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2026 MLB Trade Deadline Winners and Losers for Every Team

Joe TanseyAug 3, 2026

The 2026 trade deadline was dominated by the top arms in the game trading places.

Tarik Skubal, Kevin Gausman, Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes headlined the slew of pitchers that switched teams over the last week.

Robbie Ray, Casey Mize and others also were sent to new teams with the hopes of chasing down a pennant.

Adley Rutschman was the big fish in the hitters' pool. He stayed within the American League East and landed with the Boston Red Sox.

Boston, along with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, has to be viewed among the biggest winners of the trade deadline because of how much they improved.

Other contenders weren't as productive, like Atlanta, to land enough difference-making players.

Multiple sellers can be lumped into the losers category as well. Follow along for trade deadline winners and losers for all 30 MLB teams.

ARI | ATH | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHC | CLE | COL | CWS | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SEA | SF | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH

Arizona Diamondbacks

1 of 30
St. Louis Cardinals v Toronto Blue Jays

Winner: Matchups Against Righties

Arizona ranks 29th in the majors in batting average against right-handed pitchers. 

Lars Nootbaar comes to the DBacks with a .258 BA this season versus righties. He's also got a .264 BA with runners on base. 

He's a nice addition to the back half of the batting order that needs an extra push to drive home runs if Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno and others reach base from the heart of the order. 

Loser: Ambition 

Sure, Nootbaar improves the team's stats against righties, but was it really enough to improve the roster? 

The Phillies got better, the Pirates added to their bullpen and the Padres restocked their rotation. 

All three of those teams are more than capable of overtaking the DBacks in the NL wild-card standings in the next month.

Athletics

2 of 30
Detroit Tigers v Athletics

Winner: Not Forcing It

The Athletics didn't make any moves on Monday. 

They didn't really have any tradable pieces and didn't buy because of their position in the standings. 

Credit goes to the As for not forcing a trade and wanting to be in on the action. 

Maybe next year the As will be in contention and look to be more active, but this time around, they weren't in either market. 

Atlanta Braves

3 of 30
Kansas City Royals v. Colorado Rockies

Winner: Team Depth 

Atlanta didn't do anything flashy by landing Lane Thomas, Bailey Falter and Tyler Mahle, but they did fill some much-needed depth. 

Thomas adds a right-handed outfield bat to the order. His arrival also allows Mauricio Dubon to shift back to shortstop on a more permanent basis. 

Shortstop was one of the team's biggest holes, and while it didn't make a splashy move, it did come up with an internal solution that makes the whole lineup look better on paper. 

Mahle is an important addition to an injury-riddled rotation that's without Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider and Reynaldo Lopez. He's a veteran to plug into the middle of the rotation around Grant Holmes, Martin Perez and Bryce Elder. 

Loser: Alex Anthopoulos 

But did the Braves really do enough to contend with the Dodgers? 

General manager Alex Anthopoulos has a history of making shrewd deadline deals, but the Braves needed a little more than under-the-radar deals. 

The Braves didn't land one of the top starting pitchers on the market and they filled their shortstop hole with an internal shift due to adding more outfield depth. 

It might be good enough to win the NL East, but probably not enough to beat the Dodgers, Brewers or Cubs in an extended playoff series.

Baltimore Orioles

4 of 30
Baltimore Orioles v Houston Astros

Loser: The End of An Era

The Orioles haven't delivered any substantial successes with their current young core. You could argue that Monday officially marked the end of that prospect era with Adley Rutschman shipped to AL East rival Boston. 

Contractually, the Rutschman trade makes sense because you have to get some return for one of your franchise's best players if he's not going to sign a new deal. Rutschman is set to hit free agency in 2028. 

Symbolically, it's a blow to a years-long process that simply didn't work out. Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and other members of the young core delivered two playoff appearances and zero playoff wins. 

A change had to be made to break the franchise's stagnation, so now the O's are back to building for the future. Again.

Boston Red Sox

5 of 30
Baltimore Orioles v. Boston Red Sox

Winner: Red Sox Going For It

What the Red Sox did with the Adley Rutschman trade is exactly what you want to see a red-hot team do at the trade deadline.

The Red Sox are going all in on a wide-open AL, and while, sure, it came at a high price, the time is now for them to pounce. 

Rutschman, when he is healthy, will be a cornerstone of the lineup alongside Cedanne Rafaela, William Contreras and Wilyer Abreu.

