.J. Preller believes the team can still reach the postseason.

Last season, it took 88 wins to claim the No. 2 NL wild-card spot, and in order to reach that mark, the Padres would need to go 39-21 (.650) the rest of the way.

That's a tall order for a team that has struggled to string together wins all season. But at the very least, it climbs ahead of others clubs in these rankings that sold off pieces at the deadline.

Deadline Grade: D

Holding on to guys like Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and Craig Kimbrel with an eye toward next season makes sense for the Padres, and you can even argue that making a qualifying offer to Justin Upton and taking the draft pick is a smart move.

However, to not trade off players with expiring contracts, like Ian Kennedy, Will Venable and others, is a head-scratcher. In the end, maybe Preller really does believe this team can still make the playoffs. But it looks like a long shot at best.

15. Minnesota Twins (53-48, Previous: 12)

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

RP Kevin Jepsen

Deadline Deals

• July 31: RP Kevin Jepsen acquired from Tampa Bay Rays for SP Chih-Wei Hu, SP Alexis Tapia

Deadline Overview

All-Star closer Glen Perkins has been lights-out once again for the Minnesota Twins, but they made it clear heading into the deadline that they were looking to bolster their relief corps around him, per LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune.

Entering play Friday, the bullpen ranked 24th in the league with a 3.97 ERA, and that number climbs to 4.24 when you remove Perkins (29-of-31 SV, 2.36 ERA, 42.0 IP) from the equation.

After kicking the tires on a number of arms, they wound up landing Kevin Jepsen from the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 31-year-old has a 2.81 ERA and 7.3 strikeouts per nine with five saves and 22 holds in 46 appearances this year, and he has the added value of being under team control through next season.

Deadline Grade: B+

The Twins have their work cut out for them if they hope to hold on to the No. 2 wild-card spot, but Jepsen should help shore up arguably their biggest weakness.

Big picture, this is a club that is still way ahead of schedule as far as when it was expected to contend. The Twins weren't going to mortgage any substantial future assets for a chance this season, and whatever happens here in 2015 is just another step in the building process.

14. Texas Rangers (49-52, Previous: 15)

Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

SP Cole Hamels

Deadline Deals

• July 31: SP Cole Hamels, RP Jake Diekman acquired from Philadelphia Phillies for SP Matt Harrison, C Jorge Alfaro, OF Nick Williams, SP Jake Thompson, SP Alex Asher, SP Jerad Eickhoff

Deadline Overview

The Texas Rangers pulled off the big blockbuster trade of the deadline, acquiring Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies in an eight-player deal that saw some of their top prospect talent heading in the other direction.

Catcher Jorge Alfaro (No. 69), outfielder Nick Williams (No. 64) and right-hander Jake Thompson (No. 60) all rank among the top 100 prospects in the league, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch. They could also all conceivably be in the big leagues by next season.

That being said, it gives the Rangers one of the most dangerous one-two punches in the league next season when Yu Darvish returns alongside Hamels at the top of the rotation.

Not to be overlooked, the team also picked up 28-year-old Jake Diekman, who is a better pitcher than his 5.15 ERA this season may suggest. He has the stuff to be an important lefty setup man.

Deadline Grade: A

The fact that the Rangers were able to land Hamels without giving up Joey Gallo or Nomar Mazara has to be considered a big win for them.

They also opted not to deal Yovani Gallardo. And at just 3.5 games back for the second AL wild-card spot and with Hamels now in tow, a late-season push is not out of question.

13. Baltimore Orioles (51-50, Previous: 14)

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

OF Gerardo Parra

Deadline Deals

• July 31: OF Gerardo Parra acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for SP Zach Davies

• July 31: OF Junior Lake acquired from Chicago Cubs for RP Tommy Hunter

Deadline Overview

The left field position has contributed a .210/.283/.330 line so far this season for the Baltimore Orioles, making it the obvious area most in need of an upgrade at the deadline.

The team wound up adding Gerardo Parra from the Milwaukee Brewers, shipping out pitching prospect and Futures Game participant Zach Davies in the deal.

A two-time Gold Glove winner, Parra is enjoying the best season of his career offensively, hitting .328/.369/.517 with 24 doubles, nine home runs and 31 RBI.

He's just a rental piece, as he's set to hit free agency at the end of the season and figures to see plenty of interest, but he definitely fills the Orioles' biggest area of need for the rest of the campaign.

The team also flipped reliever Tommy Hunter for Chicago Cubs outfielder Junior Lake, who is an intriguing change-of-scenery guy with plenty of team control left.

