Account
MLB Trade Deadline 2020: Live Grades for All the Biggest Trades
August 31, 2020MLB Trade Deadline 2020: Live Grades for All the Biggest Trades
Now that the trade deadline for the 2020 Major League Baseball season has come and gone, you might want to catch up.
As the trades came rolling in, we responded with live grades for all the big ones. For buyers, these grades were based on how much they improved and gave up to do so. For sellers, we assessed whether enough value was recouped for the player (or players) in question.
Let's take it away, proceeding from the newest deadline deals to the oldest ones.
August 31: Toronto Blue Jays Acquire Ross Stripling
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Ross Stripling; Los Angeles Dodgers get two players to be named later
For the Blue Jays: B+
The Blue Jays bought low on Stripling, who's given up 12 home runs and 26 total runs (21 earned) in 33.2 innings this season. But when he's right, he's proved he can be effective as either a starter or as a reliever.
The Blue Jays' odds of playing deep into October will look that much better if Stripling can settle into either role. He's also slated to stay under their control through 2022.
For the Dodgers: C-
The question here is why the Dodgers sought to subtract from their pitching depth at a time when a long-awaited World Series trophy is within reach. Sans any other trades that would have necessitated an open roster spot, there are no easy answers to this query.
August 31: New York Mets Acquire Todd Frazier and Robinson Chirinos
The Deals: New York Mets get 1B/3B Todd Frazier and C Robinson Chirinos; Texas Rangers get two players to be named later
For the Mets: B
Did the Mets need some more right-handed power and catching depth? Yes. And while the Mets might have done better, Frazier and Chirinos are more or less satisfactory solutions to these issues.
Chirinos can only go up from his current 5-for-42 showing at the plate, while Frazier's .939 OPS against lefties bodes well for a likely platoon role. And if New York's gamble on these guys pays off, both can be brought back via options for 2021.
For the Rangers: C+
Precisely because of said options, the Rangers didn't need to move either Chirinos or Frazier. These trades panning out therefore comes down to whether either (or both) of their PTBNLs turns out to be a hidden gem. For now, who knows?
August 31: Chicago Cubs Acquire Cameron Maybin
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get OF Cameron Maybin; Detroit Tigers get INF Zack Short
Source: Chris McCosky of the Detroit News
For the Cubs: C-
One head-scratching element of this trade is that Short isn't a nobody, as Baseball America had him ranked as one of the Cubs' top 30 prospects coming into the year.
Another head-scratching element is how Maybin even fits in Chicago. There's a spot on the bench for him now after the Cubs optioned Albert Almora, but that may change when Steven Souza Jr. (hamstring strain) and Kris Bryant (sprained finger) come off the injured list.
For the Tigers: B+
In theory, Maybin should have been one of many players traded for a PTBNL on deadline day. That the Tigers turned him into an actual prospect—albeit one who doesn't rate as well in their deep system—is equal parts baffling and impressive.
August 31: Chicago Cubs Acquire Josh Osich
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get LHP Josh Osich; Boston Red Sox get a player to be named later
Source: Jon Heyman of MLB Network
For the Cubs: B+
If Andrew Chafin (read ahead) isn't the left-hander the Cubs have been looking for in their pen, maybe Osich can handle it. He has a 4.95 career ERA, but he's silenced lefty batters to the tune of a .211 average and .382 slugging percentage.
If the Cubs want, they can keep Osich through 2022.
For the Red Sox: B
Even with 20 strikeouts in 15.2 innings, Osich's performance in 2020 has been undercut by six home runs and 10 runs allowed. So even if it's only a PTBNL, it's to Boston's credit that something came back for him in a trade.
August 31: San Diego Padres Acquire Taylor Williams
The Deal: San Diego Padres get RHP Taylor Williams; Seattle Mariners get a player to be named later
Source: AJ Cassavell of MLB.com
For the Padres: B+
Even if this is the least attention-grabbing of San Diego's deadline deals, it's still a good one. Williams has really only had two bad outings and has otherwise impressed with 19 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. He'll add more depth to San Diego's bullpen, and he's under club control through 2023.
For the Mariners: B-
What, exactly, are the Mariners getting for Williams? Good question. But in light of his spotty track record and volatile performance this year, it's good enough for now that they're getting anything for him.
August 31: New York Mets Acquire Miguel Castro
The Deal: New York Mets get RHP Miguel Castro; Baltimore Orioles get LHP Kevin Smith and player to be named later or cash
Source: Mark Feinsand of MLB.com
For the Mets: A
The Mets were getting solid relief work for a while there, but now Dellin Betances (lat tightness) is injured and Edwin Diaz is struggling again. Despite his 4.02 ERA, Castro's 24 strikeouts over 15.2 innings are evidence that he and his electric arm can help.
