MLB Trade Deadline 2024: Live Grades for Every Trade
MLB Trade Deadline 2024: Live Grades for Every Trade0 of 34
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
There is only one trade deadline in any given MLB season, and it came and went on Tuesday.
It was a wild time, so make sure to catch up by checking out Bleacher Report’s grades for every big trade that went down.
The grades are based on the overall balance of the deal. Did the buyer get a player or players it badly needed? Did the seller get fair value? And if the deal was lopsided, who did it favor and by how much?
Since the trade market began to pick up before Tuesday, grades for the biggest trades from over the weekend and Monday are included. These mostly involve trades made by the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins, including the ones that sent Randy Arozarena and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to contenders.
Padres Acquire MartĂn PĂ©rez from Pirates1 of 34
MartĂn PĂ©rezPatrick McDermott/Getty Images
The Deal: San Diego Padres get MartĂn PĂ©rez; Pittsburgh Pirates get LHP Ronaldys Jimenez
For the Padres: D
It was only after they had overloaded their bullpen more than they needed to that the Padres finally made a move meant to address the hole in their rotation.
As fixes go, PĂ©rez is underwhelming. Though the veteran lefty was an All-Star just two years ago, his ERA has since ballooned to 5.20 ERA as he’s given up 105 hits in 83 innings pitched.
The bright side is that PĂ©rez didn’t cost the Padres much, but it’s hard to separate that from the suspicion that maybe they could have gotten someone better if they hadn’t blown so many prospects on relievers.
For the Pirates: C
The Bucs had PĂ©rez on a one-year, $8 million deal, and it was no secret that he was an outlier in the sea of nastiness that is their starting rotation these days.
That they were able to get anything at all for him is tantamount to an accomplishment, though the prospect they’re getting back is likewise tantamount to a mystery box.
Jimenez is an 18-year-old who the Padres signed just last year, and all he’s done as a pro is make three starts in the Dominican Summer League.
Red Sox Acquire Luis GarcĂa from Angels2 of 34
Luis GarcĂa Dylan Buell/Getty Images
The Deal: Boston Red Sox get RHP Luis GarcĂa; Los Angeles Angels get OF Matthew Lugo, 1B Niko Kavadas, RHP Yeferson Vargas, RHP Ryan Zeferjahn
For the Red Sox: C
There’s another slide in here that covers just how much the Red Sox’s bullpen has been struggling since the All-Star break. If you don’t feel like seeking that one out, suffice it to say it hasn’t been pretty.
GarcĂa can only help, and he’s even coming to Boston on a hot streak. He’s yielded only two earned runs over his last 14 appearances, amounting to a 1.15 ERA.
The 37-year-old veteran doesn’t have much swing-and-miss in his profile, however, and that’s a talent which is unfortunately in short supply in Boston’s pen. He’s also on an expiring contract, so it’s wild that the Angels were able to get four players back for him.
For the Angels: A
Granted, none of these four players is anything resembling a blue-chip prospect. The best is Lugo, and even he was only Boston’s No. 17 talent for MLB.com.
Yet Lugo is having a breakout year in 2024, posting a .942 OPS in 78 games across Double-A and Triple-A. He’s mostly played left field this year, but has experience all over the diamond.
Kavadas has a .975 OPS in his own right at Triple-A, while neither Vargas nor Zeferjahn was totally invisible in the Red Sox’s broader collection of prospects. So all in all, the Angels did surprisingly well here.
Orioles Acquire LHP Gregory Soto from Phillies3 of 34
Gregory SotoJoe Sargent/Getty Images
The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get LHP Gregory Soto; Philadelphia Phillies get RHP Seth Johnson (Orioles No. 10), RHP Moisés Chace
For the Orioles: C
Soto made back-to-back All-Star teams with Detroit in 2021 and 2022, but those honors had a lot to do with the Tigers not being able to offer better options.
The lefty still throws hard, running his fastball at an average of 97.5 mph with a max speed of 101 mph. But he’s also walked 20 batters in 35.1 innings, and he’s been creamed by right-handed batters for a .305 average an .848 OPS.
With the Soto acquisition coming on the heels of an earlier trade for Seranthony DomĂnguez, the Orioles have basically fleshed out their bullpen with spare parts from the Phillies’ bullpen. It’s some kind of strategy, but one hesitates to call it a good one.
For the Phillies: A
Even if his club control runs through 2025, Soto isn’t much more than a run-of-the-mill lefty reliever at this stage. Yet the Phillies turned him into two real prospects anyway.
Now fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, Johnson is a righty with a plus fastball and above average slider. Whether his command will allow for a career as a starter is a question, but he has a future as a dominant relief pitcher if it doesn’t.
Chace also has an iffy profile as a starter, but he’s another guy with a plus fastball who’s struck out 34 percent of the batters he’s faced this season.
Giants Acquire Mark Canha from Tigers4 of 34
Mark CanhaFrank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Deal: San Francisco Giants get 1B/OF Mark Canha; Detroit Tigers get RHP Eric Silva
For the Giants: B
Canha is having a rough year by his standards, posting a sub-.700 OPS for the first time since he was a 28-year-old lad for the A’s back in 2017.
He can, however, still give left-handers a hard time. Whereas he has a .639 OPS against righties, he’s exploited the platoon advantage for an .857 OPS against southpaws.
Most teams would only have so much use for a right-handed-hitting platoon guy, but the Giants can use Canha in tandem with lefty hitters at first base and in both corner outfield spots. Even if it’s just a little bit, he can help the team’s playoff push.
For the Tigers: C
This is one of those “lucky they got anything” trades for the Tigers, as Canha clearly had diminished value amid the final stretch of his three-year, $36 million contract.
Nonetheless, Silva a guy who doesn’t move the needle all that much.
He posted ERAs north of 5.00 as a starter in 2022 and 2023, and his move to the pen in 2024 has only marginally improved his fortunes. He does have 51 strikeouts in 41.1 innings, but with 18 walks and a 4.35 ERA.