The move significantly upgrades the catcher position and makes Boston a serious player behind Tampa Bay in an AL that is asking for more teams to step up and be seen as favorites. 

Loser: Marcelo Mayer

Marcelo Mayer hasn't been part of the Red Sox's recent run because of his time on the injured list. 

He won't be a part of any additional success, either, as he was dealt to San Francisco for Erik Miller. 

Unfortunately for Mayer, this is the price of doing business as a contender at the trade deadline. Miller provides a huge boost for the Red Sox bullpen and Boston needed to part ways with a top young player to get the deal done. 

Chicago Cubs

6 of 30
MLB: AUG 01 Cardinals at Blue Jays

Winner: Rotation Relief

There had to be a big sigh of relief inside the Cubs front office after they completed the Kevin Gausman trade on Sunday. 

The Cubs have been ravaged by a laundry list of pitching injuries that have torn apart their initial rotation plans for 2026. 

Gausman gives the Cubs a clear-cut No. 1 for the playoffs. 

Clay Holmes is the clear No. 2 option behind Gausman after his acquisition from the New York Mets. 

Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga now become solid No. 3 and No. 4 options behind Gausman and Holmes in a potential playoff rotation. 

That will absolutely work in a wild-card series where two wins are required. The Cubs have more all-around pitching depth now than they did 72 hours ago. That's what a contender should do from the Cubs' position. 

Braxton Garrett's arrival isn't as notable as Gausman's, but he can provide help in the short and long term. The left-hander could be a solid back-end starter in 2026 and potentially develop into a front-end piece in 2027 and beyond since he's under contract until 2029. 

The Cubs also landed Ryan Zeferjahn from the Angels to bolster their bullpen. That's a move that might not be noticed until October. Zeferjahn has 166 strikeouts in 125.2 career innings and has held both lefties and righties under .200 this season.

Chicago White Sox

7 of 30
Kansas City Royals v. Colorado Rockies

Winner: Team Speed

Brenton Doyle's arrival on the south side of Chicago brings a new element to the White Sox lineup. 

Only three White Sox players have over 10 stolen bases this season, and as a team, they have 64 total stolen bases. 

Doyle stole 20+ bases in his first two seasons in Colorado, then stole 18 in 2025. He swiped nine bases in 45 games this season and recently came off the injured list. 

Doyle's base-running is a nice complement to the power bats, led by Munetaka Murakami, that have put the White Sox in first place in the AL Central.

Loser: Lack of Starting Pitching Experience

Was dealing for Luis Castillo really enough for the White Sox? 

Sure, he brings a veteran presence to the clubhouse, but he wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire in Seattle, which is why the Mariners saw him as surplus and dealt him. 

Davis Martin and Sean Burke have had solid seasons, but they lack postseason experience, which might be vital come October. 

Cincinnati Reds

8 of 30
Pittsburgh Pirates v Cincinnati Reds

Winner (Potentially): Hector Rodriguez

Nathaniel Lowe's trade to Cleveland opened up a spot in the Cincinnati order for a left-handed bat, especially against right-handed pitching. 

Cincinnati's No. 3 overall prospect Hector Rodriguez hit 27 home runs so far this season for Triple-A Louisville. 

Cincinnati is five games under .500 and 16 games back of the Brewers in the NL Central. It might as well add another entertaining young player to the fold to close out the regular season.

Loser: Doing Less, Not More

Lowe being the only exit was a bit surprising given the status of the Reds roster.

Tyler Stephenson was a potential trade candidate for teams with a catcher need and maybe one or two of their relievers could've been shipped out as well.

None of those potential deals would've brought in massive hauls, but a little more activity would have been nice.

Cleveland Guardians

9 of 30
Houston Astros v Los Angeles Angels

Winner: Outfield Power 

Cleveland needed more balance across its order. 

The Guardians hopefully found that in Jo Adell, who they acquired on Monday from the Los Angeles Angels. 

Adell comes to Cleveland with 16 home runs and 62 RBI.

No one on the Cleveland roster has more than 13 home runs. Kyle Manzardo and Chase DeLauter, who have 25 homers between them, are both left-handed hitters. 

Adell gives the Guardians increased power on the right and adds more variety to the lineup, whether that's at the top, between Steven Kwan, Travis Bazzana, and Jose Ramirez, or in the bottom half as a big-time run producer. 

Nathaniel Lowe gives the Guardians another left-handed option as well. Lowe and Rhys Hoskins could be vital off the bench as veteran hitters in key spots. 