Castro is also no rental, as his club control runs through 2022.
For the Orioles: B
Smith had been the No. 12 prospect in New York's system, according to MLB.com. Now the lefty, who has a 2.75 ERA in two minor league seasons, is one of the top prospects in a much deeper system in Baltimore.
That said, it feels as if the Orioles should have done better if their idea was to sell high on Castro.
August 31: Cincinnati Reds Acquire Archie Bradley
The Deal: Cincinnati Reds get RHP Archie Bradley and cash; Arizona Diamondbacks get UTIL Josh VanMeter and OF Stuart Fairchild
Sources: John Gambadoro of 98.7 Arizona Sports and Zach Buchanan of The Athletic
For the Reds: A
The Reds have gotten excellent work out of their starters this season, but their relievers have lagged behind with a 5.48 ERA. Even if it's now clear that Bradley's 1.73 ERA in 2017 is an outlier, he's still a hard-throwing and generally above-average reliever. He's also controlled through 2021.
For the Diamondbacks: B
Neither VanMeter's nor Fairchild's name jumps off the page. But according to MLB.com, the latter was Cincinnati's No. 11 prospect. The former hasn't had much success in the majors, but it was just last year that he had a 1.097 OPS at Triple-A.
It's hard not to wonder if Arizona might have gotten a better haul for one of baseball's name-brand relievers. But relative to Bradley's actual value, it's a solid package.
August 31: Cincinnati Reds Acquire Brian Goodwin
The Deal: Cincinnati Reds get OF Brian Goodwin; Los Angeles Angels get LHP Packy Naughton and cash or a player to be named later
For the Reds: A-
Seemingly just because he's not Jo Adell, there's been a good deal of disinterest surrounding Goodwin over the last two seasons. Yet he's posted a .795 OPS and 21 home runs since the start of 2019, so he looks like a good fit for the hole that the Reds had in left field.
That Goodwin is also under club control through 2022 is also a nice bonus, especially considering that it only cost Cincinnati a low-level prospect to get him.
For the Angels: B-
On one hand, Naughton doesn't have much going for him besides a truly great baseball name. He's a former ninth-round pick who's posted modest numbers (i.e., a 3.59 ERA) in the minors.
But on the other, the Angels need whatever pitching depth they can get.
August 31: Toronto Blue Jays Acquire Jonathan Villar
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get UTIL Jonathan Villar; Miami Marlins get OF Griffin Conine
Sources: Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Craig Mish of Sportsgrid
For the Blue Jays: B-
Toronto's offense has been doing quite well of late, but more of a good thing can indeed be a good idea. To this end, it was only last season that Villar had 24 homers and 40 stolen bases elsewhere in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. He's also a versatile defender.
However, Villar is due for free agency. Even if he helps the Jays make the postseason, the club may rue the price it paid for him.
For the Marlins: A
Regarding said price, Conine is a legitimate prospect. Jeff's son was a second-round pick in 2018, and he's coming off a .946 OPS and 22 homers in 80 games at Single-A in 2019. If he can tighten up his free-swinging approach, he may one day emerge as a power threat for Miami.
August 31: Philadelphia Phillies Acquire David Phelps
The Deal: Philadelphia Phillies get RHP David Phelps; Milwaukee Brewers get three players to be named later
Source: Ken Rosenthal and Matt Gelb of The Athletic (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com)
For the Phillies: A
Even after they added Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree and David Hale, the Phillies bullpen looked shaky. It looks better with Phelps, who's whiffed 20 of the 48 batters he's faced in 2020.
Phelps also has a $4.5 million option for 2021, so he won't necessarily be a one-year fix for the Phillies.
For the Brewers: C
Why the Brewers would trade one of their top relievers while they're in contention for the NL Central's second playoff spot is a good question. If the idea was to sell high on Phelps, maybe they could have done better than three as-yet-unnamed minor leaguers.
August 31: Colorado Rockies Acquire Kevin Pillar
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get UTIL Jonathan Villar; Miami Marlins get OF Griffin Conine
Sources: Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Craig Mish of Sportsgrid
For the Blue Jays: B-
Toronto's offense has been doing quite well of late, but more of a good thing can indeed be a good idea. To this end, it was only last season that Villar had 24 homers and 40 stolen bases elsewhere in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. He's also a versatile defender.
However, Villar is due for free agency. Even if he helps the Jays make the postseason, the club may rue the price it paid for him.