Orioles Acquire Eloy Jiménez from White Sox 5 of 34
Eloy JiménezRich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get DH Eloy Jiménez; Chicago White Sox get LHP Trey McGough
For the Orioles: B
Jiménez is in the last year of a 6-year, $43 million contract that ultimately bought the White Sox 5.0 WAR.
This is to say he’s coming to Baltimore as a bust, primarily by way of a seemingly never-ending series of injuries. All he still has left going for him is his ability to punish the ball, which is still evident in a 93rd-percentile hard-hit rate.
The O’s will presumably hope that ability comes through in a platoon role with Ryan O’Hearn at DH. Given that this is an otherwise very strong lineup that merely needs JimĂ©nez to be a semi-effective right-handed bat, it’s not a bad bet.
For the White Sox: D
The real surprise here is that the White Sox are getting anything in exchange for Jiménez.
Though the exact amount is unclear for now, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that this is mostly a salary dump deal for the White Sox. They didn’t eat any money for the sake of maximizing their talent return from Baltimore.
One would like to accentuate the positive by singing McGough’s praises, but his profile is that of a low-leverage lefty reliever.
Dodgers Acquire Jack Flaherty from Tigers6 of 34
Jack FlahertyRichard Rodriguez/Getty Images
The Deal: Los Angeles Dodgers get RHP Jack Flaherty; Detroit Tigers get C/1B Thayron Liranzo (Dodgers No. 4), SS Trey Sweeney
For the Dodgers: A
The Dodgers went into deadline day sorely in need of another arm for a rotation that has been beset by injuries. They emerged with the best starting pitcher traded on Tuesday.
Flaherty has had issues with his back this season, but they haven’t kept him from enjoying a resurgence as a top-of-the-rotation starter. Through 18 starts, he has a 2.95 ERA and an elite 7.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Dodgers are paying a heavy price to rent Flaherty, who’s on a $14 million salary, for the remainder of his one-year deal. But when a team has eyes on a World Series championship, the last thing that team should be doing is sparing any expense.
For the Tigers: A
Though Flaherty had been an obvious trade candidate for a while leading up to Tuesday, it only made sense for Detroit to deal him if it got back more value than it stood to gain from making him a qualifying offer.
This package accomplishes that and then some.
Despite some regression this year, Liranzo is a powerful 21-year-old who slugged 24 home runs in only 94 games at Single-A in 2023. Despite a lack of carrying tools, Sweeney has thus far stuck at shortstop while providing power and speed as a minor leaguer.
Pirates Acquire Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Blue Jays7 of 34
Isiah Kiner-FalefaLachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
The Deal: Pittsburgh Pirates get INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa; Toronto Blue Jays get OF Charles McAdoo
For the Pirates: A
Kiner-Falefa doesn’t have a set position these days, yet it’s easy to imagine him taking over at second base in Pittsburgh when he returns from a knee sprain.
The keystone has been a weakness for the Bucs all year, producing only a .649 OPS and five home runs. Kiner-Falefa’s bat will be a significant upgrade if he picks up where he left off, as he thus far holds career highs for average, on-base and slugging percentage.
The 29-year-old is under contract for next season at a modest $7.5 million, so this is no mere rental for the October-hopeful Pirates.
For the Blue Jays: A
Because his bat has indeed never been so good as it has been this season, it’s fair to look at this deal and wonder if Toronto sold high on Kiner-Falefa.
Either way, McAdoo is a good get despite his modest standing as MLB.com’s No. 29 prospect in the Pirates’ system.
The 22-year-old native of Walnut Creek, California was a .325 hitter in college and has kept right on raking with a .312 average in two years as a pro. He also offers power and speed, as he’s in the double digits for home runs and stolen bases this year.
Pirates Acquire Bryan De La Cruz from Marlins8 of 34
Bryan De La CruzMegan Briggs/Getty Images
The Deal: Pittsburgh Pirates get OF/DH Bryan De La Cruz; Miami Marlins get RHP Jun-Seok Shim, INF Garret Forrester
For the Pirates: B
The Bucs are making their playoff push in spite of their offense, which ranks in the bottom third of the National League in pretty much every key category.
Though he has seen his OPS drop every year since a promising start to his career in 2021, De La Cruz can still help Pittsburgh’s outfield. It’s produced only 31 home runs all year, or just 13 more than he has all on his own.
De La Cruz is no rental, as he’s 27 years old and under club control through 2027. The Bucs can therefore hope that he has more upside, for which his consistently above average hard-hit rates provide some reason for optimism.
For the Marlins: B
Though De La Cruz should help the Pirates, the reality is that his value had steadily depreciated throughout his four seasons with the Marlins.
As such, the Fish did well to turn him into two prospects who ranked at No. 17 and No. 18 in Pittsburgh’s system for MLB.com.
Shim is especially intriguing. A shoulder injury has sidelined the righty for all of 2024, yet any 19-year-old who stands at 6’4″, 215 pounds with a plus fastball is going to have a chance to be something special.
Rangers Acquire Andrew Chafin from Tigers9 of 34
Andrew ChafinNic Antaya/Getty Images
The Deal: Texas Rangers get LHP Andrew Chafin; Detroit
Tigers get RHP Joseph Montalvo (Rangers No. 10), RHP Chase Lee
For the Rangers: B
It just wouldn’t be a proper trade deadline without Chafin going somewhere, as this is the fourth time in five seasons that he’s been on the move at the last minute.
His profile is the same as it’s always been, which is hardly meant as a dig. His job is primarily to get lefties out, and he’s doing so as well as ever by holding them to a .474 OPS.
Adding Chafin a day after trading away Michael Lorenzen undercuts any doubts the latter move might have raised about the Rangers’ intentions. They’re going for it, as they darn well should be. They’re 15-9 since June 30 and reinforcements are coming off the IL soon.
For the Tigers: A
I didn’t expect the Tigers to net a top-10 prospect for Chafin, but that just goes to show where the market is for rental relievers.