Double Winner: Rotation Depth 

Cleveland took advantage of Washington's spot in the NL East standings and landed breakout star Foster Griffin on a rental deal. 

Griffin adds depth to the rotation headlined by Gavin Williams and Parker Messick. 

With Williams, Messick and Griffin in the mix, the Guardians have three solid starters for a playoff series. And then they can mix in a combination of Slade Cecconi, Tanner Bibee and Joey Cantillo for a potential Game 4, or for depth behind the top three.

Colorado Rockies

10 of 30
Colorado Rockies v Milwaukee Brewers

Winner: Cashing In Where They Could

The Rockies offloaded Brenton Doyle to the White Sox, Antonio Senzatela to the Brewers and Victor Vodnik to the Marlins. 

Colorado was one of the handful of teams that didn't have much to offer buyers, but it made the most of the deadline. 

Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak weren't pried away from the lineup, so that will at least make the Rockies fun to watch in August and September. Both may be offseason trade targets now.

Detroit Tigers

11 of 30
Detroit Tigers v. Athletics

Loser: Any Real Chance of Contending

The Skubal trade more than likely waved the white flag on the Tigers' season.

It's a difficult spot to be in because the Tigers had to get something in return for Skubal in case he walked in free agency. 

You could argue the Tigers still have a shot with a 5.5-game deficit to the White Sox, but the harsh reality is they are four games under .500 and trending in the wrong direction compared to other potential playoff contenders. 

It just didn't make sense to hold on to Skubal and be on the outside looking in of the AL Central and wild-card races. 

Winner: Long-Term Rotation Health 

River Ryan, one of the three prospects traded by the Dodgers in the Skubal deal, could be in the Tigers' rotation as early as 2027. 

Keider Montero and Troy Melton have had bright spots in 2026 and Jackson Jobe is on the verge of returning from a long injury absence. 

Framber Valdez is still there too, as could Reese Olson in a return from shoulder surgery. 

The lineup is going to continue to get better and outfield prospect Zyhir Hope, also added in the Skubal deal, could add to the batting order. 

So if the pitching all comes together, Detroit could be back on top of the AL Central. 

It's not exactly what Tigers fans want to hear right now, but they aren't in a total doom-and-gloom scenario after dealing the best player on the team. 

Houston Astros

12 of 30
Tampa Bay Rays v Toronto Blue Jays

Winner: Bottom Third Of Order

Daulton Varsho is a solid left-handed bat to place at the bottom third of the Astros lineup.

They've got the power bats at the top, led by Yordan Alvarez, so there was no need to make a big splash, but Varsho will help on the back end with his hitting and speed. Varsho had 19 doubles and nine stolen bases this season in Toronto.

It's a depth move that could a long way in helping the Astros score more, which might end up making the difference in an AL West that has yet to have any separation at the top.

Loser: Not Strengthening the Rotation

The Astros are going to ride into the postseason with Hunter Brown as the ace and Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier and Peter Lambert behind him.

Javier does have postseason experience, but the overall quality pales in comparison to the Rangers and Mariners in the AL West.

Houston was one of a few teams, like Atlanta, that probably could've done more with its pitching acquisitions, but instead it stayed put and has to trust its guys moving forward.

Kansas City Royals

13 of 30
MLB: MAY 14 Royals at White Sox

Loser: Doing Too Little

The Royals shipped out Lane Thomas to Atlanta and Kris Bubic to the Dodgers, but they didn't do anything else significant.

Kansas City had a few veterans, like Seth Lugo and John Schreiber, who could have been trade targets for teams in need of cheaper pitching.

There wasn't much the Royals could do overall, but they probably should have done a little more selling given their position in the AL Central basement.

Los Angeles Angels

14 of 30
Milwaukee Brewers v Los Angeles Angels

Winner: The Future

Jo Adell, Jose Soriano and a handful of others were dealt away by the Angels prior to the deadline. 

All of the trades were a step in the right direction of a true long-term rebuild. 

The Angels have been stuck in baseball purgatory for a long time, but at least they added to their farm system over the last week. 

The organization isn't going to turn things around overnight, but it's a step forward. 

Losers: Zach Neto and Reid Detmers

Still in Anaheim! 

Zach Neto was one of the few names floated before the deadline. He could've filled a handful of shortstop holes across the league, but he ended up staying with the Angels. 

The same could be said about Reid Detmers, who, instead of being traded, is now the ace of the rotation without Soriano. 