For the Marlins: A
Regarding said price, Conine is a legitimate prospect. Jeff's son was a second-round pick in 2018, and he's coming off a .946 OPS and 22 homers in 80 games at Single-A in 2019. If he can tighten up his free-swinging approach, he may one day emerge as a power threat for Miami.
August 31: Chicago Cubs Acquire Andrew Chafin
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get LHP Andrew Chafin; Arizona Diamondbacks get a player to be named later or cash
Source: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune
For the Cubs: B-
The Cubs needed a left-handed reliever, and Chafin is technically one of those. And usually a good one, too, with a track record of success against left-handed batters. The catch is that he's not functional right now, as he's on the injured list with a sprained finger.
For the Diamondbacks: B-
Depending on what they get, this will amount to either a slight payroll dump or a presumably low-level minor leaguer for the Snakes. Considering they traded a specialist reliever who's currently injured, not bad.
August 31: Miami Marlins Acquire Starling Marte
The Deal: Miami Marlins get CF Starling Marte; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Caleb Smith, RHP Humberto Mejia and LHP Julio Frias
Sources: Mark Feinsand of MLB.com and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic
For the Marlins: B
The Marlins are getting a .676 OPS out of the third spot in their batting order, as well as a .670 OPS out of center field. Marte, an All-Star with an .827 OPS in 2020, is a stone who can take care of both birds. Moreover, he has a $12.5 million option for 2021.
Still, there's risk involved for Miami. Smith briefly teased All-Star potential in 2019 and is controlled through 2023. Mejia is also a long-term asset. Given their iffy chances at a deep postseason run, whether the Marlins should be making such an aggressive win-now play is debatable.
For the Diamondbacks: B+
Regarding Smith's aforementioned tease, he specifically had a 3.41 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 66 innings through his first 12 outings of last season. Arizona has the right idea in thinking there might be more where that came from. Mejia has a 2.40 ERA in the minors, while Frias is coming off a 2.83 ERA at Low-A in 2019.
All told, a solid haul for barely more than a year's worth of Marte's services.
August 31: Toronto Blue Jays Acquire Robbie Ray
The Deal: Toronto Blue Jays get LHP Robbie Ray and cash considerations; Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP Travis Bergen
Sources: Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun and Nick Piecoro of AZCentral.com
For the Blue Jays: B
Ray hasn't been the same since he peaked as an All-Star in 2017, and he's hit bottom with a 7.84 ERA through seven starts this year. But at least his fastball velocity is up, and he's likewise continued to miss bats with 43 strikeouts in 31 innings.
If Toronto can solve Ray's control issues—he's walked 31 batters—he'll be a good addition to the club's rotation. If not, he might find new life in a relief role. Either way, this is a low-risk, high-reward move for a pending free agent.
For the Diamondbacks: B+
Given his results and how little time he has remaining between him and the open market, it's a wonder that Arizona got anything for Ray. What's more, Bergen could actually be a useful addition. The lefty reliever has a 1.69 ERA and 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors, and he already has some MLB experience.
August 31: Oakland Athletics Acquire Mike Minor
The Deal: Oakland Athletics get LHP Mike Minor; Texas Rangers get two players to be named later
Source: Jeff Passan of ESPN
For the A's: B+
The A's rotation ranks 29th with minus-0.3 rWAR, so it ought to be a major victory that they're acquiring a pitcher who led MLB in that category in 2019. Yet Minor has struggled this year, posting a 5.60 ERA through seven starts.
However, the A's aren't giving up anything they'll immediately regret for Minor, who's a free agent at the end of the year. And because his stuff is still good—e.g., the spin rate on his fastball is in the 97th percentile—there's indeed hope that he'll get in a groove in time for the playoffs.
For the Rangers: C-
The Rangers could have traded Minor last season when his value was at a zenith by way of his excellent performance and club control through 2021. Their refusal to do so was a risky call even at the time, and it looks like a major misfire in retrospect.
The best they can hope for now is that one or both of their PTBNLs will be revealed as a hidden gem in the long run.
August 31: San Diego Padres Acquire Mike Clevinger
The Deal: San Diego Padres get RHP Mike Clevinger, OF Greg Allen and a player to be named later; Cleveland gets OF Josh Naylor, RHP Cal Quantrill, C Austin Hedges, SS Gabriel Arias, LHP Joey Cantillo and INF Owen Miller
Source: Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic
For the Padres: A+
Starting pitching wasn't a huge need for the Padres, but the up-and-down performances of Chris Paddack and Garrett Richards gave them an excuse to find an upgrade. With a 2.97 ERA and a rate of 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings to his name since 2017, Clevinger fits the bill.
