Five MLB Trade Deadline Hauls We Loved (And 5 That Puzzled Us)

Los Angeles Dodgers

No buyer did more to reinforce their roster than the Dodgers. They landed the best starter traded in Jack Flaherty, a Los Angeles native enjoying a resurgent season. Los Angeles added bullpen depth in Michael Kopech, a power reliever who could perhaps find his best self in Dodger Blue. They added reinforcements to their bench in Amed Rosario and Kevin Kiermaier and a potential late season-bump in Tommy Edman. The Dodgers only made one big splash but it was arguably the biggest of the deadline. They also didn’t impact their prospect depth much. Thayron Liranzo is a former Top 100 Prospect, but the Dodgers are flush with catchers in the near and long-term in Will Smith, Diego Cartaya and Dalton Rushing.  

Miami Marlins

The Marlins treated the trade deadline like a liquidation sale: Everything must go, especially if it’s a reliever. And that’s exactly what teams in their position—they entered the day with the second-worst record in the National League—should be doing.

In total, Miami acquired 15 of the 89 prospects (16.8%) traded at the deadline. That becomes 19 prospects if you include the four Padres players who came over in the May Luis Arraez trade. At this rate, we might just have to port over the San Diego chapter when it comes time to put together the Prospect Handbook this winter. 

There’s no guarantee any of their acquisitions become stars. After all, none ranked on the Top 100, although Agustin Ramirez and Connor Norby aren’t far off. But it’s also not hard to see them become functional big leaguers in relatively short order. They also acquired two pitchers, Robby Snelling and Adam Mazur, who were Top 100 arms earlier this year. Staring down a lengthy road back to contention, the Marlins made the smart move and bought themselves as many stocks and lottery tickets as possible. 

Kansas City Royals

Their moves are more around the periphery, but the Royals added Hunter Harvey and Lucas Erceg to the bullpen, Michael Lorenzen as a swingman who can bolster the rotation and/or the bullpen and infielder Paul DeJong.

The Royals don’t look like a World Series champion, but they are a legitimate playoff contender. These low-cost acquisitions bolster their chances of getting to play in October. While the Twins (one game ahead of them in the wild card race) did almost nothing and the Rays (3.5 games back of the Royals) sold off, the Royals took some swings.

Washington Nationals

There were no blockbusters on the Nationals’ trade slate, but they acquired five of the top 40 prospects in our trade deadline prospect ranking while trading away Lane Thomas, Hunter Harvey, Jesse Winker and Dylan Floro.

Considering the somewhat transient nature of many of the players the Nationals traded, that’s an excellent haul. Everyone the Nats’ acquired carries plenty of risk or has a modest ceiling, but if lefthander Alex Clemmey blossoms, the Thomas’ trade could be a coup. And Cayden Wallace was an excellent return for Harvey.

Teams With Puzzling Trade Deadlines

Houston Astros

Time eventually comes for all dynasties, and that time appears to be getting closer and closer for the Astros. To Houston’s credit they have overcome a slow start to once again put themselves on track for an eighth-straight playoff appearance and nine playoff appearances in 10 years. But the combination of impending free agency and aging core stars has this team staring down the end of an extremely long playoff window.

The decision to trade two of the best prospects in a thin farm system for free-agent-to-be Yusei Kikuchi has the appearance of paying your mortgage with a credit card. The bill is going to come due before long. Alex Bregman is a free agent at the end of this season. So is Justin Verlander. Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez and Jose Urquidy are all free agents after 2025. 

Closer Josh Hader has four years and $76 million remaining on his contract. Houston has to hope for a bounceback after Hader has struggled in his first year back with the Astros. 

Chicago White Sox

White Sox GM Chris Getz has gotten roasted by many White Sox fans for what is viewed as a very modest return for sending Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham to the Cardinals and Michael Kopech to the Dodgers in a three-team trade. The criticisms seem a little overblown. Pham was signed as a minor league contract before the season and hasn’t set the world on fire this year, so he wasn’t going to land much return in a trade. Similarly, as promising as Michael Kopech has been at times in his big league career, he’s struggled for the past two seasons.

The return on this trade depends largely on Miguel Vargas being a Michael Busch-type acquisition—a former Top 100 Prospect who produces once freed from the hard-to-crack Dodgers lineup. That’s possible, and the White Sox added two high-ceiling, high-risk additions as well in Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez. But comparing the return to what the Blue Jays got for Kikuchi and it pales in comparison, especially when you consider that Fedde has another year to go on a very reasonable contract.

Cleveland Guardians

The moves the Guardians made make sense. The question is whether this team did enough considering Cleveland has the best record in the American League on July 31.

Adding Lane Thomas was a logical addition, but more an indictment of how bad the Guardians’ outfielders have been rather than praise of Thomas. Thomas has struggled against righthanders this year. Cleveland needs him to be more than just a platoon bat. Will Brennan was demoted to the minors with Thomas’ acquisition. Thomas is going to assuredly get everyday at-bats. Can he provide a significant boost? The prospect cost the Guardians paid makes sense if Thomas is an average or better regular. So far this year, he hasn’t cleared that bar, but he has in the past.

Alex Cobb is a risk as well. He hasn’t thrown a big-league pitch this year as he recovers from a hip injury. But he’s a useful low-cost, high-upside pickup. If he’s fully healthy, he is a much-needed addition to the Guardians’ surprisingly thin rotation.

Baltimore Orioles

This is a team that had a little bit of a disappointing trade deadline, but it’s also hard to see how much more they could have done. With Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet not getting traded, there aren’t many players who were traded who could provide a big boost to Baltimore. Baltimore has a lineup with seven regulars or semi-regulars who are above-average offensively. And second baseman Jackson Holliday was promoted to the big leagues on Tuesday to fill one of the remaining two spots.

With Kyle Bradish’s injury, ideally, the Orioles could have used one more starting pitcher who can make a playoff start. But the only semi-plausible option that fits that criteria who was traded is Jack Flaherty, and it’s pretty much impossible to imagine the Orioles bringing Flaherty back one year after he failed in that very role for them.

Trevor Rogers is more of a reclamation project than a clear playoff starter, but he’s a pickup for this year and several years to come. Baltimore did add Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez to lengthen the bullpen. And it acquired Zach Eflin, another useful midrotation option, several days before the deadline.

It isn’t a massive trade deadline, but this team was already one of the World Series favorites. That hasn’t changed, and they seem to have fewer weaknesses than any of the top teams in baseball.

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are 38-70 and on a five-game losing streak. They aren’t exactly flush with talent, but it’s also fair to walk away from another deadline wondering if Colorado could’ve done more, especially when contrasted with how other obvious sellers (see: Miami Marlins) treated the deadline. 

The Rockies traded a pair of relievers, Nick Mears (Brewers) and Jalen Beeks (Pirates) for three pitchers: LHP Luis Peralta (No. 24 in Pittsburgh’s system), RHP Yujanyer Herrera (No. 28 in Milwaukee’s system) and RHP Bradley Blalock (unranked). Peralta is a straight reliever, although Herrera and Blalock at least have chances to reach a back-of-the-rotation ceiling. 

Yet 33-year-old catcher and impending free agent Elias Diaz remained on the team, as did fan-favorite Charlie Blackmon. Colorado also had players with two years of control left, such as 2B Brendan Rodgers, LHP Austin Gomber or even RHP Cal Quantrill, who might be more appealing to a team on a faster competitive timeline. There isn’t a clear path back to contention any time soon for Colorado and while moves like these aren’t blockbusters, they only would’ve provided Colorado more potential options to join that rebuild.