Now a 22-year-old at High-A, Montalvo is working on posting a sub-3.00 ERA for the third time in as many tries as a professional. He also does high strikeout rates with low walk rates, and is said to have a plus slider.
Padres Acquire Tanner Scott from Marlins10 of 34
Tanner ScottMegan Briggs/Getty Images
The Deal: San Diego Padres get LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Bryan Hoeing; Miami Marlins get LHP Robby Snelling (Padres No. 3), RHP Adam Mazur (Padres No. 4), INF Graham Pauley, INF Jay Beshears
For the Padres: D
This is nothing against Scott or Hoeing, both of whom bring plenty to the table.
Scott was arguably the best reliever anyone was going to get this summer, as he’s fresh off making the All-Star team and is working on a 1.18 ERA. Hoeing is less electric, but still useful as a multi-inning reliever.
Yet after adding Jason Adam in a trade with the Rays, the Padres already had a loaded bullpen and thus didn’t need to go out of their way to add more relievers. Instead, what they’ve done here is go way out of their way to do exactly that.
For the Marlins: A
Though neither cracked Joel’s most recent top 10 for the Padres, MLB.com had Pauley and Beshears ranked as the No. 5 and No. 24 prospects in their system, respectively.
The sheer shock value of this haul does lose a bit of its edge when context is provided. Snelling is mired in a rough year marked by a 6.01 ERA, while Mazur’s eight starts for the big club yielded an ugly 7.49 ERA with nearly as many walks (21) as strikeouts (22).
All the same, another important piece of context is that Scott is headed for free agency and thus only guaranteed to be with San Diego for two months. So unless the Padres think Hoeing is the real prize of this deal, they gave the Marlins way too much.
Mets Acquire Paul Blackburn from Athletics11 of 34
Paul BlackburnAlika Jenner/Getty Images
The Deal: New York Mets get RHP Paul Blackburn; Oakland Athletics get RHP Kade Morris
For the Mets: B
Blackburn was an out-of-nowhere All-Star in 2022, but since then his trajectory has mostly been marked by injuries and unspectacular pitching.
Still, he comes to Queens with club control through 2025 and with an ability to throw strikes. That is something the Mets sorely need in their rotation, as they’re getting a league-high 9.6 walk percentage from their starters.
This is not to suggest Blackburn is a stand-in for Kodai Senga, who returned off the IL last weekend only to go right back on it with a calf strain. But along with New York’s incumbent starters, he’s part of a reasonably deep group that could sustain the club’s playoff push.
For the Athletics: B
Blackburn only made one start for the A’s after coming off a long stint on the IL with a foot injury, so it’s a small miracle that they were able to get anything for him.
And in this case, Morris is an actual prospect who had been ranked as the No. 25 talent in the Mets’ system by MLB.com.
The 22-year-old doesn’t have any standout tools, but he has a 3.51 ERA and has struck out a little better than a batter per inning in the low minors this year. He projects as a back-end starter.
Royals Acquire Paul DeJong from White Sox 12 of 34
Paul DeJongNuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get SS Paul DeJong; Chicago White Sox get RHP Jarold Rosado
For the Royals: B
DeJong is accustomed to playing shortstop every day, but that won’t be the case in Kansas City. Sorry, but Bobby Witt Jr. was there first and he’s…yeah, pretty good.
Because DeJong has experience at second base and third base, he figures to work as a utility infielder in Kansas City. And he’ll do so with a bit of power, as his 18 home runs would rank third on the Royals if he’d been with them all year.
The Royals will take what they can get in this regard. Though they rank fifth in the American League in scoring, their offense is short on power threats outside of Witt and Salvador Perez.
For the White Sox: C
It’s been a long time since DeJong was a Rookie of the Year contender and an All-Star for the St. Louis Cardinals, so let’s not pretend like he was worthy of a hefty return.
Still, this feels light for a guy who hypothetically could have been sold as an everyday shortstop.
Though Rosado does have a 1.85 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 39 innings at Single-A, the catch is that he’s a little old for that level at 21. Maybe the White Sox see something they like, but from this angle he looks like mere organizational depth.
Royals Acquire Lucas Erceg from Athletics13 of 34
Lucas ErcegEakin Howard/Getty Images
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get RHP Lucas Erceg; Oakland Athletics get RHP Mason Barnett (Royals No. 8), RHP Will Klein, OF Jared Dickey
For the Royals: A
Even if he was the “other” flamethrower in Oakland’s bullpen next to All-Star closer Mason Miller, Erceg is still an impressive get for the Royals.
He’s been running his fastball at an average of 98.4 mph, and an 83rd-percentile whiff rate and exit velocity in the 99th percentile underscore how hard he’s been to square up. The 29-year-old is also under club control through 2029.
Rob Friedman @PitchingNinjaLucas Erceg, K’ing the Side. âœïž
Part of 6 consecutive Ks for the A’s Bullpen. pic.twitter.com/pOTriX3W5l
Erceg is the second hard-throwing righty to join Kansas City’s bullpen in recent days, and that is very much a good thing for the club’s playoff hopes. The pen has mostly been a source of frustration this season, posting a 4.30 ERA and the highest contact rate in the AL.
For the Athletics: D
Erceg is a very good, even borderline elite reliever with five more seasons standing between him and free agency, so it’s disappointing that this is the best the A’s could do.
Barnett was one of Kansas City’s 10 best prospects, but the caveat is that they have one of the worst farm systems in MLB. He’s also regressed quite a bit from a breakout 2023 season, going from a 3.30 ERA to a 4.91 ERA with a home run rate twice as high.
Klein’s fastball is legit, but his 34 appearances for Triple-A Omaha come with only 38 strikeouts and 27 walks. Even as relief prospects go, he’s iffy.
Guardians Acquire Alex Cobb from Giants14 of 34
Alex CobbLachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
The Deal: Cleveland Guardians get RHP Alex Cobb; San Francisco Giants get LHP Jacob Bresnahan, player to be named later
For the Guardians: A
It would be hard for any starting pitcher to join the Guardians’ rotation and not upgrade it by default. It ranks last in the majors with 0.7 WAR.