Deadline Grade: C-

Parra should help this team immediately, as he'll likely be plugged into the leadoff spot in the lineup. But Davies was too much to give up for a non-star rental player.

The 22-year-old has gone 5-6 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.224 WHIP in Triple-A this season. He also has arguably the best changeup in all of the minors. He may not have ace upside, but his floor is high, and he looks like a safe bet to have a long career as a big league starter.

12. Chicago Cubs (54-47, Previous: 10)

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

SP Dan Haren

Deadline Deals

• July 31: SP Dan Haren acquired from Miami Marlins for SP Ivan Pineyro, SS Elliot Soto

• July 31: RP Tommy Hunter acquired from Baltimore Orioles for OF Junior Lake

Deadline Overview

The Chicago Cubs saw plenty of action on the rumor mill, but in the end, they only ended up making a pair of small-scale moves to upgrade the pitching staff.

The team acquired veteran Dan Haren from the Miami Marlins to bring some stability to what has been a revolving door at the No. 5 spot in the rotation. The 34-year-old has gone 7-7 with a 3.43 ERA this season, and his 1.093 WHIP ranks 10th in the National League.

They also picked up reliever Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles.

Hunter, who spent time as the Orioles closer last season before losing his job to Zach Britton, has a 3.63 ERA in 39 appearances this season. He's averaged 96.1 miles per hour on his fastball and posted a 46.3 percent ground-ball rate, per FanGraphs.

Deadline Grade: B

The Cubs managed to address two major areas of need without giving up any of their high-end young talent, or really anything more than organizational depth for that matter.

Whether or not Haren and Hunter are enough to push them over the top remains to be seen, but this still looks like a team whose best baseball is ahead of it in the years to come. The Cubs were wise not to mortgage the future.

11. New York Mets (52-50, Previous: 11)

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

3B Juan Uribe

Deadline Deals

• July 24: 3B Juan Uribe, UT Kelly Johnson acquired from Atlanta Braves for SP Robert Whalen, SP John Gant

• July 27: RP Tyler Clippard acquired from Oakland Athletics for SP Casey Meisner

• July 31: LF Yoenis Cespedes acquired from Detroit Tigers for SP Michael Fulmer, SP Luis Cessa

Deadline Overview

It was a rocky road to get there, but the New York Mets finally landed the impact bat they so desperately needed when they picked up Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers just before the deadline passed.

With the Tigers forced to sell somewhat low on Cespedes, it didn't cost the Mets any of their high-end prospects or Zack Wheeler, who had been involved in rumors surrounding both Carlos Gomez and Jay Bruce.

Earlier in the week, the team also bolstered its bullpen with the acquisition of Tyler Clippard. He slots in nicely ahead of closer Jeurys Familia and provides a fallback option for the ninth inning should Familia struggle down the stretch.

On top of those two moves, they added Juan Uribe to shore up the third base position and Kelly Johnson to bring some versatility and pop to the bench.

Deadline Grade: A

It didn't look good for the Mets 24 hours ago as the Carlos Gomez trade was breaking down and Wilmer Flores was in tears at shortstop, but it all came together with the acquisition of Cespedes.

The offense is still below average, even with Cespedes' bat plugged in alongside Lucas Duda, but this at least gives the team a legitimate chance in the NL East.

10. Washington Nationals (54-46, Previous: 9)

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

RP Jonathan Papelbon

Deadline Deals

• July 28: RP Jonathan Papelbon acquired from Philadelphia Phillies for SP Nick Pivetta

Deadline Overview

The Washington Nationals' biggest target at the deadline was another late-inning arm to pair with Drew Storen at the back of the bullpen.

There was no shortage of options on the market that fit that description, and in the end, they wound up landing veteran Jonathan Papelbon from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Despite a tumultuous tenure in Philly, Papelbon is still one of the game's elite relief arms, as he's converted all 18 of his save chances this season with a 1.55 ERA, 0.959 WHIP and 9.1 K/9.

It didn't cost them much in terms of talent, but it does come with an $11 million commitment for next season. In the process, it pushed Storen out of the ninth-inning role.

Deadline Grade: C-

From a talent standpoint, Papelbon certainly fits what the Nationals were looking for, as he's been one of the best in the business for a long time.

That said, why fix something that isn't broken by removing Storen from the closer role?

Storen is 29-of-31 on save chances with a 1.64 ERA on the season, and he made it no secret he was unhappy about being forced to a setup role.

That's not the kind of locker room unrest a contender generally wants to deal with.