Maybe Neto and Detmers get dealt in the winter, but for now, they will continue to languish in baseball purgatory. 

Los Angeles Dodgers

15 of 30
Boston Red Sox v Los Angeles Dodgers

Winner: Dave Roberts

Look, it was already nice to be the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, but after the Tarik Skubal trade, it's even more luxurious a position. 

Dave Roberts now has Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani potentially at his disposal to start playoff games. 

Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani are dealing with injuries. Snell and Glasnow are projected to be back before October and Ohtani's injury is being managed with the postseason as a priority. 

It's arguably the best postseason rotation ever formed. Roberts will work with an embarrassment of riches in the playoffs. Before that, Roberts will rely on his strong staff to secure the best record in the majors and home-field advantage. The Dodgers entered Monday tied with the Milwaukee Brewers at 69 wins. 

Loser: Emmet Sheehan 

Emmet Sheehan appears to be the biggest loser in the Dodgers' rotation shuffle. He was optioned to Triple-A on Monday. 

Sheehan didn't do himself any favors on Sunday, when he was pulled in the third inning after he gave up three homers in the third against the Boston Red Sox. 

Sheehan's time as a starter, at least this season, appears to be over. Justin Wrobleski and Roki Sasaki are currently better options to fill in the gaps if the Dodgers need spot starters when everyone is healthy. 

Even if just one of Snell, Glasnow, and Ohtani returns to the mound soon, Roberts is more inclined to give Wrobleski and Sasaki more starter innings. 

Miami Marlins

16 of 30
Philadelphia Phillies v Miami Marlins

Winner: Farm System 

The Marlins added a plethora of prospects in the deals for Liam Hicks, Braxton Garrett and Lake Bachar. 

There was no truly big splash, like an Otto Lopez trade, but the Marlins still did a decent job in their position as a seller.

They also added an impact reliever in Victor Vodnik from Colorado, so overall, it was a decent day for Miami.

Loser: Connor Norby

Connor Norby was one of the headliners in the Trevor Rogers deal with Baltimore last year at the deadline. 

One year later, he's been sent to the Rockies as part of the Vodnik deal, marking the end of an unsuccessful run with the Marlins organization at the major-league level. There's not really a spot for him in Colorado's lineup, so he might not experience the change of scenery he needs.

Milwaukee Brewers

17 of 30
Cincinnati Reds v St. Louis Cardinals

Winner: Rotation Solidification 

Milwaukee whiffed on Tarik Skubal and Kevin Gausman, the latter of whom went to their closest competition in the NL Central.

However, the Brewers did make a very Brewers-type move by adding Dustin May from the Cardinals. 

May reinvigorated himself in St. Louis in 2026, striking out 106 in 109 innings. He's also been tough on righties, who have a .222 batting average against him.

May produced a handful of solid starts in July, including 4.2 shutout innings versus the Brewers on July 6, that thrust him onto the trade radar. It also helps the Brewers that May has postseason experience from his time with the Dodgers. That could be a huge asset with a rather inexperienced rotation in the postseason.

Loser: But Did They Do Enough Offensively?

The acquisition of May could've signaled that a supporting move would've happened to bolster the lineup.

After all, the Brewers didn't give up any of their most important prospects in the deal with the Cardinals, or for any other starting pitcher.

Milwaukee's lineup scored the sixth-most runs in the majors, but it ranks 16th in batting average against left-handed pitching.

One more right-handed bat might have been needed to fill out the roster.

Minnesota Twins

18 of 30
Chicago White Sox v Toronto Blue Jays

Winner: Twins Bullpen

Minnesota upgraded the back end of its bullpen with Jeff Hoffman and A.J. Minter. 

It's a nice set of moves one year after they dealt Jhoan Duran away to Philadelphia. 

The Twins are still in the mix in the AL Central, just four games back of the White Sox, so they owe it to themselves to make a push if they aren't going to deal their top hitters.

Loser: The Rotation

If the Twins were going to buy, they probably should've done more.

Dean Kremer had his share of struggles with the Orioles, so while he is another body in the rotation, he doesn't exactly scream major involvement.

Between Kremer and Bailey Ober, the Twins are going to give up a lot of home runs, which means the offense, which remained intact on Monday, needs to do a fair share of scoring.

New York Yankees

19 of 30
Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves

Winner: Fans In the Short Porch

Luis Garcia is the ideal left-handed bat to plug into the Yankees' order. 