Maybe trading for a guy who has yet to throw a pitch off a major league mound in 2024 breaks this theory, but Cobb had been just about ready to return from offseason hip surgery before experiencing a setback in the form of a blister. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the righty had been looking good in his rehab outings.
The 36-year-old Cobb was an All-Star in 2023 and he has a 3.85 ERA for his career. If he’s anything like that guy down the stretch for Cleveland, this could emerge as one of the better moves of the deadline.
For the Giants: C
Assuming they’re not eating any of it, the Giants are offloading the $3.3 million still left on Cobb’s $10 million salary. It’s not as much as their Jorge Soler savings, but it’s something.
That the Giants are also getting a prospect back is a nice bonus, even if said prospect is only a projectable 19-year-old lefty who only recently made his Single-A debut. He isn’t much more than a lottery ticket.
My gripe with this trade is more philosophical. After the Soler trade, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle hinted that the Giants wouldn’t be making any more cuts. But then they did this, thus dealing yet another self-inflicted blow to their playoff hopes.
Diamondbacks Acquire Josh Bell from Marlins15 of 34
Josh BellJohn Fisher/Getty Images
The Deal: Arizona Diamondbacks get 1B Josh Bell; Miami Marlins get cash considerations or a player to be named later
For the Diamondbacks: B
The Diamondbacks had no need for a first baseman as recently as 24 hours ago, but then Christian Walker had to leave Monday’s contest early with a tight oblique.
By trading for Bell, the Snakes may have tipped their hand as to how serious they believe Walker’s injury to be. He wouldn’t fit on their roster otherwise, as Walker is one of MLB’s best first basemen and the DH spot is in Joc Pederson’s capable hands.
The 31-year-old Bell is coming to the desert fresh off being placed on waivers after posting a .699 OPS through 104 games. He did homer five times in his last seven games with Miami, however, allowing Arizona to hope that he can go on one of his patented hot streaks.
For the Marlins: B
Whether it ends up being money or a PTBNL, that the Marlins managed to get anything at all for Bell is a win for them.
He didn’t have much in the way of value, after all, as he had posted minus-0.6 WAR against a $16.5 million salary.
While they await what ultimately comes from Arizona, the Marlins might as well call up newly acquired prospect Deyvison De Los Santos and see what he can do at Bell’s old haunt at first base.
Orioles Acquire Trevor Rogers from Marlins16 of 34
Trevor RogersJohn Fisher/Getty Images
The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get LHP Trevor Rogers; Miami Marlins get 2B Connor Norby (Orioles No. 4, MLB No. 86), OF Kyle Stowers
For the Orioles: B
This would have been a monumental get for the Orioles three years ago, when Rogers was an All-Star on his way to finishing second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Alas, injuries have taken their toll on the lefty. His arm just isn’t as live as it used to be, which shows in a 2.5 mph drop in fastball velocity relative to 2021 and in the decline of his strikeout rate. He punched out 10.5 batters per nine innings in ’21. Now he’s at 7.3 in 2024.
Granted, Rogers has been a decent source of innings, which is something the Orioles still needed even after adding Zach Eflin last week. And because he’s just 26 years old and under club control through 2026, they have time to try to revive Rogers’ past potential.
For the Marlins: A
Knowing how much Rogers’ star has faded, you have to hand it to the Marlins for getting not one, but two legit young players for him.
Norby had been easy to lose in the shuffle of the many young batsmen in Baltimore’s system, but he’s about a .300 hitter (.296, to be exact) at the Triple-A level and he doesn’t really have any below average tools. He should be at second base for Miami sooner rather than later.
Stowers didn’t do much at the major league level with the Orioles, but he has an .870 OPS for his career at Triple-A. He may yet be a decent power source, which should be music to the ears of Marlins fans after what they’ve seen in recent years.
Red Sox Acquire Lucas Sims from Reds17 of 34
Lucas SimsJeff Dean/Getty Images
The Deal: Boston Red Sox get RHP Lucas Sims; Cincinnati Reds get RHP Ovis Portes
For the Red Sox: B
It’s hard to overstate just how much the Red Sox’s bullpen has been holding them back. It has an 8.51 ERA in the second half, with a 1-4 record and seven blown saves.
Into this mix walks Sims, who comes with some volatility of his own by way of a career walk rate of 4.6 per nine innings. His saving grace is that he’s hard to square up, and especially now that his average exit velocity is a career-low 86.1 mph.
As Sims is also capable of making batters swing and miss, there’s upside here for Boston if Craig Breslow and Andrew Bailey can figure out the righty’s control issues. But they’d better hurry, as the 30-year-old is an impending free agent.
For the Reds: B
The Reds haven’t quite fleeced the Red Sox with this deal, as Portes is a deep-cut prospect who probably isn’t going to be a starter in the long run.
On the plus side, he’s only 19 and his fastball runs up to 98 mph. And he had already made it to Single-A Salem, where he was 2.7 years younger than the average player at that level.
In other words, not a bad return for a rental reliever with Sims’ profile.
Yankees Acquire Mark Leiter Jr. from Cubs18 of 34
Mark Leiter Jr.Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images
The Deal: New York Yankees get RHP Mark Leiter Jr.; Chicago Cubs get RHP Jack Neely, INF Ben Cowles
For the Yankees: A
Leiter only has a 4.21 ERA through 39 appearances, but don’t read too much into that.
Instead, do read into how he’s in the middle of a scoreless July and sitting on a veritable treasure trove of eye-popping peripherals. His whiff and strikeout rates are both in the 98th percentile, mostly courtesy of a splitter with a 62.7 whiff rate.
Rob Friedman @PitchingNinjaMark Leiter Jr, Nasty Splitters. âïžâïž pic.twitter.com/6PpyP4BoIy
The 33-year-old Leiter is precisely the purveyor of swing-and-miss that the Yankees needed in their pen, and he’s under club control through 2026, to boot.