9. New York Yankees (57-44, Previous: 4)

Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

SP Michael Pineda

Deadline Deals

• July 30: OF Dustin Ackley acquired from Seattle Mariners for OF Ramon Flores, RP Jose Ramirez

Deadline Overview

With a six-game lead in the AL East, the New York Yankees decided to stand pat at the trade deadline in hopes of holding on to that cushion with their in-house talent.

They did pick up a position player in Dustin Ackley on Thursday, and he's a good change-of-scenery candidate who could pay off, but it's hard to see him as a real difference-maker.

The lack of other moves means the team will be leaning on an incredibly questionable starting rotation that became even more questionable when Michael Pineda landed on the disabled list with forearm tightness on Thursday.

Can the Yankees be viewed as legitimate title contenders with two guys from the trio of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Nathan Eovaldi potentially making postseason starts?

Deadline Grade: F

The good: The Yankees held on to their top prospects, including shortstop Jorge Mateo, who saw his name thrown around in Craig Kimbrel rumors.

The bad: This doesn't look like a team capable of making a postseason run, and it's no longer the best club in the division. The Yankees will now have to hope the lead they've built to this point will hold up over the next two months.

8. Los Angeles Angels (55-46, Previous: 5)

Pat Sullivan/Associated Press

OF Shane Victorino

Deadline Deals

• July 24: 3B Conor Gillaspie acquired from Chicago White Sox for cash

• July 27: RF Shane Victorino acquired from Boston Red Sox for IF Josh Rutledge

• July 28: OF David DeJesus acquired from Tampa Bay Rays for SP Eduar Lopez

• July 28: OF David Murphy acquired from Cleveland Indians for SS Eric Stamets

Deadline Overview

A lack of left-handed production at the plate has been one of the biggest weaknesses for the Los Angeles Angels this season.

While they didn't land an impact bat like Jay Bruce to address that area of need, they instead took a volume approach by acquiring David Murphy, David DeJesus and Shane Victorino in exchange for their No. 22 prospect (Eduar Lopez), No. 23 prospect (Eric Stamets) and a utility infielder (Josh Rutledge).

All three guys have valuable postseason experience and should help the overall depth of the team the rest of the way.

The club's acquisition of Conor Gillaspie from the Chicago White Sox also deserves some attention, as he's done a solid job filling in for the injured David Freese (finger) to this point.

Deadline Grade: B

The Angels didn't give up much of anything, but they still managed to improve their bench depth and perhaps shore up their left field situation. That's not exactly the kind of deadline fans are going to rave about, but it was a subtle week of moves that should help the team's cause.

7. Toronto Blue Jays (52-51, Previous: 13)

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

SS Troy Tulowitzki

Deadline Deals

• July 28: SS Troy Tulowitzki, RP LaTroy Hawkins acquired from Colorado Rockies for SS Jose Reyes, SP Jeff Hoffman, SP Miguel Castro, SP Jesus Tinoco

• July 30: SP David Price acquired from Detroit Tigers for SP Daniel Norris, SP Matthew Boyd, SP Jairo Labourt

• July 31: RP Mark Lowe acquired from Seattle Mariners for SP Nick Wells, RP Rob Rasmussen, SP Jake Brentz

• July 31: LF Ben Revere acquired from Philadelphia Phillies for RP Alberto Tirado, RP Jimmy Cordero

Deadline Overview

Toronto is officially all-in, folks.

It seems GM Alex Anthopoulos and the rest of the Toronto Blue Jays are fed up with owning the longest postseason drought in the majors, having not seen October play since they won it all in 1993.

After shocking the baseball world by trading for Troy Tulowitzki on Tuesday, they were at it again two days later when they landed the top arm on the market in David Price.

Throw in a quality bullpen piece in Mark Lowe (34 G, 1.00 ERA, 11.8 K/9) and a left field upgrade in Ben Revere (.298 BA, 24 SB) picked up on Friday, and this team has done everything in its power to put a squad on the field capable of not only snapping the postseason drought, but winning it all.

Deadline Grade: A+

Giving up young talent like Daniel Norris, Jeff Hoffman, Jairo Labourt, Miguel Castro and others is a tough pill to swallow, but the Blue Jays went all-in and did it with conviction.

Price gives them their ace, Tulowitzki is a long-term addition, Revere upgrades their biggest positional weakness and both Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins help the relief corps.