What's more, Clevinger will be under San Diego's control through 2022. Allen, who'll provide outfield depth, is controlled through 2024. While the Padres indeed paid a high price to do this trade, it improves their championship odds for 2020 and for future seasons.
For Cleveland: A
Naylor could boost Cleveland's heretofore offensively inept outfield if he taps into the form that led him to a .936 OPS at Triple-A in 2019. Quantrill, who has a 2.63 ERA in nine relief appearances, will provide immediate help for Cleveland's bullpen.
For his part, Hedges is an elite defensive catcher with club control through 2022. And according to MLB.com, Arias, Cantillo and Miller had been the No. 7, 9 and 11 prospects, respectively, in San Diego's ultra-deep farm system.
Granted, there's an argument Cleveland should not have traded one of its best pitchers in the middle of a contention run. But especially considering the recent hit to his value, Cleveland got a darn good package for Clevinger.
August 31: San Diego Padres Acquire Austin Nola (and Others)
The Deal: San Diego Padres get UTIL Austin Nola, RHP Dan Altavilla and RHP Austin Adams; Seattle Mariners get INF Ty France, OF Taylor Trammell, RHP Andres Munoz and C Luis Torrens
For the Padres: A-
He's already 30, but Nola comes with an .827 OPS and 15 home runs in 109 career games to San Diego. He's also played everywhere on the diamond except pitcher, shortstop and center field, and his club control runs through 2025.
While Nola will deepen the Padres offense, the hard-throwing Altavilla will deepen a bullpen that had already been bolstered with Trevor Rosenthal (keep reading for more on that). If he recovers from his ACL injury in time, Adams will also be a weapon out of the pen for San Diego in September and October.
For the Mariners: A
For Seattle, Trammell is the key piece in this trade. Though not without flaws, he's a good enough athlete to warrant mentions as one of baseball's top prospects. For MLB.com, he now rates as the No. 6 talent in a Mariners system that's one of the league's best.
France is a versatile infielder with an awakening bat (.885 OPS) and club control through 2025. Munoz should regain his triple-digit fastball if he makes a full recovery from Tommy John surgery. Torrens will provide depth at catcher, which Seattle certainly needed.
All told, a very good haul for a late-bloomer and two relievers.
August 30: San Diego Padres Acquire Jason Castro
The Deal: San Diego Padres get C Jason Castro; Los Angeles Angels get RHP Gerardo Reyes
For the Padres: B+
Relatively few teams have gotten good offense out of their catchers in 2020, but that was clearly no comfort to the Padres as their backstops posted a .515 OPS through Saturday's action. Even though he's only hitting .192 on the season, Castro has his OPS above .700 for the third time in four seasons.
In Reyes, the Friars gave up a 27-year-old pitcher who they had no immediate use for.
For the Angels: B+
With their contention chances having gone kaput, selling is the name of the game for the Angels at the deadline. Castro was one of the guys who had to go, as free agency was looming for him.
And while the Padres had no use for Reyes, the Angels should. With a fastball that sits in the high 90s, he has at least one weapon that could make him a shutdown late-inning reliever for years to come.
August 30: Colorado Rockies Acquire Mychal Givens
The Deal: Colorado Rockies get RHP Mychal Givens; Baltimore Orioles get INF Terrin Vavra, INF/OF Tyler Nevin and a player to be named later or cash considerations
For the Rockies: A-
As the Rockies attempt to qualify for their third postseason in four years, they surely needed to upgrade a bullpen with a 5.81 ERA. In comes Givens, who has a 1.38 ERA with 19 strikeouts through 13 innings this season. As per usual, he's been especially lethal against right-handed batters.
The Rockies had to give up two real prospects to get Givens. But considering that they're a win-now team and he's under club control through 2021, that's hardly a tragedy.
For the Orioles: A
Givens has generally been a good reliever throughout the years, but his dominance this season is out of step with the modest 4.25 ERA that he posted across 2018 and 2019. As such, the Orioles definitely sold high.
According to MLB.com, Vavra (No. 12) and Nevin (No. 22) are now two of the best prospects in Baltimore's system. As a result, said system is now arguably one of the 10 best in baseball.
August 30: Chicago Cubs Acquire Jose Martinez
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get DH/OF/1B Jose Martinez; Tampa Bay Rays get two players to be named later
For the Cubs: B
Martinez isn't what he was for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 and 2018, when he had an .847 OPS and 31 home runs, but the .745 OPS he's put up since 2019 qualifies as "respectable." The Cubs badly needed his right-handed bat, and they can keep him through as far as 2022.