For the Cubs: C
Both prospects in this deal ranked among the Yankees’ top 30 for MLB.com, and each comes with his own interesting aspects.
Neely stands out in a crowd at 6’8″, 245 pounds, and he’s used his plus fastball-slider combination to strike out 14.3 batters per nine innings in his minor league career. As for Cowles, he has some helium. He hit .290 in the Arizona Fall League and has since hit .295 for Double-A Somerset.
When it comes down to it, however, Neely is a reliever all the way and Cowles projects as a power-light utility infielder. It’s at best an OK return for a guy who might have fetched more.
Atlanta Acquires Jorge Soler from Giants19 of 34
Jorge SolerLachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
The Deal: Atlanta gets DH/OF Jorge Soler, RHP Luke Jackson; San Francisco Giants get LHP Tyler Matzek, 3B Sabin Ceballos
For Atlanta: B
The last time Atlanta traded for Soler worked out pretty well. That was back in 2021, and all he did upon joining them was hit a bunch of jacks en route to winning World Series MVP.
Three years later, Atlanta is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle again.
Soler is again coming to town in the middle of a tough season, as he’s hitting only .240 with 12 home runs. Only this time, he doesn’t have underlying metrics that point to an inevitable resurgence.
Yet the chance is one worth taking. Soler figures to fill Ronald Acuña Jr.’s shoes in both right field and in the leadoff spot, and it’s possible that he merely needs to get out of San Francisco. Of his 12 homers, eight have come on the road.
For the Giants: B
The chance Atlanta is taking on Soler may be a worthwhile one, yet it’s also a costly one. He has two years and $32 million left on his contract, and that is its responsibility now.
Getting that money off their own books is pretty much what this trade is all about for the Giants, and it’s a good thing for anyone with a vested interest in the club’s bottom line. For everyone else, the hope must now be that the savings are eventually reinvested.
There’s also the possibility that the Giants will make something of Ceballos. He hasn’t shown much power as a professional, but any guy who tips the scales at 6’3″, 225 pounds is nonetheless worth dreaming of as a potential slugger.
Brewers Acquire Frankie Montas from Reds20 of 34
Frankie MontasKevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
The Deal: Milwaukee Brewers get RHP Frankie Montas;
Cincinnati Reds get RHP Jakob Junis, OF Joey Wiemer, cash considerations
For the Brewers: B
The Brewers have used 16 different starting pitchers this year, one shy of the club record for a season. Yet for all that, their rotation ranks dead-last in innings pitched.
They pretty much need Montas to be an Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he should be up to it as far as the innings are concerned. He’s gone at least five innings in 13 of his 19 starts this year.
The 5.01 ERA is less attractive, not to mention hard to spin positively on account of the righty’s diminished strikeout and walk rates. Yet he’ll at least have a better defense behind him in Milwaukee. He’s going from the No. 21 team to the No. 4 team on the Outs Above Average leaderboard.
For the Reds: B
The Brewers still have a surplus of outfielders even after trading Wiemer, so it’s hard to see this deal as a major loss for them in the here and now.
Swapping Montas for Wiemer is nonetheless a win from the Reds’ perspective. He was a top 100 prospect just last year, and he’s still only 25 and under club control through 2028.
The 6’4″, 226-pounder made his mark as a prospect by cranking 48 home runs across 2021 and 2022. That power was occasionally apparent in his rookie season in 2023, and Great American Ball Park is as good a place as any for Wiemer to show it off going forward.
Astros Acquire Yusei Kikuchi from Blue Jays21 of 34
Yusei KikuchiNick Cammett/Getty Images
The Deal: Houston Astros get LHP Yusei Kikuchi; Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Jake Bloss (Astros No. 3), INF Will Wagner, OF Joey Loperfido
For the Astros: C
Houston’s rotation hasn’t necessarily been bad this year, but it’s been banged up and is still missing Justin Verlander due to neck stiffness that initially put him on the IL in early June.
To this end, Kikuchi arrives in Houston as a sort of stabilizing force. His results have been all over the place throughout his six-year career in the majors, including by way of a 4.75 ERA this year. Yet he’s a guy who’s going to give you five solid innings more often than not.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Astros do with Kikuchi once Verlander is healthy, much less in the playoffs. A move to the bullpen at some point would seem to be a realistic outcome.
For the Blue Jays: A
All of the above is basically to say that the Astros have acquired a fill-in starter who may only be so helpful as the season goes along. Which, in turn, only adds to the “Wow” factor of the return for Toronto.
Bloss already rates as the Blue Jays’ No. 2 prospect for MLB.com, and both he and Loperfido (a former well regarded prospect in his own right) already have major league service time. Wagner, meanwhile, has hit over .300 in the high minors in each of the last two seasons.
This would be an impressive haul for any back-end starter, much less one who’s making $10 million in the last year of his contract.
Dodgers Acquire Amed Rosario from Rays22 of 34
Amed RosarioCole Burston/Getty Images
The Deal: Los Angeles Dodgers get SS Amed Rosario; Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Michael Flynn
For the Dodgers: B
Caution, trading for Rosario once could be habit-forming.
This is indeed the second year in a row that the Dodgers have acquired Rosario ahead of the deadline, though the difference this time is that he’s not a depreciated asset like he was in 2023. He’s hit .307 in 76 games while seeing ample time in the infield and the outfield.
He figures to fill a similar role for the Dodgers, with most of his time likely to come against left-handed pitching. He’s always hit lefties well, including to the tune of a .316 average this year.
For the Rays: C
This is not to suggest that Rosario, who’s only under contract for this season, was worthy of one of the shinier prospects in the Dodgers’ system.
Flynn, though, doesn’t even register as a prospect at this stage of his minor league career. He will turn 28 on August 7, which puts him on the old side for a guy who has yet to crack the majors.
He is nonetheless said to have a good slider that comes in from a low slot, so he does offer things for the Rays to work with. And they’re pretty good when they have things to work with.