Garcia is in the middle of a career year in which he's hit 24 home runs and picked up 76 RBI. He can easily reach the 30-homer mark with the help of the short right-field fence at Yankee Stadium. 

At the moment, Garcia provides pop to the heart of the order without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger. 

When all of those sluggers are healthy, Garcia either becomes a leadoff or No. 2 hitter with pop, or someone who provides extra power from the bottom half of the order.

The Yankees also added another element to their order by bringing in right-handed hitting outfielder Heliot Ramos from San Francisco. 

Ramos brings more all-around power to the order. Just like Garcia, he's a great short-term fix while the other sluggers return. The lineup only looks better on paper with Ramos and Garcia in there. 

Loser: Catcher Improvements

The Yankees didn't have to land Rutschman, but they could have used some sort of catching upgrade.

Since Ben Rice won't be catching, the task is up to Austin Wells and Ali Sanchez for the time being.

Sure, the Yankees lineup got better before the deadline, but there's a missing piece at catcher if you were to pick it apart.

New York Mets

20 of 30
New York Yankees v. New York Mets

Winner: A True Rebuild

The Mets tore down their roster as best as they could by the deadline.

That's exactly what a 47-66 team should do on the trade market. 

Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes were the primary departures from a team that failed to live up to any expectations in 2026.

Losers: The Fans

Mets fans are going to endure a brutal two months. 

They've already been through enough in 2026, but it might get even worse with less depth in the rotation.

At least Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zach Thornton will have more time to develop, though.

Philadelphia Phillies

21 of 30
San Francisco Giants v. San Diego Padres

Winner: Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper's RBI Totals 

The Phillies added Luis Arraez at the top of their order in an attempt to score more runs. 

The power-hitting bats in the order, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, should have easier paths to 100 RBIs now that a hitting machine is in front of them in the order.

Harper leads the team with 66 RBI, while Schwarber has 63 RBI to go along with his 33 home runs. 

Trea Turner's had an up-and-down season, and while he's been better of late at the dish, Arraez brings more consistency to the top of the order with his 136 hits, .324 batting average and .800 OPS. 

The Phillies enter Monday with the 16th-most runs scored in the majors. The Dodgers, Brewers and Braves all rank in the top six. The Arraez addition should help close the gap a bit to the three top dogs in the NL. 

Loser: Bryson Stott

The Phillies had to juggle a few pieces in the field to make the Arraez move work.

Bryson Stott is the biggest loser of that shuffle because he's going to an unfamiliar spot at third base. 

Bryce Harper is headed back to right field, where he began his career, while Alec Bohm is shifting from third to first. Bohm has played first in place of Harper on a handful of occasions. 

On top of the transition from second to third, Stott will likely be shifted further down the order, with Arraez expected to hit leadoff or second behind Trea Turner. 

Pittsburgh Pirates

22 of 30
St. Louis Cardinals v Los Angeles Angels

Winner: They Went For It!

The Pittsburgh Pirates bought at the deadline for once!

And they did a great job of improving their bullpen for the wild-card race!

Luke Weaver, Kirby Yates, Camilo Doval and Lake Bachar were added to the pen to reinforce the pitching situation behind the notable arms in the rotation.

Weaver was the big addition as the new closer, but Yates, Doval and Bachar will all hold vital late-inning roles as well.

San Diego Padres

23 of 30
San Francisco Giants v. San Diego Padres

Winner: Pitching Depth 

The trades for Casey Mize and Robbie Ray give San Diego more depth in its rotation.

Mize and Michael King are a decent one-two punch in front of a bullpen with two of the best relief arms in the sport in Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller. 

While there was talk about the relievers departing, it didn't make sense from a standings perspective because the Padres are one game out of the final NL wild-card spot. 

San Diego won eight of nine games at the right time to convince ownership to be a buyer. While it's not the blockbuster move of past Padres deadlines, it's a functional move that makes them more competitive.

San Francisco Giants

24 of 30
San Francisco Giants v San Diego Padres

Loser: Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers must be questioning things right now. 

His former team, the Boston Red Sox, is the hottest team in baseball, nine games over. 500 and fighting for a playoff spot. 

Devers is the headliner in a Giants offense that got worse on Monday with the trade of Luis Arraez to Philadelphia. 

San Francisco is 18 games below .500, 22.5 games out of first place and on track to lose many more games after this week's selloff. 

Devers is still getting paid handsomely, but one has to wonder if he's contemplating whether last year's drama was worth it in the long run.