They still lack a proven closer, but they now look like the best team in the AL East and a legitimate title contender.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers (57-45, Previous: 8)

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

SP Alex Wood

Deadline Deals

• July 30: SP Mat Latos, 1B Michael Morse acquired from Miami Marlins for SP Jeff Brigham, SP Kevin Guzman, RP Victor Araujo

• July 30: SP Alex Wood, RP Jim Johnson, RP Luis Avilan, 2B Jose Peraza, SP Bronson Arroyo acquired from Atlanta Braves for IF Hector Olivera, RP Paco Rodriguez, SP Zack Bird

• July 31: OF Jose Tabata acquired from Pittsburgh Pirates for 1B/OF Michael Morse

Deadline Overview

The Los Angeles Dodgers missed out on both Hamels and Cueto in their search for rotation improvements alongside Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, but they did land a pair of arms.

Alex Wood and Mat Latos came to L.A. in a three-team, 13-player deal with the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins.

The 24-year-old Wood gives them a quality young arm who is controllable through the 2019 season, while Latos is a rental arm who has been pitching much better of late at 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA in his last four starts.

The trade also brought some bullpen help in the form of veteran righty Jim Johnson (49 G, 2.25 ERA) and lefty Luis Avilan (50 G, 3.58 ERA). Avilan will take the place of Paco Rodriguez in the bullpen, who went to Atlanta in the deal.

Prospect Jose Peraza was the final significant piece joining the Dodgers, and he could step into the starting second base job in place of free agent-to-be Howie Kendrick.

Deadline Grade: C

It's hard to believe the Dodgers weren't able to swing a deal for Cueto or Price, but they did a good job pulling off Plan B to acquire Wood and Latos to bolster the rotation.

With the emergence of Justin Turner at third base and Peraza joining the Dodgers in the three-team deal, moving Hector Olivera made sense for the club, even after it was willing to invest $62.5 million over six years in him during the offseason.

5. San Francisco Giants (56-45, Previous: 6)

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

SP Mike Leake

Deadline Deals

• July 30: SP Mike Leake acquired from Cincinnati Reds for SP Keury Mella, 1B/3B Adam Duvall

Deadline Overview

The San Francisco Giants struck gold with their acquisition of Jake Peavy at the deadline last year, and now they'll be hoping for a similar impact out of Mike Leake.

Leake didn't come cheap, as the Giants shipped out highly regarded pitching prospect Keury Mella and corner infielder Adam Duvall, who has 26 home runs in Triple-A this year.

The 27-year-old Leake is 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.149 WHIP on the year, and he's gone 4-1 with a 1.25 ERA in five July starts.

The acquisition will bump Tim Hudson to the bullpen, and the hope is that Leake can join Madison Bumgarner and Chris Heston atop the rotation.

Deadline Grade: B-

This is the kind of under-the-radar pickup that has worked out incredibly well for the Giants in recent years, whether it was Peavy last season or guys like Cody Ross and Marco Scutaro in years past.

Giving up Mella is tough, though.

He was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Giants system by MLB.com when rankings were updated at midseason, and he now checks in at No. 5 among Reds prospects.

4. Houston Astros (58-45, Previous: 7)

Colin E. Braley/Associated Press

SP Scott Kazmir

Deadline Deals

• July 23: SP Scott Kazmir acquired from Oakland Athletics for C Jacob Nottingham, SP Daniel Mengden

• July 30: CF Carlos Gomez, SP Mike Fiers acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for CF Brett Phillips, RF Domingo Santana, SP Josh Hader, SP Adrian Houser

Deadline Overview

The Houston Astros were already winners after acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Oakland Athletics, as the veteran left-hander has allowed just six hits in 14.2 scoreless innings over his first two starts with the team.

They weren't content with just making that move, though, as they pulled off a blockbuster deal on Thursday to acquire Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Fiers helps solidify the back end of the rotation and is controllable through the 2019 season, while Gomez is another impact bat for a lineup that is currently without George Springer (right wrist).

It cost the Astros four prospects, including center fielder Brett Phillips, who ranked as the No. 21 prospect in the league in Baseball America's midseason top-50 rankings.

For a team that has exceeded expectations this year, it's a sign Houston is ready to make a serious push at not only reaching the playoffs but contending for a title.

Deadline Grade: A

Price and Cueto are bigger names, but Kazmir may wind up being the prize of the trade deadline, and he didn't cost all that much to acquire.