Guardians Acquire Lane Thomas from Nationals23 of 34
Lane ThomasJess Rapfogel/Getty Images
The Deal: Cleveland Guardians get OF Lane Thomas; Washington Nationals get LHP Alex Clemmey (Guardians No. 7), SS Rafael Ramirez Jr., INF José Tena
For the Guardians: B
Offense hasn’t been the Guardians’ most pressing throughout 2024, but their outfield has been a relative weakness for years. Right field, in particular, has produced 0 WAR.
This is where Thomas figures to fit in, and he should also upgrade the top of the lineup. Between Steven Kwan, him and JosĂ© RamĂrez, the first three slots of Cleveland’s lineup will be filled with hitters who consistently produced tough at-bats.
Though the power that produced 28 home runs in 2023 hasn’t been there for Thomas this season, he’s kept the speed coming by stealing 28 bases. He’s therefore a solid source of value who’s also under club control through 2025.
For the Nationals: A
This deal nonetheless favors the Nationals, who effectively turned a season and a half of a good-not-great outfielder into three pretty good prospects.
Clemmey has control issues, but he’s a 6’6″, 205-pound lefty with a fastball that gets up around triple digits. Albeit with a 4.67 ERA, he’s been racking up whiffs as a mere 18-year-old for Single-A Lynchburg.
Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs had Ramirez and Tena ranked among Cleveland’s top 30 prospects back in April, and ahead of even formerly the formerly fast-rising George Valera.
Mariners Acquire Justin Turner from Blue Jays24 of 34
Justin TurnerMark Blinch/Getty Images
The Deal: Seattle Mariners get DH Justin Turner; Toronto Blue Jays get OF RJ Schreck
For the Mariners: B
The DH slot was one of several offensive positions the Mariners still needed to upgrade after trading for Randy Arozarena. The spot has produced only a .204 average, which sticks out even on a team that is hitting .218 collectively.
To this end, Turner’s .257 average is outstanding by Mariners standards. He’s as reliable for a professional at-bat as ever, as his strikeout rate and walk rate are both safely above average. Hopefully, his presence will have an infectious effect on the rest of the lineup.
However, nobody in the Pacific Northwest should get their hopes up about his potential power output. The 39-year-old veteran has hit only six homers in 90 games, and his batted-ball metrics were not what they once were.
For the Blue Jays: B
It’s hard to have a strong opinion about Schreck.
The Mariners drafted him in 2023 after five years on the college circuit, effectively to save money by way of a $75,000 bonus. A year later, he’s not quite convincing anyone that he’s one of the game’s top prospects.
Still, he’s interesting because of his approach. Schreck walked more than he struck out with Vanderbilt in 2023, and he’s done the same (72 BB, 66 K) in 113 games as a professional. So, he’s not a bad get for a guy whose name value and actual value are out of whack.
Dodgers, Cardinals, White Sox Swing a 3-Team Deal25 of 34
Erick FeddeRichard Rodriguez/Getty Images
The Deal: Los Angeles Dodgers get INF Tommy Edman, RHP Michael Kopech, RHP Oliver Gonzalez; St. Louis Cardinals get RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham, cash considerations; Chicago White Sox get OF Miguel Vargas, INF Jeral Perez (Dodgers No. 9), INF Alexander Albertus, player to be named later or cash considerations
For the Dodgers: B
The Dodgers didn’t cough up any pieces they’re likely to miss, but trading three youngsters for a utility man who has yet to return from wrist surgery and an electric, yet hittable setup guy is a puzzling play.
To be fair, more depth never hurts and both Edman and Kopech can help the Dodgers.
When healthy, the former offers speed on the basepaths and capable defense at shortstop, second base and center field. And with a 102 mph fastball at his disposal, the latter could be made into something special if the Dodgers fix his control issues. Kopech has averaged 6.0 walks per nine innings since the start of 2023.
For the Cardinals: A
Pham landing back in St. Louis is an interesting development, to say the least. But the Cardinals needed a right-handed-hitting outfielder, and he’s a good one who’ll give them a little power and speed.
Fedde, meanwhile, is having a fine year by way of a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts, and he’s sorely needed in a rotation that ranks 27th in WAR.
In all, the Cardinals shipped out a player they had been able to live without to get two players who should help them live an even better life.
For the White Sox: D
Though none is on Garrett Crochet’s level, Fedde, Kopech and Pham were three of Chicago’s best trade chips. To see them go out the door in exchange for this package is a letdown.
Vargas does have career .923 OPS at Triple-A, but he’s been nothing special in the 129 games he’s played in the majors. And because he doesn’t offer much in the way of defense, the bat has to play if he wants to avoid going bust.
Perez has an .800 OPS for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, but he doesn’t have any standout tools. Albertus has the potential to be a good hitter, but his power and speed are suspect.
Royals Acquire Michael Lorenzen from Rangers26 of 34
Michael LorenzenRichard Rodriguez/Getty Images
The Deal: Kansas City Royals get RHP Michael Lorenzen; Texas Rangers get LHP Walter Pennington
For the Royals: B
The Royals hold the AL’s third wild-card spot, but the Boston Red Sox (1.0 GB) and Seattle Mariners (2.5 GB) remain in hot pursuit.
The Royals therefore need all the help they can get, including in a rotation that has recently been weighed down by Alec Marsh. Lorenzen is an upgrade to this end, albeit one whose 3.81 ERA is a little misleading because of a high walk rate and a low strikeout rate.
As such, it’s a good thing that the Royals are second in the majors in Outs Above Average. That will hopefully allow for a smooth transition for Lorenzen, who’s only under contract for this year at just $4.5 million.
For the Rangers: B
This trade doesn’t necessarily mean the World Series champions are waving the white flag on 2024.
The returns of Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle are nigh, so this deal is partly a case of simple roster management. It’s also about taking a chance on Pennington, who’s a lesser-known yet interesting prospect.
Formerly an undrafted free agent, the Golden, Colorado native has whiffed 33 percent of the batters he’s faced for Triple-A Omaha. He doesn’t throw hard, but his breaking ball is a whopper with real bat-missing potential.