Seattle Mariners

25 of 30
Baltimore Orioles v Detroit Tigers

Winner: Middle of the Order

Taylor Ward's addition brings more robustness to the Mariners' lineup. 

Ward gives Seattle three solid right-handed bats in him, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena. 

The production the Mariners get from those three hitters will hopefully make up for Cal Raleigh's season-long struggles. 

Maybe Raleigh figures it out in August and September, but the Mariners can't hold their breath, which is why the Ward move works for them.

St. Louis Cardinals

26 of 30
Chicago Cubs v St. Louis Cardinals

Winner: Maximizing Dustin May

The Cardinals found a way to turn Dustin May from a pitcher in need of improvement into a trade deadline target for a divisional rival.

St. Louis landed prospects in exchange for May and JoJo Romero in a deal with the Brewers.

May threw well in July to showcase his arm to potential contenders. The half-season he spent in St. Louis benefited him and the Cardinals.

They didn't do much on deadline day, but the Cardinals maximized what they could get out of May, as well as Lars Nootbaar.

Tampa Bay Rays

27 of 30
Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Mets

Winner: Rays' Pennant Prospects

Acquiring Freddy Peralta was a huge signal of intent by the Rays in a wide-open American League. 

If you look at the standings right now, there is no clear-cut favorite in a league where the up-and-coming Chicago White Sox lead in the Central and no one in the West is more than three games over. 500. 

Peralta, Drew Rasmussen and a healthy Shane McClanahan make up one of the most formidable pitching trios in the AL. 

That threesome with Griffin Jax, Ian Seymour or Nick Martinez in supporting roles as Game 4 starters, or long relievers, can win the AL pennant. 

The Rays also reinforced their lineup with Liam Hicks, who brings 14 home runs and 62 RBI with him across Florida from the Marlins. 

It's not exactly a flashy name, but Hicks adds more left-handed power and some protection for Junior Caminero.

Texas Rangers

28 of 30
Texas Rangers v Houston Astros

Loser: Deadline Inactivity 

Texas' deadline day was more about which players stayed instead of those who were acquired. 

Jacob DeGrom reaffirmed his commitment to wanting to win in Texas, and Nathan Eovaldi stayed put. 

While it's great to have DeGrom and Eovaldi lead the rotation, is it really enough to push for a long playoff run? 

The Rangers are 2.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West, so it's clear that what they are currently doing isn't enough. 

An addition or two would have been welcome in an AL West race that feels more and more like it's going to be won by the other team in Texas

Toronto Blue Jays

29 of 30
Los Angeles Angels v San Francisco Giants

Winner: Long-Term Planning

The Jose Soriano trade was a clear statement that the Blue Jays want to be a player in the American League for 2027 and beyond. 

Soriano is under team control until 2028, and he'll be part of a triumvirate with Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage at the top of the Jays' rotation. 

Parting ways with Arjun Nimmala, the No. 43 prospect in baseball, was just the cost of doing business and it allowed the Jays to land Soriano. 

The next two months might be rough for the Jays because a repeat AL pennant isn't happening, but at least during that time, the Jays can get a look at what the future holds.

Bringing back Spencer Arrighetti in the Daulton Varsho deal is a sneaky good move for the future as well. The 26-year-old held opposing hitters to a .215 average over 88 innings in 2026 and he's not a free agent until 2030. 

Loser: Short-Term Success

The Jays are 13.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays going into Monday. 

The record isn't going to get much better and Kevin Gausman is now pitching in Chicago. 

Taking their lumps at the back end of 2026 is part of the plan, though, and while it'll hurt Jays fans in the short term, they at least should have confidence in the plan for 2027 and beyond.

Washington Nationals

30 of 30
MLB: JUL 31 Nationals at Braves

Winner: Organizational Eye For Talent

The Nationals took a flier on Foster Griffin at the start of the 2026 season. 

They flipped Griffin, who was going to be a free agent at the end of 2026, for four prospects in a deal with Cleveland. 

That's a strong return for a pitcher whom the Nationals likely weren't going to be able to re-sign in the offseason. 

Who knows if any of those four prospects turn into something, but it was still a good stroke of business to not let Griffin walk for free.

Loser: Pitching Numbers

The Nationals have a 4.76 staff ERA, fourth-worst in the majors, and that was with Griffin in the rotation. 

The Nationals starters have already been shelled by opposing batters. The numbers could get even worse with Griffin now in Cleveland. 

If anything, Nats games are going to be fun because their offense leads the majors in runs and their pitching got worse on Monday.