Giving up Phillips is tough, but the Astros are loaded with outfield talent, and Springer could wind up sliding back to center field anyway.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates (59-42, Previous: 3)

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

3B Aramis Ramirez

Deadline Deals

• July 23: 3B Aramis Ramirez acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for RP Yhonathan Barrios
  

• July 29: SP/RP Joe Blanton acquired from Kansas City Royals for cash

• July 30: RP Joakim Soria acquired from Detroit Tigers for SS JaCoby Jones

• July 31: 1B/OF Michael Morse acquired from Los Angeles Dodgers for OF Jose Tabata

• July 31: SP J.A. Happ acquired from Seattle Mariners for SP Adrian Sampson

Deadline Overview

Injuries to Josh Harrison (thumb) and Jordy Mercer (MCL sprain) left the Pittsburgh Pirates in need of some infield depth, and they opted to bring back Aramis Ramirez to where it all started to finish off his impressive career.

Once Harrison returns, Ramirez will slide over to first base to platoon with Pedro Alvarez, filling the role that the team envisioned Corey Hart stepping into when it signed him to a one-year deal this past offseason.

The club also found the right-handed reliever it was searching for to pair with Tony Watson and Mark Melancon in the late innings, acquiring former All-Star closer Joakim Soria from the Detroit Tigers.

Considering what it cost the Tigers to acquire Soria at the deadline last year (Jake Thompson and Corey Knebel) and how well the reliever has pitched this season, JaCoby Jones was a relatively cheap price to pay.

Working right up to the clock, the Pirates pulled off a pair of last-minute deals to acquire Michael Morse and J.A. Happ, giving them another bench bat with some pop and more starting pitching depth.

Deadline Grade: A

The Pirates didn't need to do anything drastic at the deadline, but they still managed to add four pieces that could make an impact in helping them reach the playoffs for a third straight season. The Soria addition in particular should be big going forward.

2. Kansas City Royals (61-40, Previous: 2)

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

SP Johnny Cueto

Deadline Deals

• July 26: SP Johnny Cueto acquired from Cincinnati Reds for SP Brandon Finnegan, SP Cody Reed, SP John Lamb

• July 28: UT Ben Zobrist acquired from Oakland Athletics for SP Sean Manaea, SP/RP Aaron Brooks

Deadline Overview

The Kansas City Royals pulled the trigger on their big July move on Sunday when they found the staff ace they've been lacking by acquiring Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds.

He didn't come cheap, especially for a two-month rental, as the Royals parted with three left-handed arms that all have at least big league starter upside. However, the deal was a no-brainer for a team in control of the AL Central but lacking a front-line arm.

That was not the end of the action, though, as the Royals also picked up the versatile Ben Zobrist from the Oakland Athletics for left-handed starter Sean Manaea and swingman Aaron Brooks.

Zobrist gives the team an immediate replacement for Alex Gordon in left field and a useful super-utility guy once the outfielder returns. His overall numbers may not look great, but Zobrist has hit .270/.361/.450 since returning from knee surgery in late May.

Deadline Grade: A

The Royals looked like the team to beat in the American League heading into the week, and while the Toronto Blue Jays have improved significantly, the Royals did well to land the impact arm they needed to be considered serious title contenders.

Zobrist was just icing on the cake, and while Manaea was a tough piece to part with, this is a club looking to win now. Zobrist will help it do that.

1. St. Louis Cardinals (65-37, Previous: 1)

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

RP Steve Cishek

Deadline Deals

• July 24: RP Steve Cishek acquired from Miami Marlins for RP Kyle Barraclough
  
  
• July 30: 1B/OF Brandon Moss acquired from Cleveland Indians for SP Rob Kaminsky

• July 31: RP Jonathan Broxton acquired from Milwaukee Brewers for OF Malik Collymore

Deadline Overview

The St. Louis Cardinals' need for another bat became considerably more pressing when left fielder Matt Holliday landed on the disabled list with another quad injury earlier this week, and they picked up a versatile piece in Brandon Moss.

It cost them a high-ceiling arm in Rob Kaminsky, but Moss will join Stephen Piscotty and Mark Reynolds in what figures to be a three-man rotation manning first base and left field.

Moss is a proven run producer who is capable of playing first and both corner outfield spots. His numbers on the road this season (.300 BA, .811 OPS, 13 HR) were significantly better than they were at Progressive Field (.188 BA, .564 OPS, 2 HR), so a change of scenery could do wonders.

The team also picked up a pair of bounce-back arms for the bullpen in Steve Cishek and Jonathan Broxton. St. Louis did well in sparking John Axford to a strong second half a couple of years ago and are looking to do the same here.

Deadline Grade: B-

Giving up Kaminsky still feels like a little much for Moss, but the Cardinals filled their biggest need and added some relatively low-risk, high-reward pieces to a bullpen that could use some help bridging the gap to Trevor Rosenthal.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted, and are accurate prior to play on Friday, July 31.