Cubs Acquire Isaac Paredes from Rays27 of 34
Isaac ParedesAdam Hunger/Getty Images
The Deal: Chicago Cubs get 3B/1B Isaac Paredes; Tampa Bay Rays get 3B Christopher Morel, RHP Ty Johnson, RHP Hunter Bigge
For the Cubs: B
The buzz leading up to the trade deadline was that the Cubs would be in a selling mood, so this one took everyone by surprise when it happened on Sunday.
It’s nonetheless a sensible deal for the North Siders. They’re not looking at a prolonged rebuild, and swapping out Morel for Paredes at third base is a net positive in multiple ways.
Paredes is an All-Star with a .792 OPS and 16 homers, and he’s just 25 and under club control through 2027. Though he does come with a wonky offensive profile, his low-strikeout, high-walk can only help a Cubs offense that has been on the volatile side in 2024.
For the Rays: A
Morel isn’t as good a hitter as Paredes, and he’s a much better fit for the designated hitter slot than he is for the hot corner. His glove is just…well, it’s not good.
Morel is nonetheless a powerful hitter who’s just 25 in his own right, with club control that runs through 2028. Swapping Paredes for him is a case of trading present ability for future upside, which is intriguing given the Rays’ history of successfully unlocking upside.
The two prospects in this deal have upside of their own, as Bigge throws in the high 90s and Johnson is a 6’6″, 205-pound drink of water whose velocity is trending upward.
Padres Acquire Jason Adam from Rays28 of 34
Jason AdamDavid Berding/Getty Images
The Deal: San Diego Padres get RHP Jason Adam; Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Dylan Lesko (Padres No. 7), OF Homer Bush Jr. (Padres No. 10), C J.D. Gonzalez
For the Padres: A
Few relievers are household names, and Adam isn’t a guy who fits that bill. But by one measure, he’s been one of the 10 best relievers in MLB over the last three seasons.
Adam, who’ll turn 33 on Sunday, has a 2.49 ERA and a whiff rate in the 97th percentile this year. He’s been nearly as good against lefties (.535 OPS) as against righties (.519 OPS), which makes sense once you see his changeup.
Rob Friedman @PitchingNinjaJason Adam Destroying Juan Soto with 3 Changeups. đđđ pic.twitter.com/esTQ5QxgdO
With Adam alongside Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada, the Padres now have a gnarly bullpen foursome. That could be a nightmare for the opposition if they hold on and make the playoffs via the National League’s second wild-card spot.
For the Rays: B
The Rays got back two top-10 prospects for a 30-something reliever who only has two years of club control left? How very Rays of them.
Still, there’s as much downside as upside here. And it starts with Lesko, who still has major command issues two years after the Padres took him 15th overall in the 2022 draft. He’s walked 6.9 batters per nine innings as a professional.
Bush is an 80-grade runner, but his hit and power tools are both suspect. Gonzalez feels like a throw-in, as he’s still just 18 and working on a .551 OPS (notably with zero homers) for Single-A Lake Elsinore.
Yankees Acquire Jazz Chisholm Jr. from Marlins29 of 34
Jazz Chisholm Jr.Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images
The Deal: New York Yankees get 2B/OF Jazz Chisholm Jr.; Miami Marlins get C Agustin Ramirez (Yankees No. 3), INF Jared Serna, INF Abrahan Ramirez
For the Yankees: B
The 10-23 run the Yankees went on between June 15 and July 26 was partly injury-related, but it also exposed the club’s general shortage of good players.
This is where Chisholm is meant to come in. He’ll have to stay healthy, of course, but the power (15 home runs) and speed (23 stolen bases) are there, and his approach has notably gotten better in 2024. Two games in, he’s already strengthened a lineup that had been way too reliant on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
New York Yankees @Yankees2nd game as a Yankee.
2nd home run as a Yankee. @j_chisholm3 âïž pic.twitter.com/0kZYlRM5pY
The defensive aspect of this deal is basically an experiment. Chisholm won’t fit in center field after Giancarlo Stanton comes off the IL, and Gleyber Torres’ presence at second base has, for now, forced Chisholm to third base for the first time in his pro career.
For the Marlins: C
As he’s only 26 and under club control through 2026, it’s disappointing that the Marlins couldn’t get at least one top-100 prospect for Chisholm.
Granted, Agustin Ramirez is a prospect to watch. Whether he’ll stick at catcher is a question, but his bat is going to play anywhere. Though he’s been humbled a bit since moving to Triple-A, he has an .862 OPS and 20 homers in 87 games.
Otherwise, the most interesting thing about Serna is that he’s only 5’7″, 168 pounds. And while Abrahan Ramirez does have a .960 OPS, that’s as a 19-year-old in rookie ball.
Phillies Acquire Carlos Estévez from Angels30 of 34
Carlos EstévezJayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
The Deal: Philadelphia Phillies get RHP Carlos Estévez; Los Angeles Angels get RHP George Klassen (Phillies No. 5), Samuel Aldegheri (Phillies No. 6)
For the Phillies: B
It would be a reach to call the Phillies’ bullpen a weakness, but it hasn’t been helped by JosĂ© Alvarado’s recent slump. The lefty has a 6.60 ERA for his last 16 appearances.
Enter Estévez, who has 20 saves and is on a stretch of 18 straight appearances without allowing a run. His walk rate is way down from his roller-coaster 2023 campaign, and all three of his primary pitches are holding hitters to averages in the .100s.
Rob Friedman @PitchingNinjaCarlos EstĂ©vez’s 2Ks in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/745F2HI2Zn
EstĂ©vez, whose contract is up at the end of 2024, is meant to upgrade a spot that had been occupied by Seranthony DomĂnguez. Assuming he keeps pitching like he has been, he’ll form a lethal relief foursome with Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering.
For the Angels: A
The Phillies can’t get an A, though, because it’s hard to fathom that a rental reliever cost them two of their six best prospects.