You genuinely never know with players to be named later. But for now, Chicago isn't parting with anything it will miss.
For the Rays: C
Though they also got Randy Arozarena and a draft pick in the deal, it's not a good look for the Rays that they basically gave Martinez away mere months after sacrificing top-tier prospect Matthew Liberatore to get him from St. Louis.
Still, the Rays are pretty good with player development. Maybe they'll make something of their two PTBNLs.
August 30: Atlanta Acquires Tommy Milone
The Deal: Atlanta gets LHP Tommy Milone; Baltimore Orioles get two players to be named later
For Atlanta: B+
With very little in the way of reliability after Max Fried in its rotation, Atlanta badly needed (and arguably still needs) starting pitching. Milone, who had a 3.99 ERA before getting lit up for seven runs in his Atlanta debut on Sunday, figures to at least eat innings and thereby save the club's relievers from being overworked.
For the Orioles: B
Granted, there's nothing particularly exciting about a soft-tossing lefty being swapped for two players to be named later. But in this case, the Orioles deserve some credit for adding Milone on a minor league deal and turning him into an actual trade asset.
August 30: San Diego Padres Acquire Mitch Moreland
The Deal: San Diego Padres get 1B Mitch Moreland; Boston Red Sox get OF Jeisson Rosario and INF Hudson Potts
For the Padres: A
The Padres have one of the best offenses in baseball, but it's been relatively weak at designated hitter. That's where Moreland, who bears a 1.177 OPS and eight home runs, figures to slot in. To boot, he has a $3 million club option that could keep him in San Diego next year.
Both Rosario and Potts are legitimate prospects, but neither was among the best of San Diego's loaded system. So as win-now trades go, this is a good one.
For the Red Sox: A
Though neither Rosario nor Potts placed highly in San Diego, they now rank as Boston's No. 16 and 20 prospects on MLB.com.
That's a good haul for Moreland, and one that the Red Sox were right to pursue. Though they could have kept him through 2021, his up-and-down nature gave them a good excuse to sell high.
August 29: San Diego Padres Acquire Trevor Rosenthal
The Deal: San Diego Padres get RHP Trevor Rosenthal; Kansas City Royals get OF Edward Olivares and a player to be named later
For the Padres: A-
San Diego's bullpen was supposed to be a major strength in 2020, but it's instead been a liability with a 5.31 ERA. It's also lost closer Kirby Yates for the year. Now in comes Rosenthal, who has conquered the control problems he had in 2019 to post a 3.29 ERA with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 13.2 innings.
The only catch here is the price that the Padres paid for just one month of Rosenthal's services. Olivares was arguably one of their 20 best prospects, and he'd already accrued some service in the majors.
For the Royals: A+
Rosenthal was very much a reclamation project when the Royals added him on a minor league deal last December. Trading him for an actual prospect several months later constitutes a major win.
Olivares is coming off an .801 OPS and 18 homers at Double-A in 2019, and his above-average speed should serve him well on the basepaths and especially in the outfield at Kauffman Stadium.
August 28: Oakland Athletics Acquire Tommy La Stella
The Deal: Oakland Athletics get INF Tommy La Stella; Los Angeles Angels get INF Franklin Barreto
For the A's: B+
The A's haven't gotten much offense out of second base this season. That's where La Stella, who has an .830 OPS and 20 homers in 109 games since the start of last year, figures to spend the bulk of his time.
Because the A's are very much a win-now team, it's not the biggest crime that they gave up Barreto for potentially only one month of La Stella's services. Even still, they may regret giving up on a player who was one of baseball's top prospects as recently as 2018.
For the Angels: A
La Stella was ticketed for free agency, so the Angels were right to move him. And in Barreto, they've gotten a 24-year-old with an .861 career OPS at the Triple-A level. Now that he's gotten a change of scenery and will presumably get more regular playing time, he may finally take off in the majors.
August 28: Chicago White Sox Acquire Jarrod Dyson
The Deal: Chicago White Sox get OF Jarrod Dyson; Pittsburgh Pirates get $243,300 in international bonus money
For the White Sox: B
The White Sox don't have many shortcomings on offense, but one of their outfielders (Eloy Jimenez) is a major liability on defense. That's where Dyson figures to come in handy, though the White Sox will also use him as a pinch runner.
Given that they're a win-now team that still has some good talent down on the farm, the White Sox could afford to part with some bonus money.
For the Pirates: B
The Pirates, on the other hand, absolutely needed that bonus money. It's clear by now that a full-on rebuild is in their near future, so anything that can help them add talent to their system is very much welcome.