Bully for the Angels, for whom Klassen is the big prize. He boasts a 70-grade fastball and his control has been a lot better in the pros than it was during a college career in which he walked more batters than he struck out.
For his part, the Italy-born Aldegheri boasts a plus slider and has whiffed 34 percent of the batters he’s faced in 2024. He, too, is a promising arm.
Orioles Acquire Zach Eflin from Rays31 of 34
Zach EflinJim McIsaac/Getty Images
The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get RHP Zach Eflin, cash; Tampa Bay Rays get INF/OF Mac Horvath, RHP Jackson Baumeister, OF Matthew Etzel
For the Orioles: A
Even if he’s not necessarily co-ace material, a guy like Eflin is something the Orioles very much needed behind Corbin Burnes in their rotation.
The 30-year-old isn’t missing bats like he did in 2023âhis strikeout rate is down from 9.4 to 7.1 per nine inningsâbut he remains an elite strike-thrower and a solid innings eater. For now, he looks like a suitable No. 3 behind Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez in a playoff rotation.
Eflin is under contract through 2025, when his salary will jump to $18 million. It’s not a bad rate for a guy like him, so it’s a good look for the O’s that the Rays ate some money in this deal even though they didn’t get any of Baltimore’s best prospects.
For the Rays: B
Though not one of them is a name-brand prospect, the three players in this deal will bring a fair amount of upside to Tampa Bay’s system.
Horvath has above-average power and speed. Etzel is a burner with 41 steals in the minors this season. Baumeister is a 6’4″, 224-pound righty who has whiffed 30 percent of the batters he’s faced in 2024.
It nonetheless feels like the Rays went for quantity over quality with this trade and thus missed a chance to fleece a division rival that happens to have one of the deepest systems in MLB.
Orioles and Phillies Swap Austin Hays, Seranthony DomĂnguez32 of 34
Austin HaysMitchell Leff/Getty Images
The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get RHP Seranthony DomĂnguez, OF Cristian Pache; Philadelphia Phillies get OF Austin Hays
For the Orioles: C
The Orioles’ bullpen has withstood FĂ©lix Bautista’s absence for the most part, but Craig Kimbrel is suddenly in one of those phases wherein he can’t not melt down.
Into this scenario strolls DomĂnguez, who comes with a mostly successful track record. The stuff still plays, particularly to the extent that he’s hard to square up. The righty is above the 90th percentile for exit velocity for a second year in a row.
DomĂnguez nonetheless has occasional volatility in common with Kimbrel, so he’s less of a savior and more so just another option for manager Brandon Hyde. This bullpen needs something better than that.
For the Phillies: A
From the Phillies’ perspective, this deal saw them offload two players they didn’t really need for one they very much do need.
Hays has had a rough one in 2024, but he was an All-Star just last year and he fits the Phillies both as the right-handed bat they needed and as the outfielder they were missing. He doesn’t play center field, but his arrival allows Brandon Marsh to serve as a functional Band-Aid out there for the rest of this season.
Plus, Citizens Bank Park should suit Hays better than Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He isn’t a power hitter, but that deep left field was no help to his slugging percentage.
Mariners Acquire Randy Arozarena from Rays33 of 34
Randy ArozarenaGriffin Quinn/Getty Images
The Deal: Seattle Mariners get LF Randy Arozarena; Tampa Bay Rays get OF Aidan Smith, RHP Brody Hopkins, player to be named later
For the Mariners: A
The Mariners badly needed a bat, and Arozarena’s is a good one. It’s that simple.
The erstwhile AL Rookie of the Year may only have a .732 OPS for the season, but he had put up a stellar .903 OPS in the last 44 games he played for the Rays. And in Seattle, he’s filling a left field spot that has produced a mere .682 OPS and 11 home runs.
Seattle Mariners @Mariners.@RandyArozarena’s first homer with the squad! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/pvJJxwUJsn
Arozarena is not a temporary fill-in, as he’s 29 and under team control through 2026. So to get him and retain the best talents in MLB’s No. 1 farm system gives this one a chance to become one of Jerry Dipoto’s best trades.
For the Rays: C
This isn’t a terrible deal for the Rays, but one does scratch one’s head at how they couldn’t get even one of Seattle’s 10 best prospects for Arozarena.
This instead feels like another quantity-over-quality deal. Hopkins is another big righty (6’4″, 200 pounds) with a plus fastball-slider combination, yet he also comes with control issues. Smith has plus speed but basically average hit and power tools.
This trade could end up looking better if the player to be named later ends up being a David Ortiz or a Trea Turner. For now, though, it feels underwhelming.
Diamondbacks Acquire A.J. Puk from Marlins34 of 34
A.J. PukChris Coduto/Getty Images
The Deal: Arizona Diamondbacks get LHP A.J. Puk; Miami Marlins get INF Deyvison De Los Santos (Diamondbacks No. 2), OF Andrew Pintar
For the Diamondbacks: A
The National League champs were stuck in neutral for a while there, but a 17-8 resurgence since June 29 now has them in the thick of the NL wild-card race.
Puk’s role is to inject some electricity into a bullpen that has been weak in general and lacking in swing-and-miss. Indeed, Diamondbacks relievers have the allowed the fourth-highest contact rate in the majors.
The live-armed lefty has whiffed 35 percent of the batters he’s faced going back to May 29, a span in which he also boasts a 1.27 ERA. And because he’s under club control through 2026, he’ll be a candidate to fill Paul Sewald’s closer shoes if he departs as a free agent this winter.
For the Marlins: A
It is a little jarring to see the Diamondbacks giving up their No. 2 prospect for a mere reliever, but it’s worth noting that Reuter is on the high side in his esteem for De Los Santos.
Then again, it’s hard to blame him. The 21-year-old has had a huge season in the minors, going off for a 1.015 OPS and 29 home runs in 89 games. He should find himself at the cold corner in Miami sooner rather than later.
As Pintar is a plus runner, the Marlins also got some lightning to go with De Los Santos’ thunder. It’s a good get for a guy who flopped out of their rotation in April.
Nice